Will it always be this stressful?

[Daft02810 0]

HI, Just sent in the I-130 for my wife. What can I expect. I could use as much info as you can give.

Thanx in advance,

John

[Amit-N-Melody 11]

Goodluck on your journey...

right now you are going to be waiting for your NOA1 I-197

and then you will wait and wait and wait (good time to pick up an old hobby or start a new one)

then NOA2.... woot woot

then you are off to NVC.... this link might be helpful to you

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

[Gina2010 1]

Goodluck on your journey...

right now you are going to be waiting for your NOA1 I-197

and then you will wait and wait and wait (good time to pick up an old hobby or start a new one)

then NOA2.... woot woot

then you are off to NVC.... this link might be helpful to you

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

Lol, SERIOUSLY on the hobbies. I picked up cross-stich sewing, bikram yoga, have helped 2 friends move apartments, aside from working 60+ hours a week to keep busy and my mind off of the wait! lol

The hardest part so far was the wait for the NOA 2, because there is nothing you can do but watch Igor's list as your number creeps up slowly. Good luck and just prepare ALL of your NVC documents NOW while you still have time. After the NOA2, you don't want to waste 1 day waiting on something you could have finished in February and March, because it can move nice and FAST if you are well prepared.

Good luck and work on those hobbies!

[sachinky 465]

Wait 3-4 months for the damned NOA2.

Read up on NVC so that you're prepared when the time comes.

And pick up some new hobbies.

[OBX 51]

All I can say is yes to all of the above. The waiting, worrying and wondering will continue right through to the end.

But use the time wisely to prepare yourself for the NVC stage; gather up all of your documents and evidence. You will find VJ an invaluable resource.

I found that connecting with filers that were at the same stage made the journey much more bearable. Keep reading the forums to familiarize yourself with the process. I found that reading the experiences of those a step ahead of me helped prepare me for what was coming.

Good luck.

Edited February 4, 2010 by OBX

[Daft02810 0]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like the hardest part is the waiting. I will keep you all informed.

[Married2009 32]

From what I have read, the stress ends right after your other half enters the States! This site makes it easier, knowing I am not alone in experiencing this. It also has made our journey easier - all this experience and information in one place.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

That's true, the stress ends partially upon reuniting with your loved one, but then you just other things to stress about, removal of conditions, etc. I think I'll relax when I naturalize

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like the hardest part is the waiting. I will keep you all informed.

One thing to think about is the medical at St. Lukes. This is a hurdle that comes before the interview. They are sticklers. If I could go back and do some things differently, I would spend more time prepping for this. Our interview date was rescheduled due to a suspicious spot in my wife's right lung upper lobe. As a result, a sputum exam was ordered which requires 3 days of spitting in a cup and then a 2 month lab culture. so, I would suggest that you use the waiting time to get a pre-medical exam completed. Put your focus on the xray and tb test. Be sure your wife speaks to the radiologist to get the results and find out if there is any tiny tiny tiny spots. Not only is the US dead serious about keeping tb out of America, seems like St. Lukes enjoys the additional revenue they get from processing 150-200 sputum exams every week of the year.

Something you might consider doing during the wait.