Waiting for Noa1

[MatthewNCarolina 73]

Hello all. I mailed out my petition last thursday, which makes it 7 days now. It was delivered, received and signed for on Friday at 1:05PM by C. Thornquist. I've seen that name here on others' profiles/timelines. I also filled out the email/text notification form, if it's worth anything. I'm hoping to get the NOA1 soon, maybe tomorrow? lol. My dilemma is, I had forgot to sign my G325A form. Everything else is good, completed etc. I overlooked it, which I posted in another thread. I went through my copy petition just to count how many pages I actually printed/sent in my package... that's when I noticed it. I saw mixed replies on my thread when I first discovered that missing signature of mine. I did get the reply showing that a notice was sent around either 2005 or 2006 stating that if the signature was missing in the G325A, then the signature on the I-129F should be enough to adjudicate the petition. So I understand it's not a MUST. Yet, I also understand that it's possible that I get somebody who looks at the petition and sends an RFE or rejects the package anyway, from lack of experience (or laziness is what I consider it).

With all that said, I hope to get the NOA1 at least telling me SOMETHING, by tomorrow or next week. I plan to go see my lady again from April 7th to May 13th... we almost bought the flight, but as I thought more clearly, outside of my emotions, we decided we better wait for that... and we still have time until that date... so I can still buy the flight whether my package got rejected and sent back to me OR I just get the NOA1 that it's accepted...

Now... I understand that being with her for about 32 days... anything could happen. If I get an RFE, can I get one just after NOA1? Or if I get an RFE for missing signature, would that come just before approval, which would be close to 5 months or more? I'm hoping I won't get an RFE at all really. My thing is, I'm willing really, to go see her, even if I didn't get the NOA1 before April 7th... EVEN considering it's possible to get my package rejected and sent back... or possible RFE and have to wait til I come home to send it in.... I know she wants to see me very badly. It's coming on 3 months. Tonight on skype we talked about it... she doesn't want to push me to do anything... but I think she really wants to say PLEASE COME. She hurts a lot, waiting for me... has told me what it's like since I spent 25 days THERE and every day since I left... she deals with remembering me there/realizing my absence from there all the time.

What a gamble huh? The whole process is a gamble I guess really... people who meet in different countries, and fall madly in love... it's a totally new experience and surprisingly, although things are VERY hard sometimes... I look forward to every day of it. I'm a man.... never dreamed I'd cry as often and cry hard, at that.... as I have already. You know... I go for periods of time... dealing with it/coping well... or so thinking that way, then there's small moments where I just break down and bawl like a baby. Amazing how crazy and how new/crazy my feelings are lol. The other day, we were on msn and there was just one little simple thing she typed, commenting on something about me that she loves... I lost control lol. The odd thing was.... I lost control, then after about 15 seconds I was completely fine

Anyway... I guess I'm just looking to see how many people tell me to "GO!" or how many people tell me "use your head, make the decision that won't cost you more time"

Honestly, I'm not here because my fiancee is going crazy emotionally and I can't take it anymore. She's actually amazingly strong. She said she just does not want to push me to do anything... she tells me that.. and I can just tell and I KNOW it's against what she wants to say- "screw it, just COME!" And I feel like I want to do what she wants... I want to save her... heal her pain you know... It comes to a point where even though I deal with much stress over this (worrying about the NOA1, having to tell her "no, nothing yet" and missing her, wanting to tell her "BOUGHT THE FLIGHT!") it seems like... well... I can't believe how absolutely selfless I get. I'll be hurting yet, when I can see her sadness... I just throw away what I'm feeling and want to ease her pain.

We're a very understanding couple. We think rationally and talk things through with each other. Always understand one another... I couldn't begin to ask for more in a partner. But the pain she feels, even when she vents and tells me... I can't help but notice it's much worse than she shows. It was even like that when I left her at the airport. It wasn't like she cried dramatically and begged me. It was more like I knew she WANTED to, and could feel and see that she was trying so hard to just stay strong... but the giant tears rolling down her face, against her will.... aaahhh it kinda made me see that she was truly hurting very badly. It wasn't until recently, she told me about the shirt that I left for her. See, the last day... when we had about 6 or 7 hours until we had to leave her home, to take me to the airport... we were both sad... not speaking much...

