ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!

My fiance lived in England for 2 years, too, but that was just a few years ago. His accent is definitely all French. When we first met, my girlfriend (who was with me on a vacation to Paris) had to ask me to translate his English because she couldn't understand him. Granted, this is the same girl who called Champs Elysees "Champs Eloise".


Was it London that he lived in? Because if so, that's just another freaky similarity between our couples LOL.

You speak French, eh? That's good. I'm trying to learn, I've given up til he moves here and I have a "live-in tutor" lol.

That's a piece of good advice..!

Soon after I sent in my I-129F, I did that. I'm lucky, I work for a small company (200 people) so I walked in to the CEO's office with the I-134 instructions and spoke with him. When we got back from holiday, and I had received my NOA2 on 26 December (what a Christmas gift!), it was a simple matter to send them an e-mail and the "reference letters" were ready the next day. I asked for six copies; one set for my copy of the I-134, and two for Bobbie's use...

That's good. :) Six copies? I asked for 3, plus my boss gave me a photocopy of what was inside the sealed envelopes so I could read them. :)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-04 07:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
Aaaaaaaaaaaah YES! Me too! It is SO sweet sounding lol. My fiance seems to have a mix of French and British accents, since he lived in England for 2 years as a kid. It is SO CUTE!
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 22:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
Let's see how things go and talk about it when it gets closer! :D It's going on 13 months since I've seen my fiance. So yeah, when I meet him in JFK it's gonna be awesome! But I wouldn't mind meeting a fellow French/American VJ couple - it's not like I go to Boston very often! ;) Wouldn't that be funny - Hi Angela, Hi Angela. One of our fiances calls "Angela" and we both jump. *snicker*
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 21:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!

Just think about those two weeks for your wedding! You'll make it through. And just think of the excitement waiting for his phone call or text message to say VISA APPROVED!!!!!!!

Oh yeah! Our two weeks in Florida are gonna be incredible! :D :D :D

I wanted to go, but he said he doesn't want me there, he just wants to do it and get it over with. So instead, I'm going to fly over and spend a final week with him in Paris, then we'll fly to Boston together.

Awww, well, spending a final week in Paris will be cool. :)

Although, I kind of want to fly through JFK so he can get an EAD stamp. Even though he'd have to quit his job after 90 days. That just KILLS me.

*poke* If you fly through JFK our fiances can fly over together and keep each other company on the plane... and the four of us could hang out in the airport while you two wait for your next flight! ;)

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 09:45 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 21:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
I wish I could be, but I just can't. :( We're putting every cent away that we can for the big move, and the wedding expenses, and the AOS fees. Plus I've only had my job for 2 1/2 months and I'm taking off April 4th - 16th for our wedding plus Easter, a family reunion, and my Goddaughter's First Communion all in Florida. There's no way I could get more time off, and even if I could, I can't afford the lost salary plus all the other expenses of travelling. :( I really wish I could, though.

Will you be there for his interview?

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 09:32 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 21:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
They better - cuz our petition was mailed over to France the same day as yours, December 28th! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: The guy on the phone couldn't tell me the day they got it, but he said he could tell me when they sent it. :D What next, bostonparis - your fiance and mine have their interview dates the same day? LOL!

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 09:25 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 21:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
I'm still trying to get through. I love how they don't put you into a queue and you can't hold on the line for an operator. :angry: I put them on speed dial.

Thats nice, I don't know about you, or your fiancee, but changes that happen too fast can be pretty overwhelming. I know my fiancee is pretty laid back and not used to descent size cities and all, so I sometimes worry about being able to make sure I can make her feel comfortable and not overwhelmed with all the big changes she's going to feel.

Yeah, my fiance and I are good with the fast changes. He lived in the States for 3 years in the past on a R1 visa. We've also been planning for the K1 since December of 2005 but different problems kept coming up. So... we're ready to get him here, LOL! I just wish we had more than 90 days after he moves here to get married, but I'm not gonna complain as long as we're together.

Angilla,

Congratulations on your approval!!!


All the best for a fast conclusion on your K-1 Visa!!

Congratulations on your approval!!! :dance: :dance:

Thanks to both of you! :D

the way each consulate processes packets 3 and 4 are different, for the Rio consulate you can send packet 3 before recieving it as there are no such thing as receipt numbers or bar codes or anything, but I don't know how it works for France. Check the embassy's website (the one here is kinda helpful).

I'm having trouble getting anything decent out of the embassy website. More trouble than I'm having getting the NVC on the phone. :angry:

April??? No way! I bet he'll have his visa by February. :yes:

Yeah, that's what we're hoping! We'd like to move him here like end of February/beginning of March. But we'd like some time to hang out together before the wedding. Besides, just in case some fluke happens we're still safe with the time I got off from work.

