Thank you sweetheart, I appreciate the warm thoughts. Yes, we've been waiting quite a while and we're not so lucky as to be able to visit. It's been about 6 months since we last saw each other. How envious we are of you Canadians! He actually contemplated getting a job there for a while as we waited but it would take just as long to get the visa to work and he really didn't want to have to leave another great job in his field... wouldn't look too good on the resume. There's really no other choice than to be positive for me...i've learned (the hard way) that life is way too short to even waste a day. I do get stressed about it and i'm so desperate to have him home but if I become miserable it only affects the other parts of my life and I just can't have that. It's taking enough from us already. Besides, i'm still being the strong one.

Graham... i'm soooooo excited for you guys! Great news that you're at the Embassy! Tell me she has both I-134's (notorized)??? That is the only thing that needs to be notorized..she should have two. The tax transcripts do not. You'll be all set getting them via snail mail. btw.. I heard from a little birdie that if you include a 'wedding date' in your info that you send back to London they will try to get you home by then. I'm sure you could come up with something. This trip is going to do you both a world of good! Ooo the baby will be able to hear you from outside the womb pretty soon (23 weeks)!

Well i'm up and about to work out and then spend some time cleaning and washing bedding. I have company coming from Maine either today or tomorrow to attend my family's annual Luau tomorrow! One of my closest friends and her fiance... we do an awful lot of giggling when we're together (shocking I know ) so it will do me good to spend some time with them!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend and sending vibes to VSC to approve the rest of us early/mid April filers Monday!

BOTH I-134???? She needs 2?????? I hope you mean the one for her and the one for her step dad????????? ARGH!!!!!!!

Congrats it moves quick now

Yes, Graham.. one for her... one for her co-sponsor.

Hi Sally... Are you home yet?????

So this is totally off topic BUT
Guess what guys? I've been making plans for this wedding coming up (omg)
and I'm going to get married in Central Park. It's decided, LOL.
Luis seemed excited, he was like "Central Park... I saw that on Friends."

Just trying to keep my mind of that darn RFE, and I know we need to start planning this thing b/c we aren't going to have much time once he gets here, and I don't want to do it at the last minute. It's not going to be big, but I want it to be special.

Awwww Suz... Central Park would be awesome!! Russell and I were there in ummm 2006 (i think). Will you be married at the fountain??? There's some beautiful bridges as well with willow trees arching over the ponds... soooo pretty! Peru is very fast in scheduling their interview dates so perhaps Central Park in the fall????? Breathtaking!!!

We're having a big 'to-do' in April with family and friends but we're still not sure about the official ceremony.... something beautiful and intimate is all we want.

Hi Kim sweetheart

Yes, I arrived on the 26th July and we got married on the 28th at the courthouse. Then we went away for a few days and then his family hosted a reception for us on Tuesday.

I am very lucky, Jay has a good family and they are all keen to help me settle.

I have found it quite emotional leaving my home country but the emotion may be down to tiredness from the jet lag. Jay is very supportive and attentive and helps me through.

I have started looking at aos but the paperwork we need is in my shipping so that will have to wait till that arrives on the 14th.

I am so sorry that you are still waiting, it dissapoints me beyond belief and makes me realise how lucky us January filers were although we did not know it at the time.

Take care you are one special lady.

I want to do it at belvedere castle, either that or Shakespeare garden. I'm not sure what the procedure is to get married there so I am going out to the city with my friend next week, also to look at restaurants, because I'm going to have dinner there with the family and some friends and I'm not exactly sure where.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...entral_Park.jpg

I'm partial to the castle, lol

I wouldn't be totally disappointed if it was a winter wedding. I love NY in the winter.

Sorry for that random, loud spamming yesterday. But you can imagine my excitement. It was so unexpected too; I was getting ready to go to a party at a friend's house, and I almost didn't even look again, as I'd already checked maybe five times that day. I was expecting a touch.

And I almost mistook it for a touch, as well. Normally, I'd just look at the "Last Updated" spot for a date change. So for a few seconds, I thought, "Oh, awesome, a touch!" Then I clicked on my receipt number and saw the words "Approved". It was so fresh, they hadn't even had time to send me the email yet. And it was all a screaming, giggling blur after that.

I thought we might very well get an RFE once I realized that I had copied his passport stamp upon entry, but not the first page of the passport with his identifying information. Yet - we still got an approval. I'll never fully understand the method behind the madness. Right now, I'm just looking around at what to do. I suppose Monday, I'll ask my boss to print my employment letter and sign it. Luckily I now work in a building downtown that has a bank in it, so I'm sure they'll have a notary to do my Affidavit of Support.

