Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	Should I Visit the Embassy While I'm in Turkey?	I'd just like to say that I had really good experiences communicating with the US Embassy visa unit in Ankara via phone when we had some issues after our visa was sent to us. I realize our situation (DCF) is completely different (my husband did not get AP) but I was surprised how responsive and helpful they were to us. Have you called and spoken to anyone there? I can't imagine that you would be able to get into the visa unit if you were to visit the embassy in Ankara, so it may be a wasted trip. I'm sorry you guys have been stuck in AP and I hope that you hear something soon!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-12-02 10:37:00
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	Visa in hand!	Tebrikler!!!! That is WONDERFUL news!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 20:41:00
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	AP COMPLETED!!!	Wow!!!! What wonderful news! Congratulations!!!!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-03 13:48:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	A Question For Your Turkish Spouses	QUOTE Hello Camistanbul and everyone, Your message is very informative and answered several questions that comes to mind. I just recently sent my I-130 and I am excited at the same time anxious of what will be the next step to do. Either I have more papers to send them to complete the application or what I've sent was just perfect. I was married in Izmir, Turkey last July 9th. My life style made my action a little behind in sending my application but I'm sure things will turn out just fine. I like this site and group, I've learnt so much and I feel that I am not alone doing the legalities of getting my husband to be in the US. Thanks... Belle Welcome! Glad you found that informative. Still no change here, unfortunately, but we're still positive. At least we're here in the US together... that was a big enough of a leap! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-12-17 23:54:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	A Question For Your Turkish Spouses	QUOTE My question to those of you that have made this move ( or your spouses).. what can I say to him to help ease his worries? We know he'll be able to go home, at least a few times a year, to visit his family.. but will things be better for him here? Has it been better for you? Has it been worse? Has it been the same? How should I answer that question? Merhaba.... Well, I was in a little bit of a similar situation with my husband, except I met him in Turkey and had been living there for quite a long time. He had never been to the US either, but after many long talks, we had decided that we would try life in the US and see how it compared to Turkey. At the time that we applied for his visa, we had no idea that the US economy would be so bad. Had we known, I don't think we would have left Turkey when we did. It has been almost a year since we have been in the US and my husband is still not working, though it's not for lack of trying. He has applied for literally hundreds of jobs (he works in IT) and in the meantime, has been taking classes at one of the local colleges. We're both trying to network him into a job or internship, but it has been slow going. He speaks almost fluent English, so that's not something that has held him back at all. The positives for him have been interesting... anything from how friendly people are (and yes, that's true! I forgot how chatty and friendly most Americans are until we moved back!), since he loves going to the supermarket and chatting with the butchers, the sushi chefs, and bakers; to how polite most people are when they're driving. He walks a lot and has been surprised at how thoughtful and polite people are (vs. crazy driving in Turkey!), like they let you cross the street without any problems, or drivers stopping to let you cross. He has been happily surprised with how few people smoke and how clean most places are. When we go to the beach here in California, it's clean -- it's not like going to the Black Sea, where families just leave their trash and the beaches are strewn with litter. One of his biggest fears before coming was whether or not people would judge him for being Turkish. I always told him that most Americans have no idea what to think about Turkey and so that most people would just be curious. He didn't really believe me until we were here and he saw how many immigrants and people from all over the world live here. We're in the Bay Area, so it's quite international, and that makes him feel really good. He's not alone and he's not judged for being from a different place. He also feels like a huge weight has been lifted by us moving here.... um... I guess about my safety? He and his family were always worried about me when we were living in Istanbul and were afraid something bad might happen to me. I never felt unsafe there and really knew my way around, but it is a HUGE city and a lot of bad things do happen. I think it was a major source of anxiety for my husband, but that has completely changed since being in the US. He has been so impressed and pleased with how women are treated here and how people, in general, are very respectful to one another. When he first saw women jogging down the street here (this was a VERY rare sight in Istanbul!) he remarked on how great it was that they could just jog and go about their business without anyone bothering them. It's true, and while I never really had anything bad happen to me (as a woman) in Turkey, there were a lot of things you just didn't do... wear shorts, jog, randomly talk to people without having it mean anything, etc. The negatives have been the job situation, missing Turkey -- his family and friends, and kind of having a slow go at making friends here. There are a lot of Turkish groups around. I'm not sure where you live, but here there are some Turkish social groups that meet every month. The next one is October 29th (a very important day for Turks!) and I think he'll go alone. He misses speaking Turkish and I would really be happy if he found friends there to connect with. The problem is that he has a lot of doubt in Turkish people and isn't really interested in meeting with them much. So..... I don't know. There are a lot of good