Mariye & Ky

I'm not affected. They can whine all they want. But a little perspective never hurt nobody.

Darnell, is there a random button that you organizers get or something. Did you even read the thread he posted? It is about the pending government shutdown, which is a political matter. Maybe you should defer to a more knowledgeable organizer when it comes to political and religion threads.

You're navigating through a system that already has a lot of variability built in when it comes to how long your petition or application takes from filing to approval. Which service center your petition goes to. Which consulate your approved petition goes to. The day of the freakin' week the service center receives your petition. Whether you paid by check or money order. Whether the foreign beneficiary can get a medical appointment in a timely manner or not. Whether the asswipes who share a country with the foreign beneficiary feel like blowing up a bus stand or start a riot the day before the interview. I could go on but you get the point. There are already a million different things that cause each one of us to have a slightly different timeline than the other.
And you want to whine about the government shutdown?
It is but one more variable in a long series of many. And it isn't even the most impactful.
So stfu about the shutdown already. This shutdown debate is about something a lot bigger than you or I.

FITNESS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
How's it going? We are now 1 month into our Fitness Challenge. At a Month into your fitness regime you should begin to feel / see the following changes in your body and mood:

Increased Energy Levels at Night
Waking up less groggy
Sleeping longer
Muscles begin to form and harden typically more noticeable in the upper arms and thighs
Driven to healthier eating habits because of direct correlation with how you feel during your work out
Stairs are easier to climb
Items that are high are easier to reach (if you've been stretching!)
Routine is beginning to kick in - you feel guilty if you don't do something active vs feeling happily lazy
You can begin to run longer distances, bike longer distances, hold yoga poses longer, or walk longer distances before feeling fatigued

Hopefully you are feeling at least a few of these changes in your body! Wait til you see what you should be feeling at Month 2!!! Only 2.5 more months to the end of June, folks. That is when we all should be seeing NOA2. That's less than 3 months until things start moving a little faster and you're getting closer to being reunited. Get FIT! Stay positive
xo.Diz

Lorn,
I want to be very honest here with you as I have to say I'm somewhat offended with your statement about this "morphing into ......" This discussion was never solely about Visas. EVER. If you carefully read POST# 1 you will see this and I quote:
"Are there any other people who have filed in December?
All those before us should be given hope as you are now further along as we begin our journey!!
It is frustrating seeing people desperately waiting for their cases to progress, and having to wait right up to the 5 month mark. I really feel for you guys and I pray that you hear soon. (I also want you out of the way to make room for us!!!!)
It is uplifting to see people getting NOA 2 and then approval. It gives hope and I know that in a few short months it will be us
So thanks to all those who update timelines and post their progress.
Even though I am not with my Fiance this festive season I will be celebrating and making the most of this time I have left with family and friends. And on New Year'e Eve I will be celebrating all that is to come in 2011.
Best Wishes and Good Luck to everyone.
We filed on 19th Oct
Rejected on 5th Dec
Re-filed on 14th Dec
Don & Julie <end quote>
I see words & phrases such as: uplifting, give thanks, festive, season, celebrate, making the most, time with friends and family... You see, this Decemberite Family Thread, always was about community. We are a receptive and welcoming community of December filers going through the seasons together. We are proud of our efforts here to keep this thread alive with resources so we can have some fun and quit reading the negative daily drama of whiny people who do nothing but complain.
One should really take notice of the gratitude statement made to those who update their timeline and post their progress. This is why we're so indebted to Dizzy for her Timeline and creativity with her busy work schedule. For her to care so much to give US the TIME OF DAY while a few of us... just read and disregard the efforts. Same here, nobody pays me to update, research and contribute. Nobody owes me anything as a matter of fact. I do it because I love the Decemberites, I love to serve others and have fun, and I know what it is like to be alone and wait. I don't wish isolation among us, nor should you by suggesting nothing but Visa talk on this thread. I got news, THIS IS WHAT A VISA JOURNEY IS ABOUT: LEARNING TOGETHER HOW TO OVERCOME and MASTER WAITING PAINS.
So, if you want pure VISA talk, you can find that on the K1 formum, the IR-1/CR-1 Forum, AOS, you can find that all over the place on Wiki VJ! But I don't think you'll find anything as motivating as this thread in my humble opinion. Incidently, if you want more Visa info and you don't see it here, then you're a student, why don't you post some informative answers with refernces to your own questions so you can help others instead of wait for us to answer your questions with a crystal ball?
Kewl, yeah?
Mari
PS: Have you fondled your Service Center Lately, Lorn?

I thought these were lyrics to a song or a poem... but sad...

