PMartin37

Ali is 6.3 and I am 5.2.. I love being shorter I wore huge wedges under my wedding dress but it didn't make much of a dent as you can see haha

Ya'll are both so cute. That's an adorable picture!

Awesome! You are some of the good ones who give us so much hope. What impresses me most actually is your clearly very happy family life, that is what I wish for more than just smooth sailing with USCIS

Many congrats to you!! I love happy stories!

You can print out Skype logs by using the 'screen shot' button on your computer. I selected a sampling and highlighted the ones where we talked for over an hour. Also on our IM conversations - again I printed out a sampling and included the ones where we had extended conversations about our relationship and what we would do together after we got married.

Best of luck.

Bill, I'm really happy to hear that you did exactly what I did..and your petition is approved!! Yay! Congrats to you by the way :-) My husband and I speak every single day for at least an hour on Skype ...and I did the screenshots as you described to document them. We also wrote letters (on paper) to each other over the past couple of years and I copied those and the stamp on the envelope to indicate the dates, etc. Our conversations were similar (we longed to be together..to get married and spend our life together, etc).

Good to hear this... thanks!

I have a half dead lemon tree! Gardening and black thumb chicks unite!

My hubbie sent me some seeds (from five years ago!!) from a bitter orange tree. I planted them and I'm waiting for them to pop up. Really curious to see if I can resurrect these little guys. It's been 4 days now and I'm waiting.

Along with Julianna, that makes at least 4 of us into tilling the soil... we need to start a MENA garden thread...

I just planted peas a couple of weeks ago and squash and okra lol I guess you can add me to the garden club.

p.s. I forgot my tomatos and peppers.

I wish you the very best with your future. You sound like a very intelligent YOUNG lady. You have said yourself you are attractive and know that other men desire to marry you. I've seen so many women settle for less than they deserve (including myself long ago). You are selling yourself so short!! You have an amazing future ahead of you. If a man loves you...I don't care where he's from or what his culture is...HE SHOWS IT.. by caring about your feelings and desiring to make YOU happy. It's very simple.

On another note...if you allow him to continue to manipulate you (and he will) then you are setting yourself up for more heartbreak. The USCIS grants petition requests based on the fact that you are entering a marriage based upon love and a desire to have an ongoing marital union. If you have thoughts of divorcing him when he comes here..then you are putting yourself in a dangerous position. They might thing YOU are committing fraud. Why Why Why put yourself in that position?

Hi AkSingh,

He is going through the Delhi consulate.

Thanks for that info! I hope it shouldn't be a huge deal. I was thinking that he might also be able to get titers done as he might have immunity or have been vaccinated to a few of those illnesses on the list. I would just hate for him to find out at the medical exam that he has to get vaccines done then, and THEN wait other 3 months or so for the follow-up dose before he can travel to the US. If there are going to be delays in visa processing or interview approval based on vaccines, I would think that many of us would like to know this well in advance when there is time to deal with the situation.

You think exactly like I do. Even though it's MONTHS before I'll need to worry about this, I don't like surprises (from the consulate anyways lol) and I think it's not the best idea to have them all done at once. I don't want him to feel like a human pin cushion and possibly suffer side effects from too many at once. I advised him that he can get the shots at his primary physician in advance..for some, maybe not all of the vaccinations. But others have warned me on here not to let the results be more than 4 weeks old because they might actually reject the reports if they are done over that time frame.

Thanks a million for your responses! Well, I felt that time frame seemed too good to be true. sigh. :-P So, I'm going to be praying for no AP basically and setting myself in cruise control for several months

once the petition was sent to the embassy I never heard anything from anyone. I'm the petitioner. My lawyer did all the NVC stuff and after that the petition got on a DHL flight to Bangkok. From that point it's in the hands of beneficary.

If you hired a lawyer (which I didn't) surely he/she should know what's going on with your case- at least I would hope so (if they couldn't tell me, I'd be skeptical of him). I don't believe the OP has a lawyer since she is having to deal with all of the paperwork herself. In that ...she can contact the national visa center or the consulate to find out what's what.

