Rob & Ana

Glad to hear that you are doing good! I admire your strength in taking that decision, and the strenght in deciding that this was not the end of your life, but more like a new beginning. Life is what we make of it, and although I dont want to say it was a mistake to get married and come over here, it was just a lesson in life that you probably needed to go through.

Girl power to you and all the happiness in the world that you deserve!

Love ya lil' sis!

Has anyone entered the US on their expired card and the NOA1 for the I-751??

I didnt get the stamp in my passport but I did bring my original NOA. I left the country after the NOA1 was received and will be coming back in about 2 weeks through LAX.

I will have 8 hours layover (not my choice and not on purpose); should I be expecting any problems? Should I go to the American Embassy/Consulate here in NZ and try to get a stamp?

Please any advice is welcomed!

Ana

Rob is going tomorrow (Tuesday) for an appointment with the USCIS, I think that their response will be just tick the box and send back. It's a good idea to include a letter stating the week that I will be back in the country.

I have never complained about the USCIS, I do think it's a gruesome process, but it needs to be, controlled immigration is a good thing (education and health system wise). I am just clear and practical, that they usually do not accomodate people's requests (again, because it would be impossible to accomodate everybody's).

Thanks for your input and I will post again whenever I get a response for my rescheduling request.

Ana

Hola gente!!!

Saludos desde Nueva Zelanda!!! Ya tengo aqui 4-5 dias y todavia tengo la cabeza como loca por el cambio de horario. Les tengo noticias... Me llego la carta para los biometrics... pero mueranse que es para 8 de agosto y por supuesto que no voy a estar en Pittsburgh para esa fecha. Mi media naranja se va a lanzar a una cita con la oficina del USCIS a ver que podemos hacer, porque mandar a hacer el re-schedule asi no mas, es tentar a que lo hagan en una fecha que yo no vaya a estar en Pitts otra vez (desde aqui hasta finales de octubre voy a estar como Maltin Polar). Y bueno, esas son las noticias.

Yazz, mi recomendacion para adaptar el oido y perder el miedo a las entrevistas; aplica a todos los trabajos que pueden o puedan no ser tu preferido; la mayoria de los postings que hacen en Monster, hotjobs, careerbuilder, etc son hechos por head hunters, es decir, que primero te vas a ir a entrevistar con ellos y luego con la gente en realidad que te va a contratar. Esta gente te va a decir, sin pelos en la lengua si hay algo que necesitas mejorar para que te contraten en el campo que tu estas buscando.

En cuanto al cambio y al panico, te cuento que cuando yo llegue a Pitts, no queria ir ni al supermercado sola, porque tenia miedo a que la gente me hablara, como tu, yo hablaba ingles perfectamente y mi esposo no habla nada de espanol, asi que por falta de practica no era. Pero es la inseguridad de no saber que esperas; y no saber como se hacen las cosas aqui... mas que miedo es como incertidumbre. Y como mujeres independientes, con buenos trabajos y buena posicion en el pais de origen, pues, uno se frustra y te sientes como incapaz de NADA!! Lo unico que te puedo decir es que eso pasa, y no es de un dia para otro, pero eventualmente, pasa...

Yo me acuerdo la primera vez que me monte en mi carro sola y atravese toda la ciudad (para ir a comprar unas hallacas) y me regrese a casa sin perderme, y me senti TOTAL Y COMPLETAMENTE realizada. Eran mis pequenas victorias, y como mi marido (como el tuyo) es super comprensivo y me apoya en todo, pues me celebraba esas pequenitas victorias y nunca, pero nunca me hizo sentir como si era tonta o algo asi.

Nada, que todo pasa, poco a poco te adaptas y en un par de anos ya estas enamorada de tu ciudad, ya las cosas te son familiares, ya tienes amigos y actividades y montones de cosas que llenan tu vida y la hacen mas satisfactoria.

Como dice la Tocaya, my two cents...

Besitos a todos y que esten bien!!

Hi!!

So I received my biometrics letter today, and the appointment is for August 8th. I should be happy, right?

Well, there's a slight issue. I am in New Zealand (working) and I will not be back for another three weeks.

Rob is going to make an appointment at our local USCIS office and see what he can do to reschedule the appointment; I know that there is something in the letter that says that all you have to do is check a box and send it back; but I will be in and out of the country until the end of October, so I want to make sure that the appointment is made on a day when I am actually in town (if possible).

Any idea if this is possible? I know it's the USCIS ... and they will not be accomodating people's flimsys, but it's a valid reason why I am not able to have the biometrics on the scheduled date.

Recommendations welcomed....

Ana

Que barbaro!!

Cuando yo lo hice, hace tres anos, me preguntaron: "usted tiene antecendentes penales? ha estado presa?" ... yo por puesto que no... entonces no invente, si no tiene antecedentes entonces no hay papel. Y san seacabo!

Nunca me lo pidieron en la embajada, ni siquiera lo mencionaron.

Que tal que estoy sacando una visa pa' trabajar en Nueva Zelanda (por un piche mes), y me estan pidiendo hasta el epilogo?? vamos a ver si en verdad me llega de aqui al viernes que es cuando salgo de viaje!

Seguimos reportando!

Yo!

Hi...

Well guess what?? Since I am in Venezuela visiting my family, Rob called and told me that the NOA arrived today.

This is VERY good news for me, because I get to travel lots for work and not having the NOA meant that I´d be grounded (which isnt entirely bad).

