CASE: I-824 (Follow-to-join) based on approved I-140 and Consular Processing (Immigrant Visa)
CLIENT: Korean LPR Petitioner; Korean Beneficiary in South Korea
LOCATION: Petitioner: Connecticut; Beneficiary: Seoul, South Korea
Our client is a Lawful Permanent Resident who got his green card under the NIW category with our office’s legal assistance in 2014. He has a wife, and our client and his wife married before his adjustment of status application was adjudicated. However, his wife was in South Korea when he got his green card due to her employment. She could have been a derivative applicant at the time of our client’s green card filing, but she was not in the United States at that time. Nevertheless, we explained to our client that we can do an I-824 filing and consular processing for his wife when she wants to permanently move to the United States.
In May 2014, he contacted our office to do an I-824 follow-to-join application to the USCIS so that his wife can file an immigrant visa and come as a derivative beneficiary of the I-140 petition. He retained our office on May 13, 2014 to help bring his wife to the States.
After we were retained, our office filed an I-824 follow-to-join application to the USCIS on May 19, 2014. After the I-824 was filed, everything went smoothly and the receipt notices came on time. The I-824 application was approved by the USCIS on June 19, 2014 and this case was transferred to the National Visa Center.
After the I-824 approval, we filed the immigrant visa packets to the National Visa Center on October 1, 2014, who in turn forwarded the client’s materials to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. An interview notice was set for the client at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. On February 27, 2015, our client’s wife appeared at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. The interview went well, and eventually, on the same day, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea approved and issued her immigrant visa.
With the approved Immigrant visa, our client’s wife can come to the United States. She will get her green card within two weeks.