October 08 K1 Filers

[ThaitoUSA 15]

A bit off topic, but I just found out that one of our teacher's has retired this week. She couldn't take the kids any more. Another teacher on the same grade level is in the hospital for stress related illness; I'm not sure whether she'll be back this year or not. A third teacher's son suffered a serious accident last week and she hasn't been back. Another teacher has gotten pregnant in vitro and has been in and out over the past month; she may end up leaving at the end of this year. Several other teachers have been absent on a regular basis with some saying that they're "done." Needless to say, morale is quite low! I've never before worked in such an inhospitable environment . Meanwhile I enjoy my classes, get along very well with colleagues, really couldn't be happier. A bit strange, huh?

A little earlier in the year, I was unsure of whether I would have to transfer at the end of this year due to a glut of English teachers here. With all these recent occurrences, I can't see how they could afford to lose me. If I am retained, I shall receive tenure on the first day of this coming academic year. I owe the city this coming and the following year, as they helped pay for my Master's degree. Beyond that, with my to-be wife here I am uncertain of whether I shall continue to teach in Baltimore or look elsewhere. Although I am quite happy and optimistic, I must admit it is an enormous challenge working with child of whom 94% are below the poverty line; more than 70% come from single parent homes (though many are not living with either parent); more than 50% are below average in their reading comprehension and writing skills; several show emotional disturbances; some are already convicted felons; some have committed violent acts on school grounds, yet remain here, etc.

All said and done, I shall have spent five years teaching here and perhaps that is sufficient. I hear stories of teachers who move to more affulent areas to find a lack of fulfillment because their students are doing just fine and it does not matter so much who teaches them. I believe ultimately it will come down to the decision that my fiancée and myself make together, once she's here and settled in.

[Glenmarc 0]

Well I just plain forgot to post up about our petition being approved. Vermont recieved our petition on October 1, 2008. We got approved on March 2 and I called the NVC and it only took them 4 days to forward the petition to the embassy in Hong Kong. Lorena recieved her packet from the embassy on March 20. I'm getting so very excited that she will soon be here with me...;-)

Congrats!! Sounds like things are going smoothly. We were approved the same day and we are flyng home together tomorrow.

Chelsea, Yeah... We picked up our visa last Friday. The Embassy here was so fast. Balvino was so excited. Having the visa in hand was very important to him. Each step has been a hurdle for me. I can't believe Balvino and I will be in my house tomorrow.

Good luck everyone!

That's really exciting! Tomorrow is so...close! I leave two weeks from tomorrow to go see him and hopefully come back with him! Come back asap and let us know some of his reactions...has he ever been to the US?

Speaking of which, does anybody know how the 10 year tourist visa works? Does that mean they can use it multiple times over 10 years or just that they have 10 years to do it but only 1 time? We're just wondering what it's going to take to get Josue's parents here to visit and since the visa fee is $131 a pop I wonder how that works. Thanks!

HI Chelsea,

Yes, the 10 year tourist visa can be used multiple times over 10 years. However, the officer at the port of entry will determine the lenght of the stay, but generally they give you 6 months. I Hope this aswers your question

Glenmarc

[Cacerez 19]

Chelsea - I think they can use it as a multiple entry visa for 10 years, is there anything on the embassy website about it?

Tom found a house to rent last night, the first one he went to see. So I finally have an address which is great.

Thanks for the info - I'll have to do more research, I just thought I'd ask in case any of my October friends had any experience with this.

Congrats! I meet with the bank this Sunday (I know, strange, right?) to see how much I qualify for and I found a bilingual real estate agent! I can speak to Josue fine, but I figured it would be good for him to be able to communicate directly with the agent, ask his own questions instead of having to rely on me. I will meet with her next week sometime just to touch base, but she knows I am waiting for him for April!

