TearsOfBabylon

Greetings from Virginia Beach area!

It's the most humid place I've ever been in the world!
The summers here are very hot, and you will have to deal with 80-90% humidity and temperatures above 30 Celsius. 
October-ish it's getting cooler, right now we have around 10 Celsius and it's not humid anymore.

I'd say a car is needed, because although there is stuff to walk, you don't want to walk the distances all the time + you don't want to WALK through some areas. Plus you don't want to carry your groceries home on a bus.

This is a military area, we have Airforce, Navy, Army, NASA and NATO around VA Beach, Norfolk, Newport News.

Like someone said earlier: The tourism is a summer thing, right now the oceanfront is empty. Most of the stores are closed. We've been at the beach today - almost no people. 

I can't tell you about the wages, because I'm not allowed to work yet and honestly didn't care yet. But you can google the minimum wage yourself.

I like it here.

Good Luck!

Hey Dennis!

Agreeing with all others before: You're ineligible for ESTA and you will have to apply for a tourist visa.
Even if you would try to travel and hope they'll let you in with the unupdated ESTA - don't even think about it. They'll see your overstay.

Maybe you get lucky getting a B2, but I honestly doubt it. You've knowingly been illegal in the country for such a long time... so I'm afraid you'll have to deal with the consequences.

Good Luck!
 

9 minutes ago, Nathan&Amy said:

Hello all, haven't been on in a while but have a question about applying for the Social Security Number. On the SS-5 form, #5 Citizenship - I'm assuming I would be 'Legal Alien Not allowed to Work'. In the instructions for the form, it says if you are checking that option then you have to provide a document from a U.S. Federal, State, or local government agency that explains why you need a Social Security number and that you meet all the requirements for the government benefit.

 

What would I use for that?

What exactly is the I-94? I crossed at a land border, I didn't fill out any forms. What should I bring for that?

Just google "most recent I-94" fill in your data and print it.

It's the proof for having entered the states and it shows your admission number (you need that for AOS) and admission class etc. as well as the travel history. 

You need it to get a SSN... and, how I just learned by getting to the SSA for getting rejected: It's also needed for the name change on the card after marriage. 
Blaghh new try on Monday. 

2 hours ago, twoDs said:

Another paperwork question for everyone -- are/have any of you changed the name of your passports to your married name, or are you just leaving that alone?

 

I'm not in a hurry with that at all.
I will do that via the consulate after the GC is in my hands. As a photo ID a drivers license or state ID or the GC itself are enough.
I don't think the passport will be needed for anything after the first mountain of paperworks is climbed, and if - the marriage cert explains why there's two different names.
For travels it's only important that the tickets are booked on the name in the passport. So there's no hassle of carrying a marriage cert around needed. 

On 20.11.2017 at 4:51 PM, Kateryna_I said:

Hello Marchies 

So I've survived passed three weeks of preparation and made it to arrive on Friday. 

POE itself was not so bad not taking into account the thing that embassy forgot to put into that precious never open envelope affidavit of support and I had to explain how come it happened like this. So they took me off to the separate room which was scary enough and took about an hour to settle things out. It made me feel nervous and worried a bit. Good thing is that I took all docs I prepared for an interview with me and was able to give them affidavit. 

 

Nevertheless this loooong stage is finished, finally and we are together. Both can't believe in it. 

 

Hope everyone is doing great! 

Will keep you updated on our next steps. 

 

Heeeeey girl! YOU MADE IT!

Welcome to the US!

I can relate to what you went through at POE. My pack was complete, but the CO started asking why there is only a photocopy of the petition in and not the original! 
I started digging in my folder (had everything on me as well), knowing I won't find anything. At secondary at least it came out the photocopy is normal and the grumpy CO was worrying me for nothing!

Anyhow, congratulations again and may your life over here be full of happiness!!!

You can check on your I-94 already. For a friend it was in there 3 days after arrival already. Possibly mine as well, but I only looked a week after POE.
So.... once it's current you can start!

1 hour ago, gob332 said:

Can't believe it is Thanksgiving already!

 

Marriage Certificate received

Name change at the Social Security Office complete

AOS, AP and EAD submitted today!

