D.O.R.A.

[Gman 0]

Oh... and further, since you joined VJ in February you probably don't know this, at the end of January there was a server crash/corruption. VJ used the opportunity to upgrade the site to its current glory but this meant that years of threads and postings were no longer directly accessible from the main site.

The original DORA thread (ahhh great days) can be found here with lots of descriptions of other people's experiences. (That link starts with my own actually - just what I had bookmarked.)

And you can search the old forums here too (very useful):

[Collie 122]

Thanks for the info G-man. It didn't sound too parenty We honestly didn't intend to get married so fast, thus why my vwp had nearly expired before we actually did it, but we are all legal and above board

The attorney we have is one of the top 10 immigration attys in the US and one of the best in the state, so we don't feel too bad with parting with our hard earned cash as he comes highly recommended and is very thorough! I suck roytally at filling forms in and my husband is a paramedic so hes not got the time to do them either.

The email I gave is just one I use for msn messenger as my email that I use suddenlty stopped working on msn messenger one day which was mega weird. still havent figured tha one out!

Lastly apologies if this sounds rambly or there are spelling mistakes. I have epilepsy and had an icky seizure last night so im reluctantly doped to the gills with ativan blahhhh

cheers

~Kat (who feels like she has a ginormous hangover>.<)

[yogib37 3]

happygirl...Im sorry.

Make an Infopass As soon as possible or do a walk inn to N. Stemmons then, if you want to , find a lawyer

Im really sorry.

If you go to that office.. I stongly suggest that you go early cause at 1 pm if your are not in the building they will send you on your way..unless you live like 50 miles or so.. It happen to me when I was removing the conditions on my ex wifes greencard.

Yogi

[yogib37 3]

Oh I just love getting clear cut answers! Thank you!

My name certainly does reflect my love for Border collies and my love for dogs in general as a canine behaviourist. I just love the breed thanks to my first Border collie Meg that I trained and handled for her incapacitated owner, taking me all the way to compete in championship obedience and championship agility including Crufts as well as a multitude of other activities.

I have a wonderful little BC girl now called Kes who is just a few days short of her 1st birthday and she is showing potential beyond what I ever imagined and should be in the ring by the end of the summer.

I'm not sure if I can post pics on here but here goes!

HI Collie..

I just want to say that your dog is so beatiful. I am with you. I wont have any other breed then a boder collie. You should see my parents boder collies, they are great dogs and very playfull if you want you can send me a email and I can send you a picture of them

Bonnie kinda looks like Kes but has some brown around the eyes and storm is black,white and kinda blueish and has two differnt color eyes

they are play fresbie twice a day

yogi

Oooooooooh yeah... I remember you telling me about that! I don't think Rockwall is to far for us at all!

I think we should all meet up at a What-A-Burger!!!

What-a-burger was good at one time but it went downhill I still went their a lot fries are pretty good. I lived in Garland..

Yogi

[nonameexist 0]

Wow, really raining heavily today. Even have towels against the back door... in case the pool floods over.

Leaves me time to give a little update. Joe found a clerical type job in February that was just supposed to be for four weeks, but now they have gone ahead and offered him a full time position. It's good news after looking none stop since the beginning of January, and though it's not his dream job, or anything to do with his degree, they have great benefits (one being they will pay 100% of tuition towards a masters degree if it has something to do with business, public relations, etc.) and free bagels on Fridays!

Just a little encouragement for all those who have moved on to looking for work.

[BlueEyesInTexas 0]

Hiya everyone!

I know.... it's been a long time since we stopped in and chatted, although I have been reading messages when I get the time

Glad to see that everything is moving along for everyone.

For the newcomers... Welcome to the DORA group. You have found a great group of people who can help with the process if/when you need it.

Updates...

Not much going on here I suppose. Adam started FT work in Feb, then got another (PT) job in the evenings at my place of employment. So with those jobs and our eBay we both have been working tons.

Two weeks ago on the way home from dinner in Athens Adam was driving and 4 deer ran out in the road as we crested the top of a hill, making us hit the 3rd

Luckily we had seen them in time enough for him to slow down a lot (was doing 70mph previous). It ended up tearing up the left headlight assembly as well as a small part of the fender (but enough that we have to replace it). So we have been trying to find some cheap parts. Ugh

Sure have enjoyed the rain lately. The lake here (cedar creek) was REALLY low and in bad shape. This has helped raise it some

Have also been starting to plant flowers and have added 8 trees to our yard (already had like 35 LOL) and 2 pink pompas grass. So those should really help brighten the place up some

Hope all is well with everyone else

[mrs.jenjen 0]

Hello all!

I have a few questions. I actually didn't realise what I was doing and posted it in the main forum, so please forgive me if you read this twice.

I went for my biometrics in Fort Worth last week on the 15th. The letter itself was one of those ones on the official NOA paper, and everything went fine.

On the 17th, I got another letter this time on plain paper addressed from 8101 N. Stemmons telling me to go to a biometrics appointment at any of four different places (including the fort worth one) at any date up to the 28th. Do I have to go to this appointment?! I mean - the very same office has my biometrics from the previous appointment.. but I'm a bit concerned that if I miss it I will get denied.

ALSO - I got my 70 day letter the same day, with an appointment scheduled for the 6th April at 6am - 6.30am. EUGH! Do you know if there is any way I can reschedule that appointment for either earlier in the week or the same day, but with a different time? The problem is, my DH works nights and doesn't get home most days until 5.45am - and we only have one car. I am really hoping not to have to call the (mis)information line, so any help you can give me would be very gratefully received!

Jen xx

[nonameexist 0]

BlueEyesInTexas,

Good to see you.

