August I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.

[FcukTheTOS 0]

Jesus doesnt love me.

[daboyz 36]

Jesus doesnt love me.

Good to have you back!

[CHD 0]

Well, I made it over the border smoothly and effortlessly. I'll paste my POE review below for anyone who's interested. Its funny how at the end of all of this, now that I'm at my husband's side for good, all of the stress and anguish of this whole process has melted away. Suddenly it seems it wasn't so hard. Wasn't so long. It was totally worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to.

Now I just can't wait to get home and decorate a Christmas tree with him!

____________________________________________________________________

Peace Bridge (Fort Erie/Buffalo)

Highly recommended: Fast, courteous, and hassle-free

We arrived at the border at about 10:30pm. We were expecting it to be busier for a Friday night 2 weeks before Christmas, but ended up with only 2 cars ahead of us at the booths. When it was our turn we handed over our passports and answered the usual "Where are you coming from/Where are you going/What is your citizenship" trio, after which I told the officer that I needed to activate an immigrant visa. He asked if I was relocating today and I said I was. We waited there a few minutes while he filled out a form (I believe anyway...couldn't really see though), He asked to see my package and I handed over the sealed envelope. He wrote down some information from the sheet taped it and handed it back, then asked and wrote down the city and state I was moving to. We were handed a slip of paper and told to pull over to the right.

We were met by a guard who instructed us where to park and directed us to door 1. The waiting room was freeezing, and we were the only ones in it. After a minute or two someone came in and requested my envelope, then said she'd call us into the next room in a few moments. About 4 minutes or so later, another guard came in from outside, commented on how cold the room was, and went back to the secure area. She immediately picked up the intercom and invited us into the next room where the heat was working so we wouldn't have to freeze while we waited. We accepted graciously and thanked her. The first guard smiled when she saw us and said she was about to call us in anyway. She apologized for leaving us out there as she didn't realize how cold it was.

She asked me to verify that all of the information (including spelling) on the sheet that was taped to the sealed envelope is correct. I said it was. she asked me to sit for just another moment while she finished up real quick. Out came the stamp: one on the sheet, one on the DS-230, one in the passport (yay!). She has me come up again and sign the front and back of a form, then took an ink fingerprint of my right index above each signature. She handed back all of our passports and laughed that she gives the same entry speech to everyone, so bear with her. She said that as of right now I am officially a legal permanent resident of the United States and am entitled to work and all other associated rights. The visa in my passport will serve as my temporary greencard until the plastic one is issued, which usually takes anywhere from 1-3 months. Once the official greencard is issued the visa in the passport will no longer be valid. The passport and eventually the greencard should be kept on me at all times. I WILL be denied entry and returned to the last country I was in if I ever fail to present it at a port of entry (no biggie if driving back from Canada, but a huge issue if returning from, say, a European vacation). She asked if I had any questions. I asked what course of action I should follow if the greencard is not received and at what point I should become concerned. She said that I should probably call to inquire after 6 months. At 9 months something is very wrong and I need to hound my local CIS office. She said in a worst-case scenario, the validity of the visa in my passport can be extended another year if needed.

I was then congratulated and welcomed to the United States. No one was bothered at all with the truck full of my belongings, the packing list I'd prepared attesting to such belongings, or my dog. The whole process was less than an hour.

[e-migra 4]

This looks like the last episode of a lame soap opera! Love is in the air, happy couples reunited, lots of babies being made... I wonder if I'm the bad evil villain , and I'm being punished with at least one more month waiting...

CONGRATS, everyone!!!!!

[Ling Ling 22]

Jesus doesnt love me.

PM me your email before you get TOS'd out again.

Welcome back.

[nunyab 0]

Jesus doesnt love me.

I know who you are

[nunyab 0]

Congrats CHD!!!!!! Welcome home

[jsgriff 0]

Well, I made it over the border smoothly and effortlessly. I'll paste my POE review below for anyone who's interested. Its funny how at the end of all of this, now that I'm at my husband's side for good, all of the stress and anguish of this whole process has melted away. Suddenly it seems it wasn't so hard. Wasn't so long. It was totally worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to.

Now I just can't wait to get home and decorate a Christmas tree with him!

