lucky FEBRUARY 2009 FILERS

[MumtazG38 1]

Awesome! Expect to hear from NVC late next week. Goodluck!

Should I be expecting to hear that they have put my aos into their system or...do you mean review conclusion??? (hope so....cause that'd save some good time)lol.

Hey Chrissy....saw you hangin' around today.....hoping you'll catch my post....was wondering whether you got my PM or not about that expedite you sent? I was hoping maybe you'll let me "borrow" it for a bit....lol. I want to have something to start off from in writing my own....lol. If you don't mind, of course.

Anyways......whats going on and how has being a mommy been treating you? How's Sofia doing? I'll bet people just can't keep their hands off her....lol.....remember to ALWAYS keep a small bottle of sanitizer around....yuck adult germs are gross!LOL

[SomberCat 0]

hi everyone! hows everyone doing? I havent forgotten you guys. I just been really busy lately preparing the paperwork and very limited internet connection over here. my wife's interview is tomorrow july 29th at 10:00 am. please help pray for us. I will definitely update you guys with the results. take care everyone!

Awesome Kevin! Best of luck and let us know the good news when you have a chance! Thinking happy thoughts for you.

[carlish 1]

Awesome! Expect to hear from NVC late next week. Goodluck!

Should I be expecting to hear that they have put my aos into their system or...do you mean review conclusion??? (hope so....cause that'd save some good time)lol.

Since NCV received your AOS package yesterday, it's more likely they will enter it into their system sometimes this week. The review will begin immediately after that so my estimate is, you will hear about the review conclusion by the next week.

[Chrissy e Ben 0]

Hi Everyone! It is so wonderful to see that so many of you have interviews scheduled in August! The wait is almost over... and good luck to Kevin for the interview tomorrow! I will be thinking about you!

Alright, I have a lot of updates and answers to questions... so please bare with this long post. I won't feel bad if you don't read all of it.

I still don't know all of the details about Ben's interview in Naples because I wasn't there... but he did say that they only asked him three questions: where did we meet, where did we get married, and what the relation of the joint sponsor was to me (it was my dad). I did not send him any other documents for the interview except photocopies of Sofia's birth certificate and social security card. I also sent about 50 photos of us (including some of Sofia), but Ben said that they did not ask to see any of them or Sofia's paperwork. They just said, "congratulations" and told him that he could pick up his passport later that day.

ek, Chris and Ani, and Mumtaz: I also applied for an expedite. I called the NVC and asked what to do. They said to send an e-mail to "Supervisor Sue" with the details. I just detailed the situation (that I was pregnant and expected delivery date was May 11) and also attached a letter from my doctor. My doctor wrote a very passionate letter becasue she really wanted Ben to be here for the birth... it is a small practice, so we developed a very close relationship. She talked about how much strain and stress can be put on a pregnancy if the woman is anxious or worried and the fact that I was still working full-time and a part-time job on the weekends to support myself while my husband and I were apart. Anyway, all of this was to no avail. I never ever heard anything about the expedite. Everytime I called to speak to an operator, they confirmed that it was received just said it was being reviewed. One operator told me that it was sent to the consulate, who is in charge of making the final judgement. I tried contacting the embassy about it and they didn't know anything. After all of this, I just gave up on it because I was frustrated and due to have Sofia in just a few days. I realized my efforts were futile and just gave up. I hope you guys have better luck. Not having Ben at the birth and the first two and half months has been hard, but I feel very fortuante to be healthy and have a beautiful, healthy baby. He will be here very soon (as long as there are no problems at the POE) and then our happy family will finally be together .

Speaking of the POE, it is tomorrow night in Detroit (there are no direct flights from Europe to Pittsburgh anymore, so he will have to get a connecting flight). He bought a round-trip ticket because it was actually cheaper than a one-way ticket (??) and he is worried that they are going to question that at border control... but I don't think it will be problematic. How will they even know he has a round-trip ticket?? If they do question it, I told him to just be honest and tell them it was cheaper that way. In this economy, I think anyone could understand trying to save a few bucks.

Does anyone know if he will have problems with English at the POE? Ben speaks very little English... it hasn't been a problem when he has come to visit on his tourist visa... but he said that they didn't ever ask him anything. I heard there is an "interview" at the POE and I am just a little worried that no one will speak Italian and Ben won't be able to understand what they are asking or telling him to do.

Mumtaz, I had my father fill out the i864a for Ben. My mom and dad also file their taxes together. I am sorry that I couldn't come on here earlier to answer your questions... but I can try to address some of them now. For total income line, I just included his part of their total earmings (via his w4 from work and his 1099s). In total household number, I just said 3 (me, Ben, and my dad). Sofia was not born yet. My mom and dad still live together, but since I was not including her income to be considered, I did not include her in the household size. In the interview, they asked Ben who my dad was (i.e. what relation he was to me and Ben), but that is all. The NVC never contacted my mom or dad about it. I know this is all too late... but I hope it helps a little bit.