HI Chelsea,

Yes, the 10 year tourist visa can be used multiple times over 10 years. However, the officer at the port of entry will determine the lenght of the stay, but generally they give you 6 months. I Hope this aswers your question

Glenmarc

Thanks for the info - this is helpful because we will want his parents to come visit in the next year or two! We'll have to check into all the requirements for what papers they need to bring and hopefully they won't get denied. Cross that bridge when we get there!

[Cacerez 19]

A bit off topic, but I just found out that one of our teacher's has retired this week. She couldn't take the kids any more. Another teacher on the same grade level is in the hospital for stress related illness; I'm not sure whether she'll be back this year or not. A third teacher's son suffered a serious accident last week and she hasn't been back. Another teacher has gotten pregnant in vitro and has been in and out over the past month; she may end up leaving at the end of this year. Several other teachers have been absent on a regular basis with some saying that they're "done." Needless to say, morale is quite low! I've never before worked in such an inhospitable environment . Meanwhile I enjoy my classes, get along very well with colleagues, really couldn't be happier. A bit strange, huh?

A little earlier in the year, I was unsure of whether I would have to transfer at the end of this year due to a glut of English teachers here. With all these recent occurrences, I can't see how they could afford to lose me. If I am retained, I shall receive tenure on the first day of this coming academic year. I owe the city this coming and the following year, as they helped pay for my Master's degree. Beyond that, with my to-be wife here I am uncertain of whether I shall continue to teach in Baltimore or look elsewhere. Although I am quite happy and optimistic, I must admit it is an enormous challenge working with child of whom 94% are below the poverty line; more than 70% come from single parent homes (though many are not living with either parent); more than 50% are below average in their reading comprehension and writing skills; several show emotional disturbances; some are already convicted felons; some have committed violent acts on school grounds, yet remain here, etc.

All said and done, I shall have spent five years teaching here and perhaps that is sufficient. I hear stories of teachers who move to more affulent areas to find a lack of fulfillment because their students are doing just fine and it does not matter so much who teaches them. I believe ultimately it will come down to the decision that my fiancée and myself make together, once she's here and settled in.

Wow you have a lot going on at your school! I will also receive tenure the first day of this coming school year, and just yesterday I signed my letter saying that they have offered me a position and that I accept. Josue and I are still torn about eventually settling in Guatemala, but we have decided financially it is smarter to live here for at least several years first. We are going to try to buy a house this summer (as we have to be out of our apt by August 1st and they are offering the first time home buyers tax credit if you buy between 1/1 and 12/1/09). I salute you as you are a teacher in an inner-city school, as I teach in the suburbs, I guess you could say. There is certainly the fair share of single parents homes, below average, disturbed children, but teaching an elective class (Spanish), many don't take it as it is not a requirement for graduation. I admire you for hanging in there, it seems you have created a rapport with the students and that you have a positive outlook.

[Laura+Tom 2]

Whoot, hardcopy NOA2 arrived today, finally!

[ThaitoUSA 15]

Josue and I are still torn about eventually settling in Guatemala, but we have decided financially it is smarter to live here for at least several years first.

I am not certain how Josue and yourself feel about this, but he will want to stay in US for at least 4 to 5 years if he is interested in becoming a citizen. At first my fiancée was just interested in becoming a permanent resident, but when I told her of having to reapply every ten years for a green card, not being able to vote, etc. she decided citizenship would be the best route. Of course the two of you can leave the country during that time, but it can't be for more than a year (preferably not even six months), and all the time he is out is not counted toward citizenship. It's been a couple of months since I read the guidelines, but I believe eligibility begins three years after being granted permanent residency.

[Cacerez 19]

Josue and I are still torn about eventually settling in Guatemala, but we have decided financially it is smarter to live here for at least several years first.

I am not certain how Josue and yourself feel about this, but he will want to stay in US for at least 4 to 5 years if he is interested in becoming a citizen. At first my fiancée was just interested in becoming a permanent resident, but when I told her of having to reapply every ten years for a green card, not being able to vote, etc. she decided citizenship would be the best route. Of course the two of you can leave the country during that time, but it can't be for more than a year (preferably not even six months), and all the time he is out is not counted toward citizenship. It's been a couple of months since I read the guidelines, but I believe eligibility begins three years after being granted permanent residency.