OOOOH 3 minutes til I can speak to an operator. :) Yay!

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 09:13 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 21:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
Oh awesome - off I go to call! :lol:
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 20:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
Do you know what the NVC's hours are? I'd call right now but I doubt they're open.

if the consulate said they got the papers, your fiancé doesn't need to wait for packet 3 to arrive, he can send it to them, that way things will go a little bit faster.

Oooh that's neat! So when I find out from NVC when they sent it, my fiance'll start pestering the embassy to see if they got it... and once they do he can just print out the forms from here and mail em back? The forms won't have anything special on them, like reciept number or bar code or something, when the embassy mails the forms to him?

it was a response to an inquiry. He wrote them 3 times already (can you tell we are a "bit" anxious to get this over with? :lol: )
Here the email address for them:
NVCInquiry@state.gov

I bet your case has already left NVC.

Thanks, I sent an e-mail! I asked to know the date they recieved it and the date they mailed it so I can update my timeline with that info. :D

Angilla, I hadn't seen that you were approved! Congratulations!

Thanks! Oh it was great! I was sitting here going through VJ timelines PMing VSC people with NOA1 dates similar to mine asking them to please PM me when they get their NOA2s... and then I got 3 e-mail alerts from CRIS (I keep my MSN messanger on so a notice pops up on my screen when I get in a new e-mail) and I screamed at the top of my lungs. I went to see if it was a RFE or NOA2 and sure enough, NOA2. I screamed bloody murder, bursted into tears sobbing hysterically, and was laughing all at the same time. My mom came pretty close to falling off her chair because I scared her so bad LOL. I called my fiance and was crying so hard that he couldn't understand me, when I finally got it out clear enough he yelled right there in the train he was in. LOL! I was crying for like half an hour, and I'm not a crier! It's one heck of a memory!

Angilla, I got the same letter, - today - with the same date as you. But, when I called NVC today, they said it was sent on 12/28!!! I bet yours went on the same day as mine!!

Oh too funny - especially since we're going through the same service center, same embassy, and have the same NOA2 date! That'd be crazy to know it's on it's way to Paris already! :dance:

Wow congratulations, at the rate you're moving you'll have your visa by uhhh maybe next week? :lol: Did you send out the wedding invitations yet! :P

Ummm well we are sorta working on the wedding plans. :blush: We're figuring early April, I think it's safe to say he'll be here by then. :D We just won't put deposits on anything til later on, just in case.

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 08:04 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 20:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
Oh wow JaJo! The e-mail your fiance got - was that automatic or a response to an inquiry? I've been thinking of e-mailing or calling the NVC to see if it's been sent yet. The date on the letter was AFTER the date they sent the petition to the embassy? Whoa.

And Bora Bora, the first time my boss gave me the letter this morning it had my pay rate wrong. I asked her to look it up and sure enough, she wrote less than I'm being paid. She re-did it for me the same day, though. Ei yai yai!

Edited by Angilla, 03 January 2007 - 07:14 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 19:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhile you're waiting for NOA2: Talk to your boss!
My advice... while you're waiting for the NOA2, talk to your boss about the letter you'll need stating your employment for the I-134! Explain it to your boss and ask how long it'll take to get it when you need it, so they're aware and you know how long it'll take. It took almost 2 weeks for my boss to do it for me. Not like it killed us or anything, it's just annoying to get the NOA2 and have to wait so long for your boss to sign a 1 paragraph letter so you can send all the necessary documents to your loved one. :)

Funny news is... on the same day I get the letter from my employer, I get a letter from the NVC saying they got our case on 12/29 and it'll be sent to France within a week. :lol: :dance:
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-03 18:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedureshey guys...yuhoo
If you want, call the NVC and play like you didn't get the letter - ask them what date it was sent to Vancouver. It might've been sooner! I got a letter saying that the NVC recieved my petition on the 29th and would be mailed to France within a week. When I called, it had actually already been SENT out to France on the 28th!