things about moving to the US, but there are also a lot of bad things, too. I know I miss Turkey like a crazy person and if we somehow won the lottery, I would move back in a heartbeat. I'm happy to be working less and making more money here, but it's also very dull and every town seems like the same McDonalds/Wal-Mart/Target/KFC strip mall, like that's the only thing that's important in the US. I miss not having to drive. My husband does not want to drive, but he has to. In Turkey, we never worried about not having a car! In the end, there are a ton of pros and cons for both, but it depends on what is important. Try to find a group for him to network with and speak Turkish with. I found every single Turkish supermarket in the Bay Area and we go there sometimes to buy Turkish foods. If you don't have access to anything like that, order foods online from Tulumba.com or other sites. Learn how to make a good Turkish breakfast. Try to get his family in Turkey hooked up with Skype, or if not, just call their home using Skype from the US (so cheap!). If he feels like he can always reach them, that means a lot. OK... sorry for the novella. I don't really know your situation or where you live, but I hope this is helpful for you. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have, just PM me!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-10-08 23:11:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	I tried to read in Turkish but the link is not working! We already sent the papers! I wanna ask you something, what is the receipt number? does it mean they will look at our file soon? We called them today and they said they will send a receipt number tomorrow! 3 months is a very long time for us because we will not have anywhere to stay end of the month :-( Also do you think they will tell my husband to go alone and get a house and a job then I can go? He is self-employed sohe has a job when he goes back also we will stay with his parents plus he has a car in california (we sent the documents for that) We met in california so we have a lot of pics to proof our marriage.. we are just very stressed out... You should just google "US Embassy Ankara Turkce" then and you can find it. 3 months is very fast as far as anything visa-related is concerned. I remember another couple on here did DCF around the same time as us and it went faster, but even then it was still 2 months or so. I believe you need to go to the interview together.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-07-22 13:57:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi All! I am new here. I hope I can help you guys and I can get some advices! I am Turkish and My husband is American. My husband has been in Turkey for 6 months. We will send all the papers this Tuesday to Ankara (DCF). Before we send it I have a couple questions. My husband never got the residince permisson! He went to Cyprus every 3 months and renew his visa. When we called the consulate they said it's no problem as long as he has the entries and exits on his passport. We didn't get any resident visa for him because I talked to a few people they told me If he gets it then the consulate causes a lot of problems (like they tell him to go back to the US by himself and prove his resident there) so he only has the tourist visa. Do you guys think it will be a problem? Also I didn't see anywhere in the form If we need a cover letter but here everybody says they wrote one. Do we need one? When we pay the 355$ at Fortis bank(Cashier's check) are we gonna say it is for immigrant visa? does my husband (American) or do I have to get the check? We will send it this week and one of my friends said that it takes for 8 months! is this true? I thought it takes for 3 months. Thanks for all the answers Merhabalar - You should go to the Embassy website and check the instructions in Turkish: US Embassy Ankara (Turkce) I think that will be most helpful to you to double-check you have done everything. My husband and I did DCF in 2008 and we had a cover letter.... the instructions for the check at Fortis Bank are very clear "blok cek" or something like that.... I think it is made out to the Embassy. I don't think it matters who gets the check, but we went together when we did it. If you are applying for DCF (which you should, since your husband has been living in Turkey) it will be much faster than any other way. We were done in 3 months I believe (check my timeline!). Good luck!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-07-22 13:10:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Yea we are signing him up at the community college for Fall classes to improve his English and then take other courses from there, so hopefully that helps. Another thing that was frustrating for me is that he is afraid to speak for himself regarding jobs and interviews, telephone etc, so I told him he has to just do it as I am getting stressed for being responsible for everything! He kept saying what if I don't understand a long word or something or they speak really fast.....as I fill out the online apps for him as he doesn't want to make a mistake. So tomorrow he has an interview with an employment agency to clean offices...the ONLY call back in the last 16 months, not very hopeful, but it will be good practice for him. I am making him call from a newspaper ad tomorrow for another job. He is very nervous. I understand... my husband's English is quite good, but it was still difficult for him to "get out there." There is a fairly active Turkish community here in the Bay Area, so I pushed him to do that. That didn't really lead anywhere, but another option we had looked in to was volunteering. If your situation is OK and you want him to go out, interact with people, and start practicing English or networking-- volunteering could be a good thing, too. I was also getting very stressed out from feeling responsible for everything, but you just have to let them do it. I lived in Turkey for 4 years and I went through the same things -- and if someone was willing to help, of course I took them up on it! It didn't help me in the long run though. Not understanding can be incredibly frustrating, but we never learn how to do it if we don't try. Are there ESL classes offered near you? Get him signed up sooner rather than later. It will help a lot! Hope your husband gets the job! It might not be the best, but it's a job and you're right -- good practice!