Magnolia31

He filed 2 petitions in the past? Not to be mean or anything but that doesn't worry you a bit?

Ohh, man this doesnt sound good.. He did file 2 petitions in the past. How bad is is? What about that waiver? What does it do?

thanx 4 all your help btway!

What part of Mexico are you living at? My daughter Ariana is half hispanic - her dad is Mexican. I grew up in El Paso where most of the population was hispanic since we were right across the border of Mexico. I miss that place. I still have friends there whom I became friends with in high school. I plan on going to El Paso in the summer so I can see all my friends again. I've been keeping in contact with them on Myspace but it's not the same.

Sue: I've had the same exact conversation with my students many, many times. Also, Latin Americans have a very complicated series of color gradations to describe people. Oddly enough, I'm very PC in some descriptions but when it comes to color, I've loosened up. Especially because I work in such a diverse community, that sometimes the only way that people will know who I'm talking about is if I say, "the white lady."

I remember when I first was in Mexico, we were talking about how people often described others in a way that Americans would find offensive. One person put it this way: imagine trying to describe a person with only one arm. Americans will tie themselves into knots to describe that person without refering to the obbvious fact that he only has one arm, whereas in Mexico, the person's nickname would probably be "Johnny One-Arm."

I remember your saying that you're from Maine. Where exactly? I adore Maine and went to college there, but it is indeed a very white state!

My father's new favorite topic of conversation is what color babies we'll have. He just can't wait to see how they'll turn out!

At least you know what I mean. Some people just have this mean look to them. I try to avoid people like that but it doesnt always work.

I read your other post yesterday but didn't respond. Sorry you had to go through a stressful time, I know whenI've had to wait for someone to come talk to me at the border its a scary and stressful time.

Also, I know EXACTLY what you mean about them having a look, its an expression or posture that shows that they mean business! I try to stay away from their line

Actually, I've ridden in a cadillac, all candy-painted up, with my BROTHER who happens to be half "black", wears a grill in his mouth, and listens to chopped and screwed music. Who would have thunk? Your comment about Harlem and the 3 black guys in a car are amusing - I've actually done that - minus driving around Harlem since I was raised in Texas. Would you believe I listen to ONLY R&B? Can you imagine that I have never dated a white man? It's hard to do, I know, but you can try! My mother married a black man when I was 4 .. brought me to Texas at the age of 6. I'm an army brat. Anything else I can let you know about me so you can paint a clearer picture of who I am?

Don't let the K-1 visa fool you - I am very well aware of the US. Had I not left for over a year in 2002, I would have still been a legal permanent resident and NOT have to apply all over again. You really dont know me.

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

Yeah, pretty much couple that with the uneducated schizo remark...and well...think that you are in Harlem and a van with three black...oh wait wrong topic...very distasteful.

Welcome to America and I hope you enjoy it here.

Thank you! Plainfield is right outside of Joliet.

Good grief ! Sorry about your hassles. I am in Illinois too and freezing my butt off.

Been here since 1978, naturalized and came from Germany. Welcome !

Plainsfield is in the Chicago area right ?

No, he looked as if he'd find something because he was grumpy, had a bad attitude, and was plain old unfriendly. Next time I'll remember to mention that in a new paragraph after I mention someone's skin color. Seems like some people like to ASSume and ASSumptions cause problems. But hey, I did tell my "black" husband that he married a racist and that I was sorry i didn't tell him sooner. <eye roll>

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

Yeah, pretty much couple that with the uneducated schizo remark...and well...think that you are in Harlem and a van with three black...oh wait wrong topic...very distasteful.

Welcome to America and I hope you enjoy it here.

I have lived in this country for 20 years and am aware of "comments like these". However, MY initial comment wasn't a comment like that - it's what someone else turned it into. Someone else decided to twist my words and give it all new meaning. Did you ever consider that? What was I supposed to say, "Well, the man was overweight, wore glasses, and was bald" - THAT could fit anyone. I felt mentioning his race was a part of describing him. If he would have been mexican I would have said he was mexican. If he were white, I would have said white. Get it?