I'm also nervous about sending this package to my fiance - I'm all thumbs with writing down UK addresses. I think I might've screwed up his address when I sent him a letter months ago, because it never got there.

Anyhow, the feeling of getting an NOA2 really is incredible. You want to cry, you want to jump, you want to laugh, you want to TELL EVERYONE (and I'm lucky my cell phone plan doesn't count minutes because after last night, I'd be WAY over them). I completely didn't expect it so soon; I was convinced we had AT LEAST two weeks left, if not more. It's going to happen for every single person here, I know it will.

Sorry about the RFE, Suzy, but at least you know they're adjudicating you right now! We MUST have been in the same box.

Also . . . do I actually qualify as a May filer? How does it break down, by send date or NOA1 date? No matter. I like the April crowd.

Sal, thanks for being so sweet to me. I'm sooooooooo happy for you!!! Congratulations! Yes, you January folks were awfully lucky! Even with the added stress you had to go through.

Suzy, the castle is gorgeous! Central Park in Winter is beautiful too! How fun it will be for you exploring your options next week!

No worries Alex. You deserve to be ecstatic! It's been stated here that they go by the sent date (or arrival at VSC) of the petition so you're a true April filer! If you had sent in May.... I may have had to hurt you!

Thanks for settling my nerves there Kim, though I had made a right arse of things!!!!!! Both are signed and will be on the big steel bird on their way to me with my two other special packages

Neither Megan or I are very religious but we have both been praying that you get your approval Kim, as Sal said you are one very special lady

awwww you guys <--- really, I never blush! Thanks for the warm thoughts and special words. It really makes it a whole lot easier knowing there are such wonderful people all over the world pulling for us.

Graham, you must be jumping out of your skin today! I know it's not quite the 'end' of the difficult road for you just yet but you're getting there! Having this time together right now is just what you both need to get you through the rest of it! That lovely lady of yours may just need a nice foot rub after she's been up in the air so long. *hint, hint*

One of the things keeping me going is that New Zealand Consulate is especially nice to deal with and they really do try to accomodate so hopefully my sweet will not have to wait too long for his interview and can be home with us again soon after our approval. I just can't wait to have that date!!!

Kim,

You are certainly the glue that holds this thread together and keeps it sane. Even if you will attack me for sending my K1 on May 1.

I hope we can hear happy news from you very very soon but it's Vermont. Maple syrup isn't quite as slow as molasses but close! Anyway, whenever I've seen a mole his asses has been moving just as fast as his little legs!

I think that Russ could get a job now. On his resume or application, where it says "why did you leave this job?" he can just put "see enclosed DVD". I'm sure they will understand!

Don't make the weekend go too fast. I start a new job on Monday and I have a mess of work to do before then!

Joe

Suze, if it's really small ceremony (up to 5, I believe) u don't need to do anything special. Now, if it's a bit bigger crowd you need to get the permit. I'll just add that Central Park is amazing and after seen pics of Shakesperian Garden I seriously considered changing our beach wedding to the elopment to Big Apple .

Kim, dear, you and Russ are in my thought as well. I learned a lot of patience and optimism from you, so thanks a lot!!!!! I wish I could give them a kick or smth to hurry up with your NOA2...

LOLOL What did I start? Poor Kim!


Well Said!

Ana ~ I'm going to definetely need a permit, there will probably be around 20 people or so. I have to keep investigating...

Me and 'er indoors are gonna go thru a drive-thru, Kim - beautiful and intimate, eh??

Damian ~ If you're going to do a drive thru wedding you have to do it RIGHT. Go to Burger King & get her a crown. No Mickey D's, No Taco Bell, none of that. Only the King of Burgers.

Oh susita, you dissapoint me. You really do. Burger King!!??? What kind of lowlife do take me for?? Hardees. It's gotta be Hardees.

I'm currently listening to, "5 Minutes Alone" by Pantera, btw. Just thought you might like to know.

We don't have Hardees here in NY. We got pizza places, chinese restaurants, delis, but no Hardees.
No Sonic either. And if they put ONE more commercial on advertising those damn delicious looking 99 cent shakes, I'm gonna call & complain. The closest Sonic is in Connecticut! Those Bast*rds

No Hardees!!!?????? . Well that's any plans I had to visit NYC well and truly canned. You've never had a Hardees Thickburger!!!??? Child, you haven't lived!!

Sadly, I'm on a diet and can't eat that anyway!

