NOA1

We got the NOA1 finally after I had to call and ask them to send it again.  They sent it to the wrong address and I messed up the wrong address they sent it to.  I have a post office box and they sent it to the physical address.  We sent it 7/15/11 and got a receipt date of 7/20/11.  We were assigned to CSC.  CSC is currently running 73 days although for awhile it was down to 71.  Today they are supposedly working on 6/7/11 dates. We are getting there!  I went through other people's timelines and got an estimated arrival date of mid to late January if all goes perfectly.  We are hoping to have a Feb. 14 wedding.  Let's see if immigration cooperates.

Still feeling sad and in limbo.  I know it is silly to sit around feeling like this but ....  I have a new job so that will probably keep my head pretty occupied.

:(

Feeling the missing today.  Frustrating that because foreigners want to abuse the marriage process I, an American citizen, have to sit and wait to be with the one I love.  I suppose it is better that I sit and wait than to allow those types of people in.  I deal with so many women who are abused some through immigration or by the immigrant that it definitely is better that immigration weeds those sorts out.  Besides when you have the rest of your lives together, 5 months is not that long.  We have waited to see each other for 5 months before.  It just feels so much longer already. 

So updates.  I found out that there is a law that says you can marry in MO without a ssn but you have to sign an affadavit.  So I called the Clerk in the county we want to marry in and got hassled about looking the law up.  I also found out that as a K1 visa holder there is a law that you can get a social security card that is authorized to work.  The issue with the social security card is most likely I would have to take him to the office, fight with them about it.  Then wait for them to look the law up (they already told me he is not eligible for a social security card) and then get back to us.  Then we would go down to the office, hope the person we talked to was available and put in for the card and then it takes about a week or two or more to get the card.  I think they tell you 6 weeks.  Anyway, this would eat up a huge portion of our 90 day time frame.  Not chancing it. 

Anyway...  feeling down so not going to blog long.  Will spare everyone who reads this from the bluesiness of my mood.

Duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
got the uscis blues
Duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
dunno what to do
Duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
missing my baby
Duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
tired of skype too!!!!!
doo doomp doo doomp
doo doomp doo doomp
Duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
so i try to keep busy
duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
going to work
duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
but it's driving me crazy
duh duh duh duh dum
doo doomp doo doomp
can't quit worrying about my NOA!!!!
dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum!
OW!  Got the blueesssssss the NOA USCIS IMMIGRATION BLUESSSSS!!!!!!

Ok not quite a masterpiece but better than crying.  :)  Monday I can call about the receipt number.

Visa Applications

I'm sitting here thinking of how much I miss Wendy at the moment. She lives in the U.S and I'm in England the last time we managed to see each other was back in May. And before that I used up my annual leave to spend 4weeks with Wendy at her apartment. We talk to each other every day either over Skype or on Yahoo as they are both free at the moment. We filed for the K-1 visa on July 15th and we are yet to here from the USCIS. The thing that is bugging me at the moment is the amount of people who are using the K-1 visa just to get in to another country. You know the ones, the ones who say they love you. Then when they get to America they marry you then do a runner. Or the ones who have a visa to work in the U.S and arrange a marriage to stay in America  because they have been released from their contract.
 What ever happened to moving to the end if the earth to be with the one you loved? Admittedly most of the people that do apply for the K-1 are doing it for the right reasons, but there are those few that abuse it which is why it's such a long waiting game. According to sources we are expected to receive acceptance dates of the NOA2 around Nov-Dec time.

30 days to NOA?

I broke down and called USCIS and was told give it 30 days.  After 30 days they will look us up.  God, what to do with all this nervous energy.  I might have to take up smoking just as John is giving it up!

Desperately Seeking NOA1

So I read on USCIS' website that people were complaining of not receiving their NOA1 notification via email and text.  So I emailed to ask if I was one of those (they asked for examples).  Anyway, I got a weird response to the effect of "We are concerned that there is language out there that makes people think we are having issues in this area.  There is only one site affiliated with us..."  Anyway, I just responded with the portion of what I read and the link to the USCIS website. 

link: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=fa351202bbce9210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d9a59a485510e210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

"There was a stakeholder concern that applicants who submitted the G-1145 to receive a text or email when their application had been accepted by USCIS are not receiving the notification. Stakeholders were asked to email an example of this to lockboxsupport@dhs.gov." 

I am sure I misunderstood it.  But anyone else out there in internetland experiencing NOA1 anxiety? 

My bid concern is that I use a post office box and for some reason that seems to boggle many government agencies.  I mean really are post office boxes that uncommon?  They are more secure for personal info being sent through the mail (and money). 

I just hope USCIS, DHS, and all others involved realize how hard of a process this is.  We are obeying the rules.  He left when he said he would and is not planning on coming back until they say he can.  It just sucks that people who are truly in love have to go through this because so many exploit the process for their own benefit.  At least at the end of this, I have a man finally worth everything and makes me have hope for a great relationship. 