Your conclusions couldn't be more wrong and there was NOTHING distatsteful in what I posted. But hey, if you have comprehension problems and feel like creating your own scenarios, well, i guess that can make it look distasteful.

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

How could you tell "He'd find something?" Did he fit a certain profile? Just curious...

Actually, that is a good question... I hadn't read that before, and find that remark a bit strange... Distateful indeed.... but that is just me...

If I was you, I would be careful of remarks like this in this country... They sound very racist...

It had to have been. I tried responding to several posts but it wouldn't let me.

Um, your other thread is not locked now; are you sure that it was locked before?

And the people that started with the racism card there were selectively editing your comments by joining two, not necessarily related sentances. And then there was someone else that wanted to pick a fight over mental health terminology.

Maybe Admin will merge your threads to keep all your thoughts together.

Hi Sue! (again LOL)

See, I am used to that as well. Even in the part of Germany I was at people described people by color or whatever. Oh, and even me being white, I refer to white people as a white person. I really don't see the harm in it.

Speaking of being the minority - my husband took me to his hometown which is Gary, Indiana. We went to eat at Golden Corral and I was the ONLY white person in there. You should have seen the looks we got. Now living here right outside of Joliet, we get stares from both races. And in our community where the people are all white, they look at HIM strange. It's so weird. I seriously have never went through that. Growing up in El Paso was a positive experience. My brother is half black/white and he received no grief from other peers in school. I can remember my mother and stepfather walking through the malls holding hands (he was black) and no one stared or even noticed that they were an interracial couple. So this is all something new to me.

I can imagine how Maine would be. As long as your fiancee doesn't mind getting some weird stares, it will be okay. I thought that by now the world would have gotten a bit more accepting or used to it. When are you guys going there?

Gosh, I hope no one finds a way to twist this post around.

DISCLAIMER: THE WORDS IN THIS POST ARE NOT MEANT IN A RACIAL OR NEGATIVE WAY. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING SAID IN THIS POST, PUT A PANCAKE ON YOUR HEAD AND EAT A BLOW POP

It's an interesting discussion to have though. I live in Grenada wih my fiance right now (and as you can see, he's pretty black and I'm pretty white). I'm definatly the minority here and I am always called "hey white girl". But the difference is that here it is not meant at all as an insult. People here say what they see, People can be described as the fat one, the slim one, the dark one, the red one...the list goes on. None of it is meant negatively...people just use what is in front of their eyes to describe themselves and others. I have been here long enough that I have gotten quite used to it as part of common communication. I do worry that when I go back to the states I will 'slip-up' and describe someone by their skin color. I don't believe in being color blind, I believe in seeing all the colors of the rainbow. But alas, moving to the US we will have to conform somewhat to the standards there.

I have told Grenadians that in the States we aren't allowed to describe someone by using their skin color or ethnicity, they get a very strange look on their face and never know what to say. In general they think Americans are too worried about everything...after living down here, I think I'm beginning to agree.

When I move up there with my fiance I am a little nervous about the response we will get in Maine. He isn't as nervous, but I guess I know how it can be in rural America.

Cheers

Sue

Thanks, Otto .... it's just ridiculous if you ask me. I just havent ever experienced anything like this so it's a bit shocking. I can't help how the immigration officer looked ... someone asked so i described him.

Not to worry... Thanks for sharing anyway...

I am not sure why things get side tracked and subsequently out of control sometimes, but it's not your fault. And I don't think you're the one that should be embarrassed in any way. =)

Gosh, I thank you for your post. I think I was more upset by the whole thread being closed without me being able to respond. This one will probably get closed as well but i wanted to clarify my words because it is embarrassing for me to have my picture in my signature on here, for all to see, while being labeled a racist. And really, with the diverse family that I was brought up in, there is no room for prejudism.

If anything, we receive prejudism in our community where we live because we are an interracial couple. I have never experienced that because I grew up in El paso, TX and since the population was made up of mostly minorities, people of different races were accepted more openly. Now that we live in an uppity white community, we get the crazy stares.

Anyhow, I am glad you responded. I am really upset that my words had to end up being twisted after I answered a question. What was I supposed to say - a bald man with glasses, overweight, and white - even though he wasn't white? LOL

Oh, I am the same way at a check out lane when I go grocery shopping. If I see that someone looks like they are having a bad day, I won't go to them. No matter what color they are LOL.

