kerewin21

Our Administrative Processing took 5 weeks. Majid got the visa in his passport 2 days after the DOS said the visa was approved, but the consulate called him a few days before the DOS even said it was approved to drop off his passport.

Sharon

I'm sorry they seem to be in such a lousy mood over there recently. I'm glad to hear you are able to go there to spend time with your fiance, it will make the pain of straightening all this out much less severe.

Please keep us posted, we're all rooting for you.

Sharon

Noura, we sent in a copy of Majid's original divorce decree (in Arabic), along with a copy of a certified translation done in Morocco (by certified, I mean there was a statement at the bottom that said something to the effect of "I certify that I am competent to translate and that this is an accurate translation". We were never asked for originals. I don't even know what the DFA is!

If you need more specific information, let me know, I can look at the papers we have at home.

Sharon

Amy I am so excited for you!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad to hear your leg is doing better. Please keep us posted in between your loads of laundry

Sharon

Yes I have to get a visa and the dayum thing cost 100 dollars. I have to fill out a document, include a copy of my airline confirmation, the invitation, and my passport and I will overnight it to the Algerian embassy in Washington DC. Then they send it back overnight to me if I include an overnight paid envelope. After we are married I will register with the Algerian embassy as a spouse and I will not have to pay it anymore.

Meriem

That's a pain in the neck. When I went to Brazil I needed a visa. I think it cost something like $100. They said it was a reciprocal requirement... the US charged their citizens, so they wanted to charge US citizens. We forget how lucky we are as Americans to not usually need a visa!

I hope you get all your paperwork together soon, Meriem. It's too bad there aren't more people with Algerian spouses here to help you out more.

Sharon

Thanks everyone for looking! I got the caftan in Morocco, Maj's mother and sister-in-law had it made for me (without telling me, of course!) The shoes are a bit much (purple with toes that point up) but I figured I might as well do the whole thing.

Soon to be reunited... Angel and Anmar on Feb 9!!!!

Recent Reunifications:

jenprincess1 (Egypt/Kuwait, CR-1) Reunited OCT 18th!!!

morac (Morocco, K-1) Reunited OCT 23rd!!!

Prena and Aziz (prena, Morocco, K-1) Reunited OCT S28th!!!

Moe and Lisa (moe_lisa, Jordan, CR-1) Reunited NOV 3rd!!!

Liz and Abdel (honeyblonde, Morocco, K-1) Reunited NOV 5th!!!

Sharon and Majid (kerewin21, Morocco, K-1) Reunited NOV. 15th!!!

erika1228 (Lebanon, K-1) Reunited NOV 11th!!!

Rebecca and Abderrafie (rhouni, Morocco, K-1) Reunited DEC 9th!!!

Alma and Omar (appletree35, Morocco, CR-1) Reunited DEC 10th!!!

Jenn and Ouadia (jenn3539, Morocco, K-1) Reunited DEC 10th!!!

Amal and Noor (amal, Jordan, CR-1) Reunited DEC 11th!!!

Melody and Khaled (melodyjeanne2003, Egypt, K-1) Reunited DEC 29th!!!

Sarah and Otman Reunited JAN 13th!!!

Hawhaw Reunited JAN 20th!!!

Farah2005 Reunited JAN 22nd!!

Amera and Youssef Reunited JAN 26th!!

Upcoming Reunifications:

Angel and Anmar FEB 9th!!!

Recent Marriages:

Doreen and Abdou June 23, 2005

Carolyn and Simo July 9, 2005

Twila and Hicham July 22, 2005

Vicki and Youness August 20, 2005

Liz and Abdel December 16, 2005

Rebecca and Abderrafie December 23, 2005

Prena & Aziz January 15th, 2006

Jenn & Ouadia January 20th, 2006

Sharon & Majid January 28th, 2006

Upcoming Marriages:

Recent AOS Approvals:

Dana and Khalid (dkbakkass, Morocco, K-3) Approved OCT 26th!!!

Jacque and Mohammed (jmagayreh, Jordan, K-3) Approved NOV 3rd!!!

Sara and Adnan (sara535, Morocco, K-1) Approved DEC 1st!!!

Doreen and Abdou (myfellah, Morocco, K-1) Approved JAN 26th!!!

Upcoming AOS interviews:

Twila and Hicham (tnh9479, Morocco, K-1) Interview MARCH 8th!!!!

Waiting on AOS:

Rabie and Layne (rabie007, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 2nd

Carolyn and Simo (carolyn, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 8th

Elizabeth and Hisham (elizabeth&hisham, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 12th

Vicki and Youness (karotte, Morocco, K-1) Filed October 11

Laura and Abdel (lal_brandow, Canada, K-1) Filed OCT 19th

YAY!!! Congrats He'll be here SOON!!!!

Sharon

Interesting article, thanks for digging it up. This is the reason my parents refused to cosponsor my fiance. It seems as though there is not a clear record on this at all in the legal system, since it's been so rarely applied.

I think important to remember is this paragraph at the bottom:

he author is not aware of any successful actions to obtain reimbursement for means-tested benefit programs obtained by the alien, largely due to the following: (1) sponsored aliens are barred from receiving these benefits for a five-year period in most jurisdictions; (2) after this five-year period, the income of the sponsor is deemed to the alien in determining financial eligibility; and (3) most states have not implemented a system for seeking such reimbursement in cases where the alien does access benefits. Over the course of the last nine years, only a handful of actions have been brought against sponsors by the sponsored alien, and all have been by disgruntled spouses.

