Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Asia: East and Pacific	Question regarding I-129F and Sydney Embassy	What sort of visa have you filed for? If it's a K1 visa and you're talking about the packet 3 documents - you send those back to the embassey along with the checklist confirming you are ready to be intereviewed. Once they have received and checked they will send you an email confirming your interview date and time. Edited by CareBear, 29 August 2010 - 09:49 PM.	CareBear	Female	Australia	2010-08-29 21:47:00
Asia: East and Pacific	New Zealand Police Check	I'm a kiwi who has been living in Australia for the last 7 years and am in the final stages of my K1 visa application. Can anyone please tell me roughly how long it takes for the Auckland US Consulate to obtain a New Zealand Police check for their file? I had the Ministry of Justice one but Sydney refused to accept it and have sent a letter off to New Zealand Police via the Auckland Consulate. Just wondering roughly how much longer I'll be waiting as my visa issuance is on hold pending this check. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. Carey	CareBear	Female	Australia	2010-09-02 03:13:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	NVC does not have my file	I've sent him a link to your thread so he can read and respond as I'm not 100% sure where his case is at right now but it would appear if there are 2 of you with the same NOA2 date out of the same place it has to be a USCIS issue right?	CareBear	Female	Australia	2010-07-27 21:56:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	NVC does not have my file	Ohhhhhh you're the second person out of VSC with the same NOA2 date who's file has gone missing. One of the gents who posts under the VSC April Filers thread has got the exact same problem! His has gone missing too and never reached NVC.	CareBear	Female	Australia	2010-07-27 21:50:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	TURKISH RAMADAN PIDE 7 gr instant yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 3/4 cup warm milk ~4 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil Glaze: 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp milk In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm milk. Stir well so the yeast dissolves (picture). Cover it with a towel, let it rest 15 minutes. In a large bowl, sift flour and salt (picture). Add the bubbly yeast mixture and 1 1/2 cup warm milk (picture). Mix and put the dough on the lightly floured counter and knead well for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth (no more crumbles). Then spread 1 tsp of olive oil inside a clean bowl. Place the dough in it and spread another tsp of olive oil with your hands all over the dough (picture). Then cover it with a clean, damp towel. Put aside for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature until the dough rises to double its size. Place the dough on the lightly floured counter. Press all over it with your hands to get rid of air bubbles (picture). Cut the dough in 2 pieces with a knife. Knead and give a ball shape to each, cover with a damp towel, and put aside for about 15 minutes. Place parchment paper on two oven trays, then arrange the doughs on the trays. Then use your palm to flatten each ball into a flatter rounded shape. Lightly beat the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Dip your finger tips in it and press all over the dough. Sprinkle some black or regular sesame seeds all over and cover with a clean damp towel. Leave for about 35-40 minutes to rise at a warm place. Preheat the oven to 450 F and put some water in an oven-safe bowl. Place it on the bottom of the oven. Place one of the trays on the middle rack. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until the colour becomes light golden. Place the pide on the clean towel to cool it down a bit. Then bake the second dough. Serve while still warm. Makes 2 Turkish Ramadan Pide. So, there was a bit of a discussion going on yesterday surrounding AYRAN so, that being said, thought I'd put the recipe on here for anyone that is interested in trying it! Ayran 3 cup plain yogurt 1/2 cup water 1 tsp salt This is very straight-forward but tastes great: Put all of the above in a blender. Mix for about 35-40 seconds. Pour into glasses. Also after blending, at the top, you will see bubbles and that's the best part. Makes 4 portions.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-23 09:02:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	I just made a very good Mari Turkish Version of "hamburgler helper" without all that box stuff. *Tuana this is just for you, my friend* Mariye's Etli Patates (Ground beef with potatoes) 1 lb ground beef or lamb (I used beef and you can mix veal & lamb if you like) 1 big baking potato, or 3 small ones (peeled and cut in big chunks) 1 sweet onion, (peeled and cut in big chunks) 1 red bell pepper (roast on flame first if you like and then peel and cut into chunks) 1 handful of baby carrots, or if you prefer, sliced carrots (peeled if not already done so) 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed and minced. 4 Tblspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 + Tsp Turkish Baharat (that's about 1.5 tsp I'd say) 1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes 2 C Water, plus 3/4 C 1 Tsp Turkish Domates Paste 1 Tsp Turkish Biber Paste 2 Tsp lime juice (you can use lemon too if no lime on hand) OK easy now... In a big pot with lid, gently heat olive oil . Lightly brown ground meat. Add all vegetables and sprinkle with Baharat seasoning & red pepper flakes. Put lid on, leave on medium heat for a couple of minutes while you prepare the broth. Mix the Domates, Biber pastes,lime juice, and Water in a separate container to marry the flavours together, making a broth. Remove lid from pot, Pour liquid over top of meat and vegetables, then return lid. Turn heat up and let those vegetables almost absorb all the liquid, about 20 mins. When the potatoes and carrots are soft, the onions have become 'see through', then add the 3/4 C of water to get a really good broth, but not a soup. Let cook with lid on for another 10 mins. Serve over a hot Pilav,hummus, and Turkish Shepherd's Salad! With love, Mariye! MARI You are the best. Thank you so very much. Ohhhhhhh something I can eat, I am so super excited and this sounds wonderful. I will be so happy to get off that processed food hamburger helper #######. Hate the stuff!!!