zahra

May 11, 2012

If you know Tunisians in the US who send money home to their families it might be easier. For example, instead of sending money home, they can give you US dollars, and then your husband can give their family Tunisian dinars.

hello... im open to all suggestions.. thanks in advance.

hello everyone, thanks for all your input and suggestions.. Much appreciation..

PalestineMyHeart · May 1, 2012

A few more responses to this article:

Leila Ahmed in FP: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/04/24/debating_the_war_on_women?page=0%2C5

Another response: http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/5233/lets-talk-about-sex

This article (and the controversial cover art) has ignited a firestorm of heated response, much of the criticism coming from Arab and Muslim women:

Dear Mona Eltahawy, You Do Not Represent “Us”

Love, Not Hatred, Dear Mona !

Us and Them: On Helpless Women and Orientalist Imagery

'Why Do They Hate Us?' A Blogger's Response

Oh, Mona!

PalestineMyHeart · March 4, 2012

Khadija was not past “child bearing” age whatever her actual age – she had 5 kids with the Prophet.

I assure I did not hear this from some guys that want to come to America...

You wrote being out of child bearing age and the man in his prime and this popped into my head

It is here in America that we set a child bearing age because of science and what we have learned from science

But if it's up to God...I feel more comfort in his corner.

And Again, I started the post with not to put personal religious preferences in this thread...it is a lovely story and what you wrote just triggered my memory.

Edit my spelling of fell to feel

LaL · June 25, 2011

I would look into a state school that has online degrees. There has been a lot in the news lately about for-profit colleges (of which U of P is one), e.g.:

http://www.loansafe.org/for-profit-colleges-deepening-student-debt-crisis

Also, I know LPR’s can get student loans using the FAFSA, but I’m not sure about scholarships.

Good luck!

June 2, 2011

We’ve been married 5 years, known each other for 6. Just completing citizenship process. So glad to be (almost) done with USCIS!

April 18, 2011

It is on the front page, just scroll down:

http://www.moroccanconsulate.com/

Where on the consulate website did you find information for the traveling consulate? I looked but couldn't find it. There's a lot going on on that webpage so I am sure I just missed it!

April 18, 2011

Do you know if they do fingerprints at the mobile consulate? Or did your husband already have the new National ID Card?

Just wanted to let everyone know. My husbands passport expired in Nov. 2010 and we are traveling to Morocco at the end of May. I was very worried that it would not be renewed in time for our booked trip.

But to my surprise we went to the traveling consulate that was in Orlando Fl.

Everything went smoothly. They renewed it and did everything in the same day. We left the place with passport renewed in hand within a couple of hours! A great experience. They did ask that we have a recent birth certificate within 3 months to the date. We rushed one from Morocco and they didn't use it. But I would still have it just in case. They change anything at the last moment. I did email them many times to make sure I had the right information.

Hope this helps anyone that is trying now or in the future to renew or extend their Moroccan passport.

Have a great day all!

You can go to the Moroccan consulate website for the places and dates of the traveling consulate!

April 9, 2011

I wasn't referring to your child. From their instructions it shouldn't be a problem but nothing is ever as simple as it seems. I'm sure you have seen this, but on the Moroccan Consulate's webpage in the FAQ section they say:

What if we have not been married at the Mosque?

In this case you need to call the Consulate at: 212-758-2625 Ext: 238 to get “Moulhak” a necessary document for the issuance of your family book.

Thanks - I didn't know that. I don't see my child as illegitimate, of course, but he might be from the Moroccan government's perspective.

~ameriptian~ · April 9, 2011

The new Moroccan family law (2004) recognizes the paternity of illegitimate children. The other stuff (Puerto Rican wife) shouldn't be relevant to this issue.