I will be going to New Zealand at the end of this month, and I hope that my biometrics apointment is not for a little while.

I did not send the sworn affidavits, I had LOADS of other information, and I didnt think I needed it. I only had one from our friend, and I decided not to include just that one.

Well, just wanted to let you all know...

Count down begins I guess...

Ana

Que molleja!!

Me llego el NOA!!!

Mande los papeles el lunes pasado y hoy Rob me dijo que habia llegado el NOA.... el papel extiende el Green Card por un año, dice que pronto me llega la carta para el Biometrics...

Toy contenta!!!

So we sent the packet and they received it before the holiday, the check was cashed this Monday (7th), I am hoping to receive the NOA sometime by the end of this week or beginning next week. Am I being too optimistic??

Thanks!!!

Just giving final touches....

putting legends to the photos... and numbering the documents...

How long will they take to answer? what is the average?

So, finally.... this is what I am sending

Identification documents and taxes:

- Passport copies (ID, renovation and K1 visa)

- Green Card copy (back and front)

- Change of address on both our DL

- Joint US taxes - 2007, 2006 & 2005

- Stimulus check 2008

- Pennsylvania State Tax return forms - Rob and me (showing same address)

- Local municipality Wage tax return forms - (same as above)

Home Purhase documents

- Agreement of sales and purchase

- Mortgage document

- Initial Escrow account disclosure

- Home equity line

- County Website - Owner General Information (shows address, and both our names)

- Homeowner's insurance policy

Bank accounts, insurance & benefits

- Auto Insurance

- IRA account - letter saying I am beneficiary of Rob's IRA

- Beneficiary Designation confirmation - My 401K

- Life Insurance beneficiary

- Saving's and Checking bank statements - Last two months

Miscellaneous

- Chimney cleaning service (on my name - showing the address)

- Window Company Quote

- JC Penney Delivery service (dining room set)

- Utility Company bill (both our name - is the only one with both our names)

- Pictures from our trip to Vzla - Jan 07

- Pictures from my family visit in Pittsburgh - Dec 07

- Pictures from our trip to Niagara Falls - April 08

I am sending this tomorrow (after making a copy of the whole package), express service and delivery confirmation and the whole she-bang...

What do you guys think??

Ana

Yazz:

Lastimosamente, no estoy en Seattle, pero en Pittsburgh tampoco hay muchos latinos, y no se consiguen muchas cosas latinas tampoco. Ya yo voy para tres anos aqui y la verdad ya me acostumbre, y cuando me provoca comer algun plato venezolano, pues me invento substitutos (sobre todos los platanos).

Paciencia, paciencia y mas paciencia... es la unica recomendacion que le puedo hacer...

En cuanto al certificado de antecedentes penales, les informo que en Venezuela no existe tal documento. Si no tienes antecedentes entonces no hay documento; solo necesitan la carta de buena conducta emitida por la prefectura.

Saluditos!!

Yo!

Bueno ninos...

He tenido que crear otro nick aqui porque el otro se me perdio, de hace tanto tiempo que no venia por estos lares.

Empece tarde pero segura con el proceso de la remocion de condiciones de la fulana tarjeta verde.

Estoy agregando los siguientes documentos, asi que haganme el favor de revisar y ver si me falta algo

- Affidavits de amigos (Mi cunado y una amiga de la familia)

- Impuestos del 2007 (Joint)

- Bank accounts (Joint)

- Credit Cards (Joint)

- Documento del Mortgage de la casa

- Documento del banco donde tenemos el mortgage (indicando el monto del pago)

- Copia del Agreement para un Home Equity Line

- Copia de la pagina web del County donde esta el home assessment y sale nuestra direccion y nombres.

- Copia del recibo del gas (unico donde pusimos los dos nombres)

- Copia del Homeowner's insurance

- Copia del seguro de vehiculos

- Carta donde dice que soy la beneficiaria de las cuentas IRA's de Rob

- Copia del estado de cuenta de mi 401K donde dice que Rob es el beneficiario

- Carta de mi Life Insurance donde dice que Rob es mi beneficiario.

Sera suficiente?? Se que estoy empezando a estresarme por esto, pero es que solo me quedan 30 dias antes de que se venza mi tarjeta...

Oh thank God!!

I am biting my nails, because I am out of town until this weekend and although we've been gathering all the documentation, we will not be sending the package until Saturday.

My next work trip takes off on the 28th of July (a day after expiration) and I will be out of the country for a month. So I am a little nervous about not being able to go to New Zealand (I know it's a long time and it's a LOOOONG trip, but I dont think I will ever get there if it wasnt for this work related trip),.

So I will try to be as organized as possible and send the documentation on Saturday and pray that we get the NOA soon.

Thanks for your reply!!

OK....

So I dropped the ball and I am filing for the removal of my conditions only 30 days before my card expires. Is this really bad??

We have solid financial binding information: Taxes, Mortgages, Insurance Policies, bank accounts and home equity line of credits, a couple of utility receipts, evidence that we are beneficiaries on each other's life insurance, 401K's and IRA accounts. We are getting two affidavits from friends.

I think this is enough, the only thing I am worried about is not filing right at the 90 day window.

Also, I read somewhere, but I would appreciate confirmation. After I get my NOA for the removal of conditions I can travel outside the country... right? I am an internal auditor and there are a couple of work trips planned for the following months.

Any help or input is appreciated!!

Thanks!!

Ana