kbales

Hello everyone! I thought I would post the timeline of my husband's interview at the embassy and what happened over the following few days. Sorry it's been 2 months since the interview, so much has happened since then and I haven't had a second to sit and write it all down!

His interview was January 15th at 10:00 am. I happened to be in England at the time, and went with him to the embassy. I was planning on going to a coffee shop nearby to wait for him to be done because I didn't think I'd be allowed in without an appointment for myself. I decided to wait with him in the first line outside, just to keep him company. A woman came by asking to see the appointment confirmation and passports. I told her that I was just waiting in line with him, and when she found out I was his spouse/sponsor said I was more than able to stay with him throughout the process (yay!). After waiting in various lines/showing passports/going through security, we were finally sitting down at 10:03. My husband was called back for the first time at 10:20. He turned in some paperwork and had his fingerprints taken. He was sitting back down with me at 10:29. We waited for a very long time after this. Not sure if this day was extra busy, or if wait times are usually this long. He was finally called for the interview at 11:25. I happened to be sitting in the chairs directly across from where he was being interviewed, and could hear on and off things that were being said. I could hear early on that the man was asking questions in regards to me, and heard my husband say, "She's right here, would you like to ask her?" The man said yes, and my husband called me over (I couldn't believe it!!). I said an oath and the man began to ask me questions in regards to my yearly income and tax returns. He said I needed a letter proving my income, and my tax return from 2017. I told him that I submitted a letter from my employer confirming my income (and that I had a hard copy with me) and that I wrote a letter stating why I did not have a tax return for 2017 (I also had the hard copy of that letter with me). After some searching on the computer, he found the letter from my employer and said that was fine. However, he was still not able to find the electronic submission of my letter regarding the tax return. He said we would come back to it. He then started asking us questions about our relationship - when and where we met, how long we had been apart, etc. Since we both answered the questions pretty much identically and at the same time, he was finished and satisfied with that pretty quickly. He then said congratulations, that the visa had been approved, but pending the letter regarding my tax return being electronically submitted (even though I had already done this, he just couldn't seem to find it for some reason). He told my husband that his documents would all be submitted electronically - meaning no big white envelope. Which I have to say, really threw me and I was a little confused and disappointed. I had told everyone about the big white envelope! The man then gave us an email address to contact after we submitted the tax return, and we said thank you.

Not wanting to waste any time, we sat down exactly where we had waited, and got on our phones to submit the "missing" document. After submitting it, we sent an email to the given email address, and my husband even insisted on walking by our interviewer and just mentioning to him that we had submitted it online (I was embarrassed to interrupt him after our appointment time, but my husband was very concerned that if we didn't act quickly, more time would be added on to our approval). The interviewer said thanks and that it would all be looked at.

We received email confirmation of the document being received later that day. I flew back (alone) to the US the next morning, and my husband received an email with his passport tracking information two days later on January 18th. He received his passport by courier the following day, on the 19th. We were definitely surprised at how quickly it all happened - especially after the potential delay with the tax return.

My husband's entry airport was in Miami. Because he had no white envelope, he just showed up to the airport with his passport ready to go. He handed the man his passport, the man did some clicking on the computer, said "Welcome to the US," and that was it! My husband was actually pretty disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm after such a long process!

And so that's it! We are currently living in El Paso, Texas while my husband plays for the football (soccer) team here. But most importantly, we're together!! After the first time we said "see you later" being May 2015, it feels unreal that we're finally here. Such a long journey! And it really is so much thanks to this forum. Any time either of us had a question, I would say, "I'll ask the forum," and we both immediately felt calmer about everything. Thank you so much to anyone who has ever answered one of my many questions! It has meant everything to us

Rete

Thank you, Kbales, for the great write-up. It is so helpful for those that come after you to read you and your husband's experience.

Congratulations on your success and welcome to the US to your husband. A long and happy marriage and residence in the US to you both.

Muna_93

Thank you for the write-up! It's so useful. My heart beats a little faster reading these stories, hopefully it all happens for us soon. Congratulations

kbales

Thank you so much for the congratulations! It feels great to have everything settled.

My husband and I now live at a new address from the forms we filled out for the delivery of his green card. Does anyone know the best way to change the address to our new one? We still have access to the old address for another month just in case it is delivered before we get to change it.

Noorah101

Www.uscis.gov, search for change of address.

Rene

kbales

Thank you so much!

Rete

The form is AR-11 for your husband and for yourself, as financial sponsor, you need to file a change of address on what I believe is an I-865.

kbales

Hello again! My husband's job has been getting on to him about where his green card is. They also seem to be very concerned about the fact that his CR1 expires in June. I have told him to tell them that there is nothing more we can do than wait for the green card to come in the mail, and that we are starting the process of the IR1 now. Am I right in saying that the visa in his passport should be enough for his job until the green card comes in the mail? Also, I'm not really sure where to start the IR1 process. Any advice on that would be great as well!

Thanks again!

tom169

Your husband should have an I-551 stamp in his passport when he was admitted to the USA. That serves as proof for 1 year of permanent residency. The green card should arrive in that time and supersede this evidence.

The CR-1 visa is now no more. It has been consumed when he entered. You won't be starting any processes for an IR-1. I think you're referring to removal of conditions.

kbales

Thank you so much for the quick reply! I will pass on that information to him.

And yes, I do mean removing the conditions - I wasn't sure of the correct terminology! We are within the 90 days, so I am looking in to starting it now.

Rete

Without going back to your past posts, what do you mean his CR-1 expires in June? The green card that states he is a CR-1 or the I-551 stamp in his passport. The I-551 stamp is only good for one year not for the 2 yr length of the CR-1 status. You are confusing me with the sentence "we are starting the process of the IR-1 now". What process. He cannot get an IR-1 visa while in the US and he doesn't have to go back to his home country to file. Or are you talking about filing for the removal of conditions on his CR-1 status via filing of form I-751. The visa is not good for anything but wiping up a puddle on the floor. It has been used and only good for one use.

Rete

I don't think you are within the 90 days. The CR-1 status is for two years. The I-551 stamp is only good a year.

All the 1-800 number and inquiry as to the status of his green card. If you get no satisfactory answer, contact your political representative's immigration department for assistance.

Rete

P.S. You can have him make an appointment with the local USCIS office for an updated I-551 stamp in his passport.

I looked at the start of this thread. He has only been here since late March. You and he are missing something. Are you going by the date of the visa's validity? Or by the validity of the I-551 stamp?

Noorah101

OP, if your husband became a US PR in March 2019, you won't be removing conditions until early 2021.

It's only been a couple of months since his arrival. His I-551 stamp is valid until March 2020, so the employer has no reason to worry.

Rene

Tkd67