BINATIONAL SAME SEX COUPLES !! Show up!

[ivanalex1980 34]

We had the interview in Phoenix this Wed June 11th - after a long 90 min wait, the officer escorted us back and was very friendly and apologized for the long wait.

She said that she liked K-1 cases, since the Consulate/Embassy does all the hard work for them, so she didn't ask to look at any further documents or photos that we had brought. She asked the standard questions about criminal/terrorist activity and then told my husband, "Welcome to America!".

I was super relieved we didn't get a stern homophobe, haha!

I truly hope it goes just as smoothly for the rest of you!

Hi guys congratulations

as for us we are not going to have an interview, we got a notice of potential interview waiver but it will take a couple of months until they mail me my green card

[rjbntsk 5]

Hi guys congratulations

as for us we are not going to have an interview, we got a notice of potential interview waiver but it will take a couple of months until they mail me my green card

Thanks and good luck to you as well!

We finally got the Green Card in the mail today - now it's time to take a break for 1 year and 9 months, haha!

[zuluweta 250]

USCIS received date for AOS, EAD and AP package: 12 June 2014

Notice date for the corresponding NOA1 (I-797C) for all 3 applications: 16 June 2014

3 NOA1 notices received in the mailbox: 20 June 2014

More waiting for biometrics appointment notice, EAD and AP, and notice of interview for AOS. This immigration process feels like it's never ending! LOL

[Davesings 30]

USCIS received date for AOS, EAD and AP package: 12 June 2014

Notice date for the corresponding NOA1 (I-797C) for all 3 applications: 16 June 2014

3 NOA1 notices received in the mailbox: 20 June 2014

More waiting for biometrics appointment notice, EAD and AP, and notice of interview for AOS. This immigration process feels like it's never ending! LOL

Good luck on the next phase. We had biometrics June 3. Hoping to hear something by mid July!

[lilsadie 50]

Firstly, I apologise if this is the wrong place to start this conversation but after the Homophobia I have just experienced on a FB visa site I'm to worried to post it outside of this space.

What are peoples feelings about moving to the USA and Homophobia? Im from Australia where generally attitudes are pretty inclusive and relaxed about same sex couples.

Up until today I've been so excited to move to the USA but now I'm starting to realise that attitudes will be different. The USA is a lot more religious, I have no issue with that but Im really worried. My partner and I are hoping to start out litre family soon after we arrive and Im so worried that our babies will have to deal with negative attitudes, discrimination, etc.

Anyone from the USA is it ok? Will we have to really monitor who we tell we are married?

I have just had a horrible man quoting bile versus, telling me its evil, etc. its one of the first times Ive ever had to deal with this and its not a great feeling plus out of everyone that commented on said FB post I was the ONLY one who thought this homophobic attack was unacceptable. I am extremely blessed that my sexuality has never been an issue and its a wake up call that it could be.

once again, Im sorry for posting this here. I just don't want it on the main wall for people to air their opinions about my love life if they are not in a similar situation.

[Davesings 30]

Firstly, I apologise if this is the wrong place to start this conversation but after the Homophobia I have just experienced on a FB visa site I'm to worried to post it outside of this space.

What are peoples feelings about moving to the USA and Homophobia? Im from Australia where generally attitudes are pretty inclusive and relaxed about same sex couples.

Up until today I've been so excited to move to the USA but now I'm starting to realise that attitudes will be different. The USA is a lot more religious, I have no issue with that but Im really worried. My partner and I are hoping to start out litre family soon after we arrive and Im so worried that our babies will have to deal with negative attitudes, discrimination, etc.

Anyone from the USA is it ok? Will we have to really monitor who we tell we are married?

I have just had a horrible man quoting bile versus, telling me its evil, etc. its one of the first times Ive ever had to deal with this and its not a great feeling plus out of everyone that commented on said FB post I was the ONLY one who thought this homophobic attack was unacceptable. I am extremely blessed that my sexuality has never been an issue and its a wake up call that it could be.

once again, Im sorry for posting this here. I just don't want it on the main wall for people to air their opinions about my love life if they are not in a similar situation.