Carlish, I am in the process of trying to find a job for Ben, too. I think it is going to take a while though because he needs to have a driver's license. He can't get a license without a SSN and I saw that you noted that it takes a couple of weeks... so more waiting! At least he will be here, though. Not to mention the fact that he will need to take a written test for his license... he is a great driver, but his English is not very good. So, I don't know what we are going to do about that. I am thinking that I might have to enroll him in an ESL class before he can take the test, but we will see how things go.

Finally, does anyone know any good places to go to exchange foreign currency? Ben will be bringing some money (euros) over and even though I work at a bank, we do not get a discount on the conversion (we get a discount when purchasing foreign currency, but not exchanging it... I think it is #######, but whatever). If we use the bank that I work at, we will lose almost $500. I know it might not seem like much to a lot of people, but to us that is a lot of money that could really help us (and baby Sofia) out. The only other alternative that I can think of is the airport... but I would think that they would charge even more than a bank. What do you guys think?

By the way, Sofia and I are doing great. I started back at work yesterday (which is why I am able to read and respond to the thread again). It is hard to be away from her... but I know it will get easier. Last night she slept for almost 8 hours... it was AMAZING and I hope that it continues because it has been very exhausting going to work and taking care of her by myself... I can't wait for Ben to get here tomorrow night. She is already almost 11 weeks old. Time flies and I cannot believe how big she is already!

Last thing (for real, I promise): I didn't know all of you were on facebook... I am too. Why aren't we friends???

Can't wait to see my husband tomorrow night. It has been almost 8 months since I have last seen him... I know it is going to be a very emotional reunion (especially for him since he will be seeing his daughter for the first time)... I don't even have words to express how happy I am

[carlish 1]

Hi Chrissy. Glad to hear from you again. I'm so happy that you and little Sofia are doing great. And the best part is, Ben is finally coming home to you two tomorrow night. I can only imagine how emotional that reunion will be. I'm really excited for you and your beautiful family.

As for the POE, there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure Ben will have no problems at all. Since I was there with Carlo during his entry, here's what I remember happened. The DHS/USCIS officer scanned the visa/passport to pull out and have Carlo's immigration data on his computer screen. After taking Carlo's photograph and fingerprints, the officer asked us following questions: was I the petitioner, how long have we been married (I guess to find out if he would process a CR-1 or IR-1 visa). He then asked Carlo to get his thumbs print on the I-551 form (green card). The officer then asked for the visa envelope. While examining the immigration forms, he was reminding us that the since we've been married for less than two year, Carlo would get a two-year green card. There was a conditional resident status on the green card that should be removed 90 days before it expires in two years. He wanted to confirm the mailing address where the green card will be mailed at. He said that if we requested for SSN on the DS-230 form, there was no need to apply for one at the SSA. He reminded us not to go to the SSA office, otherwise the SSA would issue two numbers. We were asked to sign a form stating that I am the petitioner and he is the immigrant; that we are aware of the conditional status on the visa; and we are required to file a joint petition to remove it. The green card would be mailed within six month, and in the meanwhile, the endorsed visa (with i-551 stamp on it) would serve as a temporary green card. The officer welcomed Carlo to the US, and we were free to go and get our luggages.

Carlo is scheduled to take his written test to get his driving permit sometimes this week or early next week. Hopefully, he will pass the written test so he can practice driving around before taking the actual driving test. He really needs his license before he can start looking for a job.

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

Hopin' Kevin and sanj are doin' REALLY well right now with interviews!

Edited July 29, 2009 by WhidbeyGirl

[MumtazG38 1]

Just called NVC and AVR system says they received the reply to rfe checklist on the 28th.....which obviously means my late AOS. So entered into the system already.....will call back tomorrow to find out whether they have begun reviewing. If all goes well.....Carlish would be totally right.....as usual.

Welcome back Chrissy! Real good to see you again...it's been a while. 11 weeks already??? Jeez it's been that long already.....wow. LOL. Whenever you've some time....do send some more pics, I'd love to see how well Sofia's grown.

[Rehan 0]

Hi Chrissy. Glad to hear from you again. I'm so happy that you and little Sofia are doing great. And the best part is, Ben is finally coming home to you two tomorrow night. I can only imagine how emotional that reunion will be. I'm really excited for you and your beautiful family.

