Made it to Oregon

[together2love 0]

Well,

Finally back in the USA! I have finally settled down here in Oregon after a horrible experience at the Oroville, Washington border! We were originally going to go through Sumas, but there was snow for part of the way so we decided to go the "flatter" way down Highway 97 - I would have rather taken the chance of my uhaul trailer sliding off the edge, than go back to Oroville again

As we were driving towards the border I blurted out that we should have went the other way because these people are not going to know what to do and we are going to be here forever - guess I should have listed to my gut instinct! We got to the border at around 7:30am last Sunday. We told them that we were there to activate my k1 visa. The fellow at the booth asked what was in the trailer. . . I told him "my life" and that seemed to be a good enough response for him. Then another younger lady asked to see inside the trailer so I showed her and also gave her the list of box #s and belonging - and she just glanced inside.

We were then asked to go inside for them to activate my visa. Another fellow at the desk asked me for my 2 passport pictures. I told him that I didn't know that I was required to submit to them 2 extra passport pics along with the sealed brown envelope and passport. He rudely said that I would have to turn around and go get them done before they could activate my visa and that the consulate in Vancouver doesn't always know everything ( - they were much more pleasant and helpful than this guy). I told him I might have one extra somewhere within my boxes that I could try and find for him and he said to go and find it while they find me in the system! I was near tears (and at one pointed actually cried) trying to dig through all my belongings trying to find the one pic i thought I had. My fiance was trying to calm me down. . . but clearly I knew (from VJ) that this was not required, so I was more angry than anything!

I finally found the pic and went back in and gave it to the man. He said it was too small and he couldn't use it (little did I know that he had just found out that the reason they were having so many problems finding me in the system was because they were looking under the Immigrant visa catagory, not the NON-immigrant visa catagory, which is what they should have been looking under). So, instead of apologizing and admitting that he was wrong in thinking that this was an immigrant visa, he just said that the pic was too small and he would see what he could do! My future sister-in-law was sitting in the building while I was finding my pic outside and listening to ALL of the border officials crowded around the one computer which was being used to find my file - which they couldn't find, when one finally blurted out that maybe this is a non-immigrant visa. Well, obviously they found me in the non-immigrant visa category and the original guy was obviously wrong!

They sent me to a secondary room, and made the "rookie" (this is what she called herself), take all 10 of my fingerprints and picture as well as ask me for information that was already infront of her listed in the opened brown envelope she was holding! You should have seen the annoyed, angry face they took of me when they took my pic!

By this time it was after 8am and the new shift had started. I'm so thankful that it did, because a new fellow came on shift who had luckly actually activated alot of these visas because he had worked at an airport for many years before this. He, of course, was sent into the room when they had finished all my prints (clearly he knew that it wasn't necessary to do this but it was already done). He took over the case, and was finished within 15 minutes - really nice guy.

As I was leaving all the other officials were trying to tell me that this was a multiple entry visa. I said that was interesting, considering right on the k1 visa it writes that it is valid for 1 entry only. The one officer grabbed the passport outta my hands in disbelief and saw that I was right, and said to come see him when I wanted to cross the border again on the visa and that he would give me a "multiple entry" stamp on the visa. This is how out of clue these people were at this crossing. Then right as I left my fiance heard one of them tell me "now you can stop crying" as a couple laughed after! I'm glad that I didn't hear that because I would have had words for those guys! I left around 9am!

Note to you all - DON'T go through Oroville to activate the k1 visa - they have NO idea of what they are doing! It was way more stressful that the actual interview was! At least I made it! Sorry for another long post - I just needed to vent!

[CutienPurg 0]

WOW!

Glad you arrived safe and sound in spite of the difficult crossing.

Good Luck with your life!!!

[hockeygal 0]

well, that is good to know, because we were thinking we'd cross there at Osoyoos too! I will stick with Peace Arch, I think!

At least you got across, and you are where you belong now.

[mozplay 29]

Awwww .. sorry to hear that it was such a frustrating experience - however, it's now one more thing behind you. Enjoy the fruits of your labour!!!

Mo

[together2love 0]

well, that is good to know, because we were thinking we'd cross there at Osoyoos too! I will stick with Peace Arch, I think!

At least you got across, and you are where you belong now.

Yes, even if you have to wait in line at the Peach Arch, I would go there. I know Sumas is a good crossing to go though too.

[meauxna 15]

Note to you all - DON'T go through Oroville to activate the k1 visa - they have NO idea of what they are doing! It was way more stressful that the actual interview was! At least I made it! Sorry for another long post - I just needed to vent!

Well you've had them all well trained now--future crossers will find it a breeze!

