Emma&Josh's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Emma Beneficiary's Name: Josh VJ Member: Emma&Josh Country: Australia Last Updated: 2009-03-26 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Emma & Josh:

USCIS DCF I-130 Petition:       Dept of State IR-1/CR-1 Visa:     USCIS I-751 Petition:   USCIS N-400 Petition:

IR-1/CR-1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : Sydney, Australia Marriage (if applicable): 2007-02-23 I-130 Sent : 2008-06-05 I-130 NOA1 : 2008-06-05 I-130 RFE : I-130 RFE Sent : I-130 Approved : 2008-06-05 NVC Received : Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : Pay AOS Bill : Receive I-864 Package : 2008-06-11 Send AOS Package : Submit DS-261 : Receive IV Bill : Pay IV Bill : Send IV Package : Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : Case Completed at NVC : NVC Left : Consulate Received : Packet 3 Received : 2008-06-11 Packet 3 Sent : 2008-09-25 Packet 4 Received : 2008-09-29 Interview Date : 2008-10-14 Submit Review Interview Result : Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Visa Received : 2008-11-05 US Entry : 2009-02-24 Comments : All our documents have been processed really quickly by the Sydney consulate. We are not planning on moving to the US until February 2009 but we first contacted the consulate in February this year (2008) to be sure we had plenty of time. When I first emailed the consulate they told me to contact them 6 months before we plan to travel. I held off until the end of May and then decided to send in a request to file my I-130. I got an email back that same day with an appointment date for the following week. For the Sydney consulate, which is in the MLC building, you need to got to floor 10 to go through security before you can go up to the level the consulate is on. I arrived at the time that my appointment was scheduled for but I waiting for about an hour before my number was called. The consulate staff were friendly and professional. I turned in my paperwork at the first window and made the payment and was then called up for an interview. I was only asked a few questions, such as how long I'd been married and how my husband and I met. Then the processing officer told me that my petition had been accepted that day and that when they had the results back from the Adam Walsh name check we would receive Packet 3 with the information needed for Josh's interview. We received an email on June 11 with Packet 3. Since everything was being processed so quickly we decided to hold off until the end of August before sending in Form DS-230. Josh got all of the other things taken care of at that time (medical, police check) and we sent in all of the final documents and paperwork (including I-864) on September 25. On the 29th we received an email stating that Josh's interview was scheduled for October 14. I went in with Josh for his interview, although I was not required to be there. I didn't take my passport (didn't even think about it!) and at security they were a little reluctant to let me go up. I showed my Australian drivers license and they said I could go up but I might get sent back down at the next security check point. I got through the second check without any problems. We had about 45 minutes wait. When our number was called we turned in all of our paperwork at the first window and were sent over to the payment window to pay (too bad the Aussie dollar recently dropped and it made our payment higher!). Josh was then called up to the interview window. He was asked the same couple of questions that I was asked like how long we've been married, how long we've known each other. Everything was accepted except they needed 1 additional supporting document for my I-864, so the visa was not granted on the day of the interview. We left Josh's passport with them along with our Express post envelope. We were told that once we send in the supporting document they would stamp the visa in Josh's passport and we'll have it within a couple of days. I sent in the final document that was needed and on October 28 got an email from the consulate stating that Josh's file was with a consular officer for final adjudication. We received his passport with his CR-1 visa on November 6. Overall the process moved much quicker than we expected. We did have a couple of issues with misinformation given us by the staff at the Sydney consulate regarding Josh's rights to work once we are in the US (they told us he'd have to wait up to 12 months to work but that is not the case for a CR-1 visa) and with our form I-864 (they didn't add our assets correctly at first), but overall the process has been okay. Next step, the international move... March 5, 2009 - We made it! Arrived in the US the day after our second wedding anniversary. Josh was given a CR-1 visa at the Sydney Consulate because we'd been married less than 2 years at the time. We pointed out our length of marriage to the immigration officer when we were processed at the POE and they wrote IR-1 on the stamp they stamped in Josh's passport. So that means that Josh will get his 10 year Green Card when it arrives. Received Josh's SS# and Welcome letter in the mail on March 7, 2009. The SS# was assigned on 2/26/09 - just 2 days after our arrival in the US! March 9, 2009: Josh's green card arrived in the mail today - only 13 days after arriving in the US. That was much quicker than we expected! Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-130 was approved in 0 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 131 days from your I-130 NOA1 date.

Port of Entry Review Event Date Port of Entry : Los Angeles POE Date : 2009-02-24 Submit Review Got EAD Stamp : Yes,Passport Stamp Biometrics Taken : Yes Harassment Level : 0 Comments : Friendly and helpful immigration officers and quick processing - the longest part of entry was waiting for our luggage!

Member Reviews:

POE Review: Los Angeles Event Description Entry Date : 2009-02-24 Embassy Review : When we first came into Los Angeles we told the airport staff who were directing people into lines that Josh was on an immigrant visa and I am a US citizen and they directed us to a line (not one of the lines labelled for US citizens or visitors). The immigration officer there processed us, took Josh's fingerprints and photo and directed us to an immigration desk at the end of the room. We went there and gave in our passports and paperwork. We pointed out that Josh had a CR-1 visa but we had celebrated our 2 year anniverary the day before. They stamped Josh's passport and wrote IR-1 on the stamp, so Josh will get his 10 year green card. They told us to go and get our luggage and then go back there. We were about 1/2 hour getting our luggage and when we went back to the desk they had our passports and everything ready to go. The staff were friendly and helpful and the process very smooth. Harassment Level : Low

Timeline Comments: None yet, be the first!



*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.

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