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-06-20 22:24:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Oh...just fine and dandy. Except Hamit still cannot get a job-not even a call back! Not surprising as I have had very few myself being a nurse which is totally not normal..but in this economy....sigh. HE is getting depressed I think....I don't know what to do. Anyhow, other than that all is well. Yea, how is everyone? We went through that for a year and a half.... the most depressing time I've had, I think. The saving grace for us was that my husband started taking classes at one of the local community colleges, which then led to a really good internship-- and then a job! It took a long time, but thank goodness it happened! Don't lose hope.... the economy is so bad, you just have to get creative. Good luck!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-06-19 19:42:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi Jenn - so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and wish you happy, healthy days -- just think positively! Gecmis olsun.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-05-06 09:01:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Merhaba! I haven't been here for a long time, but I wanted to share the good news. My husband has landed a fantastic job! We moved to the Bay Area over a year ago and unfortunately, he could not find work. He probably applied for over 200 jobs, had a ton of interviews, but because there were so many senior IT people out of work, it was impossible to find a job. We didn't waste time and he enrolled at a local college to take more IT classes, and did an internship with Cisco. Then last week, he got not 1 but 2 job offers! He took the better paying job with full benefits, at an international company, and will start on the 19th! Yay! We've been in the US for a while, but it feels like this is a 'second beginning' for us. He was starting to talk about going back to Turkey for a while, even just to work for a few months, so he could help take care of things. We're both so incredibly thankful that didn't have to happen! Anyway.... we got the news yesterday morning on the job offer and it was also our 2nd anniversary! Kismet. Hope you're all well!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-04-11 11:50:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hello from Istanbul Just got in a few hours ago and waiting for Fuat to get off work. I can't believe our interview is actually in four days! We'll leave for Ankara on Sunday, and will sight see in the city the day before the interview.. then head back here, on Tuesday, right after the interview. I hope the interview goes well.. otherwise, it's going to be one heck of a long, depressing bus ride back to Istanbul.... but I am keeping my hopes up we won't end up in AP ( though that seems to be the trend lately). I'll be sure to post on Tuesday and let you know what happened! GOOD LUCK!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-02-19 10:25:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	We will have 4 days together, before the interview, so we could take pictures. I usually just take my camera card to Walmart and print them out on one of those instant machines. Any idea where I might find something like this in Istanbul or Ankara? What would be the easiest way to get them printed quickly there? It won't be hard to find a place like this. There are photo shops all over the place, in malls, on the street-- most do the typical 1-hour processing so just bring your camera and/or a USB stick or CD with your photos and they can turn it around really quickly. Very very easy to find.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-02-08 10:41:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (nicole&efe @ Dec 23 2009, 08:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself to this forum because VJ seems like the best support out there for this whole process. I'm a USC and my fiance is from Turkey. We met 2 years ago when we were both exchange students in Spain and we've been best friends ever since. For the past few months I was in Turkey (Kusadasi to be exact) and before I left, he proposed! I couldn't be happier. But unfortunately Efe just began his military service (short term, he'll be out in May). Before I left Turkey I told him that I could handle most of the visa forms on my own. Little did I know how overwhelming this would be, especially doing it completely on my own (+ the help from VJ). That's it! Has anyone attempted to start visa process while their fiance/husband was in the army? Anyone from the Philadelphia area? Hi Nicole & Efe - Welcome! Good luck with all of your forms and the process! We did ours from within Turkey, but getting through all of the forms was a formidable task! I still can't believe that part is done. Glad to hear your fiance will be out of the army soon -- that's a really short stint, so he'll be out before you know it! and ps tanyakaraman - baby defne is adorable!!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-12-23 13:39:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (DieNörglerin @ Jul 7 2009, 09:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello all. To those of you that did DCF thru Ankara: Did you mail your I-130 packet in or take it in person. I don't want to book an appointment at the embassy just to take the long train ride from Istanbul to Ankara just to drop off the packet and turn right back around. But I'm also worried about mailing such sensitive information thru the postal service. I would freak out if it got lost in the mail. Did anyone else mail theirs in? Maybe I will send it via UPS. I'm sure the consulate in Istanbul wouldn't send it for me. Sent it via UPS. I believe they discourage drop offs..... ?	