 

Happy Turkey, Y'all

Happy Turkey back!

I'm still collecting stuff for AOS.... but if we weren't slow as turtles we could've sent it 2 weeks ago haha
Sooooo sloooooow! But we'll make it!

4 minutes ago, Younes-Maria said:

Thanks for the information provided, i really appreciate it

i will put his question in the Moroccan forum .

one more quick question please ! how long does it take to get married in Danemark and what papers needed.

i appreciate your help

thanks

No problem!

You could also put it in the general K-1 questions. I'm sure there are pro's on here who can help!

Check www.toender.dk and look for weddings. They have a list of required documents online. I think you can get a date pretty shortly.

3 minutes ago, Younes-Maria said:

Yes. that is what exactly i meant. to have his case processed and interviewed in Germany

I am sure he did not move to Germany just to deal with an easy embassy. but yeah as you said red flags are still there especially the age

anyone who has been in the same situation? i mean combo marriages?

thanks for the info

I haven't read of anyone here having this constellation. Someone on here was from the UK if I remember right, got processed through Germany. But EU/non EU - no clue!
But you might still check around in the moroccan subforum. Maybe someone else had an experience with another "third country", means living in Austria or UK or or or... Shouldn't be too different to procedure in Germany I guess. Or at least you could get hints on how that works. 

Edit: I didn't try to say your friend is moving to Germany for the easier way. I mean it plainly regarding nationality. If someone comes from a "tricky" country I'm not sure if it will be easily possible to process them here. Just that

3 hours ago, Becci391 said:

For what should he go through the US embassy in Germany? 

They cannot apply for the CR1 through the embassy. They have to send the application to USCIS.

I think OP means if the application can be processed through the German embassy, since the country of residence will be Germany. Seems they do process the cases through the embassies of the country of residence, not necessarily the country of citizenship. 
I've seen some cases of filipinos who processed through other countries, since they've been there for work (residents).

Other, I agree with you. Morocco is a difficult background, the age gap and everything else a huge red flag.

OP, I'd go to the country specific subform and ask there as well. Maybe others have went that way.

Don't know if it's so easy to take the "easier" embassy just because of residence in that country.

6 minutes ago, Younes-Maria said:

First of all my apologizes i do not speak German

i am asking this on behalf of a friend of mine , long story short. my friend is Moroccan citizen. he recently ( 3 months ago ) moved to Germany to study and work under a European program. he is granted a 3 year residence, his girlfriend is US citizen. they meet in Morocco 16 months ago, she is visiting him on February 2018 and they are going to get married to start the IR1 process 

what documents they need to prepare to get married in Germany and how long does it take to get the marriage certificate?

my friend applied to student visa while in morocco and has a brother in the US ! is that going to work against him ?

they is a 20 years age gap

what are his chances to get approved ?

any input or suggestion would so much appreciated

thanks all

 

 

I can't be really helpful, but I'd say they should consider going to Denmark for a wedding.
I know for a German/American wedding it's way easier, cheaper and faster.

But I don't know how that works if it's a Moroccan/American combo.

Back then when we were unsure where to get married, I was in touch with the administration of the city of Toender to find out about wedding, and they were very nice and supportive via eMail. www.toender.dk is the homepage.

You leave the second thing blank. It says current status (if changed since arrival). It didn't change.

The code is (c)(9) as far as I learned on VJ!


I may be corrected if I'm wrong!

I'd say just wait for your card! 
Then you can fill in the number and check "no".

Can't take soooo much longer to receive the SSN, so just wait with sending out the AOS pack!

Good luck!

 

1 minute ago, LouH2017 said:

Hello 

 

After receiving our NOA2 11/11/17. I  read on my USCIS case online they have forwarded  the paperwork to the NVC on the 14th NOV. How long have people waited to get case number after receiving NOA2? . I was going to call next week to ask them if my case number was available. 

 

Thank you  

I called about 20 days after NOA2 date and got it around that time. 

I heard the time increased though... people telling their wait was several weeks. 
So just try and keep the chin up if it doesn't work out at call #1 already!

