Now what?

[TEE&ESS 0]

Thank you VJers , especially my Nigeria folks. Your answers, contributions and encouragements were out of this world. We finally go approved. We are still celebrating the positive progress and we hope that the rest of the journey is as smooth. And we will also like to pray for all VJers that the good Lord will comfort those that have been denied/rejected, and give them the strength to move on, the wisdom to take the right step, and the courage to take the necessary actions. AMEN! We will be posting our REVIEW soon as soon as we get the chance to put everything together.

However, we already have a question. So Pending the time we unite, what's the next step? We intend to get married as soon as we're together. Can someone please tell me what we need to do right after or what we can be doing right now, forms, collecting documents, etc. We like to be proactive.

Thank you!!

[LoveNigarmostyle 165]

Thank you VJers , especially my Nigeria folks. Your answers, contributions and encouragements were out of this world. We finally go approved. We are still celebrating the positive progress and we hope that the rest of the journey is as smooth. And we will also like to pray for all VJers that the good Lord will comfort those that have been denied/rejected, and give them the strength to move on, the wisdom to take the right step, and the courage to take the necessary actions. AMEN! We will be posting our REVIEW soon as soon as we get the chance to put everything together.

However, we already have a question. So Pending the time we unite, what's the next step? We intend to get married as soon as we're together. Can someone please tell me what we need to do right after or what we can be doing right now, forms, collecting documents, etc. We like to be proactive.

Thank you!!

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

Did you check out the Guides? it takes you step by step through what is needed.

I pray that your fiance comes home safely. Good luck!

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Thank you VJers , especially my Nigeria folks. Your answers, contributions and encouragements were out of this world. We finally go approved. We are still celebrating the positive progress and we hope that the rest of the journey is as smooth. And we will also like to pray for all VJers that the good Lord will comfort those that have been denied/rejected, and give them the strength to move on, the wisdom to take the right step, and the courage to take the necessary actions. AMEN! We will be posting our REVIEW soon as soon as we get the chance to put everything together.

However, we already have a question. So Pending the time we unite, what's the next step? We intend to get married as soon as we're together. Can someone please tell me what we need to do right after or what we can be doing right now, forms, collecting documents, etc. We like to be proactive.

Thank you!!

Read the guides all the way to the end...citizenship. Ask specific questions as needed. This is not a good process to ask someone else to tell you everything as you get to each step

If you really like to be pro-active, you will study everything you need to do for the next 3-4 years (yes, there are many steps yet to come, the visa is the EASY part)

It can be confusing and you should certainly ask for clarification, but to answer a broad question such as "What do we do next" could not possibly benefit you or your spouse to be.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

And another thing that we cannot possibly answer is that you need to be thinking WAY beyond the visa/immigration process. This whole visa/immigration process is such a small part of LIFE that it is barely worth mentioning.

What about your LIFE? You are bringing a foreign person here that may not speak English, what anout English classes? What about school transcripts, education evaluations, getting a drivers lisence...ad infinitum! We do not know your situation but if you were moving from New York to Texas it would be a pretty big deal and that is the same country, same money, same language, even reciprocal drivers lisences! It is nothing compared to moving halfway round the world to a foreign country.

Only YOU know your life circumstances and only you can prepare for them. What are your fiance's desires? Mine wanted to get a Masters Degree in Teaching English from a US university. She started her program with a 50% private grant 5 days after arriving due to the preparation we did in advance. She was in college here before we got married!

You are going to be busy. Really busy.

[Kim n Jai 1]

And another thing that we cannot possibly answer is that you need to be thinking WAY beyond the visa/immigration process. This whole visa/immigration process is such a small part of LIFE that it is barely worth mentioning.

What about your LIFE? You are bringing a foreign person here that may not speak English, what anout English classes? What about school transcripts, education evaluations, getting a drivers lisence...ad infinitum! We do not know your situation but if you were moving from New York to Texas it would be a pretty big deal and that is the same country, same money, same language, even reciprocal drivers lisences! It is nothing compared to moving halfway round the world to a foreign country.

Only YOU know your life circumstances and only you can prepare for them. What are your fiance's desires? Mine wanted to get a Masters Degree in Teaching English from a US university. She started her program with a 50% private grant 5 days after arriving due to the preparation we did in advance. She was in college here before we got married!

You are going to be busy. Really busy.

This is off topic to the original question, but I am interested in hearing more about that grant and the preparation you did. Could you please tell me more about it as my fiance is interested in begining his studies at some point after arriving. Maybe you could message me if it's too off topic.

Thanks!

Kim

[TEE&ESS 0]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

Did you check out the Guides? it takes you step by step through what is needed.

I pray that your fiance comes home safely. Good luck!

Thank you!! You're always on point.

[pennadutch 0]

This is off topic to the original question, but I am interested in hearing more about that grant and the preparation you did. Could you please tell me more about it as my fiance is interested in begining his studies at some point after arriving. Maybe you could message me if it's too off topic.

Thanks!

Kim

I'd like that message too! My fiance is interested in going to grad school as well.

