brian-and-aurore

If you filed the forms with her married name as her now-last name, then her green card will come with her married name.

That's what I did, and though I don't have my green card yet I received mail from USCIS as Mrs. Aurore MarriedName.

Once you are all done with the visa and green card papers, you could (if that's possible with the Italian government) add her married name to her passport. I know it works the same in France : they won't let you get rid of your maiden name on your IDs. Passports basically read "MaidenName sp.(ouse) MarriedName". I want my passport to match my green card when I need to travel internationally so I'll renew my IDs with the embassy.

Hello,

I am probably not in the right section but please someone move me (I couldn't find anything on POE questions).

My K-1 visa arrived this morning. What a relief -- I had the worst nightmares for a week -- when the Chronopost guy called because he couldn't find the street. I texted my fiance even through he was asleep and all my friends !

So in the Chronopost envelope were : the passport with the visa (they dated the issuance as yesterday but I had my interview last Thursday), the sealed envelope to hand the immigration officer and some 129-F papers that they returned (my fiance's work contract, official letters and plane tickets).

Here are my questions :

When I clear immigration I will hand them the "brown" envelope and my chest x-ray, correct ? So what is it with the papers they returned ? What do they keep and what do they return ?

Do they sometimes ask to see other papers ? Should I bring the binder I put together for the embassy ?

Will they escort me in another room to ask questions ?

Please correct me if I'm wrong : I should make sure that they staple my I-94 to my passport.

I will be clearing immigration in Baltimore, MD at BWI airport. I flew through BWI several times before (and was once pulled into secondary inspection) and everyone had always been very helpful and courteous so I'm not too worried about hassle. I just want to be prepared to be more serene.

Also, just out of curiosity, what is it so secret about the brown envelope that it has to be kept closed ? Why can't we see the information about us ?

Thanks to all for your help,

And please direct me to other pages if these questions have been answered a hundred times (I apologize !) *shame*

Awesone !!! Congrats !!! When are you leaving ?

Thanks to all who try to make me feel better ! Bruno, you're always very reliable. I have a tendency to panic afterwards and it's not easy feeling relaxed when the stakes are so high.

You're welcome, Kevin. I wish I could post the rest of my experience in the consulate review section but I can't find who to edit my post (shame)

And what do you guys think about them not asking me to sign the attached additional sheets I used with the I-157 (there was not enough room on the form to list all the places I went to school nor my employers for the last 2 years). I know the I-157 does not have a part for signature but I myself wrote on the additional sheets "signature of applicant" and "date", which I left unsigned and undated for the interview since you're not supposed to sign anything without them watching you.

I guess I'm just worried about them forgetting this detail and sending back the pages for me to sign - which would delay the visa...

I didn't get a slip. I just wanted to make sure that since they did not give me a slip it means that we are approved. Because when you're not, they do give you a slip, right ? That's what I had read.

I had my K-1 interview in Paris France last Thursday.

I was ready (a big and well organized binder !) but very stressed since it's something so important. Anyway, long story short, Madame Le Consul didn't want to see any proof of relationship and never said the words "you are approved". All she said was something like "the papers seem to be fine" and then "so we should be able to process the visa in 7 to 10 days". Things are, I don't like this "should" and I'm freaking out. I keep doubting myself about signing everything, about giving enough and I keep doubting them : what if they forgot something ? I remember they never asked me to sign any of the attached additional sheets I enclosed for the I-157 (the one that does not require a signature, but still, I'm worried). Of course, all this only came to my mind after I was out of the embassy. The process was so fast (I was out by 2:25) that I feel like it was an out of body experience and that I don't remember much. Do they systematically give you a color slip if you're not approved ? Why don't they say it, just to cover their butts in case they change their minds ? And I forgot to write down the envelope's tracking number so I'm back in the horrible waiting-and-watching the mailbox period. Please VJers, help me find some peace and sleep !

Same here : for a K-1, it's assigned at the time of NOA2. The A number actually reads on the form.

Maybe you could check your NOAs to see if some number that starts with an A stands somewhere ?

Adjusting from a J-1 visa isn't abusive.

It is totally OK and allowed to adjust from a J-1, as well as from other long-term and not tourist visas.

