6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?

[Danno 1,228]

Buck & Natalia I am glad your paperwork went on to the next step, I am of course still waiting on mine.

Do you have a projected time-line when you expect visa to be in-hand?

[slim 1,525]

Therefore, to consolidate, I would have to seek out a third employer. It's not about extra hours, shifts, or different line of work.

That was exactly my point. Picking up a full-time job with a third employer that paid benefits would elimnate your need for working part-time at the other two.

I realize you're getting experience in your field and getting your foot in the door, so to speak, and in doing so, there are no benefits. That's the sacrifice that must be made in trying to work your way through school while gaining experience in your field. If you were to work your way through school at a different employer, you could have benefits.

However, it doesn't look so hot on your resume when you list "Night-time stock boy, Piggly Wiggly SuperMarket, 2002-Present" while applying at a law firm. So, the trade-off must be made.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

Buck & Natalia I am glad your paperwork went on to the next step, I am of course still waiting on mine.

Do you have a projected time-line when you expect visa to be in-hand?

If everything stays on track, then VISA in hand will probably be somewhere between mid-January and mid-February 2008.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

Sadly, most law firms really stick-it-to the clerks to limit benefits. The clerks then get to stick-it-to the firms when negotiating starting salary requirements when they become associate attorneys. However, the firms then stick-it-to the associates again regarding billable hour requirements. I don't miss any of this. It is probably too late to change course now, but are you really certain that you want to go into a profession where for the next several years you will mean nothing more to the partners of the firm than your billable hour totals? Of course, they will state just the opposite when hiring you. I am hard pressed to think of any profession more demanding on your time at the entry level or less suitable for starting a new family with a spouse immigrating from another country. On a more constructive note, if you do want to stay with the law, have you thought about working as an attorney in place with no billable hour requirements....... such as government attorney, in-house corporate counsel, or other less time-demanding area? Just a thought.

Actually, at both places that I have interned one was a solo practitioner and another is a professional corporation that is really just a one man team with occasional of counsel help were far from the typical firm structure.

To be honest if I could land an associate position with partnership track that would be pretty amazing considering the kind of debt I am in. The work or treatment wouldn't really scare me. My wife has been here for 3 years she is pretty much American now. Not an issue at all.

Of course the other options all sound fine except working for the government because it doesn't pay much. Might have to go solo too if I can't find a job. I am more scared of generating clients, since I seem to lack those kind of skills.

My schedule is crazy as it is already with working full time and going to school full time. For example today I left the home at 6:00am and won't return until 12:15am. So it can't be much more demanding than that.

Actually looking forward to BAR preparation where I will take the recommendation of not working for 2 months!

OK then..... she has been here for some time and it sounds like you two are weathering the working full-time/law school full-time schedule OK. If you two are surviving that schedule reasonably well then law firm work shouldn't pose that much difficulty. A little about BAR preparation: I was sooo ticked off after I finished my BAR preparation course and realized that they could have taught me all I really needed to know in a matter of months rather than zinging me for 3 years of law school tuition. Oh well...... I think law school is what they call an "informal market barrier entry." Good Luck studying for exam and passing the bar. After you take the bar exam, take a nice holiday with your wife if you can. You have both more than earned it at this point !!!

[Danno 1,228]

Buck & Natalia I am glad your paperwork went on to the next step, I am of course still waiting on mine.

Do you have a projected time-line when you expect visa to be in-hand?

If everything stays on track, then VISA in hand will probably be somewhere between mid-January and mid-February 2008.

I guess if there is a bright-side to all this, the airline ticket will be at the lowest price of the year.

[Satellite 1]

After you take the bar exam, take a nice holiday with your wife if you can. You have both more than earned it at this point !!!

I doubt it. She is in school full time too. I'm actually planning on looking for a job right after the exam. There is only so long you can survive with no or little income (if my wife finds a job by then). She quit her job after going to Russia this summer and has been unemployed since August. Of course I am just as mad as I was before the unnecessary and wasteful trip took place. You can read all about it here.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry744201

One of the few posts made by my wife.

[Danno 1,228]

Well I got some good news today,

I called NVC and was told my package is on the way to moscow, it was sent on the 7th of Nov I think.

I would add if anyone wants to actually TALK to a person on the phone at the number they give at NVC,

(603-334-0700) your best bet is to call before 10;oo am East coast time. Got right through each time.....well not "right through" but within a 5 min wait.

I was given a "case number" starting with MOS.

So how will I know when the case arrives to Moscow? The guy on the phone said it could take up to two months.

[russ 1]

I doubt it. She is in school full time too. I'm actually planning on looking for a job right after the exam. There is only so long you can survive with no or little income (if my wife finds a job by then). She quit her job after going to Russia this summer and has been unemployed since August. Of course I am just as mad as I was before the unnecessary and wasteful trip took place. You can read all about it here.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry744201

One of the few posts made by my wife.