1 hour ago, twoDs said:

 

It's funny how much easier the marriage license is than everything else!

 

What documents did you need (other than passport and i-94) for the SSN? We still have a week wait but it's unclear if we need some other form of ID.

Just the passport and a print of the I-94.
I brought a birth certificate just in case. 
That's it!

Check your I-94. For a friend it was online after 3 days already!

On 15.11.2017 at 7:09 PM, Andrina said:

EAD hat das Bild. 

 

Ich bin in Utah.

 

Reisedauer kann ruhig ungefähr sein. 

Ach schoen! Ich bin verliebt in Utah! War schon 2x da, weil meine Schwiegerfamilie in West Point, bzw. SLC lebt! Wunderschöne Ecke Welt!

Danke fuer die infos!

 

On 15.11.2017 at 8:12 PM, Becci391 said:

hab heute nochmal bei USCIS angerufen und mit einem Tier 2 officer gesprochen.

Meine Green Card wird die Tage wieder rausgeschickt. Ich sollte sie noch vor Weihnachten haben.

Super! Dann ist ja alles gut!

13 hours ago, Rev said:

So happy to come on here and see so many approvals and POEs and others getting close!  My guy has been here about five weeks now.  We got married 10/22 and his AOS packet off in the mail yesterday.  Such a relief to have that done, except for the stress of once again hoping it's all there and done correctly!  He's anxious for that work authorization, though I quite like having him here stuck with me

Yaaaaay, I was waiting to read that from you! Congrats!!
Wow, Lady, you're on the speed train! My POE was earlier, my wedding a few days later, and my AOS pack is not even half ready! Lazy lazy!!
Good luck for AOS! May it be smooth!

 

17 hours ago, Ste&Sel said:

Approved...couple days to Visa POE 12.2.17. She was even had interview day with another VJ fiance on here. 

 
Congratulations!!!! I'm very happy for you! Now the wonderful part of the journey begins! All the best for you!

 

On 16.11.2017 at 8:48 PM, goldenbae said:

Visa approved, Visa in hand and POE on Mondayyyyy for my fiance 😀 

Congratulations!!!!
And - considering the fact that you had the "pleasure" with the Nigerian embassy - you had a pretty "speedy" AND approved K-1 journey! Yay! All the best for you!



Just saying hi from Virginia to you all!
I'm glad to see that almost everyone of our Marchies has the journey in dry towels! Hoping not many are still waiting!

19 hours ago, Utahoutlaww said:

Hope everyone is close to being done. Just an update we got the ssn taken care of getting married in las Vegas next Friday. So excited and glad to have my lady here. Everyone not done keep your head up and you will be done soon

Exciting!
Did you choose a location yet?
 

Ich versuch mich grade an den Forms fuer AOS!

Jetzt hab ich den Antrag für die AP überflogen, und die wollen ein geplantes Reisedatum wissen?
Was schreibt man denn da rein?

2 hours ago, Becci391 said:

Durfte heute das I-90 beantragen, da USPS mir angeblich meine Green Card nicht zustellen konnte...

Hatte einen Termin beim USCIS field office. Hab jetzt einen Stempel im Pass...

Oh man, du hast ja einen Zirkus mit deiner GC
Ich hoffe, dass du die bald endlich hast!

On 12.11.2017 at 3:25 PM, AnJ Co said:

Soooooooo busy anymore, no time to play on VJ   

We got our SSN in the mail on Thursday.  Noyce!  

Family flew in on Friday.  I worked a shift on Friday also, so after work, and some laundry, then to bed for 3 hrs just to get up early to run to the beach and decorate and hang electronics in palm trees for video to be seen by our family in the PH, rush home to get the bride, then back to the beach just as the eastern sky over the beach was showing first light.  Morning sunrise wedding was really a lot of fun!  The wind was so strong, destroyed my hair but Ann stayed gorgeous!  Beach goers stopping to take pictures and wish us well during the ceremony...... taking pictures and giving thumbs up LOL   It was so formally informal at the same time.  Ceremony was about an hour long as we wrote our own vows that took extra time, but the fact of the matter is on 11/11 at 0723EST, we said 'I DO!'  