My daughter is Moroccan but I doubt she could ever get papers because he is still legally married to the Puerto Rican who direct consulate filed for him in the late 90s. She flew over there after meeting him on yahoo and married him in Morocco so as far as they are concerned, shes his wife even though he hasnt seen her since he dumped her right after he got his 10 year card. She never bothered to divorce him so wallah.. they have a 13 year marriage that he never bothered to end. I doubt I will ever able to get anything for my daughter and ironically if he dies , she is entitled to his money there and here. I doubt my princess will ever get a thing from Morocco as far as papers. I dont think he will ever get US citizenship.. nice time explaining what he did with his wife

February 26, 2011

I also think they are doing a great job, considering what they deal with. Not trying to be mean, but pay attention to the timeline:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/211458-help-please/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/259018-please-help-about-k1-visa/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/297506-question-about-visa-k1/

I hope everyone knows how to google.

No sh!t. You would think she's supposed to be everyone's new bff. For the fraud she's detecting, I think she deserves a gold star.

February 12, 2011

Hi Kenza,

I think it just depends on the availability of an interview - when we submitted the application (last June) we scheduled an interview for around two weeks later, and the visa was ready the day after the interview. So if all goes well the process can go really quick.

Good luck.

What is the estimated time right now to get a family visitor visa? Let's say we submit them online today?

February 2, 2011

I don't think this is "a war among their own people" - this is the government sending in thugs to attack the peaceful, pro democracy demonstrators.

For one eyewitness account:

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/the-view-from-tahrir/

Sad to see the ppl in Cairo fighting,it's a war among their own ppl. So hard to look at

LaL · January 28, 2011

You can watch Al Jazeera in English on your computer at http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

They have good coverage of the situation.

Can't get a hold of anyone....now CNN showing PD in downtown Alex has been set on fire and army is in streets of Alex...hubby could be one of them there....I am soooooo freakin anxious right now!!! At least the military is being received warmly by the protesters, Al hamdalillah...

Gugusitolindo · January 25, 2011

Sorry to keep fixating on age, but... This is something I have been wondering for awhile: does anyone know any couples (from VJ or real life) that are made up of an American woman past childbearing age and a young MENA man with no kids of his own that has lasted past the greencard/citizenship stage? It is just really hard for me to imagine how this could be successful. Eventually, doesn’t the MENA man always want kids of his own?

*Edit: not trying to make a judgement about OP having kids, really just a question I've been thinking about.

September 7, 2010

Hi,

Our AOS interview was short and easy, and the interviewer said we were approved, pending name check. The name check still hadn't been finished after a year, but then they changed the rules that it could not last more than 6 months so our case was adjudicated. Hopefully it isn't so bad anymore (this was 2006/2007). I also don't know if it made a difference that we adjusted status from an H1B visa, so there wasn't the intensive background checking that it seems like people face when they do K1, so maybe that is why it took so long. In any case, it was annoying, and has delayed everything by a year. But at least he was able to work during this time because of his visa.

I wish you the best of luck.

Zahra

Has anyone been put on a name check wait (I forget the technical term for it) after having had the AOS interview? I never even thought about that until my husband brought it up last night. He was thinking this interview we have tomorrow will be the same type as the one in Cairo and I was all like no no no this is much easier. For Middle Easterners is the name check a given?

If they don't do a name check do they give you the green card there or do you have to wait for it?

Thanks!

May 6, 2010

I recently bought the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and it has been life changing. I highly recommend it for those with Moroccan spouses or anyone else who eats bread a lot. I had never even tried to make bread, and I was scared to work with yeast, but this makes it so easy, and there is no kneading involved. Also, you make a lot of dough at once and then you can just take a piece each day out of the refrigerator and cook it and have fresh bread. And once you have the dough you can also use it in any way - regular bread cooked in the oven, or something closer to naan or Moroccan bread that you fry. I could go on and on...

March 11, 2010

Sofiyya,

The burden of proof is on you to make your argument. I do not claim to be a religious or legal scholar of any kind; I simply rely on the work of those who came before me. The requirements of a valid nikah are well known and understood, and if you want to add another requirement, it is on you to prove that this is in fact a requirement. Because I have no reason to trust your ijtihad on this or any other issue, you need to cite more reliable sources with solid credentials (as was already mentioned, a PhD in Islamic law in itself does not provide religious authority). So why don’t you share your sources with us.

