I made it, aka the long overdue report of my experiences
May 31st 2002, 4:58 pm
#1
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 76
I made it, aka the long overdue report of my experiences
Hi everyone 
It's been a while since I last posted here to update people on what has been going on with me and BestGirl, so here is an update. Warning - this is long.
I got my visa on April 29th, BestGirl was there with me I had already booked a ticket to fly over (against my better judgement, but BestGirl was confident).
The day finally came around for me to fly out once and for all. Everything was packed and ready. The day did not start too well, when I got to the airport, the checkin desk clerk told me that I needed a return ticket to fly to the US (after the 9/11 attacks security on this matter was tightened, so they said). I told her that I had a fiance visa in my passport and would be living in the US. She still did not think it was right. Luckily, one of her colleagues piped up and said that yes, I could fly out with no return as long as I had a valid visa. Crisis averted, but my nerves were not the best.
The flight itself was fine. Long, of course, but it was pleasant enough.
Now for the interesting part. I arrived into Detroit Metro airport at about 5pm. We were ushered off the plane and made our way around to the INS checkpoint. There were about a dozen desks open, with about half for US citizens and the rest for us foreign folks. I picked a line with a couple of people ahead of me, but unfortunately the official was a bit of a muppet. He took about 15 minutes dealing with this couple while everyone around him was processing people nice and quickly. Then they opened up all the other desks for foreign passport holders as all the US citizens seemed to have gone through. The two people in front of me both headed to another line (even the guy at the front, Doh!). The official then motioned me forwards. I told him that I had a fiance visa and he just told me to hand everything I had over to him. This included: Passport with visa in, Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope*, white I-94 card (given to me on the plane) and white customs form (again, given to me on the plane). He went through all this, opening the MSBE in front of me. He then went to ask one of his collegues where he should stamp the forms and did it whn he got back. He asked me how we met, when I had visited the US, when we met in person, etc. Then he stapled the bottom of the I-94 into my passport and stamped it and the visa. He then stamped the date by which we have to get married on the I-94. After he had finished stamping everything he explained that I had to get married within 90 days and then adjust my status, and that was it. I was legally in the US
I went and retrieved my bags, went through customs (couple mre questions, nothing much) and then I got to see my sweetheart again.
All in all, a long day, but well worth it. There were no problem at the POE and it was quite easy.
The short version, I made it, it was not as hard as I had imagined.
*The MSBE actually contained the paperwork BestGirl had filed for the I-129F including the proof of relationship material as well as some documents from the Embassy
Rick
It's been a while since I last posted here to update people on what has been going on with me and BestGirl, so here is an update. Warning - this is long.
I got my visa on April 29th, BestGirl was there with me
I had already booked a ticket to fly over (against my better judgement, but BestGirl was confident). The day finally came around for me to fly out once and for all. Everything was packed and ready. The day did not start too well, when I got to the airport, the checkin desk clerk told me that I needed a return ticket to fly to the US (after the 9/11 attacks security on this matter was tightened, so they said). I told her that I had a fiance visa in my passport and would be living in the US. She still did not think it was right. Luckily, one of her colleagues piped up and said that yes, I could fly out with no return as long as I had a valid visa. Crisis averted, but my nerves were not the best.
The flight itself was fine. Long, of course, but it was pleasant enough.
Now for the interesting part. I arrived into Detroit Metro airport at about 5pm. We were ushered off the plane and made our way around to the INS checkpoint. There were about a dozen desks open, with about half for US citizens and the rest for us foreign folks. I picked a line with a couple of people ahead of me, but unfortunately the official was a bit of a muppet. He took about 15 minutes dealing with this couple while everyone around him was processing people nice and quickly. Then they opened up all the other desks for foreign passport holders as all the US citizens seemed to have gone through. The two people in front of me both headed to another line (even the guy at the front, Doh!). The official then motioned me forwards. I told him that I had a fiance visa and he just told me to hand everything I had over to him. This included: Passport with visa in, Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope*, white I-94 card (given to me on the plane) and white customs form (again, given to me on the plane). He went through all this, opening the MSBE in front of me. He then went to ask one of his collegues where he should stamp the forms and did it whn he got back. He asked me how we met, when I had visited the US, when we met in person, etc. Then he stapled the bottom of the I-94 into my passport and stamped it and the visa. He then stamped the date by which we have to get married on the I-94. After he had finished stamping everything he explained that I had to get married within 90 days and then adjust my status, and that was it. I was legally in the US
I went and retrieved my bags, went through customs (couple mre questions, nothing much) and then I got to see my sweetheart again.
All in all, a long day, but well worth it. There were no problem at the POE and it was quite easy.
The short version, I made it, it was not as hard as I had imagined.
*The MSBE actually contained the paperwork BestGirl had filed for the I-129F including the proof of relationship material as well as some documents from the Embassy
Rick
Jun 1st 2002, 12:20 am
#2
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Posts: n/a
Re: I made it, aka the long overdue report of my experiences
So glad to hear it, Rick! Welcome to the US!
-Michèle (US) & Brian (CAN) Detailed Timeline: http://ladysun1969.tripod.com Oct 11,
2000: met in person June 16, 2001: married in Las Vegas July 10, 2001: submitted
I-485/I-130 package (Cleveland) August 14, 2001: EAD & SSN August 17, 2001:
fingerprints August 21, 2001: AP January 21, 2002: moved to San Francisco May 28,
2002: AOS interview (SF) -- given 90 day Continuance for Medical Exam
RickQ <[email protected]> wrote in message news:
> The short version, I made it, it was not as hard as I had imagined.
-Michèle (US) & Brian (CAN) Detailed Timeline: http://ladysun1969.tripod.com Oct 11,
2000: met in person June 16, 2001: married in Las Vegas July 10, 2001: submitted
I-485/I-130 package (Cleveland) August 14, 2001: EAD & SSN August 17, 2001:
fingerprints August 21, 2001: AP January 21, 2002: moved to San Francisco May 28,
2002: AOS interview (SF) -- given 90 day Continuance for Medical Exam
RickQ <[email protected]> wrote in message news:
> The short version, I made it, it was not as hard as I had imagined.