The J-1 visa is a "year of normal american life" visa, during which there is nothing wrong with dating and falling in love, neither than getting married.

Just make sure you apply for your AOS before the expiration of your fiancée's J-1.

If you wish to not be separated from your fiancé for 9 to 12 months, DO NOT surrender her J-1 against a K-1 or a CR-1.

Apply to AOS from here, you are in your rights.

I apologize for those who didn't understand my post well. I will clarify here :

I meant "he had to stamp me BECAUSE I didn't do anything wrong" not because I am from France (however I do think that it's much easier crossing when coming from France than from many other countries) and that he had to give me three months BECAUSE it's part of the agreement (ie. he can't decide to just give me a week or two) : the analogy here is "I didn't do anything wrong, therefore I shall not be denied entry on my VWP".

VWP is made for as many visits as you want per year, each of the visits lasting less than 90 days. If one intends to stay less than 90 days and holds an electronic passport, the Embassy will not issue a B1/B2 visa.

Such thing as "trying to game the system" would be not respecting the rules under the VWP regulation (which are, for example, not looking for a job, not getting a job, not getting married with intent to adjust status from there, bla bla) and by no means "using your VWP too often" since there is no law about how often you can use it.

I maintain that it's a big deal for them to send someone back home : why would two country (getting along very well) suddenly decide to create problems by denying someone "for no reason" ? Plus, it creates paperwork and they have more important matters to deal with. Of course, the law reads that they are not obliged to give you a reason - it's just a protective measure held in case they "smell" something fishy.

I truly have never heard nor read about ANYONE who has been denied coming from France to visit their boyfriend/fiancé for other reasons that :

1. admitting illegal work on US soil

2. admitting intent to marry on US soil without a K-visa (with or without intent to adjust status from the US).

Dear C,

I am myself from France and lately I've been spending more time in the US than in my home country. Indeed, I have an american fiancé.

There is no such thing as "stay as much time in your country than in the US" (the travel.gov website is a great resource), not more than there is a limited number of visits that you are allowed each year (same website). It all depends on how the CPB officer slept the previous night. I know it sucks, but you may want to find a port of entry that is smaller. For instance, I find JFK to be absolutely horrible (hassle, so many people, the officers always looking for sketchy people, etc.) whereas BWI (Baltimore, where my fiancé lives) has the smoothest port of entry I have ever experienced.

Did the problem rise when you said you were visiting your boyfriend ? This is what happened to me. As soon as I had said "fiancé", the lady waved my passport in the air and another police lady came to escort me. I was pulled in secondary inspection too, but the officer was nice enough to tell me that it is just to verify some information and that I wasn't facing any denial or ban whatsoever.

Remember that it's a big deal for them to deny someone who's citizenship country is a member of the VWP agreement. Unless you tell them that you actually intend to marry your boyfriend on US soil (without the appropriate visa) or that you DO work illegally in the US (or that you're looking for a job, since it's unlawful to do so under VWP legislation), all they can do is give you a hard time. Scare you a little bit to spice up their day. Sad but true.

Now, it's extremely easy to get a B1/B2 visa in Paris. If it reassures you to hold one, you may want to consider applying for it.

And every time you cross the border, do not give them any information they don't ask for. If you're a student in your home country (like me, but I get my classes online so that I can travel), wait for them to ask what you do for a living. If they ask you "are you going to marry your boyfriend", always answer "not on this visit, we will apply for the appropriate visa when we want to do so". If you're told that you need a visa to come back (which is wrong), answer that you were told at the embassy that there was no use delivering you one since you don't intend to stay more than 3 months in a row in the US, which is served by the qualities of the VWP.

Now if it helps you, I was told by my nice CPB officer than every time I will come back on my VWP I will be pulled in secondary inspection, but again just to verify that I will depart the US at the end of my allowed days.

He also wrote down on my passport the date I need to depart (as a friendly reminder), even though I had told him I was only staying three weeks (I ended up changing my plane ticket because my K1 visa was delayed) and I could totally sense him telling me that I *should* use all my days, as he didn't think my visa would be ready on time because of the huge backlog in the service center.

