indiana_sweetie's US Immigration Timeline
Immigration Checklist for CD & BD:
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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 : |
Pristina, Yugoslavia |
| Marriage (if applicable): |
2011-08-17 |
| I-130 Sent : |
2011-11-12 |
| I-130 NOA1 : |
2011-11-21 |
| I-130 RFE : |
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| I-130 RFE Sent : |
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| I-130 Approved : |
2012-08-23 |
| NVC Received : |
2012-09-04 |
| Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : |
2012-09-17 |
| Pay AOS Bill : |
2012-09-24 |
| Receive I-864 Package : |
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| Send AOS Package : |
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| Submit DS-261 : |
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| Receive IV Bill : |
2012-09-17 |
| Pay IV Bill : |
2012-09-24 |
| Send IV Package : |
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| Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : |
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| Case Completed at NVC : |
2013-01-10 |
| NVC Left : |
2013-01-15 |
| Consulate Received : |
2013-01-18 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2013-01-17 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
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| Packet 4 Received : |
2013-02-27 |
| Interview Date : |
2013-02-28 |
| Interview Result : |
Administrative Review
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
2013-04-11 |
| Second Interview Result: |
Approved |
| Visa Received : |
2013-04-11 |
| US Entry : |
2013-04-30 |
| Comments : |
Beneficiary's Country: Kosova
Embassy: Skopje, Macedonia
Our Red Flag - age difference, wife is older.
The NVC sent instructions as PDF files via email, which is good, because my husband received the hard copy in the mail the day before his interview. One file was for the medical, the other was his appointment letter and instructions.
11-Apr-2011 I consulted with immigration lawyer with "what if" questions, she recommends CR-1 visa if we are serious.
02-Aug-2011 We meet in person
17-Aug-2011 Our Wedding Day in Kosovo
12-Sep-2011 I returned home to USA
07-Nov-2011 Filed I-130
21-Nov-2011 NOA1
28-Nov-2011 Last updated
10-Jun-2012 Emailed USCIS about delay
22-Jun-2012 Email from USCIS - security checks pending
23-Aug-2012 - NOA2 APPROVAL! 276 days
05-Sep-2012 NVC case created
17-Sep-2012 NVC case number arrived by email
21-Sep-2012 Paid AOS and DS-230 fees to lawyer
22-Sep-2012 Flew to Kosovo, landed 23 Sep
02-Oct-2012 Returned from visit to hubby with signed DS-230
08-Oct-2012 Brought papers to lawyer
31-Oct-2012 Signed AOS
02-Nov-2012 Police cert lost, hubby mails new one
16-Nov-2012 Received new police cert in the mail
21-Nov-2012 Papers sent to NVC - 1 year from NOA1
13-Dec-2012 RFE passport photos - hubby resent via email, I printed at drugstore and brought to lawyer. She mailed them to the NVC
10-Jan-2013 - CASE COMPLETE!! via email
15-Jan-2013 NVC leave (notified by email)
16-Jan-2013 Packet and appointment letter - PDF file received via email
17-Jan-2012 PDF packet forwarded to hubby's email, he prints there in Kosovo
18-Jan-2013 Embassy receive (via DHL tracking, thanks VJ for the info on this)
06-Feb-2013 Hubby makes appointment for medical on the 19th
19-Feb-2013 Medical - complete
27-Feb-2013 Hubby received hard copy of appointment letter, just in time for his interview
28-Feb-2013 Interview (465 days after NOA1) result - AP - need joint sponsor and proof of my 2012 trip. Interview was tough, they suspected fraud because of our red flag.
06-Mar-2013 We have a joint sponsor!
15-Mar-2013 Documents sent
27-Mar-2013 Hubby receives documents
28-Mar-2013 Appointment made, confirmation and appointment letter arrive via email, hubby prints letter
11-Apr-2013 Embassy appointment - VISA APPROVED!!
11-Apr-2013 Visa issued in 4 hours
15-Apr-2013 Green Card fee paid online
30-Apr-2013 POE Chicago O'Hare - He's home!
See Macedonia Embassy review # 11550 that I wrote on February 28, 2013. It has more details than the one connected to the Timeline. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-130 was approved in 276 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 465 days from your I-130 NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Chicago |
| POE Date : |
2013-04-30 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
Yes,Passport Stamp |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
His plane landed at 1 pm and he cleared customs about 2:45 pm. It was a long wait. He waited in an area with many other immigrants. Then they were asked to move to another area. Processing was quick when they got to him, just a few simple questions, "where are you going, is your wife here at the airport". They asked him if he brought any meat or honey, things like that. They didn't look in his bag. He told them coffee and paprika in little bags. They said ok. A few minutes before 3 pm my very tired hubby and I were reunited and were on our way home to our new life. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
California Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2015-03-12 |
| NOA Date : |
2015-03-19 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2015-04-13 |
| Interview Date : |
2016-09-28 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2016-09-28 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Green Card Received : |
2016-11-10 |
| Comments : |
My hubby was sent a letter with a second Biometrics Appointment which he did on August 12, 2016. We were notified by letter to attend an interview together with one week's notice.
UPDATE: Interview went well, we were questioned separately, mostly about all the moves we've made. Hubby should get GC in about 10 days :) Note: it took a lot longer |
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Citizenship
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Online |
| CIS Office : |
Milwaukee WI |
| Date Filed : |
2020-03-04 |
| NOA Date : |
2020-03-10 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2020-12-10 |
| Interview Date : |
2021-02-05 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2021-02-25 |
| Comments : |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Skopje, Macedonia
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
June 15, 2013 |
| Embassy Review : |
Beneficiary's Country: Kosova
Embassy: Skopje, Macedonia
The interview was tough but in the end the CO was satisfied, but the visa wasn't issued until I provided a joint sponsor and proof of the dates of my trip in 2012. Many people going through the Macedonia embassy now are being turned away and need to come back with more documents or proof.
A second interview was not needed but an appointment to return to the embassy with additional documents was required (they would not let him show additional documents even though he had them with him).
Hubby went back to the embassy 11 April. His 11 am appointment was with the same CO. She took the papers and at 12:30 pm she told him they looked good and his visa is approved. She smiled and told him "Congratulations, welcome to the USA." Then she told him to come back at 4:30 pm to pick up his passport, brown envelope and instructions.
Note---The NVC sent instructions as PDF files via email, which is good, because my husband received the hard copy in the mail the day before his interview. One file was for the medical, the other was his appointment letter and instructions. Please note--make sure the NVC has your email address because then all packets and instructions will come as PDF files.
The embassy is professional but tougher now than in the past. |
| Rating : |
Moderate |
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Timeline Comments: 1Our 10th anniversary is in 5 days! What a journey
*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