Looks damn good though.

Sucks.

ei guyz...i really hope that im not left behind this NOA2 thing...i just wana know if VSC really works on weekends?? i really hope more approvals for april next week..god bless us..

Good Sunday morning April...

you guys are all crazy!

Trin, you're not the only one left behind hon. There are many of us mid April and even some earlier folks still waiting. This will be our week!

Well I couldn't sleep last night and didn't fall off until after 3am... then the power went out at 6am and didn't come back on until 9:30! So yeah, 3 hours of sleep and a day full of partying! I need a caffeine injection!

Have a good day folks... happy thoughts for loads of approvals tomorrow morning!!!

Good Morning Everybody!

Hope you're having a good weekend!

no worries, this week is our week!!!!




thanks heaven for slim ukraine girls

aaawww that was a little mean!

but I have to say it is much more difficult to stay slim in america then it is here in Brazil.. I just loveee junk food and I´m looking forward to Ben and Jerrys, twizlers, taco bell, mac and cheese, cinnamon roll and stuff =)

LOL sorry wasn't tring to be mean....just saying that girls in the Ukraine are quite slim

Yeah it was, lol
Fortunately I don't take things too personally. Fortunately, my honey likes me with a little meat on my bones. Guess everybody likes what they like.

Our lifestyle is much different in America, and it's easier to fall into traps like eating fast food all the time. Single mom with kids who works 40+ hours, goes to college full-time (at least 12 hours a week in class, 12 more studying), cleans her house etc etc. doesn't have too much time to cook. So I digress - but yes as I mentioned earlier I'm on a diet. I don't want to Hillary Duff-af-y myself, I do want to fill in my wedding dress LOL.

Good morning everyone. My girl is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the excitement, just had the first day together in 2 months, I know it's nothing compared to what some are going through but it's been ahrd all the same. Megan says hi to everyone, especially Suzy as she wants to know if we're getting an invite to your wedding in Central Park?!?!?!?!

Take care everyone and have a fun filled Monday!!! Hope there are a flood of Monday approvals like there has been the last few weeks.

yes and I don't like big girls

But enough about that; IT'S NOA2 WEEK !!!!!!

Good morning everybody!!!

Hope that everybody who still waits get approved this week.


@desenchantee
Hope your girl stay quit slim after arriving in the US. Its not that easy with all thoose good fast food restaurants!!!!

Here's to more approvals Looks like your process is going great

Yes it will be tough; we will just watch out for where we eat

It went great so far. I cant complain but i feel with thoose people who check USCIS every day. I did it every day too.

Great to hear

Yes, I begin checking it twice daily now...Just anxious...

And you know what? A lot of the time, it's completely pointless. The first I knew of my NOA2 was when 'er indoors called me on Saturday to say it was in her mailbox. No touches, no emails, no nothing. Even now my online USCIS account says pending, last (and only) touch 22nd February!

Actually , I think you are right....I think lots of folks get it as a "surprise"

Graham & Megan ~ Congratulations! I bet you guys are having a BLAST! I am still working out the details of the wedding, but the two of you are definetely welcome. There's a whole lot of family 'issues' going on and I'm so aggravated that I may not be inviting a few of them, so more room for friends! However, don't worry, it's not because they don't want me to marry Luis, it's other stuff. When I get the date & time etc. etc. you guys on VJ will all know,

Desenchantee ~ I wasn't offended, don't worry LOL. I hope you get your NOA2 this week!!!

Kim ~ I am drinking an iced coffee with 2% milk. I drank one two days ago with skim milk and it tasted gross. LOL. My diet is going well though, I even have the little guys running the track with me, I bought them new 'running shoes' so they can run around the track in them (they are just sneakers, but whatever I gotta do to get them to want to come with me, LOL). I passed up my mom's famous lasagne rolls yesterday with focaccia bread and fresh parmesean cheese. That's a BIG step, LOL.

Speaking of Italian food, In September is the San Gennaro feast in Little Italy. I am going, hopefully Luis will be here to go as well with me, the invitation is out for any of you guys who want to come, it's a lot of (as my granny says) ginny fun! (don't worry she's Italian, she can say that!) I AM going to cheat that day. I cannot go to Little Italy without getting a cannoli from Ferrara's. It would be a sin worse than cheating on my diet.

Hope everybody has a great start to their week, I'm still patiently waiting for the RFE to come in the mail!

That happens at CSC quite frequently. Not once in a year have I heard it happening at VSC.