Christians don't usually kill other people screaming "Jesus is Great!"

I seriously doubt you will be successful in getting a waiver of the two year meeting requirement based on what you've told us.
The Hindu prohibition on the bride and groom meeting before the wedding is not absolute, and the majority of Hindu couples in arranged marriages do meet at least a few times in a chaperoned environment before the wedding. You would have had a better chance getting a waiver based on strict social customs about 50 years ago, but not today. India simply isn't like that anymore. USCIS gets requests for waivers everyday from Hindu petitioners, and they deny them routinely.
You have a better chance of getting a waiver based partly on your medical condition, but you're going to have to prove that it's physically impossible for you or her to travel to any common location to meet. Further, you're going to have to prove that you've tried every possible option to meet, and failed.
Finally, you're going to have to deal with a potential presumption of immigration fraud by USCIS and the US consulate abroad. If you make an appeal for a waiver of the two year meeting requirement based on the facts you've stated here then that presumption is going to be ratcheted up several notches. If you also happen to have relatively low income, are collecting SSI, or are going to need a joint sponsor for the affidavit of support, then that presumption is a virtual guarantee. Someone in those circumstances has a motive to agree to marry someone to help them immigrate - cash from the intending immigrant or their family. They would also use the excuse of an arranged marriage to explain the lack of apparent emotional ties between them and their intended fiancee, the lack of evidence of an ongoing relationship, and the lack of any regular communication with their fiancee. They would also try to avoid having to meet the two year meeting requirement because, on the one hand, it's an added expense that they would want to avoid, and on the other hand, what's the point of meeting someone you have no real intention of spending the rest of your life with?
Understand that I'm not accusing you of any of the above, but an immigration officer or consular officer is going to read your story in black and white and this is what's going to be going through their minds. Here's a couple who are doing the bare minimum necessary in order to meet the requirements, and even trying to get a fundamental requirement waived. This fits the stereotypical pattern of immigration fraud - a convenient built-in excuse for not having any of they evidence they usually require, both with the petition and at the consular interview.
I think your waiver request will be denied. Further, I think if you even file the waiver request it will result in additional delays and investigation of your case when you do finally meet the requirements and meet each other face to face, or get married. I think your chances of success will improve dramatically if you can find a way to get to India and meet your fiancee, and perhaps even marry while you're there. Load up on anti-depressants and benzodiazapenes, and book a cabin on a passenger ship, if you must.
Why does our government treat marrying foreigners as a crime? Because, far too often, it is a crime. Immigration fraud is a widespread problem, and the law requires DHS and Department of State to do everything they can to prevent it. There are minimum statutory requirements you have to meet in order to get a petition approved, and then discretionary requirements that vary from one country to another that are applied by the consulates. These are high hoops to jump through, and all of us have to jump through them if we expect to succeed. Many of us have our demons we've had to fight in order to get through this - I know I certainly had my own. This is something I think you can do if you're determined enough to do it. You may even find it to be incredibly therapeutic.
Good luck.

HEY DEC K1 2010 THREAD!! GET UPDATED ON THE NEWS AROUND HERE!!
*** You're going to see this message with updates around in future posts so ALL OF US can get ready for each step of the Visa Journey! !***
Here are the previous post that will give you Thread Map for the USCIS links & information Currently, we're working on preparation of Packet #2, Request to be Added to Timeline, Wedding planning, Fitness Challenge and our very own Decemberite International Cookbook so we won't stress out! Please join us and say hello to everyone.

