My Journey Through the Immigration Process in the USA

My Journey Through the Immigration Process in the USA 🇺🇸

Sharing my experience with the immigration journey has become essential for numerous individuals navigating through the intricacies of the US immigration system. Here’s a detailed timeline of my journey, showing how a citizen like me went through the process after marrying an F1 visa holder in Maryland. 💍

The Beginning: Marriage and Applications

• April 15: Got married! A new chapter begins.
• July 1: Submitted the I-130 application online.
• July 2: Mailed I-485, I-765, I-693, and I-865 through USPS.
• July 7: USPS confirmed delivery of the applications.
• July 9: Charged by USCIS, received the receipt number later that day.

Keeping Track of My Case

After I submitted my applications, I was eagerly waiting for updates. Here’s how the weeks unfolded:

• July 11: No fingerprint appointment notifications received. However, I discovered a potential solution online—applying for an access code. I applied over the weekend but received no mail.
• July 14: Early Monday morning, I chatted with Emma and obtained my online access code. I immediately linked my two cases but waited a whole week without news.

Key Developments

• July 18: Received an email indicating action on my case and a fingerprint appointment scheduled for August 5, which I swiftly changed to July 21 at 2:00 PM.
• July 21: The fingerprint appointment went smoothly; so fast with no queue! I received another email stating, “We have taken an action on your case.” However, my I-485 case processing time increased to 30 months, while the I-765 dropped to 5 months. 😱
• August 13: Interview notice arrived in my mailbox!

The Interview Experience

September 18: The interview was surprisingly simple. The officer needed to validate our relationship rather than review all the materials we brought. Questions included how we met, the proposal date, and other relationship details. The officer didn’t review the I-485 forms extensively, leading to a rapid, fifteen-minute conversation. At the end, the officer confidently stated our I-130 would be approved first, followed by the I-485.

Final Approvals and Freedom!

• September 20: I-130 approved! 🎉
• September 24: I-485 showed activity in the system.
• September 30: More activity on my I-485; I started to feel anxious as the government shutdown rumors circulated.
• October 1: I-485 approved! I can finally breathe easy and no longer worry about job issues related to H1B! 🙌

Reflecting on the Experience

It’s interesting to think that changes in governmental leadership can affect processing times. When Trump took office, the efficiency seemed to improve, cutting the average duration for marriage-based green card cases significantly—from about a year down to a few months!

Now that the arduous process is complete, I’m excitedly planning to travel during the winter break! This journey, while challenging, has been a pivotal personal growth experience.

Conclusion

Navigating the immigration process can be overwhelming, but keeping track of every step and maintaining patience helps immensely. If you’re on a similar path, remember that perseverance is key! Good luck to everyone out there on their immigration journeys! ✈️