ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaPeru
My fiance's embassy interview review was dated mid-March and is online, if anyone hasn't looked in the last couple of weeks. It's fairly detailed.

Good luck to anyone who needs it (including us now, with AOS). :)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-04-15 17:39:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaSpanish version of VisaJourney.com
For my other half, I copied and pasted relevant things as I came across them and just sent emails. He is too shy to post anything here. Ones that were in English, we discussed so that we both had a clear understanding of the topic. Those "small bites" From May last year to this month have made for a lot of information. This might be a method to try until y'all can find an online spot where she is comfortable.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-03-31 11:38:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaMedical & Vaccinations before Gettng Interview
To get a better chance of responses, please include the country you are asking about in the title. Because of the absolute volume of vague posts on this site, it is impossible for everyone that knows about Colombia to open every single one to see your individual question. (In other words, make it easy. :) )

Good luck.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-06-02 20:01:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaTravel Question
The legal name that is recognized in her home country is on her passport. It is also valid here. Until she has a US passport, this is the only name she should ever use for anything international.

The suggestion to just change your name in another country is a uneducated. It is not allowed in all places. When I get citizenship in Perú in the future, the "formula" for a person's name is set by law and is not necessarily related to my name here in the US.
Example: Sarah Smith Richardson here in the US could change to Sarah Elizabeth Smith Jones de Richardson in Perú. It is probably similar in Colombia. (The name formula is from the birth and marriage certificates.)

Not every country or culture changes the name upon marriage.

Moreover, if she does get US citizenship while still maintaining her Colombian citizenship, when she enters each country, she needs to use that passport--Colombian to enter Colombia and US to enter here.

Suggestion: Don't be stupid about name changes. If you plan to do it, make it sensible. I work in a very busy ER with a HUGE volume of non-citizens and the name game is a nightmare.
  • "Hello, Ms Richardson?" (no answer)
  • "Ms Sarah Richardson?" (Still no answer)
  • (Scanning the crowd for someone with the injury that matches what you are planning to take care of) "Excuse me, are you Ms. Sarah Richardson?"
  • "Ummm...oh yeah. hahaha...I been married 5 year and no remember husband name...hahaha"
  • "Please state your name and birthday so that I can verify the information." (This is required and non-negotiable.)
  • "Sarah Elizabeth."
  • "Sarah Elizabeth? What is your name on your ID?"
  • (Sarah hands the document to me--this always is suspicious for identity theft/fraud. Seriously...you can't remember your own damned name????) "No, you need to verbally verify your information."
  • "Oh..." (The "sarah" looks down at her hospital wristband and reads it to me. I sigh deeply and take her with me for care.)
It is a real nightmare when the person is very injured or comes in with other ambulances and there are little kids involved that are separated from their parents. Privacy is a federal issue and in a big ER when you or your family is hurting, you don't want your silliness with your name-change at marriage to separate you or slow you down at all. Be practical.
I took both my husband's last names so that my official name here and my official name there will be very similar and hopefully no problems ever when the nitty gets gritty.

(BTW--some people confess to me every week that they are using false ID and just want whatever taken care of. I think every patient is fingerprinted -- a federal requirement for their databases, maybe.)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-10-05 12:36:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaHow To Get Divorce in The USA When I Lives Abroad ...
My sister's husband abandoned her and ran away to his home country. This was about 3 years ago. She has just now managed to finalize the divorce in the last 2 weeks. He refused to give his location and lied about his ID twice when he was served his papers, announcements had to be listed in the local papers, etc, etc, etc..

Each time my sister had to have him served, it cost around 1000$. It was a complete mess.

He was stalling because under US law, when a couple is married 10 years and then divorces (regardless of separation time or reason for divorce), the retirement funds are split. He had already remarried in the his country and was just stalllllling. My sister was granted the divorce within a few weeks of that 10 year timeframe.

Whatever you do, get it done. It is probably much more cost effective and faster to go ahead and start in your own country. If the guy will sign papers and return them, that is probably worth more than the money to file when compared to the frustration and expense of forcing the divorce.

Good luck.