Magnolia,

Thanks for sharing your experience at your POE. I began reading your initial thread but couldn't finish at the time. I did not perceive your response to "what did he look like" as a racist remark. And many people I know (including myself) make judgements about service providers to decide how we are going to approach them. For example I try to not go to certain check-out lines at the grocery store by a quick look at the clerk and their general demeanor.

Anyway, it was helpful to know that the POE could potentially raise health questions at that point. I was also on the understanding that an approval at the embassy woud mean that the POE would be easy sailing on that matter. I also had no idea that a CDC official would be so readily on hand. i know I would get nervous if someone requested the CDC (or equivalent) at a foreign airport without explanation. I know explanations are not one of our rights given in the US constitution, but it's just good customer service and reasonabe people skills.

I'm glad you made it through the airport anyway and I hope things are going wonderfully with your partner.

Cheers

Sue

Thank you

I have never felt so embarrassed or humiliated before in my life. I will know next time to not describe any person at all unless they are purple, blue or green. LOL

So sorry that people jumped on you, especially after having asked you to describe the officer. If he had been white, I'm sure that no one would have said a thing.

Wow, i didnt think my words would be twisted. I was asked what the IO looked like so I answered. He wasnt white so I answered his race. Im not prejudiced. My husband is black so that would be major hypocrisy, dont you think? I described the IO and that was all but now Im a racist? Very funny. My stepfather is black, my brother is mixed - and my daughter is too. Please stop misreading into things - it's unfruitful and ignorant. My thread got closed because a bunch of people got their panties in a wad. And for the person who asked how I could tell he would find something - well, because he was unfriendly and you could tell by his attitude. Does this clarify?

LOL, never mind. I thought you were inquiring about a fiancee visa. I would definitely go that route and NO the way you plan on doing it. A friend of mine did it the way you intend and she got deported and now cannot apply for a visa. Her husband had to move to Germany and it took a while before he found a job there. I would not risk that. Get a fiancee visa -it's safer.

Sorry i misunderstood your first post. My mind isn't functioning that well today because my day has been a bit horrible.

Hi!

I know many people on this board have done the paperwork all alone but we actually hired a well-known lawyer named Jim Phair. He specializes in K-1 and K-3 Visas and he was pretty accurate and on point about everything. We decided to go with him for the reason of feeling more at ease and confidence. He told us step by step what needed to be done and in my honest opinion, he made the entire process simpler. He charges $485 but his services are well worth it. If you do a search for him on google, type in Jim Phair, immigration attorney and you will find numerous sites about him. His website is located at http://www.fianceevisas.net/

Good luck!

Hi guys, I am new to this forum and just want to get some help if you can. I am currently engaged to a US Citizen and I am in Australia. I am going to the states in July to get married and then my Fiance and I will decide whether to live in the states or move to my home country Australia.

First question: Is it easy to change status after getting married while coming in as a tourist/visitor

Second question: We have contacted a Lawyer and they do not come cheap. Is it best in this situation to have a lawyer or to go at it by ourselves.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers

Hi!

I know many people on this board have done the paperwork all alone but we actually hired a well-known lawyer named Jim Phair. He specializes in K-1 and K-3 Visas and he was pretty accurate and on point about everything. We decided to go with him for the reason of feeling more at ease and confidence. He told us step by step what needed to be done and in my honest opinion, he made the entire process simpler. He charges $485 but his services are well worth it. If you do a search for him on google, type in Jim Phair, immigration attorney and you will find numerous sites about him. His website is located at http://www.fianceevisas.net/

Good luck!

Hi guys, I am new to this forum and just want to get some help if you can. I am currently engaged to a US Citizen and I am in Australia. I am going to the states in July to get married and then my Fiance and I will decide whether to live in the states or move to my home country Australia.

First question: Is it easy to change status after getting married while coming in as a tourist/visitor

Second question: We have contacted a Lawyer and they do not come cheap. Is it best in this situation to have a lawyer or to go at it by ourselves.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers

Ok, thanks ofr that. Also a new biographics sheet? And what is the difference between the I-824 andI-824EZ?

