Hey! I have good news!! My husband just received the NOA 1 for the I-129F. Right after I wrote last post! That was a great thing because I was already thinking they had lost our application as it happened to other people's papers. Our process is in Vermont and so far we didn't get any "touch" either. But I'm hoping that whenever they touch it, they move it forward!! I saw in another thread of the VJ forum that this "touch" thing is very relative... Doesn't mean a lot necessarily. The best thing about being touched is that we have this feeling of "It's alive!!!"

This is a real work out for our patiences, han?!

So you know, this is Steve. Yes, I live just south of Seattle. But I also travel to Portland alot because in my job I am responsible for our operations for Seattle and Portland. I have lived here for about a year.
Before that, I was responsible for our operations in South America. I was responsible for Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio De Janeiro, and Montevideo. I was based in Buenos Aires but spent a lot of time in Brazil also. This was great when I was able to see my Jessica on a daily basis. It was a very sad day when my company told me that it was time to return to the United States. But I do have the ability to travel quite a bit, So I try to visit Buenos Aires every 4 to 6 weeks for a few days. And for my job, I spent the month of February in Sao Paulo. This was great because I was able to fly Jessica up to Sao Paulo.

I am not expecting to see my NOA1 until the mid to the end of this week, looking at the timelines.

And as far as the other timelines I wrote about, 1/3 of the people that filed this year have had pretty quick approval. I can at least dream that the same will happen to mine. This will at least keep me sane for a couple of months.

Monicaaa! I have great news too!

JUST GOT MY NOA1 too!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy!

Well, we hired an attorney and she's been really helpful. She's a sweet lady and knows what she's doing! Hopefully we won't get any REF's and the touch we get will be to move us forward! YAY!

Ai ai ai!

Bjos

Steve, that's awesome! As I mentioned, my husband lived in Downtown Seattle and has just moved to SW Portland. He has loved Portland so far!

Well, I live in São Paulo, Brazil! I can't believe it! This world is soooo small! lol

I am sorry that you had to go back, but at least now you will have your Jessica forever with you!

That's cool! Still shocked!

PS: Just got my I129F NOA1! (We sent it on the 28th April)

Boo....i still didn't get my NOA1 for I-129F but sent it before u...it's weird I'm kinda worried now I'll tell my husband to check mailbox again tonight.

Loolinette, when did you send your I129F?

Ask him to check it out, because you'd be getting it around this week.

And I sent mine in the day after you, so tomorrow I will start looking for my NOA1.

Well my lawyer sent it so who knows if he really sent it when he said he did. But I think it was on 04/25

Doesn't your lawyer send you the tracking number? Mine did! She said that she would be sending that certain day and sent us the FEDEX tracking number!

Well, you should be getting your NOA1 pretty soon, don't worry!

That's awesome! I guess California is moving faster!! I think I'm the only one in this thread with the case in Vermont... hehehe!

Don't worry! You must be getting yours sometime this week. I also sent mine about 10 days before Renatchi but we got the NOA on the same day. Well, my case is in Vermont though. This is really unpredictable...

Good news, an end January I-130 filer approved :
http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profil...l=&id=45530

Should we get excited?

lol

I mean, I don't want to be all happy and anxious and later on disappointed.... BUT I must confess that it's really starting to look promising!

What do you guys think?

Im excited...lol

Well, who am I kidding?! Of course I am exciteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!

I just want to be approved, ppl! COOOOOME OOOON! lol CSC! CSC! CSC!

Loolinette, how's your NOA1 so far? Nothing yet?

I asked my hubby to check mail but he didn't yet today. If there's nothing I'll tell him to call the lawyer to know when he sent the papers, maybe he can track it.

I sent the I-130 and I-485 off to Chicago April 28th and it was received as of April 30th.

Hi Mrs. BB!

Welcome to the Visa waiting line!

We wish you a speedy process!

You guys... a quick question....

Do you also have an account at the USCIS website?

I know I do, but I hadn't realized that I had to click on "email on" to allow them to send me emails with the updates.... is it true?! If I don't have that button on, they won't send me emails!?

What if I was touched and don't know?! Is there a way to know if I was touched?

Thanks!

Yes, you do need to have the "e-mail on" to receive e-mail updates. However, I do not know how you know if it was touched, I was wondering that myself.