Also, when you say “Show us how the schools of thought aren't important,” what exactly are you referring to? On what “schools” are you basing your opinion (in a way that makes it seem that it is the opinion of that “school”)?

Because you are presenting yourself as the authority in this issue, in a rather authoritarian way, it is your responsibility to make the case that for a nikah to be valid it must be registered with the state. You argue this point as if it is a standard and accepted view, which it is not.

I’m sorry if this is a repeat of a previous thread/argument, but I think the claims made on this issue need to be supported.

Debate and discussion are healthy exercises when there is disagreement. But, trying to discredit the messanger's character or credibility without offering a substangive rebuttal is childish. We know that those among us who had a fake marriage then did a K1 don't like hearing that it's wrong, but it would be more beneficial to all if you added to the exchange with more than "Dont listen to her". Take apart my points. Show us how the schools of thought aren't important. Give me something to respond to other than criticism lacking support.

March 11, 2010

I think there are a few different issues here that are getting intertwined. The first is related to the visa: it seems like doing this kind of marriage before applying for a K1 visa involves misrepresentation or lying to the US government, which could have serious consequences. The second is cultural: it seems that the Egyptian state does not recognize this type of marriage or enforce its contract (I don't know anything about what is being referred to here as "orfi"). Therefore, naive American women should be protected from getting themselves into a situation where their rights will not be protected and they might be taken advantage of; I completely agree. The third issue is a strictly legal (Islamic) issue, and has to do with whether or not this type of marriage is a legitimate marriage within Islam, by which a Muslim believes they are doing what is right in the eyes of God, and the family, community, and religious authorities recognize the union. My only point was that if the requirements of the Islamic marriage are met (which do not involve registering it with the state; this is a requirement of the government), then the marriage is valid Islamically. I think in this discussion the three issues (immigration, cultural practices, and Islamic legality) are being brought together in a confusing way. "Picking up the pieces in court" - this is not making a legal argument; I'm sure many could testify to "picking up the pieces" after a disastrous divorce, and yet this is not an argument to try to ban divorce.

People can be warned from doing this kind of marriage in the visa process based US immigration law, and they can be warned about it by advising about cultural practices that put a woman's legal rights in jeopardy. But an (Islamic) legal argument cannot be made against the practice IF it meets the requirements of a valid marriage according to whatever school you follow. And God knows best.

March 10, 2010

I would have to agree with oldahmed on this. Sofiyya, the link to the fatwa you posted does not back up your opinion; “highly crucial” is not the same as required, which I’m sure you are aware of. I respect that your advocacy on this issue is with the intention of protecting the legal rights of the parties involved in these types of relationships, but that should not lead you to misrepresent the facts. You can argue for your own opinion on this matter, clearly stating that it is your opinion, backed up by the credentials you have been waving around, but you cannot say that it is THE ONLY valid opinion. Registering a marriage with the state is not one of the criteria that makes a marriage valid “Islamically.” For you to condemn in such harsh terms the people who engage in such a practice, with accusations of lying and implications of fornication, is unnecessary.

It's out there now. People can pretend to be married in a Muslim country, so they can lay together, then come back to a non-Muslim country and get serious, ofuscate about their "marriage in the eyes of God", and follow non-Muslim law, do a K1, then really get married, if they choose. Knowing Arab cultures, as I do, a Muslim man who would suggest this to a woman doesn't respect her or his faith, as he should. I can't imagine the Prophet recommending this course of action to anyone.