I was sitting on the edge of the bed, so was she. We were quiet... didn't know what to say to each other. She finally said... Baby, do you want to sleep? I said yes... so we laid back together and fell asleep. I remember waking up because I was hot... I woke up... immediately realized "ohh in a few hours we have to go". I got irritated from being hot and realizing that, and took my shirt off. I laid it on the bed, while she moved a little from being disturbed... I laid back down and fell asleep for a little longer. Anyway... that shirt, she recently told me that she carried it around with her for about 2 weeks when she went out and about. She stopped doing that because she was afraid that my shirt would lose my scent.

She sleeps with it next to her every night. I left it for her...told her to keep it while I'm gone. She gave me her one and only favorite ring as well, to take back with me. She told me to give it to her when we see each other again. I'm sorry for rambling, yet I'm not. I kinda want to type away right now... just talk about things. Sometimes it seems like random people, seeing this, is better to me. When I post publicly on facebook or something, my family gets involved you know?

So yeah... I sleep with her ring on every night. It doesn't fit any fingers good, except my middle finger... it goes just past the first joint and somehow my finger is thinner after the first joint... and it stays there. Some nights I forget to put it on... then when I wake up and realize I forgot, I get mad at myself lol. I hope that nobody who reads this, feels like I'm trying to show off or rub it in... or assumes I want everybody to know about our relationship. I really don't want any of that. I just feel like... besides her, if anyone can relate at all, it's people here. So maybe I don't waste anything, by going on and on about things.

Maybe I'll help somebody realize what they have too. Maybe many of you can relate. I have to say, I can't help but envy people who are just getting or have had their fiancee with them for a while... yet at the same time... it is SO very nice to see. I love seeing smiling couples who made it through. I am happy for you all. I also appreciate all those who are experienced here... are completely finished with the process, yet still help out... you are amazing people! I plan to do the same. I'll always have a special place for people doing this... I'll never leave it. It's no wonder so many people want to help, even if they do not need to get involved.

I just may get a record for longest post here lol. Anyway, my fiancee was sad tonight on skype, for a little while. I talked with her... mainly listened to her. I ended up telling her how she doesn't need to keep worrying about making me sad by telling me how she feels. I told her that, anything she suffers, I want to suffer with her. And told her that "I'll stay here and stare at you, listen to you, no matter what. I could do this for hours and hours and hours."

Told her how seeing her crying, it hurts... yet I would not trade ANY of this for anything else. I also find it amazing, and I made it a point to tell her... the only people of course, if you count my family and hers, friends, etc... the only people who can understand or relate, is us. Me or her. So I think it develops a very deep connection(this distance and process) because when it comes to this... we're lovers, we're friends, and almost like counselors...

Tonight, I was like a straight forward counselor, which I think she needed. Those first few times when I'd tell her "it's gonna be okay, and then I'd get silent because she'd say "I've been hearing that since you left." "I'm not saying it's not all worth it, but it gets to where that doesn't affect me, it doesn't mean anything" well... I'd get quiet, upset for her... this time I took a different approach and it seemed to help her a lot (listen closely, those looking for advice in this LOL). I spilled my heart out... I told her straight forward, what I am, what I feel, how I know what she's going through... speaking from her side of it. And I told her very seriously, with a sort of raised tone of voice... just how serious I am and how I'll always take ANYTHING that she has to say... I'll take it... I'll be strong. Told her not to hold back at all because it's part of communication. If we have communication, we have to have it in good times, and in the very hard times. I told her how I'm almost the only one to hear AND relate to her sadness... so she needs to stay open with me.

I'm not always going to hear positive things, and that's okay. All this does is deepen our connection. Our connection is based on communication. Communicate all, because if you can communicate the worst, then you will always only need each other. I was glad to hear her continue... to see her face as she was thinking of more to say, after long pauses and her sad look on her face. In the end, she seemed very pleased to know, that no matter what... I AM NOT LEAVING. Even if I'm thousands of miles away and having to talk on skype... I am RIGHT THERE with her. I am not moving. I can't be moved. I knew that after spending just over a week with her... there's nothing that can stop me from being the man to give her everything she needs when it's needed. I think I'll end this here So who says "GO"? I want to hear it.