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 14:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	Sooooo, speaking of fat free-calorie free foods, I thought we needed a dessert on here so here you go: Baklava Ingredients 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough 1 pound chopped nuts 1 cup butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup water 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 14:19:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	In the meantime here is one that I love! Baba Ghanoush Ingredients Salt 1 t Tahini (sesame paste) 2 T Lemon, juiced 1 ea Garlic, minced 2-3 cloves Eggplant 3 ea Olive oil 2-3 T Parsley, minced 1-2 T Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Place eggplant on a baking pan and roast in oven until cooked through, about 45-60 minutes. Eggplant should collapse when it is removed from the oven and begins to cool. 3. Cut the eggplant in half and remove the pulp. 4. Put pulp, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt in a food processor or blender and puree. 5. Remove to a serving bowl and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle on parsley and serve. Mariye Version: I ADD TURKISH BAHARAT ... mmmmm VARIATIONS * In Turkey, paprika would be sprinkled over the top. * A little yogurt can be stirred into the baba ghanoush to lighten it up a bit. Very tasty! NOTES * Baba ghanoush is typically served with pide bread cut into wedges and sometimes toasted or grilled. You could also serve it as a dip for any kind of chips. Abbreviations ea = each t = teaspoon T = tablespoon oooooooo this looks so good. I am going to have to make this. Ohhh I need to get over to that market in DALLAS. But uggggg the drive. Who cares, it's worth it!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 14:14:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	yeah i'm gonna need you to both cook for my wedding.. LOL LOL Kidding! Sheesh by the time we're all through eating these recipes Tuana's posting, we may not fit in those dresses! LOL too funny. I'll have to look for the fat free calorie free versions of these recipes	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 14:12:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	I like the Mercimek,and the Turkish Wedding Soup and of course MANTI! Turkish red lentil soup (kirmizi mercimek corbasi) recipe Recipe ingredients 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 2 tablespoons tomato paste 8 cups low-fat vegetable or beef stock 1 cup red lentils 1/4 cup short-grain rice 1 dried red pepper, optional 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried mint 1 lemon, cut into wedges How to make turkish red lentil soup (kirmizi mercimek corbasi) In a Dutch oven, warm butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Stir in garlic, cumin, and coriander, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stock, lentils, rice, and red pepper, if desired. Stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil, cover pan, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When lentils and rice are tender and soup has thickened, add salt, pepper, and dried mint. Serve hot with lemon wedges. Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Serves 4 I like the Mercimek,and the Turkish Wedding Soup and of course MANTI! Turkish Wedding Soup (Dugun Corbasi) Ingredients: Servings: 6 6 6 Servings Size Update var oldServing = 6; $('#servingssize').servingsize_dropdown({ddTypeName: ''}); <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="185">2 -2 1/2 lbs lamb stew meat or 2 -2 1/2 lbs lamb necks, slices or 2 -2 1/2 lbs lamb ribs or 2 -2 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="189">3 quarts water <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="190">1 large onion <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="191">1 medium carrot <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="192">1 tablespoon salt <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="193">4 tablespoons butter <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="194">1/3 cup all-purpose flour <LI class=ingredient sizcache="37" sizset="126">3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons lemon juice GARNISH <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="196">1/4 cup butter <LI class=ingredient sizcache="51" sizset="197">2 teaspoons paprika 1 dash cayenne Change Measurements: US | Metric Directions: Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 4 1/4 hrs 1 Combine 2 to 2 1/2 pounds either lamb stew meat, neck slices, ribs or shoulder and water in a large kettle. Peel and cut onion into quarters; peel carrot and cut into several pieces. Add to kettle along with salt. Simmer over very low heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until meat falls from the bones. Skim soup frequently. Let cool until fat hardens and skim off all fat. Strain the broth. 2 Cut the meat from bones and trim off all fat. Cut meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Discard bones and onion and carrot. Melt butter in a large kettle; stir in flour and brown lightly. Stir in the broth and cook, stirring constantly, until soup thickens slightly. 3 Beat egg yolks and lemon juice together. Spoon in a half cup or so of hot soup, mix well and then stir into soup. Add meat cubes and heat just until soup is ready to simmer; do not allow to boil. 4 Meanwhile, for garnish, cream together butter and paprika; add a dash of cayenne. Spoon soup into cups or soup plates. Top with creamed butter and paprika. Serve at once. Or chill until very cold and serve cold. Makes 8 to 10 servings for opening course, about 6 whole meal servings. Serve with crisp bread sticks or flat Armenian or Turkish bread, if available. 5 Soups and Stews The World Over.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 09:45:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	As Requested: NEW RECIPE: VEGETERIAN LAHMACUN As the Arabic name suggest (lahm bi-`aj?n - meat with dough), it is not a vegetarian dish, but since I try keep away from meat in my daily life, I replaced the minced meat with ground meat alternative. The taste was same. For the dough I used the same recipe as Turkish pide, from Home Baking. Ingredients: Dough 1 tsp active dry yeast 2 cups of warm water 1 cup of wheat flour 5 cups of all purpose flour 1.5 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil Filling 2 medium size onions (diced) 2 tbsp cooking oil 1 tbsp tomato paste 1-2 tsp salt 0.5 tsp sugar 200g ground soy meat 1-2 tbsp water 2 tbsp of minced parsley Spices (black pepper is a must) 1. Dissolve the yeast in a large bowl. 2. Add wheat flour and one cup of all purpose flour, and stir. 3. Cover the mixture and put aside for 10 minutes, up to 3 hours. 