BINATIONAL SAME SEX COUPLES !! Show up!

[Frankie19 1]

My wife and I were married in Oaxaca Mexico July 21, 2012 in a family and friends beach wedding, and a Civil Ceremony in Mexico City on August 17, 2012 just the day before she started her year long sabbatical here in the US. She was supposed to return August 24th (TODAY!) according to her tourist Visa.

However thanks to SCOTUS decision to kick DOMA to the curb as unconstitutional, we were able to file a change in status and are scheduled to interview on September 26th. We received the notice yesterday. The process has seemed incredibly fast.

July 10th packet was sent with the usual request for adjustment, to work and travel.

July 11th received, July 16th official acceptance date

Biometrics completed August 9th

Interview is September 26th.

It seems Incredible that just over two months after filing, we have an interview and should receive residency for my wife when if DOMA has not been addressed in such a timely manner, we would instead be in Mexico trying to adjust to our continued long distance relationship as it has been for the last four and a half years.

It is ironic that same sex marriage was legal and federally accepted in Mexico two years prior to the US.

So glad that we are in this place in time and not separated again.

[Frankie19 1]

Jay (USC) here petitioning for my husband Juan Carlos (Costa Rican). We met online in January 2006, met in person in Costa Rica in May 2006, and Juan Carlos came to the US in November 2006 on a tourist visa and decided to stay in the US. We were married in Sacramento, California on July 1. We have an immigration attorney who did our paperwork and filled our I-130, I-485, I-765 & I-131 for AOS. Having been able to marry and apply for residency has been a great relief for both of us as Juan Carlos will now be able to return home to visit his family after 7 years once his residency is approved. Our immigration attorney has told us it is technically legal for him to travel even with the expired tourist visa because the rule was recently changed, but she wouldn't want to put the new rule to a test, so he will wait until he has his Green Card in hand. Our lawyer has told us he should have his GC by early November.

I am currently in Costa Rica obtaining documents for Immigration, Police Certificate and Court records. I've spent the last two weeks crisscrossing San Jose from court building to court building to US Embassy to Costa Rican Foreign Ministry to obtain all the letters, documents, signatures, and seals to make everything official. Of course, I've managed to make it to the beach at Manuel Antonio for a couple of days over the weekend.

I really feel for those of you who have made the sacrifice of self-exiling yourself to be with your significant other. There was a time that I was considering immigrating to Canada also before I could start to see a light at the end of the tunnel a few years ago.

I would be very curious to know what kind of questions are being asked of same-sex couples in the interviews. It sounds like some of you should be going in for your interviews about a month or so ahead of ours.

Buena suerte a todos!

[Frankie19 1]

Congrats to you both!

My wife and I are also curious about the questions to be asked of same sex spouses. The interviews we have heard about from friends and acquaintances of opposite sex spouses are fairly invasive and boarder on inappropriate. It has been suggested that we set up mock interviews to practice using lists found on the Internet and then some.

Our interview is September 26th.

Awesome and nerve wracking!

[susysteele 9]

Hello all,

We are COMPLETE newbies here...we don't even have our NOA1 yet. We do know that our I-129F package arrived at the Texas Service Center yesterday (via tracking from USPS), but I imagine it's sitting in a bin with a few dozen other packages until Monday. Hope to get the NOA1 soon, but our attorney said our package would likely be transferred to the California Service Center. So now we wait, wait, and wait some more.

It's nice seeing a thread for same sex couples on the board. As I mentioned we're new to this site and so it will be nice to meet people who are going through a similiar situation to what we are. I'm the USC living in Washington and my fiancee lives in Peru. We last saw each other a few weeks ago before we filed our paperwork. We have plans to visit outside of the U.S. in a few months so that the wait isn't so painful (our attorney advised not risking her visit in the U.S.). For now though, I have a feeling we'll become obsessed with this site while we wait, somewhat patiently, for news.

Anyway, we look forward to sharing our journey along with you as well as meeting some new friends along the way. Talk to you soon.

Susan and Lore

[Susan53011 14]

Wow Susan congrats on the NOA2! Can you tell us when you had your NOA1 and in which service center it was processed? You may be one of the first same sex NOA2s...Our NOA1 date was

Aug 1.

Received the NAO1 July 12. California service center. We already have all our paper work for packet 3 etc just waiting for it to arrive. Fingers crossed that these next steps go just as fast!!

