Interview, Approval, K-1 Visa Received, Entry, Marriage and Birth - WOW!!!!

[Ken1 0]

Dear Visa Journey Friends,

Well, I'm really sorry that I haven't written sooner to share our wonderful news. Things happened fast, and life took over!!! That said, here goes.

We got our approval from the US on January 14th, 2009 after 132 days, and the pressure was on. We were expecting a baby less than three months later and praying for a quick interview date. We called Senator Kennedy's office, and they were very helpful (we had tried our congressman's office and they were less effective). We explained our situation and that not only were we hoping to have the baby here in the US, but if we didn't I would incur serious economic hardship (this is true, I would have needed to take an unpaid leave of absence from my job, my fiance-at-the-time didn't have health insurance in Brazil and I did here, etc..). The people at Kennedy's office contacted the Consulate in Brazil where the people are very nice and much more understanding than the USCIS here in the US. They got us into an earlier interview date, which was a month and 4 days before our due date - if all went well, we might make it just in time!

I went to our interview in Rio (I was taking no chances), as did my fiance-at-the-time's daughter. We had gone over all our papers with a fine toothed comb and it's a good thing - they make it confusing (we felt very bad for the couple that didn't realize that you had to pay at Citibank beforehand and got sent away). Our interview took about 10 minutes, we were all present, the Consul asked us about how we met, etc., complimented me on my good Portuguese and told us congratulations. Our interview was on a Tuesday and, going against all recommendations, I had three plane tickets lined up for the following Monday evening. We paid the express service for them to deliver our passports with visas as quick as possible, and they arrived Monday afternoon hours before our flight!!!

We had a long, but very happy, 8 month pregnant plane trip from Rio to Boston (contrary to many people's misconceptions, there really isn't much problem traveling while pregnant, but you do need a doctor's note for most airlines after 36 weeks, sometimes earlier - we had that). We also had a notarized letter from my step-daughter's father, giving his authorization for his daughter to travel out of Brazil (without this they wouldn't have let her leave the country).

Our port of entry was Washington D.C. and it was a pretty nice and fast experience, though we just barely made our connecting flight! We did see a woman getting a hard time because she had left the country an excessive amount of times during her last four years in the US - when you are approved to live here make sure you still follow the rules!

We got married the day we got to the US!!!! It was a simple, beautiful service at our local town hall. We got my wife and her daughter on my health insurance plan and 9 days later our baby arrived 2 and a half weeks early!!!!

Wow! What a trip!!!

We are all very happy and healthy with our beautiful, baby girl born March 19th, 2009.

I will still and will always maintain that some parts of this visa process are fair and some are very unfair - mainly separating families with children and pregnancies. I believe, and will always believe that this should be grounds for an expedite! That is putting humanity before business (unlike the way USCIS currently is in which you can pay to have a business visa expedited but not a family visa!) After all, getting an expedite doesn't mean you are given any more guarantee on passing your interview, you still have to prove you have a bonafide relationship.

Well folks, I'll keep updating from time to time, and my heart and thoughts are with all you good people on Visa Journey!!!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Congrats!

[canadian_wife 1,808]

Congratulations! Enjoy a long and happy life together

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Dear Visa Journey Friends,

Well, I'm really sorry that I haven't written sooner to share our wonderful news. Things happened fast, and life took over!!! That said, here goes.

We got our approval from the US on January 14th, 2009 after 132 days, and the pressure was on. We were expecting a baby less than three months later and praying for a quick interview date. We called Senator Kennedy's office, and they were very helpful (we had tried our congressman's office and they were less effective). We explained our situation and that not only were we hoping to have the baby here in the US, but if we didn't I would incur serious economic hardship (this is true, I would have needed to take an unpaid leave of absence from my job, my fiance-at-the-time didn't have health insurance in Brazil and I did here, etc..). The people at Kennedy's office contacted the Consulate in Brazil where the people are very nice and much more understanding than the USCIS here in the US. They got us into an earlier interview date, which was a month and 4 days before our due date - if all went well, we might make it just in time!

I went to our interview in Rio (I was taking no chances), as did my fiance-at-the-time's daughter. We had gone over all our papers with a fine toothed comb and it's a good thing - they make it confusing (we felt very bad for the couple that didn't realize that you had to pay at Citibank beforehand and got sent away). Our interview took about 10 minutes, we were all present, the Consul asked us about how we met, etc., complimented me on my good Portuguese and told us congratulations. Our interview was on a Tuesday and, going against all recommendations, I had three plane tickets lined up for the following Monday evening. We paid the express service for them to deliver our passports with visas as quick as possible, and they arrived Monday afternoon hours before our flight!!!

We had a long, but very happy, 8 month pregnant plane trip from Rio to Boston (contrary to many people's misconceptions, there really isn't much problem traveling while pregnant, but you do need a doctor's note for most airlines after 36 weeks, sometimes earlier - we had that). We also had a notarized letter from my step-daughter's father, giving his authorization for his daughter to travel out of Brazil (without this they wouldn't have let her leave the country).

Our port of entry was Washington D.C. and it was a pretty nice and fast experience, though we just barely made our connecting flight! We did see a woman getting a hard time because she had left the country an excessive amount of times during her last four years in the US - when you are approved to live here make sure you still follow the rules!

We got married the day we got to the US!!!! It was a simple, beautiful service at our local town hall. We got my wife and her daughter on my health insurance plan and 9 days later our baby arrived 2 and a half weeks early!!!!

Wow! What a trip!!!

We are all very happy and healthy with our beautiful, baby girl born March 19th, 2009.

I will still and will always maintain that some parts of this visa process are fair and some are very unfair - mainly separating families with children and pregnancies. I believe, and will always believe that this should be grounds for an expedite! That is putting humanity before business (unlike the way USCIS currently is in which you can pay to have a business visa expedited but not a family visa!) After all, getting an expedite doesn't mean you are given any more guarantee on passing your interview, you still have to prove you have a bonafide relationship.

Well folks, I'll keep updating from time to time, and my heart and thoughts are with all you good people on Visa Journey!!!

WOW...talk about speedy interview process !!!!! 3 different plans for a trip back home....what a gamble, what are the odds ?!?!?!?!?!?! Tenha muita certeza q eu e a Nadiya desejamos muitas felicidades para voces e `a sua nova integrante de sua familia !!!!!!... :-D (qual e' o nome dela mesmo ?)

Congrats !!!!!!

[Hell0W0rld 10]

congrats!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It sounds like quite an adventurous few months. Congratulations on the visa, on the marriage and on your new daughter.

[It's me 1]

congrats!

[thepizzadude 26]

An NOA2 from USCIS : $455.00

A Visa from the consulate : Approx: $4000.00

A story like this one : Priceless

[favorme4u 0]

[Anisa 0]

Congrats!

[Kwagga 0]

Congratulations! May you have a beautiful future together

[crazymazy 0]

This is very sweet story

Thank you for sharing this - is good way to start weekend )

I hope you have great life together and congrats to you both for new baby !!

[Saska+Tim 7]

Congratulations!

[SuperDuper! 230]

An NOA2 from USCIS : $455.00

A Visa from the consulate : Approx: $4000.00

A story like this one : Priceless

Sounds just like a touching credit card commercial. Congratz

[Nlove 0]

Congratulations!!