Big "O"

So Ive been married about 18 months. (Oct 1st 2010).

I read something about if you are between the 18 month and the 2 year period you can apply for a different type of greencard. Anyone know anything about that? Asking because, imagine he comes tomorrow? Anything is possible due to lack of communication.

I"m really confused that you seem to be kept in the dark about the proceedings of his visa. You are the petitioner...you have every right to know exactly what is going on at any point in time. I might have interpreted your comments wrong but it seems that you don't know exactly what is going on with the visa process? That in and of itself is enough to make me doubt this guys motives in your regard.

I would follow Darnell's advice and get this guy frozen in his tracks, don't send him money, don't contact him, nothing. If you do this, you might find he shows you exactly what his motives have been all along.

OMG the tiara and dress one...yikes

Wow what class right? lol

I've already applied and gotten the NOA1 for the I-130 petition for my husband (Apr 12, 2012). I called about my case one time after they had already received the package and the officer that I spoke with (not an operator) advised me that my time frame was looking like sometime in Sept to October for completion- I took this to mean until visa in hand. My question is ...he is from a so called MENA country and from what I'm reading from others in the forums are that MENA are processed slower and some of their time frames were 10-15months from start to finish. I'm really confused why the officer would tell me that time frame? Also from looking at the website and tracking my case.. at the bottom of the webpage they give an "expiration date" (June 23,2012)which I took to mean the normal deadline for the processing of these petitions and/or the estimated date for our petition approval. What gives?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/364817-immunizations/page__pid__5333296#entry5333296

Follow this thread, as I stated before there are only 3 to 4 required for an adult.

Excellent! Thanks for your help! :-)

AS AN ADULT THERE ARE ONLY 3 TO 4 IMMUNIZATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR AN ADULT.

This is what the CDC website has listed on their fact sheet

Current Vaccination Requirements

Current immigration law requires that immigrants have proof of vaccination against―

Mumps

Measles

Rubella

Tetanus and diphtheria

Meningococcal disease

Pneumococcal disease

Haemophilus influenzae type B

Rotavirus

Varicella Influenza

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Pertussis

Polio

(Hib)

Note: As of December 14, 2009 the

human papillomavirus (HPV) and zoster vaccines are not required for immigrants.

I know some of these are given as boosters... Measles/mumps/rubella and Tetanus/Dipth/Pertussis and the flu vaccine is given alone. That's a total of 3 and I'm not sure how the Meningococcal or Pneumococcal is given?? Not to mention Rotavirus? and Varicella?

I know, I know... still have to get through NVC and medical and embassy... but after more then 6 months of utter darkness, where nothing seems to be happening, to see a light, even a pinpoint, is very nice... have to admit, you can't slap the smile off my face today.... maybe tomorrow,

Congrats!! Who says you need to lose the smile? You EARNED that smile!

I was curious about immunizations required for immigration. After looking over the list of required vaccinations and discussing with my hub, I'm afraid the poor man is going to need ALL of them I advised him that he can go to his primary doctor to get the immunizations and make sure he receives a record of them. I was actually worried about him having ALL of those shots at one time at the date of the exam. I was also afraid that he might get sick (as some people do- especially if the flu vaccine is needed) not to mention SORE arms! Anyways, my question is...did I advise him correctly? My understanding is that they need documentation of the vacs having been done- perhaps within 2 months or so of the med. exam.

USCIS-CaseStatus@dhs.gov

Thanks! I'm adding this to my safe sender list. Still not holding my breath though

I'll like to configure my spam blocker NOT to attack emails from the USCIS so for those that have received emails from them, from what addresses do they come from?

I don't hold my breath that I will EVER get an email from USCIS even though I filled out the G-1145. I never received the NOA via email and I just called and had them verify my email address with them and they initiated the service order and I STILL didn't receive an email after that?? I check both my inbox AND my junk folder. Go figure.