Last summer, I was also pulled into secondary inspection coming back from Canada (on land) since my visa had expired during my trip. The CPB - probably on his daily power trip - gave me a hard time as well, implying all sorts of things such as my intent to stay illegally and bla bla - to be honest I thought I was going to burst into tears) but he had no reason to deny me. I told him I had purchased my return plane ticket already, which was true, and that I could show him (he didn't fuss looking at it). He had to stamp my passport for the required 3 months since our countries have an agreement, which he did. And he had to watch me go because I hadn't done anything wrong.

My only tie to France is my university. I don't have a house, not even a car, and a ridiculously small amount of money on my bank account. But each time I travel on my VWP I ask my fiancé to write me a letter of "financial support" in which he states that he will be covering for any expenses while I am staying with him in the US. Officers never asked to see it.

Walk in and out with confidence. You are not doing anything wrong.

I haven't received my packet yet, my tracking number still reads it is currently on a plane.

I was just trying to get a little ahead.

It figures that they would modify things on the letter since K-1 is technically a non-immigrant visa (but still hold the same characteristics as an immigrant one, embassy-wise).

Thanks for your input, I will trust you on that !

Thanks for your input.

I had seen the link before and this is why I got confused : the sample embassy letter reads something different.

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/pk3_supplements/PRS-PKT3-ENGL-0001-0809.pdf

This link is in the page that you attached to your post and talks about sending your DS-230 to NVC.

Hello,

My packet 3 has been mailed to us yesterday but hasn't arrived yet (I am currently in the US with my fiancé).

I am trying to get ready -- I want to send back the forms as soon as possible.

However, there is something I don't understand : I thought that the checklist and the DS-230 needed to be mailed back to the embassy, but the package instruction letter I found here on VJ reads :

"STEP ONE: Complete form DS-230, Part 1, Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, for each visa applicant and return the completed form(s) to the National Visa Center"

Where do I have to send my DS-230 ? Paris or NVC ?

Since I am in the US, it would be completely silly to overnight the letter to France and have the consulate ship it back to New Hampshire.

Thanks to all for your advice and input.

Hi !

Have you considered teaching Russian instead ?

I am French and once I arrive for good, I will teach French. I'm currently finishing my degree in France in English language (and the minor "French as a foreign language" which I chose before I was engaged to a US citizen).

A high number of schools in the US would hire native speakers of a language that they offer, especially if your English is great as it seems to be (for communication with families and co-workers).

If you want to teach in public schools, however, you will definitely need to go back to University and get teaching certification. Most Liberal Arts colleges offer certification in one year for people who don't already have a degree in education but whose degree is recognized as at least a Bachelor's Degree (4 years).

If you wish to work in private schools, you will be hired regarding your skills and not really your degree (although they want you to have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree equivalent). If they can advertise on their website that you come from a good foreign university, they love it ! You can, for instance, check out the private schools' websites from the area where you will settle with your husband and see where from the other teachers are.

If you really want to teach English, you may want to consider teaching ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages.

In know that in Maryland, all schools have several ESOL teachers because of the high number of children coming from non English-Speaking families.

Once again, public schools will require you to have a degree from the state were you wish to teach, but private ones won't.

It's not impossible for you to teach English as Language Art if this is really what you want to do.

I know someone who does, but it took her a long time to get accepted. She is French and she works in a bilingual French-English elementary school - where she taught French for 10 years before getting her new position.

Immigration is not a right, this is exactly why a K1 visa is NOT an immigrant visa. It's simply a piece of paper allowing you to get married to your love and life partner.

To immigrate and therefore stay in the US, you have to apply for AOS. That is way after the wait for NOA2.

I'm sure you all know that so don't take your frustration out on Al, who was perfectly right : the current wait doesn't make any sense.

Al422, I just LOVE your posts !

The irony and sarcasm always make me smile, and it's so great when it's about such a frustrating situation.

Thank you for that !

Hi,

a B1/B2 is a tourism/business visa (meaning you are allowed to sign contracts but not to work). I used to hold one 5 years ago - then my passport got stolen.

I don't see why it is suspicious to visit many times a country that you like or when you have a loved one, especially if you always tell the truth when you answer questions at the border.