~~~

Edited to add:
Sis tried to file for divorce in his country since polygamy is a criminal offense subject to prison time. She had absolutely no luck. It was more than a year of wasted time and lots of money.

Edited by EminTX, 11 November 2012 - 11:00 AM.

EminTXFemalePeru2012-11-11 10:57:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaFiance in Ecuador, get married there or in US?
I disagree that it is not romantic. You are actually PROVING your love for this woman. It is not just words and drinks and flowers and dates. It is actual work and thinking and planning. Much more effort than the average face-to-face the whole time romance. Certainly more time is involved than the average courtship.

She, USCIS, and Homeland Security all (will) have documented proof of your love.

If that is not romantic, I can't imagine what actually is.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-06-23 11:05:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaFiance in Ecuador, get married there or in US?
I disagree that it is not romantic. You are actually PROVING your love for this woman. It is not just words and drinks and flowers and dates. It is actual work and thinking and planning. Much more effort than the average face-to-face the whole time romance. Certainly more time is involved than the average courtship.

She, USCIS, and Homeland Security all (will) have documented proof of your love.

If that is not romantic, I can't imagine what actually is.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-06-23 11:00:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaFiance in Ecuador, get married there or in US?
75 days??? Yikes! What about marrying in another country? Perú (It takes 3-4 weeks there) or Colombia? (Bolivia and Chile seem to have the same time-frame as Perú.)

Are there any special wedding packages for Galapagos with expedited time? What are the laws regarding being married at sea?
EminTXFemalePeru2012-06-20 23:31:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaFiance in Ecuador, get married there or in US?
I don't have the experience with Ecuador, but I am recently married (2 months ago) with a K-1 fiance visa. In the process of the adjustment of status (AOS), I can see where the spousal visa is easier after arrival. It depends on what your circumstances, but now with our experience, I advise folks to choose that over the K-1 any day. (For us, in the beginning, it was a toss-up. Getting married in my husband's country requires time off work that we had already used--I simply couldn't travel there to wait around for a few more weeks, so we chose this visa. My husband has to return for a single class to finish his university education and we are biting our nails waiting for the permission for him to travel. Sigh. Plus, if we'd gotten married and then filed, since it took 9 months, I could have claimed him on my taxes last year--the difference was the cost of him immigrating minus the flight. Getting married before filing is a financially smart move, IMHO.)

Please be sure to document your experience well so that those who follow your foot steps can benefit, too. Good luck.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-06-17 08:19:00
Mexico, Latin & South AmericaU.S. Marriage Ceremony on International Bridge
This is a very interesting concept. I like the idea and can see this as a valid and valuable option for many folks.

I wanted to correct a bit in your statement. The marriage license is issued IMMEDIATELY, but after it is issued, THEN you have to wait 72 hours to marry.

Texas Marriage License FAQ's

Additional note:

If you ARE planning to marry in Texas and you need to have your proof of marriage in a "timely fashion", don't get your license in a heavily populated city. We bought ours here in our neighborhood and were told that we'd have the documents back within 30 days. On day 31, it was available for us to purchase a COPY, but the originals were still being held hostage somewhere. The official copies were 7$ each and we got 4 of them for filing AOS and my insurance company and other places. The woman who waited on us was the same one who sold us the license and this time she told me they don't have to have it ready for us for NINETY DAYS!

Federal law (IRS) dictates payroll deduction rules for insurance changes and if you plan to add your new spouse to your company's plan, you have to provide proof within that 30 days from the event. Usually you can file for an exception, but that was an added stressor that we didn't need to deal with.

Delays caused by my county's bureaucracy:
Filing for AOS held up a month (He has to return to Perú this fall to finish one semester of college so we were in a panic! )
Adding him to health ins
My name change requirements. THIS delayed:
My Driver's License
My passport change
My CCL (gun permit)
Adding him to my bank (required the social security card for both of us-time consuming so we went once, together)
My professional licenses
etc.

If you live in a bigger city, go to the next county over and get your license. You will probably save time that day from not needing to stand in line. Good luck, everyone.

Edited by EminTX, 27 May 2012 - 12:04 PM.