I think the answer depends upon where you will be living. In larger cities things are very accepting I'd say...but overall there is the trend toward acceptance across the country. But true, we have some pretty angry people especially on the internet. If you're going to be in LA I don't think you have to give it a second thought.

[Sukie 1,463]

Firstly, I apologise if this is the wrong place to start this conversation but after the Homophobia I have just experienced on a FB visa site I'm to worried to post it outside of this space.

What are peoples feelings about moving to the USA and Homophobia? Im from Australia where generally attitudes are pretty inclusive and relaxed about same sex couples.

Up until today I've been so excited to move to the USA but now I'm starting to realise that attitudes will be different. The USA is a lot more religious, I have no issue with that but Im really worried. My partner and I are hoping to start out litre family soon after we arrive and Im so worried that our babies will have to deal with negative attitudes, discrimination, etc.

Anyone from the USA is it ok? Will we have to really monitor who we tell we are married?

I have just had a horrible man quoting bile versus, telling me its evil, etc. its one of the first times Ive ever had to deal with this and its not a great feeling plus out of everyone that commented on said FB post I was the ONLY one who thought this homophobic attack was unacceptable. I am extremely blessed that my sexuality has never been an issue and its a wake up call that it could be.

once again, Im sorry for posting this here. I just don't want it on the main wall for people to air their opinions about my love life if they are not in a similar situation.

I second the answer: it depends on where you will be living.

If you are in a Marriage Equality State - you have about a 70% chance of never having any issues. If you do not, you have about a 5% chance of never having any issues.

I'm a USC and my partner is a Queenslander. I came out at 15 and she came out at 49. We're both pushing 60 now. I have a lot more internalized homophobia than she does, because I grew up in Alabama, and hid my sexuality for many many years. She hasn't lived through some of the fights that we, as a group, have fought.

We live about two hours north of New York City. We've never had any trouble - even though we live in a really rural area. That said, we don't go around being lesbians first and foremost - we are just two country women living on 20 acres and having the same troubles with shoveling snow, and tick bites, conserving water and high fuel prices that everyone else has.

Australia is far less religious than the US - you are correct. But the Catholic Church in Australia is the main reason that Australia does not have Marriage Equality yet. So choose where you live carefully. There are pockets of rabidly conservative people even in California!

Do not measure any group of people by some of the sick folk on the internet. Some of the trolls are just out there to hurt anyone they can. As long as you are in a minority (be it by gender, race, color, creed, religion/non, age, or sexuality), you will be picked on by the majority.

Look what they did to Delta Goodrum last year!!!!

Sukie in Oz

[zuluweta 250]

Good luck on the next phase. We had biometrics June 3. Hoping to hear something by mid July!

Thanks! Didn't have to wait long for the biometrics appointment letter as that arrived in the mail Monday June 23. Will try to do early walk-in as the July 16 appointment is 3 weeks away!

The predicted timelines indicate August adjudications for EAD and AP.

[zuluweta 250]

Battling religious discrimination against same-sex couples

By Lourdes Santos Tancinco

Link here: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/105476/battling-religious-discrimination-against-same-sex-couples

[hklad 9]

Firstly, I apologise if this is the wrong place to start this conversation but after the Homophobia I have just experienced on a FB visa site I'm to worried to post it outside of this space.

What are peoples feelings about moving to the USA and Homophobia? Im from Australia where generally attitudes are pretty inclusive and relaxed about same sex couples.

Up until today I've been so excited to move to the USA but now I'm starting to realise that attitudes will be different. The USA is a lot more religious, I have no issue with that but Im really worried. My partner and I are hoping to start out litre family soon after we arrive and Im so worried that our babies will have to deal with negative attitudes, discrimination, etc.