4. Add oil and salt. 5. Slowly add the remaining flour until it is hard to stir. 6. Turn the dough over the slightly floured surface, and knead it for 6-8 minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands while you are kneeding. If necessary add more flour. 7. Cover the dough with a plastic film and put it aside for 1.5-2 hours, until the dough doubles its initial size.+ 8. In a pan sautee the onion in oil with sugar and salt. 9. Add soy meat and water. 10. Remove the mixture from the heat and add parsley and spices. Let it cool down. 11. When the dough is ready, turn the dough over the slightly floured surface 12. Slice the dough into 10 slices and make balls. Cover the pieces with a damp cloth. 13. Take the first piece and flat the dough into a circle (D=6-9 in.) with using a rolling pin. The thickness of the dough should be a little less than 1/4th of an inch (less than 1/2 cm) 14. Brush the surface with olive oil. 15. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp stuffing onto the dough. Press them down a little, since the stuffing has to stick to the surface. 16. Brush the sides with olive oil again. 17. Put the pide on preheated skillet and cook the bottom at medium temperature. 18. Once the bottom is cooked, transfer the pide to an oven dish and place it to the oven which is set to broil. 19. Cook the top until the surface turn to light brown-golden. * If you are trying this for the first time, you should prepare one pide at a time. +If you do not have about 2 hours, you can heat the oven a little less than 150F/70C, and keep the dough covered with moist towel in the oven. Just make sure that the oven is only warm and the cloth is not touching the dough.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-22 09:41:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	I have ONLY one thing to say................UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Keep em' coming!!! ohhhhhhh thank you. What is your favorite kind of dish. Dessert, Appetizers, etc? I will post something new tomorrow but if you want something now I'll be happy to search for you	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-21 12:02:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	NOHUTLU PILVA - Rice with Chickpea 1 cup long-grain rice 2 tbsp orzo 1 ½ chicken stock, hot ½ cup chick peas in a can 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp butter Wash the rice several times with warm water and drain. Cover the rice with warm water and leave it for 15-20 minutes and drain. If you do not have time for this, just wash the rice and then drain. Place the butter in a saucepan or pot and add the orzo. Over low-heat, fry until their color starts changing to golden brown. Do not over fry, take the pot from the stove as soon as you see the golden brown color and add the rice. Then, again place the pot on the stove and stir for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Finally, add the hot chicken stock (If you leave the rice in water before cooking, use 1 ½ cup hot water otherwise use 2 cups). Add the salt and close the lid and cook over low heat, until the rice absorbs all the water. Meanwhile you can stir once or twice. Finally add the chick peas and stir. Let the pilaf stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Pilaf goes well with any kind of dish and yogurt. I like it with plain yogurt. ENJOY! P.S: You can also add 1 tsp of lemon juice with the water, to make the pilaf shine. ********* TURKCE 1 su bardagi baldo pirinc 2 yemek kasigi arpa sehriye 2 yemek kasigi tereyagi /margarin 1 ½ su bardagi tavuk suyu, sicak ½ su bardagi nohut konservesi ya da haslanmis nohut 1 tatli kasigi tuz Pirinci temiz su cikana dek yikayip suzun. Uzerini ilik su ile kaplayin ve 15-20 dakika dinlenmeye birakin. Sonra suzun. Eger buna zamaniniz yoksa, pirinci sadece yikayip, suzun. Tereyagini bir tava ya da tencereye alin ve arpa sehriyeleri ilave edin. Dusuk ateste sehriyeler kizarmaya baslayana dek cevirin. Ates uzerinde fazla birakmayin, kizarmaya baslar baslamaz ocaktan alin ve pirincleri ilave edin. Orta ateste 3-4 dakika pirincleri kavurun. Son olarak, sicak tavuk suyunu ve karistirin (Eger pisirmeden once pirinci suda beklettiyseniz, 1 ½ su bardagi sicak su, eger bekletmediyseniz 2 su bardagi kullanin). Tuzu da ilave edip kapagini kapatin. Pilav suyunu cekene dek, dusuk ateste pisirin. Pisme esnasinda 1-2 defa karistirabilirsiniz. Son olarak nohutlari ilave edin ve karistirin. Servis yapmadan once 15-20 dakika dinlendirin. Pilav butun yemek cesitleriyle ve yogurt ile guzel gider. Ben pilavi yogurt ile severim. AFIYET OLSUN! NOT: Eger pilavinizin parlamasini ve tane tane olmasini istiyorsaniz suyu ilave ederken 1 tatli kasigi limon suyu ilave edin.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-21 11:21:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Turkish Recipes	Add yours 25 minutes to make Serves 6 A common lunch time snack in Turkey, shake over dried chillies, add a squeeze of lemon and roll up with a little lettuce and tomato salad, or divide the dough into smaller portions to make finger food for a party thin crust pizza easy lamb chili lemon salad bake mediterranean more... save planner print email groc. list Ingredients For the dough shopping list 1 tsp dried yeast shopping list ½ tsp sugar shopping list ½ cup lukewarm water shopping list 3 cups strong white flour shopping list ½ tsp salt shopping list 1 tbl spoon olive oil shopping list olive oil shopping list for the topping shopping list 1tblsp butter shopping list 1 onion, grated shopping list 1 tomato skinned and chopped – boil kettle and pour over tomato let stand for 2 min, remove and peel shopping list salt and sugar to taste shopping list 225g/8oz minced lamb shopping list 2 tbl spoons tomato paste shopping list 1 tsp paprika flakes shopping list squeeze of lemon juice shopping list Right Dish, Wrong Ingredients? View Lahmacun with different ingredients. How to make it Or the dough – dilute sugar in water and sprinkle yeast on top, let stand for a few min till frothy. sift flour and salt into a bowl and make a well add yeast mix and tablespoon olive oil combine gradually till it creates a firm dough ( adding a little more warm water if necessary or flour if sticky ) knead dough on a floured surface for 10 min ir until it becomes smooth and elastic. smear a drop of olive oil around a bowl and roll the dough in it cover with damp cloth and let stand in a warm place for about an hour or till doubled in size. for the topping saute onions in the butter add chopped tomato and cook till dry add salt and sugar to taste and set aside to cool put the meat in a bowl add the tomato paste, paprika and lemon juice work mix into a paste