BINATIONAL SAME SEX COUPLES !! Show up!

[Mad & J 25]

Just found this thread!

My girlfriend and I have known each other for 5 years and been together for about 2.5. We've had a lot of discussions about which one of us should immigrate, but finally decided that it would make more sense for me to do it because of our respective living situations (I've just finished grad school, she has a steady job and a house). However, the fact that Florida recently legalized SSM definitely helped with this decision! As a Canadian, I was uncomfortable with the idea of living somewhere that wouldn't recognize our marriage, but things are changing in the US for the better. Northern Florida is never going to be as liberal as my home country, but I will try to adapt!

Anyway, we filed for a K1 visa at the end of February and got our NOA-1 on March 5th. As we are at TSC, we are in for a long wait. I'm hoping I'll get to move in with her by Christmas, but that may be wishful thinking on my part!

[Mad & J 25]

Just got the electronic version of NOA1. Kinda gave me a bit of a start when I saw the text message.

How have you all handled the agonizing waiting? Especially at the Texas Service Center where it's about seven months?

We have very similar timelines! We're just a day ahead of you guys, it seems. We should get out approvals around the same time, unless something unexpected happens.

We survive by talking on Skype every day and by visiting when we can. It's not ideal but we've been doing this for 2.5 years, at least now that we've started the paperwork it means there is light at the end of the tunnel!

In the meantime, we're planning for her to visit me for a week in late June, and I'm considering a visit down there in early May, even though it's probably not the wisest move, financially speaking...

[zuluweta 250]

Just found this thread!

My girlfriend and I have known each other for 5 years and been together for about 2.5. We've had a lot of discussions about which one of us should immigrate, but finally decided that it would make more sense for me to do it because of our respective living situations (I've just finished grad school, she has a steady job and a house). However, the fact that Florida recently legalized SSM definitely helped with this decision! As a Canadian, I was uncomfortable with the idea of living somewhere that wouldn't recognize our marriage, but things are changing in the US for the better. Northern Florida is never going to be as liberal as my home country, but I will try to adapt!

Anyway, we filed for a K1 visa at the end of February and got our NOA-1 on March 5th. As we are at TSC, we are in for a long wait. I'm hoping I'll get to move in with her by Christmas, but that may be wishful thinking on my part!

Just one word - patience.

[pinayanne27 8]

Just found this thread!

My girlfriend and I have known each other for 5 years and been together for about 2.5. We've had a lot of discussions about which one of us should immigrate, but finally decided that it would make more sense for me to do it because of our respective living situations (I've just finished grad school, she has a steady job and a house). However, the fact that Florida recently legalized SSM definitely helped with this decision! As a Canadian, I was uncomfortable with the idea of living somewhere that wouldn't recognize our marriage, but things are changing in the US for the better. Northern Florida is never going to be as liberal as my home country, but I will try to adapt!

Anyway, we filed for a K1 visa at the end of February and got our NOA-1 on March 5th. As we are at TSC, we are in for a long wait. I'm hoping I'll get to move in with her by Christmas, but that may be wishful thinking on my part!

Hello hello!! Goodluck with your application

Don't worry it's sooner than you think. Ours was approved last year on our 2nd anniversary. I even cried cause we were expecting to get an answer from them around 6 months but thank God we got approved after 2 months.

Btw, we're already married and living here in Florida.

[dsldesch 27]

Well, our process was just over one whole year long - 7 months at USCIS and then 5 months at NVC. We were at Texas, too. We cussed a lot (hehehe), but just kept pushing forward - saying to ourselves that it will be over soon. Of course, "soon" is relative!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, eh?

Sukie in NY

I certainly hope ours doesn't take as long, but I think we're ready and willing to wait even longer if that's what it takes to be together.

We have very similar timelines! We're just a day ahead of you guys, it seems. We should get out approvals around the same time, unless something unexpected happens.

We survive by talking on Skype every day and by visiting when we can. It's not ideal but we've been doing this for 2.5 years, at least now that we've started the paperwork it means there is light at the end of the tunnel!

In the meantime, we're planning for her to visit me for a week in late June, and I'm considering a visit down there in early May, even though it's probably not the wisest move, financially speaking...

That's exciting! I'll keep my fingers crossed this process moves smoothly (and swiftly) for both of us. Harel and I use iMessage almost every day, and then we add FaceTime when we have time. It's tiring being apart. I feel I don't sleep nearly as well by myself anymore. XD We were hoping he could be here for my graduation in May as a visitor, but those plans seem to have fallen through...I'll probably visit him over the summer, but nothing confirmed yet.

My girlfriend and I have known each other for 5 years and been together for about 2.5. We've had a lot of discussions about which one of us should immigrate, but finally decided that it would make more sense for me to do it because of our respective living situations (I've just finished grad school, she has a steady job and a house). However, the fact that Florida recently legalized SSM definitely helped with this decision! As a Canadian, I was uncomfortable with the idea of living somewhere that wouldn't recognize our marriage, but things are changing in the US for the better. Northern Florida is never going to be as liberal as my home country, but I will try to adapt!

