VadnVince

How are you holding up?  Still in the U.S?

This month will be the 10th Anniversary of our meeting on a dating website!  We're enjoying 7 years of marriage, now.  This has been a very eventful journey.  We've lived in Atlanta, Denver, Tampa, The Villages, Chicago, and now Detroit!  Job transfers and attempting to  make a new life in other areas ($$$) were the reasons for the gypsy lifestyle.  Now, we're considering living between the U.K. & Florida, going forward, following the seasons.  I like visiting the U.K., but love the conveniences of living in the U.S.A.   You just can't find good affordable housing in America!  Thinking of getting an apartment in the U.K. and an RV for the U.S!  We're both in our late 50's, now (and we still look GUD).   So, why not?!

My wife & I are will be celebrating our 6th anniversary, this week!  Although, she left for her extended visit back home to the U.K., last week!  I'm moving us out of our present residence and will join her in about 4 weeks, to spend my first Christmas in the U.K.  (Whoo-hoo!)  I have flight discounted benefits from my employment with an airline and have just been hired by another, larger airline, giving me even lower travel costs!  So it will give us a recurring gateway between the U.S. & the U.K!

We'll be celebrating our 6th year of marriage, next month and it's been a great experience!  This entire VisaJourney felt like a long process, but it really was not that bad, now that I look back on it to see how time flies!   

It's time to get the "Conditions" on the Green Card removed. The fee is almost $600 and that is what's most annoying about it. Our Biometrics appointment is today. I suppose this is when you find out if you'll be getting an interview date or not, as well. I've heard that not everyone gets one. Next year, she's eligible for citizenship, and I want to go through with it to avoid any future dealings with immigration! Who know how much it will cost in 10...

I-485 APPROVED - "GREEN CARD" due in this week's mail!

My wife "left me" to return home to the U.K. for a visit. She's also gone to prepare for our Blessing Ceremony, set for Sept. 1. Still waiting for the Green Card process to complete, but she has her AP to allow her to return. It'll be a 5-6 week stay for her and I am not a happy newlywed about it! But, she was homesick and it's good for her.

EAD & AP (on ONE card) arrived today! Whoo-hoo!

Both the EAD (work permit) and AP (advanced parole-travel document) have been approved and we're awaiting mail delivery. The AOS is still being reviewed after an RFE was made and sent. This portion of the process is not as nail-biting as the K-1 Visa ordeal. BUT, we'll finally have folks STOP asking if we've filed any "papers" and how it's coming along!

This time, last year, we were checking mailboxes daily for any progress on the K-1. It's hard to believe that the "long" wait is done and we'll be married for six months, this month! The wait REALLY isn't that long, for all who are still in the process. You're just in Love and anxious to seal the deal! - I'm speaking from experience! Now that it's done, we're finally getting around to the AOS and getting a work permit since the initial S.S. ...

Went through the process of applying for a SSN. Even after being here for 4 weeks, I-94 info was not in system for SS office to issue a number, so we had to wait for verification, which took place and the card was in the mail the following week. Same problem with getting a state ID (to stop carrying around the passport for ID). Have to wait for I-94 verification which still was not visible in the DMV's system, 5 weeks after arrival.

VJ.com has been a tremendous help in going through this process. Just following other's experience is more informative than directly calling the Processing Center or Consulate! I know a couple that used a lawyer (too much money), and another couple that used Catholic Charities (not necessary and still costs). My fiancee was skeptical about doing it ourselves, but we made it!

Thanks for the good wishes, WE'RE APPROVED!

So like, normally-like, I wake up at 0530, like-EVERY morning, like - without fail! So why - like, do I wake up, and like - rollover expecting it to be like- 0530 and she "should be at the Consulate by now" is like, on my mind. But it's like ONLY 0230!!! So she hasn't even arrived there yet, (0730 UK time)!!!! I rang her and she was just getting a train ticket to get the Tube into London. So I guess I'll get up and make some GRITS. Bri...

Tomorrow 10-24-2011 is INTERVIEW DAY! Praying for the experience is as smooth as the majority of the Consulate Reviews I've read. There will be a tremondous sense of RELIEF when this is over!

Time for the countdown! - Visa interview for Vad will be in just a few days. She's getting nervous, but by the testimonials post here on VJ, it's not as much of an arduous task as the processing time over the past 10 months! There are some who applied and received their NOA1 AFTER I did and have completed the "Journey." So, I repeat, PATIENCE has been a key factor in this process.

Saw your, "cold feet" posting. Looks like things are progressing. Congrats! I shared your story with MY fiancee and thought about the if the same would happen. We're both 49 & "settled", so I know that uprooting for her will get scary as the day of departure gets close (planning on Nov). Continued best wishes!

Saw your, "cold feet" posting. Looks like things are progressing. Congrats! I shared your story with MY fiancee and thought about the if the same would happen. We're both 49 & "settled", so I know that uprooting for her will get scary as the day of departure gets close (planning on Nov). Continued best wishes!

Medical is Monday (08-15-11) @ 1430 for Vad. Progress and Patience!

Be sure that you and your intended are sincerely good friends. That will make going thru this bureaucratic #######, worth it! Makes one a bit pissed off at those who illegally get into our respective countries.

Fiancee received her check back in the mail for the police certificate, separate from the enclosed personal info! What gives!!!! Hoping that the info was not stolen. It will also delay getting the certificate after already setting the medical interview date!

Rec'd letter from State Dept with Case Nbr & notification that Packet will be sent to UK this week!

While waiting for the delivery of the packet, it's a bother to deal with TWO trips to London for my lady-love. One for the medical interview & the 2nd for the visa interview. It's a 2.5 hour road trip from the West Midlands to London. We've reached the point-of-no-return, but we both agree that if we'd realized the redtape & financial costs involved in marrying someone from another country, it may not have happened!

I really appreciate this website as I've observed and been informed just by the testimonials of others going through this process. I know of two couples that used a lawyer to apply for their k1 visa and I thought that was fiancial overkill! Enough money has to be spent for the visa process! At best, thanks again to what I've learned on VJ, if you give all the information requested and have plenty of patience, you don't need a lawyer. Patience is key, for sure. But eve...

The NOA2 arrived in the mail, today! Whoo-hoo!