with your hands punch back the risen dough, knead for 2-3 min cut into 6 preheat oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8 roll each piece into a ball and roll out into a very thin round place on a well greased baking sheet spread a thin layer of the meat mix over each one leave to rest for 10 min. bake in oven for 10-15min until brown and crispy serve immediately with tomato, lettuce, onion and parsley salad, with liberally squeezed lemon juice	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2010-12-20 16:05:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Documents Required for Interview - Beneficiary	The embassy website you are referring to is this, right? http://turkey.usemba...ions_101510.pdf I found these official K1 visa instructions to be very clear and helpful. Medical report will not have to be translated. What is the appointment letter from NVC? Don't forget about the I-134 and all of the DS forms. If you have any more specific questions let me know, as I just went through this a few months ago. Thank you so very much. Yes, I went into the site, got all the information. Sent it to my fiance and now we are working on getting everything pulled together. Just waiting to complete my tax return for 2010 and then I will be sending all the docs off to him so he has everything from here on my end. I really appreciate your response and help. Thanks	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-01-31 14:16:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Documents Required for Interview - Beneficiary	Thank you so very much these sites were most helpful and useful. Now I feel I have all the information I need to send to my Fiancee. I see from your timeline that you are awaiting news any day now. I wish you the best of luck!!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-01-24 16:31:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Documents Required for Interview - Beneficiary	Hello Everyone, I am working on putting together a list for my finace of the documents he needs to ensure he has available to send to the consulate once he is informed that he can schedule his interview for his K-1 Visa. I understand that there are documents he will need to send in ahead of time (copies) and then documents (originals) that he will take with him to his interview. I have obtained some information off of the Web Site from the Consulate in Ankara, Turkey, however, I wanted to confirm that I have everything in order. Anyone who might be able to provide some information or insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Below is a list of documents I have listed so far that he will be required to provide for his interview. Thanks Documents Already Provided in my Initial K-1 Visa Application that will be forwarded to the consulate in Ankara, Turkey G-325A Biographic information, 1 completed by both my finace and I Copies all pages of my U.S Passport Divorce Decree proving that I can legally marry Statement from both my Finace and I regarding our intent to marry Passport style photographs of both my fiance and I Form I-129F Proof of relationship Proof of personal meeting within 2 years Pictures of us together Documents I show my Finace will need to provide as copies prior to his interview and as original documents during the actual interview Full Photocopy of all pages of his Turkish Passport Birth Certificate (Nufus Kayit Ornegi) - Signed by Vital Statistics office and with full translation and certification of translation Criminal Record (Arsiv Kayitli Abli Sicil Kaydi) - Current and Archived - With full translation and with certification of translation 2 passport style photographs Medical Report from medical examanation taken prior to interview - DOES THIS NEED TO BE TRANSLATED AS WELL? Additional proof of relationship Appointment letter received from NVC Are there any other additional documents that I am missing that he will need to provide? Does anyone have a list or anything from USCIS that provides a detailed exact list of the documents he will need to provide? We are both so scared that we will forget something or fail to provide something and he will be asked to come back for a second interview. We are trying to avoid this from occurring. Thanks to anyone who reads this post and can help me compile a concise list. I appreciate anyone's assistance!!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-01-24 12:35:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	All Visa filers for Turkey	Everyone here on the Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe* Please read the Topic that I posted regarding Pending Interviews at the US Embassy in Ankara. I saw and GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-01-31 14:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	VIsa Wait-Time in Turkey	Hi VJ friends...we are looking into booking a flight for my fiance to come over after his visa intervew. Anyone else from Turkey able to give me an idea of about how long it takes for the visa/passport to be returned to you after the interview? Any information would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!! I would suggest reading the instructions again and also read the consulate web site. I would strongly suggest not purchasing any tickets for fiancee until the Visa has been approved. It could save you a lot of unnecessary costs.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-05-14 23:55:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Requirements for getting married in Turkey	Thanks. I have seen this web site. I have seen that some people did not have to take all the blood tests and I would like to hear from anyone who got married in Turkey and if they took the blood tests, chest xrays, and if they got the certificate that indicates they were free to marry prior to leaving the United States. To make it really clear, everything will take place in Turkey if that is where you plan to wed. I did not have to do anything state side prior to getting married in Turkey. Hope that helps.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-09-04 11:44:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Requirements for getting married in Turkey	I have read the requirements for getting married in Turkey on various websites. Do I need to get an eligibility for marriage in the United States? Do they still do blood tests? Thanks to anyone who can answer Hi , yes, before you can proceed with any steps on the Turkish end of things you will first need to visit an American Consulate or Embassy in Turkey to obtain a certificate that allows you to wed. Research online the embassy or consulate that is nearest you, you can make an appointment online and there should also be instructions of what all you will need to bring with you in order to obtain that document. After you have completed several other steps after obtaining the documents allowing you to marry in Turkey, yes, you will be subjected to a blood test there. As you will be marrying abroad in Turkey, from my understanding, you should not need to do any blood tests in the US. Hope this helps answer your questions.