Anyway, we filed for a K1 visa at the end of February and got our NOA-1 on March 5th. As we are at TSC, we are in for a long wait. I'm hoping I'll get to move in with her by Christmas, but that may be wishful thinking on my part!

My fiance and I were hoping he could be here before I start grad school in August, but we had a few delays and filed about a month and half later than we thought we could...which itself was already about six months after when we thought we would file (before we realized how extensive and time-consuming it was to prepare everything while working and being a full-time student). Now we're hoping he can move up in December, so we'll just have to see. It seems you got your NOA1 just two days after we got ours, so hopefully we'll all move forward together at an appreciable speed.

[Mad & J 25]

Hello hello!! Goodluck with your application

Don't worry it's sooner than you think. Ours was approved last year on our 2nd anniversary. I even cried cause we were expecting to get an answer from them around 6 months but thank God we got approved after 2 months.

Btw, we're already married and living here in Florida.

Congratulations on your wedding! What part of Florida are you living in? I hope married life is treating you well.

I'd be reallllly surprised if we got approved in 2 months. From what I understand, Filipinos get auto-expedited, which would explain your 2 month approval. I suspect mine will be around late September and I've mentally prepared myself for a long wait. If by some miracle it happens sooner than that, I'll be really happy!

My fiance and I were hoping he could be here before I start grad school in August, but we had a few delays and filed about a month and half later than we thought we could...which itself was already about six months after when we thought we would file (before we realized how extensive and time-consuming it was to prepare everything while working and being a full-time student). Now we're hoping he can move up in December, so we'll just have to see. It seems you got your NOA1 just two days after we got ours, so hopefully we'll all move forward together at an appreciable speed.

Good luck with grad school! I just finished my PhD this last November, and it was like emerging from a deep and endless jungle. XD Now I'm not even sure I want to stay in my field because academia has drained me. For now I'm putting off any serious career decisions until I move to the US and get my work authorization.

Anyway, I'll be following your timeline. I hope both of us can spend the holiday season with our loved ones.

[dsldesch 27]

Good luck with grad school! I just finished my PhD this last November, and it was like emerging from a deep and endless jungle. XD Now I'm not even sure I want to stay in my field because academia has drained me. For now I'm putting off any serious career decisions until I move to the US and get my work authorization.

Anyway, I'll be following your timeline. I hope both of us can spend the holiday season with our loved ones.

Thank you! It's a combined program, so while I'm still technically just finishing undergrad this semester, I've been in graduate classes so my entire program will culminate in my master's in mathematics in just one additional year. In that time, I hope Harel is able to join me here, get to know my family, and obtain his work authorization and green card before we both move to Milwaukee, where I've been accepted as a 2016 Teach for America corps member.

It's strange, having the next three years of my life planned out up to the most important part of it--my fiance/husband and our shared life together.

[pinayanne27 8]

Hello everybody! How are you guys?

I was just wondering who among you guys have kids here?

[Davesings 30]

Hello everybody! How are you guys?

I was just wondering who among you guys have kids here?

Hello there! Haven't posted here in a long time since we have applied for AOS and have been in the "Interview Waiver Letter" club forum since Aug 2014. Well our good news is that hubby's Green Card was approved yesterday! We are very happy and now just waiting for the card to arrive. It is the culmination of about 2 years since we first applied for the K1 visa, and this weekend is our 12th anniversary of being together and 1st wedding anniversary. I have a son, now in college, from my previous marriage. Who else has kids among us?

[zuluweta 250]

Hello there! Haven't posted here in a long time since we have applied for AOS and have been in the "Interview Waiver Letter" club forum since Aug 2014. Well our good news is that hubby's Green Card was approved yesterday! We are very happy and now just waiting for the card to arrive. It is the culmination of about 2 years since we first applied for the K1 visa, and this weekend is our 12th anniversary of being together and 1st wedding anniversary. I have a son, now in college, from my previous marriage. Who else has kids among us?

Congrats and hugs to you and yours!

[bob72601 13]

Hello there! Haven't posted here in a long time since we have applied for AOS and have been in the "Interview Waiver Letter" club forum since Aug 2014. Well our good news is that hubby's Green Card was approved yesterday! We are very happy and now just waiting for the card to arrive. It is the culmination of about 2 years since we first applied for the K1 visa, and this weekend is our 12th anniversary of being together and 1st wedding anniversary. I have a son, now in college, from my previous marriage. Who else has kids among us?

Congrats on the green card. One note of caution. When the card arrives in the mail, check it very carefully for errors, especially the effective date. Ours arrived with a wrong date and now we are in the process of getting that corrected. The effective date should be the same date that shows up on your I-797 as the Notice Date. For some reason ours had our original application date, which was 8 months earlier.

[nycaribb 12]

Hey guys, my husband and I had our interview today at Holtsville, NY (Long Island Field Office).

