January Filers at the CSC - How are you doing?

[Pam&Josh 0]

Hi everybody!

Well, I am finally back....

I missed a lot of news....so Congratulations to Sunny!! Interview date in less than a month!! You must be thrilled!!!

I am late for Blake, but I still wish him a good trip! he must be so so happy to bring Olga and her son back with him.

Court, congratulations too on your wedding!!

Cécile, I am sorry to hear that immigration messed up! I am really hoping you will get news soon...

Well, my sister and brother in law just left the usa. There were the only ones to be able to come to my wedding.

Our wedding was awesome!! That is the best day of my life so far....

A lot of stress 2 days before!!! but on the wedding day, I didn't care anymore on tiny details! I was just so happy! We almost had some rain on our wedding day, but it did turned all right (was pouring rain all morning long, but the wedding was at 3 pm).

For my other sister (she is 8 months pregnant), we had her throught Skype with a good webcam, and that way they were able to be there too!! It was just awesome, everybody loved that!!

I am now almost done with the AOS papers! I wanted to enjoy my sister being here, so I left those parers on the side.

I just need to do my TB test, and then I will send the form to Dr Arnold. I also need to translate my birth certificate, but I live "in the woods", and even in the closest big city (1h30 drive away), I couldn't find a french interpretor. I am guessing I will have a friend of mine sign it for me (she is Canadian), I hope I will not get an RFE just because of that!! After all, this is just my birth certificate!!!

Well, I thought I would share some pictures I have from the family. Still waiting the ones from the photographer.

[Pam&Josh 0]

....well, I don't know how to put some more...

I will try to put them on my page later on!

[sunnybear 0]

Pam u looked gorgeous!!! Cannot wait to see more! Maybe upload all into flickr or some site like that and then just share the link? CONGRATSSSS

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Once again, congratulations to you Pam!

For the birth certificate, you can do it yourself as you speak both French and English. At least that is what a lot of people here on VJ said, and it is what I am going to do. So, what are you doing exactly on that picture, pouring sand in that vase? I don't know a lot about traditions... but I am curious!

[lucie&damon 0]

Hello there!

Congrats to those who got their interview dates!! what a relief! you finally see the end of the dark dark tunnel !

Blake, have a safe trip!

Pam, you look gorgious! I hope to see more photos soon!

Here, I'm still working on AOS paperwork. everything is almost done. Exept I still don't really know what to do for the medical part, the vaccination? does anyone know? DO I need to see a doctor again?

I also worked a lot on the preparation of the wedding for next year! It's lots of work to do! but we finally managed to set a date for July 6th! the most difficult part was to find a catholic priest! there is only one catholic church in the area! The reception site was quite hard too! there are not that many around, and all the dates for next year were taken. Only 3 dates were left! phew! we were lucky on this one!

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

First of all, congrats to those for who congratulations are in place.. I haven't been here since a while and I'm too lazy to read it all back (sorry hehe).

Blake, a safe trip to you! (i did read that haha).

Pam, nice looking picture!! (I did see this too.. hmm now I wonder if I really am that lazy lol)

Here, I'm still working on AOS paperwork. everything is almost done. Exept I still don't really know what to do for the medical part, the vaccination? does anyone know? DO I need to see a doctor again?

lol, its in the faq/guides There is no need to see a doctor in the US if you have been to a doctor in your own country for the K1

[sunnybear 0]

Hi all just a quick question that prob has been answered but of course skimmed over it as didn't feel I needed to know the answer at the time hahaha!

Anywayyyyyyyyy when do you get a SSN? Do we apply for that as soon as we get married and if so how long does it take to get? I am wondering as far as getting Gareth on my insurance and also for him to get a MI drivers license etc.....

Thanks!!!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

VJ says that you should go to the SSN to weeks after the foreign fiance arrives in the USA (or later, of course). if you go before, Gareth will probably not be in the system yet. So it's better to wait.

If you are not married yet, you have to bring the passport+I-94, and maybe another piece of ID in case they ask for it and the form SS-5 from the SSA website, but I think that if you don't fill out prior to go there, they will make you fill it out while you are over there so it's no big deal. As you said that you would both change your name (I'm not sure how that works, I guess that you need to see that with the recorder of deeds first) I would guess that Gareth will need to go there after the wedding to change his name, he will need to bring the marriage certificate.

If you are already married, you need the same documents and the marriage certificate for the name change.

It usually takes 2 weeks to receive the SSN/card. If you are unlucky like me, it may take longer

Also, some people working at the SSN apparently have no idea what to do for K1 visa, so you may want to print the document RM 00203.500 to show them that he can get an SSN. (cf. the link below)

Everything is explained on this guide: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=ssn

We waited until we were married to go there, so we would not need to go back to change my name. So we went there a month after I arrived.

[Pam&Josh 0]

Once again, congratulations to you Pam!

For the birth certificate, you can do it yourself as you speak both French and English. At least that is what a lot of people here on VJ said, and it is what I am going to do. So, what are you doing exactly on that picture, pouring sand in that vase? I don't know a lot about traditions... but I am curious!