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-09-04 11:41:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Ankara Consulate	It seems to me that there have been some rather lengthy delays with the Ankara Consulate in terms of being able to schedule the CR-1 interviews. Is any one else experiencing the same. Does anyone know on average the timeline from when all paperwork is received at NVC until interview date at the consulate is determined? I am growing increasingly concerned, not only because I know that Ankara is responsible for interviewing for not only Turkey, but also with some of the recent upset in the Middle East and more importantly the events that took place in Turkey recently, if this too will delay scheduling and processing times. Just wanted to know if anyone had any insight they wanted to share and see if others were experiencing the same. Any insight anyone can share would be much appreciated.! Take care all!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-09-17 13:52:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	First off I am sorry TUana you took offense. THis is a common saying here and had NOTHING TO DO with anything the Muslim faith. Since no one has asked me what it meant...Here it is....I am working my self into the ground and taking a 3rd a job that will make sure that my family is ok till Bahadir can work. So in my life this is something i never thought i would have to do...Hence the When Pigs fly...Because they never will. But i came back with start flapping..meaning I have to get all the energy i have to make this all happen. But to get such a idea that i am meaning against anyone and not even being asked what i meant is what is offensive. Since the AMERI TURKS are suppose to be encouraging i find it amazing i was attacked with question. ANd Yes Bahadir and I are lucky and we push every day and I am thankful. But This is a common saying and after speaking to my husband who is turkish about my saying this he said the same. It is a saying. I am assured by my husband this word is not against anyone saying. SO I am sorry you were offended...but really if you want to be seen as a unit I would definitely keep the attack down to a minimum....and if you actually knew me you would know how off base this has been blown up. AGAIN I apologize. ANd anyone on here who actually has interaction with me would know this is so offbase! Hi Michelle, Thanks for the respose. You mention that no one asked what you meant with that comment, however if you will review the initial post made by Mari to which I commented on today, she directly asked what the intent or meaning was behind the statement you made. Michelle, you state that no one asked you, then you just stated here you are amazed that you were attacked with questions Which is it? Were you not asked or were you attacked with questions? Furthermore, in no way did I "attack" you, in fact, I stated that possibly you were having a bad day or something to the like. I in no way made any reference to you being a bad person and as you so clearly stated, in that I don't know you, this was the reason I implied benefit of doubt in relation to your initial comment. Additionally, I appreciate that you confered with your husband regarding what you refer to as a common saying however other individuals, my husband, myself and also I'm sure other Ameri-Turks took offense especially considering that you were asked for clarification to your comment to which we received a defensive attitude from you as opposed to an answer. Again, I was not responding to Mari's post to entice an apology from you, rather simply to express my feelings and opinion regarding the comment made. However, like I said, it appears that you were under and continue to be under a great deal of stress same as the rest of us, that the comment was made in haste and I appreciate the apology and it is forgiven. Also, would you please clarify what you mean in reference to, "but really if you want to be seen as a unit," which unit are you referencing please?	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-01-19 18:09:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	happy new year to you all Hi Melbar! How are you doing? Just wante to say Hello!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-01-19 16:51:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Michelle? aka: "The Gulers" What did you mean when you said on your profile page, "When Pigs Fly..." and then added, ".... Start Flying" ?? Did you mean that when a foreigner, or Yabanci, immigrates to the United States, for the USC's to run??? Seriously, it was degrading to others and I sincerely hope you did not mean that for ANY of the AmeriTurks, or the Muslim Community! Mariye Hi Mari I agree I took great offense to seeing these words, honestly it saddens me. All of us are dealing with varying degrees of struggle through this process and this process is hard enough and disheartening as it is ! This forum has always been, in my opinion like a safe haven, a place to come to gather support from other Ameri-Turks. It is unfortunate to see people speaking like this, unable to realize the forturne that they have been blessed with to have their significant others here with them. Hopefully, she was just having a bad day and hopefully more careful consideration will be given to word choice by HER in regards to her association with the Ameri-Turk family and take into consideration that anything any of us say in these types of public forums are a direct representation of all of us. It is unfortunate that it has now been posted publically words such as those. Anyway, Mari thanks for posting your thoughts on this subject and for bringing this to our attention. Hopefully from this she will learn a little bit of sensitivity and how to be politically correct and observant and respectful of others religious beliefs, associations and cultural diversities. Hugs and Thanks	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-01-19 15:20:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Michelle? aka: "The Gulers" What did you mean when you said on your profile page, "When Pigs Fly..." and then added, ".... Start Flying" ?? Did