Welcome to America and to Oregon (we have the BEST District Office!). I hope it wasn't you who brought this rain today, because I would have to vote for sending you back.

Enjoy your new home!

[Waiting in Vancouver 6]

Congrats and welcome to the US ...

[Jersey Girl 2]

Good grief! Just when you thought you had the visa and it would be clear sailing! Just goes to show how unpredictable this whole thing can be. Congratulations on finally making it!

[Leafgal 3]

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, and thanks for the warning I am sure many will find it good to know. And glad to hear you are home safe and sound now. Best of luck.

[Married_my_love 0]

Gosh, it's one thing for them not to know what to do, but quite another to be MEAN and make fun of you crying. Shame on them. Bullies trying to cover up that they didn't know what the heck they were doing.

Do we have a place here on VJ to post where NOT to cross? or crossing reviews?

ps, you are getting married on our 1 yr anniversary. Neato!

[cdancer 0]

HOLY #######!!!!! I have to say I did learn something from you...the little quiet CAN/USA border crossing, what you would think to be a quick entry is not always the case! My new home will be Oregon also! I live

near Victoria BC and was thinking of taking the Victoria to Port Angeles Ferry to do my formal entry (k3)into the USA. I sure hope they have their Sh*t together! I guess it doesn't hurt to have extra passport photos on hand up front. Anyway! Congrats on making it this far for the process! Gee talk about the Oregon Trail! LOL Denise/cdancer

[together2love 0]

Note to you all - DON'T go through Oroville to activate the k1 visa - they have NO idea of what they are doing! It was way more stressful that the actual interview was! At least I made it! Sorry for another long post - I just needed to vent!

Well you've had them all well trained now--future crossers will find it a breeze!

Welcome to America and to Oregon (we have the BEST District Office!). I hope it wasn't you who brought this rain today, because I would have to vote for sending you back.

Enjoy your new home!

You have got to tell me that it doesn't rain this intensely ALL the time here! People here are saying that this is a little unusual, so I hope their right. And I really could have caused this rain (I got 3 good days of nice weather before it started) because when I moved to my mom's house to spend the week with her in Saskatchewan, it snowed 2 feet! She blamed that on me saying that she had never seen it snow in the middle of October there. . . so I don't mind if you blame the rain on me. . . oops!

Gosh, it's one thing for them not to know what to do, but quite another to be MEAN and make fun of you crying. Shame on them. Bullies trying to cover up that they didn't know what the heck they were doing.

Do we have a place here on VJ to post where NOT to cross? or crossing reviews?

ps, you are getting married on our 1 yr anniversary. Neato!

Yes, the wedding is still going as planned! Enjoy your anniversary date. . . I know my fiance and I will be !

[meauxna 15]

You have got to tell me that it doesn't rain this intensely ALL the time here!

Oh sure, yeah, this is er, um, not normal at all! It's usually sunny here straight through... oh forget it, I can't

It's true, this is NOT normal--I'm waiting for the ark to stop by and pick me up later today!

Blame it on Hawaii.. that's where they say it's coming from. At least it's warm!

Just remember, all that moisture is good for your complexion....

Good days for staying inside an unpacking, er, something! Enjoy!

[together2love 0]

You have got to tell me that it doesn't rain this intensely ALL the time here!

Oh sure, yeah, this is er, um, not normal at all! It's usually sunny here straight through... oh forget it, I can't

It's true, this is NOT normal--I'm waiting for the ark to stop by and pick me up later today!

Blame it on Hawaii.. that's where they say it's coming from. At least it's warm!

Just remember, all that moisture is good for your complexion....

Good days for staying inside an unpacking, er, something! Enjoy!

Yes, good for the complexion. . . I really don't care if it rains here now. . . I can only hope the more it rains now, the less it will rain on Dec.30th! Fat chance of that I think

But, it is warm I will give you that. I went for a run with my fiance and nearly forgot how to breath because it is so humid. It is like running in a sauna!

[Waiting in Vancouver 6]

You have got to tell me that it doesn't rain this intensely ALL the time here!

Oh sure, yeah, this is er, um, not normal at all! It's usually sunny here straight through... oh forget it, I can't

It's true, this is NOT normal--I'm waiting for the ark to stop by and pick me up later today!

Blame it on Hawaii.. that's where they say it's coming from. At least it's warm!

Just remember, all that moisture is good for your complexion....

Good days for staying inside an unpacking, er, something! Enjoy!

Atleast you guys blame Hawaii ... Over here in Chicago area they are always saying the cold fronts are coming from Canada ...

Whenever I meet people here in Illinois as soon as they find out I am Canadian they say to me "damn canadians and the cold front" ... Ya like we are up there making this cold front ... ROFL