Approved !!!!! Refiled K1, Stokes, 5 year journey over.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Our 5 year journey has ended successfully !
We met in 2009 and I filed the first petition in 2010 which was approved after 51/2 month at CSC, however the K1 was refused after
16 looooong months in AP.
Petition was returned, I fought for reaffirmation like a trooper but USCIS let it expire in storage as usual.
Time was wasted with that battle.

Re filed in 2014 and CSC approved the petition in 58 days.
NVC transferred our case to the wrong embassy and it took about 2 months to get it to the correct consulate.

Interview was Oct 22.
Very courteous CO, polite and professional, unlike the rude CO we had the first time around.

My fiance was asked about 35 question for an hour with several repeat questions.
A fresh police report was then requested even though the current one had not expired.
He also requested a certified divorce certificate which I had definitely already send (frontloaded in petition and again for interview).
He said we will be in AP and awaiting the additional items but not to worry it would not be as long as the last time.

I was in contact almost non stop the entire night with my fiance on skype right before entering the embassy
and after the interview we talked again.

I finally drifted off to sleep and a couple hours later the phone rang.
I usually feel like a bed-head-grouch-in the morning before my first cup of java and let it go to the voice mail, especially
after being zombiefied and sleep deprived and fretting all night.
I felt an urge to answer and was so glad I did.
"Hello this is XXXX.....from the embassy and would it be ok to ask you a few questions...."
I shot straight up in bed and was wide awake and (how I don't know) switched to my professional voice. STOKES interview was all I was thinking.

He also said he could see the love between us from our photos but had questions.
I kept on babbling more than needed and he had to interrupt me a few times.
Hey...here was my chance and I wasn't going to let go convincing this guy that we are the real deal.

The next day I received an email that the K1 was approved, no new documents needed and for my fiance to drop the passport off for the visa.
Today I received an email for him to pick up the visa and the ceac online status said ISSUED.
Yayyyy ! I thank God first of all without whom I could not have prevailed for so long and who held me up when I was down,
my friends and support system and VJ was a huge help every step along the way.

I had told my fiance even if we aren't approved this guy is really very nice and professional and it goes to show you that
CO's don't have to act obnoxiously rude to dig and ask hard questions.
It can be done with tact and respect as it should.

This journey was the most difficult thing we had ever done and he got high BP out of it and I got digestive issues from all the stress.
AP was the hardest, the black hole of an abyss, unknown and frightening, topped off with the disappointment of the refusal and return.

He asked us why we hung in there so long and why didn't we just look elsewhere for an easier relationship after all these years.
My answer was because I am not a quitter. You just don't give up because it gets hard and you don't turn your back on your love
because things aren't going as smooth as you expected.
You stick it out ! My fiance was asked the same and said :" I could never leave her, I am fully committed because I love her so much."

My encouragement for you who are still on your journey and having a rough time, hang in there and keep on keeping on
one day at a time.

First filed K1 refusal and another CO's statement after I confronted her on one of my visits while in AP :
I asked what was the problem and she replied : " I just have a gut feeling and I don't think this would be a lasting marriage."
No factual evidence at all but she based her refusal on her gut feeling which may just have been a bowl of beans she ate that day who knows !
She wanted more evidence and we supplied 12 pounds of it to which she replied "I am not reading all of this I have no time for this".
I asked what evidence would she like to have and she replied : " I can't tell you that...convince me."
Seriously ?! It was all a nightmare. My fiance tried to tell her how much he loved me and she sternly told him to be quiet.
So how do you convince someone who doesn't allow you to talk and refuses to look at your evidence ?!

Current K1 : CO said you sure do have a lot of evidence but I understand why because of your previous experience.

I front loaded 600 pages of quality evidence spanning the relationship from the beginning to current,
various methods of communication to email exchanges with the previous CO, senators and congressman.
My gripes with the process and email to the CSC director and a 3 page relationship timeline
plus the previous filed petitions.
I then send a copy of it to my fiance to drag it all to the embassy.
At first they said it is too much we can't take it but he insisted that they take it and they did.
The assistant had to hand carry all of it from across town, my fiance can't
cross the border into the main embassy of the city.

It took me days to process that we were approved per email the next day, it all felt surreal. I couldn't even post it here yet.
I wanted to wait until the READY online status changed to READY OPEN, then from the still scary AP (issuing ap) to ISSUED.
I was still waiting to exhale.....still waiting for the next bomb shell to drop
on us.....well I exhaled now and we are so happy to begin our lives together under one roof.

Sweet success.

I thank God, who is my rock and strength, for victory in this very long battle.
Thank you VJ for all your help and encouragement.
Thank you my close VJ friends who were there for me year after year, on the phone and online,
even after some are now looking to ROC already and we started the journey at the same time, we will catch up !
Love you all and again thank you

[Pitaya 2,577]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

[pfrederiksen 22]

Wow, that's crazy. I wonder what caused your process to be so difficult. Seems like most interviews are in and out in a few minutes!

[G Walters 136]

Congrats on this. Hang in there.

[Team MicVic! 46]

Sending a HUGE Congratulations to you both and many, many years of wedded bliss!

[Ikedi 4]

You go girl!! You both deserve all the happiness in the world. Nothing can break you both ever after going thru this craziness!! May God bless your upcoming union and future. Congratulations

[slangofoil 50]

Wow wow wow. Such a tough road. Congratulations!

[J&N071213 57]

Congratulations

[TS2014 7]

Congrats!!!

[supawoman1 5]

Congratulations. ..

[Chuksteddylove 22]

OMG this is great! Congratulations girl! And I wish you a happy married life in advance.

[Peace&Love 26]

Wonderful news!!! Love and blessings......

[Melow 4]

Congratulations!!! And that is a well deserved congratulations! Best of luck to spending the rest of eternity together!!!

[sara..... 371]

I have seen your post thru all that you have gone thru big congratulations

sara

[YouAndMeForever 1,022]

I'm SO happy for you guys!!!! CONGRATS!!!!