alibekah

Today was the best day of our life! 

We just had our interview this morning at the US embassy in Naples, italy and after a few questions we were told her visa and passport will be ready to pick up at the Mail Box Etc. ( not far from the embassy) @ 5 PM.  

We had the medical exam the day before (Monday) and they said they will send the results directly to the embassy before our interview.  The exam consisted of taking her height/weight, blood pressure, blood test and a long wait for the x-ray.  The exam was done by a male doctor with a female assistant. They were considerate of personal privacy and space.  It didn't require taking your clothes off and the female assistant would help lift her shirt for the doctor to listen to her lungs and breathing.  However, taking the chest x-ray was rather done without any regard to personal privacy and the male radiologist would just ask everyone to take everything off from waste up ( including bra) and didn't give any robe to cover up.  This was the most uncomfortable part of the exam, which I hope they will change by at least giving the person a hospital gown to cover-up and not be treated like that.  Anyway the results were at the embassy on the interview day as we were kind of nervous, because everything we had read, said to bring the exam result with us to the interview.  After the medical exam we were told to go to the embassy for fingerprinting at 2:00 PM. 

Today (next day), we arrived just before 7 AM at the embassy and there were already couple others waiting in line.  Just before 7:30 one of the guards collected the passports, then after a few minutes called people by name. By this time others had arrived and were worried their passports weren't collected, but the guards said they will get them later.  The guard gave the passport and a number and told us to proceed to 2nd floor.  For those wondering, yes the companion (in this case husband) were allowed inside as long as you should your US passport. 

We went to the same room we were the day before (after our medical) for fingerprinting.  First they called by numbers and they checked to make sure all docs were in file and asked for originals.  We were lucky to have copies of everything originally sent to NVC, because continuation page to our form DS-230 was missing,   She said it was probably lost at NVC, so I gave her our extra copy.  

After this point we were told to sit and wait to be called for the interview.  People were called in a different order for the interview and many of them had issues with their forms.  One lady had lost her luggage and her original documents in it, so she was having a hard time explaining.   Overall, they were very helpful with people and tried anything to help.  Three others who were called ahead of us were also approved.  Each interview took less than 5 minutes with very simple questions (how did you meet?  When did you meet? What is your job? Etc).  From the 8 of us 4 didn't get their visas for various issues with their documents. 

We went to the Mail Box etc. at 5 and got what we've been waiting for almost a year (which seemed like eternity). 

Like others have noted in this forum it is VERY IMPORTANT to have copies of everything sent and all original documents.  For example I (the US citizen petitionor) was asked for my original Iranian birth certificate and it wasn't one of the documents listed as required!   So, better to be prepared than be caught surprised!!! 

We had tons of pictures, airline tickets, 300+ pages of phone records, etc, but weren't asked for any of them, but you never know.

That is wonderful!!! Congrats!!! :star: :star:

Thanks so much!

This is the hardest test of patience I ever have had to go through....I am so trying to stay positive but the whole WHAT IF lingers in the back of my mind....Thanks for the encouragement!!

My dear! My goodness! of course they are going to say you are "temporary denied". AP is like a "you didn't get it now but wait a bit" kinda thing. They have to do a bazillion checks more and then its will be okay. Its VERY rare for them to deny someone AFTER the interview. They would have denied him right then and there. If they felt suspicious in ANY way, they would have brought up the issues right then.

I would not worry so much. You both are fine. Stay positive!

Rebekah

what do i take with me,just the marriage certificate and passport?

thanks!

My husband and I went the same day since I had to change my info too. I recommend waiting a couple of weeks (we went 4 weeks after he arrived - wedding, etc) before you go because I heard that sometime, you may not be in the system for a couple of weeks once you come into the country, PLUS you need the marriage certificate.

He showed his I-94, our marriage certificate and that was it. He brought other things (like his military ID) but they didn't ask for it. The woman just entered some stuff into the computer, gave him like a receipt and we both got our SScards (my renewal and his brand spankin' new one) in the mail about 7 days later.

Hope that helps!

BTW: congrats on your interview!!!

Get the EAD and have your ssn and go look for jobs.

No ssn no job.

EAD should be in your mail box within a few weeks of card production order notice, but may take up to 30 days to arrive.

Thank you for the reply! Funny thing is that the card came in the mail today! My husband already has his SSN so he is happily job hunting right now.

Thank you!

Hello everybody!