EminTXFemalePeru2012-05-27 12:00:00
Africa: Sub-Saharanis an engagement party a red flag for a K1 visa in Lagos?
When you are starting a thread (topic), you can make a subheading (subtitle) that states more specific information relating to your question, the country in question, for example. Your topic is more likely to be seen and responded to by the right folks when the info is more clear and upfront. The only reason I opened it was because it WAS posted repeatedly and I was curious about that. Otherwise, vague titles are often ignored.

You are right that there is a wealth of information here. Good luck!
EminTXFemalePeru2012-02-10 03:39:00
Africa: Sub-SaharanFiling K1 for someone in your country of birth
I see. Do you ever leave the house together? Photos are good, but other third-party examples are better.

I have never heard of anyone being questioned about the differences between visits to family versus to one's beloved.

Chat logs are super popular to offer. If you use this, be careful what you send and please, don't be a doofus and send in hundreds of pages. A few select ones are enough, unless more is requested. If you talk on the phone, try to get a calling plan for your cell or home so that there is a record of calls that you can print out from your phone company as opposed to untraceable calling cards.

If you can have all your documents in English, all the better. Paying for and searching out translations can be a PITA.

If you have a visit to him planned for AFTER you file, take an organized notebook with original documents to him to take to the interview. Keep an identical one with copies of everything for yourself. If you are OCD, have a 2nd set of copies that you have all together in a folder that you keep in a locker at work in case a hurricane blows your house away.

Making the notebook schmarmy probably won't hurt. I put a map in the back cover of ours with small photos of us surround it and lines on the map to where the pix were taken. If you two never leave his area, you can do the same thing with a city/regional map. As he is walking up to the interview window, even though this may not be noted officially as evidence, it is a visual clue that someone took the time to make this--someone who has a very personal relationship.

I also put a zipper pocket in the notebook with pens from here, Hubbba Bubba gum, and Werther's Originals that can't be bought in his country to give a bit of subliminal addition, too. In the spine of the notebook, I had printed out his name and I think I wrote little "I love you" 's around it. :)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-12-18 22:58:00
Africa: Sub-SaharanFiling K1 for someone in your country of birth
If you have an upcoming visit planned, go ahead and read through the RFE threads to see what people here have specifically been asked to provide and get those items together. Boarding passes, ATM receipts, I visited a Dr when overseas and used the receipt for that as a piece of evidence, photos with other people, affidavits written in English, tickets for travel/tours together--especially good if issued to you specifically (a train trip to a nearby touristy site, for example, or an overhead plane tour of the city), If he lives close enough to the border for you to cross together--go for a visit on the other side so that you have passport stamps together on the same day at the same time, etc.

There are lots of examples here on this site so that your originally submitted packet can be as perfect as possible.

It is awesome to have someone that you cherish. Proving that to people who are always looking for scammers is another story and requires some effort.

I also suggest that you start writing to each other--especially you to him. Post cards, romantic cards, and letters that are ongoing can be examples of an ongoing relationship when he goes for his interview. One of the cards I had sent my now-husband was taken from his notebook of evidence examples. Besides, it is always very sweet to hold something that your beloved touched. For 1.05U$ in postage, it is a great bargain.

Edit:
Someone I know took pictures with his fiance at the movie theatre in front of some of the movie posters. This clearly indicates when the photo happened! I, personally, thought it was genius. (I know--photos are secondary evidence. But it's so easy to have good ones.)

Edited by EminTX, 18 December 2012 - 10:00 PM.

EminTXFemalePeru2012-12-18 21:56:00
Africa: Sub-SaharanQuestion on I-130
If you lived in a place, then you have used that address on forms, gotten utilities activated there, listed that as your primary residence for your job that you have in that place, had your ID listing that as your home, and had a life there. I have never heard of anyone "living" in a place for 2 weeks. That is VISITING.

I have a house with my husband in South America where I stay when I am there but I have certainly never lived there.

Normally, you never, ever leave blanks on any form. If it does not apply to you, the normal protocol is to write "N/A" or "not applicable".