My wife has 2 jobs now, in addition to being a full time grad student. I'm taking a break from Russian classes this semester, but I guess I'll be back to that in the spring. It's time for me to start grad school soon anyway, but that will be a lot easier once Galina is done with school herself.

We feel your pain.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

Well I got some good news today,

I called NVC and was told my package is on the way to moscow, it was sent on the 7th of Nov I think.

I would add if anyone wants to actually TALK to a person on the phone at the number they give at NVC,

(603-334-0700) your best bet is to call before 10;oo am East coast time. Got right through each time.....well not "right through" but within a 5 min wait.

I was given a "case number" starting with MOS.

So how will I know when the case arrives to Moscow? The guy on the phone said it could take up to two months.

Wait a week or so for it to arrive and then begin trying this email address: consulMo@state.gov

The Moscow Consulate responded to me within 4 days of receiving my email. Of course, they had not yet received my petition because it was not sent yet....... but they did respond timely as follows:

From: Consular2, Moscow [mailto:ConsularM2@state.gov] On Behalf Of Consular0, Moscow

Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 1:26 AM

To: Buck XXXXXXXXXX

Subject: RE: K1 Visa Status: WACXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As of today, we have not received the case from NVC

Sincerely,

Public Liaison Unit

Consular Section

US Embassy, Moscow

*** Note the "ConsularM2" reply email address. That might even be more direct.

Good Luck,

Buck

[slim 1,525]

Ahhh..... the everyday struggles of the married couples and the elation and joy at simply getting a case number for those going through the process. (Congrats Danno.... won't be too long now!)

There are times I wish I was back at that stage, waiting for an e-mail approval or case number to be issued. The joy and excitement, the endless waiting (which, in reality is only a few short weeks or months!) which is replaced by waiting for payday to pay the bills.......

The VJ process, aint it great?

[mox 298]

The VJ process, aint it great?

The VJ process, yes. It's great. This community has kept me sane. Well, sane-ish. The "V" process? Not so great. I mean, great for the alcohol industry. Not so great for me.

Edited November 9, 2007 by moxcamel

[Buck and Natalia 0]

The VJ process, aint it great?

The VJ process, yes. It's great. This community has kept me sane. Well, sane-ish. The "V" process? Not so great. I mean, great for the alcohol industry. Not so great for me.

Hahaha..... true. The process has not been so great for us either. We won't miss it at all. We have now hit a slight "snag" (called "Administrative Processing") regarding the NVC security checks. Apparently, red flags are being raised by my fiancee's past terrorist activities (she just wouldn't listen when I said "Don't bomb that bus"....... joke) or her former rank as a Major in the FSU police (not a joke)......... or that we will be unleashing her 17-year-old son on the American High School system (probaby more of a risk to him actually). Actually, I suspect that the increased security check is probably due to the fact that a known scammer was using the same name and surname as my fiancee. The computer may have beeped when it saw her name. We will now see how long this particular delay lasts.

[mox 298]

Actually, I suspect that the increased security check is probably due to the fact that a known scammer was using the same name and surname as my fiancee. The computer may have beeped when it saw her name. We will now see how long this particular delay lasts.

This is what worries me. My fiancee's ex-boyfriend started adding her to scammer sites after she dumped him. I've been trying to get her removed, and have been about 90% successful, but there are some sites that I just can't get her off of. I also have to keep going back to the old sites, because every now and then he trolls back through and adds her again. Really p**ses me off that it's so easy to get these women added, but so hard to get them removed when they're legitimate.

[slim 1,525]

or her former rank as a Major in the FSU police (not a joke).........

Wasn't she the one that could disassemble and reassemble the AK-47 within 30 seconds? (And was trained on hand grenades?) I'm sure she can if she was a Major.

It shouldn't really be a problem though, my neighbor (been here for years, from FSU) served with the Red Army in Afghanistan as a sniper, has loads of military training and all that, and just got checked through the FBI again for a visa to another country. No problems for him. Shouldn't be any problems for her either.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

or her former rank as a Major in the FSU police (not a joke).........

Wasn't she the one that could disassemble and reassemble the AK-47 within 30 seconds? (And was trained on hand grenades?) I'm sure she can if she was a Major.

It shouldn't really be a problem though, my neighbor (been here for years, from FSU) served with the Red Army in Afghanistan as a sniper, has loads of military training and all that, and just got checked through the FBI again for a visa to another country. No problems for him. Shouldn't be any problems for her either.

hahaha.... yes...... she is the one. Since Mox and I have been talking about that female Russian anger thing.... maybe I should have her storm the Moscow Consulate or something if they delay too long. Their grandmas were killing Nazi SS troopers in the snows around Stalingrad. How long would it take a group of enraged Russian women to dispatch some American bureaucrats? Hmmmm..... just a thought.