____________________________________________________________________

Peace Bridge (Fort Erie/Buffalo)

Highly recommended: Fast, courteous, and hassle-free

We arrived at the border at about 10:30pm. We were expecting it to be busier for a Friday night 2 weeks before Christmas, but ended up with only 2 cars ahead of us at the booths. When it was our turn we handed over our passports and answered the usual "Where are you coming from/Where are you going/What is your citizenship" trio, after which I told the officer that I needed to activate an immigrant visa. He asked if I was relocating today and I said I was. We waited there a few minutes while he filled out a form (I believe anyway...couldn't really see though), He asked to see my package and I handed over the sealed envelope. He wrote down some information from the sheet taped it and handed it back, then asked and wrote down the city and state I was moving to. We were handed a slip of paper and told to pull over to the right.

We were met by a guard who instructed us where to park and directed us to door 1. The waiting room was freeezing, and we were the only ones in it. After a minute or two someone came in and requested my envelope, then said she'd call us into the next room in a few moments. About 4 minutes or so later, another guard came in from outside, commented on how cold the room was, and went back to the secure area. She immediately picked up the intercom and invited us into the next room where the heat was working so we wouldn't have to freeze while we waited. We accepted graciously and thanked her. The first guard smiled when she saw us and said she was about to call us in anyway. She apologized for leaving us out there as she didn't realize how cold it was.

She asked me to verify that all of the information (including spelling) on the sheet that was taped to the sealed envelope is correct. I said it was. she asked me to sit for just another moment while she finished up real quick. Out came the stamp: one on the sheet, one on the DS-230, one in the passport (yay!). She has me come up again and sign the front and back of a form, then took an ink fingerprint of my right index above each signature. She handed back all of our passports and laughed that she gives the same entry speech to everyone, so bear with her. She said that as of right now I am officially a legal permanent resident of the United States and am entitled to work and all other associated rights. The visa in my passport will serve as my temporary greencard until the plastic one is issued, which usually takes anywhere from 1-3 months. Once the official greencard is issued the visa in the passport will no longer be valid. The passport and eventually the greencard should be kept on me at all times. I WILL be denied entry and returned to the last country I was in if I ever fail to present it at a port of entry (no biggie if driving back from Canada, but a huge issue if returning from, say, a European vacation). She asked if I had any questions. I asked what course of action I should follow if the greencard is not received and at what point I should become concerned. She said that I should probably call to inquire after 6 months. At 9 months something is very wrong and I need to hound my local CIS office. She said in a worst-case scenario, the validity of the visa in my passport can be extended another year if needed.

I was then congratulated and welcomed to the United States. No one was bothered at all with the truck full of my belongings, the packing list I'd prepared attesting to such belongings, or my dog. The whole process was less than an hour.

Great news, and great info!

I'm leaving in the AM for POE Buffalo around 7am, hope my crossing goes as smoothly as yours !!

Congrats again!!

Scott & Jen

[nunyab 0]

good luck at POE!! let us know how it goes

[*Snowdrop* 604]

I'm leaving for the airport tonight - staying overnight and getting my first flight tomorrow morning. My US flight is tomorrow evening.

Am feeling oddly homesick for the UK now it's come to the leaving time!

[nunyab 0]

awwww Isma you're just a plane trip a way.... i understand you're feeling though. We all are excited for your arrival.

[NicoleX08 1]

so I received good news! I cannot divulge on the board, but I think it means that we can continue the process now instead of waiting 9 more years! I am going to get re-started here and send out the AoS shortly!

[shrewdgal 0]

SHE'S HERE !!!

I forgot how different life is when Ring Ring is home.

I can breath again

I picked her up at the airport, and brought her 2 dozen roses.

Would've been 3 dozen, but I needed some rose petals for "something special at home".

Ring Ring says she will post details of her POE later.

Oh....they gave her paper saying to contact SS office.

Nimche, go online and find your local office...then go there.

A friend of ours gave us a Juicer Pro, so we're making Visa Juice for everyone,

and sending Nimche and Mimche some special SS number and GC juice.

How wonderful!!!! Its great to see everyone that waited so long is getting relief!!

[nunyab 0]

so I received good news! I cannot divulge on the board, but I think it means that we can continue the process now instead of waiting 9 more years! I am going to get re-started here and send out the AoS shortly!

don't divulge just know we got cher back

[Ilya R. 0]

2 more days...