Jonara

Hey guys,

Just wanted to write something that is very frustrating and could happen to anyone unfortunately.

Few days ago we received a mail adressed to some name and has OUR EXACT adress from the USCIS. I knew there is some kind of mistake right away since we live in a private house and there is no one under that name. If we lived in the building it would be a different story, thinking someone else's mail from a different apt was in our mailbox, but that's not the case.

So I decided to open the letter and it was a letter adressed to that person stating that they have a GC interview next month. I called the USCIS letting them know that I received someone's mail with OUR adress on it and that maybe they can resend the letter to the person to the CORRECT adress. The customer service told me that they can NOT do it cause I don't have the info like their date of birth so they would have to miss their interview and then they'll get some letter stating that they have missed their interview and that they can be rescheduled. I got pissed and explained to the lady that it's a very important even for someone and it's not fair to which she replied " there is nothing we can do about it but I do understand your concern"

So something like this can happen to any of us and it's just frustrating.

Just wanted to vent

You have every right to feel frustrated. You know what it's like to wait and to count on something very important. Arghghg I can't believe how they treat it so lightly without offering to research what could have happened. UNREAL!

Hi guys. Well, the end of a long journey for both of us. My green card arrived yesterday and I start my first job on September 28th (my first interview and I got the position - beginner's luck, I guess). Anyhow, I had good credit in the UK, but I was wondering what you other guys have done to get hold of credit cards here to build up your credit when they really have no record of my finances here (and my wife has only just started to build up credit herself by piggybacking on my mother in law's credit card). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and warm wishes to all of you who have been or are still going through this agonising bureaucratic process.

Paul

Hi Paul, it's been many many many years for me but it took me about a year or 2 to establish one for myself. A lot of big credit card companies will not issue credit cards simply because they will say not enough credit history. But you tend to think how will you get history if they don't issue you one. Catch 22.

So start out small. Department store credit cards is one avenue. I read in some posts here that you have to pay it off every month. Others say you have to keep a revolving credit. I did the latter. That's how you start history by showing you are making payments every month against a balance. After some time you pay it off (especially if it's one of those credit cards with high interest). I also bought a car here. Here in the States, anyone can almost get a car loan. Cars are tangible items that banks can easily take away from you if you don't pay. When you apply for a car loan, more than likely you will get high interest rate. If you have a spouse who can co-sign the loan, you might get a better rate (as long as her credit is good). This is also a good way of establishing credit history because you are making monthly payments. You will be confronted by high interest rates for a while but this is only because you don't have any history. Once you start up with small credit cards with fairly low credit limit you will see how it all starts building up. Big credit card companies like Discover have flexible credit categories. (I think I started out with them because I was in college that time and they had a program catered to college kiddos). I hope this helps!

in all honesty, what you've posted does smack of "hell hath no fury...." If your concern is your child's wellfare, then take up the issue in family court. As you stated, the custody agreement is that you're informed of where your child is when he/she is with the father. If the father fails to give you address and contact information, then that is an issue for the family courts to sort out....not ICE?

It doesn't matter what her post "smacks of".. she has a valid point, she has asked for help on what to do, maybe we should offer her help and NOT opinions. Nobody ever wants to hear the word "fraud" around here, its like the anti christ for some people. Wake up, it does happen. To the OP you have every reason to be concerned and you should do everything you can to report this person and have them face the consequences.

UR right. Unfortunately, people put their opinion first over offering helpful advice. some should not post at all if they don't have anything useful to add to the discussion, and 8 of 10 VJ threads seem to turn into a pissing match.It is a shame.

To the OP: If you fear for your dtr's safety for one minute, you need to call the authorities and get her out of there. Good luck.

Yes that's real RICH coming from someone who just did the same thing.

On a serious note, directing the OP to pursue family court is indeed the best advice I've seen on this thread.

I'm currently reading the drivers' manual so that I can get my learners permit. You're right, I really need to learn while the roads are clear. I've also heard though that I have to keep my learners permit for 6 months before I can take the test. I'll have to find out about that.

I'm living in a small town (Middleboro) in MA (an hour outside Boston).

Oh dear you're towards the Cape. Urgh it's such a long time ago for me but I believe the 6 month learner's permit holder requirement is for minors only. After passing the written test, having a learner's permit allows you to drive (with someone 21+ and a license holder as well). Disregarding that I'm a complete stranger, I would have helped you practice-drive but you're too far! Driving is such a serious necessity here. I hope you get around this at least by spring.

I'm in the countryside so don't get to just walk to the city centre. It takes an hour train ride for me (if someone can get me to the station), and then I have to hope someone can pick me up at the end of the day (when they're able to) and that we have the money for me to do anything while there. Potentially 8 hours in the city by myself with no money? Not so fun after a while.

