I know every situation is different but...

[cyrus]

what has some of you guys experience been with your fiance accepting a fiance visa instead of marriage in her country? I know that it is very important to be married in front of family and idealy thats what I would like to do but in my situation its almost impossible.
I used my vacation when I met her the first time and now im all out. If I were to get married down there Id have to take mucho time off because I beleive that I have to go to Bogota to file the marriage visa (shes in Cali) or am I mistaken? Can she file without me? If thats the case I may be able to do it that way.
My other thought was I could file the fiance visa and once its all approved I could take a Thurs Friday off fly up and have the reception for her familys benefit and then leave that weekend with her to go back home. Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? (CALLING PETE E lol) Im knowlegdable about the fiance visa but im ignorant to how the marriage visa works. Thanks in advance fellas. Doesent American vacation times suck!! 2 weeks a year ouchh

[Pete E]

... in response to I know every situation is different but...., posted by cyrus on Aug 27, 2001

Cyrus,
With a spousal visa you only need to go to the initial interview.You don't need an appointment,show up at the main gate around 12.30,go to immigrant visa entrance to left.You need to present your wife and any children who will be coming to them.They may ask a few questions,like where did you meet.She can go back for the 2nd appt.approx.10 working days later.You don't need to be at this.She will be given more things to get done at the first interview,medical,ect.
You could fly in on Saturday,get married on Sunday(The marriage certificate must be back dated to a week day,they did this for us),go to the Embassy Monday and leave the same day,without her of course.She can fly here when she gets her visa approx.2weeks later.
The advantage of the spousal visa,other than acceptability to her and her family,is it is all over in 2 weeks.2 years later you send a form to the INS to make her permanent.She gets her gren card in the mail about 6 weeks after she gets here(process started by INS when she enters the US.)She can get her Social security card 2 weeks after she gets here and go to work right away if she wants.Also,its very important to the woman to get married with her family.You don't have to go back and do it over for her benefit.
Of course with the fiancee visa you get 90 days to check out her and her reaction to the US.That first 90 days is tough,I bet couples have given up on each other that wouldn't have if they got married.

Pete

[Larry in Dallas]

... in response to Re: I know every situation is different ..., posted by Pete E on Aug 27, 2001

Howdy Pete:

  At miami, just like Dallas, Texas wrote to you I was also told 6 to 9 months.  Did you get your green card in 6 weeks?  If so, what gives with texians getting theirs in 6 to 9 months and californians taking only 6 weeks?
  Marriage to Nidyan has been great and I am very blessed to have her.  How is Rocio?

                                     Sincerely,

                                     Larry in Dallas

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: I know every situation is differ..., posted by Larry in Dallas on Aug 28, 2001

Larry,
It seemed like 6 weeks,it wasn't over 10 weeks I'm sure that we got the green card.I think they warn you of the longest time it might take.The INS at the airport in Miami started the process,same as you.I don't think the state matters.Let us know when Nidyan gets hers so we can check the time.
Actually the social security card may be more important in the short run,to get a drivers licence or work.We went in to social security when Rocio first got here,but they wouldn't order a card right away because when the Embassy in Bogota wrote her visa number in her passport they wrote over one number.Social Security was waiting for it to show on their computer before we could order the card.In the meantime the green card showed up,which satisfied them.Other than that glich SS was easy.John Bradshaw went through immigration with his new wife Lorena last week and I think they told him 3-6 months.Maybe they are slower now,hopefully they are just estimating long.
I'm glad every thing is good with you and Nidyan.Is she going through any homesickness?This is very common.Rocio is doing fine and getting better with english.We now have a tutor for her 4 hours a week and she is learning faster than at the schools.She even got offered a job by a friend of a friend but I haven't heard about it lately,I'm not sure if she is still going to do it.We took a 2 week summer vacation to see my family(Nevada,Idaho,Oregon,Washington).
We will be going to Cali over Christmas.I only want to spend a week to 10 days there and then take Rocio to the beach somewhere.John honeymooned in Santa Marta and said it was great and innexpensive.We may go there for a week.Rocio says"I just want to see my mother".I told her she can go early enough to see her mother all she wants but I want to do something else also.Some of us are getting together in Cali again.Are you going?
Been riding any Greyhounds lately?If you never got on another one it would probably be too soon.

Pete

[Larry in Dallas]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: I know every situation is di..., posted by Pete E on Aug 28, 2001

Hello Pete:
    No me gusta Greyhound mucho!!!  we are doing great but at times Nidyan is very homesick for her family.  She is learning english at a community college in Dallas-actually started tonight.
  Getting a job is not an option for us, but a requirement.   Us poor schoolteachers don't make much plata!
  I don't regret getting married at all-Nidyan is a Godsend to me!!!  Why could not I have learned about Colombia much sooner!!!!  Nidyan may have to go by herself for Christmas-have to wait and see!  

  How is Doug doing?

                                  Sincerely,

                                  Larry laudig

                                 SIncere

[DallasTexas]

... in response to Re: I know every situation is different ..., posted by Pete E on Aug 27, 2001

My wife arrived here on July 10th and we still have not received her green card. We were told at the port that it would take 6-9 months? The SSAN card did only take 16 days but it was hell to get!

[Golden]

... in response to Re: Re: I know every situation is differ..., posted by DallasTexas on Aug 27, 2001

n/t

[DallasTexas]

... in response to Tell me little about what was hard about..., posted by Golden on Aug 27, 2001

Well for me getting the social security card was hard because I didn't have her drivers license! Yeah sounds weird!  Went to the DPS to get a drivers license and they wanted her to have a social security card. Went to the social security and they wanted something other than a certified copy of our marriage license (GO FIGURE THAT ONE!) they finally accepted the temporary drivers license (which we got after 4 hours of argument with the DPS).