K3 Visa Approved!!!

[malie 0]

Our K-3 visa was approved this Friday in the Juarez Consulate!!!

We are now (since yesterday) in the US ready to move on with our lives.

We want to sincerely thank all the VJ'ers for all the support and information that was provided in these forums. It has meant a world of difference!! Before finding VJ we felt like we were the only couple going through this strenuous, depressing, lengthy, horrible, (insert emotional adjectives as you wish here), process. It is great to know we were not alone!!!

Below is a detailed rundown of what happened during this very, very, stressful week:

- Nico flew Tuesday to Juarez from Leon, Mexico. The day was pretty much dead since the medical exams can only be taken from 6am-10:30am. We stayed at the Holiday Inn- Lincoln which is only 1.5 blocks away from the whole Consulate/Clinic complex, and about 2-3 blocks from a Banamex.

- Wednesday he got to the medical exam place across the street from the consulate at around 6:15am. He got checked in and then waited about 10 minutes. He was then called to give a signature and get his picture taken. After that, he then waited about 10-15 more minutes and then he was called into a little room with 5 other people to get his blood drawn. Next all the guys go to the top floor, and ladies stay on the same floor. After about 10 more minutes of waiting upstairs they called all of them into a room to get the x-ray taken. Right after taking the x-ray he went outside the room and a nurse weighed, measured, and took his blood pressure. Then put in an exam room and the nurse performed a really brief eye exam and asked for him to get 100% naked so that the doctor could check him out. In about 5 more minutes the doctor walked in; while he was standing up she checked his eyes, ears, mouth while at the same time asking if he had ever: been convicted of anything, taken any illegal drugs, have had any fractures. The physical exam did not last more than 5 minutes. Then lastly the Dr. said that since we were in for a K-3, vaccinations were not required. So that was it. The whole process took about 1:30 hours. Then he was asked to come back at 2:00pm to pick up the sealed black envelope with the results.

- Thursday. I flew into Cd. Juarez and we reviewed for the 200th time all of the documents just to make sure we had everything.

- Friday, we got to the consulate at around 5:30am (there was light out thanks to daylight savings time, and Juarez being in Mountain time zone!!) Both of us got in the line, even though I knew I wasn't going to be able to go into the Consulate with him. After listening to the guards for 30-45 minutes about what items were not permitted in the Consulate he got in. Then that's when the longest 7 hours of my life started!!! I waited across the street in a copy/photo/fax place where they set out tables for people to just wait. Since no cellphones are allowed in the Consulate you really have no idea what's going on.

His experience in the consulate is: (appointment letter said our appointment was for 7:30am)

- Got in at around 6:15am

- Went straight to "Building C" and sat down

- Waited until around 9:00am when I was called into a booth. There a very nice officer asked me for: passport, marriage certificates, birth certificates, 2x2 inch photos, tax information from my wife. He then put everything in order and asked some basic questions about:

- what types of visas have I had

- what kind of visa I had during my last visit

- if I had any of those visas with me

I only had copies of some of my earlier visas, but he said that it was OK and that he didn't need them. After about 5 minutes of being there he asked me to go back and sit down and that I was going to be called again. Basically this officer's main purpose is to receive the documents, and ask a few questions. If he sees something that could be a "red flag" for them, he highlights it or something like that so that the interviewing officer may ask further questions about it.

I went to sit down and 30 minutes later I was called again into another window. This step only involved taking my fingerprints. Right after this, the officer told me to go to "Building B". I walk there and get to a big room with about 1000 chairs. By the time I get here, 90% of these chairs were taken. I then waited until 11:25am when my name was called. Again, a very, very, nice officer interviewed me. While she was reviewing our paperwork, she asked me:

- To swear to tell the truth

- Who was asking for me

- Where did we meet

- If we had any children

- How long have we been married

- Who does she work for in the US

- What do I do for living

After these very simple questions I hear the most beautiful words: "OK, your visa is approved"!!! From this point on, I still had to wait until around 1:15pm to actually get my visa. It is the LONGEST wait. I kept thinking about my wife who was outside just waiting w/o knowing anything!!!