But I have great news, I have received both of my NOA1's for my I-130 and my I-129F. I recieved the notice for the I-130 on Monday and the notice for the I-129F on Thursday. I was getting nervous because I tried filing them both together at the CSC instad of sending the I-130 to the Cicago lockbox, and waiting for the NOA1 from the I-130 to send in my I-129F. I thought that I would receive both notices the same day. I was beginning to think I made a mistake. But now I have both and now all I can do is wait.

Now I am also very very excited. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!

Renatchi:
U have to turn email ON to receive updates on ur case like approvals or RFEs...but to see if u got touched u just look at the date next to ur case number and see if it has changed. If it did it's called a "Touch".

Hey Steve Y Jessica! Congratulations on your NOA1! It's pretty exciting huh? Now you are reeeeeally on the line for a visa! lol

Loolinette, I figured that out. I still haven't had any touch. I don't know if it's good or not... WOW! Where's your NOA1?! Did you receive it?!

XOXO

I dont know...I think my lawyer didn't send my I-129F as soon as he said he would. He probly didn't send it till 30th of April so that would explain, why I haven't got it yet.

That is the exact reason I decided not to use a lawyer. I thought about it, but figured with all of the information here, I could do it myself. Because I am a control freak!! I do not like to rely on other people to do things for me. When I do them myself I know when they got done and that they got done when they are supposed to.

But if he did send it in on April 30th, I would think that you should be receiving something soon. I sent my paperwork in on the 29th and have received my NOA's.

This is the most difficult process, because all we can do is wait. I think for K1's and K3's, they should do like they do with tourist visas, an interview at the embassy, show them your paperwork then give the visa. Then you still need to do the AOS after you are in the US. It would also make things easier on the Service Centers and cut costs. Maybe they could put me in charge of this process. I'll fix it. After all, it is US law that states that spouses are supposed to be together!!!!

Loolinette, I'm sorry to hear about your attorney. I am pretty sure you will be receiving your NOA pretty soon.

Steve, I am also a "control freak" - being a good Virgo and Brazilian that I am - and therefore chose our attorney very wisely. Before we hired this particular attorney, I tried talking to 8 attorneys who wouldn't even talk to us without scheduling a very well-paid meeting. My attorney was the only one who talked to me and even gave us some hints on how we should proceed, without asking for any money. She's done some K3's before and knew how to do things and what's all about.

I am very careful with information, and I sent her everything extremely organized and labeled. She even decreased her fee because we were so organized she didn't even have to do or correct anything.

Our attorney has been really really helpful so far and I cannot complain about her - AT ALL. Just the opposite, she saw an error that my husband did on the form but no one had noticed. The documents were on the way to the CSC. She then called FEDEX and asked the documents to be returned to her. She corrected everything and then sent again to CSC. If she hadn't seen that, we'd probably have an RFE.

Our attorney always keeps us updated and send all information she has. I have a copy of the FEDEX Tracking #, of all documents, etc etc. She'll even help me at my interview.

I know most people are very unfortunate with lawyers, but I am very glad I found her.

But it's like we say in Brazil, if you want things to be well-done, do it yourself. I used to follow that, but we cannot hug the whole world, sometimes we have to delegate things to other people - but be careful with who you choose.

Well, I think that family members should come first. How come K1's are faster than K3's or CR1?! What's happening there?! I mean, I am married to the man of my dreams, the man that I love more than life, and I cannot "be" with him? But fiancés can?! That's very wrong.

I am very upset.... I already cried my eyes out this morning while talking to my baby on the phone... I just miss him so much. It's a horrible feeling this endless uncertain waiting. GRRR.... I can't take this anymore. Seriously.

I am sorry I am pouring my feelings out, it has just been so hard on me and my husband. I am sorry.

So Steve, I'd totally support you being in charge of these processes! GO STEVE!

I completely understand. Me and my wife talk at least every other day for about 2 hours a night. And this is so difficult. We are married and the only thing that we want is to be together. Nothing more!!! And this country makes this process so difficult. K3's should at least get the same 90 day period in the US that K1's get. The other night my wife was also crying on the phone because we don't know when we are going to be able to be together. And this rips me up even more because I love her so so much and I hate for her to be sad.