Thanks for your answer Cécile. I guess I will just translate my birth certificate on my own (saving myself time and money).

About the vase, it is something pretty new (so I don't think it is like a tradition here ), I saw that many times last year, as I was assisting the wedding coordinetor at the resort where I worked at.

Basicilly, you have- the unity ceremony:you have 2 candles and a bigger one in the middle. The bride and groom light together the middle one, symbol of being together as one. I never cared so much because the candle is not light "for ever", and if you do an outside wedding, you do need to be careful about the wind,etc.

- the sand ceremony: you have 2 vases of sand (who symbolise you as individual, with your past, your family, friends...), and a 3rd vase who symbolise the new couple. As you're pouring the sand, the judge is explaigning that :"The life that each of you have experienced until now, individually, will hereafter be inseparably united, for the two shall become one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be. "

When I first saw a sand ceremony, I thought it was really neat, and what I really like too, is, it is something you can keep all your life.Your flowers last usually for a week, your dress is going in a closet..... so I like have that vase with our wedding colors in our place. You also can engrave it, so on ours, there is our names and the date. On the 2 seperate vases, they is our name as well.

[Pam&Josh 0]

Hi all just a quick question that prob has been answered but of course skimmed over it as didn't feel I needed to know the answer at the time hahaha!

Anywayyyyyyyyy when do you get a SSN? Do we apply for that as soon as we get married and if so how long does it take to get? I am wondering as far as getting Gareth on my insurance and also for him to get a MI drivers license etc.....

Thanks!!!

You can get an SSN before the wedding, as long as you wait 2 weeks after Gareth arrival's.

In my case, I waited to get married to apply for my SSN. Like Cécile, I didn't want to apply, receive my SS card, and one week later, to have to change the name and apply again.

Now, if for some good reason you need his SSN before the wedding (like for the insurance), it is a different story, and I would apply before. Me, I didn't need a SSN so badly except for the AOS papers, so I was able to wait for it.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Thanks for your answer Cécile. I guess I will just translate my birth certificate on my own (saving myself time and money).

About the vase, it is something pretty new (so I don't think it is like a tradition here ), I saw that many times last year, as I was assisting the wedding coordinetor at the resort where I worked at.

Basicilly, you have- the unity ceremony:you have 2 candles and a bigger one in the middle. The bride and groom light together the middle one, symbol of being together as one. I never cared so much because the candle is not light "for ever", and if you do an outside wedding, you do need to be careful about the wind,etc.

- the sand ceremony: you have 2 vases of sand (who symbolise you as individual, with your past, your family, friends...), and a 3rd vase who symbolise the new couple. As you're pouring the sand, the judge is explaigning that :"The life that each of you have experienced until now, individually, will hereafter be inseparably united, for the two shall become one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be. "

When I first saw a sand ceremony, I thought it was really neat, and what I really like too, is, it is something you can keep all your life.Your flowers last usually for a week, your dress is going in a closet..... so I like have that vase with our wedding colors in our place. You also can engrave it, so on ours, there is our names and the date. On the 2 seperate vases, they is our name as well.

That is really neat!!! thanks for the info, I think we will do something similar.

[lucie&damon 0]

Thanks Jeroen!! I didn't see this tip before! it's weird that the USCIS asks for vaccination again in their AOS guide, but we actually don't need to !

I will ignore it then!

About SSN, I asked for it 2 and half weeks ago. and I still don't have it. They told me it will take 2 weeks for me to get the card in my mail, but in fact it's not true. I called like 3 days ago, and the lady told me that it doesn't take two weeks actually. It takes two weeks for a newborn american baby, but as I am an immigrant, it need to go to the homeland security office too, so it will takes 4 to 5 weeks!

I can't wait to have this SSN number, cause I want to start to take driving lessons! it 's quite hard to live in the US without a car! I'm just stuck at home!

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Hi everybody!

Well, I thought I would share some pictures I have from the family. Still waiting the ones from the photographer.

You look wonderful Pam, how wonderful. Thanks for the well wishes.

I'm in England right now and will be leaving for the Ukraine on Friday morning. Theoretically, Olga arrives on Saturday and we fly out together at noon on saturday. I say theoretically because nasty ex has been spotted lurking about. I wouldn't have any concern about that, however, the border guards can disallow Olga from taking her son accross the border with her at their own discretion, even if the father has no legal rights by court order and all documentation is correct. He's probably looking for some cash, but I'm getting worried. I want the drama over, with and Olga and her son with me and safe. and I'm friggin stuck here in England for two more days before I can get over there. Aarrrrrggggghhhhh!

Say prayers, cross fingers and toes, count beads or whatever - Man, I hate drama.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Blake, I hope everything will be fine! Two more days of nightmare and then hopefully everything will only be a bad memory!

[lucie&damon 0]

Don't worry Blake!

Only few more days and the drama will be over and you will finally start a brand great new life with Olga and her son!