you mean that when a foreigner, or Yabanci, immigrates to the United States, for the USC's to run??? Seriously, it was degrading to others and I sincerely hope you did not mean that for ANY of the AmeriTurks, or the Muslim Community! Mariye Hi Mari I agree I took great offense to seeing these words, honestly it saddens me. All of us are dealing with varying degrees of struggle through this process and this process is hard enough and disheartening as it is ! This forum has always been, in my opinion like a safe haven, a place to come to gather support from other Ameri-Turks. It is unfortunate to see people speaking like this, unable to realize the forturne that they have been blessed with to have their significant others here with them. Hopefully, she was just having a bad day and hopefully more careful consideration will be given to word choice by HER in regards to her association with the Ameri-Turk family and take into consideration that anything any of us say in these types of public forums are a direct representation of all of us. It is unfortunate that it has now been posted publically words such as those. Anyway, Mari thanks for posting your thoughts on this subject and for bringing this to our attention. Hopefully from this she will learn a little bit of sensitivity and how to be politically correct and observant and respectful of others religious beliefs, associations and cultural diversities. Hugs and Thanks	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2012-01-19 15:20:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	hi mari how are u/ everything is fine for me here for now earning money ..i am working realy hard to do my best i teaching melek how to cook she is learning ...and i will apply visa for my mather and father... i want them to come here and visit me it would be better my mather miss me so muchh ...sometimes when we talk she cry ... she wants to see me..when i was in turkey working every two monts i was visiting it was not hard for them.now its hard for them ...i sent them some money i got my secod paycheck i sent them...usualy i was working 3 days a week now i am working 5 days a week..when i start school it will be less school is importand for me.to have better job and career ... kadir will be ok.u know i went to dentist already i was scare but it was little ok...dentist was flipino.he was so good next week i will go for checkup for hospital... every here so good to me i am working with armenian they realy good to me.their food and everything same as turkish food... sometimes they bring food to me ...thats it for now say hi to my hemserim ok... Hey Melbar, I hope this is not intrusive of me to ask, but I am trying to assist Kemal in finding different resources or avenues that he can research concerning finding work here in the United States and other things maybe we can do together and get involved in to help make is transition more smooth. If you have any suggestions that you would not mind sharing, or any ideas, I would love to hear them. Kemal has been doing research on his end, however I would like to help him in his efforts and too if I could find some ways for us to meet some Turk people in the area that could become friends for us, that would make me so happy. So, if you have any suggestions or ideas that you would not mind sharing, I would greatly appreciate it. I am so glad to hear you are adjusting so well, I hope things just continue to get better along the way. Take care! Tuana	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-25 00:58:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Hello Everyone, Sorry for disappering on you guys,hubby is here and lots of things to take care and do.He arrived here in Houston May 24 th with couple of hrs. waiting at the immigration line(lots of immigrants and long lines).He just received his green card last week but not his SS card, so we went and applied again.(they supposed to send it in three weeks of his arrival but they didn't). Not sure if he really liked it here yet, but, at least I speak Turkish and that helps a lot.He will be starting ESL classes soon to learn English and also studying at home.I try to speak English with him but it's hard to do, because, I miss speaking Turkish LOL..LOL.. I am glad that Baris is moving along well and even got a job.Kadir is here also and hope he gets his green card and SS card soon.also happy for Tuana,they got their interwiev date finally. I am so happy for recent interwiev dates and hope everybody's interwiev goes well without any problems. Promise to be back soon with new updates.. Nihal OMG finally there you are. We have wondering where you disappeared to. It is wonderful to hear from you. Yes it appears a lot of changings taking place for everyone and it seems things are finally starting to move in a positive direction for all of us. So, I think it is wonderful that he will be begining ESL classes soon, where is he taking them? Kemal's English is my opinion is coming along quite nicely, I am super proud of him, however I hope to be able to help him more so when he is here. I for sure need to stare learning more Turkish. We have made an agreement that upon his arrival he will start speaking to me in Turkish and I to him in English so that we can both start picking it up and working on our languages together. I am still so astonished that I am finally speaking of terms such as "when he gets here." This journey has been so difficult and I miss him terribly but I keep saying to myself, it is possible, in 35 days or so, we could be in our home together. AMAZING. Well I am so happy to hear from you I was getting worried. Welcome back! I wont ask what you've been up to. Take care, best to the both of you and too all our other Ameri-Turks, hope you all are doing well please keep us posted on your progress. Best wishes to everyone!