But as we keep saying, this is just a relatively short process, because when it is over we will be together for many years to come and we have a very long future ahead of us.!!!
Also, because of what we had to go through just to be together it makes you appreciate each other that much more.

Just stay strong and remember this is just a short road in the rest of your life.

I know how u feel Renatchi. Everyday is really hard, and not knowing if u're gonna get approved in 4 months or 8 months makes it very hard to plan anything out.
I think it's best not to come on that kind of website and keep urself busy but...I can't help it lol I have to come here everyday and check the forums...hoping to see good news.
At least I know once we get through this with our spouses...we'll be a lot stronger and it will feel so good to be together again...forever this time !

Well, I have been in serious debt lately, mostly because of my phonebills. I call the hubby all the time because I just need to hear his voice. That's all I have now. You know? When I hear him is like all problems go away, and it's heart breaking to have only his voice.

He told me already to stop visiting this kind of forum, because I'd go nuts if I kept on seeing other peoples' processes. He's kind of right.

What makes me more anxious is not knowing about tomorrow. Will I have a touch? Will I get a RFE? When will I be approved? exactly like Loolinette said, we don't know if we are going to be approved in 2, 4, 6 8 or even 12 months! This is going to kill me.

All I know is that when this is over, I'll go to Hawaii or wherever and take 1 week vacation (2nd honeymoon) with my baby. We deserve it.

Steve, my husband also said that... he said: "We are doing this to bring you to me forever. What's 9 - 10 months compared to a lifetime?"

I love him so much! It's not fair. I see these couples together in the street and I am married but cannot be with my husband!

Yes, me and my wife talk about that all of the time, we look at people together and we can't be. It is very frustrating.

I agree, whenever me and my wife talk on the phone, I am so happy and all of the problems go away.

As far as the phone bill, look into VOIP. This is what I just got. When I call her, it only cost 1 cent a minute. And when I also get her the equipment, it will be free for us to talk to each other for as often as we want for as long as we want. Some companies are better that others, but the one I use is pretty good voice quality. here is a link to the one I use so you can check it out.

http://www.terrasip.com/index.php?

It is out of Spain I think, but is much better and cheaper that Skype.

Renatchi, Also every Sunday we spend 4 or 5 hours on Yahoo messenger chatting with each other. And we both have webcams. That makes it alot easier also being able to see each other. I havent figured out how to do the voice and video at the same time yet, but when I do that will be even better.

Ai ai ai... I usually use Skype now. It's working fine. We also talk on IM chats, sometimes also with webcams.... but it's not the same... there's no physicall touch, you know?

I just want to be with my baby!

Yes, I know exactly what you mean!!! We have the same feelings. And it is very difficult because when we are together, we are always kissing and holding hands. We keep saying that we think there isn't anyone that kisses more than us, when we are walking down the street we always stop just to give a kiss. Jessica's mother calls us "melosos" (I don't know how it translates to portuguese, but it means sticky like honey) because we are always clingy with each other. So yes, I know exactly what you mean. I want a kiss from Jessica so much.

I also just want to be together with mi Jessica Hermosa!!!!!!!!

oi!!
I am sooooo glade to know i am not the only one is going through this hell!!
I getting crazy i sent the I129F on April the 25th and i still didn't get the NOA1... is this correct? should i send it again or call?? I dont know what to do, i see everybody getting their Noa1 and they send it after i did mine!!! it has being more than 16 days!!!! can somebody help me??


I got married on Feb the 9th and i had to leave the USA on the 14th, cuz my visa was over, and my husband is coming to Brazil for our "real" marriage at church and w my family in July, and he leaves on Aug the 5th and i dont wanna be apart anymore!!! do u know if i can go to USA for a while and then can back for my interview in Rio?? i know is a silly question, cuz if it had a way everybody would do it, but i would go there and stay for a month and get our house ready to live and be w him!!

I just hope i can be w my husband soon!!!
Sorry for the bad English!!!

You guys, I have a question...

On my NOA1 for the I30 has the date of 04.21. But on the USCIS website, it says that the last update was 04.22. Does this mean I was touched that day?

Also on my NOA1 for the I29F, it has the of 04.30 but on the USCIS website it says that the last update was on 30.04. So, this means I haven't been touched on my I129, right?