My hubbykins is getting itchy and happily, his EAD has been approved (post action stuff on the gov website) and we are waiting for the letter in the mail to figure out what to do next. His question to everyone is how long until he gets the card in his hand so he can beat the pavement? What happens before he gets the card (do we have to submit more paperwork or something - we honestly do not know.)

Thanks again!

Rebekah

After some hard months of long distance relationship-I recieved an email and text, my I129F has been APPROVED, by God's grace and mercy. I am filled with joy and gratitude. Now I need to start putting together all the forms for the actual visa. PRAISE GOD!!!!

awwww, congrats!!!!! Good luck to you!!!

so im just getting ready to pick up my K-1,but i want to be ready for AOS,however i was wondering if the guidelines and examples on VJ are enough and up to date,or anyone has any suggestions for extra reads and all,since im an AOS rookie

TIA

They are very accurate. Since there is alot to do, make a check list and triple check EVERYTHING before you send! I forgot to sign one paper (there was so many ;_ and we got a RFE. Good luck!!

You don't extend the I-94. If hes worried keep a copy of the AOS NOA1 on him when hes out.

An EAD is not proof of residency and says so on the card. There is no more need of the I-94 since his status is pending with AOS.

Thank you for the info! I will let him know.

Congratulations on your marriage!

I understand his concerns,I had them too. You can't 'extend' the I-94. I just kept my NOA1 with me once I had it. He won't be leaving the Country so it shouldn't matter.

That's what I know. If there is more someone else should be able to tell you.

Good luck with AOS!

Thank you for the kind words! We are looking forward to this process I will tell him to keep a copy on him when he is out and about.

I have a question, and its probably silly, my husband's 1-94 will expire in late June, we will have the NOA1 by then. Do we need to do anything to extend his i-94 until his EAD? Is there even such a thing? If there is, is it worth it?

I ask because he is concerned with walking around with an expired I-94. Does it affect anything in the future (like job applications, getting the driver's liscence...)?

Thanks in advance!!!

Hi,

NOA2 Approved ..So excited.

Please I've been looking at all your time lines.

How do you find that information out.

I log into my case status and can't find it.

Like when packet is at NVC , embassy etc..

Which embassy did you put on your form to have your/their interview at? I called NVC everyday until they told me when they were sending it to Ankara, then I pestered them and they sent us an email when they got it LOL

BTW, congrats on your NOA2!!

So happy to hear this! Good luck to everybody!!

Awwww!! Congrats and good luck on the rest of your journey!!

CONGRATS!!!! And good luck on the rest of your journey!! :star:

I am trying to keep busy. Rearranged my home, officially started planning our 2012 wedding, built our wedding website...any other suggestions?? Lol

Lets see...

I perfected my quilting, learned how to crochet, learned belly dancing, exercised to get rid of the anxiety, got back into painting, started Tai Chi and done extra volunteering work.

I was CRAZY anxious this whole process!!

BTW: Belly dancing is fun. I suggest that! and you will loose some weight too and your man will ENJOY watching you practice or you can tease him about it!!

Hello all. Sorry to possibly beat a dead horse here. I mailed out my I-129F petition last thursday, the NOA1 should come soon within this week. Me and my fiancee have been apart, coming on to 3 months. I'm going to go see her again, spend another 25 days with her hopefully. I am planning on buying a round trip ticket. Last time I went, it was to first meet her. I was so focused on traveling alone for the first time and all the different nervous feelings of meeting her/possibly not getting picked up by her and her family like she said, that I never thought to give an address to immigration in Brazil, didn't have her address memorized, yet it was in the notebook I carried with me... just didn't think of it somehow.

I saw on the immigration form that you fill out on the plane that they wanted contact information of the place where I was staying... it read something like: (address, phone number, OR email). I thought I knew her email address... we didn't contact through email hardly at all, basically added each other on skype/msn/facebook, and so you know, you don't email each other when you have all that. her email... hmm I'll make one up for the sake of sparing her possible who-knows-what lol. let's say if her name was, angela spear miller... her email address was like this: angela.spearm@hotmail.com. When I filled out the form, I used her short name instead. For example, I'm Matthew, I go by Matt all the time... so if she was angela, I wrote it as follows: angel.spearm@hotmail.com. I didn't realize I was wrong until I was in person with her staying at her home lol. So I accidently gave them the wrong one!