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-07-15 09:11:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Merhaba everyone.... hope you are all well and that your pregnancies are going smoothly! (is everyone pregnant here!? I feel like a minority!) We've been in CA for ~6 months now and Okan hasn't been able to find the kind of job he wanted (IT), so we found a local community college and he's enrolling in classes as of next week. I think it will be really good for him to get out, meet more people, and have something concrete to do. We're hoping that through these classes, he'll be able to secure an internship or network into a good company, given some time. He'll probably get some part-time work on the side either on the campus or around our house, but for now, I'm bringing home the bacon! I still feel bad about moving back during this terrible economic time, but I'm positive things will work out in the long run. We've also gone to some networking events for Turkish people, which were interesting. I haven't been around so many Turks since leaving Turkey, so it was nice to meet new people and for Okan to speak Turkish. It looks like we may not get to go back to Turkey this year to visit, so it's nice to have a little bit of Turkey close to home. Not much else is going on, just working and trying to adjust to our new life here. I hope you're all having a nice week & take care!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-06-24 09:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Congratulations awaterlily on your husband's naturalization! Congratulations ErikaAndHamit on your wedding & US arrival! No news here... Okan is still looking for work, but it has been tough. There's a gathering of Turkish people happening up in San Francisco this week, so he's going to go and try to network with people who have been living here for a long time. He's feeling positive about it and I'm happy he can go meet people, since we've been kind of on our own since moving to CA. I've been feeling down about it lately, mostly because I feel bad for moving back to the US at the absolute WORST time. We both had good jobs in Turkey, but I really believe(d?) things would be better here. Okan's feeling bad about not working, but I know something will work out soon. I have to sometimes take a step back and think about all the crazy things we did in the past year (got married, went through the visa process, quit jobs, left Istanbul, lived with his family, flew to US, lived with my family, got a job in CA, moved to CA!) -- it was a lot! I just want everything to be OK for him and I don't know what else I can do to help him look for work. Just trying to stay positive! All is well though... hope you're all having a nice week!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-03-31 21:20:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks for your good thoughts, Mina! It means a lot. I hope you're doing well and that everything is OK! I'm so happy to read everyone's news here, too! It seems like every day I check, someone has been approved! It's great. Congratulations to everyone and I can't wait to hear more about your loved ones coming to the US and how things go!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-03-21 12:50:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Tebrikler Wendy!!!!!! That's great news to wake up to!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-03-18 09:05:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Tanya - so sorry to hear about your instructor. That's absolutely tragic. Filiz - sounds like your first days in the US have gone well! Erika & Wendy - good luck!!!!! Keep us posted! Things are going OK here. It has been 4 1/2 months since we arrived in the US and about 2 since we moved to our own apartment in CA. I've been working for a month, but Okan has been struggling to find work. It has been incredibly difficult and frustrating, but we're both trying to stay positive. They say that the unemployment rate here in the Bay Area is 10% or more, so jobs are not easy to find. The silver lining is... I passed his resume on to my HR department and there's a temporary IT position that might be a good fit. The recruiter called him immediately and I think they're going to set up an interview! It would just be wonderful if we both found good jobs... and at the same company!? We'll be doing vastly different things, but at least we could be green and carpool. Not much else to report from here... I think I'm missing Turkey more than Okan is, or at least that what he tells me! I'm happy to be working but I find myself just planning our next trip back, not sure when, but perhaps XMAS. I'd love to go in the summer, but after melting for 3 months in Marmaris last summer, I don't know if I can do that again! Anyway, hope you're all well and having a nice week. Kendine iyi bak! -cami	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-03-17 21:11:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Deanna - we also translated everything into English. Make sure you photocopy everything you have translated and keep a copy for yourself, too! It might be helpful in the US.... I just turned in my health insurance documents and they wanted a photocopy of our marriage certificate, which is of course, in Turkish and French! They said it would be OK, but it was one of those things I wished I had kept. Filiz - wow! Have a great flight!!! Welcome to the US!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-03-04 22:31:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wow! What great news! Reunited..... interviews..... happy days! Feels like the start of a good week.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-23 22:55:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Feb 18 2009, 05:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (miamiwife @ Feb 17 2009, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I used a washer in Turkey--does that thing take 2 hours to wash like 5 things, or is it just me? I am with you Wendy, who has time to iron? My husband asked if I am going to do that for him in the U.S. I told him, well I can show you how to do this. Hahaha - Onur asked me the same thing a few days ago, Sibel! He asked me "Do you know how to iron?" I said "Of course I know how...and I'll teach you too." P.S. Onur decided to come a week earlier and will be here this Friday evening...3 days away. I can hardly believe it! 3 days!?!?!?!? You must be freaking out!!!!! That's fantastic!!