Kurt y Dora's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Kurt
Beneficiary's Name: Dora
VJ Member: Kurt y Dora
Country: Colombia
Last Updated: 2015-07-22
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Immigration Checklist for Kurt & Dora:
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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 : |
Bogota, Colombia |
| I-129F Sent : |
2009-07-21 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2009-07-24 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2009-09-28 |
| NVC Received : |
2009-10-02 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2009-10-02 |
| Consulate Received : |
2009-10-02 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2009-10-09 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2009-10-16 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2009-10-23 |
| Interview Date : |
2009-12-09 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2009-12-15 |
| US Entry : |
2010-01-07 |
| Marriage : |
2010-04-03 |
| Comments : |
Cleared Immigration in Miami without a hitch - they actually asked Dora more questions than the Bogota interview (how we met, how many times, etc.) but finished with a "Welcome to the US" comment and that was it! |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 66 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 138 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Miami |
| POE Date : |
2010-01-07 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
Dora was asked a few questions (actually more than the interview in Bogota) about how we met, where and how many times, but she said it was not a big deal and they waived her through and just said "Welcome to the US". |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Charlotte NC |
| Date Filed : |
2010-05-12 |
| NOA Date : |
2010-05-18 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2010-06-17 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
2010-06-24 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2010-10-20 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Greencard Received: |
2010-10-27 |
| Comments : |
We received an RFE which was totally ridiculous in the amount of information that was requested. I belive they sent us the form which would be typically be required at the Lifting of Conditions Phase, since many of the questions they wanted information on could only be answered by someone who had been in the US for over a year (like tax returns and W2), or already had their green card (e.g. a photo of Dora's driver's license, which you can't obtain in NC without having a green card). They granted the Green card within three days of receiving the packet and I guess we will be well trained when it comes time for the removal of conditions. |
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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 : |
2010-05-12 |
| NOA Date : |
2010-05-18 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
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| Approved Date : |
2010-07-22 |
| Date Card Received : |
2010-07-30 |
| Comments : |
One hand doesn't know what the other is doing when you speak to different people about the process - but there is no longer any possibility of getting a temp permit at either POE or local USCIS offices. All must be mailed or filed in one or two main offices depending on where you live.
Dora's EAD was amazingly approved in only 12 days. but because of a screw up by the post office, her employment authorization card was sent back "addressee unknown" - whereas they had no problem delivering the notice a few days earlier. When we trached it down, we were told it could take several weeks to turn it around to send it back to us - and it DID!! We actually received it on April 23, two weeks AFTER IT EXPIRED. (Unbeknownst to me, the EAD is only temporary and expires the day the K1 visa expires. So if your fiancee does get a job, she could be working illegally again until the AOS paperwork is completed and she receives her new permit.
We received her second "permanent" card when we got her AP paperwork also. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 71 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 : |
2010-05-12 |
| NOA Date : |
2010-05-18 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Date Received : |
2010-07-30 |
| Comments : |
Although the actual I-512 (AP) paper shows an issue date of 7/21/10, the voice recording for our status when we call in said 7/22 and the actual post mark was not until 7/26/10 - so they sat on it for 5 days. We've learned not to gamble on making plans until we have the documents in hand, so the extra delay meant an additional $700 in ticket fees if we wanted to make our original window to travel. We tried to call USCIS and verify if we would receive the I512 or only the I797 NOA as the voice recording states, but they were very rude and only would say that the I-512 "would follow" - without saying WHEN. As it was, the paperwork received WAS the I512. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 70 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2012-07-23 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-08-06 |
| RFE(s) : |
2013-03-15 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2012-08-23 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2013-06-07 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Green Card Received : |
2013-06-15 |
| Comments : |
Received a request for more evidence of a "valid relationship" on 3/15/13, despite a huge pile of data we had sent them. By this time we had more historical evidence of joint banking accounts and bills paid jointly. We also took the additional step of getting a will drawn up with health care power of attorneys cross drawn on each other. That might have done the trick and the Removal of conditions letter was granted 17 days after receipt of another thick package of information (including photos of several more family oriented reunion events with both sides of our extended families.) |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Bogota, Colombia
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
December 10, 2009 |
| Embassy Review : |
We had our interview on December 9 and other than waiting a long time to reach step in the process that day, it couldn't have been easier. But thanks to all we had read here on VJ and the review posted by Mike and Fey, we were well prepared. We arrived at 6:00 AM and waited in the appropriate line (#3). The woman checking us in made certain we were in the correct line, gave us green stickers with #40 on them and then gave us an order form to pay Domesa (the company that delivers your completed visa if granted). After a few minutes they let us all into the Immigration area. We had to pass through a security hut and to leave behind our cell phones if they had cameras and pass through X-ray security scanning. Then those of us with K1/K3 visas we sent to area #40 where the process for the day was explained to us about 6:30 AM and we were given folders to organize our paperwork in. After arranging our paperwork, we lined up again and the woman made certain all was in order and then we were told to sit and wait for our name to be called. If anything, this was difficult because they would only call a persons name once and that was through loudspeakers with a very garbled voice.
The interview area is outside in a courtyard but under cover and it was very chilly in the morning. There are windows like secured bank teller windows marked 1 through 21 on one wall and 22-32 on the opposite wall of the courtyard. Windows 29-32 are for immigrant visas which is what K1 visas are considered. Along the third wall is a snack shop and bathrooms and the fourth wall is "blank" with a curved bench running the length of it. In the middle of the courtyard are (cold) metal chairs where everyone sits, a small snack counter serving coffee and tea and donuts and arepas and a small trailer which is the office for Domesa, the company that does the mailings of the visas.
At about 8:45 we were called to window #29 where we turned in Dora's paperwork: Forms D156 and D156K, photos, Passport, Copio del folio, judicial certificate, DAS Migratory certificate, Form-I134 and 1040 tax return and W2 certificates and employment letters and finally the Medical records. THEY DID NOT ASK FOR ANY PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP information! Dora signed the form D156 and D156K. Then woman asked Dora her address, if she intended to marry me and how many times I was married. Then she arranged the information in a folder that had much of the I-129 application information and we were told to go wait by Window #2. (Windows 1-6 are marked “For Immigrant Visas only”).
We then waited here until about 11:00 AM and a woman OUTSIDE of window #2 called Dora’s name and took her fingerprint and told her to wait again. At 11:30, we were called to Window #6 and the man there had the folder that was sent over from window #29. He asked Dora how we met (that information was in my Intent to Marry Letter) and then if we had 14 visits in 14 months and Dora corrected him and said 14 visits in 18 months and then he said “OK, your visa is granted”. And that was it! We hugged and kissed and then walked to the Domesa trailer, paid for the delivery of her passport (which will have the visa inside) and walked out of the interview area.
Total time from submission of the I-129 paperwork to the granting of the visa – 138 days.
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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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