Desenchantee... I know you weren't trying to be mean ...but I am a woman who has lost more than 200 pounds. I have to pay extra special attention to my food and exercise in order to stay fit. It's not just as easy as not eating burgers for me...don't think that has a lot to do with being in America. Has a lot to do with genetics. I understand not being attracted to 'big girls' but It's when you start putting criteria like that on your 'relationships' that they are doom to failure. I would love the man I am choosing to be with regardless of his size or shape or anything else.

suz, good for you girl! I know the skim milk is gross to me too but eh. I found I was drinking a lot less of it! I'm actually drinking my coffee from home this morning with splenda (which I also try to limit) and a bit of french vanilla creamer. Yesterday I hardly ate anything at all ...but boy did I make up for it in drinks! Recovering today!

So it's a new week and i'm hoping upon hope that we all have some good news in the next couple days. We sure could use it!

I use splenda too. Just in my coffee though, I have been drinking only coffee & water for the past few days. 1 cup of coffee in the morning & water the rest of the day. I actually don't mind so much water since it's been SOOO hot in NY.

I hope you get your approval this week Kim! I'm rootin' for you guys

Oh and BTW, being overweight runs in my family. I think it has something to do with the genetics as well. I have some friends that eat worse and more than I do that are literally twigs. Clearly, big hamburgers don't help LOL, but you know what I mean.

Suz, I actually omitted every drink but coffee and water from my diet for a year. I like to give myself these little challenges...because i'm so stubborn! I've done the same with other things as well. Because of my blood pressure, I just stopped using salt as seasoning and limited a bunch of other things. I also have this rule.. must have at least 8 glasses of water before I can have a diet coke. Usually I end up having just one diet coke around dinner time now. Big difference. Splenda is a great choice (or so we think) but I honestly think that sugar substitutes increase hunger. At my heaviest weight I did not eat all day long... it's still my greatest challenge to this day. It's not just about less calories and more movement. It's about the kinds of calories your'e putting into your body. I eat a lot more when i'm 'on program'.. just much differently. My mom was about 40 pounds overweight when I was growing up but she's also a WW and has lost 40 pounds and had it off since 1990. She's a rock star! Like you, i'm extremely busy with work and the kids and the house... taking that time to be sure my diet is in check and making sure I exercise isn't always easy but it makes such a world of difference and effects every other part of my life! That's what keeps me doing it. I really could care less about the numbers now tho. I just want to be healthy and feel good... I want to be that grandparent who's out running with my grandkids... not sitting on a rocking chair on the porch.

Thanks for the well wishes. I certainly hope it's soon too.

Graham... couldn't be happier for you guys. Have fun!

Looks like you got one

Anyways, back to the main subject, THIS IS OUR WEEK FOR APPROVAL.

Susy, do you know what the RFE is for ? Hope it goes speedy for you

nah, I hope it comes in the mail today though, I'm so curious 2 see what it is... I hope it's easy too!

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG.. I WAS ON THE COMPUTER AT THE HOSPITAL (NOT SUPPOSED TO BE) AND HAPPENED TO CHECK MY EMAIL

AND THERE IT WAS!

I ECSTATIC BEYOND WORDS.


EVERYONE ELSE.. ITS COMING SOON!

LOVE,
JILL AND JAMERSON

Congrats Jill !!!

Guys I need help I’m so very confused about the I-134 Affidavit of Support.
What the minimum amount you have to make in order to be qualified?
I read a somewhere on VJ that it is not required?
What is poverty guideline?
What all is required with I-134?
Please help I’m stressed out now about this!!!!! [u][/u]

Wow great news!!!!

Jill, that's wonderful news for you. Congratulations!

MnM.. you have some reading to do.


The poverty guidelines can be found here


At most USEMs it is a requirement. They have to be sure the beneficiary does not become a public charge. You're their insurance. If you do not meet the minimum you can 'usualy' use a co-sponsor who would complete all of the same documents as you and provide all of the same evidence.
You can read more about that here.



On this page read the section about what to send your fiance and it has a link to the I-134 form. Here is an example to help you fill it out. DO NOT use that form and just change the information. Download a new form to use just use this one for reference.

Take a deep breath, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine do some reading and then fill out the form. Then begin to gather the evidence you will need to go along with it. It's all spelled out in the links provided above and if you get lost along the way just search here on VJ and you are sure to find your answers.

Past 5 and still nothing. Guess our adjuticator is having his/her summer break. Soon.

Thanks for the info KimandRuss
just keep faith ur time is coming soon you guys are very helpfull
Thank you for that