IslandLady

Alright moving on.

I would just like to tell everyone How much I love Panera Bread! Not only is their food delicious, but they have by far the best rewards program. I went in today and I had a free smoothie as part of my rewards. And now after todays meal I found out I get a free pastry next time. Everytime you go you are excited to find out hey have I won any free food today! What other food place does something like this?

I LOVE their Greek salad and tomato-and-mozzarrella sammy on ciabata... DEEEEELISH!!!

Wow! look how many persons are awaiting a visa (Family Immigrant) per region. http://www.travel.st...ingListItem.pdf

NVC's waiting list alone is 4,501,066 :wow: We are fortunate to have come this far in the process!!

OMG!!! Thanks for posting this... Perspective is a heck of a thing... I have to increase my thankfulness now!!!

What is your noa1 date

- Sept 12, 2011

Congrats and blessings to you.

It is good to see another September filer approved.

Now handle your business through the NVC stage and

get that interview and visa in hand.

Many blessings to you and your spouse.......

Thank you!

Hubby got the text message today... Petition approved... SOOOO thankful. Now to finalize all the paperwork for the next step.

Hang in there everybody... the September NOA2s are coming!

Yes it is a wonderful feeling with lots of prayers gone into it. But thank God he never fails. My husband and kids had a pleasant experience and answered the questions well. My husband answered 5-6 questions, and my son answered 4 questions and got one wrong- he was a month or 2 off his answer. They didnt ask my other son any questions. The IO was impressed from the start with our wedding album and story.

What a wonderful way to start our Thanksgiving!!! I can't stop bigging up my Lord and Savior, for his faithfulness.

APPROVED!

Congratulations! Happy for you!

Hi IslandLady

What Magical said is true!

But most of us obsess anyway

When you create an account on the USCIS website and add your case number you can then log in and check the status of your case. There is a field for "Last Updated" and when that date changes it means your file was "touched" in some way. A "touch" does not necessarily mean anything significant. People have had their case "touched" and still wait months for the status to change. Others have been approved and never touched.

From the USCIS website:

Hi JAPrincess!

Yup, I was logging in all the time and checking my "Last Updated" date and seeing NO change and having my heart sink in despair, despite the fact that I'm WELL within the timeline. So I'm forgetting about the "touches" big-time and trying to focus on preparing for the net step!

Take the word touch out of your vocabulary and you will be much happier. It is a figment of imagination that every time something happens you will see an update on the USCIS website--it just ain't so, so forget about it and you will be less stressed and much happier.

Thanks!!! You just reduced my obsessiveness by 95%!!! Now I can be cool!

They know the length of stay from your I-94 records - the little card that's detached from the immigration form you fill out and give to the officer when you enter the USA.

That's why it's so important that you make sure the check-in agent takes your I-94 when you're leaving the USA. If you've ever had to renew a visitor's (B1/B2) or any other kind of non-immigrant visa, you've probably been asked what's the duration of your longest stay in the USA. And they already know the answer.

Great post, very helpful... Thanks a lot!

CONGRATULATIONS! YAY! Now on to the next step... I pray that the rest of the process will be fast, smooth and hitch-free! Blessings!

The US Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica published changes to their email addresses via their page on Facebook, on Monday September 26, 2011. Please take note! See the post below (though the link they've published doesn't seem to work...)

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On October 1, the Consular Section will begin using new email addresses to answer questions relating to immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. Emails sent to the old addresses will not be read.

• For general information about the immigrant visa process and questions about specific cases, please write to KingstonIV@state.gov;

• To make a follow up appointment as a "blue sheet" applicant, please write to KingstonIVappointment@state.gov;

• For general information about the nonimmigrant visa process and questions about specific cases, please write to KingstonNIV@state.gov;

• For an expedited appointment due to a qualifying medical, family or business emergency, please write to KingstonNIVemergency@state.gov.

• For general information about the visa process please visit the U.S. Embassy Kingston website at http://kingston.usembassy.gov/visas.

My husband mailed the petition on Sept 9, we got our NOA1 via email and snail mail, so now we're in the waiting game. Thanks to VisaJourney, I'm learning so much about how this process works and about how to be prepared for each step.

Blessings to everyone!