March 3, 2010

Hi ladies,

I have eaten mostly organic most of my life - I grew up on an organic farm - and it is definitely possible to find ways to continue to eat this way, even on a student's budget. Some good options are Costco (which also has halal lamb) and Trader Joe's, if you have them nearby. Some things at Trader Joe's are not certified organic but are pretty close to, which I find to be a good compromise. Also, I am more careful about certain things like dairy because the antibiotic/hormone thing freaks me out, but other things I am less concerned about. Here is an article about easing into organic food strategically:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/f...-to-go-organic/

Take care, good luck!

March 3, 2010

My husband has been upfront about wanting to move back to Morocco from the start - I don't think he would have ever married an American if I wasn't open to the possibility. It will be a few years down the road, when we finish school and become more financially secure, but it is definitely always on my mind when I plan my education and career - I want to be able to work there and be somewhat independent. I also have my own conditions - e.g. we would have to make enough money for me to travel back here to visit my family every year. And about the cooking - I am hoping there it will be easy/cheap to have someone else cook!

We will see what happens... Maybe if we get good jobs here, especially on the east coast, and he could visit home a few times a year, that would work. But we also worry about raising kids here. On the other hand, I have friends here whose kids have a much better Islamic education than kids I know in Morocco.

I think it is nice to have it as an option, and who knows what the future holds!

February 25, 2010

Received card in the mail today - this process is really over! I'm going to shred all that "evidence" - I have become a paper hoarder, saving absolutely everything!

February 23, 2010

Received approval notice in the mail today; updating approval date to 2/16 as listed in the notice.

California Service Center (31 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

CARL&SUSAN..........01/02/10..........01/04/10.......02/03/10........02/10/10....

ETRIPKE.............01/04/10..........01/05/10.......02/12/10........--/--/10....

ZAHRA...............01/05/10..........01/06/10.......02/03/10........02/16/10.... (early bio 1/26/10)

ROSIE420............01/06/10..........01/07/10.......02/12/10........--/--/10....

JAMES77.............01/06/10..........01/07/10.......02/03/10........02/09/10....

CK&TYDI.............01/06/10..........01/19/10.......02/16/10........--/--/10....

SARATARA............01/07/10..........--/--/10.......02/11/10........--/--/10....

NECROTICA...........01/07/10..........01/11/10.......02/10/10........02/03/10.... (early bio on 1/28/10)

ALEJANDRA2..........01/11/10..........01/12/10.......02/22/10........--/--/10....

LISA AND PHIL.......01/11/10..........01/12/10.......02/22/10........--/--/10....

BUSYCHARLIE.........01/11/10..........01/12/10.......skipped ........02/03/10....

KALIS...............01/11/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

HAPPILYCONTENT......01/12/10..........01/14/10.......02/25/10........--/--/10....

GBERTZ7.............01/12/10..........01/13/10.......02/11/10........--/--/10....

JOECANUK............01/12/10..........--/--/10.......02/09/10........--/--/10....

SHAMI...............01/13/10..........--/--/10.......02/17/10........--/--/10....

SCIPIO..............01/13/10..........--/--/10.......02/22/10........--/--/10....

CH1CH1..............01/13/10..........--/--/10.......02/26/10........--/--/10....

LYNAMON.............01/14/10..........01/19/10.......02/23/10........--/--/10....

OHIODUTCHIE.........01/15/10..........01/19/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10....

ELGUEVON............01/16/10..........01/19/10.......02/18/10........--/--/10....

KARMASXOCEAN........01/16/10..........01/19/10.......02/18/10........--/--/10....

MIRCIOV.............01/19/10..........01/20/10.......02/24/10........--/--/10....

CONVERSE34..........01/19/10..........01/25/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10....

DAKOTAK1............01/20/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

RAVENSCROFT.........01/21/10..........01/22/10.......02/17/10........--/--/10....

PHXCASC.............01/22/10..........01/28/10.......02/23/10........--/--/10....

IMABACK.............01/23/10..........01/25/10.......02/16/10........--/--/10....

WES AND SHIELA......01/23/10..........01/25/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10.... (early bio on 2/17/10)

KNOBBY_WHEEZER......01/25/10..........02/02/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10....