If you do choose to do that, follow the prompts to get a live person on the phone. K1 visa petitions are generally not entered into the automated system because they're not there long enough. 1 for English, 5 for an operator. You might want to put them on speed dial, that's what I did. If all operators are busy you have to hang up and try again, you can't just wait in a queue. They lead you back to a menu and if you choose 5 for operator again they say all operators are still busy, goodbye, and they hang up. They have live operators there til midnight EST though, after over an hour of trying I got someone live on the phone around 9:20pm EST lol.
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-06 09:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfree to marry

Hmm......I guess thats it then, I wait. Now I have to tell my significant other the bad news.......this is not a good day :( ...........................................Ken


Yeah, I'm sorry but it seems as though you're gonna have to do that. :( But hey, at least you asked, unfortunately the answers we get aren't always the best ones for us. Do you have a co-sponsor? If so, is going to live with your SO for a little while an option?
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-06 13:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfree to marry
I've seen some... interesting... comments from asante while I've been here. I would take anything he/she says with a grain of salt and move on, if I were you. ;)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-06 12:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfree to marry

guess I will try and find a definitive answer from a lawyer. Anyone have any links to one?

I think that's a good idea. Laurel Scott has a free chat room for questions on Wednesdays at 11am CST. Why don't you try that? It's better than paying a consultation for a lawyer. ;) Laurel answered some questions for me wonderfully. :)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-06 12:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresSent our I-129F today!
Congratulations! I hope all goes smoothly for you. :D
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-13 13:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWedding is Today!
Awww, congratulations! :D
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-13 13:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresBlue or Black ink?
I remember reading in the past about people who got RFEs for original signatures and they had signed in black ink. (I don't have links, I don't even remember how long ago it was that I read that around here.) So my fiance and I typed it all up in black printed ink but signed it in blue ink.
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-13 13:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAPPROVED APPROVED APPROVED
Congrats! :D
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-13 14:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAlicia and Fran have their APPROVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats! :D
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2007-01-13 14:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies
I sent an e-mail last night to the LAST person we can think of to ask about co-sponsoring. We shouldn't need a co-sponsor if I get/keep a new job that pays enough, but we'd like having a "just in case" back-up... besides, if we get a co-sponsor the petition can go in the mail ASAP instead of waiting for me to get a job! :innocent: We're trying not to get our hopes up, but we're sorta hoping that she'll say yes...
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-06 12:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Those fields are for languages like, say... Russian or something. You can write N/A, since they use the Roman alphabet in France... aselano, you really need to relax... :lol:


Hmm, where have I heard this before? Has Ms. Mew told me that I need to relax previously? :lol: :lol: Hey, if you look you'll notice that I DIDN'T make the post like I said I would. :lol:
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 16:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies


Hmm, okay. So "if your fiance is currently in the US, complete the following" I'll put N/A because he's not in the US now, so that doesn't apply. "If your fiance's native alphabet uses other than Roman letters, write his or her name and adress abroad in the native alphabet" would be N/A because his alphabet uses Roman letters, so that doesn't apply. Right?


Actually, I didn't even mess with those two little subsections, particularly the one on "in another alphabet." Those two I actually did leave blank. You could technically write "n/a" in the blank that concerns entry into the U.S. and just leave the other sub-questions alone. However, on the name one, I figured that writing "none" in there would actually just create confusion. I wouldn't put anything under the name-in-another-language blank, if I were you. I think it would be courting disaster.


Okay. I'm going to make a post about this. :)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 14:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies
Hmm, okay. So "if your fiance is currently in the US, complete the following" I'll put N/A because he's not in the US now, so that doesn't apply. "If your fiance's native alphabet uses other than Roman letters, write his or her name and adress abroad in the native alphabet" would be N/A because his alphabet uses Roman letters, so that doesn't apply. Right?
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 14:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies
Yeah, but they're also sending out IMBRA RFEs to people who used the updated I-129F forms. :lol: So when it comes to these applications, my opinion is idiot proof it as much as you can. :lol:

Anyway, in the instructions of the I-129F it says:

2. General Filing Instructions

C. Answer all questions fully and accurately. State that an item is not applicable with "N/A." If the answer is "none," write none.


So that means nothing should be left blank - NONE or N/A should fill the spots with no answers. And there IS a difference between the two. I don't remember what it is, though. :blush:

Edited by aselano, 05 August 2006 - 02:27 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 14:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Your fiance won't have an A# yet, so that stays blank.


I would suggest writing NONE rather than leaving it blank. ;) I think anything blank could risk a RFE - how would they know that you don't have an A# and just forgot to include it? But if you say NONE, they know. :)

Wow, another Virginia person, cool! :)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 14:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

I'm fairly familiar with Catholicism and understand sisterhoods and brotherhoods. I know that there are some breakaway groups and wondered where your and SC's community fit. Thanks for filling me in!

You're welcome! Sometimes breakaway groups aren't even obvious. I was looking at a group of sisters once and their website made them look like a wonderful community... then I found out they were basically a breakaway group and it shocked me. But the community we were with was/is definately not in that category. ;)

Oh boy...SC's parents sound like real downers. Guess they need our prayers, too. Not born encouragers or flexible thinkers, are they?