Yes, we are interested in this mainly for the purpose of reentry should we decide to relocate in Guatemala and also because we may petition for his parents to come here, well, he will be the one to petition. My grandmother has been here from Germany almost 50 years and the last time she went to do her biometrics for her green card, her fingerprints wouldn't read well on their digital scanner since she's 70 and she just plain ole' doesn't have much of fingerprints left. They had to make 3 trips to Washington DC - it was a real pain for her and my grandpa.

I did read that also, the 3 year requirement. It is 5 years normally but 3 years based on a fiance/marriage visa. So it would be him gaining PR status (I say by next Spring at the latest) then 3 years, then the process to naturalize - another 6-10 month process, so the soonest I say is around 2013-2014 when he could be a citizen and then petition his parents. But shoot, some people have been members of VJ throughout their whole process and are now petitioning their own parents! We'll see how all that goes - because he also has younger siblings (current ages 9 and 18) so I don't know how that would work with at least his youngest sister...so much to do!

Thanks for the info!

[app-girl 0]

Congrats Laura!

I know it makes you feel better to actually have it in your hand!

[mr and mrs 187]

Whoot, hardcopy NOA2 arrived today, finally!

phew!

[Johan & Anne 0]

Whoot, hardcopy NOA2 arrived today, finally!

Congrats Laura!!!

[Laura+Tom 2]

Am sending all the DS forms today. I was checking through them all last night after printing them and noticed each one had a small mistake. Mainly where I had written the date the wrong way round. I was so annoyed as I had to do them all again as you can't save them once they had been filled in. I should have kept them up on the screen whilst I checked them!

I'll be sending the checklist once I have all the required documents. I'm still waiting for my police certificate. They are supposed to take 10 working days, which was yesterday. They did cash my cheque though so that's something.

[mr and mrs 187]

I'll be sending the checklist once I have all the required documents. I'm still waiting for my police certificate. They are supposed to take 10 working days, which was yesterday. They did cash my cheque though so that's something.

same here. though i think 10 days does not include days of receipt or delivery. hurry up, police certificate!

[Laura+Tom 2]

I'll be sending the checklist once I have all the required documents. I'm still waiting for my police certificate. They are supposed to take 10 working days, which was yesterday. They did cash my cheque though so that's something.

same here. though i think 10 days does not include days of receipt or delivery. hurry up, police certificate!

I noticed from your siggy I sent mine off the day after you did, so hopefully it will be soon.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

All of our Packet 3 is ready too except for the police certificate. My fiancée was hoping to pick it up while in Bangkok for a conference this past week. Unfortunately it was still not ready, so she is heading home and they will mail it to her next week. Perhaps I can suggest to her that she overnight Packet 3 as soon as she gets it.

[selma cristina 0]

All of our Packet 3 is ready too except for the police certificate. My fiancée was hoping to pick it up while in Bangkok for a conference this past week. Unfortunately it was still not ready, so she is heading home and they will mail it to her next week. Perhaps I can suggest to her that she overnight Packet 3 as soon as she gets it.

Hi everyone ...

congratulations for all the one got approvall :thumbs: ...I have same questions ??????????

My fiancee applied for the visa k1 on 28 of outubro 2008.We got a RFE on February 24 they asking for my divorcee translated.Today is March 27 2009 & not receives swims of answer. They are investigating above the my divorcee here into the Brazil if & cool or not? Why silly delay? or maybe because I have in my passport the visa G5 validates until august of 2009? I am not by using this visa anymore ,because I am into the Brazil. My boss has said what this visa he should be canceled at the moment what I leave the coutry US.ok I come back to Brazil on December of 2008.Is possible my visa G5 was even canceled or not? Is possible some of this problems to be delay on my process k1? welcomes the responses. good luck for everyone

:crying: :crying: :wacko: .