 

This is the finish line in the truest sense.   

 

Awawawwwwwwwaaaaaa!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I'm so happy for you both! May you be blessed with luck, health, LOVE and HAPPINESS for the rest of your life! 
Wonderful pics, and tell Ann kudos for her taste in the dress. It's wonderful, mine was that style too, just less fluffy (tall girl would have looked like a marshmallow haha)! Wonderful! I love it!

Now relax, AOS will come soon enough! :))

Haha, you had strangers too! We had so many people in Vegas yelling congratulations, even hugging lol 
And some asian tourists asking us for pictures here and there hahahah 

Ahhhhh I'm so happy for you!!! 

@Eric&Olya: Your turn now!  

4 minutes ago, AkesAngel said:

Filing date ist 31. August ... Fingerprint hatten wir am 27.9. und diese Woche kann ich ne Inquiry senden, da es da 75 Tage sind. Hoffe es passiert jetzt mal was, damit ich mich hier endlich um Arbeit kümmern kann ☺

Vielleicht findest du ja jetzt schon was und die sind kooperativ? Der Mann einer Bekannten hat nach 2 Monaten seine Combocard bekommen. Ein potentieller Arbeitgeber hat ne Note geschrieben und das Expedite war in ein paar Tagen durch!

2 minutes ago, AkesAngel said:

Filing date ist 31. August ... Fingerprint hatten wir am 27.9. und diese Woche kann ich ne Inquiry senden, da es da 75 Tage sind. Hoffe es passiert jetzt mal was, damit ich mich hier endlich um Arbeit kümmern kann ☺

Ich drück dir die Daumen!

Mir ist immer noch nicht langweilig daheim, haha! Aber ok, wir waren jetzt die ganze Zeit busy mit allem Möglichen. 
Mal gucken ob wir in VA bleiben dürfen.. wenn die Extension durch ist, dann suchen wir erstmal ein Häuschen und dann such ich Arbeit. 
Zumindest ist das der Plan... sollte ich mich jemals zum Dokumente für AOS sammeln aufraffen können  

9 minutes ago, AkesAngel said:

Ja Georgia ist kompliziert. Ich durfte hier 30 Tage mit internationalem FS fahren und musste die DL komplett neu machen. 😓 Dann ist unsere NOA hardcopy verloren gegangen und ich konnte wieder nicht fahren, weil die DL expired war ... nun hab ich erneuern lassen und bin bis Anfang März erstmal durch 🤗 hoffe dass die das AOS bis dahin auf die Reihe bekommen.

Au weia... ich drück dir die Daumen! 
Ich will auch endlich Auto fahren... auch wenn ich eigentlich nicht will, weil die hier eine Fahrerei haben... unfassbar. Ich bin seit 2 Monaten kein Auto mehr gefahren, haha!
Mit meinem Deutschen hätte ich regulär 60 Tage fahren dürfen, aber ich bin noch nicht in der Versicherung drin. 

Gott, ich hab soooo keine Lust auf den ganzen AOS Kram. Wann hast du AOS gefiled? Hast du deine Combocard schon?

Wir wollten eigentlich bis Januar warten, weil er dann den Tax Return für 2017 bekommt, aber da ich ab 20. Dezember out of status bin und wir am 21. oder 22. nach Utah zur Familie fliegen wollen, machen wir das halt jetzt doch "demnächst"... Ich kann zwar mit der Military ID reisen, aber man weiss ja nie. Better safe than sorry.


 

2 hours ago, MaSi said:

Hallo Ihr Lieben,

bin ein June-Filer für das K1-Visum und total nervös, weil es danach aussieht, dass in dieser Woche die ersten Juni-NOA2 rausgehen könnten. Wenn ich das richtig sehe, seid ihr ja alle schon einen oder mehrere Schritte weiter. Aber vielleicht liest ja irgendwer mit, dem es gerade genauso geht... 

Eins haben wir auf jeden Fall gemeinsam: Unser Leben ändert sich gerade auf eine aufregende - ok manchmal nervenaufreibende-  aber super-schöne Art und Weise. Ich drücke allen hier ganz fest die Daumen!!