I actually included many FB posts with pictures of us and our marriage well wishes ,etc. as evidence in our petition. It doesn't mean a hill of beans to me if they check my FB because I posted alot on there during our honeymoon with pics and all.

maybe its me and I was in bed hahahahahh

You know how us old fat american whores are. We need our sleep

Amber I do not know you from adam but I absolutely cannot say anything insulting to you.. All I know is that divorce obviously wasnt an option in my mind either which is why even after he did countless horrible things to me, I tried to write it off as religion, culture education, you name it. How can you know how someone is with women in general if while in his country, you only see what he wants you to see? Do you honestly think you are immune to trouble or your husband changing his mind about you 5 years down the line when he develops a large network of Egyptian friends and has economic security and he wants someone from his own culture or background? Do you think any of the women on this board went into these relationships without the very best of intentions.even the women with huge age gaps? I for one never ever agreed with all the embassy APs but after everything I have seen both stateside and over there, I am happy SOMEONE, ANYONE is looking over these files carefully. I can say as someone who has been left to file for divorce herself with no financial help to do so or cooperation and was used in every possible way, that I am devastated from this process. These women who you want to snark at have been the best mirror that I could see myself in that was available to me. No matter how bad we snark back and forth, there is not a single one that I would not answer the phone for, sit with , cry with or make myself available to. When my son died, one sat on the phone with me while I sobbed in the cemetary for hours. I cannot say that it has always been easy being on here. I can say that as a mother of a moroccan guy ( not the person I petitioned) I know for a fact that not everyone is psycho over there even though my husband really is as far as I am concerned, dangerous to my health. My moroccan ex and I did not have a bad breakup. He didnt want a child, he had a greencard and I wasnt willing to abort. He hemmed and hawed about it, called me and told me he had no interest in an american having is kid.. and said snarkily to me, if I wanted a baby , I wouldnt have her with you. If you can believe this, this was 7 years ago... I now warmly talk to him, he hasnt seen my daughter in 4 years almost but he calls her and sends her clothes and I dont feel a groundswell of hate about him. He wanted me to abort. I didnt. My pregnancy broke us up. But he didnt need me for papers and when you have that power dynamic, the world spins at a different angle. I dont know if my husband ever loved me or not honestly. I do know that I think his family only looked at me like a ticket to the US. I feel like I got to see what people were really like when I lost my son and not a single one offered me care or condolence. In fact , when I took him to visit extended family, I was told 7 months after my son died that I was fat and told all these nasty horrific things by them, never once holding me, telling me I am sorry or caring. I endured a year of no sex and not one kiss. I endured threats, emotional abuse. I went through things no one could ever imagine. I am glad divorce is an option for me albeit I am considering hiring a lawyer just because I do not want to be in the same room as him as proceedings start. I am devastated by the choices he made. I am absolutely not implying I was perfect but I never broke a single thing belonging to him, never broke an item of clothing or one of his possesions, never made him feel scared, never called his mother disgusting names or told him that he could not be friends with certain people.

So Amber my dear, you have been here 2 years, I have been here 6 and out of respect for the women on this board who have seen, experienced and viewed horrific marriage fraud, financial fraud and experienced the death actually of members, I respectfully but firmly request that you lay off Mithra because she was a wonderful albeit hard #### support of me and has never hesistated to give her opinion. I was a victim of marriage fraud and if there was anything I could have done to avoid it, I would have and resent the implication that somehow after losing my son and the other nonsense I went through, that a red flag would have been enough to save me from this. I wanted to be in love and to be with someone who accepted me for who I was . I dont come here asking for advice anymore. I am more here for comfort because sooner or later, although I could never imagine going through a divorce with this man, I will have to file and I am left to file all alone because he doesnt care one way or another if he is divorced. Thats because he never considered himself really married... as he told me as far as he is concerned, we are really married only on papers. Americans dont look at marriage like that. In other countries, especially ones where they have people that marry for papers, they accept and talk like that. I have never wished the karma truck would hit someone but I would not mind if it roughed up my husband a little. Not kill him but I want him to go through 1/20th of what he put me through the last 6 year