I am confuuused.... lol

Renatchi, Yes, anytime the date changes, it has been "touched". So yes, your I-130 was touched on the 22nd. But your I-129F is the same date as your NOA, so I would think that that was just them receiving it.

Oi Vanessa!

Well, I got my NOA1 for the I129F 10 days after we sent it. I suggest you wait a little bit more, if you don't receive it in a week, try calling the USCIS Center that is responsible for your petition. Is it California or Vermont?

Hey, where did you get married? In the USA or Brazil? If in the USA why did you come back?! You should have applied for a AOS... I think you can. At least a friend of mine did that. She traveled to the USA with a B2, got married and applied for the AOS. No one said anything about that and now she has her green card in her hands and didn't have to stay away from her husband! I know it's a fraud and it's incorrect and I'd never do that, but she did and is legaly there in the US.

I am not sure, but I have been told that if you cannot enter the USA while you are waiting for your K3 visa... The POE tracks your passport number and name and don't let you in... I don't know, but I think that US brazilians cannot enter the USA while waiting for K3. If that was possible, I wouldn't be here, I'd be with my baby in Portland!

I am sorry, hun, but you will have to be apart until your K3 is approved. Unleeeeess he keeps on coming to Brazil oooor comes to live in Brazil!

We have very similar dates! Do you have orkut, Nessa? Where do you live here in BR?


Beijos


Steve Y Jessica,

meloso means "sticky" in Portuguese as well. My husband and I are also very "meloso". We can't stay away from each other, not even for 5 seconds! I miss him....

Renarchi,
Hi there, those touches is from the service center scanning your petitions into their system. But those touches sure give a person hope.
Now any further touches you will see from now on is great.
Good luck on your journey.
Paris Heart

Nessa_ce, Welcome to VJ. Yes, we are all going through this "HELL".
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do at the moment. If you call, they will tell you there is nothing that they can do until it has been 30 days since you sent it in. I know it is extremely difficult, but all you can do is wait. Which I know is the hardest thing to do. Also, unfortunately, you had to send your paperwork to Vermont. Vermont is quite a bit slower than California. So you can't look at when people got there NOA's from Claifornia. You need to look at when people got their NOA's from Vermont. Which look like around 3 to 4 weeks. So I would think that you should be getting the NOA for your I-129F sometime this week, or early into the next week.

As far as traveling to the US while you K3 is pending. You are very lucky that you already have a visa. We tried to get a tourist visa for my wife, but she could not get through the "strong ties" to her country. But if it expires, you probably will not be able to get it renewed. But there is no problem with you traveling to the US while your K3 is in process. As long as you do not overstay. Me and my wife wanted to do the same thing.
Just remember, it is possible that you can get denied entry at the point of entry into the US. They have the final say. You do not want to lie about anything to them, but if they know that you are married to a US citizen, they can deny you entry and make you return to Brazil. But none of this will affect your K3.

And don't worry about the English. You don't even want me to try my portuguese. As it is my Spanish isn't the best either. My wife makes jokes with me because I have a difficult time with the masculine, femanine thing. When I send her e-mails or text messages, she tells me that I send them alot of the time as I am talking to a man.

Well.. my USCIS Center is in Vermont, and i think that's why is taking that long!
The reason i didnt stayed in the US after the Wedding is that we didnt have anything planned, we meet when i was a Exchange student in his hometown and we dated for only 5 months(ago/2005 till July/2006), and when i had to leave we decided to broke up, i was 17 and he was 19... i we still keep in touch, but i dated other guys and he dated too, but we still had something.... When i got to college, they had a program u could work at Disney for the class break, i i went there on November the 28th till February the 14th, that period he went to visit me twice and i went to his city twice too, and we started to research about the K3 and K1 Visa and we thought the K3 was going to take less time, and i could come back to Brazil and planned the wedding (that is a big thing for my family!) and in 5 to 6 months i could be with him again! But it wasn't how we thought it would be!!!
my orkut profile is http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=2627803043371757480 and my MSN is nessa_ce@hotmail.com can you add me soo we can talk and i live in Fortaleza - Ceará, and tomorrow i will call USCIS center and try to know what is happening!!!

I think for K1's and K3's, they should do like they do with tourist visas, an interview at the embassy, show them your paperwork then give the visa. Then you still need to do the AOS after you are in the US. It would also make things easier on the Service Centers and cut costs. Maybe they could put me in charge of this process. I'll fix it. After all, it is US law that states that spouses are supposed to be together!!!!
[/quote]


I second that! Everyone - write your law makers.

