Azabu234

Received approval notice today. It was dated May 30 2017.

So, NOA of April 12 2016, Approval May 30 2017.

Currently waiting for card.

Other information:

My wife went a few weeks ago to get a stamp in her passport. She received a one year without question.

We only submitted two joint bank account statements, not a whole history, and only a copy of our joint credit cards without a series of statements. I would say our package was pretty light, though we added a lot of photos of us together over the years. After seeing some of the huge packages people sent I had been expecting an RFE and was pleased it was an approval, but perhaps the joint tax statements, and Japan being a low-risk country helped.

NOA Date of 4/12/2016. No word. I called USCIS earlier but I missed the cutoff for the Tier 2 queue.

Question: I heard that you need to be within 30 days of anniversary of expiration of the GC to apply for the i-551. Is that correct?

My wife has flown into JFK with the letter, no secondary. But we don't have an i551 stamp, maybe that is why RemoteControl's wife got secondary? For us there was no processing at all; scan the green card, scan the passport, look at the letter, and onto baggage.

We also went to Canada with the letter. There were no issues going into Canada, and no issues on the return to the USA. I think she's used the letter several times now and every time the border agent has looked at it, and processed her just like with the green card.

If anything, it's been more a question to us of whether the airline staff process the checkin understand the letter, rather than the border agents.

VSC update: Biometrics on 6/3.

Given the long delay between receiving the NOA1 notice and when the notices were actually dated (almost a month in my case) for VSC, I am curious when biometric appointment notices will begin. VSC filers, let us know when you get your biometrics letters.

I've been thinking this, too, and remembering the shared spreadsheets we kept during the I-130 nightmare 3 years ago. There were some problems with people not knowing how to update those properly, breaking formulas used for tables etc., but I'm willing to give it a shot personally -- and we could always have multiple "moderators" for the shared sheets as we did back in those days.

I threw everyone's info into a Google Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12Mb-ALcbwQbYafLj4vFaEMjSGD-wfjtrycs3ul8QlUo/edit?usp=sharing. I can make it look a lot nicer and add some formulas as well, but what do people think? Would this be easier to manage than the VJ forum version?

This is great, much better. We should put this link in the first post.

(I remember the I-130 from 3 years ago all too well...)

My info:

Sent on 4/8, Arrived 4/11, Check cashed 5/5, NOA1 received 5/6 dated 4/12.

Inputting the receipt number into the case status tool shows nothing.

Also confirming my check was cashed today (package arrived 4/11).

Does the biometrics appointment information come in the NOA or separately?

California Service Center (22 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics....Approved

M AND C.............04/01/16.......04/05/16........04/27/16......--/--/--

SHIHOON.............04/02/16.......04/04/16........04/28/16......--/--/--

GF1804..............04/04/16.......04/07/16........05/05/16......--/--/--

SNIDE707............04/04/16.......04/14/16........05/06/16......--/--/--

HOLLYDAY............04/06/16.......04/11/16........05/06/16......--/--/--

AYUMI_HAMASAKI......04/06/16.......04/08/16........05/04/16......--/--/--

SAMISEN.............04/08/16.......04/11/16........05/03/16......--/--/--

JACINTO72...........04/11/16.......04/19/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

RKAT................04/12/16.......04/22/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

CLIFFLIZ............04/13/16.......04/26/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

THEBEAT4C...........04/14/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

THEAMERICANS........04/14/16.......04/18/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

DUST BUNNIES........04/15/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

MISUZU..............04/16/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

EM&SID..............04/19/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

PEDPED..............04/19/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

SHEINA3.............04/21/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

SEER8...............04/21/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

GCAJWN..............04/25/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

ILLIRIA.............04/26/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

BKGHOSH.............04/26/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

LUISRX11............04/27/16.......--/--/16........--/--/16......--/--/--

Vermont Service Center (24 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date........Biometrics....Approved

MARIE&CURT..........04/01/16.......04/05/16.........05/03/16......--/--/--

FANIA&NELSON........04/04/16.......04/06/16.........05/06/16......--/--/--

PSV57...............04/06/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

BOS_LHR.............04/06/16.......04/07/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

NOBBIE..............04/07/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

SCOFF...............04/08/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

VTJOSEPH............04/08/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

MCUZIN1985..........04/09/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

JSC n GOM...........04/11/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

Azabu234............04/11/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

MYRNA87.............04/12/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

FODU................04/12/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

REMOTECONTROL.......04/13/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

MIKE ESP............04/14/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

MYHEARTWILLGOON93...04/18/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

TKDWLS0131..........04/20/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

KAWAIIAKUREI06......04/21/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

ANGELBIJOI..........04/21/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

SUKIE...............04/22/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

TALHA_MK............04/22/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

NYC-AND-INDIA.......04/25/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

LAIECAROL...........04/25/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

HONEYPIE84..........04/26/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

LUCYBELLE...........04/27/16.......04/--/16.........--/--/16......--/--/--

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Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application.

