Kelechi

Hello and how are you. Nice to meet you.

This is wonderful. Congrats on your new life together.

I have been reading all the posts from this thread. I have enjoyed it a lot. Since someone has mentioned something about premarital counseling, my pastor emailed me a couple months ago, about 22 lessons of premarital counseling for Kwabena and I. We have been doing them over the phone and after he gets here, we'll do some with the pastor. But these lessons are great, I could have never imagined talking about all these things before getting married. It has really given us the opportunity to grow and know each other better. It is better to discuss all these things before marriage, rather then after. If anyone wants the lessons, I can email them to you. Don't think they are only for before the marriage, because my pastor has been married many years and they have began to do the lessons too. Ok so anyone, if you will like to have them, send me your email, I believe you'll really enjoy.

Thank you for being so kind. I would like to introduce myself to you and everyone else here. My neme is Dorothy and I am engaged to a wonderful Nigerian man. I joined this site in January of this year and I have been coming on this forum reading for the longest but never really introduced myself. My fiance's name is Diony and we are doing the K-1 process which seems to be going pretty well so far. This thread has really helped me so much to understand that I need to get to know my soon to be husbands culture as well as him getting to know mine. I see that after this process we will go through several more processes including getting to know each other as husband and wife and putting together our cultures to make a happy home. I never thought about marriage counseling or precounseling. But now that you mention it this sounds like a very good thing to do. If you would e-mail me the lessons I would appreciate it so very much. My e-mail address is dottkayyparnell@sbcglobal.net and you can send it there. I will also get with a counselor before Diony comes and set up some counseling after he comes.

Now getting to the original question I can see how there will be differences and challenges in our marriage. We are going to have to get over many things such as understand each others accents, religion (he is Catholic and I am Protestant), food, and many other things. As time goes on I will be posting some of our good times and some of our bad. Take care everyone and may God bless you on the rest of your journey.

APPROVED 04/27/07

Now that's worth celebrating. Girl you go. What did I tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So out of all that you just said is the answer to the question 100% or 125%?

I think what was being said is that if you are at or above 125% then you are already at or above the 100% so therefore no worry....

Thank you Fwaguy, that is the point I was trying to get across. There is no YES or NO answer to your question, Dorothy.....it is subject to interpretation.

I understand that there is a discrepancy in the financial requirements for the I-134 and the I-864, but since those beneficiaries that come here w/ the K-1 visa (for which the I-134 is used) will very soon be needing to prove even more stringently(at AOS filing when the I-864 is required) that they will not become a "public charge" why risk it?? Just make sure you're at 125% of the Poverty Guidelines from the beginning, and you'll have nothing to worry about.

-P

I think the answer is we are not sure if it is 100% or 125%.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3182.html

Anyone want to take a stab at what they are up to here? 100% P.L. for I-134. Am confused

Thanks

J.

This is exactly what I was going to say. At the NVC site it says that K-1 petitioners on have to do 100% and it goes to 125% when you do a change of status. I have been wondering the same thing why people keep saying 125%.

I think it may said to be safe, rather than sorry later. The consulates can vary greatly on how they interpret the information provided to them at the time of the interview....and hey let's face it it is a Poverty Guideline. If you barely make the minimum to qualify you above being "poor" according to the US government...how can you propose to support another person to make sure they do not become a "public charge"? That is what the CO's are looking for in the financial documentation presented for a K-1 visa....they do not want to issue a visa to a person that is likely to become dependent on government aid once he/she gets to the US. If their petitioner barely makes enough $$ to be above the poverty guideline, the CO may think that by issuing a visa, thereby adding another member to this household (who will not work until they Adjust Status), they will strain the finances of the petitioner and both will become "public charges".

So the recommendation by VJ is given to avoid problems, and it is sound advice.....at least that is how I see it.

So out of all that you just said is the answer to the question 100% or 125%?

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3182.html

Anyone want to take a stab at what they are up to here? 100% P.L. for I-134. Am confused

Thanks

J.

This is exactly what I was going to say. At the NVC site it says that K-1 petitioners on have to do 100% and it goes to 125% when you do a change of status. I have been wondering the same thing why people keep saying 125%.

Best of luck to you.

I agree with that you have 6 months to get to the U.S. and 90 days to get married when you reach the U.S.

I contacted my congresswoman's office about a month ago to raise my concerns over the disparate treatment of VSC vs CSC files. I wanted to know if the Congresswoman was aware that her constituents weren't being afforded the same treatment as some of her colleagues'.

Her staffer told me that she was aware of the different processing times and they were what they were and there was no plans to change anything.

A heartwarming response indeed - but not necessarily one I put a lot of stock in.

I told her I wanted her to do something, so she had me fax her information. I did so.