Good luck.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-19 13:49:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Suggestion from NVC on their site
From: NVC website customer service page

"<<<"At the same time, we expect you, the visa applicant, to:

Plan your travel and visa application as far in advance as possible.">>>

What? Nobody can PLAN anything. We can only fantasize!

We "planned" in May. We applied in July. We are still twiddling our thumbs. How far in advance should we go? hahahahahahahaha (psychotic laugh)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-01-24 12:16:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Mistake that slipped past the NVC...
My husband's demographics were mistyped at that stage--they were correct until everything hit the NVC and there the error occurred. When I called, I was told outright that nothing could be changed but had to be dealt with at the embassy level. Before the interview, my husband sent an email and got a response back within a couple of hours telling him to deal with it face to face.

It probably wouldn't hurt to call them and talk to them--they were very nice to us for phone calls to both locations. My concern is documents that are sent not being matched up because of the sheer volume of things that they have to keep track of--or of your document package being sent on to the embassy before the envelope containing your corrected documents being added to it.

Good luck.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-26 17:59:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Mistake that slipped past the NVC...
If the mistake got past the initial reviews of your paperwork, I would expect that it is better to try to correct it face-to-face at the interview. When you contact anonymous people in distant places where several agencies touch your stuff, you cannot determine if it is even put with your file or not.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-26 16:34:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionInfrequent Visits - Frown Upon?
The Nigeria threads of the Africa board will give you a lot more information. It is best to stick with that for any country-specific questions.

For most countries, your time together seems sufficient. From what I understand though, for Nigeria, it can be questionable. Go to the Africa board and commit yourself to reading maybe 10 or so threads every day (it is easy enough with the pages in date order from the last post) and see what situations you read about there. As you have seen in a response to one of your threads before, most questions you have have already been discussed and answered, probably with better details in various other threads instead of just this one that you are starting now.

It could be especially helpful to read about other interview experiences and the things asked or asked for. Considering the disproportionate number of Nigerians that I know and have known that live here, I would guess that you know some, too. See any that you can find IRL (in real life) and treat them to lunch to pick their brains about their interview and paperwork experiences. Take notes.

You are not the first person to do this. Learn from everyone who has marched this road before you. VJ along with other resources are goldmines for you and can save you a ton of stress and heartache if you can avoid many of their mistakes just by learning first.

Edited to add:
Oh yeah--take up a hobby while waiting through this--especially if it would be super annoying to a spouse since you are alone now. (I made a ring for my fiance. Bang-bang-bang-bang with a hammer for 6 months while watching TV shows on Netflix.) Or, get a second job. Being busy will keep you from focusing every minute on the delays and any extra money is a godsend when you have a spouse.

Good luck.

Edited by EminTX, 29 March 2012 - 09:29 PM.

EminTXFemalePeru2012-03-29 21:26:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHow long to get passport back w/visa after the interview for K1 visa in Lima - Peru?
Interview on a Wednesday with visa in hand 8 days later.

Flight ticket purchased within 3 hours of interview conclusion and assurance that visa was approved

Flight date is a Monday, 19 days after interview

AeroMexico (2 hr layover in Mexico) one-way Lim-IAH (Houston) for 850U$ including insurance to change the date
EminTXFemalePeru2012-03-29 21:39:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionU.S. Passport

No one ever claimed that non-citizens are eligible for passports. Again, that was not the question.


What is the point of the title? The OP can probably clarify what the question is better than anyone else.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-06 06:49:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionU.S. Passport
I was always under the belief that noncitizens were absolutely ineligible for holding legal US passports. Here is the section from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia....re_not_citizens

United States passports are passports issued to citizens and non-citizen nationals of the United States of America

Nationals who are not citizens
This article is about United States nationality law.
For information regarding United States citizenship, see Citizenship in the United States.

