Yader&Sarah

I'd be more than happy to sign a petition. but I think there is more we can do. I agree with those of you that say the media is a must. Sara's story is heartbreaking and although it's one of the extremes, there is lots of heartbreak happening in the world of legal immigration, although we usually only hear about it concerning illegal immigration.

I'm having a difficult time finding information on the varicella vaccine and if the complete series (2 doses) is needed before applying for AOS.

Aside from that answer, does anyone have the link to the USCIS required vaccination page?

Thanks so much!

yeah, it's not really a big deal to get more. We just have what feels like a million mismatches.

I guess we can make a nice passport/immigration themed christmas card or something... or find tiny tiny picture frames.

Thanks for the input!

Sorry, sometimes I forget to be more specific when I'm in the middle of all of this.

We are sending in the AOS application. do THOSE TWO required passport sized photos need to be the same--to anyone's knowledge?

Does it matter if the two passport pictures are not the same?

We are aquired quite a few mismatches in this process?

Not a big deal to go get more, just wondering.

Thanks!

I just called. Super easy! and so much friendlier than civil surgeon offices here in stl!

thanks all!

I tried to call Dr. Arnold yesterday, but his office was closed. Can you just fax the form? or must it be through the mail?

Also. where are the results of the tb test? I know he had one, because he needed to have a chest xray and we carted it here for future use (because of his tb vaccination, he will always test positive). Maybe we should just send in the xray... haha.

VJ google DR. L.E. Arnold (Austin, TX) His office has been known to do it via the USPS for a nominal ($30?) fee....

thanks! I'll try it! anything is better than doing it all over again!

Quick question...

I just called several civil surgeons to see if they could "complete the vaccination section" for our AOS. They said that they wont sign anything unless he does the complete physical with them... and their first appt is after his k-1 expires...

are they confused? or am I asking for the wrong thing?

anyone had problems with this? any civil surgeon recommendations in st louis/missouri?

thank you all so much for your advice and support.

it's good to know this is normal. and I really appreciate your suggestions!

Hi all.

We are so blessed to have received the k-1 visa and my fiance has been in the US for just over a month (this is his first time here). We were married at our civil ceremony last Friday.

we both knew this was going to be very difficult, but now that we are in it, it's overwhelming at times. Not to say everything is awful. We have good times and very emotional, difficult ones.

I'm assuming most of this is because my fiance has always been a very self-sufficient person who has worked and lived on his own since he was 16. and now wham, he has to depend on me--financialy, socially, and emotionally. He also speaks very little English, but is taking English classes daily. He gets along well with my family, despite the communitcation difficulty.

We have found many opportunities in the community, ie Spanish speaking Habitat for Humanity volunteer opportunities, free english classes, spanish speaking churches, etc. I know these aren't magic, but I'm trying to find a way to give him some sense of control back.

I was wondering if anyone had advice about your first few months. What was difficult? What did you do that worked and what didn't?

Thanks all!

I forgot to mention... this weather is brutal for people who get dry skin, one of the first days back I realized skin lotion was a must...

funny story. since yader's face was so chapped I gave him my clinique face lotion to use. you know, the really luxurious stuff that you use over the course of a year...I picked it up yesterday and it is almost empty. I was like, yader! #######! (but in a nice loving way of course), and of course, he's been using it everywhere... grr.... I quickly introduced him to a economic sized bottle of Vaseline intesive care.

I have to apologize for not helping bump august off of page 2 more often! I swore to myself i would not be one of those selfish people that got their NOA2/interview/POE/whatever and just dropped off the face of the earth!

welcome back helloworld! I hope the next few months pass super quick!

mara: !!!!!! akdfoiefasanAW#RHA(#*RTAefsa! that's all I have for you and chris. that and I will be praying for a speedy expedite!

happy birthday cuchita!

and hang in there fred!

I'm sorry I didn't read more in depth. But good luck to everyone with waiting, medicals, interview, etc!!

I'd love to hear what she thinks of our country? they always ask that over there. I eat those stories up (I dunno, maybe I'm weird)...tell us...her first reaction, first comments about the US....all the good stuff (if she's not too shy to speak her mind)...

I'm throwing my two cents in as well because, I too, eat these stories up. We are at 1 week since arrival tomorrow.

My fiance (who is offended now when I introduce him as fiance, because he hears spanish 'fianza' and thinks he's some sort of financial document) has had a bit of a rough time letting the US grow on him. We have eaten nothing but Nicaraguan inspired food since we got back except for the one day we escaped to Steak and Shake.

I live near Maliciant and I agree, the weather hasn't helped. I have high hopes for march. My love's face is bright red and chapped. poor guy! He wears an excessive amount of clothes, including slippers and a robe everyonce in a while (over his clothes god bless him).

it's been really hard for him because I have to work everyday. and he is really bored. like maliciant said, he is used to lots of people and noise and although we live in a very urban area, it's pretty quiet. day and night. he commented yesterday when we were driving home from english class, that he was trying to imagine if all his neighbors in his hometown had cars (because mabybe 10% have cars) it would look something like this (our street) but he could never imagine everyone parked on the street! (as opposed to pulling the car into their locked houses/gates.

that's another thing, we've taken advantage of free english classes, which is a good and useful way to kill time. The english has been rough for him. so next week he's starting full time. I teach english at night, and so he went with me, and I was SURE he would test into level 1, but low and behold, he tested into my level, level 2. which is amusing.... we've never spoken in english. ever.

he's amazed at hot water all the time, and uses it as a mini heater...maybe that's why his face is chapped...he was excited to hear he could flush toilet paper, and also traced all pipes to god-knows-where throughout my building.

