Ethan G's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Ethan Beneficiary's Name: Hope VJ Member: Ethan G Country: Uganda Last Updated: 2026-04-20 |
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Immigration Checklist for Ethan & Hope:
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Member Reviews: None Found
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Timeline Comments: 15
Ethan G on 2025-12-15 said:Date left USCIS: 2025-12-09
Ethan G on 2026-03-17 said:Nairobi embassy doesn't appear to be in the list when I try to write a consulate review, so I'll post our experience here:
Arrived an hour before our appointment. Turns out it is first come first serve, not time based even though you have to schedule an appointment for a certain time. That was annoying because then we had to wait a long time.
We had a lot of documentation (K1 + three K2s) so my fiance got a little confused by how I organized the documents into folders verse how they wanted things organized (which they tell you in the welcome email). So she asked for me to come into the embassy as a sort of translator (I had been waiting outside since my name was not on their appointment list), and a guard came and got me and brought me in. That was very nice for us.
The document review was first. A Kenyan looked over our documents and made sure we had everything. She did not ask for evidence of relationship. She did not ask for employer confirmation or paystubs, but I gave it to her anyways because I had it. She did ask for the I-134 forms for my fiance and our k2 applicants, as well as my tax information. She didn't want my proof of assets (account verification letters) until I told her the I-134 had instructed me to provide them for any assets I had listed on the forms. The main documents needed is what they tell you in the welcome email: passport, passport-style photo, DS-160 confirmation page, birth certificates + copy, police certificate, etc. I think we brought proof that we had attended the IOM medical appointment but I don't remember whether they wanted that or not; the actual results had already been sent to them by the IOM clinic. In our embassy's welcome email, they asked for a notarized letter of intent to marry from me if the I-129F was past expiration, so we included that too and I think they wanted it.
Then we went back and waited for the actual interview. When we finally got to the interview, I stayed in the background to provide clarification if needed, but the interviewer really just wanted to talk to her. The interviewer never asked the kids any questions. Just asked my fiance:
- What is your fiance's name?
- How did you meet him?
- Is this your first marriage?
- Is this his first marriage?
- Who is Ojok? (bio-father's name; interviewer saw on their birth certs and his death cert; we brought the death cert to prove the children were okay to leave under her sole parental consent.)
- Do you have any other children? Are these the only children you have? Does he have any children? Do you have any children together?
- How many times has he come to visit?
- About how much money in USD does he send you every month? (This is the only question I had to briefly step in to help my fiance with because she didn't know the amount.)
These are the questions I remember. It was very fast. It was at a sort of kiosk window, not an office room sit down like I was expecting in my imagination. The interviewer approved us with no issues. She wasn't super inviting for questions we had, but that's understandable; she's busy. Despite a lot of preparation of pictures and WhatsApp chat history, wedding ring receipts, wedding venue receipts, etc. she never asked for any of it :D hahaha. I guess proof from my I-129F was enough, and maybe me being there in the background helped, I don't know. We were more than prepared.
Ethan G on 2026-03-17 said:Nairobi embassy doesn't appear to be in the list when I try to write a consulate review, so I'll post our experience here:
Arrived an hour before our appointment. Turns out it is first come first serve, not time based even though you have to schedule an appointment for a certain time. That was annoying because then we had to wait a long time.
We had a lot of documentation (K1 + three K2s) so my fiance got a little confused by how I organized the documents into folders verse how they wanted things organized (which they tell you in the welcome email). So she asked for me to come into the embassy as a sort of translator (I had been waiting outside since my name was not on their appointment list), and a guard came and got me and brought me in. That was very nice for us.
The document review was first. A Kenyan looked over our documents and made sure we had everything. She did not ask for evidence of relationship. She did not ask for employer confirmation or paystubs, but I gave it to her anyways because I had it. She did ask for the I-134 forms for my fiance and our k2 applicants, as well as my tax information. She didn't want my proof of assets (account verification letters) until I told her the I-134 had instructed me to provide them for any assets I had listed on the forms. The main documents needed is what they tell you in the welcome email: passport, passport-style photo, DS-160 confirmation page, birth certificates + copy, police certificate, etc. I think we brought proof that we had attended the IOM medical appointment but I don't remember whether they wanted that or not; the actual results had already been sent to them by the IOM clinic. In our embassy's welcome email, they asked for a notarized letter of intent to marry from me if the I-129F was past expiration, so we included that too and I think they wanted it.
Then we went back and waited for the actual interview. When we finally got to the interview, I stayed in the background to provide clarification if needed, but the interviewer really just wanted to talk to her. The interviewer never asked the kids any questions. Just asked my fiance:
- What is your fiance's name?
- How did you meet him?
- Is this your first marriage?
- Is this his first marriage?
- Who is Ojok? (bio-father's name; interviewer saw on their birth certs and his death cert; we brought the death cert to prove the children were okay to leave under her sole parental consent.)
- Do you have any other children? Are these the only children you have? Does he have any children? Do you have any children together?
- How many times has he come to visit?
- About how much money in USD does he send you every month? (This is the only question I had to briefly step in to help my fiance with because she didn't know the amount.)