I really admire you for sharing your story. And the fact that you poured your heart out on this forum just proves that you actually HAVE a heart. I for one am very sorry what you've been through. It sounds like you really need a good support system. Even if "bad" stories are not what some of us want to hear at the time we are filing for our future/current husbands, it's necessary to listen to both sides ALWAYS. Let's face it, divorce rates in this country are over the 50% mark in the U.S. I've been divorced myself. And those red flags others are talking about are real. I had plenty of opportunities to back out of marrying my ex- he made me cry, cheated on me while we were engaged, etc. But I wanted to get married and was willing to "overlook" things. I sure don't do that anymore. I'm not saying your dating was anything like mine. I"m just sharing my own story a bit. I guess my point is that ...marriages fail and marriages succeed. No matter where you find your love, there will always be failures and horror stories and success and happy stories. I think one reason being that you have to scrutinize the hell out of the people you want to spend your life with. (and believe me, I scrutinize ) I realize the variables are much different though in this relationship and I have my work cut out for me in the patience department (but so does he ) I wish you the best with your future and will pray that all goes well with the divorce. Keep in mind, this will leave you free for the right man to find you that will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.

We checked yes on the DS-230 for the social to be sent automatically but I became afraid after reading a few posts where it took too long

So we went to Social Security office at day 5 and applied in person---they had his name spelled wrong...gave him 3 first names and no middle name!! So good thing we went and she was able to fix it online

He got the social security in 6 days

He got the green card in 5 weeks exactly from entering USA

That's awesome! I think I know what route we'll go then.

On top of it, my husband wasn't able to work for several months and I wasn't used to having an adult just hanging out all the time not working. That was way difficult to deal with. Having someone in my face 24/7 was rough. LOL.

When I went to marry my husband, we were together 24/7 in a small flat he rents. I got to know his "habits and quirks" pretty quickly and it was just hilarious. We were bickering a bit here and there but I kept in my mind that those tiny things are not important in the grand scheme of things. What was important to me is that he SHOWED his love for me in the way that he cared for me. Even though he had a broken arm at the time we married, he still was so careful with me (like I was precious to him and he didn't want me to get broken). I wanted to be sure all of the qualities of my ex (who happened to be American) were not in my new husband. Not only that, my mother loves him! I told my mother if we could survive 6 weeks in such a tiny, confined space together we'd be fine for life.

Don't worry about the green card. That could take a few months, but since you have the stamp in your passport, you have a temporary green card.-1551

For the SSN, if you ticked off for one to be given to you on the DS-230 and it's been more than 3 weeks, then go to your local SSA office and apply in person. This is exactly what I had to do as my SSN never arrived either.

Mind you, I'm nowhere NEAR close to this stage of the process, but my husband and I talked about this. Isn't it possible to apply online or in a local office with the I-1551 stamp for immigration status and receive a card within 2 weeks?

Okay, so there must be a catch to this whole obtaining a K3 visa while you wait for your I-130 approval, or I think I'd see more people doing it. From what I read on the USCIS website, you can obtain a K3 visa, so your spouse can come wait for the approval of your I-130 with you. I am married and we have filed our I-130, and I would LOVE if he could come wait in the US with me.. but... what's the catch? Can anyone enlighten me?

I'm really glad you posted this topic, because I was REALLY curious about this as well. I had considered it myself. Thanks for asking this

I arrived to the USA as a refugee from Serbia through international rescue committee maybe you can contact them and they might be able to help with the passport situation. I know that if you come as a refugee you might not need a passport I didnt have one. But your husband is not comig as a refugee so I am not sure how it will work. Do they have emergency passports like the USA gives to Green card holders that don't have passports? I wish you the best of luck.

Off topic my husband was/is a refugee as well but he got Serbian citizenship and their passport which he used to come here on the cr1 visa.

Dana,

I believe this is what my husband plans to use for a passport. He says that the UN/International Red Cross can issue a travel document for him to submit with the IV packet. I'm going a little crazy trying to educate myself on all the details related to the immigration process. I'm getting there though. The information and advice on this website certainly give me more confidence to tackle this bear lol

Thanks for your advice and congrats to you!