Paris heart,

merci beaucoup! Yes, "touches" make us feel like our process is aliiiiive! lol

I haven't had any touches on my I129F. That's sad.... = (

Vanessa, yes, maybe it's taking that long because you are at the Vermont CS. But don't worry, you'll get it soon.

I didn't understand your story. You got legally married in the US, right? You could have stayed there. After you got your green card you could have travelled to Brazil and have your religious marriage here in Brazil. If you are legally married in the US, you cannot be married again here in Brazil (not at the Cartório), just at the church!

Ooooh my dear Lord, my dreeeeeam is to visit Fortaleza! It's the most beautiful city in Brazil (after São Paulo, of course! lol)...

I'll add you on orkut, but let's keep talking here too so that people can see how our cases develop, right?!

Beijos

Hi, Nessa!! Good to hear from another brazilian going through this awful process so we can share our anxiety! hehehe! My case is also at Vemont Service Center and so far, no updates.

I think going to the US on a tourist visa (or whatever you have) is too risky because they know you intend to immigrate. So I wouldn't take that risk. It is really hard to be apart for so long, but we just have to be patient. (I tell this to myself everyday!)

Ah by the way, I'm from Salvador... Also from the northeast. Too bad we don't even have a doctor registered at the consulate in our cities, han?
Good luck for you!

I learned how to check for touches this week. I noticed that my cases were touched in a date near to the date they received, so I guess that's just them moving the papers to the table of the officer who will take care of my case, or something like that.

I also read in another thread, here in VJ, that we should compare what is saying about our case when we click on the case number. If something changed to other than CASE RECEIVED AND PENDING it means that something important happened. Otherwise is just moving the papers, or cleaning the dust and spider webs off the papers, as someone said! LOL

You guys, I just got approved!

I cannot believe that I was approved in only 16 days! SIXTEEEEEEN!

Freaking out here because I haven't started doing anything!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! MUST BE GREAT.
You are one lucky girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paris Heart

Paris Heart, thank you!

I guess I am lucky! I have never been lucky, I guess there's always a first time, right?!

It is great and scary as well!

Thanks!

Renata

Congratulations Renatchi, u must be so excited !!!

[/quote]
Vanessa, yes, maybe it's taking that long because you are at the Vermont CS. But don't worry, you'll get it soon.

I didn't understand your story. You got legally married in the US, right? You could have stayed there. After you got your green card you could have travelled to Brazil and have your religious marriage here in Brazil. If you are legally married in the US, you cannot be married again here in Brazil (not at the Cartório), just at the church!

Ooooh my dear Lord, my dreeeeeam is to visit Fortaleza! It's the most beautiful city in Brazil (after São Paulo, of course! lol)...

I'll add you on orkut, but let's keep talking here too so that people can see how our cases develop, right?!

Beijos
[/quote]

Everybody is being soooo great, thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes.. i was legal in the US when i got married, i just got the wrong information, i thought i had to go back to brazil, and if i stayed to get my green card first it would take a long time for me to see my family (somebody told me i couldnt visit my family for 2 years and they couldnt go to US in that time either!)! I should had gotten more information about it, or called a layer!!! Renatchi, I will get married at church on July, but if i dont get married in the papers (cartorio) how am i going change my name to his??? do u know???

I have great news, i got my I129F NOA1!!!!! it took 7 days to the post office to send it to me! Renatchi, I am sooo glad u got already ur I129F NOA2, i hope i get that luck too, in fact i hope everybody that is applying get that lucky!!


Muito Obrigada!!

HI!!!
Is great to see soo many brazilian people in this process!! Just today i learned how to read the NOA1, i put all dates wrong in my timeline and i changed today, i thought the date i received the Noa1, that was the real date, not the one in the paper!! hahahaha i can be stupid some times!!!

YEP.... its to risky to go there now, the bad thing will be to get a visa and then when u get there immigration deny you... i dont wanna pay that much money if we have a 50% chance to be denied!!! i think i have to be patient, like you always says!!! hehe

i know right.. we dont have anything near here!! We have to go to Rio to get the visa, go to the dr, everything!!!

Good luck for all of us!!!