I'm surrounded by highways. No buses.

Gemmie - try to apply for your driver's license now or get into driver's ed if you don't know how to drive yet. Driving here is such a huge thing in the US unless you live in a big city. This is your ticket to freedom and less loneliness. Is there any issue that hinders you to get a license? Before my fiance visited me, I had asked him to get an international license. I have NO idea if the US even honors I/L but he got one anyway at no cost. Then after he arrived here, I still wasn't sure if he is allowed to drive so I called the police station to find out and they said YES he's allowed. Who knows if that's accurate but yeah he drove right away. It's not to say he didn't miss home ever but his ability to move around helped him assimilate quickly and knock off whatever he's missing in France.

I hope you get the driving situation sorted while the roads are still clear. It gets more depressing being stuck at home in winter. Where are you based now if I may ask?

in all honesty, what you've posted does smack of "hell hath no fury...." If your concern is your child's wellfare, then take up the issue in family court. As you stated, the custody agreement is that you're informed of where your child is when he/she is with the father. If the father fails to give you address and contact information, then that is an issue for the family courts to sort out....not ICE?

It doesn't matter what her post "smacks of".. she has a valid point, she has asked for help on what to do, maybe we should offer her help and NOT opinions. Nobody ever wants to hear the word "fraud" around here, its like the anti christ for some people. Wake up, it does happen. To the OP you have every reason to be concerned and you should do everything you can to report this person and have them face the consequences.

Yes, your HELP is really HELPFUL and opinionless. In case you missed it attacking me...I stated that this was an issue for the family courts. I am aware that 'it does' happen. I am also aware that there is a clear difference between family and immigration law. The issue facing the OP happens to fall into the former, yet she keeps trying to see if the latter will apply. It does not apply in order to 'protect' her child.

Best

OP, How about not releasing the child for visitation. If you are so truly concerned with the environment she is being exposed to...do not let him pick her up and take her. Force him to take you to court and explain. As you have stated, above all is the safety of your child. If it is so worrisome, act to protect your child. Reporting the father to ICE will get you nothing....as stated before, there's no guarantee that they will even investigate, much less give you the direct result you want. Again, if you truly fear for your child's safety, then do not let her go visit her father. period.

I agree with Minya's wife... just bring in Judge Judy and keep the CSI drama out. The issue is complicated in itself but if you focus more on what you're trying to solve (or protect) then you probably wouldn't have to do all those PI #######.

Hi all,

We are SO happy

Our I-129 was approved yesterday after 3 months.

We want to know what is the next step?

- When are we going to receive the packet 3?

Thank you for your help.

Good reference here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1guide

Welcome to Boston.

Your story got me to tears. Enjoy your new home.

This is definitely helpful. I'll try to do the same whenever my fiance gets his packet 3 from Paris.

To those who did not take the "suck-it-up" movement really well, please note it shouldn't be construed as my lack of compassion. I have the softest spot for people who are going through those hard times of missing home just like I was many many years ago. However, compassion does not always translate to getting too deep into the ugliness of things. At times the best route is to present how things can be worse and to point out the reality of being an immigrant (anywhere). I do acknowledge though that people are not built the same way. Some are brave and some are always hesitant to push themselves out of loneliness fast and furious.

When my fiance was here last year for 3 months, he started driving about a week after he arrived, running errands, shopping all by himself, driving a good distance to entertain himself while I'm at work yada yada. This is a French man who started learning English only about 1.5 years ago. If he can do this, so can anyone. It's all about determination to move forward. If you're not ready for that, then you're not so take your time. But remember sympathy tokens can run out and that's just fact.

Yah government offices CLOSED for holidays...

1) 2 days after NOA2, starting calling NVC: 603-334-0700 press 1 then 5.

2) Once NVC has your case, they assign a new case #. Ask them what date they sent your file to the embassy & also for the NVC case #.

3) Once you know the date NVC sent off the file, track it at DHL's website: http://track.dhl-usa.com/TrackByRef.asp?nav=TrackByRef For the reference code, enter EXP 10 JUL 2009A (adjust using dates just before the date NVC told you), with a shipping range of that day to a few days later (July 13 - July 14 worked for the example above). Look for shipments to your beneficiary's embassy.

4) To find out if the embassy processed the packet, call the Dept of State before 5pm: 202-663-1225 press 1 then 0

Maybe this will help you Jonara

Hey thank you. Indeed very helpful! I'll take a break for about a week from VJ worries and revisit this tracking option. I'm still in cloud 9 after finally receiving NO2... and having to talk to a real person from NVC. I'll cherish the moment for now and will start rattling people next week. lol.