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-17 23:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (ErikaAndHamit @ Feb 15 2009, 09:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> OMG I have a funny, embarrassing, surprising and risque story to share Please don't get mad if it's TMI-if you're sensitve to bodily fluids......DO NOT READ any further Ok....here goes a slice of culture shock..... When I went to Turkey last year on one of our visits and my aunt Flo decided to show up mid-deed, he thought I was injured and he was very worried and insisted on my being "inspected" downstairs. A few moments later he says: "oh, it's ok, no problem" as in "no serious injuries"...lol I then ran for our English-Turkish dictionary and pointed to the word "menstruation" and he nodded as if he knew to save face, but then had the most confused look on his face I started laughing. I still wonder what else "menstruation" could mean in Turkish? I tried to show him tampons and pads-he says "wow big" to the cardboard applicator type I handed him did he think it was a "toy"?...... he shrugs when I whip out the pads and is now looking thoroughly perplexed and anxious-maybe he thought in addition to his fiancee having something terribly wrong with her-I had a #######? Now I was grasping at strings...."you know: 5 days???!! All women have this problem every month?...if no come this kirmizi normal then bebek come" yes I used broken kindergarten English for easier understanding He still doesnt know and I am running out of ideas, but I was DETERMINED to give him a crash course on the birds and the beesif we were to ever work out and he not think I was a freak..... Again in broken juvenile English: "Mother/father no tell how pee-pee work? No tell how bebek come? Tashak you know what for? Woman every month cok kirmizi come?" He still says no-I look up several fertility related vocabulary...nope. I am thinking wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww the US and Turkey are VERY different. Now I try meataphors and humor: "yumurta" (egg)...later this bebek if man woman do sport and no "jordan" use (condom as he prounounced it) aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh understood He says: "In Turkey family no speak this topic." He did, however know what and where sperm do/are. It took about an hour before I made it clear I wasn't a born again virgin or injured or in urgent need to see a doctor! He is now well-educated on the birds and the bees...flowers....trees This is actually really sad to me. I know you wrote this as a kind of funny topic, but it's just sad since I know so many Turkish girls who have had multiple abortions and I have had to literally search for tampons in Istanbul (it's easier now than when I first lived there)... because everyone associates tampons with loose women. Ugh. :-( Sex ed is certainly a sorry topic there.... *sigh*	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-15 01:52:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hoomfuturewife -- You should be able to find most things you'd want in America in Istanbul at a large Migros (MMM Migros) or large Carrefour markets. I know even the supermarket in Cevahir (in Sisli) has bacon and lots of other foreign goodies like tacos and whatnot. If you're looking for something in particular, I think the only thing I had a difficult time finding in Istanbul was fresh cilantro. My husband was interested in making sushi, so we even found a Japanese mini-market in Etiler, so really... you can find pretty much everything you'd need if you know where to look! You can also find a lot of foreign foods in the Macrocenters in Akmerkez and Kanyon shopping centers. Good luck!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 22:50:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	That looks like a great website, Tanya! Thanks for sharing. I have to try and hunt down my favorite shows.... I got hooked on a soap this summer with my mother-in-law.... Hope you're feeling better! Keep drinking that mint tea!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-11 14:44:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Mina, so sorry to hear that you've been through a rough time. I hope that you're able to resolve it and if you ever need to chat, please feel free to drop me a line! It's hard to talk about adjusting and real life after everything is supposed to be normal, and not many people understand how difficult it can be and what a HUGE thing couples go through to accomplish all of this. A little update on us: My husband and I have settled into our new apartment in the Bay Area and now the journey to find him a job begins. What a nightmare. When we were in Turkey, first planning our wedding and getting ready to apply for his visa, the possibility that the American economy would be so bad was not on our radar. It wasn't until we were approved and ready to go that things started to really look bad. Anyway, my husband is taking it in stride and even though I know it's killing him not to work, I'm not pushing him to do something he doesn't want to do. He wants to be in the IT industry (and worked in IT in Istanbul) so that's what his aim is. I keep telling him (and myself!) that we've only been here for 2 weeks, so we both need to be patient and chill out. We've spent the last 6 months unemployed with his family in Turkey and my family in the US, so it just seems like now there's a lot of pressure on us. Thankfully, my job will start next week and hopefully, that will ease the strain! It will also mean I leave my hubby alone to explore the neighborhood on his own, which he has been hesitant about so far. I'm kind of excited to see him get out there and start to feel more comfortable, since this is our new home. Anyway, I'm still popping by here, but just haven't had much to report. I hope you're all doing well and congrats to everyone these days... seems like a lot of movement is happening on visas.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-02-09 23:13:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (wendya @ Dec 23 2008, 11:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh my God!!! Yilmaz got the approval letter for his waiver in the mail today!! OMG! That's fantastic news!!! I'm so happy he was approved!!! Congratulations to both of you! Tebrikler!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-12-23 15:46:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Happy Holidays to everyone!! We received my husband's green card in the mail today -- best Christmas present I could ask for!!! We're moving to San Francisco next month... I have a job lined up, but my husband is fretting a bit about finding one out there for himself. Hopefully something will come through, I feel positive about it. Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's and that 2009 brings your visas quickly and your loved ones closer to you.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-12-18 20:17:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (internetkafe @ Dec 17 2008, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No, Obama's mother was an atheist.She had no religion.How could that be a loss for her? I know that Obama published books.I have not read any of these books.Because they were his political means/investments to get where he is now. Is Obama himself saying that his father chose not to be involved in his life? I do not think that would be the truth just because Obama says so. I would recommend that you read "Dreams of My Father," which was originally published in 1995, before Obama's political career began. He was approached while still in Harvard Law School to write it. It was a very interesting book about his family history and a lot about how his father's presence (or lack thereof) influenced his life. It's very easy to theorize about someone's life and experiences, but another thing to read firsthand. I just finished it and it seemed to me to be a very honest window into his life, not just something he wrote to further his presidential campaign. Regarding children, my husband and I don't have any and probably won't for quite a while. His parents are Muslim, but he's more of an agnostic. My parents are also agnostic, but I grew up being able to investigate faith and come to my own conclusions. I've been to mosques, cathedrals, churches, and synagogues. That said, I have a great respect for religion and having lived in Turkey for 4 years, a great respect for Islam. I want my children to be able to make their own choices, but we'll raise them with a broad education when it comes to religion. I've always believed that the basic tenets of most religions call for the similar things (belief in a higher power, being a good person, helping others). We celebrate Christmas, but we also celebrated Kurban Bayram here in the US. Will that be confusing for our kids? No, I don't think so. I definitely want our children to grow up with an awareness that they are part of both cultures -- and are Turkish and American. That means learning about Islam and of course, Christianity since it will be all around them in the US. We'll plan yearly trips to Turkey, I'm going to continue learning Turkish-- and I want my children to try and learn it as well, and hopefully we'll be able to appreciate the best of both worlds as a family. Of course, ask me this once we actually have children and maybe I'll have a completely different opinion!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-12-17 09:36:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Nov 21 2008, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> A week from tomorrow marks four months in AP. It is getting really tough for both Onur and I. We feel so lost and hopeless. He has threatened to cancel the visa if he is still in AP after 6 months, which would be the end of January. We can't wait forever and we are not willing to wait years as we have heard happen to some people. We decided today that if he still doesn't have his visa or word of his visa by May, when I'm done with my graduate program, that we will stop waiting. He'll have to complete his military duty...and continuing to prolong that is just going to make it harder on him. I feel so sad...I just want to be happy and live my life with my love. I knew this process would be long and difficult, but I never imagined this. It is really starting to affect our relationship. How could this take SO long? Hi Juliaferno - Just wanted to say that I'm sorry that Onur is in AP and that it's taking so long. :-( I hope that you both hear something soon and that things get moving. I can only imagine how difficult it must be but just try and stay positive. Can you go to Turkey to visit over Christmas?	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-11-21 15:39:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Oct 17 2008, 05:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Does anyone know where to look for cheap(er) ticket prices to Turkey? If Onur's visa is not approved by December, I am planning on spending my winter break with him in Turkey. I just checked ticket prices on Expedia, Cheaptickets and Turkish Airlines and prices are around $1500 - $1800 (closer to $1800 for the dates I want to fly). That is ridiculous. The last time I flew round trip to Turkey it was nearly half that price, and that was only last March. Let me know if you know of any good deals/where to look! Thanks! The place I always go to check ticket prices is: http://matrix.itasof...om/cvg/dispatch Log in as a guest and then you can search using whatever dates you want, OR do a "month long search" to find which days are cheaper. You can't buy it from this site, but it will show you which days are the cheapest to buy and then you can go to other websites and use that information. The prices are quite high this year, so although I do think you should be able to find cheaper flights than the ones you list above, I think you'll probably pay more than previous trips to Turkey. Last time I flew from Istanbul to Denver (April '08) it cost me $600 rt. My husband and I's one-way tickets to the US (leaving 3 weeks from today!!!!!!!!) cost $2000 USD. 2 days after we bought them, the prices dropped by $500. Bos ver. Anyway, I really like the ITA website. Hope it helps!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-10-17 02:26:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wow! Congratulations Doris & Edip! Your interview sounded really tough and I'm happy to hear that it was approved. Yikes! I have a feeling ours was with the same woman back in August, but I can't be sure. Sounds familiar. Tebrikler!!! I know I have barely posted here but I follow your stories... Okan and I are still in Turkey but we will be flying to the US in about 5 weeks. I've been busy looking for a job and I think I've managed to line something up in San Francisco. I'm really happy about it because SF is kind of like Istanbul, which we both love... only smaller and cleaner (and more expensive, though not by that much these days!!!). Anyway, congrats again!!!