Although all U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals, the reverse is not true. As specified in 8 U.S.C. § 1408, a person whose only connection to the U.S. is through birth in an outlying possession (which as of 2005 is limited to American Samoa, Swains Island, and the unincorporated US Minor Outlying Islands), or through descent from a person so born, acquires U.S. nationality but not U.S. citizenship. This was formerly the case in only four other current or former U.S. overseas possessions[29]

Guam (1898?1950) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress through the Guam Organic Act of 1950).
the Philippines (1898?1935) (Granted independence in 1946; National status rescinded in 1935; Citizenship never accorded)[30]
Puerto Rico (1898?1917) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress through the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917).
the U.S. Virgin Islands (1917?1927) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress in 1927).[31]
The U.S. passport issued to non-citizen nationals contains the endorsement code 9 which states: "THE BEARER IS A UNITED STATES NATIONAL AND NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN." on the annotations page.[32]

Non-citizen U.S. nationals may reside and work in the United States without restrictions, and may apply for citizenship under the same rules as resident aliens. Like resident aliens, they are not presently allowed by any U.S. state to vote in federal or state elections, although, as with resident aliens, there is no constitutional prohibition against them doing so.


The original post sounds like the daughter is a citizen of Perú and there is no intention of having US citizenship. The parent's citizenship and legal status can affect the citizenship status (and ease of proving it) of a child here in the US. If the daughter was born here, there wouldn't even be a question about citizenship, right?

I am also curious about the age of this daughter. From the original post, I was under the impression that this person is an adult.

Edited by EminTX, 05 January 2013 - 10:49 PM.

EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-05 22:42:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionU.S. Passport
Passports are only issued for citizens of any country by that the specific country that the person is a citizen of. Example: English citizens don't get passports from Mexico unless they get citizenship in Mexico first. Nigerian citizens can't get Indian passports without obtaining citizenship from India first. Peruvian citizens can't get a passport for the US until after they have gotten US citizenship. Until US citizenship is gained, the Peruvian passports will have to do. Why would the daughter of your wife even want a passport from a country that she is not a citizen of?

My husband plans to go for his citizenship. It will make it easier for us when we travel and to get rid of all the hassles of USCIS FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRR.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-01-05 21:24:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionTax transcript for 2012
Massively thick tax returns? I don't think they want the documents sent in or the additional forms--just the main one. I can't imagine having something that is more than 2 or 3 pages.

The tax transcripts seem to be very popular with folks on here who state "I don't have my old ones" and I want to say, "WHAT?!?!?!?! You are assuming financial responsibility for a complete extra person in your life and you can't even keep up with your own documents?" I am possibly incorrect but it seems weird to me.

BTW--on my tax returns (that were to be mailed to my then-fiance), I cut out with a blade my social security number and then post-it-noted over that "I am uncomfortable mailing my SS#--document holder can state this information in person." They didn't even blink an eye at that and he didn't have to recite at all.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-02-02 15:42:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionTax transcript for 2012
Just curious, but why would you want a tax transcript when you have your actual tax return that you can take use? (We have only used copies of the returns and my latest W-2.)
EminTXFemalePeru2013-02-02 14:10:00
CanadaU.S. Citizenship
Jim, you do have the option to declare yourself mentally unstable on your jury summons. I consider it every time, cackle, then sign and continue on with being a good little citizen and do my duty.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-27 14:06:00
CanadaOngoing relationship proof
Was a Valentine's card sent? Christmas card? Love letter? It is cheap, always enjoyed by the recipient, and, most important, TANGIBLE.

I don't know if ours helped my fiance in his interview, but I am sure that the 10 or so he had stuffed together in his folder were apparent (in the envelopes with the post dates). I believe the first 7 plastic pocket evidence pages were looked at in the embassy for us--receipts/boarding passes/ etc matched with a photo of us in each of those locations to further prove we were there together.

I haven't read/heard of any problems with Canada. Good luck!
EminTXFemalePeru2012-03-29 21:49:00
CanadaTraveling to Canada with Baby
I would recommend that you don't nurse the baby at all while in the airport so that she is good and ready for some quiet relaxation once y'all are ready for take off. The longer you delay it, the more of the actual flight she'll spend distracted and relaxed. (And hopefully worn out enough to sleep!)

I would personally avoid any stroller. It is bulky and has to be dealt with and is just one more thing to carry, store, and haul around. Baby carriers are much easier. Years ago, when I traveled with my then-7-month-old son, the carrier worked out perfectly. (So did the nursing trick.)