Page 17 ...............................Post # 251...........................................................Packet #2 List ** PLEASE DO NOT MISS THIS** Page 7................................. Post # 98............................................................. Your NOA1 Date Page 62 .............................. Post # 922 ......................................................... Updated Timeline By DizzyLox with Decemberite Family List (Updated M-F, No weekends) Page 62................................Post # 922.......................................................... ADD ME to TIMELINE (Hit Reply & Request Dizzy to Add you to the Dec Fam) Page 10 ...............................Post # 142.......................................................... Dec K1 2010 Thread's GAME PLAN Page 11............................... Post #151............................................................USCIS Service Center's EMAIL ADDRESSES & HEADQUARTER's SERVICE CENTER OPERATIONS Page 17................................Post #251............................................................CSC & VSC Processing Time (not a promise or a guarantee) Page 20................................Post #294 ............................................................Igor's List CSC & VSC (Your place in line = approximation) Page 22................................Post #316 &329..................................................Preparation for Medical Examination // Amendment post# 329 Page 23 .............................. Post# 341.............................................................CDC & Immigration Criteria for required vaccinations (record & history review for beneficiary) Page 23................................Post #345.............................................................Best Wedding links by Wendie Page 25................................Post#361..............................................................The Most Overlooked Tax Deductions Article by Kiplinger.com Page 25................................Post # 362............................................................Nesting for our Fiance's new home! Clean, Declutter and Organize before they get here. Page 32................................Post # 468........................................................... Bec_Dipu's example of why we do not wait to gather our NOA2 packet documents. Page 33................................Post # 490............................................................Required Documents for NOA2 (Post is duplicate so members can find easily) Page 37................................Post # 547............................................................Stay Healthy! No Bridezilla's here. Part 1 of Series on health matters. Water Intake Page 40................................Post # 596............................................................No Bridezilla's here. Part 2 of Series. Fiber Page 46................................Post #676.............................................................No Bridezilla here. Part 3 of Series. Walk our Talk & Exercise focus for your Bridal gown! Page 46................................Post #686.............................................................December Fitness Challenge Weblink Library (this post moves when people add to it) Page 49................................Post #723.............................................................Invite the US President, The Queen, and other Diplomats to your Wedding! by Shawn (uscmaviator). Page 52................................Post #772..............................................................Can my fiance work while on a Visa? (Lee&Jenibee? answered) Page 56................................Post #827..............................................................Travel Documents; Advanced Parole (Nikolacolada's: "Can my fiance travel after we marry?") Page 57................................Post #842..............................................................USC Change of Address FYI Page 59................................Post #874..............................................................EZ way to Identify each document so USCIS, NVC or Embassy won't lose your papers! Thanks Everybody our group is INSPIRING!
Mari

Would you like somebody to say this to you when you remove those rose coloured glasses stuck to your ego? That was mean Baron. Knock it off.

Hey, wait a minute...didn't you do THE SAME THING?

Hindsight is always 20/20. I didn't think I was jumping the gun with my second marriage, at the time, but it didn't take long for my hindsight to override my foresight.

BS Alert!!!

HEY DEC K1 2010 THREAD!! GET UPDATED ON THE NEWS AROUND HERE!!
*** You're going to see this message with updates around in future posts so ALL OF US can get ready for each step of the Visa Journey! !***
Here are the previous post that will give you Thread Map for the USCIS links & information Currently, we're working on preparation of Packet #2, Request to be Added to Timeline, Wedding planning and staying healthy so we won't stress out! Please join us and say hello to everyone.
Page 17 ...............................Post # 251................................Packet #2 List ** PLEASE DO NOT MISS THIS** Page 7................................. Post # 98.................................. Your NOA1 Date Page 39 .............................. Post # 578 ...............................Timeline By DizzyLox with Dec Filer's Daily Updated List (Updated M-F, No weekends) Page 39............................... Post # 578............................... ADD ME to TIMELINE (Hit Reply for Dizzylox to Request Dizzy to Add you) Page 10 ...............................Post # 142............................... Dec K1 2010 Thread's GAME PLAN Page 11............................... Post #151.................................USCIS Service Center's EMAIL ADDRESSES & HEADQUARTER's SERVICE CENTER OPERATIONS Page 17................................Post #251.................................CSC & VSC Processing Time (not a promise or a guarantee) Page 20................................Post #294 ................................Igor's List CSC & VSC (Your place in line = approximation) Page 22................................Post #316 &329......................Preparation for Medical Examination // Amendment post# 329 Page 23 .............................. Post# 341.................................CDC & Immigration Criteria for required vaccinations (record & history review for beneficiary) Page 23................................Post #345.................................Best Wedding links by Wendie Page 25................................Post#361..................................The Most Overlooked Tax Deductions Article by Kiplinger.com Page 25................................Post # 362.................................Nesting for our Fiance's new home! Clean, Declutter and Organize before they get here. Page 32................................Post # 468................................ Bec_Dipu's example of why we do not wait to gather our NOA2 packet documents. Page 33................................Post # 490.................................Required Documents for NOA2 (Post is duplicate so members can find easily) Page 37................................Post # 547.................................Stay Healthy! No Bridezilla's here. Part 1 of Series on health matters Page 40................................Post # 596.................................No Bridezilla's here. Part 2 of Series
Thanks Everybody You Are Drop Dead Gorgeous!
Mari

They can deal with things however they'd like, they have absolutely every right to. Like I said in my post, if it makes them feel better and makes them feel that they are doing everything they can, then all the power to them. If it makes a difference, fantastic! I don't think it will, and I would hate people to get their hopes up. Never once did I tell people to stop trying. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as anyone else is, and I don't feel I'm being rude about voicing it.
I wish the best for everyone in this process, no matter how long they wait. I simply believe this is a broken system and no amount of complaining will fix it, unfortunately.