These are the questions I remember. It was very fast. It was at a sort of kiosk window, not an office room sit down like I was expecting in my imagination. The interviewer approved us with no issues. She wasn't super inviting for questions we had, but that's understandable; she's busy. Despite a lot of preparation of pictures and WhatsApp chat history, wedding ring receipts, wedding venue receipts, etc. she never asked for any of it :D hahaha. I guess proof from my I-129F was enough, and maybe me being there in the background helped, I don't know. We were more than prepared.
Ethan G on 2026-04-01 said:On March 31, the CEAC status finally updated from Approved to Administrative Processing. I knew it was in AP due to V99 inquiry with VisitorVisaNairobi@state.gov on March 24...they said our case went into mandatory administrative processing, but they won't say why.
Ethan G on 2026-04-07 said:On April 7, the CEAC status changed from Administrative Processing to Application Received. In response to an investigation that my congressman did, the embassy responded today saying: "We are pleased to inform you that the administrative review for Ms. Alimocan's case has been completed. The final step in the K-1 visa process is an online presence check for Ms. Alimocan and all derivative applicants. This requirement became mandatory on March 30, 2026. We have sent Ms. Alimocan detailed instructions for completing the online presence check. Once we receive her response, we will expedite the review to move her case forward as quickly as possible." We have not received any instructions yet and it's past the end of the day in Kenya. I did have my fiance send an email based on instructions another K1 applicant shared with me (emailing ImmigrationVisaNairobi@state.gov with subject "M39 [full name] [case number]"). The email stated that she and her K2 dependents have no social media handles to share (i.e. they are not on social media at all). We already indicated this in the DS-160 (for her and her K2 dependents) but I guess they need a specific email from her? They didn't believe our DS-160 answer? And why didn't this stop the K2 applicants from getting their visas issued last month? Maybe because they're young? I don't know. I'm not even sure the instructions were right since they were from a different K1 applicant, but they seem to be generic and like the instructions we should also follow.
Ethan G on 2026-04-07 said:Addition to my previous comment: I'm not sure why the CEAC status is "Application Received", but maybe it's their way of indicating they need something from us.
Ethan G on 2026-04-09 said:April 8, received an email with a 221g and instructions about emailing social media info to ImmigrationVisaNairobi@state.gov (except they misspelled the email as ImmigratonVisaNairobi in the instructions). Additionally, they said in the 221g to send the K2s' passports back to the embassy :( So, today, April 9, we submitted them via the courier. They should arrive at the embassy tomorrow.
Ethan G on 2026-04-09 said:Today my congressman's office received the following information from the embassy: "We do need the K2 passports back for the children (3) so we can print all family visas together. Printing the K1 and K2 visas with the same dates and consecutive visa numbers will help ensure a smoother entry process for the family at U.S. Customs. While we cannot guarantee what happens at the port of entry, coordinating the visa issuance in this way provides the best opportunity for the family to enter together without complications. We appreciate your assistance in facilitating this for the family. Please encourage Kevin to courier the passports as soon as possible."
Ethan G on 2026-04-10 said:April 10, got an email from the embassy stating: "You are required to send new passport size photographs through BLS to the embassy."
Ethan G on 2026-04-14 said:Sent the passport-size (2x2) photos on April 13. Saw CEAC status "Last Updated" date changed to April 14, but status is still "Application Received". No word on what else we need to do next.
Ethan G on 2026-04-14 said:Today (Apr 14) around 1:30p local time (Kenya) our case switched to Approved in CEAC!
Ethan G on 2026-04-15 said:I should've mentioned all the cases moved to Approved (K1s and K2s). K2s were previously issued but they requested the passports back as I previously stated.
Ethan G on 2026-04-15 said:Today, April 15 the visa changed to Issued in CEAC around 10:30 or 11a and we picked it up around 2:30p from the courier!
Ethan G on 2026-04-20 said:We got tickets the same evening (April 15) and entered through Detroit. We had a slow but smooth process leaving Nairobi airport and smooth flight to Detroit through Amsterdam.
For us, entering the USA was very easy at Detroit. I was able to stay with my K1 and K2s the whole time. The border agent was nice and welcoming, and didn’t interrogate or anything. After that part, since it was my K1’s and K2’s first time entering, they took us to a back room where we waited while they worked everything out. At that stage, they didn’t even ask us questions either…just reviewed the contents of the sealed packets that were issued with the visas (they also kept those packets). While we were waiting in that room, they even collected our bags for us and had them waiting. They asked us a couple questions about the contents of what we brought (no fruits, seeds, raw wood, etc.) and let us go without scanning them. They were great. While we were in the back room waiting, one of the tough agents who was really grilling a different lady decided he needed a break (he was very obviously frustrated)…so he walked out and brought snacks to our boys! It was really sweet and unexpected from such a tough, serious, burly guy haha. I think he was having a rough day but still showed us that small kindness (maybe he knew he was scaring my fiance a bit with his tough interrogation of that other lady ??).
Ethan G on 2026-04-20 said:We had our ceremony with friends and family on Saturday, August 18, 2026. We have the official courthouse wedding date this afternoon (Aug 20, 2026).
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