Only a COPY of the I-94 (front and back) is required, don't send them the original.

You definitely need to have a new Affidavit of Support (form I-824 or I-824EZ if applicable).

Question - if the DS-230 is in the sealed envelope which you cant even open, how are you supposed to have that form?

Looking4Wife: I guess you already took care of all of this by now. I think they are looking for a brand new original DS-230 for their own purposes and there is no relationship to the one you sent to the NVC which they apparently use for different reasons. It is funny that the one sent by the embassy is a very old form from 2004. I think they use it because it is in english and spanish. As Doug stated, apparently any version of the DS-230 is acceptable. Good luck with everything next week!

DougyCeci: Everybody has to return to the doctor and pickup the sealed envelope with the medical exam results and then take this to the interview. This envelope also includes the DS-230.

Mark

I took the Greyhound from Texas to Virginia so it was a long trip. It was okay but I think that it's a bit too much for children. I have a 6 year old and the plane ride from Germany to Chicago was more than she could bare. Plus, once you get off the plane you/re so sticky and just wanna shower. I dunno ... maybe if you stayed in a hotel overnight and got some rest first. I probably still wouldnt do it though. My daughter is pretty active and can't sit still for too long. If you're on a bus, that's all you can do - sit.

Hi there everyone,

Just a quickie question, to hopefully gather some info, for when I plan my trip over on the K1.

My final destination is Atlanta, but Im planning on my POE being JFK, hopefully to get the temp work authorisation.

Ive been looking at the options of travelling from New York to Atlanta, and one route is via Greyhound...

Now, I know the flight is quicker, but I was thinking that 24 hours on a bus, could be fun.

Id like to see a few states, and my 7 year old would get a chance to see some of the US.

My only experience of a greyhound journey was from NY to NJ, a good few years back,

so I was wondering if anyone here has had experience of a long greyhound trip, and what it was like.

Services, facilities, potential hassle etc...

Many Thanks,

xchloe

Well, my brother in law is schizophrenic and has attacked 5 people because he thought they were CIA agents. He has been in and out of mental institutions. I have never ever in my life heard about a person with GAD attacking someone. I have done research last year because i actually thought that my anxiety would disable me from getting the K-1visa. I dont know what you have read but I have read that people with GAD have never harmed anyone - there are no records to prove that. For schizophrenics there is. Same thing for people who are bipolar.

Anxiety causes you to worry and think the worst will happen, but doesnt cause you to go out and attack people in bouts of paranoia. Thats all it does for me. So i think that there is a major difference as opposed to what you stated. Its also been shown that alot of schizophrenics stop treatment because they think they are suddenly okay. Therefore, I would say a person with schizophrenia is more dangerous.

re schizophrenia:

There is no research that shows treated schizophrenics are more likely to commit violence than any other person.

Mental illness is mental illness - it just means your neurotransmitters are not firing correctly.

Anxiety that isn't treatable can be more destructive than schizophrenia that isn't treated. And the reverse is true.

OK, I'm here on a Fiancee Visa. Got here march 5th and got married March 17th. I'm a bit confused about the forms I need to file for AOS. I thought I had all of the ones I needed because I called USCIS and printed the ones they told me I'd need. However, as I looked in the downloads section here on VJ and came across the documents needed for AOS, it had Affidavit of support on there. Now the USCIS person i spoke with didn't tell me I needed to print that form. I thought I could use the one that we used when we applied for the fiance visa. Sooo, here is what I have now as far as documents go:

I-485

I-765

Now that is ALL they told me I needed. Please let me know if we do need to fill out a new Affidavit of Support or anything else. I had planned on mailing this out tomorrow but I dont know now.

Also, it says to send in I-94 arrival departure paper. Well, the IO detached that and stapled it into my passport so am I supposed to detach it???

That's great that they let her thru. My friend was denied and turned back around and she only tried flying once LOL.

After reading countless posts on POE experiences whilst filing the K-1 visa and being worried sick myself if something were to happen, I decided to take the chance.