I let him drive to the grocery store. 2 blocks. we're going to wait awhile before we do that again. but he did parallel park for me last night he was amazed at the grocery store and the self check out, and somehow we managed to leave with rice, beans, and chicken. so much for expanding our pallets!

Our biggest enemy right now is this combined feeling of boredom, overwhelm, and helplessness. Like I said, we are going to try to conquer it with daily English classes. He also signed up to help with a Habitat for Humanity work crew that meets from 1-3 days a week, your choice, to practice english, learn more about north american construction, and help out. And several afternoons a week he's going to help with repairs at the health clinic where I used to work which is for hispanic immigrants. It feels a bit like scheduling summer camp at this point, but I can see him getting more and more comfy on a daily basis, but it could be the flannel pajama pants he refused to take off...

Hi everyone! Back from Nicaragua. Loooongest trip of my life. Very exciting and stressful all rolled up into one story with a happy ending!

Here's our informal interview timeline/experience:

Feb 13: interview.

embassy opens at 8, got there at about 7:15, far from the first people there. passed through two security checks and finally into resident visa interview area. I was able to go all the way through with him, they acted like this was no big deal. Waited for about 30 minutes and we were called to the window. Again, I was able to go to the window with him. A man asked for our DS-156 and 156K, passport foto, i-134 and taxes (not the employer letters or proof of citizenship). he asked us when and where we met and how long before we started dating. He asked for Yader's divorce certificate and his birth certificate. and how old was his son, (I think there was some confusion about this, because his son's name was on most of the embassy documents, including the list of interviewees in the line out front, but we never intended to bring him over on the k-1). He asked how many times I had been to nicaragua to visit. And then he asked to see some of the proof of our relationship. I just started by giving him passport stamps and tickets. I offered everything else, but he said that was ok. Although we were super organized, it was getting kind of hectic and overwhelming sliding everything under the little window. So he kept the papers that he had and told us to take a seat and we would be called again to another window in a little bit.

**note. Yader and I kind of tag teamed answered questions. at first I was worried that this would be a problem, like it would seem insincere ie, I was answering when he 'couldn't remember' or vice versa. But everyone was quite friendly and content and seemed actually kind of happy for us.

At the second window, the consul pulled out the DS-156 and asked Yader to swear that everything was true. He did. She signed the paper (Yader said at that point he knew we were ok). She asked if we spoke English and because yader doesn't much, she continued in Spanish. She asked to see more of our pictures, letters from eachother, from family members to each other, and all our other evidence. We slid it to her and she browsed through some of the pics and while kind of actually smiling, asked us about them, and several questions very similar to the first guy: how long have we known eachother, where was this picture, how long have we dated, how many times had I visited. Then, before I even realized what was happening, she said. ok you're approved, congratulations! take this little paper to the little desk in front.

***We didn't get back any of the paperwork and documents that we turned in. we DID NOT get back his original birth certificate or divorce certificate. We did get back all our of evidence.

We tried really hard not to celebrate to blatantly until we got outside, because as far as we could tell we were the only people approved yet that morning. We left at about 9:30 am. So about 2 hours. It was funny, we both commented on the fact that, ok, this actually feels like our wedding. in a weird way. can you imagine if instead of vows, people were married by interviews. ha.

***another note: I cannot express how kind everyone at the Managua Consul was. I was completely suprised and impressed. It really made for a pleasant experience, especially after so long of expecting the worst.

Feb 20. visa delivery:

anyway, we had no real problems. they said the visa would be available to pick up that next friday. So, silly excited us, changed our tickets to Saturday ( I had already been a little overexcited once and booked them for that thurs before). Luckily I didn't lose much money. But the problem came when we went to go pick up the passport and visa, and packet at the post office on friday and it wasn't there. So yader went back to the embassy as I cried and scoffed (will the torture never end!!) and basically pleaded with them and they admited that it was a logistical error on their part and told him to come back at 3 pm. And we did and there was the passport with visa.

Feb 21, POE-Houston

our POE was really the only unpleasant part of our immigration experience. It wasn't bad, just unpleasant. I went through the visitors line with Yader as per the instructions of the people that heard you. First time in my life, I have not encounted a spanish speaking employee at the international terminal in houston. the first officer was basically rude, asked us when we met, how long before ya'll started goin' out, and if I spoke Spanish. then he told me where I had to wait while Yader had his interview and scoffed at the size of the k-1 sealed packet we presented him (it was just our original application to USCIS). then he told yader to wait and bellowed "ESCORT 27!!!!!" quite prison guard like. I waited for yader, he said it took a little longer because there was only one guy who spoke spanish and they had to find him. then they just asked him the same basics, where and when we met and how long we've been dating. And we were free to go.