OP,what you need is massive amount of lobbying.the general population is ignorant towards the immigration process.the most involved they have gotten with USCIS was while they watched the proposal.
im not saying give up,because who knows there might be 1% chance that all this get somewhere,but you have to be realistic.

Twitter and tweet all you guys want....ain't gonna change one thing.
You will keep waiting and will do so until they approve your petition. It's the way things have been for a long time.

And no amount of posts on VJ is going to change that.

Selfish, and stinks for the people who were using the information usefully.

makes me not want to put any time and effort into those kinds of threads again.

It still sucks. Sachinky and several other people made some great, informative and helpful posts, that would still have context even without the op. But now they are gone because someone doesn't know how to use the Internet like a grownup. But tells everyone here they're a magical conflict resolving superstar when it comes to being married to someone they've spent two weeks with. Cheers.

Wow really?
Could you have just had your posts removed so that other people who were interested could have benefitted from it?

He joined yesterday. Perhaps if he had been around here for a couple years like you than it should be known.
Again:

NOA1 in hand, NOW what do I do?
For the Beneficiary of K-1 Petitioner:
Required Documentation
You, the foreign-citizen fiancé(e), ...... will be required to bring the following forms and documents to the visa interview:

One (1) Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application, Form DS-156K . A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the U.S. (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions) Birth certificate Divorce or death certificate(s) of any previous spouse(s) for both you and the U.S. citizen sponsor Police certificates from your present country of residence and all countries where you have lived for 6 months or more since age 16 (Police certificates are also required for accompanying children age 16 or older) Medical examination (vaccinations are optional, see below) Evidence of financial support (Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, may be requested) Two (2) 2x2 inch photographs. See the required photo format explained in Nonimmigrant Visa Photograph Requirements Evidence of relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) Payment of fees, as explained below Note: The Consular Officer may ask for additional information, such as photographs and other proof that the relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is genuine. Documents in foreign languages, other than the language of the country in which the application takes place, should be translated. Applicants should take to the visa interview clear, legible photocopies of civil documents and translations, such as birth and divorce certificates. Original documents and translations will be returned.
Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirements
In preparing for the interview, applicants will need to schedule and complete a medical examination. Before the issuance of an immigrant or K visa, every applicant, regardless of age, must undergo a medical examination which must be performed by an authorized panel physician. You will be provided instructions regarding medical examinations from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply for your visa, including information on authorized panel physicians. See Medical Examination for more information, including a list of panel physicians by country, and frequently asked questions.
K visa applicants are encouraged to get the vaccinations required under U.S. immigration law for immigrant visa applicants. Although such vaccinations are not required for K visa issuance, they will be required when adjusting status to that of legal permanent resident following your marriage. Applicants are therefore encouraged to fulfill these vaccination requirements at the time of the medical examination. See Vaccination Requirements for IV Applicants for the list of required vaccinations and additional information.
Proof of Financial Support and Affidavit of Support Forms
During the visa interview, applicants will be required to present evidence to the Consular Officer that they will not become a public charge in the U.S. You may present evidence that you are able to financially support yourself or that your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is able to provide support. The Consular Officer may request that a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support be submitted by the U.S. citizen fiancé(e).
The U.S. citizen fiancé(e) will need to submit Form I-864 to USCIS with the application for adjustment of status to that of legal permanent resident following the marriage.
Do the Same Income Requirements Apply to Form I-134 as Apply to Form I-864?
No. The 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline minimum income requirement, the most recent year's tax return, and other requirements only apply when Form I-864 is needed. Applicants presenting Form I-134 will need to show that their U.S. sponsor's income is 100 percent of the federal poverty guideline.
Fees - How Much Does a K-1 Visa Cost?
Fees are charged for the following services:

Filing an Alien Fiancé(e) Petition, Form I-129F Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, Form DS-156 Medical examination (costs vary from post to post) Other costs may include translation and photocopying charges, fees for getting the documents required for the visa application (such as passport, police certificates, birth certificates, etc.), and travel expenses to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an interview. Costs vary from country to country and case to case. Filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status For current fees for Department of State, see Fees for Visa Services. For current fees for USCIS, see Check Filing Fees on the USCIS website.
1. CALIF SERVICE CENTER PROCESSING TIME: https://egov.uscis.g...TimesDisplay.do
2. VERMONT SERVICE CENTER PROCESSING TIME: https://egov.uscis.g...TimesDisplay.do

That's going to take a lot of work!