SamanthaP

I was having a lot of trouble trying to find out how long it usually takes to get the green card in the mail after entering the USA (CR1 visa). My husband entered July 15, 2013. I called the USCIS today (1800-375-5283) to see what the status of it was. The rep told me that it usually takes 30 days from when you payed the new immigrant fee of $165 to get your green card, BUT they are currently backed up with the applications and the CURRENT PROCESSING TIME IS 45 DAYS FROM WHEN YOU PAYED THE NEW IMMIGRANT FEE.

I hope this helps others. It was difficult for me to even figure out where to call to find this information.

I haven't been online since it happened, but I took my husband, Wilson, for his interview on July 3rd, they asked him a few simple questions: How did you meet your wife? Who is Samal? (This is Wilson's cousing who was named after me and was mentioned in a letter that we submitted with the 'proof' and applications) Who is Al? (This is my father who filed an affidavit of support for Wilson) How do you communicate with your wife? (Wilson said, "in English" lol) They asked if he had any pictures, which he brought a couple. They told him he was approved, returned all the files and gave him information for his next step. One of the people he was speaking with in the waiting room had applied for a work visa (his brother was in US) and he was denied because he forgot to fill out some paperwork, or didn't do it correctly. The visa was ready for pick up on July 9. We booked tickets on the 10th, picked up the visa and yellow packet on the 11th, left on the 14th and arrived in Chicago on the 15th. Because we were together, they let us go to the US citizen/green card line for the passport stamping. The person at the counter gave Wilson a red folder to put his packet in and directed us to get our bags and go to customs. At customs the person there will direct you to an area where you give the red folder and passport to a man at a desk and sit and wait to be called. It took about 20 minutes, Wilson was called up and fingerprinted, then they gave him his passport back and directed him to go around the corner to line number 4. The passport had the visa in it and a stamp that said the immigrant has been notified of the conditional status of the visa and how to remove the conditional status, but Wilson said the man didn't say anything to him. Line number four was just the customs bag xray. He asked if we brought food, we said no and we were out! In the US!

Now I think we are waiting for the green card to be mailed, is that correct? I don't remember if I said I wanted the Social Security card right away...is there a way to check the status of the Green Card and Social Security card?

schedule atleast a week in advance...we thought ours was scheduled for the june 24th because i got an email back saying that was when it was, we got there and they said it wasn't scheduled until july...we explained that our interview was july 3rd and that we had an email stating it was that day. they said it was probably their error and let wilson complete paperwork that day and come back the next day for his lab tests, x ray and check up. we also had to go to a CBA bank to pay the fee for the appointment. there is a CBA bank at the village market. the next day he went and got 3 immunizations (tetanus/diptheria, MMR-measles/mumps/rubella, and Influenza), blood test and chest xray. they said to come back the following day for results. we came back and it wasn't ready, they said next day. the next day we called and said they wouldn't be done until the following monday! today is monday and we can't get through on the phone. i would get the appointment as soon as you can, because you can never tell how many delays there will be. the village market is very close to IOM. the IOM---by the way has moved from westlands to gigiri. the address is 78 united nations crescent, gigiri. if you take a matatu to the village market, gigiri (30 or 40 shillings from the stage by the fire department and the westlands stage in nairobi. the sign on top of the matatu says UNEP- ride it all the way to village market-conductor can let you know when that stop is) you can walk through village market to the back entrance on united nations crescent. take a right and walk to number 78. anyone around can help you with directions. (taxi will cost about 1000 from downtown nairobi to IOM-they may not know where IOM is, so you can say 78 united nations crescent or village market) at the village market there are nice restaurants, shops, even a photo place to get the photos you need for medical exam-and they are high quality photos that are instant. 500 shillings for 4 photos. the IOM instructions said to bring 2, but they took 3 of my husbands and we don't know why. He went on the first day for four hours (7:30-11:30) for the paperwork. the second day he went in at 8:30, then they let him leave around 12 to get the correct kind of photo taken, then he went back for another two hours. he was told by a councilor there that it'd be better to get an HIV test somewhere else, as the test at the IOM takes too long for results and is more expensive. hopefully the papers are ready today. we will try calling again, but if they don't answer we will just show up and see if they are ready. hope this helps.

Thanks! How far in advance should we schedule the interview for? If we schedule the medical for a week before the interview will that be enough time? He will have to travel from Uganda so it would be great to just travel once and stay to do medical, interview, and passport retrieval after.

Atleast a week...we thought ours was scheduled for the 24th because i got an email back saying that was when it was, we got there and they said it wasn't scheduled until july...we explained that our interview was july 3rd and that we had an email stating it was that day. they said it was probably their error and let wilson complete paperwork that day and come back the next day for his lab tests, x ray and check up. the next day he went and got 3 immunizations, blood test and xray. they said to come back the following day for results. we came back and it wasn't ready, they said next day. the next day we called and said they wouldn't be done until the following monday! today is monday and we can't get through on the phone. i would get the appointment as soon as you can, because you can never tell how many delays there will be. the village market is very close to IOM. the IOM---by the way has moved from westlands to gigiri. the address is 78 united nations crescent, gigiri. if you take a matatu to the village market, gigiri you can walk through village market to the back entrance on united nations crescent. take a right and walk to number 78. anyone around can help you with directions. at the village market there are nice restaurants, shops, even a photo place to get the photos you need for medical exam-and they are high quality photos that are instant. 500 shillings for 4 photos. the IOM instructions said to bring 2, but they took 3 of my husbands and we don't know why. He went on the first day for four hours (7:30-11:30) for the paperwork. the second day he went in at 8:30, then they let him leave around 12 to get the correct kind of photo taken, then he went back for another two hours. hopefully the papers are ready today. we will try calling again, but if they don't answer we will just show up and see if they are ready. hope this helps.