A lot of people from Europe have a secondary residence in the US (or a boat) and they're always advised to get B1/B2 visas because they visit very often (and not only because they want to stay 180 days in a row). I have never heard of any being turned back. The only people that are getting turned back are the ones who actually worked illegally in the US (and acknowledged it under pressure) or who lied about the situation there are in with the person they are visiting (ie. saying "it's just a friend" when it's actually your love partner, and then admitting that you just lied).

You should read travel forums, where people are unlikely to bring you down - and not VJ when it's about JUST visiting the US. Don't misunderstand me, this website is great for tips about immigration, marriage, family situation, etc. but keep in mind that people actually DON'T KNOW anything.

The law reads that there is no such thing as a limited number of times that you are allowed to visit, as long as you are not doing anything illegal in the US and don't intend to stay at the moment you cross the border.

Also, holding a visa means that you have a right of appeal in case they lost their mind and denied you.

I really don't think you should worry. Try and read some travel forums, they often times have whole sections about B1/B2 visas.

Hi !

If you are going the K-1 route, you have months ahead of you to think of how to record the marriage in France.

I am not much help because I am myself still waiting in the middle of the K-1 process but I would suggest to call her City Hall in France and ask them about where to start and whom to call. They might have information on what to ask for/tell the consulate.

Or maybe she could call another Embassy (I had to deal with the one in DC and they didn't treat me like a piece of dirt), just to get information.

I don't understand why the French Embassy would accuse her of anything (after all, why do they care if she wants to leave France ?). But I know how the French are, being French myself, and I'm very sorry to hear that they have been rude again. Sigh. The French administration is HOPELESS.

I hope you will find an answer soon !

Isn't there a law saying that if you're not a US Citizen but your child is born on US soil, you can apply to stay ?

I think one of my college professors discussed this during class one day...

As a new teacher myself, and with the majority of my friends being teachers as well (from Kindergarden to Middle School), we all know that working with kids is hard on your immune system for many years. My best friend has been a Kindergarden teacher for 6 years now and she still isn't acclimated to all their bacterias and viruses (if it helps you, she's French and teaches in Brittany). She is constantly sick and she has been told by many alternative doctors (my close friends, my relatives and myself are all into organic food and natural things - I could write a whole paragraph about all the ####### they put in medication and how it actually destroys your immune system after a few years of taking the same ones so you only end up worse !) that her lack of immunity was due to a little stomach weakness. She managed to cut down to half of the colds she used to get by eating a lot of fresh produce, a little less meat, more fish and more whole grains. I remember she also used to drink some weird stuff that I wouldn't advise, haha, but it worked for her (it was some artichokes and radishes extract that to me tasted like sock juice, but whatever).

Also I would strongly advise you not to eat or drink dairy when you are sick, as the dairy proteins enhance the production of mucus and then delay healing (even regular doctors agree on that fact).

I used to have lots of very bad sore throats when I was a teenager and stopping milk really helped.

Also if you can switch to organic food for some of them, you might eat less pesticides and less antibiotics against your will, so that your body learns again how to correctly fight germs.

I am not at all against vaccination but the flu virus doesn't change enough from one year to another to be in the need to get a shot every year. Once every three year is enough. Remember that it's too young for us to know the consequences and a good doctor should always give you the choice if you don't already suffer a chronic disease, if you're not over 60 or if you're not a premie. The lobbies want you to think that you need it every year but of course they only want to make money, and the so-called companies which investigate on the efficiency are of course paid by the labs !

Not to mention that nobody knows what will lead to getting shots from recent viruses so often. It has already been proven that getting too many vaccines at the same time and/or too many of the same lead to auto-immune diseases (leukemia, cancer...). It's OK to give the flu shot to a 70-year-old patient every year because it's more likely he'll catch pneumonia than he'll live 40 or 50 more years and will declare auto-immunue diseases after 50 years of the same flu shot.

Think about nurses and doctors : they need to get immunized against tons of thinks every year (I went to med school before switching to education, I had to get the shots myself !) and they have such a higher rate of cancer and other auto-immune diseases (meaning your body attacks itself).

My dad is in the military and he also needs to get tons of shots every year... but their doctors "cheat" on the records and only give them the flu shot every three years - they believe it's too dangerous otherwise because the soldiers are too young. Better facing a week in bed with cramps and fever than cancer in 40 years.

