Any February 2012 filers?

[KTandTommy 31]

The trickiest part I'm finding is -- how do you plan for the wedding? We would like to have a small yet proper wedding, but doing so also takes time (most venues are already booked a year in advanced I'm finding!). But at the same time, how do we commit to a venue and give our friends and families dates to plan for traveling when we don't know for sure... we can't. If any one has tips on how to plan for the future without knowing for sure I'd love to hear them!

Hopefully we all get our NOA2's by July! *knocks on wood*

Our plan is to do a courthouse ceremony as soon as we get the visa, and plan a ceremony for May of 2013 (and we're asking all our vendors if they will give us the option of postponing it, after we explain our case that it really depends on whether or not our Visa gets delayed, and we really DON'T want to push it - and we don't book with them unless they give us that option).

[Z&A 2]

CAN anyone please clear this out for us? Is the I-797 the NOA1 ? Please let us know!

[KTandTommy 31]

P.S. Wedding planning:

For now I am only getting ideas from everywhere. The actual wedding planning I think we will start after the NOA2. It will be a really small wedding so I hope it will not be that hard to organize it.

I am going for a backyard wedding but I am lacking a house with a backyard for now :D

HAHA that's totally mine and my fiance's plan too!! I keep telling everyone that my wedding is going to be in my imaginary backyard

[MissK 5]

CAN anyone please clear this out for us? Is the I-797 the NOA1 ? Please let us know!

The I-797 is NOA1:)

[Z&A 2]

The I-797 is NOA1:)

Thank you , I already updated my timeline It is so funny, Aaron received the e-mail on the 25th and it wasn't until today that we "guessed" that maybe that was the NOA1. The form doesn't have the words "Notice of Action". It says "Application Acceptance". But again, we haven't received the hard copy yet, just the e-mail.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Wow, another USC woman + Ugandan man couple! There are more of us than I'd realized. And if you want history, you should totally bring him to Boston.

And yes, we have a 8 hour time difference, too, which means that unless he stays up really late or I call when I'm at work, weekends are the only time when it's feasible to talk. (Which is why it's so frustrating when I can't reach him for an entire weekend!)

8 hours.... a cake walk... There is 15 hours difference for us and she works 6 days a week!

[afoyoswa 178]

2) I bought her a book called "Living In The USA" from Amazon for like $5. It's all about our culture and includes chapters in the book on moving to the US, the culture of the US, and Immigration. It's not necessary but I gotta admit the book's pretty legit.

<snip>

4) Money - We have been trying to figure out how to get her money ASAP for when it's interview time (mainly for the $350 Visa Fee). I'm going to get her a ATM card for my account. I considered buying her a travel VISA but the fees are exorbitant.

I saw that book and considered it, especially after reading the reviews for Culture Shock USA which some people recommended but which seemed to be pretty odd. Helpful, you think?

And that's an approach I hadn't thought of to convey money! Of course there'd also be the issue of getting the card to him, so I'm not sure it would really help. We're still going to have to get money somehow to his sister in Nairobi so we can get the payment made (and schedule the interview) before either of us actually gets there.

I'm a February filer too! Didn't notice this topic 'til now, so I thought I'd introduce myself

I'm Katie, my fiance is Tom. He's the American, living in Florida. I'm Canadian, living in Toronto. We mailed our package in on Feb. 10!

Welcome, Katie!

Nothing too specific that we can do at this stage. One thing that I and my Love started doing after filing I-129f is exchanging emails. We are not big at writing letters - all we need to tell to each other we say during 4+ hours daily conversations. But, heck, they asked for emails as the proof - let's get them those emails ))) Also, I read on one of the forums here that it makes sense to apply for police certificate when you get NOA2. I can't tell for sure how long this document is valid so I will try to get it as close to the interview date as possible to avoid unnecessary complications. 

We are meeting for vacation in mid June, so He will have updated letters of intent and other forms ready by that time. Also a few more hundreds of pictures will be taken.. can't think of anything else that can prove "ongoing relationship"...

We (read: I) have also been trying to send postal mail...a grand total of one postcard so far. Hoping he'll do the same. Not a great way to communicate in general, but certainly much more possible to put in a binder and wave around at embassies. Lucky you getting to see each other in June--definitely take lots of photos!

[MaggieT 4]

Hey Guys,

I was AMAZED how some got their approvals only after 30+ days from California.

Do you think we will have the same luck???

Maggie

[Mariya and Tim 5]

Only 30 what is this sorcery =D

[Tbakke125125 3]

I know, my mind is blown!!

[afoyoswa 178]

Mine, too!

Of course, there are still lots of people who filed much farther back and are still waiting, which must make it extra frustrating when others get approved after only a few weeks. At least there's no chance at all that any of us should be getting approved right now: imagine if you had filed in August or something and were seeing these January approvals!

(I'm trying really hard to prepare myself for all the waiting! Although I hope there won't be much of it for any of us...)

8 hours.... a cake walk... There is 15 hours difference for us and she works 6 days a week!

Ummmm, wow. You definitely have us beat!

Did I see you say you're from the Boston area? I'm on the MA/RI border now and went to Boston U then worked up there so lived in the city for about 5 yrs. I'm sure Aaron will do fine settling in. There's so many different cultures in this area that you should be able to find things from back home for him while he's adapting. I've already searched out the English/Irish imports stores in Plymouth and Boston and plan to make regular drives!

Yes, I am in Boston: small world! There seem to be a lot of VJers around here. And yes, I think he'll do fine: it's definitely a much more diverse and easily navigable city than a lot of other areas in the U.S., so we're lucky that way.

Edited March 1, 2012 by afoyoswa

[sara80 17]

Im not a february filer by 1 day, as we got our NOA1 on 31st jan, but thought to come in and say hi

Ive seen too the speedy approvals from ppl who got their noa1 just a few days before ours!! I hope CSC (and VSC too) are gonna keep up with the good work and approve us all in a very short time!!! Im already itching for the wait, which, has not been a month yet!! LOL

fingers crossed!

[MrsDNuma2013 0]

8 hours.... a cake walk... There is 15 hours difference for us and she works 6 days a week!

Wow...I guess I should be happy with 8 hours...

[MrsDNuma2013 0]

Hey Guys,

I was AMAZED how some got their approvals only after 30+ days from California.

Do you think we will have the same luck???

Maggie

WHAT?!? Amazing...

[Z&A 2]

Dear everyone!

I see a lot of people asking about what we can do while waiting for our NOA2. There are a few advices that I have.(Just to make the waiting period easier)

1. Take up a hobby or start doing something you always wanted to do. For example, I am learning German.

2. Work on your looks to look amazing for your wedding. I am staring running in mid March, Aaron works out.

3. Work on your language skills. Watch movies, read books, learn new words in English. Believe my experience, the better you speak the language, the easier you are going to adapt to the US culture. I am reading Freud now )

4. Spend a lot of time with family and friends because you will miss them.

Feel free to add points to my list.

Best of luck to everyone.