It's pretty unlikely that it'll end up being a problem, but you never know. Just like in life...

I agree with Angel why have your husband go thru this stuff if they knew they were going to "soft deny" him?

They are baaaaad people...baaaad! <hehe>

You know what? I think they just don't give a sh*t. As much as we'd like them to be evil people, as much as that might make us feel better in fighting the bad guys, I think they just don't care enough about doing their jobs well or serving the people who pay their salaries to even attempt to be moderately professional.

Sigh. I feel for those of you still dealing with Casa, I realize how lucky I am to have them out of my life forever. You are all amazingly dedicated to your relationship with your partners.

Sharon

I was going through this because we needed a co-sponsor. One of the immigration attorneys I spoke with (who had been at it for 10 years) said it was a "paper tiger" and that he has never seen anybody be sued. Another one I spoke with said the same thing, that he had never seen it happen. Not that this helped convince anybody on my side to be a co-sponsor (but we eventually found one, who will hopefully also do our AOS).

They also told me that if the government were to come looking for money, they would come after me before they would go to the co-sponsor, since I would still be the primary sponsor.

I can also tell you that in scrutinizing these forums regarding cosponsors over the last year I have yet to come across any stories of the government coming after anybody, not even second- or third-hand. For what it's worth.

I hope you find a co-sponsor really soon!

Sharon

Edited to add: At my fiance's interview they didn't ask for either my I-134 or the cosponsor's... but for a K-3 it might be different.

Definitely sounds like good news to me! Congratulations!!!!

I agree, though, we'll save the REAL celebration for when the visa is in hand.

Hugs,

Sharon

My brother took the photos off his computer because he had so many people trying to access them... Ooops!

Okay, I finally figured out how to put the photos into the Gallery, so just click on "my photos" under my name to the left if you want to see some wedding pics!

Sharon

Got it! Thanks so much, I just didn't see that little "upload file" link....

Sharon

Can anyone help me? I figured out how to do this before, but now I can't seem to work it out...

Heck, now even *I* can't see the photos

Here's a few pictures--

Cutting the cake

Awww thanks for all your kind words

It was a small ceremony at my parents' house, we'll have a bigger reception later. I will post pics as soon as I get some

I'm so glad you have another opportunity to show your evidence. Best of luck from both of us!

Sharon & Majid

Congratulations Doreen and Abdou on your successful AOS! And I am now a married woman

Recent Reunifications:

jenprincess1 (Egypt/Kuwait, CR-1) Reunited OCT 18th!!!

morac (Morocco, K-1) Reunited OCT 23rd!!!

Prena and Aziz (prena, Morocco, K-1) Reunited OCT S28th!!!

Moe and Lisa (moe_lisa, Jordan, CR-1) Reunited NOV 3rd!!!

Liz and Abdel (honeyblonde, Morocco, K-1) Reunited NOV 5th!!!

Sharon and Majid (kerewin21, Morocco, K-1) Reunited NOV. 15th!!!

erika1228 (Lebanon, K-1) Reunited NOV 11th!!!

Rebecca and Abderrafie (rhouni, Morocco, K-1) Reunited DEC 9th!!!

Alma and Omar (appletree35, Morocco, CR-1) Reunited DEC 10th!!!

Jenn and Ouadia (jenn3539, Morocco, K-1) Reunited DEC 10th!!!

Amal and Noor (amal, Jordan, CR-1) Reunited DEC 11th!!!

Melody and Khaled (melodyjeanne2003, Egypt, K-1) Reunited DEC 29th!!!

Sarah and Otman Reunited JAN 13th!!!

Hawhaw Reunited January 20th!!!

Farah2005 Reunited January 22nd!!

Amera and Youssef Reunited January 26th!!

Upcoming Reunifications:

Recent Marriages:

Doreen and Abdou June 23, 2005

Carolyn and Simo July 9, 2005

Twila and Hicham July 22, 2005

Vicki and Youness August 20, 2005

Liz and Abdel December 16, 2005

Rebecca and Abderrafie December 23, 2005

Prena & Aziz January 15th, 2006

Jenn & Ouadia January 20th, 2006

Sharon & Majid January 28th, 2006

Upcoming Marriages:

Recent AOS Approvals:

Dana and Khalid (dkbakkass, Morocco, K-3) Approved OCT 26th!!!

Jacque and Mohammed (jmagayreh, Jordan, K-3) Approved NOV 3rd!!!

Sara and Adnan (sara535, Morocco, K-1) Approved DEC 1st!!!

Doreen and Abdou (myfellah, Morocco, K-1) Approved JAN 26th!!!

Upcoming AOS interviews:

Twila and Hicham (tnh9479, Morocco, K-1) Interview MARCH 8th!!!!

Waiting on AOS:

Rabie and Layne (rabie007, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 2nd

Carolyn and Simo (carolyn, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 8th

Elizabeth and Hisham (elizabeth&hisham, Morocco, K-1) Filed August 12th

Vicki and Youness (karotte, Morocco, K-1) Filed October 11

Laura and Abdel (lal_brandow, Canada, K-1) Filed OCT 19th