Now something even more simple I do (and as my first year teaching was last year, I got sick only once in winter, and once in spring !) : don't talk to the kids too close to their faces. Don't touch your face/nose/eyes after you touched something they did. Get a big bottle of alcohol-free/kids-safe hand sanitizer (Whole Foods sells the best one !) and teach them to always wash their hands after they blew their noses. Hand-sanitize yourself or wash your hands often, of course before you eat or after you used somebody else's computer (very frequent if you're a sub). Teach the kids to cover their mouths and noses.

And just think about everything possibly-sick people touched that you also touched before touching your face or putting something in your mouth.

You might ride the subway : same rules. In a quite warm environment germs survive a whole bunch of hours, even worse if it's a little humid (like a classroom full of kids coming back from phys-ed).

I don't agree with the Vitamin C tablets : whatever isn't naturally in your food is not accepted and proceeded as well by your body. You'll still get the benefice but ...

Eat an orange in the morning, bite a carrot for lunch, cut some fresh ginger and add a slice of lemon and some honey in a mug then poor boiling water on it : here you have a great tea for the afternoon snack... very simple. Ginger, kiwis, oranges, bell peppers, all have a lot of vitamin C. Plus you get the fiber your stomach needs to fight germs :-)

And don't forget that honey is constituted a certain way that the alveolus capture the germs and kill them in a few seconds : useful !

All this is just the opinion of a person raised by an organic and green family and it has worked for me and my relatives over the years. I truly hope I was able to provide help.

Hi !

To translate your birth certificate and your police record (or any kinds of official papers), you have to go to an assermented translator. I'm sure there are plenty who translate from french to english in the UK ! I know that here in France it's about 30 euros a page.

You can also schedule an appointment with your GP ahead of time to make sure that you already have all the immunization required (you will find a list online) but if you're between 18 and 25 and you've been serious about vaccines, you shouldn't need any new ones. Then you'll bring a vaccine certificate to the medical prior to the interview to show the doctor that you're good. Anyway, you only need to complete the shots before AOS so if you're missing something you could get them done later and even in the US.

I hate how I'm addicted to this awesome forum but sometimes the topics make me doubt so much and then I don't sleep at night !

Found on this website : http://canberra.usembassy.gov/visa_waiver_prog.html

Q: Is there a limit to how many times I can enter the U.S. on the VWP? Must there be a minimum period between one period of travel on the VWP and the next?

A: No, but entry or re-entry into the United States is at the discretion of immigration officials at the port of entry.

Q: Is there any additional documentation which I should carry at the time of travel?

A: A temporary visitor for business or tourism will need to supply documentation to establish that he or she:

•Has a residence abroad which he or she does not intend to abandon

•Is coming to the U.S. for a definite temporary period

•Will depart upon the conclusion of the visit

•Has permission to enter a foreign area after his or her stay in the U.S.

•Has access to sufficient funds to cover expenses of the visit and return passage

However, I read on several other websites that they "like" you to spend as much time in and out of the US.

Hi !

I don't see why you wouldn't book your trip ahead of time. You know, now most of the air companies have a policy allowing you to change your departure (or return) date up to 48 hours prior to departure, and for the ones I've checked so far it's just a matter of a $150 fee. I have done this before, not through my visa process though, but I plan on doing so.

The worst that can happen ? You're charged $150.

I personally think it's worth all the money you would save by booking your plane ticket in advance -- much more than $150.

You also have the option of purchasing a flexible plane ticket but according to me it's over expensive !

Good luck,

Aurore.

Hi everyone,

I was reading the step by step checklist guide to making the I-129F packet and it said to send the completed packet to Texas in the U.S.A. On the actual form it says for certain areas to send it to certain states. So my question is do I follow what the form states and send it to where my state is located in or do I just follow the guide here and send it to Texas? Thanks.

Hi!

The new thing is to send your file to the Texas Lockbox facilities, in Lewisville (or Lewisburg, I can't remember, I'm new too and I'm the beneficiary). They made it this way to be more efficient and (possibly) faster. Once they receive it, they will sent it to the appropriate Service Center, according to where you live. They'll let you know when it leaves their offices through email or textmessage.

We got our textmessage yesterday !

Aurore.