I-130 approval?
Answer:
There are a few boards you should check out:
Visajourney.com or
Familybasedimmigration.com
They are both great sites for people going through the US Immigration process. They both have guides to read that will explain every step, and people to discuss all your concerns with. There are regional sections too, you can ask other people going through the process in the Philippines.
Good Luck!
takes up to i say...a year? then you file for i485 right?
You should check with the consulate where you filed the petition. There was a recent change requiring all petitions to be filed with USCIS and not with the Department of State. The memo stated that there was no need to refile-- but my feeling is that there will be a delay as files are transferred from overseas.
I can tell you for a petition filed in the United States the expected time from filing to completion (file sent to consulate where interview will occur) takes 6-8 months. Then there is the wait while the U.S. consulate issues an appointment. I don't know for Seoul, but for Juarez, Mexico, it is taking up to a year for an interview! Thats just to give you an idea of how messed up the system is. Try calling the Seoul consulate to get their estimated times.
It took two years for my husband to be approved for his immigrant visa. It's a dreadfully slow process and mostly depends on the case load and number of applicants on waiting lists. Since you are military then it's a possibility that things will move a lot faster. I would contact the embassy regularly on the behalf of your wife to keep on their toes. They usually don't disclose much info on the phone and sometimes it is better to go in person to address matters. I am not sure how long you have been waiting but I certainly hope you receive news soon. When you finally do get approved (for example you are approved next week), you will receive the 3.5 packet which requires a lot more paperwork and documentation. But once you have gotten all of it together, medical records, police reports, photo's, fees, and submit it, then you will hear from them in about 4-6 weeks. When they contact you at that point you will be given a final interview day (for us the final interview was about a month after the 4-6 waiting period). Yes they are extremely slow! But be patient and keep all records in order and be sure to have all the required documentary evidence as it could delay things more. And you have an advantage, since you are military you should utilize legal assistance as it is a free service to you. A military attorney will be able to advise you and guide you through what to expect and will address your concerns. Best of luck to you. You may email me at: smunfifa@yahoo.com if you need additional advice because I have certainly been there and done that!
By the way, I admire you for joining the military. I applied for my husband's I-130 from his country and lived with him there until he was approved. Our daughter was born there in Asia as a dual citizen. We finally came back to the US last summer and my husband joined the military within months after our arrival. It has been a great blessing for our family and next fall my husband will become a naturalized citizen. We really suffered a lot but it was well worth it and our children will have a much better future here. We are expecting a son now (our second child).
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