My I-130 Spouse Visa Process - Start to Finish (USCIS > NVC > US Embassy)

[iamsuperbritish 1]

Hello, All.

I am happy to say I have had my interview at the US Embassy in London (June 22nd, 2016) and have had my Spouse Visa granted. My wife is an American Citizen and I am British. She initially put in the I-130 petition in for me back in March 2015. However, we put it on the back-burner for a few months to see if we had any chances for her British Spouse Visa.

As you may be aware, the British Immigration system is the worst and puts couples through torture for years before they tell you anything - long story short, we went into appeal and decided to ####### it. We decided in January this year to continue with the US Spouse Visa. I filled out all forms, prepared all paperwork and gathered all documents myself (saving me a few thousand dollars for Attorney costs).

I have outlined all my steps and timing approximations below:

Filed I-130 application with proof of marriage in the final week of March of 2015 ($420).

Received confirmation that it has been accepted at Lockbox in Nebraska, also in March 2015.

I received notification that I had one missing document - so resent that specific document.

My file was transferred to the NVC (National Visa Center) and received confirmation on December 4th, 2015.

The NVC confirmation instructed me to do the following:

Assign an agent DS-261, so I assigned myself

Pay the Affidavit of Support fees, so I paid $120

Pay the Immigration Visa DS-260 fees, so I paid $325

Submit Affidavit of Support and supporting documents, so I submitted my wife's and brother-in-law's financial docs such as IRS Transcript, W2 and Employer confirmation letter as well as proof of citizenship/identity/address/relationship, marriage proof, police certificate, birth certificate, passport copy and signed Affidavit of Support forms I-864

I submitted all of this in March this year (2016).

Got confirmation from the NVC on May 6th, 2016, that the NVC has received everything they need and it is being sent to the Embassy in London for interview scheduling.

On May 10th, 2016, I received my US Embassy Interview date and time of June 22nd, 2016.

I then scheduled my medical for June 8th, 2016 at Knightsbridge Doctors in London.

Obtained a vaccination report from my doctors before the scheduled medical date (£33).

Attended medical and learned that I needed to update my vaccination with 2 new shots, so I paid £80 for 2 new shots and another £250 for a full body medical check.

Medical report is sent to the Embassy directly in approximately 4 days from the day of the medical.

Prepared all my original documents:

Valid Passport

Passport copy

2 x (2"x2" passport photos) - the size is American size photos

Birth Certificate

Birth Certificate copy

ACRO Police Certificate (£45 from what I remember)

ACRO Police Certificate copy

Marriage Certificate

Marriage Certificate copy

Marriage Deed

Marriage Deed copy

ALL correspondences received from the USCIS and NVC

Copies of Affidavit of Support documents initially sent to NVC

Tonnes of evidence of marriage, traveling, communication, gifts and general living life together on a long distance basis

SPOUSE VISA GRANTED! Interview was ~5 minutes.

As soon as I receive my passport back with the immigrant visa packet (THIS MUST NOT BE OPENED, ONLY CBP AT THE AIRPORT IS ALLOWED TO OPEN THIS - I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH), I will need to pay $165 USCIS Immigrant fee. Without this payment I will not receive my Green Card in the mail.

Note: Affidavit of Support documents and forms were sent by the NVC to the Embassy in London and I was not required to take it in again, but just in case of any issues I still took it. Also, everyone's case can be different - so the NVC will write to you with what you need to take to the Embassy. The list above outlines me acquiring everything they asked for and extra stuff in case.

I hope I have outlined my case end to end with enough information to help anyone out there that is in similar circumstances.

Regards

[sanil1986 26]

good review