Anyone from the USA is it ok? Will we have to really monitor who we tell we are married?

I have just had a horrible man quoting bile versus, telling me its evil, etc. its one of the first times Ive ever had to deal with this and its not a great feeling plus out of everyone that commented on said FB post I was the ONLY one who thought this homophobic attack was unacceptable. I am extremely blessed that my sexuality has never been an issue and its a wake up call that it could be.

once again, Im sorry for posting this here. I just don't want it on the main wall for people to air their opinions about my love life if they are not in a similar situation.

I agree with the other posters about being more accepted in a big city than in rural America. Seeing you will be going to L.A., you should be fine, but there is homophobia everywhere. On the internet, I have learned long time ago that everybody has an opinion and somehow people gets much more aggressive behind a keyboard and a monitor. The best thing to do is to ignore them and unfriend the guy pronto. A true friend and a true Christian don't judge and he failed both obviously. I live in a non-marriage equality state and a part that is more conservative. Again, I've never encountered any problems. All my neighbors know about us and are very supportive. So be positive, don't let one bad apple influence your view and when you get here, don't watch Fox News and you will be just fine.

Status just changed for I-765 EAD application to approved today. Yay! Good timing too as I just received a job offer. Good luck to everyone in the same journey

[Sukie 1,463]

Yesterday was our "Immiversary". We've now been in the Green Card process for one whole year. We filed the day after DOMA was repealed. I wrote this on my Facebook page...

One year ago today, one day after Section 3 of DOMA was repealed, Julie and I started on what was supposed to be a 5-month journey through the US Green Card process for a spousal visa. Due to bureaucratic ineptitude, 365 days later, Julie is still in Australia without a Green Card. During this year, we've endured two major health scares, the death of a parent, the death of a dear pet, the costs of multiple trans-Pacific airline flights - and have spent more days apart in our separate countries than we have together.

It has been a long, frustrating process. I have never felt as impotent or as helpless or as angry as I have during this past year. The system appears to punish those of us who try to follow the rules and do things by the book. Who knew that every government department we've had to deal with has a different book of rules??? Who knew that one set of rules is out-of-date by five years, and still hasn't been corrected, and that it would cost us yet another month of being apart? Who knew that the thousands of dollars necessary to move through this process give you no assurance of ANY customer service?

The year has been a terrible one - but for those bi-national couples where one member is from a high-risk or high-fraud country such as Nigeria, Pakistan or Egypt, the wait could be far worse than 365 days. The process is so very broken.

The light is at the end of the tunnel. Julie and I will be at the US Consulate in Sydney next week for the visa interview. We hope that within another month, we will be able to walk through immigration at JFK together - and that we never have to worry about Julie being turned away again.

Prayers and good thoughts for a positive outcome on July 1st are welcomed!

Sukie

[dibel 0]

Yesterday was our "Immiversary". We've now been in the Green Card process for one whole year. We filed the day after DOMA was repealed. I wrote this on my Facebook page...

One year ago today, one day after Section 3 of DOMA was repealed, Julie and I started on what was supposed to be a 5-month journey through the US Green Card process for a spousal visa. Due to bureaucratic ineptitude, 365 days later, Julie is still in Australia without a Green Card. During this year, we've endured two major health scares, the death of a parent, the death of a dear pet, the costs of multiple trans-Pacific airline flights - and have spent more days apart in our separate countries than we have together.

It has been a long, frustrating process. I have never felt as impotent or as helpless or as angry as I have during this past year. The system appears to punish those of us who try to follow the rules and do things by the book. Who knew that every government department we've had to deal with has a different book of rules??? Who knew that one set of rules is out-of-date by five years, and still hasn't been corrected, and that it would cost us yet another month of being apart? Who knew that the thousands of dollars necessary to move through this process give you no assurance of ANY customer service?