One small suggestion for just-in-case-the-diaper-gets-wayyyyy-overwet. When you are closing it, fold the upper "lip" of the front inside so that there is a bit of a "stop" to the front. This way, if you are cornered and unable to get to change her safely and she pees like a monster, you are much less likely to have it soak through her clothes and onto yours. (The idea is to not have any of the absorbent inside that faces outward at all. Most people simple close the diaper and leave this part free.)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-12-30 21:15:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionThis is messed up.
Ours says they mailed our card--the one with the work authorization and advance parole (we are in AOS-land). Is it possible that the old card was near to expiring and needs a fresh date?
EminTXFemalePeru2013-02-18 20:40:00
PhilippinesPastries inside the check in bags ok?
It also comes down to the person who is inspecting you. My niece had some CANS of soup confiscated because of potential contamination to our livestock. I'm not so sure that there are any known pathogens, insects, or diseases that survive the being processed in a steel can, but okayyyyyy.... (Of course, my own sandwich in a bag in my hand covered in a variety of meats and veggies was perfectly alright.)

Try the suggestions above but don't spend a lot of money on any item, that way if it is taken, it is not gonna hurt so much.

I am not sure what city you are heading to, but down here in south Texas, the mangoes, dried and fresh in several varieties are numerous. I bought a heavy-duty dehydrator when I moved to my house here a few years ago intending to dry the stuff I grow and pick. (Anybody in SW Houston that wants it, lemme know--barely used--I am too lazy.)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-11-28 18:17:00
PhilippinesMarrying someone in the Philippines
To marry in a foreign country, you must follow the laws in that country.

To immigrate your spouse here to the US, you must first HAVE the spouse.

These are two completely separate issues. You can research them at the same time, but don't mix up the information or requirements. Good luck.
EminTXFemalePeru2013-02-10 17:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsSupport needed- how to cope with waiting for NOA2???
Get a (2nd) job so that your time will be busy and you will have extra money to enjoy together.

Learn something new or really dive into the language of your beloved. I'm studying a second language right now with LearnWithTexts for vocabulary input
Learning With Texts
It's free and on the web and took me all of about 30 minutes to figure out. This is just one example of something you can do.

I also sewed gifts for him and his parents. They are handkerchief users, so I bought the fabric and then after edging them, I embroidered personalized things, poetry, goofy symbols, names, etc. That alone killed about 3 weeks of the time.

Start a blog about your immigration experience. Read through the gobs of forum posts here. Talk to other immigrants.

Make something romantic. I made a silver ring over the last 4 months. http://emilylikestom...om-quarter.html
My beloved wears this always now.

The video suggestion is great. I like to do that, too. It takes a lot of time to edit and organize and a short 3 or 4 minute video can kill an entire afternoon easily.

Indulge in all the books/movies/games that you enjoy.

If you can text each other, do that like crazy. Talk about your beloved with every poor, unsuspecting soul that crosses your path.

Clean a lot.

Hang in there.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-16 10:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJuly Filers?
Ditto for the month. We July folks are just gonna have to stick together.
:)
EminTXFemalePeru2011-10-01 23:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAnother July filer NOA2 approved!!!
<<<-------- is sooooooo jealous!

I'm a July filer, too. (Ours is on hold for an RFE.)

Congratulations. I know there was some time spent doing the happy dance!
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-26 14:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny July filers who haven't approve yet? ( NOA2)
<--- July filer. Waiting on RFE evidence. It requested 5 things. I have 3 of them already (had that ready since May!) Waiting on one of them to arrive from South America. Then that can be submitted and we will cross our fingers again.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-26 14:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsCHEATING checking your visa status
Well, I do have to admit. This is probably a very cheap hobby to use to fill your waiting time.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-27 22:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsCHEATING checking your visa status
This is the order that I "get" stuff:

Paper notification/RFE

2 days later, email rcvd telling me that I will get that paper

2 days later-text message telling me that I will get that paper

more days later, updated in the system.

Sooooo... Just hold your breath. It's possibly more practical.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-27 21:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsApproved!!!!!!!!