Our interview was scheduled at 9:40am and we arrived at about 9:33am. We went through security within a few minutes then were directed to an area (sign in/ reception area,i guess) where our interview letter would be requested before we proceeded to sit and wait for our name to be called by the Immigration Officer. No IDs were checked at either the security area or the reception area. There were two doors where officers were coming out to call their next interviewees (labeled ‘A’ and ‘B’). We waited maybe 50 minutes before we could be called in by the Immigration Officer (through door ‘A’). She was a lady maybe early to mid 30s in age. She seemed really pleasant as she expressed her delight in meeting us. She proceeded to leading us all the way to the back of the hallway area where her office was located.

She started by swearing us in then requesting my husband’s ID and my passport used to enter the US. She then asked my husband for his proof of citizenship (i handed her both his original Birth Certificate and U.S. Passport).

She went on to request additional proof of our bonafide marriage (specifies examples such as leases, joint accounts and insurances). While I was gathering those documents [we had a thick binder full of evidence even after submitting some with the original application], she began to question my spouse, although she stated that either one of us could respond to the questions.

IO: How did you two meet?

Sp: Dating App

IO: How long after meeting did you get married?

Sp: 1 yr 2 months

IO: Who was present at the wedding?

Me: Do you want me to tell you their names?

IO: No. Friends? Family?

Me: Friends

IO: Did you guys go out afterwards? … to a restaurant?

Me: Yes. [named the restaurant]

IO [specifically to me]: Do you have family here?

Me: yes, aunt

IO:What type of visa did you use to enter the US?

Me: student

IO: Where are your parents?

Me: back in my home country

————

IO [directed to me]: I’m going to ask you a few questions. She asks me to verify my address, age, work place. Honestly, i first thought she was asking these questions to my spouse about me (thinking she wanted to see if my spouse knew these facts about me), but it was only a matter of verification for her. While I was responding to the question on the address, i guess I was responding little too slowly so she completed my address by saying the city and zip code while i nodded in agreement. Afterwards, she went through the yes/no questions on the form I-485.

IO asks to see the photo album and quickly flips through it once i handed it to her.

IO asks us to select two pics from our photo album which shows both of our faces while she does stuff on her iPhone.

——

IO asks for recently filed taxes. She asks if we had any copies of it. We didn’t so she said that she won’t keep it but make a note that she saw it. She then went on to say that she had to wait for my background check to be updated on the system. We were told that although the background check was done before, it needs to be updated and that we were approved and our case status should be updated either this afternoon or the next morning once she gets the updated background check. We were told that we would receive the welcome letter within a week and the green card in two weeks. At this point we smiled and she asked if we had any questions. We didn’t so she was up and ready to usher us back out.

Observations:

-We were not asked any questions about one another.

-She didn’t look at the evidence that we gave her but quickly punched holes in there and placed them in our file.

-She gave us back the joint phone bill we gave her as evidence since she didn’t want anymore evidence at that point.

-Our interview lasted less than ten mins.

-There were more than a few questions asked but everything was speedily done. I think, as many have stated, the IOs make up their mind about the approval of a case even before the actual interview. We got the card production text message about two hours after the interview was completed.

P.S. sorry for the long post.

[Davesings 30]

Hooray! Green Card arrived in the mail today! WOOP WOOP WOOP!

[dsldesch 27]

So how's it going? Anyone here still plowing their way through TSC?

I've been following the March filers' thread and almost everybody who's active there is sailing past their NOA2 and waiting on NVCs and scheduling interviews and it's quite depressing. The first few weeks it seemed like a nice community to rely on, but now it feels like I'm out of place for still being stuck in TSC.

Besides, it's beena while since we've all caught up here. Any special summer plans?

[Mad & J 25]

So how's it going? Anyone here still plowing their way through TSC?

I've been following the March filers' thread and almost everybody who's active there is sailing past their NOA2 and waiting on NVCs and scheduling interviews and it's quite depressing. The first few weeks it seemed like a nice community to rely on, but now it feels like I'm out of place for still being stuck in TSC.

Besides, it's beena while since we've all caught up here. Any special summer plans?

This is why I avoid all the general threads for each month and stick to the ones that are specifically labelled TSC. I'm happy for the CSC folks but I'd rather not be confronted with "what might have been" on a daily basis!

I'm currently in Florida visiting my fiancée, I'll be here until the end of the month. I'm trying to make the most of this visit because it's probably the last until I immigrate permanently. I had planned to try to come back in the early fall if the wait time at TSC doesn't change (or god forbid, gets longer), but considering my experience at customs on this trip, I no longer think this is wise (see this post for details: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/67796-yes-you-can-visit/?p=7618992).She will visit me for a week at the end of June, but I think that will be it as far as visits go.

Right now we're discussing wedding plans. We want something small and low-key, so we're not sure whether we'll do it in the area or elope somewhere else, like San Francisco. At least we have some time to think about it, since it's not likely to happen until 2016 at this rate...