Scandinavians

[jaycali 415]

Visa approved!! Thanks everyone for all your help!!!!

My appointment was at 9am, got there at roughly 8:50. There was a line of about 40 people waiting in the non-immigrant line. There were no one waiting in the immigrant visa line lol, so I only stood outside for a couple of minutes.

I went through security, there was one Norwegian guard and two Americans. They were all very nice. The guard asked if I had any electronics in my bag and I said no. (I left my la ptop and phone at the hotel). He x rayed it and said "no!?" And laughed really loud. Said "your bag is like an electronics store full of chargers and headsets haha" and even turned the x ray screen to show me my epic fail lol. When they ask to take out electronics, they mean ALL electronics!

Got into the embassy, and made my second mistake. I pulled a number and waited patiently for my number to be called. Went up to the window and the lady told me "this is for non-immigrants, immigrants go to window G." At window G there was no line. A Swedish guy looked through my documents and asked for my military certificate of non-draft. I hadn't translated this - it was ok to give them the Norwegian one. He then asked for my wife's tax return, to which I answered that she sent it to the NVC. He looked through again and said "aah, found it." He then gave me an envelope and asked me to put the stamps on it. The 300 SEK worth of stamps took like 10 minutes to put on but he said they were quite used to that lol.

As he was flipping through my file, I caught a glimpse of my DS-230 with a red "approved" stamp already on it.

I went to sit back down and waited for my name to be called. There was no clock in the room, but the tv was on with a clock. I waited about 20 minutes and was called to window D.

A blonde American lady in her 50s greeted me with a smile and said "I see you had a wonderful wedding in Hawaii!" To which I answered "yes, perfect place to do it!" She then said "yes, I saw the pictures!"

I was in a haze for most of the interview, but from what I remember it went something like this from there on:

CO: Well it looks lime you have everything, that's good! (thanks VJ) So when was the wedding?

Me: March of 2011.

CO: And where did you meet?

Me: At a mall next to the apt I had went I went to school. That was three years ago.

CO: And where did you go to school?

Me: California Lutheran University.

CO: What made you choose that school?

Me: I went through an organization called the Norway America Association and they had some schools in the US that they aided in the application process with. I chose California because I'd already been an exchange student there.

CO: So tell me how the relationship progressed.

Me: Told her the story.

CO: What's something about her that you love, and what's something that irritates you?

Me: I'll start with what I love, and then I'll let you know what irritates me about her..

CO: oh, is she here?

Me: No, I'm safe. (she laughed at this)

Me: I love her personality (etc.) And I'm irritated sometimes by.. (etc.)

CO: How long were you two together in the US?

Me: A year and a half, then she came to Norway with me.

CO: So why now all of a sudden did you choose to go to the US?

Me: We tried Norway, and frankly, she hated the climate. Plus there's a language barrier for her, not for me.

CO: What do you do for work?

Me: I'm unemployed right now.

CO: No, I mean what will you be doing in the US?

Me: Oh, I want to get into hospitality, I worked at a hotel in Norway for the past year.

CO: Who will be managing you guys' finances?

Me: Most likely her until I get a stable job.

CO: Ok, well I'm going to authorize your visa. We haven't been able to run a name check yet though so I'm going to do that now, it'll take about 30 minutes. If nothing comes up you're all set, so just take a seat.

My name was called up 5 minutes later and I told her "that was quick!" She said yea, she was surprised and then "you're free to leave the building! Your passport and everything you need will be mailed to you within two weeks!"

I was ecstatic! The fact that I had played it safe and gotten a flight back to Oslo at 8pm didn't matter. I was out of there by 10am, but the 10 hour wait in Stockholm on a gray, cold November day means nothing!! I'm currently at a coffee shop and I'm just in disbelief. I almost wanted to call the embassy back and be like "are you sure??" Lol.

One thing that puzzled me is I was never asked to raise my hand and "swear to tell the truth." The interview just started as a nice conversation and was over in about 5 minutes.

Visa Journey over for now.

A HUGE thanks to every single one of you who have helped us along the way. Every one of you who makes this forum so great. My wife and I couldn't have done it without you.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jay Jay

[jaycali 415]

PS, I asked the CO after the interview if it was possible to pick up the visa at the embassy, to which she answered no. They only mail it out.