My fiancée flew in to Dulles. She had ties to her home country but it wasn't needed. The POE officer asked her a few questions; the most alarming being "So you come to the US every other month?" and then let her through.

Since every experience is different, these were our circumstances:

Flies every other month to the US

Under 30

On VWP

One suitcase

Knows English well

Hope this helps and assuages your concerns.

~

I'm not sure. I was thinking too that if it was a problem, my visa would have been denied. My POE was at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. The IO was black, wore glasses, bald, and a bit overweight. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd find something. I was actually supposed to have someone else but then they ended up opening the line for Americans and people with Visas to us, since the visitor side was sooooo long. Had it not been for that, I would have not had him.

e name='Mr.D2006' date='Apr 15 2007, 07:38 PM' post='839791']

Since you have anxiety disorder, maybe he wanted to see just how much anxiety you can take. If it was serious you would not have been given a visa in the first place. Every organization has a uptight jerk that works for them. Where was your port of entry and what does this man look like. Hopefully other can avoided going throhg his line.

Yes, I found it weird. I mean, I can see if I had schizophrenia or something where I could be harmful to others or something. It took me a total of 2 hours AFTER getting off that plane to finally let my husband know I made it. Frustrating LOL

CDC for anxiety disorder? I bet the IO received an earful from the CDC rep.

Anyway, Welcome Back!

I got two things translated. My divorce decree and my birth certificate. I had an international birth certificate but was told that when I apply for AOS in the US, the international one may not be accepted. So, I just called the Standesamt in the city i was born and requested a regular one and had it translated. So now I have both birth certificates.

As far as you translating it yourself, Im not sure.

I'm in the process of getting a K3 visa for my German wife. Does anybody have any experience whether the consulate in Frankfurt requires translations of German documents (for example, Polizeiliches Fuehrungszeugnis, etc.) to be done by professional translators, or can I simply translate the documents myself? In the past, in other dealings with US government agencies, I've always done all translations myself certifying that I am fluent in English and German (which I am) and there has never been a problem. I'm just wondering what the Frankfurt Consulate's procedure is in such matters.

Thanks.

--hh

Yep. I needed my German divorce certificate and birth certificate translated. I just looked in the phone book for a translator. Found one and asked if he is capable of notarizing it and he said yes. So anyway, I had to pay him 10 Euros to translate my birth certificate and 70 to translate the divorce decree. Oh, most translators can certify it themselves. My translator was a notary person too so he put his seal on the bottom of each document. Just see if you can find a certfied translator. Have her mail the documents to you so you can get it done for her - it may be easier that way.

I did a search for you and this is what i found:

http://www.crawler.com/search/dispatcher.a...&tbid=60308.

I would try this one and get a quote:

http://www.uscts.com/?gclid=CK2qidDBxYsCFQGPWAod0iKqHA

Hi.

New member here. Thanks for the info. I've been reading the board but haven't found the exact answer to my question.

I've gathered all the documents needed. The K-1 Step-By-Step guide is AWESOME. Thanks to whoever put that together. Like others have said, it saves $1500 on a lawyer who would just do the same that I could do myself.

Here's my question: My fiancee's documents are in Spanish (from Costa Rica). I have read many of you say that they need to be translated into English. Ok, do I need to have them notarized or certified? By who? Is there a firm that specializes in this type of thing?

Thanks for your help.

The US does have them. I have mine from Germany and Texas. You have to contact Police Records which is with the county clerk and you may request it there. Cost me $7 and I was asked for mine from both places. ;-)

Hello.. I was browsing the US embassy site in Romania to see what do i need for interwiew and they say i need police record from all places i lived more than one year... So do i need police record from USA also? i lived more than one year but i never heard before something like this. If i do need that..how i will get it if im here? have somebody heard about something like this? thanks

There is no such thing (Police Certificate) in the US - you'll only need it for places lived overseas. =)

I needed it when I applied. They also just told me I need it again when applying for AOS. I think that if the OP did indeed live in the US for more than a year, it won't hurt to have this. If they end up not needing it, he was at least prepared if in the event they did ask for it.

You don't need one because the USCIS already has access to the necessary databases to run this check themselves