Thanks for the pizza picture too...arghgh I'm hungry.

Yes that helped me understand things a little better. Thank you =)

Guess we'll wait till Tuesday where we can speak to a human (that sounds so weird).

LOL, the fact that I already spoke with a nice lady who said "yeah we got it, and here's your case number..", I was hoping that whatever she said will be restated via VRU. Wrong! I didn't bother freaking out about it. I deserve to chill at some point in this process.... until the next saga.

By the way... 5 years of dating online before the real meeting? Dang yo....you're the master of faith. Salut!

Ah damn, was hoping since they have operator assistance until midnight on weekdays their call center would be a separate entity since they do not adhere by the standard office hours.

Just out of curiosity, I called the same number yesterday (Saturday) and got through their voice response system. You can use that to check status of your case (you can enter either the USCIS receipt number or the NVC case number if you already received a letter from them) 24/7. When I tried that, it states that they don't have a record of my receipt number or a case number. This is after I already spoke to a live person a week ago who said they received my case and have sent it over to Paris. I say to wait til business hours and really speak to a person to know for sure what's going on with your petition papers. You should be receiving a letter from NVC (in New Hampshire) confirming receipt of your case approx 1 week after your NO2 approval. In that letter, it also indicates the real case number.

I hope this helps. Thanks.

All over these affidavits it says income from the beneficiary is accepted if it will continue. If the OP will have an Australian job paid with Australian dollars from an Australian company but simply performs his job remotely, it seems to fit the bill to me. The whole idea behind restricting working in the US isn't that we want immigrants to be idle, we just want to give American residents and citizens the first shot at American jobs. The only thing I worry about this rationale is that "income" can mean earnings from a job, OR earnings from investments, which have different connotations.

A good place to check is with the US consulate in Sydney - "Can I keep my Australian job and work remotely from the US? If so, may I use that income to self-sponsor my K1 visa? "

I just got a reply from them on the subject.

Dear Sir:

It depends on the job you’re doing and where you are paid from. However, the fact of the matter is, you are not allowed to work in the U.S. until you have a permit.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney (RST).

Have to hand it to them for ambiguity.

This should be in some comedy. Hm... I was hoping that someone actually did this.

With such ambiguious answer, let's try to read it between the lines. Getting paid by an Australian company charged to your Australian social security. You're not working in the US for a company that requires you to have employment authorization. You are working remotely from the US. Hence it's ok?!?

Jonara: You may feel differently when you actually have experience of the end result of the process. At the moment you are dealing in expectation....and not reality.

Have you noticed my avatar lately? A looooonnng time ago, I came here alone, yes alone without the kind of instant support that most K-1 beneficiaries would have when they enter the US. I know what it's like to feel isolated and not being mobile for a while, I know how it is to struggle to get credit and even understanding how things work in general. The odd part is I still am isolated today from immediate family and trusted friends. What kept me going all these years is the fact that it was I who made that decision to move. Back in those days, the internet was at its earliest stages. There were no Skypes, YMs and things like that to make communication easier, cheaper and quicker. So imagine the challenge of trying to keep in touch with people when I badly needed to hear from them and vice versa. I can even recall waiting 20 days + just to get a snail mail from people. Mobile phones were rare in the U.S. while my family and friends overseas would say "mobile what?". It was very easy to go insane back then but you have to truly believe that it's only temporary. And indeed I was right.

Having been through all that and seeing what others are experiencing now, I can't help but let out a "pffffffff". So yeah, let's talk about reality. I can write a book about it.

...certainly you can anticipate loneliness, homesickness and all when you move to another country.

You can anticipate until the cows come home, but even if you think that you're fully prepared for it, it's often not enough in the slightest. Even people who have traveled overseas before can go to live in another country, fully anticipating loneliness & homesickness, and still be overwhelmed by it weeks or months later -- because you think that you had it all figured out, but it strikes you that you really don't. Far, far easier said than done.

Tough it out and suck it up. There are certain things in this world that we can't leave out to trial and error. Not especially if it is a situation that can be controlled. Presumably, you married an adult so things can be reasoned out and negotiated. We can overcome loneliness with time... or at the very least GIVE it time as opposed to bailing out right away. Their VJ took longer than the whole togetherness #######... again to me what a waste.

I bet t when that beneficiary goes back home, her mother will grab her by the ear or a what-the-heck-where-you-thinking pinch from grandma.[ok it's a joke].

Although some can understand what she's going through, the solution to me is unacceptable. Don't give up that quickly.