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-25 00:53:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Just a personal note to you and Kem!!! Congratulations on your interview date gurlfriend~!!! Love ya, "Kizzie Mariye Yenge" Yenge Mariye, Thank you so much for your support and friendship! I can't wait for all of us Ameri-Turks to get together! Hopefully all of us will be together soon with our fiance's and our spouses. I think we need to try and get something planned , like a yearly event where we all get together and have a nice weekend get away with our Ameri-Turk friends. WIshing you the best! Hugs! Yenge Tuana	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-25 00:47:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	HI All, Okay so I can't find where before I was putting some recipes in here for some of us, however I found this recipe this morning, so I thought I would share. Mari thanks for the insight on how they get their Salep and dondourma (ice cream) so thick and creamy! If you have not tried this yet, I would suggest you do, it is wonderful! SALEP RECIPE 1 tbsp Salep, dried powdered roots of a mountain orchid (see below for more info) 1 teacup of milk, cold Garnish: Cinnamon, powdered Place Salep in a small saucepan. Slowly add the cold milk, stirring constantly over low heat. When it reaches a smooth consistency, remove from the stove. Pour into a teacup and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Serve while still hot. What is Salep? Turkey is the major Salep producing country. Salep is made from the dried powdered roots of a mountain orchid in the Eastern Mediterranean woods. Salep is a traditional Turkish hot drink which was also served during the reign of the Ottoman empire. The roots are rich in starch and the mixture thickens naturally. You should also try Vanilla ice cream with Salep... it has a great aroma and smells delicious:) We love to drink Salep on cold days. It also has medicinal traits, such as for sore throats. It has been used for a long time to treat chronic diarrhea, digesting problems and gum disease. You can purchase Salep from local Turkish Grocery Stores or the following websites: Tulumba.com, Taste of Turkey.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-18 09:12:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Thank you Tuana!!!its coming!! the wait is almost over! Hi there, no problem at all. I know you were waiting a very long time for your NOA2 but it appears things are moving rather quickly for you now. I saw you posted something the other day about interview times. here is some information I know. I called the consulate a few days ago, they stated they were currently begining to schedule interviews for August, however interviews as I stated to you earlier are scheduled after packet #3 is returned back completed to the consulate. So, get that puppy in there as soon as possible. I saw another VJ the other day that had a timeline very simlar to mine they received their interview date a few days ago for July 20th. So I think really it depends on a number of different factors such as how long it takes them to review packet #3, the type of visa being applied for etc. etc. I am hoping, wishing, praying that maybe my fiance's interview will be scheduled for sometime in the last two weeks of July. I know I am not different from anyone else when I state that but my fiance and I honestly thought he'd be here by now. We are just so anxious and excited about the prospect of actually living together as a married couple under the same roof in the same country. OMG the think! Also, just as an FYI, I checked that link I provided you late last night, they recently just updated it as of June 17, previously updated on June 3 so it appears to be updated every two weeks, so once you have sent back in package 3 I would suggest you call them if you have not received e-mail regarding the interview date 15-30 days after you confirm your packet # 3 has been received by the embassy I do not see any harm in calling them to follow up. Just as a reminder, they are only open from 4-5 M-T turkish time, and when you listen to the options menu make sure to select immigrant visas not non-immigrant visas. If you keep getting put to a recording, continue to all back, the operator at the embassy told me that if the line does not ring after going through all the prompts and information provided that means all their operators are busy at the moment. I ended up calling 8 times the other day before actually speaking with someone. Anyway, so sorry for the long msg, just trying to be helpful if at all possible. Please let me know if you need any additional information! Have a great weekend, sounds like your wedding plans are moving along nicely have fun and take enjoyment in doing that:) GOOD WEEKEND!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-18 09:07:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	KAri You are so funny...I am here smiling......So whats new? lol Our Petition arrived in Ankara this morning! Super happy about that! Have you gotten your date? I do have one question did you have to schedule your interview date? I see in some countries the petitioner has to call and schedule after the Fee has been paid. Is this the case for Turkey? Ready to get this moving! We are HOPING for a August date sometime...We have set our wedding date at September 17th! Glad you are well!!!! Sassy! Here is that link. When you open the web page, do a Ctrl+F and then type in your ANK # and then you can see if you have been scheduled for interview http://www.usemb-ank...chedule_iv.html	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-17 11:48:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	KAri You are so funny...I am here smiling......So whats new? lol Our Petition arrived in Ankara this morning! Super happy about that! Have you gotten your date? I do have one question did you have to schedule your interview date? I see in some countries the petitioner has to call and schedule after the Fee has been paid. Is this the case for Turkey? Ready to get this moving! We are HOPING for a August date sometime...We have set our wedding date at September 17th! Glad you are well!!!! Sassy! Hi there, no, once you send in your packet # 3, they will send you an e-mail and inform you of the interview date. However, someone showed me this link on the Ankara Embassy website and you can go in and look up your ANK# to check regularly if you have been scheduled for interview. They got our package on the 14th and still we have not heard anything about the interview date. OMG this waiting is killing me. I hate this.!!