The year has been a terrible one - but for those bi-national couples where one member is from a high-risk or high-fraud country such as Nigeria, Pakistan or Egypt, the wait could be far worse than 365 days. The process is so very broken.

The light is at the end of the tunnel. Julie and I will be at the US Consulate in Sydney next week for the visa interview. We hope that within another month, we will be able to walk through immigration at JFK together - and that we never have to worry about Julie being turned away again.

Prayers and good thoughts for a positive outcome on July 1st are welcomed!

Sukie

Glad to read that you are at the end of the journey, my husband and I have been going trough a similar journey. However, we can't complain too much since we have had the fortune to be together. We have been together since 1999 and have been legally married since 2003, we were married in Canada and immediately thereafter the Belgian government recognized our marriage and allowed us to stay together. My husband always stayed hopeful that someday he could go back home with his spouse. We filed a couple of weeks after the DOMA repeal and have been through this process for almost a year now. Even though it has been very frustrating, it hurts me to think what some other people might be going through. We all have come a long way, but there still is a long way to travel. If they really are serious about immigration-reform, they also should consider streamlining the process and adapting it to the modern age.

[Davesings 30]

I agree with the other posters about being more accepted in a big city than in rural America. Seeing you will be going to L.A., you should be fine, but there is homophobia everywhere. On the internet, I have learned long time ago that everybody has an opinion and somehow people gets much more aggressive behind a keyboard and a monitor. The best thing to do is to ignore them and unfriend the guy pronto. A true friend and a true Christian don't judge and he failed both obviously. I live in a non-marriage equality state and a part that is more conservative. Again, I've never encountered any problems. All my neighbors know about us and are very supportive. So be positive, don't let one bad apple influence your view and when you get here, don't watch Fox News and you will be just fine.

Status just changed for I-765 EAD application to approved today. Yay! Good timing too as I just received a job offer. Good luck to everyone in the same journey

Congrats on the I-765 approval! Hopefully ours is coming soon.

[Davesings 30]

Yesterday was our "Immiversary". We've now been in the Green Card process for one whole year. We filed the day after DOMA was repealed. I wrote this on my Facebook page...

One year ago today, one day after Section 3 of DOMA was repealed, Julie and I started on what was supposed to be a 5-month journey through the US Green Card process for a spousal visa. Due to bureaucratic ineptitude, 365 days later, Julie is still in Australia without a Green Card. During this year, we've endured two major health scares, the death of a parent, the death of a dear pet, the costs of multiple trans-Pacific airline flights - and have spent more days apart in our separate countries than we have together.

It has been a long, frustrating process. I have never felt as impotent or as helpless or as angry as I have during this past year. The system appears to punish those of us who try to follow the rules and do things by the book. Who knew that every government department we've had to deal with has a different book of rules??? Who knew that one set of rules is out-of-date by five years, and still hasn't been corrected, and that it would cost us yet another month of being apart? Who knew that the thousands of dollars necessary to move through this process give you no assurance of ANY customer service?

The year has been a terrible one - but for those bi-national couples where one member is from a high-risk or high-fraud country such as Nigeria, Pakistan or Egypt, the wait could be far worse than 365 days. The process is so very broken.

The light is at the end of the tunnel. Julie and I will be at the US Consulate in Sydney next week for the visa interview. We hope that within another month, we will be able to walk through immigration at JFK together - and that we never have to worry about Julie being turned away again.

Prayers and good thoughts for a positive outcome on July 1st are welcomed!

Sukie

We are sending you all best thoughts for a speedy resolution. I am so sorry the case has taken so long, but happy to hear an interview is coming up next week! Best of luck!!

[hklad 9]

Congrats on the I-765 approval! Hopefully ours is coming soon.

Yeah, my case is moving faster than expected, and that is hopefully a good sign for the rest of you too. I didn't expect to see any update till first week of July, plus I did receive an RFE for the AoS, which put the I-765 on hold while they waited for my response. Good luck and it will come Will update you all when I get the tracking number of the mail.