It's not just his parents... it's his grandma, his brother, his sister, his brother-in-law... it's all but his cousins and some of his more distant relatives. One of his aunts is a translator and she translated his flight itineraries from French into English for free so we can send them in with the I-129F, that was really sweet. :D

Laurent doesn't have a formal degree either. Long story. He finished lycée but left home pretty early to play in punk and rock bands. Now he composes electronically-aided music. Certainly doesn't mean he's stupid or worthless, though. He's one of the smartest men I know and a brilliant conversationalist, to boot!

:thumbs: I don't think a lack of a college degree has to do with a lack of intelligence at all. I know what it was for SC... he got discouraged. He's a lefty with not very good handwriting and the colleges he went to required that everything be handwritten. He had a lot of problems with professors not being able to read things. When he had questions he couldn't find anyone to sit down with him and help him. His grades slowly fell more and more until he just gave up and dropped out.

I've told him that he can go to college for whatever he wants, when he wants, if he wants. He's said he wants to become a teacher and I'll support him in that, if that changes I'll support him in wherever he goes. We do agree that we want me to stay home with the kids after they're born, though, so as long as he can support our family by the time that rolls around, and is happy in what he's doing, that's what matters. I've also told him that I'll be more than willing to sit down with him and help him with assignments and whatnot, and if I can't help I'll help him find someone at his college that can help him. So he never has to worry about needing help and not being able to get it.

I think, along with the better school system and the English language, that's why he wants to go to college so badly over here. Over there he has no support and a lot of pressure.

You're right to support SC in the way that you are. The things you've said to him are right on target!

Thanks! It's just getting him to really take to heart and believe what I say that's the hard part.

LOL! So you and SC have problems with the patience thing, too! That's hilarious.

I'm 1/4 Sicilian - I think that alone answers how much patience I have! :lol: I'm trying to work on it, though. :lol:

I'm mostly doing better on that score in the last year or two. Another long story. I still have my moments, but I'm definitely the grounded one in the relationship. I have my own failings, though, believe me! And yes, it is a lifetime process. Truer words have rarely been spoken! :D

There will always be moments, that's what gives life its spice. ;) Don't be too hard on yourself. If you try to bend something quickly it'll usually break, but if you bend something really slowly over a long period of time, you'll usually be able to mold it into what you want. ;)

A PM is on its way to you later today...

Yay! :dance:


Yes. Air conditioning a definite must. When all this is over, we want to start looking for a house, but he isn't keen on going too far out as he works in Richmond. I grew up in the country and I dont make a very good city girl. Hopefully we will find an area that we can compromise on .

Welcome to all the other newcomers preparing to file! Its nice to not feel so alone in embarking on this process

There's gotta be middle ground somewhere - between the city and the country there's usually suburbs, maybe something like that wouldn't be too bad for you. Wait until the time comes, you never know what surprises could come up then!

And yeah I agree, I love this website, and it definately feels good to know we're not alone!
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 13:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Aselano-Ok, Orange Va is a long skinny county, depending on which end your on you'd be looking at 20 minutes, or 30 minutes. That quote involves 3 or 4 different hospitals..4 I think.

justjoeny91-I think it was more concern about your question getting lost in the shuffle than hijacking. I know I've posted questions in related ongoing threads to no avail.

Hi back to all poking in to say hi, and welcome!

Edit: Stop typing and posting so fast you people! :P


Okay, that's like what it is here, with traffic and whatnot anyway. :) Cool! We want to stay here on LI to get over the immigration hurdles and save up money. After AOS is completed and we have enough money in the bank, we'd like to move to VA. We'll look into specifics then. :D Thanks for all the answers!

Teehee I'm a fast typer. :P Actually, I shouldn't be proud of that, it means I spend too much time online talking to people. :lol:
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 13:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Good idea about moving my questions out of this thread. I don't want to hijack the thread. Besides, questions would be difficult to find imbedded in a thread rather than starting a new one! I'll go back and edit my previous post.

OK. I guess one can't go back and edit previous posts. Live and learn! lol


Pfft - you know how many threads I'VE hijacked in my VJ lifetime? :lol: :lol: Many! So I don't mind hijacking. :lol:

It's just that I want you, and others, to get the answers that you need. Like you said, questions embedded in a thread will be hard to find. The forum search won't find them when others after you look to see if the question that you asked has been answered. If you make a new post, they'll search and find it, maybe months later or something, and your question will have helped them. Plus, this post is for people who haven't filed yet... many people here have the knowledge that they do because they've been through the whole process already, and that's something that we don't have. So here you'd be less likely to get answers from people who have been through this already.