Now I know it, know her address... I plan on taking my entire I-129F petition copy, which is in a binder. Is there any speed bumps I should prepare for when going through immigration again? Honestly last time, the officer just looked at my form, didn't look at me... he stamped it, did whatever else and I was free to go. Do I just go ahead and explain the mistake so that maybe they can take note of it? I don't want it to look like it was intentional or something. I know they'll see the difference, if they log it. Any other advice? the whole process of getting through immigration there, was no questions asked at all. None whatsoever. Just friendly smiles and a gesture by the final guy as if saying "you may proceed". Anyone with any suggestions/tips or an answer to my "wrong" email contact, please let me know ASAP! Take care everyone, hope all is well!

Sincerely,

Matthew

i think you will be fine. I travel A LOT and I don't always remember my sister billion-digit Swiss number, but her home addy, I know by heart. They are not going to beat you up and detain you if you do not write her email/ph down. I have never been to Brazil, so I do not know if they do things different down there but from going to Many countries in the EU and to Turkey; no issues. I usually carry all my travel destinations contact info on a smaller sheet of paper inside my passport cover/sleeve (something you buy separately). I suggest doing that.

have fun!! and safe travels!!

Hello All,

As i get to understand from some conversations here is that the annual income should be more than 125% of the poverty level for all the household!... is that concern the Adjusted gross income. or the annual income!

Please clarify us on this matter!

Thanks

Its the annual GROSS income, not the adjusted income this will help if you need it. http://liheap.ncat.org/profiles/povertytables/FY2011/popstate.htm

Good luck!!!!

Sorry to hear! Hopefully they will get to it soon. :/

So, my fiance and I have been putting together the package for our I-129F, and while filling out the G-325 forms, we have come to a bit of a snag on the employment history section. For the addresses, I've just been putting the city and the province/state, whereas my fiance feels it needs to be the full street/mailing address.

Which one is correct and/or preferable?

Thanks!!

We put just the name, city and state and we had no issues. There didn't seem to be room for the full address! Plus everywhere we have worked was nothing super complicated. Example, there's only ONE Joann Fabric's in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. If there was more than one, I would have added a sheet with the full address.

Hope that helps. Others may have had different experiences, but we had no trouble at all. Good luck on your journey!

Congrats!!! :thumbs:

Congrats!! and I hope your beloved is safe in Japan!

Congrats!

When things get down to the wire...I always tell myself...after the darkness comes the dawn and its true.

You have us here in Visa Journey and we may be a poor substitute for real help but we listen well.

Chin up!

Thanks. I have been hitting some jobs fairs this past week and keeping every option open. I know the light is there, I am just hoping to find it!

Go to bubbajunk.com and research trucking companies that are hiring people with no experience. Remember that factories can lay people off in order to save money and make the rest of the employees work around the clock. Trucking companies cannot make one driver drive two trucks at the same time. The product always needs to get to market no matter what the economy is doing. This is a slam dunk if you are serious.

Thank you very much! I will be looking into it.

+1 I have had a CDL since 1991. I also have several forklift and equipment certifications. I can tell you from experience that there are literally tons of jobs in the driving/material moving industry. If you are a little sketchy about driving a large truck, I can understand. But, driving a forklift is very easy to learn and with a certification in hand, you could probably score a full-time job in less than a week. On Craigslist in our area there are over 90 openings just for forklift drivers alone. Most of these jobs are not extremely physically demanding. You won't get rich on the wages of forklift driver... But, any of these jobs would pay enough to meet poverty guidelines.

REALLY? I am absolutly willing to think outside the box (I am an artist, its all I do) when it comes to a job. Do you need to get your CDL to drive a forklift? How do you get the training for that kind of stuff? Right now, I am willing to consider anything except an escort service! ( I have to give myself a smile somehow!) Thank you for your response. Thank you.

You should try a temporary employment agency based upon the type of work your looking for. There are agencies that exist that even have office jobs. 9 years ago I went to a temp agency and they got me a job that paid $20 dollars and hour plus commission. No exageration. It was awesome. I was only 19 years old then.

I have put my resume in with a few of those actually. I keep updating my resume in hopes that they will call me. Before I moved back to where I am now, I had an awesome job that I did get through a temp agency that ended up keeping me (but after 2 years, my dept was closed down). This was 4 years ago. So I am hoping that I will have the same luck this time.

Im just curious as to why you think you cant get some sort of public assistance if you are not a minority?

actually I am one. Last night was a bad night. I hit rock bottom. My mother is am immigrant and my sister married a foreigner. The gov cares little for who it wants to help or not.

OP, unemployment compensation does not depend on your race. Have you bothered to see if you qualify for unemployment or welfare? Even rich white people can get unemployment depending on the reason they were let go. At least try for it.

I actually have been denied for unemployment. I do not know why and those papers explain very little.