The only problem we had after that was the cold front that came through St. Louis this weekend!

Thank you thank you thank you again to all of your for all your support and help! i'm excited to learn about everyone else's journeys as they unfold!

Congrats Jazz_acid. wow! two months early, take care of the baby and yourself!

We just finished our interview with the Consulate in Managua, Nicaragua this morning...

...short, sweet, and APPROVED!

We were only there about 2 hours, they let us interview together, all embassy employees very kind, no scrutinizing, visa ready next Friday Feb 20, overrall A+++!!!

Thanks to all for your support and guidance! I will be back later with a more detailed description, for now, we have to celebrate!

I wanted my August Filer Family to be the first to know...

We were approved this morning!!!

All went well at the interview. It was amazingly brief, not difficult/threatening or anything at all negative in the face of the rest we have dealt with in the process. I was allowed to interview with him, which was really nice. Also, everyone at the embassy was actually friendly. An overrall good experience!

We are able to pick up his visa next Friday, and are planning a POE on Saturday though Houston. I will write more in detail later! We need to go celebrate!

Seb&terry: Congrats!!!

Hyena: I´m so sorry to hear! But I´m glad you realized sooner than later and I hope everything works out for you!

ok VJ friends....

I'm getting ready to head to Nicaragua. 5 am tomorrow morning. I should be there by noon. Plenty of time to review all the paperwork and thoroughly freak-out before the interview on Friday!

wish us luck! I'm shaking in my boots!

Good luck!

Our interview is the 13th too! Hopefully, lucky Friday the 13th for both of us!

I completely agree with both of you. although we aren't waiting anymore, I'm actually dreading the interview, maybe I'm just a really negative person, but all I can think is that because some of our issues we are going to for sure get denied and have to start all over again.

and! I'm the biggest baby of them all. I'm at work and I just talked to my lawyer. After I could barely make it through the convo, I had to shut the door and cry in my office until they were banging down the door...embarrassing....how can you explain this to anyone? it's so unlike anything I have ever done in my life. and I hate it. (there is my flag waving )

This whole process is crushing me. Sara - I don't know how you've stuck it so long. I really want you to get approved, it's torture having to wait like this. I got denied entry to the US in October 2007, we were told that we had to apply for a fiance visa but because my mum was terminally we waited because I didn't want get married while she was dying. I hate this, getting properly depressed.

Sorry for being such a moan, I don't mean to go waving the victim flag - just having one of those days - AGAIN!!!! Wish we could all get approved

I understand you so well! I don´t think I have ever been that frustrated in my life. All I can think of is this stupid visa. I could cry all the time because I have this big fear that we will have to wait for years. I honestly think I couldn´t stand it.

At the same time I feel so bad because I don´t even pay attention to other people anymore. I feel sorry for my parents because they know how unhappy I am. And also my friends don´t know anymore what to say. Nobody knows a solution or anything to calm me down.

See I am also waving the victim flag.

I wished I would have some faith that we´ll get approved soon. Or at least within the next moths.

Oh I know exactly how you feel, I'm just wishing my life away because all I care about is this damn visa. My fiance thinks it'll be approved any day now but I have this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that we'll be waiting a very long time. I can hardly look at the other threads on this because others are getting approved and it makes me feel sick, I'm so happy for them but it's just a reminder that we are NOT approved. Not even getting any touches, at least that would be something. I'm on the verge of tears all the time and because the rest of the world is getting on with their lives, you end up feeling very isolated. All my friends are married and having babies - I feel like Bridget Jones!

I'm going to be flying out and trying to visit this wednesday. Wish me luck guys!

Good luck Neil!

and congratulations!

I'm going to be flying on Wednesday, too. But to Nicaragua for our interview on Friday!!!

I am so beyond nervous. I dont think I have ever been excited/scared/nervous/freaking out in my life! but then again, I've never had to personally petition the US government for permission to marry my love either...so i guess it merits all of these emotions and more!

Guys and Gals, i will be heading to the airport in a few hours, and will be gone for 3 weeks. I hope while i am gone, there will be alot of good news!! Congrats to those so far and Good luck to the rest...

Have a great time HW!!!

a friend of mine who had same wt ur case waited for d court decicion til she set for an interview bcoz its very clear n d instruction that b4 filing a K1 or b4 interview, both parties are free to get married. If the consul denied you then denial has a big diff from delaying of issuance of visa...but still prayers is d best weapon to touch God's heart. Good Luck

I dont get it... you friend filed for the k-1, then waited to scheudel an interview until after it was finalized?

were they approved?

congrats! and good luck in the journey yet to come!

from a fellow freaker-outer:

dont drive yourself insane. It will all work out. and if it doesnt work out how you want it to, learn from your mistakes, regroup, and try again.

at this point, you just have to wait it out. I agree with those saying it will probably be an RFE, but regardless, you just have to chill, take care of yourself, be there for your fiance, and wait.

to start passing time, you should fill out your timeline! when did you file?