Christine + Blake

As of May 26, 2011, we've been NOA2ed! Looks like the interview is not necessary, but we'll see what the letter says.

Unless you are talking about some other interview that I don't know about, you will need to do one.

They mailed my packet 3 on May 5 - I still have not received a hard copy! I called 1-202-663-1225 (press 1; press 0). I called back and she confirmed it had been sent. I just called asking about packet 4 - has not been sent; she suggested emailing Montreal.

Lise

thank you!

LISE, HELP!

How do I find out if they have sent me packet 3 yet? I called the number on the consulate website and got the longest message ever, which just confused me and gave me no information.

I seem to have booked my interview! On the consulate page it said make sure to sign up for DHS/etc so I did, and then near the end it said 'book your interview' so I just did it! August 31st at 8:31 am, haha. OH looking at the montreal recap from Lise, it seems I have booked my interview too early! oops. I was just following what it said on the consulate page! I hope this won't cause a problem.

I finished all the paperwork today and once I get the photos I will send it in. I'm still a little confused on how/when I book my medical, but I think I can figure it out (I think they need to receive my packet 3 first? yes? I am calling tonight anyway to make sure they have sent me packet 3 by now, though I'm sure they have)

PHEW this is tough!

I'm way behind, Blake and I went on our first vacation/hotel stay together by driving an hour and a half to Chattanooga, TN, it was great! I see that Sonoko has made it to the US! Fantastic!!

I haven't sent in my packet 3 yet (shame, I know!) but at the same time I am not in a super rush because I can't come to the states until the end of October anyway (I have a disability hearing, I applied a year ago and they still havent made my decision and won't until October! And then as soon as they do I'm like okay see ya I'm leaving, haha) so I am not stressing myself over it too much. I have almost all my forms done though.

@Mari yay, I'm glad you got to hear from Kadir and that all is well! Hopefully he will be back home very soon!

@nicola and ferincor I think getting a lawyer could go either way. On one hand, I don't know if I could trust someone else to do all this and I would probably be all over them all the time checking in and bugging them about it but on the other hand it certainly is hard/stressful to do all this on my own!

I'm about halfway through all my forms for packet 3, I have my case number and all that from NVC, so I just need to get through a bit more (and create all my sheets of additions, some of those spaces for your answers are SMALL! haha) and then it will be ready for when Montreal says they have sent me the packet. I'm getting very excited about the whole thing now!

Having a girls night with a friend tonight to unwind from all this stress!

KRISTEN!! I am so thrilled for you guys!!!!!

Lise thank you for the link!! Have you gotten anything in the mail yet? (packet 3 stuff, whatever) or did you call NVC for your number and thats that? Also, have you thought about electronic filing for Montreal? With the way mail goes in Canada I'm thinking I might do it that way.

Last night Blake and I were outside talking and I realized that in SIX MONTHS from now I will be living in Atlanta with him, a married lady! (I have to stay in Canada until around mid-October because of other government stuff I'm going through) How unbelievable that this long-distance part of our journey is almost over! I am brimming with excitement and possibilities today.

Working on my packet 3 forms even though I haven't gotten any mail yet from my consulate.. I forgot how stressful it is to fill in the forms, I'm so worried I'll do something wrong! Even with the thread map I get confused as to what I need (though I think I got it covered by looking at my consulate website..just a few government forms for this first one, yes?) STRESS!! But also major excitement!

Congratulations to our new NOA2s, I am so thrilled that they are coming in so fast and furious these days! Everyone else I'm sure you are any day now!

fishernyalew - Don't cancel your petition yet. Maybe once you guys get approved she will be able to see the end of the waiting and will realize it was just her stress talking when she broke it off.

Congratulations Dizzy and all the other new approvals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Yllen and kps, congratulations!!!!!!!

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there <3

We found 4 newborn kittens outside the house yesterday, things are HECTIC here trying to find homes for them. One has a home, two are being brought to a foster home tomorrow to get a little bigger before they go to the permanent home we found, and one is still chilling with us waiting for someone to come for it. They seem to always want to be on you or in your lap or they meow constantly, what a long day! haha

Hey Guys... we just got our NOA2 email So I guess we can be pink now on the timeline?! :dance:

hooray!!!!