I don't think you can edit a post after someone else comments...it's okay, it doesn't matter. ;)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 12:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Hi there,
we will hopefully finally put the papers in by November 1st.I'm from Germany and my man is living in Washington (State).
Nat

Hi Nat! :) November 1st... if I may ask, why so long of a wait?

Thank you aselano for the warm welcome! I am originally from Rochester (actually just east of there), NY, but currently live in Colorado Springs, CO. Thanks for the "search" insight. That never even dawned on me to look there! ;)

Okay, I live on Long Island. I've met two other New Yorkers here, I always jump at the chance to meet more, so that's why I asked. :lol:

You're welcome! I've found a lot of good answers by searching, and the rest by posting. Sometimes I worry that people will get annoyed by all the questions I ask... actually, sometimes I think I DID annoy people with all my questions :lol:... but really, that's what we're all here for - to ask and to help each other. So don't worry about annoying anyone. ;) I know your A# question has been asked before, but I don't remember the answer, so try searching for that... if you can't find it, post and ask. ;) I have absolutely no clue about your birth certificate question, so definately make a new post for that, I think.

Edited by aselano, 05 August 2006 - 12:38 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 12:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies
justjoeny91:

I see NY in your name, are you from NY?

Welcome to VJ. :) At the bottom of the K1 forum you'll see "search forum" - as questions arise, search the forums to see if they've already been asked. :) Also read the guides and, as you're filling out your forms, open the example forms to see what is suggested to do. :)

Personally, I think you should make new posts for any questions that you have about the process or paperwork. By making a new post for each question you'll help others who have this question both now and in the future. :) It will also get more attention - all of us who will frequent here have not gone through the process yet so we're not very knowledgable, other than what we've been able to read. But if you make a new post with your question, the experienced people will find it and answer it. ;) We even have a former border control officer that hangs around the forums! :)

What I had in mind for this thread (although I definately don't mind it taking on a life of its own ;)) is a place for all of us who are planning to file, or who have just filed, to introduce ourselves and our situations and find friends to accompany on the process. :)

Oh good heavens no! I had issues for the longest time because I want a house with central air! Sadly, houses with that are out of my price range really. A lot of older homes here(I'm in the thick of the Civil War battlegrounds area) and very few of them have central air, geez some of them don't have modernized heat.

:lol: I got confused when I read that you didn't want AC, the sentence makes more sense now though. :lol: I'd love central air, but I'll take any working air conditioning that I can get!

You should have no trouble finding something like that. There are a lot of areas that are farming based and actually have huge limits on building lots. A neighboring county insists on a minimum of 2 acres for example...which to a New Yorker may sound ridiculously expensive, but the places that have the minimums like that are actually dirt cheap. 3 bedroom house on 2 acres would go for oh, 220,000 in that particular county. (Orange County Virginia)

Wow, that's awesome! In my area a normal house on an 80 x 100 ft. plot of land starts at $300,000! I would love to have gardens and fruit trees... :D And a hammock! In Orange County, what sort of distance would there be to the nearest hospital with good health care? Just an idea, don't worry about getting it exact or anything. ;)

Edited by aselano, 05 August 2006 - 12:30 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 12:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Alright, firsts things first...http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm for the conversions.

Air conditioning, for me, isn't an option because it's HOT and I don't like heat LOL. Cold I can handle no sweat (ha ha at my lame pun), but heat I turn into grumpy lady. You can be well away from the coast, and still be far enough from the mountains you won't see much snow. As I said before, I'm pretty close to the mountains..in the foothills technically, and it's about a 3 hour drive to the beach. You're also going to want to think about city vs. country living because you can definitely have both here.


Ooooh, by air conditioning isn't an option I thought you meant you wouldn't consider getting it. :lol: Heat I get sick, so air conditioning is a must for me too. What I've thought with city vs. country is... I'd like a big property and to be somewhat out in the sticks, BUT, if for some reason we need to get to a hospital, we can easily get to one! If I'm pregnant and something goes wrong, if one of our kids falls and cracks his head open, whatever... I don't wanna be so far out into the country that we have trouble getting to a hospital in time.

And thanks for the conversions link! :)

Edited by aselano, 05 August 2006 - 12:15 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 12:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Air conditioning is NOT an option IMO.

Why not?

Winter is hit or miss, this is where location comes into play. I'm very near the mountains so I would get more than someone next to the beach. Blizzards are rare, quite honestly snow totaling more than 6 inches is a once or twice a year occurance..and if it happens make sure you have milk and bread..not because you won't be able to get out, but because everyone panics! We do get ice storms every couple of years and those can be pretty horrendous. Winter temperatures rarely go below the low 30's-high 20's(that's for daytime highs).