I ordered my transcripts for the I-134 documentation.  http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=110571,00.html

Super easy and free.  This is required for this as just plain old copies are not sufficient.  Also works for buying a home, etc. 

20 days since I filed.

Current avg for others in our situation between filing and notice is 6 days. 
Avg wait time NOA1 to NOA2 for CSC is 77 days which is where ours most likely will be sent.
CSC is currently processing cases filed 5/18/11. 

A friend I met on VJ filed the same date as we did and they got their NOA1 with an anticipated NOA2 date of end of November to end of December.  UGH!!!  It takes a month or more after the NOA2 date for him to get here.  Everyday without him is a day without him.  I wish he was a USC this would be easy then. 

:(

Emotional Rollercoaster... of love

I totally have the Red Hot Chili Peppers singing Rollercoaster of Love in my head right now.

Anyway, so day by day we both have noticed we have emotional ups and downs.  One day we are totally up and ready to work hard on this whole thing and then next we are nearly despondent and tearful.  Thankfully so far our ups and downs don't match so we can keep the other one positive and cheered up.  I find I dream about John constantly.  It is worse when I am feeling sad or wishing I could have physical contact.

Things I do that help me: I try to spend alot of time researching immigration, planning out our next course of action, identifying problem areas (e.g. we have not spent alot of time or money on planning a wedding since we don't really know when the k1 will be approved or if...  I did show that I researched ways for us to get married without a social security number. We found out through some help though we don't know how old this is but here's the link. First off, a K-1 is eligible for a SSN by law. However, Missouri state law does not require you to produce a SSN if you do not have it. See here: http://law.justia.co...4510000040.html , planned cost of gas, called about cost of marriage license, cost of jp, hours of operation, etc.), I blog about my frustration, exercise when it is not 150F heat index, cry to my friends and family who tolerate me, talk to people on Visa Journey, and finally, I force myself to think of other things when all else fails.

He likes to draw, paint, write me poetry, sculpt, run, research immigration stuff, etc.

We both like to spend time sometimes just fantasizing about what life together will be like.  We also discuss things we worry about (e.g. I have a teenage son that thinks my life should revolve around him.)  We discussed our views of discipline and rules, etc.  We discuss our goals: buying a house, starting an art-related business of some sort, spending summers in England, perhaps immigrating there later on, his daughter spending time with us, travel, time with each other's families, etc.  Sometimes we just talk about nonsense.  We also try to have "date" via Skype or Yahoo.  This is where we go do something and the other participates via phone.  We have watched movies over the internet together.  I have gone for walks with him on the phone.  We go shopping together and have talked about our views on spending money and saving money.  We talk about our weaknesses and strengths re: money.  I go to visit friends and family and he goes along via phone as do I with him when he visits with his family.  We sometimes play games online together but it usually doesn't work very well at least thus far-although this is something I recently got advice on.  We are going to try a new site.

I did have some happy news today.  I think I figured out why I had not received notification as yet and I found an email address to inquire about the matter... so I did!  Additionally, I found out one of my visajourney contacts is here in MO!!!  Yay.  They are alot further in the process than we are so we can get a little info from them.

K1 Process Flowchart

K1 Process Flowchart

If you are thinking of pursuing a k1 visa or any other visa that is more involved, please consider using visa journey's web site. It is very comprehensive and you can email other people who have gone through the process. There are step by step checklists and up to date forms right there. It is well worth your time, trust me.

So we are at the very beginning stages. What we did:

We kept our airplane tickets, train tickets, museum receipts, dinner receipts, gift receipts, mail receipts, took lots of pics together, took pics of us with our family-in-laws-to-be, letters, emails, skype and yahoo messages and calls, etc. to document our on-going relationship.

It cost me about 40$ to copy everything, 30$ to mail it off to USCIS and a copy to John.

It's hard to say exactly what someone should send (especially since I don't know if we got it right yet). It depends on your relationship details. I just tried to copy anything I would show a good friend - his cards to me, poems he wrote me, etc.

I believe the forms we used were I-129F, G325A, letter of intent, statement that I didn't alter anything... I forget what else. Check Visa Journey they have it all. It is a little difficult to navigate but put forth the effort, you will be rewarded.

My petition package was about 4 inches thick. I sent $340 check made out to Department of Homeland Security (all spelled out). I sent it priority, certified with a return signature. My check was cashed 7/21/11 and a couple of days later I got notice of the signature on the 18th. I am still waiting for the first notice of action (NOA1). This is an important notice as it can help you guage when to expect to hear something from immigration. If I understand it correctly: everyone sends their petition to the Dallas Lockbox to begin with. Based on timelines for the various locations, the petition then gets forwarded to one of the other service centers. It appears that only 3 nationwide process I129f's: California, Dallas, and Vermont. I do not know about the other forms.