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-17 11:45:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Morning Sabrina! I have to agree any of the translators (esp. GOOGLE translate) really are lame! One thing that I did was in order to speak with K's mom & baba was to actually speak every weekend with them on the fone. It forced me to learn; kinda what happens to a foreign national when they come here and do not speak much English... they just learn by being in the environment as best they can. I'm still not fluent and writing in Turkish is very hard for me because of how the sentence structures are. Very opposit of English! K's got a pretty good command of English because of his work on US Military Bases. I can assure you he has probably learned "American slang" too... which means I have made it a point that I also learn Turkish slang and I'm doing quiet well with it! LOL LOL LOL Let me say their words can be quite descriptive when used on certain context. So Sabrina, I can't wait for you to meet all the AmeriTurk Girls here!!! (Tuana, Kelly, Ashley, Maribel, Me, and Nihal if she can get out of honeymoon state this year; more and too many to list) --- really fun and friendly--- but no worries if we don't answer right away bc of our schedules! Love to you and your Askim! (what's his name?) Mari Hi all, Sabrina, welcome. You and I have chatted a few times but in any event this is Tuana. Yes, a lot of learning to do to help our men get acclimated and to help us as well. My Turkish, or lack there of still existst heavily. However, I have been using this program I found online called Byki 4 Express and it has been pretty useful. I can say about 30 Turkish words but that is about it. However, I hope that once my fiance gets here he will teach me more. On our first trip home (Turkey) together, I hope to be able to have some meaningful conversations with the family. So far it has been merhaba(hello) and nasilsin (how are you) and then that is about it. However, I love Turkey, can't wait to have more opportunities to go there with my fiance and bring our families together. I hope that within the year, my mother will join my fiance and I on a trip back to Turkey. I think she would really like it there. Anyway, it is great to meet you, this really is a wonderful site and all of us girls have really enjoyed eachother's company (sorry girls I am speaking for all of us here, I know) but they have been such a great source of friendship and support throughout this process. Take care and if you need anything please always feel free to get in touch with me!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-06-17 11:43:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	This is for all the new AmeriTurks joining our Portal! WELCOME TO THE TURK KAHVESI!! Mari Okay, so this just goes to show how long it has been since I've posted here but awesome pic Mari! Thanks for sharing lady!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-04-26 13:43:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Hey! What's up Ameri-Turks? How come so many November filer's are asking about the NOA2 when they (like everyone who has applied btw), has seen the USCIS 5 month wait period?? September filers are at 5 months and just getting processed now. Not to mention there are still July & August filers out there. I thought a general rule overall was the code of silence of not complaining until at least their FIVE MONTH WAIT came and went? Why not be supportive of those who are still waiting and really happy for those who get their NOA2? To keep us busy: the list of stuff we get to do to help along when the NOA2 does arrive. Seriously, find something to do beside watch the clock... time is not going to move any faster when you're ancy. Your Darlings will be here sooner than later and for a lifetime. Mari OMG cannot agree anymore. And after out discussion yesterday, these people need to realize how much time it takes to get all the darn paperwork together Hope you are doing well lady!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-02-22 13:29:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	I agree with you melbar, It is good to show that you are supporting one another in every aspect and that includes financially, after all you are married..... If you were filing a K1 then I would use some discreation perhaps. As far as your answer to the CO, you just simply answer the truth, that you are supporting one another and my thought is and always has been that their is no "My Money and "His/Her Money". The truth is always the best policy, and they will see this at the interview! I would say that if that is part of your relationship, the petitioner helping support the beneficiary, then why not take the western union documents. Only if it was the other way around, lost of monies being sent from the Bene to the petitioner, then I agree that could be misconstrued as payment for the visa. My personal opinion is that any evidence you can take to show you have a sound relationship can't hurt. I am so nervous about this whole process myself so everything and anything I can provide to my fiance that might help show and establish our relationship I'm sending him. Hope everyone is doing well! Happy Thursday!!!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-02-10 12:08:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Hello Ameriturks, Just bought my ticket tonight,I will be leaving April 1st -April 18th.for Turkey.It will be exactly one year in April that I didn't see my husband and my mom.I can hardly wait!!!Miss both of them very much. Hopefully,TSC approves my petition this month so I can bring Ceyhun back with me. everybody pray for me...and TSC, HURRY UP AND APPROVE MY PETITION!!!!BEFORE I LEAVE FOR TURKEY!!! OMG that is wonderful I am so excited for you and I will keep you in my prayers and hope that you get approved between now and your return trip home. Keep us posted for sure!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-02-08 17:59:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	hello to everybody here my wife real name is julie she choosed to be muslim and i gave her a new name her name is melek(angel) cuz i was calling her my angel my everything Melek & Baris Ohhh pretty name. My husband chose my name for me after I decided to convert and I love my name, Tuana and it was so special for me that he picked my name. It is something that I will always have with me and something that I will always cherish!	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-02-02 13:30:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	I have a question and maybe some of you fellow Ameriturks can answer: Why Don't they use Clothes Dryers in Turkey like we do in the USA? I see them very seldom like in a Laundry in a Village but for the Norm... they just don't exist and at first I was going nuts and then I took up drying the clothes the Turkish way which isn't so bad, unless it rains for 40 days and 40 nights! OMG that is too funny I have been wondering the same thing. Especially in winter, drying clothes outside or on the roof just does not cut the mustard. AT ALL! I don't know maybe we are just spoiled but when I moved out here, I left my washer and dryer at home so my mother would have a set and OMG within 2 days I was over at Home Depot purchsing new ones. Landry mats SUCK and I just could not live without my dryer and washer for that matter.	KemalTuanaYalcin	Female	Turkey	2011-02-02 13:23:00