My lawyer sent me this:

1. USCIS approval
2. Goes to the "National Visa Center" for sercurity review and then
sending to the embassy. (Its there for about 2 weeks)
3. Embassy receives pack from the NVC and sends packet 3 to me and
foreign fiancee (about 1 month post NVC)
4. We complete paperwork and then send back to embassy (2 weeks)
5. Embassy schedules interview(varies on how busy the embassy is at that
time)
6. After interview visa is sent out about 1 week later.

What is the security review? Will it take longer for an Iraqi? How long most USCIS approval does it take to get the visa? What acronym on the timeline is USCIS approval?

Your lawyer simplified things a LOT. Take a look at the flowchart here. It should give you a good idea. My understanding is that it goes to NVC to wait for a visa number...since family based visas don't need a visa number, we don't have to wait and it just gets sent on to the embassy. I could be completely off-base about that because no one seems to know exactly what happens at the NVC (at least no one has answered when I've asked). I believe background checks are done at USCIS (on the USC) and at the embassy (on the foreign fiance/e). The time it takes between NVC to packet three to visa is completely dependant on the embassy/consulate you're going through. Check out the timelines to get a better idea of what you're looking at there.

USCIS approval - NOA2

The security review is the name checks/security checks.

If the name checks are not completed prior to the interview then they will continue after the interview (that is when you get put on AP).

Approval to visa varies from consulate to consulate. It also depends on how long it takes you to complete the checklist (police certificates, medicals, etc).

You don't need a police certificate for Iraq so don't worry about that. I confirmed it with a representative at NVC and through their website. If you fiance is living somewhere else he only needs a police certificate if he lived there for more than one year. As for background checks, it could take longer for an Iraq. You see they have put priority and sped up Iraqi background checks if you are married, but I don't that is the case if you are not married yet. My friend who went through your process before took one year to get her K1 visa though that was with immigration losing some of her paperwork and delaying her case.

We already have the police check from Iraq and Korea.

Okay, well, that is fine. I was just letting you know you didn't need the one for Iraq.

Wish I had known that. Darn. Why? Just to hard to get?

If it makes you feel any better, my husband sent off for his before I found out. After the long wait at the embassy and the expense of paying for guartanteed delivery so it wouldn't get lost on its way into Iraq.

I think the main reason they don't take it is because Iraqi police are mostly corrupt, easily bribed, and don't keep good records. What is the point of a police record from there? All NVC said is that the police reports from Iraq are "Unavailable".

If this means you got your NOA2, then you should update your timeline.. It will help everybody else who is waiting for their NOA2's as well