[LoveNigarmostyle 165]

Thank you!! You're always on point.

You are welcome! Also, I suggest emailing the Nigerian members, who have already passed this phase and they can give you guidance. God bless.

[patient2010 93]

Girl first of all CONGRATS!!!!! let it sink in before you start thinking again.....But I so understand. Once your sweetie gets here and you guys get married then you file AOS but before that since you want to be proactive you may want to research the criteria for marriage in your state because some require a ssn and some dont so that will determine how fast you get married. also once he comes through the POE wait for about two weeks before you head down to the SSA building that gives them time to get him in the computer and when you go it should be hassle free. You want to acquire that SS before the I94 expires or even comes close to expiring the I94 will be stapled in his passport. The SSN and marriage are the immediate things once you get married you AOS read the guide here on VJ and if you have any questions you already know feel free to ask. But they guides are pretty straight forward. Also just as the previous poster said you will be super busy getting him settled I mean super busy it takes a while to get them settled....Once he gets acclimated to a comfortable point you can then focus on he goals because he will be to overwhelmed when he first arrive...FYI the real work starts once he clears the POE....lol I didnt hit everything but if you have specific questions pls ask me...Good luck I am happy for you and COngrats!!!

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

This is off topic to the original question, but I am interested in hearing more about that grant and the preparation you did. Could you please tell me more about it as my fiance is interested in begining his studies at some point after arriving. Maybe you could message me if it's too off topic.

Thanks!

Kim

It is in no way off topic to discuss what preparations someone should make for the arrival of their foreign fiancee, THAT was the question.

Yes I can tell you. About the time we filed the I-129f my wife (then fiancee) gave me all her educational transcripts and diplomas. I had those translated and sent them to ECE here in the state (google ECE) They evaluated her education and gave an equivilency to US education. She prepared for and took the TOEFL exam in Ukraine before we filed the I-129f and so did our son who was preparing for college at that time, which is an exam to evaluate the foreign educated students English ability. Think of it as an SAT for foreign students. It is offered here and in many foreign countries

I submitted her evaluations and TOEFL exams to local universities and did all the legwork, met with counselors etc. She eventually was accepted to a private university (actually she was also accepted at the University of Vermont) but the private university offered her a 50% tuition grant which made them cheaper than the public university which would not even offer in-state tuition until she had lived here 1 year. I did everything to enroll her except sign her name. When she arrived, everything was prepared, she needed only to give ID and a SS number

She arrived on a Wednesday. We applied for her SS number Thursday morning, 16 hours after arrival, went back to the SS office on Friday morning and got her number. We dropped in the bank and added her to our account and then went to the school where she presented her SS number, ID (passport and K-1) and signed the papers for the grant. She started her classes on Monday.

It took almost 6 months of preparation to do this.

I may also add that we were doing the same to enroll our (then) 13 year old son in his middle school at the same time. He had been getting English tutoring 3 days per week in Ukraine for about 8 months. He started here in September in 8th grade. I worked with him on his English and homework 2-3 hours per night, interrupted by occasionally helping Alla with her homework. By Christmas, he was promoted to 10th grade. Last year he made the highest score in a statewide math exam for SENIORS at age 16. Straight A's in AP calculus and Statistics. He received the governors award for top male math student in Vermont for 2010-2011 and "Student of the Year" for his school. They had a big hoopla for him at the local Sheraton Hotel!!!!

He started classes on the Friday after they arrived. We had also been in the process of getting our oldest son accepted to the top physics university in the FSU and he has since graduated and now has a full ride scholarship for a master's degree.

ALL of this is much more involved and difficult and confusing and time consuming than a visa, adjustment of status and Removal of Conditions ...all of which we did also, for THREE people.

Alla graduated with a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA-TESOL)this year. 3.97 GPA.

It took a lot of work on all our parts to accomplish this, but that is life.

[TEE&ESS 0]

Girl first of all CONGRATS!!!!! let it sink in before you start thinking again.....

Thanks a mucho! I appreciate your comments. I just need to keep my hands and my head busy. I will start doing a lot of research. But like you said, I can't wait until we're united. We're both keeping our fingers crossed.

Thank you!

And another thing that we cannot possibly answer is that you need to be thinking WAY beyond the visa/immigration process. This whole visa/immigration process is such a small part of LIFE that it is barely worth mentioning.

What about your LIFE? You are bringing a foreign person here that may not speak English, what anout English classes? What about school transcripts, education evaluations, getting a drivers lisence...ad infinitum! We do not know your situation but if you were moving from New York to Texas it would be a pretty big deal and that is the same country, same money, same language, even reciprocal drivers lisences! It is nothing compared to moving halfway round the world to a foreign country.

Only YOU know your life circumstances and only you can prepare for them. What are your fiance's desires? Mine wanted to get a Masters Degree in Teaching English from a US university. She started her program with a 50% private grant 5 days after arriving due to the preparation we did in advance. She was in college here before we got married!

You are going to be busy. Really busy.

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

[souleymon 27]

i am hoping u will be dropping ur interview preview

[souleymon 27]

i am hoping u will be dropping ur interview preview