Okay, we'll just have to look into that more specifically when the time comes, I suppose. We don't want to live close enough to the beach to worry about evacuating from hurricanes, that's for sure. We'll see later. :)

So can you tell me more about this religious community? Did you mention somewhere that it was Catholic? Is it a community recognized by the Catholic Church or is it a breakaway group? I'm really curious. Sounds like you both have a really strong faith.

Yup it's Catholic - loyal to the Pope, not a breakaway group. :) Friars are like monks, the difference is that monks generally stay in their building and their task is to pray for the world. Friars leave their building reguarly and do other works. There's the same difference between the nuns (usually cloistered, meaning they don't leave their monastery) and sisters. Other than this one issue, their community is amazing. It's not really a fault of the community itself, any more than it's a fault of Catholicism or Christianity itself... it's human error. Even though they wear a habit they're still human beings with much to learn. Those who are open to learning will and they'll grow, the others, well, won't. SC was a friar for 3 years - he was in temporary vows, which meant that he still had the option to leave rather than renewing his vows.

I was waiting to enter their sisters, but the sisters considered me to be too young... they wanted me to get some life experience first, maybe some college or something. I disagreed, I had been dreaming of becoming a sister since I was 12 years old and it was all I wanted. But as it turned out... I was running. Growing up my parents had a horrible relationship, as did all of my friends parents. All I saw of marriage was fighting and abuse - I didn't see what it really COULD be. But last summer I did some volunteer work that was family-centered, and we stayed with host families as we travelled around the country. I saw what true marriage could be like and it triggered a healing process... it brought up things that I didn't even know I had in me. SC was my best friend and he had mentioned something similar when I had asked him why he left the friars. I asked him about it and it turned out that he left the friars because the same exact thing had happened with him. He was a huge help to me through the healing process.

I'll try to PM you later today. Seems like we should be talking more! I think we could be of great encouragement to one another.

I agree! :D

You asked about Laurent's age. He's 38...a year younger than me. :) Fortunately, none of Laurent's friends or family are opposed to our relationship. In fact, his mom and dad regularly express to me how much they love and miss me. They're down in Angoulême, actually, but we've spent time with them, and I talk with them on the phone fairly regularly.

That's wonderful! I wish I could see France! SC and I are going to work on my fear of flying together after he moves here, and then he's going to bring me to visit France with him once I'll be okay with the flight. :)

Like I said, he has many AMAZING qualities, but patience in the face of things he doesn't want to deal with is not his strong point. God's working on that, too, though. :D

Patience isn't either of our strong points either. :lol: We all have areas that we need to grow in, and the process takes a lifetime. ;)

But I think we have it all over the French when it comes to higher ed. You couldn't pay me to go to school at a French university--for about a thousand reasons!! SC is making the right choice, IMO.

His family has told him, on numerous occasions, that he's basically worthless without a college degree, that he needs one ASAP, and that he needs to get it in France. I've been telling him the opposite. You're not worthless no matter what, you need to get your college degree when you're ready, and you can get it wherever the heck you want!

more than 6 inches a rarity? Yikes. Yep im guessing that will be one of the biggest differences in climate. 6 inches where I am, if we just get that we consider ourselves blessed with a light winter. I really need to learn the conversions :help:

6 inches happens a lot where I am in NY... 12 inches isn't uncommon... and every now and then, we'll get a 3+ foot blizzard. I need to learn conversions too, just to help poor SC along with that.
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 11:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

Incidentally, Angilla, my mother's reaction when I mentioned that we might have to live together for a little while when Laurent first got here...well, it wasn't pretty. You're right. They don't understand. I told her I didn't see it as ideal, but that I didn't see much way around it. He has to have a place to stay. Her response? In very condescending tones (this to her 39 year-old daughter!), "Living together is NEVER necessary!" At that point, I ended the conversation as politely as I could. Yeah, you really have to just trust what God is showing and telling you. If you listened to everyone else, you'd literally go bonkers.