[onehappycouple 1]

Looking at the trackitt /usa-immigration-trackers/i130-i485 - most of results for August are same-sex couples. It's exciting to see their progress. Does anyone use it as well?

[Nadiab 3]

Hello everybody.. last night got my NOA, text and emails.. i just wanted to share with you guys.. i cant wait for everybody to have their papers..

that would be a very happy day..

best of lucks to everybody and hopefully we will have more news soon..

[ivanalex1980 34]

Hello everyone. I am from New york, and my beautiful fiance is from Peru. We met at the start of 2012, and began a relationship.

She was on a work visa here, but left the states in November 2012. ... OBVIOUSLY - I miss her like crazy, but anyways. Here we are!

July 8th we received our NOA1

August 9th it was transferred from VSC to TSC ( and from a lot of reviews I am hoping I should have an NOA2 very soon considering the TSC transfers have been processing much quicker. )

Hoping to be in each others arms for Christmas, wishful thinking anyways. <3

Hello, we are in similar situation but the difference is that our K1 packet was not transferred to TSC, TSC started processing our packet from the very start they got it.

so you say that TSC is quicker compared to the other centers?

[Donna&Noelia 6]

Hi butterflycharmer8,

Welcome to "bi-national same-sex couples immigation world." It's nice finally to be able to stand in line with everyone else when even a few months ago that was impossible. Anyway, I was struck by the fact that our timeline is almost exactly the same. Our NOA-1 date was July 10, and we were transferred to TSC on August 9 as well. Who knows, maybe our petitions are in the same pile sitting on someone's desk? Good luck with your petition, and keep us posted. It will be interesting to compare the process as between Peru and Brazil.

Buena suerte!

Anyword yet on yours? So far still under "initial review" for us here! It shows our case was last "touched" on August 15th. Just checking. If I have not heard anything by Sept 15th I intend to call to check it out a bit more. Chaaaaaaau.

[Donna&Noelia 6]

Hello, we are in similar situation but the difference is that our K1 packet was not transferred to TSC, TSC started processing our packet from the very start they got it.

so you say that TSC is quicker compared to the other centers?

I just seen this so sorry! Well I have seen that TSC usually approves NOA2 within 4-6 weeks. However lately I have seen most approvals coming from the CSC.! Well I can only hope they will hurry on up. When did you get your NOA1? Has your alien number been changed yet? I am still waiting around for the NOA2 to happen. Keeping my fingers crossed, and hoping to hear something in the next 2 weeks. Here's to wishful thinking at least.

[ivanalex1980 34]

I just seen this so sorry! Well I have seen that TSC usually approves NOA2 within 4-6 weeks. However lately I have seen most approvals coming from the CSC.! Well I can only hope they will hurry on up. When did you get your NOA1? Has your alien number been changed yet? I am still waiting around for the NOA2 to happen. Keeping my fingers crossed, and hoping to hear something in the next 2 weeks. Here's to wishful thinking at least.

Hello thanks for your answer

They received our packet in TSC in August 19 and we got our NOA1 in August 21, now waiting for NOA2 to come

[FulanoDeTal 19]

Anyword yet on yours? So far still under "initial review" for us here! It shows our case was last "touched" on August 15th. Just checking. If I have not heard anything by Sept 15th I intend to call to check it out a bit more. Chaaaaaaau.

No, radio silence thus far. As I've said elsewhere, I'll be happy to see movement for ANY same-sex couple from the TSC, because Texas sure ain't Vermont. I'm going to Brazil next month for a visit, so I'm glad to focus on that for the time being!

[Nadiab 3]

hello guys.. one question, i see everybody talking about NOA1 and NOA2 and i dont really know what is that.. can somebody explain that to me please..

thank you!!!

[Donna&Noelia 6]

No, radio silence thus far. As I've said elsewhere, I'll be happy to see movement for ANY same-sex couple from the TSC, because Texas sure ain't Vermont. I'm going to Brazil next month for a visit, so I'm glad to focus on that for the time being!

I know, trying not to judge the TSC, but I would have felt more comfortable with my petition in VSC rather TSC. Texas isn't exactly the best sponsor for LGBT. Enjoy your visit!

[Donna&Noelia 6]

hello guys.. one question, i see everybody talking about NOA1 and NOA2 and i dont really know what is that.. can somebody explain that to me please..

thank you!!!

NOA1 = Notice of Action. ( 1st )

^ When they start researching, and checking the backgrounds of you both.

NOA2 - Notice of Approval ( 2nd )

^ Approval of the initial checks before moving onto the next process.