Best of everything, including some luck, to all

Matt

[Carolina+James 1]

My RFE was a missing document. It came months after NOA1. On AOS, my package came back to me before NOA1 because the check was written wrong, and, well, they wouldn't touch my stuff with no money involved, of course.

I hope NOA1 comes soon so you don't have to make that choice. NOA1, on my understanding means "we took your money and now your process is waiting an available employee to work on it", which can take months, and then the trip to visit each other would be just perfect. So how long can you wait to get that ticket? On my little experience, I believe that having the NOA1 is your best guarantee of no further delays. On the other hand... being together won't really count as time spent away, and if she has pending things in Brazil, more time to conclude them.

The community here is great to share this horrible distance feeling mixed with tons of paperwork stress. I understand many parts of what you wrote here, and I hope you both get to feel better soon

[Que Saudade 284]

Brazilians are great emotionally. The times I had to leave to come back home after spending time with Marina in Sao Paulo, the airport was the worst part. She would just have an outburst. There is nothing we can do about it except acknowledge how they feel and go through it with them. Boa sorte on your dilemna about going or not. But, that is a decision you are going to make on your own with Carolina. I sure won't be telling you to go or not to go. My grandfather gave me a great piece of advice many years ago, " A man has to do what he has to do."

[Andy and Pui 16]

MatthewNCarolina, Do you have any family or friends that lives near you who could check your mail every day or every other day? If so you could have them check your mail and if it looked important or government type letter to have them open it and email you in Brazil or use google voice or skype to send a text message to your gf's cell phone there if you get an rfe. Then if you get the rfe you can leave a signed copy of your G325A and have them mail it to your service center, just make sure that is the only thing they want and if they want more be ready to get it. I am guessing the rfe would come more towards the 5 months or when it gets to the adjustor's desk. I just got a feeling that you will be getting the rfe months on down the road but I could be wrong. Good luck.

[Lari & Jhona 0]

awwwwww..I feel your pain.hope you and your love feel better.

I'd say Go ..since i did the same lol going into my 4th month of waiting i just took off

to see my baby,n now am planing to go again when we see tha NOA2 yayyy.

but yea if you feel the need and want to i'd say go.n like Andy and Pui says have someone look over your mail..

hope everything turns out ok.

welcome to vj.

[lovelyjoy 13]

This is the second post this week that made me cry. Geee I should have a break from VJ, LOL!

I hear yah brother! I'm happy you can see each other every quarter, while me and my man need to save some dinero (which we'd rather use for the wedding and the visa) in order for us to be together again. Hopefully we don't have to wait for too long before our next meeting and never be apart from each other again.

Happy weekend from this side of the world!

[TracyTN 237]

Moving thread from K1 process forum to K1 progress forum.

[Blob18 111]

The times that I've seen someone get their petition returned or RFEd here on VJ...they didn't get their NOA1 or check cashed until it was answered.

Kind of unsure though since you included the exmail/text slip. Usually they are pretty consistant with that, sending out texts etc.

I would wait a few more days and see what happens.

Note: There was an internal memo given to USCIS workers a few years ago that stated G-325As didnt have to be signed and could be signed at the interview. Some people follow the memo, some don't. All depends on who you get.

[MatthewNCarolina 73]

Hello all, nevermind! lol this post last night must have made things happen got my NOA1 text when I woke up this morning, yet it was sent at 1:15AM! Problem solved! haha, thanks for all the replies though! Best wishes to everyone...

Matt

[Andy and Pui 16]

Hello all, nevermind! lol this post last night must have made things happen got my NOA1 text when I woke up this morning, yet it was sent at 1:15AM! Problem solved! haha, thanks for all the replies though! Best wishes to everyone...

Matt

Just remember if you go to see your gf remember to have some one check your mail and have a way to contact you. I know I would feel safer that way. Good luck on your journey.