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter.

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I'm in the same boat. I sent mine on the 13th and have't had anything move yet. There is just so much to go wrong that we can't help but think the worst haha.

I guess they have paused and will resume their paperwork soon.

Third boat here.

My package arrived in Vermont on April 11, but have not seen the check cashed and have not received a letter yet.

Packet sent today to the Vermont Service Center.

Man its already today there. I so miss Tokyo. Congratulations awesome news.

Thank you very much.

On the CEAC system we went from Ready -> Administrative Processing -> Issued in the span of 4 hours.

Ready: 7am

Administrative Processing: 10am (immediately post interview)

Issued: 1pm

Tokyo is efficient.

Approved in Tokyo today.

It is best to send them the whole package, instead of depending on them to figure out where is the rest of it. I am hoping you kept copies of everything. All they need are copies - except new I-864s with actual signatures on them. Also, a letter explaining that this is a re-submission. Make sure to write your case # on top right of the documents.

You say send, but in this case, we are bringing it to the interview. That is correct?

Gross income from 1040. Otherwise if you submitted 1040EZ then use Adjusted Gross Income. For both you and your joint sponsor need I-864, Tax Returns, W2s, 1099s (if any), Employer's Letter, Pay Stubs etc.

New employers letter and pay stubs are needed even if they were sent with the original I-864 to the NVC and dated from 2014?

Copy of new I-864 (with 2013 info) plus 2013 Tax Forms +W2s+1099s (if any) or 2013 Tax Transcript. No need to copy the check.

I have to make entirely new I-864s for me and my joint sponsor?

It consists of only changing the tax year information?

Which lines from a tax return (since transcript is not ready yet) need to be put on the income line?

Hi guys,

Two questions.

First, the tax forms we bring to the interview- it's just a photo copy of our returns filed (with signature) to the IRS, correct? Do we need to include a photocopy of the check too?

Second, anyone know how long after interview the passport gets returned for Japan? Apparently we have to bring a posted envelope and they mail the passport back; they claim 1-2 weeks and I'm curious what people's experiences have been.

My wife had her CR1 interview on June 23rd. It says we need to bring a Letterpack for them to send the passport back to her. In general how fast do people get the passport back?

Hi all, after reading several posts of the NVC giving people flak for non "Certified" marriage certificates, I'm a little considered about our marriage certificate. We got married in Scotland and on their official certified copy (which we're sending to the NVC) they don't actually say "Certified", but just say "Extract of an Entry in a Register of Marriages" that is "valid only if it has been authenticated by the signature of the district registrar or assistant registrar". It has this signature, as well as the seal of the Edinburgh registrar and "General Registry Office" of Scotland watermark all over the paper. There's nothing raised or stating that it's "Certified". Does anyone foresee us having any problems? I can't really send in that which I don't have or the issuing authority doesn't give you. What does everyone think?

It's fine. The Japan marriage certificate is the same and it was accepted without a problem.

I want my Case Completed too while they wait for my revised AOS lol. This is interesting. I too wonder if this is common. Congrats by the way! Another step closer.

Thank you. But I am nervous.

They just sent the checklist that was promised (at 1:18am EST)...

My joint sponsor's checklisted items are not there. But my domicile checklisted item still is.

So they gave me case complete even with a major AoS checklist missing.

That's... disturbing. It makes me wonder whether they got my updated package but didn't open it, or did open it and STILL don't find it satisfactory. (Which is insane given that for my updated domicile notice I provided a transfer letter from my company to the USA and a lease on an apartment.) Not knowing makes me wonder whether my wife will be alright at the interview.

Hey guys-- just got told I have case complete. However! They completed the case without my AoS checklisted information...

I was checklisted the first week of April on domicile for me, and the standard discrepancy on income for the tax transcript for my joint sponsor. I sent the document on April 10, it arrived April 12, and they noted its arrival in the system on April 17.

However, they did not open the package, I was told on the phone, and completed the case on May 1st. I was told that I was going to get a new checklist for this information on Monday, and that they would send the packages BACK to me, and that my wife has to bring it to the interview.

Has anyone heard of this before? It seems super weird.

People have said that it's lately taking about 2 weeks after sending in info from a checklist for it to be reviewed. Adding some timeline data...

Checklist received on April 10

Adjusted AoS sent on April 12

Adjusted AoS delivered on April 14

Adjusted AoS put into the system on April 17

Called April 28- still "under review."

My guess is it's going to be about three weeks from shipping before they review, due to their current load. If lucky and there are no further mistakes, I head into case complete.

For anyone else who got an AoS checklist and sent things in- are you getting weekly false checklists telling you that they are waiting on AoS info?