As for the POE, there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure Ben will have no problems at all. Since I was there with Carlo during his entry, here's what I remember happened. The DHS/USCIS officer scanned the visa/passport to pull out and have Carlo's immigration data on his computer screen. After taking Carlo's photograph and fingerprints, the officer asked us following questions: was I the petitioner, how long have we been married (I guess to find out if he would process a CR-1 or IR-1 visa). He then asked Carlo to get his thumbs print on the I-551 form (green card). The officer then asked for the visa envelope. While examining the immigration forms, he was reminding us that the since we've been married for less than two year, Carlo would get a two-year green card. There was a conditional resident status on the green card that should be removed 90 days before it expires in two years. He wanted to confirm the mailing address where the green card will be mailed at. He said that if we requested for SSN on the DS-230 form, there was no need to apply for one at the SSA. He reminded us not to go to the SSA office, otherwise the SSA would issue two numbers. We were asked to sign a form stating that I am the petitioner and he is the immigrant; that we are aware of the conditional status on the visa; and we are required to file a joint petition to remove it. The green card would be mailed within six month, and in the meanwhile, the endorsed visa (with i-551 stamp on it) would serve as a temporary green card. The officer welcomed Carlo to the US, and we were free to go and get our luggages.

Carlo is scheduled to take his written test to get his driving permit sometimes this week or early next week. Hopefully, he will pass the written test so he can practice driving around before taking the actual driving test. He really needs his license before he can start looking for a job.

Thanks carlish for sharing POE experiance with us!! I was surprised to know that you both had to fill out that form to show that you understand that you will have to file to rmove conditions. How about if somone is coming alone. My wife might be coming alone, so was that form only for one person? What will they do if she is coming alone?

[carlish 1]

Hi Chrissy. Glad to hear from you again. I'm so happy that you and little Sofia are doing great. And the best part is, Ben is finally coming home to you two tomorrow night. I can only imagine how emotional that reunion will be. I'm really excited for you and your beautiful family.

As for the POE, there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure Ben will have no problems at all. Since I was there with Carlo during his entry, here's what I remember happened. The DHS/USCIS officer scanned the visa/passport to pull out and have Carlo's immigration data on his computer screen. After taking Carlo's photograph and fingerprints, the officer asked us the following questions: was I the petitioner, how long have we been married (I guess to find out if he would process a CR-1 or IR-1 visa). He then asked Carlo to get his thumbs print on the I-551 form (green card). The officer then asked for the visa envelope. While examining the immigration forms, he was reminding us that since we've been married for less than two year, Carlo would get a two-year green card. There was a conditional resident status on the green card that should be removed 90 days before it expires in two years. He wanted to confirm the mailing address where the green card will be mailed at. He said that if we requested for SSN on the DS-230 form, there was no need to apply for one at the SSA. He reminded us not to go to the SSA office, otherwise the SSA would issue two numbers. We were asked to sign a form stating that I am the petitioner and he is the immigrant; that we are aware of the conditional status on the green card; and we are required to file a joint petition to remove it. The green card would be mailed within six month, and in the meanwhile, the endorsed visa (with i-551 stamp on it) would serve as a temporary green card. The officer welcomed Carlo to the US, and we were free to go and get our luggages.

Carlo is scheduled to take his written test to get his driving permit sometimes this week or early next week. Hopefully, he will pass the written test so he can practice driving around before taking the actual driving test. He really needs his license before he can start looking for a job.

Thanks carlish for sharing POE experiance with us!! I was surprised to know that you both had to fill out that form to show that you understand that you will have to file to rmove conditions. How about if somone is coming alone. My wife might be coming alone, so was that form only for one person? What will they do if she is coming alone?

There shouldn't be a problem if your wife is going to enter the US by herself. I guess since I was there with Carlo, I was asked to sign as well. There were signature lines for the immigrant and the petitioner on the CR-1 receipt form. It was basically just to indicate that we both understood the terms of his conditional resident status of the green card--that is should be removed 90 days before it expires, otherwise, he would be subjected to possible deportation.

[Chrissy e Ben 0]

Yeah... Ben is coming alone... so I hoping it will not be a problem. I don't see how it would be. They can't possibly expect everyone to be entering as a couple. That seems a bit ridiculous to me. But, I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I will let you all know how it goes tomorrow.

[Normc 0]

Hi folks. Congratulations to those who are furnished with a green card. Our case is still pending and eagerly awaiting for our interview. Just curious, are all approved adjustment of status cases issued a two year probation period on their green card? I'm just starting my research early to prepare for what happens if we get the green card.

Thank you in advance.

[HisGirl 0]

Hi all,

I got this message when I logged onto the NVC payment website:

Sign In Failed

•Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time. Please click on the Contact the NVC hyperlink if you believe that you have received this message in error.

Case completed?

[eklondon 0]

Hi all,

I got this message when I logged onto the NVC payment website:

Sign In Failed

•Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time. Please click on the Contact the NVC hyperlink if you believe that you have received this message in error.

Case completed?

Congrats, now its time to wait for your interview!

[HisGirl 0]

oh my gosh, I am so happy!!

[Rehan 0]

Hi all,

I got this message when I logged onto the NVC payment website:

Sign In Failed

•Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time. Please click on the Contact the NVC hyperlink if you believe that you have received this message in error.

Case completed?

Congratulations!!!!