I've heard nothing back yet. One follow up phone call yielded a "I still don't know" response.

But I'm figuring one of two things happens:

Knowing that the processing time is frequently far less than the reported 6 month times, when my NOA2 comes in around the 90 day average, I'll get a "give me credit for helping you out" form letter of self-praise from her office. VJers and I will know, of course, that she will have had zilch to do about it.

If we get to 100 days and nothing has happened, I will call and request more information and ask what actually has been done if anything. Depending on the response, I'll either wait longer, or rain holy hell down via the powerful political weapon of negative PR in the best way I can. Might not be effective. But at least I'll be doing something besides either whinging about the long delays or twiddling my thumbs like a good little go-along-er.

We'll see.

But I will always, 100% of the time, recommend anyone contact his/her representative to let the office know what you're going through. I don't care if it's day 30 or day 130. As far as I am concerned, once you meet up with the average VSC processing time, go for it.

Squeaky wheels, kids. Squeaky wheels.

I really do tip my hat off to you. Most people don't understand that this is why we elect these people. To give us help with certain issues. On my Senators web site it is in black and white they have a representative who deals with INS issues. So if I dont tell them how will they know. And I say again it is not just for me it is also for the ones who have waited longer than I have and the ones who are after me. It does not cost me a penny to report this problem even if nothing comes out of it. Once again thanks a lot for telling it like it truly is.

You know I have read all post but there is one thing you guys have not said. That maybe just maybe if more people complain maybe something would be done for us all. And to be honest this is what I am hoping. I understand the process and I do know that there are people who have waited long than I have. But what does this have to do with trying to get help or make some changes to this process. Oh you can bet I am going to wait because I love my Fiance but if we just wait and not say anything who is going to know or care. There is another post out there about as many people complaining to their senators. I agree 100% even if it takes years to make a change for the ones who are coming behind us.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well hello everyone. Today is my 90 day mark for waiting on my NOA2. I went online yesterday and printed out a release of information form from my senator. Today I will definately fill out the form and send it to her. There are several concerns I will be raising with her. First the fact that it takes USCIS so long to go from a NOA1 to a NOA2. Second I will be talking to her about the order that the applications are processed. And on this note I want to know from them what ever happened to First In First Out.(FIFO) There is no way in the world peoples applications are supposed to get approved until the person ahead of theirs has been approved. Unless they have Premium Service with an emergency situation or there is a problem with a persons application and at that point they should be given an RFE to correct. This is understandable but just because a worker may be out on vacation or sick is not a good enough reason. If this worker is out or sick then the applications they were processing should go to someones elses desk for processing. Even if their supervisor has to process them. This is America people we live in the land of the free the home of the brave. We live in a country where no man is better than another. We all need to act like it especially government offices.

Thank you so much for all you have done for us. And the best of luck on your up coming Interview.

Hello All January Filers

I got my NOA2 today as well................Checked 9:00AM this morning, still no touch since January NOA1, came back at 10:30 and my email had three messages from USCIS..

Approval Notice Sent.....

Actually they said it was mailed yesterday, but they sent email and changed online status today.

There is light at the end of this tunnel...

Never had a single "touch" update to online account.

Good Luck all and hold in there...

Carl

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Congratulations, I am celebrating with you!!! What wonderful news. God is So good.

Now that is something to really celebrate. Congrats. I am so very happy for you.

Why not? Its not a federal holiday.

Well in the Holier Than Thou State of Arkansas all children are out of school. This is why I asked the question.

They're out for spring break because that's when the school district and/or state decided to give the break. They didn't give it FOR Good Friday, I assure you. Clever timing? Yes. But common in areas where there's a concentration of any particular religion. Schools often schedule days off for breaks or whatever else on days when students might be absent anyway for family holidays or religious celebrations (like Jewish holy days or around Easter for Christians, etc).

We had Spring Break last week not this week.

Why not? Its not a federal holiday.

Well in the Holier Than Thou State of Arkansas all children are out of school. This is why I asked the question.

Nothing for me either. I wonder if CSC will be opened today since it is Good Friday.

My fiance is from Nigeria and yes he can drive. When I went to visit him there he had a car and he drove me everywhere. And I must say if you can drive in Nigeria you can drive anywhere especially in Lagos. I have been driving most of my life here in the U.S. but I would never drive on the roads in Nigeria.

why oh why are people who got their NOA1 after me getting approved? Does this mean mine is lost? I think my head's going to explode!!!!

Look at my timeline and others in November and December. I have no idea of what they are thinking at CSC. It beats me.

Congratulations

Well guys on Monday it will be exactly 90 days and you talk about getting worried. I am so worried I am starting to have bad dreams. I am still looking for that NOA2. Can someone tell me where it is?