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-10-01 12:27:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (awaterlily @ Aug 14 2008, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I speak very little Turkish and while I stayed there, was offered a permanent teaching position and one in sales. Had I taken the teaching position I would have made more $ than my Turkish sister in law, who is a teacher by profession and with a teaching degree. If one is interested in teaching, what I recall is the schools do most recruiting in the school year for the next school year. And, I suppose some of the job availability depends on demand and your locality. It seems there is more of a demand for American English than British - at least that was my experience. Perhaps due to saturation? QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Aug 13 2008, 03:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I want to ask you...(and really everyone on the board!)...well, how fluent are you in Turkish and what affect did that have on your ability to get a job in Turkey? If you are pretty fluent, how long did it take you to become so? Schools do most of their recruitment before the school year begins and then again in the wintertime, though people are always coming and going and if you want to find a teaching job it's not too difficult. People who have a university degree, TEFL certification, or even better, CELTA or DELTA certification will be able to find the better, higher paying jobs. As the Director of Studies of a school, it didn't matter to me (or to my company) if someone was British or American. We tried to find a balance in the schools so students would be exposed to all kinds of accents. And yes, foreign teachers always make more money than their Turkish counterparts, even though the Turkish teachers are generally well-trained, speak good English, and have more experience. It's just the way it is, even though it doesn't seem very fair! How fluent am I in Turkish? Well, considering I worked 6 days a week at a school and spoke no Turkish there, and went home to my English-speaking husband..... I'm not really where I'd like to be. I took a course at TOMER in Istanbul and it was good for the basics. I can understand well but speaking is quite difficult. We're staying with my in-laws now for the next 3 months (before we move back to the US!) so I'm trying to practice and it's coming along, but slowly. As far as jobs are concerned, most teaching jobs would not want you to speak Turkish with the students, in my experience. At my school, it wasn't allowed. I only know a couple of foreigners who are truly fluent, but they had boyfriends/girlfriends who couldn't speak English or hung out with people who never spoke English with them. I've tried to get my husband to do that, but he gets bored after a while. That said, there are lots of jobs out there and I am fortunate to know many American women working in Istanbul doing everything from law, research, reporting, teaching, music, etc. If you really want to live in Turkey, it's possible -- just kind of far away.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-08-14 00:35:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Merhaba from Marmaris, Turkey! I didn't know this part of the forums existed until Mina sent me a note yesterday! I am an American who has been living and working in Turkey for the past 3 1/2 years, got married, and applied for my husband's visa via the US Embassy in Ankara (we did DCF for CR-1). We just got back this morning from our interview in Ankara and we were approved! We applied in May and were approved yesterday, so it didn't take long.... now we just have to start planning when we'll move back to the US. It seems many of you want to come live in Turkey so if you have any questions about it, feel free to PM me. I lived and worked in Istanbul for 3 years and had a variety of jobs: started as an English teacher, then became the manager/DOS, started writing for a newspaper, and now I'm in Marmaris and I have a part-time job doing market research in Turkey for a company in the US. It's a wonderful country to live in, but it's quite difficult to make ends meet, especially in Istanbul. The cost of living has risen exponentially in the little time I've been here, but wages tend to stay the same. If you find a cushy expat job and are recruited from abroad, you will have a much better salary and life is much more comfortable. For me, I love Turkey and my husband does too, but I think we both agree that we will have far better opportunities in the US. Our goal is to move to the US, work hard, and hopefully come back in 10-15 years to a nice seaside town. Anyway, I'm so happy and relieved that my husband will be receiving his visa in the mail!!! I can't wait to come back to the US and celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas this year with my family. Kendine iyi bak!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-08-12 07:31:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Türk Kahvesi *Turkish Coffee* Cafe*	Merhaba arkadaslar! I haven't posted or been on here in a long time, but I wanted to say that our Visa Journey is OVER!!! My husband took his citizenship oath last week and we are thrilled to be done with USCIS! Woohoo!!! It has been a long road since we first decided to apply (we were both living and working in Istanbul) and moved to the US right when the economy took a nosedive at the end of 2008. It took him a year to find work, but he focused on taking IT classes, doing an internship at Oracle, and has been happily employed with a great tech company for the past 2 years. Of course, we've had our ups and downs and it hasn't been easy, but seeing him take that citizenship oath was inspiring and meant a lot for both of us. It was not easy, but it has been worth it. If you're just starting or in the middle of your visa process, hang in there!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2012-06-07 09:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	HE GOT HIS VISA!!!!!!!!!	Congratulations to you both! Tebrikler!