Just checked our case status today, and we got an RFE!

Yaaaaaaaaay! I'm just happy they actually looked at it. I wonder what it's for as my fiance and I took care to make sure we got everything and we provided a ton of solid evidence of having met in the last two years. I think it probably has to do with either my citizenship or my employment history. Though both of those items seem trivial to send an RFE out for. We'll see, I guess.

I love your great attitude about this Piefre! Once you find out what its for, you can send them whatever you need and then BOOM noa2!

Last night I was getting a bit emotional about thinking about leaving my family, my mom in particular. We're so close and she is my best friend and I still live with her so its going to be a big change to be so far away. Also the rest of my family, like my darling grandpa and my twin sister. Its just going to be such a huge change! I know I'm doing the right thing for me though and I'm so happy that I will finally get to be with Blake permanently. Is anyone else having worries like this?

I feel like I'm missing some NOA2s. Anybody not highlighted up there that should be? Christine?

Yes, I need to be that lovely pink on the chart!

congrats noa2s!!!!!

Lise yes I will definitely look into all the requirements for bringing stuff over

Congratulations Gwen and Wouter!!!

My plans for getting my stuff down to Atlanta are:

1. I am really hoping my dad can convince my grandma to give me her car as a wedding present from her and my dad. She is way too old to drive it and doesn't need the money for selling it. I have enough money in my account to either buy a used car, or pay for insurance for a car for awhile, but not both. That way, Blake can fly up and then we can road trip down to Atlanta together with the car packed with as much as possible.

2. My mom and step-dad are looking into driving down for the wedding, especially since they have a van and I need to move a giant, very heavy, hope chest that my grandpa made for my mom when she moved out.

3. My dad and step-mom are also driving down, so I will get them to take some of my stuff.

4. The rest will be given to my family and I'll pay for them to take an extra suitcase when they fly.

I don't really have a ton of stuff to bring with me other than clothes and mementos/sentimental stuff, and the hope chest, so hopefully we can avoid shipping too much.

Does anyone know howto get to talk to a person when we call USCIS? It's always the computer for us. What numbers do we press?

Thanks

Sorry, I don't know! I'm replying to this to put it on the next page though!

@Coconuts - thanks for letting us know about the D160 for Montreal!

Here is a true Southern recipe from the US. I took this recipe from the internet and completely skewed and twisted it to my own tastes, so it's truly mine! I made this for Byron the first time he visited me, and now it's a requirement that I make it every single time he visits (he can't get enough, and honestly neither can I)! Super Yummy!

Ferin's Brunswick Stew

Ferin its like you read my mind, just yesterday Blake was asking me to learn how to make Brunswick Stew! This is perfect!

This is fantastic!! Were you with Blake when you got the happy news?

I wonder how many of us will be in Montreal at the same time?

Have an awesome day!

Lise

Thank you! Yes, I arrived here late monday night and I got the email about our approval last night as we were having a night in on the couch. I'm so happy we get to celebrate this together!

Sandl2011 - RFEs suck, but on the bright side it means they are looking at your case, and once you get your RFE returned to them, your approval is right around the corner!

WE GOT APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!

Shawn, congratulations to you and Sonoko!! It looks like you guys will be our first 'success story'! That's wonderful news

I am leaving this afternoon to head to Atlanta to wait out the rest of the time for my NOA2 with my sweetie

Happy Easter Decemberite family!!

I was looking for an easter-y little emoticon for you all (there are so many halloween ones and multiple pumpkins, but no other holidays!) and look what I found! I think this might be my second favourite, after our much beloved dancing man :jest: :jest: :jest: :jest:

Congratulations on your approval Bec!!!!!!

wow, VSC approvals!! SO EXCITING to see the pink on the VSC chart. Congratulations to everyone who has gotten their NOA2s in the last little bit!!

@Lise - I was thinking things would be closed down there too, we will have to get used to some different holidays soon (no May 24 weekend? I don't know how I'll survive!! hehe)

@Mari - How about 'Red Velvet'?