lvriesling's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: William
Beneficiary's Name: Nattanan
VJ Member: lvriesling
Country: Thailand
Last Updated: 2016-06-18
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Immigration Checklist for William & Nattanan:
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USCIS I-130 Petition:
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Dept of State IR-1/CR-1 Visa:
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USCIS I-751 Petition:
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USCIS N-400 Petition:
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IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
California Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Bangkok, Thailand |
| Marriage (if applicable): |
2010-11-25 |
| I-130 Sent : |
2010-12-04 |
| I-130 NOA1 : |
2010-12-10 |
| I-130 RFE : |
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| I-130 RFE Sent : |
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| I-130 Approved : |
2011-04-25 |
| NVC Received : |
2011-05-10 |
| Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : |
2011-05-13 |
| Pay AOS Bill : |
2011-05-13 |
| Receive I-864 Package : |
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| Send AOS Package : |
2011-06-07 |
| Submit DS-261 : |
2011-05-16 |
| Receive IV Bill : |
2011-05-13 |
| Pay IV Bill : |
2011-05-13 |
| Send IV Package : |
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| Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : |
2011-05-13 |
| Case Completed at NVC : |
2011-07-25 |
| NVC Left : |
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| Consulate Received : |
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| Packet 3 Received : |
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| Packet 3 Sent : |
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| Packet 4 Received : |
2011-07-30 |
| Interview Date : |
2011-09-15 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2011-09-19 |
| US Entry : |
2011-10-07 |
| Comments : |
Sent I-130 Original Submission by Certified Mail, Return Receipt, & I also included a bonus CD containing electronic (scanned) copies of ALL documents in my I-130 package to further speed processing. Usps.com tracking: Sent 1st Class, Sat 12/4/10 @ 12:25 PM in Ft Lauderdale FL; Received Mon 12/6/2010 @ 2:08 PM in Chicago IL. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-130 was approved in 136 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 279 days from your I-130 NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Los Angeles |
| POE Date : |
2011-10-07 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
Yes,Passport Stamp |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2013-07-08 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-07-12 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-07-31 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2013-11-14 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Green Card Received : |
2013-11-21 |
| Comments : |
No RFE :-) Xferred from VSC to CSC. |
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Citizenship
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Lewisville TX Lockbox |
| CIS Office : |
Oakland Park FL |
| Date Filed : |
2015-10-23 |
| NOA Date : |
2015-11-06 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2015-12-23 |
| Interview Date : |
2016-05-03 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2016-06-17 |
| Comments : |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Bangkok, Thailand
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
September 17, 2011 |
| Embassy Review : |
Sept 15 2011 - Upon arrival at 6:45 AM, Beneficiary (in a business suit, with a wedding ring & a heart-shaped necklace) was admitted to US embassy without waiting in line, due to her immigration visa appointment letter. Cell phone was surrendered to security, then immigration counter took only certain evidence: email folder screenshots, printouts of selected emails, redacted Skype chat transcripts, photographs of us together, and photographs of gifts and letters and packages sent to each other. Not accepted as evidence: actual greeting cards & actual packages, actual check written out to beneficiary from petitioner, vaccination certificate from latest booster shots, long distance phone bill showing calls, flight booking info. We did not have any notarized affidavits from friends & family - our evidence was all directly from and about us. We were interview #3 of about 7. It's now 7:15 - waited in a big lobby with about 100 non-immigration visa people, seated too far away to hear the immigration interviews. 2 windows were closed, 2 windows were already processing non-immigrant visas, plus 1 immigration window which did not even open until 9 AM. Non-immigrant visa people are called up by their assigned numbers, but immigrant visa people are called up by name. Immigrant Interview #2 had a tough 30-minute interview (Thai interview was not allowed - English was required) and was given her passport back (no visa for her). Our interview (#3) started at 9:50. Interviewer had light brown hair, green eyes, about 5' 10", no glasses, short casual gray dress, low pitched female voice, very fast talker, stern facial expression. Interviewer greeted Beneficiary, Beneficiary returned greetings in both Thai and English. Beneficiary had a fingerprint taken of her right index finger and was sworn in. 1st question was about how we met, what website (it was okcupid.com). 2nd question was when did we physically meet and when did we get married (Petitioner flew to BKK for about 2 weeks last November & we married during that visit). 3rd question was why we got married even though that visit was our first & only in-person meeting (we have had daily email contact since meeting on okcupid.com in August 2010, plus Skype chats & phone calls as well, and Petitioner is a good person, we love & care for each other). During the answering of this question, Interviewer returned to Beneficiary the original documents (marriage certificate, etc.) submitted to NVC. [This was probably the exact moment at which Interviewer decided to grant the CR-1 visa!] 4th question was why did Beneficiary join okcupid.com (it's a good website for understanding the personality of the people you meet, etc.). 5th question was about prior marriages & children (none for either of us). 6th question was what does Beneficiary plan to do in USA (her career choice). 7th question is when will Beneficiary travel to USA (October 6th, we already bought the plane ticket in order to snap up a great advance-purchase ticket price). Interviewer then gave a small white slip of paper showing Beneficiary's name and NVC number, saying to return Sept 19 at 3 PM to pick up Beneficiary's Thai passport and US CR-1 visa. Beneficiary thanked Interviewer in Thai and English and wai'ed Interviewer. Interviewer maintained her stern expression and did not wai back. Beneficiary reclaimed her cell phone & exited the embassy. There is an age difference of 13+ years between Petitioner and Beneficiary (she is the younger partner), and Interviewer never asked any questions about that. The whole interview took about 10 minutes. Beneficiary had some trouble understanding Interviewer's fast-paced English, but Interviewer had no problem understanding Beneficiary's Thai-accented English. We were very well prepared (thanks to VJ) and we already knew we had a very strong case. A very good experience, except for the stern Interviewer who refused to wai back!