The officer didn't ask to see any of the other supporting documentation like: photos, emails, employment letters, bank statements, etc. It is highly recommended to have this just in case, but this is how it went with us.

At around 1:15pm they called me into another window to pick up my visa. From there I ran outside of the Consulate to meet my baby and hugged for like 5 minutes straight! Crying in beautiful Juarez!!!

We then ran to the hotel to pick up our bags and got a taxi to take us to the El Paso airport. The taxi was expensive, about $100 dollars, but he waited for us at the POE while we had our entry "interview". We got to the immigration office, waited for about 1 hour b/c there wasn't a single officer in any of the windows. After a while they started calling people into the windows, and when it got to us, he simply opened the sealed envelope you get in the Consulate with your visa and simply checked that the names matched. Asked a couple of silly questions like: "who's this girl next to you" (referring to my wife)...and that was about it. He then stamped my passport (the most beautiful sound we have heard in months) and we were finally "on the other side"!!!

We hope that this information helps anyone in the same boat that we were in. To me, it was very frustrating being in the consulate not knowing exactly what was the next step.

Thanks a lot again to everyone in the VJ community and good luck to everyone! Things can take a while, but they do happen!

[Callina 1]

Congratulations on the visa success and may God bless you and your wife with a life full of happiness!

[AnthonyS 0]

Congratulations!

[hafiz 1]

congrats

[TracyLuis 0]

Very wonderful news for you both!!! There´s no other feeling like getting your visa approved

[forchika 4]

CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW!!!!! GLAD YOU BOTH HAD A SAFE TRIP HOME!!!! HOPE YOUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH MUCH HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS!!!!!!

[snz1802 0]

Congratulations, that is wonderful news, good luck on the rest of your journey

[lynamon 0]

That's beautiful .. congratulations and best wishes!

[Becky&Sam 0]

Congratulations and best wishes for your new life together.

[takram2000 0]

Just a quick question? How come some people get approval in 35 days for I-129F and others anywhere 180 days? What seems to be problem? Any comments? suggestions? guesses? clues?

HERE ARE MY TIMELINE:

=====================

My Naturalization Process:

==========================

Filed: August, 16, 2004

Fingerprints notice: Feb 10, 2005

Interview notice: June 23, 2005

Interview date: August 10, 2005 (name Check Pending)

Filed Lawsuit 0n 07/11/2006 and got Oath.

Oath Ceremony: Sept. 15, 2006 I'm a citizen

My Wife I-130:

==============

Filed: 3-20-2006 (Based on Green Card)

NOA1: 3-22-2006

updated w/ citizenship: 9-18-06 (sent via FEDEX)

09/20/2006: Called USCIS to upgrade- No Help

10/02/2006: Recieved letter from USCIS, required copy of US citizenship even I did sent them as soon as I became US citizen on 09/18/2006.

10/07/2006: Once again I did send them US naturalization certificate copy by FEDEX.

10/31/06 - tried to upgrade again! - told to call back in 61 days from 09/18/2006. (this is normal?)

My wife K-3:

============

Mailed: Sept. 16, 2006

Received: Sept. 18, 2006

NOTICE date: Sept. 22, 2006

Received notice in mail: Sept. 27

10/25/06: Notice of transfer to Vermont Center issued

10/26/06: touched & status changed with notice of transfer

11/01/06: Touched

11/02/06: Touched

[TongandWei 0]

Congratulations!!!!!

[Rob and Melinda 0]

Congratulations!

Mel and I are so happy for you. We know how good this feels and the excitement you are feeling. Hoping your new life is so blessed with happiness and love.

Rob and Melinda

[malie 0]

Thank you all for such wonderful comments!

[The_dip_sticks 0]

Congratulations to the both of you.Have a wonderful reunion!!!!!