ramona_v's US Immigration Timeline
Immigration Checklist for R & R:
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USCIS I-129F Petition:
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Dept of State K1 Visa:
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USCIS I-485 Petition:
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USCIS I-765 Petition:
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USCIS I-131 Petition:
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USCIS I-751 Petition:
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USCIS N-400 Petition:
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K1 Visa
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Dominican Republic |
| I-129F Sent : |
2009-01-03 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2009-01-10 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2009-04-23 |
| NVC Received : |
2009-04-25 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2009-04-28 |
| Consulate Received : |
2009-05-01 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2009-06-18 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
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| Packet 4 Received : |
2009-06-18 |
| Interview Date : |
2009-07-01 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2009-07-24 |
| US Entry : |
2009-10-24 |
| Marriage : |
2009-10-28 |
| Comments : |
Package: The packet was never received. We had to make arrangements for my fiance to pick it up at the embassy on 18-June-2009 at window 26 or 27.
Medical: My fiance went to the medical on 22-June-2009. He arrived before 5:00 AM and the line was already very long (more than 100 people). After talking to people he learned that some had been there since 2:30 AM. His photos had a blue background and he had to get new ones with a white background, and he had to write his name on the back. He said they started letting people in around 6:00 AM. He entered around 7:00 AM. The first agent checks the letter, passport, cedula and provides the price. The next person added a sticker to the back of the passport with the date to pick-up the results. There were 5 steps- paying the fee, blood test, x-ray, vaccinations (let then know if you have any allergies), and physical exam (requires you to be naked). You can go to give blood without being called, but after that step you must wait for your name to be called. He also had to wait for a doctor to review his x-ray to make sure it was a good picture- he said that this is an important step. He left around 10:40 AM, and there were still people waiting outside to enter.
Birth Certificate: Inextensa Format
Police Certificate: It is issued by "La procuraduria de la Republica".
Paying Fee: In addition to the letter, you must also bring your passport. (The passport number is not enough).
Medical Results: We arrived around 12:45 and there were over 200 people in line in the hot July sun weaving down the sidewalk and around cars parked on the side of the road. The line hardly moved until 2:30. Eventually, they separated the line into 2: men and women. It went much faster and the men's line was much shorter. They found the paperwork by the last name- you need to show your passport and cedula. It was after 3:00 before we left. (Note, I was not able to enter the building with him.)
Interview: We arrived around 5:30 AM and the line was VERY long, but your position in line does not seem to make much difference overall since someone who had been there since 4:00 AM was still there when we left. There were two lines when we arrived: line 1 for resident visas and lines 4, 3, and 2 for all others. We were in the long line. When we approached the front the men and women were separated for security reasons, and my fiance was able to enter before me. We were in the Embassy at around 7:30. His name was first called around 8:30 to window 14. At this point he submitted his paperwork, and received his number (483). They did not need my financial information or the evidence of a relationship at this time, so that paperwork remained with us. They called him back to the same window 10 minutes later to return his interview letter. His number was called at around 9:30 to window 13 for fingerprints. At 10:30, we were called to window 24 for the interview. An attractive woman in her 30's interviewed us. I was sworn in in English, and my fiance in Spanish. She said something to him, but I could not hear so I was trying to see what she was having him do, but this she did not like and made me step back. My fiance later told me she had him sign one of the forms and print my full name on a piece of paper. The first questions were to me in English:
Where are you from?
How did you meet?
How long have you been together?
Why did you decide to enter a romantic relationship with him?
Why do you want to marry him?
Have I been married before?
Has he been married before?
Do I have children?
Does he have children?
Does he have any family in the U.S.?
Questions to my fiance in Spanish:
What is my age?
What is his age?
Who he lives with?
If he has family in the U.S.?
If he has ever had problems with the police?
If he has ever been in jail?
Has he ever traveled to the U.S.?
Why does he want to marry me? (Although I did not understand what she was saying, my fiance later explained that she did not like his intitial answer and said the following, "This is not so easy. You need to convince me." This made my fiance even more nervous than he already was.
Has he met my family?
Have I met his family?
Where have I stayed in my previous trips?
How many times have I been to DR?
She asked him about photos, but then returned to me for additional questions:
Who does he live with?
Describe my previous trips to DR?
Periodically, she would stop and enter info into the computer. While she was doing this we chose a couple of photos from the album to share with her, but she looked up and said "Congratulations, your petition for the visa has been approved by the US Embassy." I was very happy!!!!
We paid $12 at the DomEx desk to receive the visa.
Notes: Bring lots of evidence. Although they did not want to see anything particular they could tell that we had binders of evidence and photo albums. The speakers are hard to hear and sometimes talk over one another. The cafeteria is expensive. If there is a parking lot, we could not find it. It was VERY warm in the room while waiting.
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 103 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 172 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Boston |
| POE Date : |
2009-10-24 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
No |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Providence RI |
| Date Filed : |
2009-11-03 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-11-09 |
| RFE(s) : |
2009-11-24 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-12-02 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
2009-12-23 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2010-07-29 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Greencard Received: |
2010-08-13 |
| Comments : |
Received an RFE for a medical exam despite a medical exam less than 6 months ago. The civil surgeon administered 3 shots on 2-Dec and requested that my husband return on 5-Dec for follow-up. Cost =$350; At the follow-up visit we received the sealed envelope and sent it to the Dept of Homeland Security. |
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Employment Authorization
Document
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-11-03 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-11-09 |
| RFE(s) : |
2009-11-24 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-12-02 |
| Approved Date : |
2009-12-25 |
| Date Card Received : |
2010-01-05 |
| Comments : |
Received an RFE for a medical exam despite a medical exam less than 6 months ago. The civil surgeon administered 3 shots on 2-Dec and requested that my husband return on 5-Dec for follow-up. Cost =$350; At the follow-up visit we received the sealed envelope and sent it to the Dept of Homeland Security. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 52 days. |
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Advance Parole
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
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| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-11-03 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-11-09 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Date Received : |
2009-12-31 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 52 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2012-04-10 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-04-13 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2012-05-15 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2013-01-03 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Green Card Received : |
2013-01-11 |
| Comments : |
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Citizenship
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Lewisville TX Lockbox |
| CIS Office : |
Providence RI |
| Date Filed : |
2013-08-29 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-09-03 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-10-01 |
| Interview Date : |
2013-11-07 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2013-12-12 |
| Comments : |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Dominican Republic
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
January 4, 2010 |
| Embassy Review : |
Very nerve-wracking! Many questions for both of us, but in the end we got the approval!  |
| Rating : |
Moderate |
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Timeline Comments: None yet, be the first!
*Notice about estimates: The estimates are based off averages of other members recent experiences
(documented in their timelines) for the same benefit/petition/application at the same filing location.
Individual results may vary as every case is not always 'average'. Past performance does not necessarily
predict future results. The 'as early as date' may change over time based on current reported processing
times from members. There have historically been cases where a benefit/petition/application processing
briefly slows down or stops and this can not be predicted. Use these dates as reference only and do not
rely on them for planning. As always you should check the
USCIS processing times to see if your application
is past due.
** Not all cases are transfered
ver 5.0