Herzlich Willkommen bei uns, und viele gedrückte Daumen dass alles zackig von Statten geht! Scheint ja mittlerweile alles eeeeewig zu dauern! Ich hoff für euch nicht!

12 minutes ago, AkesAngel said:

Hi Bine,

da es ja überall ein wenig anders ist, kann ich dir nur sagen wie es hier war.

SSN ändern war kein Problem mit Marriage Cert. DL musste ich mit maiden name anfangen (written test and learners permit waren maiden name), aber zum road test konnte ich angeben dass mein Name sich geändert hat und hab die DL mit neuem Name bekommen. Stell sicher, dass dein I-94 noch gültig ist (DL ist begrenzt darauf und dann kannst du 120 Tage Verlängerung beantragen mit der NOA1 hardcopy vom AOS)

Auf alle Fälle muss die SSN geändert sein, bevor du irgendetwas anderes ändern kannst. 

Bank ging mit Pass und marriage cert oder DL falls die im neuen Namen ausgestellt ist.

Das sind meine Erfahrungen hier für Georgia, könnte anders sein für andere Staaten.

Liebe Grüße, Mandy

Hi Mandy! Oh danke! Das mit dem i-94 wusste ich nicht! Meins gilt bis 20. Dezember!
Allerdings hat Virginia ein Abkommen mit Deutschland. Ich muss - laut Seite - nur einen Sehtest machen. Bin mal gespannt ob das mit dem i-94 hier auch so ist.
Ich duerfte glaub ich in VA als Military Spouse mit meinem deutschen Fuehrerschein weiterfahren, aber ich will eine DL haben als ID. 

Liebe Grüße!

Hi Andrina!
Danke für dein Feedback!

Ne, die Military ID ging nur auf Mädchenname, weil er meinen deutschen Pass dafür benutzt hat. Wir hatten das Marriage Cert dabei, weil wir ja sonst gar keine ID bekommen haetten, und der Mann meinte wir sollen die dann ändern wenn meine GC kommt. 
Ist auf der EAD auch ein Bild?

Ah super, vielleicht kann er den Bankenkram auch telefonisch regeln. Mich nervt das jetzt schon, aber besser gleich alles machen, als dann beim ROC in die Roehre gucken!

Jap, ich mach auch EAD und AP gleich mit. 

Puh, total kompliziert alles bei dir! Hoffentlich hast jetzt Ruhe?
In welchem Staat bist du?

Hi Ladies!

Ich hoffe, ihr könnt mir ein bisschen mit der Reihenfolge helfen, in der ich meinen Namenswechsel machen sollte.
Bin grad etwas ratlos.

Wir haben vor gut 3 Wochen geheiratet, Marriage Cert ist auch da, also wollten wir anfangen, den Kram für AOS zusammenzuklauben. Ich möchte wenn möglich bei den ganzen Sachen wie Lease Contract, Kreditkarte etc. mit dem Married Name sein. 
Dass ich AOS dann mit Married Name filen kann weiss ich. 

Bisher hab ich:
Military ID mit Maiden Name
SSN mit Maiden Name

Wir wollten jetzt morgen mit der Heiratsurkunde zum SSN Office fahren und eine neue mit Married Name holen.
Dann danach zum Leasing Office, mich in den Mietvertrag eintragen lassen. 
Danach dann mit dem Proof Of Residence zum DMV wegen meinem Fuehrerschein. Den kann ich doch sicher im Married Name machen, wenn ich die Heiratsurkunde dabei habe, oder?

Den Rest, wie Bankkonto etc. dann wenn die neue SSN Card da ist auf Married Name machen.

Dann von allem die "Beweise" ausdrucken und für AOS mitschicken.
Military ID dann ändern wenn die GC da ist, oder weiss jemand ob das mit SSN mit Married Name und Fuehrerschein mit Married Name auch schon geht?

Klingt das logisch? Sollten wir das so machen?

Ich krieg irgendwie den Arsch nicht hoch wegen AOS, und wir müssen irgendwann ja mal anfangen.

Besten Dank im Voraus und liebe Grüße an euch!
Bine