AMY20...............01/25/10..........--/--/10.......03/05/10........--/--/10....

Vermont Service Center (31 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

DUNNY...............01/04/10.........01/06/10.......02/04/10........--/--/10.... (early bio on 1/28/10)

SAU.................01/04/10.........01/07/10.......02/08/10........02/16/10.... (early bio on 02/05/2010)

ABEFAIZI............01/04/10.........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

GEN&PAUL............01/04/10.........01/07/10.......01/29/10........--/--/10....

GWEN666.............01/05/10.........01/14/10.......02/11/10........--/--/10.... (I-551 stamped 1/29/10)

SHUB................01/05/10.........--/--/10.......02/05/10........--/--/10....

ERAMOS2.............01/06/10.........01/11/10.......02/03/10........--/--/10....

ITALO...............01/07/10.........--/--/10.......02/--/10........--/--/10....

JAGSHEE.............01/07/10.........--/--/--.......02/12/10........--/--/10.... (Never got NOA1 - what is that?)

XNY.................01/08/10.........--/--/10.......02/11/10........--/--/10....

RAJ0327.............01/09/10.........01/12/10.......02/17/10........--/--/10....

DJTURBO.............01/11/10.........01/15/10.......02/26/10........--/--/10....

WANGJEXI............01/11/10.........01/15/10.......02/18/10........--/--/10....

SSMA2007............01/11/10.........01/15/10.......02/17/10........--/--/10....

LADYWHITE...........01/13/10.........01/19/10.......02/17/10........--/--/10....

RANDYFABI...........01/14/10.........01/20/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MINYA'SWIFE.........01/14/10.........01/20/10.......02/16/10........--/--/10....

IGOMO...............01/15/10.........01/19/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10....

GSIEFFE.............01/15/10.........01/20/10.......02/26/10........--/--/10....

KARENKAYE...........01/16/10.........01/20/10.......02/16/10........--/--/10....

VIKASP..............01/19/10.........01/22/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

TRAVIS&LISA.........01/21/10.........01/26/10.......02/22/10........--/--/10....

OKALIAN.............01/22/10.........01/26/10.......02/19/10........--/--/10....

KATH58..............01/24/10.........01/26/10.......02/26/10........--/--/10....

LVIVLOVERS..........01/26/10.........02/01/10.......03/02/10........--/--/10....

ROGAIL..............01/26/10.........02/01/10.......03/02/10........--/--/10....

CHOCOLATTEGIRL......01/26/10.........02/01/10.......02/26/10........--/--/10....

RITESH-TRUPTI.......01/26/10.........01/29/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

OSANTO..............01/27/10.........01/29/10.......02/25/10........--/--/10....

TÄVÔLUDÔ............01/28/10.........02/02/10.......03/11/10........--/--/10....

MIAMORTURERES.......01/29/10.........02/03/10.......03/10/10........--/--/10....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

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* Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

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February 18, 2010

Card Production Ordered as of today, I just got an email!!! I think Shami should make some more predictions…

I am putting back in our early bio on 1/26 – the lady said some of the fingerprints probably wouldn’t go through, so I was expecting to get called back, but I guess it was ok.

I was also expecting trouble or at least an RFE about our living situation – we lived apart during the school year for 3 semesters, but I tried to document all the time spent apart and together (in all vacations). Also, we had trouble during AOS based on name/country of origin, so I thought that also might slow things down.

Now I can relax for a year before the next step…which at least I don’t have to stress out about remembering like I did with this one (I kept thinking I would forget to file in the 90 day window!).

Anyway, good luck to everyone else, may you all have speedy approvals!

California Service Center (30 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

CARL&SUSAN..........01/02/10..........01/04/10.......02/03/10........02/10/10....

ETRIPKE.............01/04/10..........01/05/10.......02/12/10........--/--/10....

ZAHRA...............01/05/10..........01/06/10.......02/03/10........02/18/10.... (early bio 1/26/10)