Scandinavians

jaycali · July 11, 2012

I cannot answer your question I'm afraid. It seems it takes about a week to get it in the mail, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.I know how you feel. The heartbreaking pain you feel when you have to say goodbye is greater than the joy of being together for, say, a couple of weeks. My wife and I decided early on that we would not see each other in person until all of this is finished.We do often talk on Skype thouh - almost every day now that I'm done at my job.

Yea, we used to Skype for hours a day, but one day a couple of months ago she just broke down in tears and told me she couldn't do it anymore. So we don't Skype anymore. Lately it's just been 15 - 20 minutes on the phone each day, and a "hold" until we see each other.

Mr. Borkström · July 11, 2012

I see. That's not how it is for me and my wife, but I can certainly understand it. And I sympathize with you guys.

Chin up. It will all be over soon. Just remember to keep walking towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

GandK · July 11, 2012

Yea, we used to Skype for hours a day, but one day a couple of months ago she just broke down in tears and told me she couldn't do it anymore. So we don't Skype anymore. Lately it's just been 15 - 20 minutes on the phone each day, and a "hold" until we see each other.

Yeah, I know the feeling. I got a couple of calls from my fiancee in the middle of the night breaking down crying. I am terrible on the phone ( she actually said I am like a different person on the phone) but that's how I deal with long distance things. I simply shut down all my emotions else I would just get sad and depressed everyday.

I will write an email to the stockholm embassy asking about visa pickup when I have my interview date. Been sending them a lot of emails lately, need to cool down a little bit before they get annoyed with me

Mr. Borkström · July 11, 2012

My wife called the NVC Monday night and she was told our visa application had been approved and our case forwarded to the embassy in Stockholm, so whatever documents/evidence I mailed must have been sufficient. Which may be useful information for other Scandinavians. I thought I'd post a little list of everything I sent, if I can just find the envelope where I have all the copies of the papers I mailed. I have updated my timeline to the best of my ability. I may try to fill in the last blanks later when I feel up for it. I know people get a lot of help from timelines.

It seems to me that as long as you don't hear anything from the USCIS/CSC/NVC/whatever, that's probably a good sign. My wife has called the NVC a number of times, but more like once or sometimes twice a week - definitely once a day like some people seem to do. It seems the best time of day to call is in the evening EST, like say after 9. Living overseas, with the six-hour time difference, that's kinda tricky though, so I am glad I have been able to rely on my wife to do that. Sometimes you can get a hold of information quicker by calling, but I am under the impression that the NVC communicates with you via e-mail on all the vital things, i.e. when bills are generated, when they accept your choice of agent, when bills have been paid etc etc. So I don't think it is required that you call.

All the paperwork drives me nuts. I swear it took me well over two hours to fill out the DS-230 alone. I consider myself to be a relatively clever person, well, smart enough at least. I have studied for years at Mälardalens Högskola, I have worked as a teacher for a bunch of years... but these forms... it just, I don't know, my mind goes blank. It never fails, the forms always make me feel like a frikken idiot, like I'm happy if I can remember how to spell my own name. I must admit I don't know much about migrating to Sweden, but from what I understand it's cheaper and easier, but not necessarily quicker compared to migrating to America. But maybe that depends on where you come from (I have worked as an SFI teacher, and many people come here from African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, maybe it's trickier for them just as it seems easier for Scandinavians to migrate to the US than it is for people from those parts of the world).

Something that I have certainly found bizarre is the waiting and how it changes at different stages of the process. Like, my wife and I married here in Sweden on June 30 last year. We'd talked about applying for me to get permanent residency (the major reason why I would be the one to move is she has two kids, 11 and 17 years old, whereas I have no kids, and the language bit) even before that, we probably talked about it the first time when I visited her in Pittsburgh in July 2010 (which was the second time we met in person - she first came here in October 2009). We finally got around to filing the papers towards the end of November 2011; the priority date on our I-130 is December 1st. At that time we both knew we had a long, long wait ahead of us, and I guess I cannot speak for my wife with complete certainty, but for me, I had no problems coping with the wait back then. Then when the California Service Center approved our application and sent it on to the NVC on May 2nd, things changed. All of a sudden something was happening. That was weird, in that it wasn't all exciting in a good way. I started growing impatient and nervous - what if they would deny our case? In a way it was a tough month-and-a-half before I finally got the IV package in the mail. Once I had managed that tough, I started feeling more relaxed again. I felt like I had done what I could and it was out of my hands and I stopped worrying as much. But it goes without saying that it was a great relief when my wife found out the NVC had closed our case, approved it and forwarded it to the Stockholm embassy on July 2nd. Now it's just three major things left; the medical, the interview and then selling my apartment and actually moving. So, yeah, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. That is nice. And I don't feel as impatient now as I did one or two months ago. It will all be over soon.

GandK · July 11, 2012

The worst part about those forms are the questions like

"List all the countries you have been to in the past 10 years"

"List all the trips you have made into the USA"

and they give you about 2 lines of space to write it in the answer box lol

Hell, I even considered making a new email address because my current email is too long to fit in the form's answer box...

Mr. Borkström · July 11, 2012

Hehe. Yeah. I don't remember if that was in the ESTA I filled out two years ago when I visited my wife in the US, or if it was the DS-230, or both, but I particularly like the one asking if I was involved with the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1930's and -40's. Yeah. It was only 30+ years before I was born, but OK, whatever.

I don't remember writing anything in the DS-230 about trips to other countries. :bonk:

jaycali · July 12, 2012

The worst part about those forms are the questions like"List all the countries you have been to in the past 10 years""List all the trips you have made into the USA"and they give you about 2 lines of space to write it in the answer box lolHell, I even considered making a new email address because my current email is too long to fit in the form's answer box...

I have the same problem with prior trips to the US! I had a student visa for 5 years.. Probably entered 2 - 3 times per year, and 2 - 3 times per year on the VWP since lol

Hehe. Yeah. I don't remember if that was in the ESTA I filled out two years ago when I visited my wife in the US, or if it was the DS-230, or both, but I particularly like the one asking if I was involved with the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1930's and -40's. Yeah. It was only 30+ years before I was born, but OK, whatever.I don't remember writing anything in the DS-230 about trips to other countries.

Yea, I always liked the one asking if I was seeking admission to the US to engage in espionage!

Alaska2012 · July 16, 2012

It's such a sweet feeling to finally be home! Immigration only took 10 minutes, would probably only have taken 5 if the computer didn't have to be rebooted lol

This def was worth all the waiting!! :yes:

Mr. Borkström · July 19, 2012

Come on embassy people! I hope they can get the interview scheduled soon. :bonk:

MissK · July 22, 2012

Come on VSC I want my NOA2, NÅ!! :bonk:

It's such a sweet feeling to finally be home! Immigration only took 10 minutes, would probably only have taken 5 if the computer didn't have to be rebooted lol

This def was worth all the waiting!!

Yay for you!! Must be feeling great:) How old are your kids?

MissK · July 22, 2012

Bruce Springsteen sang this song in the Memorial concert in Oslo tonight remembering July 22, 2011.

Makes you appreciate everything we do have.

Beautiful lyrics.

We shall overcome

We shall overcome, we shall overcome,

We shall overcome someday;