The first person that we asked to be a co-sponsor was a friend that SC had made while he was a friar, and they kept in touch after he went back to France. She agreed to be our co-sponsor. Then everything hit her about the apartment. She said that, no matter WHAT, we would definately "fall into temptation" and that, in turn, she'd be "an accomplice to sin by supporting pre-martial sex." Rather than just changing her mind about co-sponsoring, she TOLD A FRIAR. That friar told another friar. Next thing I knew, the second friar (who I knew well, he's also a priest) woke me up at 10:30pm freaking out. He said that under no circumstance could us living together be justified and that there MUST be some other solution. I managed to convince the two of them to PROMISE SC and I that they wouldn't tell anyone else, and I haven't heard anything about it since. :wacko:

It just sucks because the friars used to be a family to us... they helped raise me from age 13 on up, and SC lived with them for 3 years as a brother. Now we have to hide something like this from them because they just won't understand. We've already lost some of them as our friends because they think our relationship makes their community look bad, as though SC left the friars to date me. But he DIDN'T. We fell in love 8 months after he left the friars, and when he left I was still planning on entering the sisters anyway! But... well... people are gonna think what they're gonna think, and sometimes, I guess there's just nothing we can do about it but move on. Our TRUE friends will stay with us.

Laurent and I looked into staying in France, but, like Saint-Clair, Laurent is not sitting in the strongest financial position. The French system and economy has not exactly benefitted him, and it's only getting worse. We finally agreed that we could eventually be much more comfortable living here than there--even if we have to struggle for a few years. Plus, as you've noted, there is a definite bias against Americans in France, whereas Americans seem to adore Western Europeans. So finding a job that paid anything would be much, MUCH harder for me there than it will be for Laurent here.

:yes: SC also doesn't like the college system over there, even though he said it's cheaper. He even prefers the English language over French because he said French grammar is really complicated. He said he dreads the thought of going to college in French, but in English he really wants to go. He's thinking of becoming a teacher. :) He'd much rather go to college here, and I'd like to finish college too, so it makes sense for him to come here.

Ah! Rambouillet! Our boys are not so very far apart, Angilla. Laurent is right in Paris--18th arrond. I wonder if he would ever be open to corresponding with Saint-Clair. I'll have to feel him out on the matter. I personally think it would be good for him to have someone of his own nationality with whom to talk about the frustrations, but he can be kind of shy about new people. I'll definitely see what I can do over time. :)

Oh neat, SC has a cousin in Paris somewhere. :) I think it would be good for them too. SC's having so much trouble with his French friends giving him garbage about this relationship, I think it'd be good for him to be able to talk to him a fellow French guy about it all. How old is Laurent? SC is 27.

Alright, I suppose I've rambled enough for now! LOL! I sure am glad to be talking to this bunch, though!

:lol: That makes two of us rambling. I'm definately glad I started this post! :D

I do wonder how the winters are going to compare. My baby has told me that I will probably find them quite warm, and the kids may be upset by a much lower amount of snow. Another difference is the squirrels....the squirrels are so...well...tiny. I'm more worried about surviving the summers, I dont do well with heat and humidity :blush:

I wonder about the winters, also. Thingee, what do you guys get usually, as far as temperature, snow, and ice? I'm really sick of the snowstorms... my concern is that if I get pregnant and due in the winter and we get heavy snow/ice the day I go into labor... well... I really wouldn't want that. :no: I don't do well with the heat and humidity, either, but I don't think it's much hotter in VA than it is here in NY, right? Amanda - Just make sure you get air conditioning and an air conditioned job and car... and stay inside during the hottest hours, just go out in the morning and evening. ;)
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 11:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling buddies

We just filed in the last couple of weeks. I am from Colorado, my love is from Nigeria. We met in November of 2004 online.
:thumbs:

That's very neat! I think, if you decide to have kids, those kids will have a very cool heritage. :) It's not often that you meet someone who is half American and half Nigerian. It could also be fun, as a parent, to teach them about their Nigerian heritage... language, customs, etc. But I'm a geek like that. :D

I worry about it just getting lost....in the past few years ive sent packages to friends in the states that either didnt arrive at all, or arrived literally in pieces.

Yeah, we worry about the same... and if it gets lost, what some idiot could do with all his personal information, especially his SS#. I think a carrier pidgeon would be a good idea... it'd be cute to have one as a pet anyway! :lol:

As for the lease, figured anything with both our signiatures on it would be good primary evidence that we've met.

Definately! That's dated, and you two must've been together in order to sign it together, so it's perfect! :yes:

The long distance aspect really does suck :( Im lucky now in that Ron has gotten over his squeamishness on long drives, and has driven up to see us twice, prior to may it had been over 5 months since we had seen each other.

I wish I could get over my squeamishness of flying long distances so I could go to France... but realistically, we can't afford it anyway. Once SC is here we'll work on my fears together, it's easier to do than doing it alone. :)

Friends and family don't understand why we are trying to get the visa to go there. They think that we will be treated worse there than we are here in canada (we're First Nations) Adds stress to an already stressful situation. But we will all make it through!