(updated on September 19, 2011) |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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POE Review: Los Angeles
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| Event |
Description |
| Entry Date : |
2011-10-07 |
| Embassy Review : |
Immigrant visa processing queue is at the far left side of the room.
Fingerprints taken, CR-1 visa issued. They gave us two short flyers - "Welcome to USA (Your Green Card is En Route)" and "Don't Forget - Removal of Conditions".
Quick and easy, no hassles! |
| Harassment Level : |
Low |
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Local US CIS Office Review: Oakland Park FL
Review Topic: cis_topic
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
May 20, 2016 |
| Embassy Review : |
N-400 Interview 5/3/16 @ Oakland Park FL. Arrived early,but interview actually started 70 minutes after my scheduled appointment time.
Interviewer spent a lot of time on the topic of my two first name changes. Then asked about income taxes (5 minutes). Then more discussion of name changes, and I got RFE'd (N-14) for documentation of a first name change that was done by my parents during childhood (I was about 1 year old at the time).
Interviewer asked for green card, reviewed N-400, asked questions from N-400, returned to the name change / N-14 topic, then abruptly started the Civics test.
Civics questions (as numbered in the USCIS Civics Questions Guide) were:
1) What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? (#53)
2) Who is the Governor of your state now? (#43)
3) Where is the Statue of Liberty? (#95)
4) What movement tried to end racial discrimination? (#84)
5) Who was the first President? (#70)
6) Name two national U.S. holidays. (#100)
Reading test was to read "When is Columbus Day?"
Writing test was to write "Washington is the capital"
All questions were answered correctly.
Interviewer had me sign my N-400 and 2 more papers.
Interviewer asked if I had any questions. Discussed N-14 response procedure and then what happens next.
Total time taken by interview was one hour (!!).
Got N-14 dated 5/4/16 in the mail on Friday 5/6/16.
Physically delivered the documentation of early name change requested by N-14 to Oakland Park office on Monday 5/9/16.
Now waiting for USCIS to process the N-14 documentation. Tick tock, tick tock...
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Update, 6/17/16: Completed naturalization today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (in a judicial ceremony due to name change)! Here's how it went:
Had to show up at Federal Courthouse by 11:30. Although there is a sign at the entrance to the Courthouse saying that cell phones, etc. are prohibited, for the judicial naturalization ceremony they forget all about that and let people bring in cell phones, cameras, whatever they want. Went through security, then to the Juror Waiting Room to check in. Room is divided by a center aisle into left and right sides. People who are naturalizing have to sit on the left side, from left to right and then front to back (so Row 1 fills up (front row), then Row 2, etc.), in order of arrival. People who are guests have to sit on the right side, anywhere they want. For about an hour, everyone just sits there waiting. People were dressed in a variety of ways, including a woman in a low-cut dress displaying ample cleavage and a young woman in a very small & very low-cut & tightly-fitted black mini-skirt, along with people wearing shirt & tie, people wearing casual clothes, etc. About half the population was either talking, playing games, or otherwise entertaining themselves with their cell phones. Then a USCIS person comes around and collects the green cards and appointment letters, in order of arrival. Another hour of waiting. Then a Courtroom worker asks for volunteers who would like to tell their stories of how they came from their countries to become citizens. Finally, the people who are naturalizing walk in single file out of the Juror Waiting Room, in order of arrival, and proceed to the Courtroom where they are seated on the left side of the Courtroom in order of arrival (from left to right and then front to back). Then the guests file out of the room in no particular order and proceed to the Courtroom, where they are seated on the right side of the Courtroom in order of arrival (from right to left and then front to back). The judge comes in and starts talking. Three veterans march in with a big flag. USCIS reads a legal motion to change the names of 65 people. Judge grants the motion. USCIS reads a legal motion to grant naturalization to 65 people from 25 countries, effective after they take the Oath of Allegiance. Judge grants the motion. The people who are naturalizing stand up and do the Oath Of Allegiance. The judge calls up the people who volunteered to tell their stories (four people). Judge then asks if there is anyone else who wants to tell their story (one more person). One of the five was from Mexico and he spent most of his time denouncing the recent racist statements of Donald Trump. Then a local Congressman gave a speech, and finally a member of the Federal Bar Association gave a speech. Judge does the "Pledge Of Allegiance". Then a volunteer singer performed "The Star Spangled Banner". Judge talks some more and eventually adjourns the ceremony. The newly naturalized citizens walk in single file out of the Courtroom, in order, back to the Juror Waiting Room. Then the guests walk in single file out of the Courtroom, in order, back to the Juror Waiting Room. USCIS then distributed the packets containing the Certificates of Naturalization, etc. (along with a small American flag). The judge has provided cake, granola bars, cookies, and soft drinks for everyone in the Juror Waiting Room, so everyone grabs some food. By this time it is around 2 PM. At this point, I ask to take pictures of the legal motions that the USCIS person read out loud in open court (which many people captured as live video using their cell phones inside the Courtroom). The USCIS person says she doesn't know and refers me to her supervisor. Supervisor says I can't photograph the motions because they might contain confidential information. I laughed out loud and asked her if she understood that federal court motions were public documents (you can access them over the internet via PACER, etc.). This is of course in addition to the fact that USCIS just got through reading the text of the whole thing in open court while people videotaped it on their cell phones. Supervisor again denied my request and said I could file a FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) request (which typically takes months to get a response). Departed the courthouse, totally amazed at the extreme cluelessness of USCIS staff! 
(updated on June 17, 2016)
(updated on June 17, 2016)
(updated on June 17, 2016) |
| Harassment Level : |
Poor |
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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