As far as some of the other comments in this thread, there's no doubt that a USC has to invest a considerable amount of time, effort, and money into getting their fiance/e or spouse to the US. However, I don't think it's fair to minimize what the foreign fiance/e has to go through. As the USC, I don't have to dredge up police reports from every country I've lived in the for more than six months, nor travel halfway across my own country for a medical exam and interview. I also don't have to go into an office of a foreign government, and have some foreigner subject me to a 3rd degree interrogation while being required by their own country's laws to presume I'm a fraud. All this, just for the "privilege" of abandoning my life, family, and friends, and moving forever to a country that I may never have even seen, knowing that once I arrive I won't be able to work or even drive a car for months.

This is very tough on a foreign fiance/e or spouse. When they arrive in the US they are probably going to be bored, lonely, insecure, afraid, and miss the the life and home they left behind. "Think about everything I went through to get you here" is NOT an attitude that's likely to help them adjust. When they feel like their world is crumbling around them, you can't expect them to be very sympathetic to everything you did to help make that happen. They need comforting, reassurance, regular contact with family and friends back home, and time with people of their own culture in the US. They'll feel better when they see others have done it and have happy lives.

I see what you're saying and perhaps the role of beneficiaries in the K1 process is equally difficult. But at this stage of the journey when she's not pulling herself together after what they both went through, I can't sympathize with her either. When people decide to marry in general, what comes with it is a lot of self-reflection too. Am I ready? Where are we gonna live? Do we want children? I can imagine how it becomes more complicated if your future spouse doesn't live in the same country. More reason to think about how your life will change tremendously. No one can anticipate an abusive spouse but certainly you can anticipate loneliness, homesickness and all when you move to another country. You have to have a plan for this. If the hard journey to get to where they are doesn't matter to her at all, I will assume that she's being selfish and no clear and serious thought process ever occured from the get-go.

I am not here to make him feel bad... but think about this, you go through the hassles of K1 and after getting here, you realized its not what you imagined it to be... so you go home then realized you you want to go back then what now...go through another visa process again?

I wonder though, do we have stats around this? We know already there are sham ones but for marriage failures due to it's-not-what-i-thoughts, how common is this and what countries? I agree with STEPHnRIA and would probably react the same way. Some beneficiaries don't realize the extent of work USCs need to pull through to get them here. Time, money and emotions all wasted and out the door and only for a reason as cut and dry as "i-thought-i-will-like-it"...it's just tough to understand. Petitioners and beneficiaries alike have serious responsibilities to fully realize that LIFE changes when you migrate. You literally have to talk it out and outline all the what-you-will-be-missing-IFs.

On other note, if my bf pull that line with me "I'm homesick I want to go back to France"... first I'll kick his #### then put him in the basement in shackles.

To OP- I hope you can work it out. It sounds like you love her enough to bring her old life back. Why don't you try the AP route and let her go back for a while? If she changes her heart without papers, then what?

Hello !

Immigrate to France is easy, once you are married to a french citizen ! My advice is to get married in the US though, its easier and faster. Then, you make an appointment at the french consulate, bring your marriage certificate, birth certificates, passports (doesnt need to be translated) and they give you the "livret de famille". Once you get it, you can ask for a short stay visa "famille de français" (if you make another appointment for the visa, you can get both, livret de famille and visa, the same day).

When you arrive in France, you apply for a "carte de séjour vie privée et familiale". It may take a few months to get it (french bureaucracy is slow !), so they give you a "récépissé" that prooves you are not illegal and allows you to work.

Its that simple !!! My husband and I did this 2 years ago .....

the 7th : got married

the 10th : got the "livret de famille" and the visa at the french consulate

the 12th : arrived in France

I dont know about the PACS, it may not be that easy, but i know for sure the marriage is the best way !!

Good luck, and feel free to ask if you have any question !

Hi there, thank you so much. Does the French embassy accept only birth certificate? Can a passport suffice?

For device drivers, software that runs on embedded systems, apps such as video editors, and other low-level software, you are correct: unmanaged languages are the way to go. However, for most everything else, managed languages are the way to go. Advancements in garbage collection algorithms, for instance, have put languages running on the java VM on par as far as efficiency is concerned with non-managed languages such as C++ in some cases. Improvements in VMs and the steady increase in processing power make managed languages much more appealing as well, not to mention the fact that they are much easier to work with. In my own industry I'm seeing C++ go the way of the dinosaur and Java is quickly taking the lead - rightfullly so. There are some things that managed langauges (especially Java) can do much better than unmanaged langauges. For instance, I do a lot of backend development of fault-tolerant distributed systems. A million times easier to do this sort of thing with a managed network architecture like Jini versus any unmanaged langauge I am aware of.