His family can't understand why he wants to come here, either. They keep saying, "Why doesn't she move here?!" What they don't get is that ONE of us has to move, I'm not forcing him to move here either... we both talked about it and both agreed that he'll move here, he WANTS to. But there they have government paid health care and college is much cheaper there. And besides, nearly everyone there hates America anyway.

Much easier for one person to come to canada vs flying 3 to VA.

Because I'm nosey, where in VA are you going to be?


I'm nosy about this too - SC and I would like to eventually settle down in VA.

Edited by aselano, 05 August 2006 - 09:58 AM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-08-05 09:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTypos happen...
It was HIS OWN mum's name he mispelled and gave the wrong year she was born !

hahahhaha !

We were fine...

Do not worry, OP. But....You may want to do what JaJo says if it is getting under your skin.
There is much to be said about peace of mind ! I am a HUGE fan of it !
I would have asked hubby to do the same, had I known about his typos before we sent it in.
MrsBruce5FemaleScotland2006-12-11 09:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTypos happen...
Do not worry-it's simply a typo...It'll be fine.

My husband messed up his mum's name and DOB on his G325 !
MrsBruce5FemaleScotland2006-12-11 08:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHere's what I've got
:blink: This is a huge freaking stack of papers! Dang. All I'm waiting is for my fiance's G-325A and letter of intent, which he'll be mailing out tomorrow. I left spaces for them in the packet.

I divided it up by cover letter, payment (it's still $170, right?), I-129F (with attachment for his middle name that doesn't fit and explaining how we met in person, signed and dated), G-325a's 4 pages (with 4 copies of an attachment for employment that didn't fit, signed and dated) and passport style photo (mine then his), copy of my birth certificate front and back, letters of intent (mine then his), and proof of meeting. Yeah everything's photocopies, no originals in here other than our signatures - which are in blue ink, not black, so they can't question if the signatures are original or not. :thumbs: Each sub-section has a cover page with a short identifying title in big letters and a tab at the bottom. Each sub-section is attached together with a paper clip.

As far as proof of meeting, is there such a thing as too much, as far as this is concerned? I know we only need to prove ONE visit and I don't want to overload them... but... I have this stuff readily available (I'm a pack rat) and don't want to leave any doubts in their minds. So I'm not sure what's best to do in this area - what do you think? This is what I've got:

Initial meeting
- Copy of his R1 visa that shows he was in the Bronx from 8/2002 - 12/2004 (the ending is still in the 2 year time frame) that shows how we initially met. I'm not sure if they'll care because we were friends and co-workers then, but it's only one page so... *shrug*

1st visit after we fell in love, 10/28/05 - 11/05/05
- Copy of his passport stamp
- Copies of his baggage stubs/stickers.
- Copy of his French flight itinerary e-mail translated into English with a letter certifying the translator's competency.
- 3 photos with our names as well as the date and location of each photo written on the back in ink.

2nd visit after we fell in love, 12/18/05 - 12/31/05
- Copy of his passport stamp
- Copies of all of his boarding passes
- Copies of his baggage stubs/stickers
- Train tickets/metrocards showing locations and dates, including from the AirTrain in JFK airport. Some receipts of these, too. No names on them, though.
- Copies of 2 hotel itineraries with my name only (not his :() showing the date(s), location, and 2 adults with 1 bed. Plus a receipt from one of those.
- 2 movie stubs from 12/22 but no location and no names.
- 2 photos with our names as well as the date and location of each photo written on the back in ink.

The 5 photos do not have time stamps, anywhere identifying in the background, or anything showing the date in the background. The 3 from the first visit are in 3 different places wearing different clothes, the 2 from the second visit are both in the AirTrain on the same day - we forgot to take pictures during his visit and snapped these two last minute. Oops.

We're not including proof of an ongoing relationship... as far as I understand it, that's only necessary for his interview anyway.

Edited by Angilla, 12 November 2006 - 07:01 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-11-12 18:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat evidence of having met your fiance did YOU submit?
I'm just curious to see what evidence of having met in person within the last 2 years people have gotten approved with. So, if you've already received your NOA2, what evidence did you submit?

Edited by Angilla, 13 November 2006 - 07:42 PM.

RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-11-13 19:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan a H1 get a K1

Thank you....I got a reference to an attorney in NY from someone on this forum. He has two pckages - one for the K1/K2 alone and another for K1/K2 and AOS, EAD and Advance Parole. The first package is $1995, the second is $3095. Thinking.....

You can try asking some questions to Laurel Scott, an immigration attorney, in her free chat on Wednesdays at 11am Central Time. http://www.visacentral.net/
RosaMystica7FemaleFrance2006-11-14 08:59:00