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2008-06-07 01:17:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Fiancee at interview	Enough of the unhelpful banter! At the Ankara Embassy, when we had our interview, there were several couples in line for the K-1 visas. I believe that most everyone went in together. I remember that before our interview, a couple got called up to do their interview and they were engaged-- he was American, she was Turkish. They asked them some questions together and then they had the man sit down while they continued the interview with his fiancee. There were no rooms where interviews were happening privately, it was all just happening in the same room where everyone waits. That's how our interview went too... we got called up and the woman made me go sit down. Of course, you're within earshot of what's being asked so it's a little nerve-wracking! I think it would be helpful if you got clarification on this from someone at the Embassy before you shell out for a ticket to Ankara. I'm fairly certain you can be in there, but having that in writing always helps. Good luck!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2009-11-27 13:55:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 August filers, 2010	Congratulations! That's 3 approvals for CSC. Come on VSC!!! Thanks, everyone! My fingers are crossed for you now! We got the green card on Saturday, so just a couple of days after receiving the approval letter. We're heading to Turkey in December to visit my husband's family, so we're happy this part of our visa journey is over! Good luck and best wishes to you all!	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-10-17 19:53:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 August filers, 2010	Woohoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Approved! Got the letter today! Be patient.... I'm sure more are coming!!! *********************************************************** California Service Center (21 applicants, 2 approved) VJName.............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO SUPERMANBACK.......07/26/10.........08/02/10.......09/03/10........09/09/10....ST. LOUIS, MO MARIENMICHELLE.....07/29/10.........08/09/10.......09/14/10........--/--/10....LOS ANGELES, CA LILI...............07/30/10.........08/02/10.......08/27/10........--/--/10....SEATTLE, WA BRIAN&MEL..........08/03/10.........08/09/10.......08/24/10........--/--/10.... SWEETPIANO.........08/03/10.........08/13/10.......09/10/10........--/--/--....DETROIT, MI PSHO...............08/04/10.........--/--/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....SAN FRANCISCO, CA RMC................08/05/10.........08/09/10.......10/01/10........--/--/10....SAN JOSE, CA REALPI.............08/05/10.........08/09/10.......09/03/10........--/--/10....MILWAUKEE, WI KGSODIE............08/06/10.........08/09/10.......08/30/10........--/--/10....OMAHA, NE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER...08/07/10.........08/09/10.......08/27/10........--/--/10.... THE2OFUS...........08/08/10.........08/10/10.......09/02/10........--/--/10....MILWAUKEE, WI FREEAGENT..........08/09/10.........08/13/10.......09/27/10........--/--/--....CHICAGO, IL Z AND S............08/09/10.........08/16/10.......10/05/10........--/--/--....CHICAGO, IL MURDOCK............08/09/10.........08/16/10.......10/05/10........--/--/10....LOS ANGELES, CA GOUCHO727..........08/10/10.........08/10/10.......09/08/10........--/--/10.... CAMISTANBUL........08/10/10.........08/20/10.......09/16/10........10/07/10....SAN FRANCISCO, CA DANYELYMIGUEL......08/11/10.........08/16/10.......10/05/10........--/--/10....DETROIT, MI ALI E JEFF.........08/12/10.........08/16/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....SEATTLE, WA MACPARA............08/17/10.........08/23/10.......09/30/10........--/--/--....TUCSON, AZ (Early Bio 09/16) DDKM...............08/20/10.........08/23/10.......09/29/10........--/--/--....TUCSON, AZ GINA-S.............08/26/10.........08/30/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....URBANA, IL Vermont Service Center (20 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO MARKANDLADA........07/29/10.........08/02/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Charlotte, NC BABYBEBITA.........07/29/10.........08/03/10.......09/03/10........--/--/10.... HELIOSPAN1676......07/31/10.........08/03/10.......09/01/10........--/--/10.... MURFIE.............07/31/10.........08/02/10.......08/24/10........--/--/10.... WI751..............07/31/10.........08/04/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10.... V&STEVE............08/02/10.........08/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10.... MEL AND SYL........08/02/10.........08/06/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....Tampa, Fl PAUL&OLENA.........08/04/10.........08/06/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....Tampa, Fl BUTTERFLY1978CN....08/09/10.........08/11/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Houston, TX RAINBOW007.........08/11/10.........08/16/10.......09/30/10........--/--/10.... ODOJOE.............08/12/10.........08/16/10.......10/04/10........--/--/10....Orlando, FL BOURNE25...........08/13/10.........08/19/10.......10/12/10........--/--/10....New York (Early Bio 10/04) EJBROOKS...........08/16/10.........08/19/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10.... SCOTSVISA..........08/17/10.........08/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10.... MIKIMIKI...........08/20/10.........08/24/10.......10/08/10........--/--/10....Philadelphia, PA SURYA..............08/21/10.........08/28/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10.... JGREENIE...........08/23/10.........08/27/10.......10/07/10........--/--/10.... MANILA_2005........08/23/10.........08/30/10.......11/02/10........--/--/10....Nashville, TN SOLIDPOWER.........08/26/10.........08/27/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10.... STORYANGEL.........08/26/10.........08/31/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Houston, TX IMPORTANT! * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor. * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply. * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that. * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA. Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment Approved = The Date your case was approved * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly* * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.	camistanbul	Female	Turkey	2010-10-14 22:57:00