Woohoo! I love to see updates like this.
EminTXFemalePeru2011-11-16 10:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsTimeline has me freaking out
I am curious where you got that 4 month number stuck in your head. I think that is like winning a prize to get such a short time. Some do, but most (at this current time) do not. Reading through old threads (even just 4 years ago) seems to make it seem common. Be sure to keep in mind to check the dates on the posts you read on here.

<---- filed in early July. RFE'd in November. His job involves traveling to remote areas and he is not working since December only because of the waiting. It sucks to have your life on hold for bureaucrats, but it is a necessary evil. We all have to bear with them.

Besides, the NOA2 is not the same as the visa, the interview, the medical exam, the flight. Those all take time, too.

I sometimes find the things written here to be very discouraging. There are a few very vocal members who seem to relish demonstrating their superiority in the most biting way they can. Take the information they provide wile excusing the biting, hateful attitudes. For the people who brag, "It's so easy! I forgot to send evidence and I got approved in 2 months anyway. I'm just sooooo lucky! TeeHee!" Well, ignore them too. Stay focused on the goal the best you can. I know it is so difficult. Your other half is worth it.

Since you are beginning this process, I do have another recommendation that won't cost more than postage and could possibly be something to refer to in the future. My RFE demanded, among other things, that I provide letter evidence that cited a specific and location to prove that we had been together. WHAT? Nobody writes letters about things they already know! We write new information. Go ahead and write one and ask for a reply likewise. Just include in one of your letters a line or two about, "remember when we did such and such at blah blah location on the first weekend of December? That was great." or whatever. I posted a thread about that and some of the responses were really helpful in their advice. Well, I think they were helpful. We are still waiting, though-ha!
Here's the link if you care to see it:
http://www.visajourn...e-visa-do-this/

This site is the most incredible resource that exists, IMHO.
Good luck with your immigration adventures.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-01-09 10:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsGood websites for International airlines

Note: Use flexible dates +3/-3 days to see ticket prices. A co worker flew to Togo and he used United airlines direct site. (It was cheaper for him)


Yeah. Select "nearby airports/cities" too. You will have options, usually in a grid form, to see when, where, and how much. If it doesn't help, you are only out a minute or two.
Statistically, buying on a Tuesday with 2 months before the flight gives you the cheapest flights. This gem of info has served me well, too. It is worth a look, but not set in stone.

Examples for me to Lima from the last hour:
Continental/United - nonstop flight
860$ Specific date 4 weeks from now
860$ With flexible dates and locations

I've seen them go as low as 720$ and as high as the sky, too.

Expedia
976$ - Specific dates
No other options

Vayama
962$ Specific dates

Webjet
934$ Specific dates
Price increased when looking at flexible nearby locations

Orbits
781$ Specific dates

Hotwire
962$ Specific dates (same flight as first choice)
Flexible searches not functioning right now

Kayak
932$ specific dates(On TACA--their website won't let you select flights from/to Houston, but other sites will let you. That's how I flew once last year.)
Flexible dates doesn't give a better price

I am thinking that my flights last year (3 flights with 2 destinations and a return) were 780$ on TACA. I had searched every day for 2 months and when the price dropped, I got it. The next week, it dropped a hundred dollars more. I was happy though.

The other direction changes the price drastically almost always:
Lima to Houston on Continental is the same price tonight.

About once a month, I spend part of an evening searching every site that I can find so I can spot a good deal when I see it. Normally, the prices are all over the map.

I have no idea why the prices are so similar tonight. Buying tickets is similar to lottery purchases, IMHO. Sometimes you get lucky.

Something I have noticed is that flights exiting the US are packed to the gills. Flights entering the US often have many empty seats. Apparently, this is because of the deportations that occur.
EminTXFemalePeru2012-01-10 01:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsTSC Texas processing for I-129F, why are they so behind
Hang in there. We got our NOA2 last week.
(I know that it feels like a slap in the face to see other folks bragging about how easy it was and they filed in September and they are already here and married and...)
EminTXFemalePeru2012-01-19 09:26:00