[robhaa 1]

Visa approved!! Thanks everyone for all your help!!!!

Congratulations!

A HUGE thanks to every single one of you who have helped us along the way. Every one of you who makes this forum so great. My wife and I couldn't have done it without you.

I second that, without this forum and the help of all you guys, this journey would have been way more painful than it has been.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Congrats Jay Jay!

[MissK 5]

I was ecstatic! The fact that I had played it safe and gotten a flight back to Oslo at 8pm didn't matter. I was out of there by 10am, but the 10 hour wait in Stockholm on a gray, cold November day means nothing!! I'm currently at a coffee shop and I'm just in disbelief. I almost wanted to call the embassy back and be like "are you sure??" Lol.

One thing that puzzled me is I was never asked to raise my hand and "swear to tell the truth." The interview just started as a nice conversation and was over in about 5 minutes.

Visa Journey over for now.

A HUGE thanks to every single one of you who have helped us along the way. Every one of you who makes this forum so great. My wife and I couldn't have done it without you.

Gratulerer!! Herlig følelse! I know the feeling. For quite some time I was scared that I had heard wrong, and had to replay in my mind that she also said:" Good luck with your new life in the US." So it must have been true she approved it.(Didn't really believe it though until I got the visa in mail LOL)

Strange that you wasn't asked to raise your hand and blah blah...

Edited November 6, 2012 by MissK

[MissK 5]

So who do we want for president? Anybody want to tell?

My vote goes to Obama....(not that I have one, but my fiance better vote for him!)

[rarasantiago 3]

I was ecstatic! T

Congratulations!

Visa approved!! Thanks everyone for all your help!!!!

Congratulations!

Edited November 6, 2012 by rarasantiago

[MrsB2012 10]

CO: And where did you meet?

Me: At a mall next to the apt I had went I went to school. That was three years ago.

CO: And where did you go to school?

Me: California Lutheran University.

Hi Jay Jay,

I live in Thousand Oaks and grew up in NP My brother is graduating from Cal Lu in December... Small world! Btw- Congrats on your visa approval! Just curious, what visa process did you go through? I notice that you're married to a USC and living in the US. How come you had to return to Norway to get your visa approval?

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Visa approved!! Thanks everyone for all your help!!!!

Gratulerar! Nice feeling, isn't it? Although I must say personally I was more relieved than anything once I got approved.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Gratulerer!! Herlig følelse! I know the feeling. For quite some time I was scared that I had heard wrong, and had to replay in my mind that she also said:" Good luck with your new life in the US." So it must have been true she approved it.(Didn't really believe it though until I got the visa in mail LOL)

A common theme among us Scandinavians it seems. I reacted the exact same way. I so badly wanted to go back and ask the lady who interviewed me "are you sure I'm approved?"

[Mr. Borkström 63]

So who do we want for president? Anybody want to tell?

My vote goes to Obama....(not that I have one, but my fiance better vote for him!)

If I could vote, I'd vote Obama. I am not sure who my wife is going to vote for though.

I think the American system is stupid. From what I've heard there are more registered independent voters than every before. I am not saying our system in Sweden is perfect, but the two-party system just seems stupid to me. I don't think they will be able to change it for the better in my lifetime though.

[jaycali 415]

Gratulerer!! Herlig følelse! IKKE SANT!? I know the feeling. For quite some time I was scared that I had heard wrong, and had to replay in my mind that she also said:" Good luck with your new life in the US." So it must have been true she approved it.(Didn't really believe it though until I got the visa in mail LOL)Strange that you wasn't asked to raise your hand and blah blah...

I know! I kept replaying it in my head. My insane self wanted to lecture the CO that on VJ it's called "approved" not "authorized" and "you should have had me swear to tell the truth first!" - My sane self just calmed down and tried to remain.. Calm. Lol.

So who do we want for president? Anybody want to tell?My vote goes to Obama....(not that I have one, but my fiance better vote for him!)

Obama! If I could vote that is. My wife will probably vote Romney, but Hawaii is safe Democrat territory anyway so it doesn't matter. I keep reminding her of that time she ended up in the hospital in Oslo and the doctor laughed and told her to shut up when she said she didn't know if her insurance covered international hospitalizations. Maybe she'll think twice.