As you said, though, totally off-topic. Ok, I'll shutup now (maybe).

Aww don't be so hard on yourselves. I don't think it's truly out of topic. We USCs are throwing ideas on how to be competitive when he joins the land of the free. Besides I love tech-talk. It's music to my ears next to Mozart

I'll answer the LIVING MONEY question: If you will be based in the North East, target a $4,000/month budget. This is to cover apartment rent, to drive a car, to purchase car insurance, utilities, to eat. Check the unemployment rate for the state you will residing. I have to agree that IT jobs are still all over the place but there still are unemployed web developers these days and you will be competing with them to get the job. What's your specialization?

(Hehe, I feel like I'm posting for a job app ) I've had about 5 years experience over pretty much the whole range of web development. I can create decent graphics template layouts, although I'm mainly a programmer. I've worked with a decent amount in terms of languages, ASP, ASP .NET, PHP, AJAX, JavaScript, HTML / CSS, MySQL, Access, SQL Server. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and I've been programming for almost 15 years now (just not professionally)

I kinda felt after I posted my questions were as though I'm snooping I just happen to be in the web development field myself but not as a programmer and certainly not as R2D2sh as you are.

I'm not sure if having had worked in a corporate/company setting carries a weight in the hiring process. If I were you, I would start brushing up my curriculum vitae, and refine it to achieve a great level of competitiveness. If you're not signed up for LinkedIn, do so. It's a great job networking site where your previous clients can vouch for the quality of your work. As one of the advisers here implied, do not worry too much about injecting your fiancee's bank account to show support. There are ways to get around proof-of-enough-dough to support an unemployed web developer.

We're planning that she come to Aus over Christmas for probably a month or so to meet the family among other things so we'll definitely have a few visits under our belt by the time comes that we need to go for the K1. The main issue is money. She's at school at the moment and only has a part time job. There is no way she could support me while I'm over there, which is why I need to have enough in the bank for myself. If they are only going to look at her finances in regards to this process is there any way I could for instance transfer funds from my bank account to hers as a sort of wage to bump her over the minimum? I understand I'm not allowed to work until I get an EAD which could either be when I fly over to JFK or anytime in 3-4 months. So I would need to have probably at least 6 months worth of living money saved up for the both of us. (Me getting the money isn't really an issue as I'm in an excellent position to be saving at the moment)

Looking for a job when I get an EAD also won't be any sort of issue as I'm a web developer and can simply contract work online from anywhere. So the issue isn't getting money its just a matter of how much. But if she needs to be over a certain amount then is there any way I can get around that?

Having to wait for her to finish school and get a good job is not going to be very ideal for either of us.

I'll answer the LIVING MONEY question: If you will be based in the North East, target a $4,000/month budget. This is to cover apartment rent, to drive a car, to purchase car insurance, utilities, to eat. Check the unemployment rate for the state you will residing. I have to agree that IT jobs are still all over the place but there still are unemployed web developers these days and you will be competing with them to get the job. What's your specialization?

Are you sure about what you say?

some good links hereafter

wiki about immigration

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_e...e_fran.C3.A7ais

wiki about PACS

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/PACS

long stay visa to get married in France

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_15...ance_10899.html

I'd be curious about bringing my husband here.

always thought it would be very easy.

Would imagine that he can come any time and then request to stay and and be authorised to work

but have not looked at it really.

Though it's a cool tool, Wiki is always the last thing I reference for anything. The site relies on volunteers to charge articles in there. I'm not against that site by the way but in terms of immigration laws and regulations, I'd prefer to go for the most reliable source...which I presumed will be a French immigration website.

p.s. Thanks for your info too!

Thanks guys for listening. Obviously I'm not gonna leave her after 11 years together but it's just frustrating when she always says "I help you with your greencard! and you wanted to marry because of greencard". It's a by product of being married to a citizen, not some wonderful gift she's giving to me, especially after being together for so long. How the hell am I gonna be a husband and pay for everything if I can't get a greencard and work for my family?

Yeah 11 years of sticking around for a GC is not a valid accusation. She needs a GC101 course and understand the trends as opposed to pinning it all on you. Counseling is good and don't wait very long to go through that. You might start believing her the more she points it out.

I called NVC yesterday and was told that my papers have been forwarded to Paris on 8/22. That was 2 days after my NO2 approval. I did not get an email notification stating that it's been forwarded. Should I be getting one? Also when I got the NO2 letter, I thought it will be a hefty one with some instructions on how to proceed like prepare your affidavit and stuff. Would there be a notice for this? Thank you.