Sorry about your accident, I had one about a month ago (my fault) and spent a lot of time trying to find cheap parts. Then just decided it would be less of a headache just to have the insurance deal with it. Good luck.

mrs.jenjen,

I would assume the 2nd biometrics letter is an error. Have you logged onto the USICS website to track your case? They usually update when they have received your biometrics. If it's there then you know you don't have to worry.

As for rescheduling your 70th day appointment, I'm pretty sure it's out of the question. It seems that they usually send out a few letters for people for a certain day of the week, always at 6:30, and this is the day you must go. It seems you go through the process with a group of other people.

Not saying you can't try, but don't be surprised if they don't budge.

We decided to by pass our 70th day appointment, and when we went two months later to ask why our case we taking so long, they just kept saying "Why didn't you go to your appointment" over and over, and wouldn't help us out.

[geordieluvr 1]

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give an update! Mr. Geordieluvr had his Biometrics March10. Steven has still not received his biometrics letter. See we made in infopass appt for March 9. The lady said Stevens was just taking longer. Which I think is weird but whatever. We haven't received any 70 day letters either. I am hoping this means something good. That's all I have for now... Oh yeah... wait. Mr. G is now has a TX dl!!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gman 0]

On the 17th, I got another letter this time on plain paper addressed from 8101 N. Stemmons telling me to go to a biometrics appointment at any of four different places (including the fort worth one) at any date up to the 28th. Do I have to go to this appointment?! I mean - the very same office has my biometrics from the previous appointment.. but I'm a bit concerned that if I miss it I will get denied.

I received the same generic letter just after my biometrics too -- with a little sticker on it with the case number right?. Don't worry about it, just ignore it. My case wasn't updated online post biometrics either so don't be disheartened if yours isn't.

Re your appointment... no idea I'm afraid. If you don't want to bother applying for EAD or AP then you don't really need to attend but bear in mind Kaleyko's advice. It's harsh though since, it seemed to me, that the appointment is only for EAD/AP. There's not an officer there with whom you can discuss the specifics of your case.

Ridiculous advice: Hope this isn't true but... as far as I can tell... DORA operates a little outside the scope of the misinformation line. Therefore I don't see how that could help. The way of communicating with DORA officers seems to be to make an appointment. So... you could make an appointment at Stemmons to discuss your appointment predicament.

Hope it works out whatever you do.

[mrs.jenjen 0]

Thanks everyone. I guess it looks like I will be dropping DH off at work and he'll have to bum a ride home from one of his colleagues. Theres no way I'm missing the apt - I need to work so badly!

I can't believe they make you get into the center of Dallas for 6.30am though. That shouldn't be allowed... although I must admit, I feel more sorry for the employees who have to do it repeatedly than little old me

[Gman 0]

Yup - it sucks all this early morning stuff doesn't it. You can find my EAD/AP experience on the old DORA thread HERE. (I just realised I incorrectly linked to the old DORA thread a few posts ago.)

Re getting to the office I found I drove past it and had to loop back to get there:

The large sign saying Department of Homeland Security is completely invisible in the dark and there's no street numbers until you get to 8001 - so you have to do a loop round Mockingbird and Empire to get back.

But I guess it's daylight at 6am now(??!) so maybe you'll be ok.

And further note my comments that they didn't want my beautfully collated packages in their envelopes with cover letters etc. I'd bring the extra stuff just in case but don't waste your breath with cover letters etc. I guess the difference is that they already have all your details from the AOS application, this is more of a supplement.

Edited March 24, 2006 by Gman

[cbd2cai 0]

OK, D.O.R.A. peeps, we have a visa (K-3) but hubby not here yet. . . soon though as he is finishing up some things for his family THEN will be coming (I HOPE) in 2-3 weeks. No flight booked as yet.

But, in anticipating this next phase of our journey, I am trying to get prepared for going thru DORA in Dallas. I know I have to wait to get INFOPASS appointment after I get him booked on a flight. What other helpful advice can you give me? I've been reading this thread for awhile, but my brain keeps turning to mush. Must be from looking at too many forms PLUS needing to do my taxes and cant finish those cause I was going to do married filing separately (or jointly - but he isn't here so i can't get copy of his stuff for TIN as he won't have SSN for awhile).

Talk about two topics to get the mind reeling . . . taxes and AOS, LOL!

OK, anything helpful for me? I look forward to the "joy" of waiting during this phase too!

Catherine

[Gman 0]

Hey Catherine,

As soon as you have a date by which you know your other half will be in the US I see no reason for not booking your appointment then. It can be quite a test of patience to get an appointment and it might be 3 or 4 weeks ahead so I would go for it now. You can always cancel it. (Indeed you *must* cancel it if you're not going to use it.)

And of course you can start work on the good old DORA paperwork now. Details on compiling that can be found earlier in this thread.

Cya,

Gman

[tamarae 0]

Hi there DORA survivors!

Ciaran & I (Shawna) are soon to be fellow DORA members I think.

We are recently married (Mar. 17) and looking at this mountain of mostly complete AoS paperwork.

I suppose our District office is Dallas (we live in Lubbock, and Lubbock was listed under Dallas), so that means we could adjust his K-1 using the DORA stuff in Dallas, no?

Couple of noobie questions for ya:

Appointment = Paperwork + Interview in Dallas, right? That's a long drive.

Then, we go back at a later date for his biometrics... that's in Dallas too?

Any other trips we'd need to plan on?

I'm about to go out of town for work for several weeks and I dont know when I'll be back again, so we're scrambling to get as much of this started as possible. Any advice for the noobies?

Thanks a lot, look forward to getting to know all of you more in the near future!

--Shawna