I just registered for DHL for David. It is the passport number of the current passport so put Wilson's Kenya passport info. He wouldn't get an american passport unless he became a US citizen a few years from now.

Did you register for the medical by phone or email? I need David to get his registered in the next week or so but I wasn't sure which method of communication was best.

We did it by email. Scan and attach his passport page and give them the case number and interview date in the email and say that you need to schedule a medical appt for a visa interview.

I have a question about registering for the DHL delivery. I have my interview and medical appt. scheduled, interview is July 3rd. Do I wait until the interview is complete to register for DHL delivery? The reason I'm asking is because at the CSC website it says to enter a passport number and the country that issued the passport. So would that be his Kenyan passport or are they talking about the american passport he'll get later at the interview?

I had to call when I saw your message mrsalato and I just got my interview scheduled today as well! July 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! Thank you Lord!

can someone tell me if there is a fee for the interview or to get the green card (ir1/cr1)? we are trying to plan for the expenses coming up. Case is complete at NVC just awaiting the interview to be scheduled. I'm figuring ~$300 for the medical appt....there's another fee though isn't there? mv4 or something? i'm having trouble finding it online

Believe me, I feel where you are coming from. Unfortunately, financially I am unable to make a trip to Uganda at this point or I would be on the next plane out of here. I am so lonely. As you know, internet is hard to come by in East Africa unless you have some good money so I haven't been able to Skype with David since I last saw him in person in August. We are lucky that I can call him every day but you know how expensive that is I am trying to stay strong and tell myself that we are almost there but now that all that remains is the interview and medical, I am having a tough time being patient to receive the interview. I never, ever imagined I would have to spend a whole year away from David or I never would have left Uganda in August. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you.

I can't afford it either. But thank god for credit cards....I'll be regretting saying that later, but I think it's worth it. I haven't seen Wilson since August either. What does David do in Uganda? Wilson has a small shop on his mom's farm, but it's mostly subsistence farming.

You and Wilson are applying for an IR1/CR1 visa right? If so, then NVC will notify you of an assigned interview date, you don't get to choose. The K1 visa applicants get to schedule their own interview dates but not us It seems to be taking about 6-8 weeks after case complete before the interview email is sent out for CR1/IR1 applicants. The Kenya Embassy is currently one of the slowest in the world at scheduling the interviews. I am praying we get an interview date assigned in the next week or so but I know there is a good chance that we won't get our interview dates assigned until the beginning of July for August interviews.

As far as IOM goes, I know they relocated their offices last week to a new address. Try looking on the embassy website for a new phone number. Wilson can't go for his medical until his interview is.assigned so unfortunately you'll have to wait on that too.

Lots and lots of waiting for us right now. I am going a bit crazy from all the waiting.

Yeah...I've had enough...I'm going over there in a couple weeks. I haven't bought a ticket yet cuz I thought I could fly cheap standby, but yesterday I was reading that standby is comparable to buying online. I'm going to call ASAPtickets.com soon and see what they can do. One way ticket there....wait for the interview....come back one way with Wilson. As soon as he gets the letter or email about the interview date I'm calling the embassy and going to try and get a closer date. ri-di-cu-lous the amount of waiting. I see it as cruel punishment. I mean, it's not like we're skyping everyday and talking on the phone all the time....he has to pay to get into a town with an internet cafe, and he doesn't know how to use a computer at all and they are asking him to scan and email or fax his passport ....I can only help so much from 8000 miles away. My work is only allowing me to take two weeks off, so f*** 'em. I'll find another job when I get back. Can't stand the loneliness anymore.

I agree. Congrats on the approval averie.

Samantha, I see your case complete was 5/7. Our case complete was 5/10. Maybe our husband's will have their interviews scheduled on or around the same day. We are praying hard for a july interview date but I know there is a good chance that the dates will be assigned for August since the embassy is so busy. Have you heard of anyone who recently had an interview date assigned for Nairobi? I often search but find very few cr1/ir1 applicants going through Nairobi here on Visa Journey.

So I'm a little confused. Are we supposed to be waiting for a letter to be mailed to the applicant? He hasn't gotten anything yet and I wasn't sure if we are just supposed to call and schedule one. Can I just call the embassy and schedule one?

Also I've been trying and Wilson has been trying to call the IOM--the medical place where he would need to have the Dr. appt --and they're not answering. There is like 6 different numbers they say to try calling, but none of them pick up!!!!

Congratulations!!! That's so exciting! I hope we have the same luck in a month or two

Hi and thank you everyone for the quick replies! Yes, I met my fiance last summer. We were together then for 6 weeks and then I visited again this past Christmas for 4 weeks. I'm returning this July to get married. I'm not going to do the fiance visa option because we both are ready to get married and this way he will be able to work and be a perm. res. as soon as he gets to the US. And now I know I can't do the DCF. 1. SO I'm assuming I cannot file anything before I get married, correct? 2. And when I get the marriage certificate in Kenya....should I just take a photocopy home or should I take the original home with me too? 3. What about his birth certificate? Copy or original back home with me? 4. Should I ask any of his family for handwritten affidavits of support?

Hello! Jambo!

I live in USA and will be traveling to Kenya this summer to marry my fiance, a Kenyan. (1) I was wondering if it is EASIER or FASTER to file all the paperwork while I am in Kenya after we get married, OR would it be better to go back to the US and file all the papers?

(2) Does anyone know what is the shortest amount of time it could take from marriage to visa in hand?

Thanks!

Samantha