Hi Jay Jay,I live in Thousand Oaks and grew up in NP My brother is graduating from Cal Lu in December... Small world! Btw- Congrats on your visa approval! Just curious, what visa process did you go through? I notice that you're married to a USC and living in the US. How come you had to return to Norway to get your visa approval?

Really?? I lived in TO for 3 years, went to CLU for 5. Graduated there in 2009, but I still go there quite frequently. Thinking of getting my master's there in a year or so.

I went the CR-1 route. While I did get married in the US, we chose to try for Norway first (my wife had this movie like, romanticized view of Europe) and I wanted to work here for 2 years and pay off all my debts before settling. So we went to Norway together right after we got married. After one winter she'd had enough and we decided to shoot for America. By then it was too late to adjust status. I haven't been living in the US this past year - Just visited a lot on the VWP.

Gratulerar! Nice feeling, isn't it? Although I must say personally I was more relieved than anything once I got approved.

My paranoia got in the way of my relief lol. I think what I was feeling as I walked out of the embassy was pure joy that they didn't refuse me on the spot or put me in AP or something - While still scared one of the guards was gonna come running and say "sorry, you have to go back in, we made a mistake!" lol

A common theme among us Scandinavians it seems. I reacted the exact same way. I so badly wanted to go back and ask the lady who interviewed me "are you sure I'm approved?"

I think we're all quite lucky we interview in Sweden. Yet, as we browse through VJ we read reviews and horror stories from Nigeria, Iraq and Algeria, so we prepare for the worst. And we expect an interrogation. Then when it turns out 5 questions and 10 minutes later we're approved without even showing a photo or a Skype chat log it just becomes one of those "that can't be it.. Really!?" moments.

Then there's the other aspect of it - How important this piece of printed paper called a visa really is to us, to our husbands and wives, to our future and not to mention our new family. We've spent months and sometimes years planning and preparing a future, while, in the back of our heads we know that one grumpy CO with a caffeine deficiency in their system actually has the authority to make our lives hell - In the worst case split our families apart. I think human nature has it that we always in one way or another expect the worst but hope for the best. So when the worst is over it's just genuinely hard to believe.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jay Jay

[MrsB2012 10]

Really?? I lived in TO for 3 years, went to CLU for 5. Graduated there in 2009, but I still go there quite frequently. Thinking of getting my master's there in a year or so.

I went the CR-1 route. While I did get married in the US, we chose to try for Norway first (my wife had this movie like, romanticized view of Europe) and I wanted to work here for 2 years and pay off all my debts before settling. So we went to Norway together right after we got married. After one winter she'd had enough and we decided to shoot for America. By then it was too late to adjust status. I haven't been living in the US this past year - Just visited a lot on the VWP.

Haha, too funny. I might be applying to the MBA program at CLU A lot of the people I work with at A m g e n do the part time program there & have positive things to say about it. About a year ago I saw something that CLU offers Swedish & Norwegian language classes to the public through a Scandinavian cultural club of some sort. I almost checked it out, but didn't feel that it would do me much good as I need to learn Danish, which is a little different.

Totally makes sense now. Yes, a lot of Americans have a romanticized view of Europe. The fact is that living there is quite different from just visiting... After numerous visits to Copenhagen, several of them in the dead of winter, I learned quickly that I really didn't want to live there. Pretty tough adjustment for a So Cal girl, I imagine it would be similar for your wife coming from HI.

Congrats to you guys that you can finally be together again!

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Then there's the other aspect of it - How important this piece of printed paper called a visa really is to us, to our husbands and wives, to our future and not to mention our new family. We've spent months and sometimes years planning and preparing a future, while, in the back of our heads we know that one grumpy CO with a caffeine deficiency in their system actually has the authority to make our lives hell - In the worst case split our families apart. I think human nature has it that we always in one way or another expect the worst but hope for the best. So when the worst is over it's just genuinely hard to believe.

That's a very good point. To me, that was the single most important ten minutes of my life. Seriously!

[Alaska2012 462]

Congrats jay jay!!!