Some of you might have already noticed it by a couple of hystericalhappy tweets, but i have received some great news!
I'm overjoyed. The official letter from the immigration service came in. And the first word said it all: "Congratulations!" Whoohoo! I will get my green card back and will be able to stay in NY with my Love!
No more worries. All ends well. I'm so happy, i don't know how to describe it. I am instantly more relaxed. I can start planning for 2010 again. (did anyone say Tokyo and Amsterdam?)
I have now read the letter multiple times. Just to be sure it is real. Plus i was looking if there was an apology anywhere for making me worry so much. Or something like "We were wrong, you were honest". But nah, nothing. I won't make a point of it. The congratulations will do just fine. lol
Now only get 100% physically better again and my life can really get back to normal. My hip is healing, but there is still daily pain. My MRI got postponed twice, but is now scheduled for next Monday. If the outcome is good i can start physical therapy to learn how to walk normally again. I still look somewhat like a slow penguin when i walk now. But i know this is temporary and will one day be a memory.
I'm definitely looking forward to the future again. And wishing all of you a lot of positivity and blessings too!
I'm still recovering from the accident. I now can move around the apartment a bit with my cane, but no way i can get outside yet. Can sit up for like 15 minutes before my hip protests. Even though i am still hurting, at least i see there is progress. I will get better. Thank you all so much for the well wishes. My hubby read them all to me and they really gave me some needed support.
So what's happening now? Well if you have been following my blog for a while now you will know that me and my husband we're in a 7+ year long distance relationship before we got to the point of getting married and filing for my visa to be able to finally be together here in NY. It was a long road to travel, but being here now makes it worth it. The last i told you all about was that i had to apply for a renewal of my greencard since we hadn't been married for over 2 years before i moved here. Again that process asked a lot of us, sending in proof that we are actually a loving married couple living together. We sent in everything we had, utility bills, our apartment lease, photographs, affidavits of people that know us, joint health insurance, joint tax returns, everything. It's a humbling experience, but if that is what it takes, we'll do it. We know we're legit so what could happen right?
Well, wrong. Yesterday i got a letter from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The evidence submitted with your form is insufficient. ... The evidence you submitted with your petition does not establish that you and your spouse have entered into a legitimate marital relationship. ... may result in the termination of your conditional resident status and your possible removal from the United States.
This is not my week. I can still not believe it. It's one of those things. We try to do everything the right way. We work hard to make a living, we try not to bother anyone, we do everything the system asks of us, and they just tell us they don't believe us.
Again they have sent the list of documents they think would prove a loving marital relationship. We've been through that list and everything we had we have sent.
Sorry that we weren't lucky enough to have already conceived a baby together.
Sorry we are not rich enough to own a house and have a mortgage. Or own a car, vacation home or time share.
Sorry we don't have any debts and thus loan papers to show.
So what's next? After the sadness, frustration and anger its now on to more action. I have already printed out all the blogposts i have written throughout the years about our process, about our love. The interview my husband did for the Heart Handmade blog as part of the Other Half series. We will send them even more photographs of the two of us together. I will send them a copy of my book where there is a special note to thank my loving husband, we will ask everybody that know us for a affidavit letter testifying that they know us and know our love is real. How many people didn't tell us over the years that because of seeing us together they believe in true love again? Apparently the CIS doesn't feel that.
I will step over any pride i may have left and ask for help.
The US government doesn't believe us? We will have to make them believe. They have never met us, didn't come by on an unannounced visit, didn't do an interview, just went through our paperwork and decided they think we are not legitimate.
I woke up this morning thinking for a split second this whole week was a bad dream. Until i felt the burning pain in my hip and saw the blue letter laying on my desk.
We need to be strong now and get this done. We are for real. We are.
Now only to convince the system of that.
I don't like to get up at 6 in the morning
i don't like to run to catch the bus
i don't like to travel during morning commute
i don't like to stand in line after line after waiting area after line
i don't like to get fingerprinted
can i get an amen?
But i did do it all this morning. Plus i got whistled at at by the Hispanic day workers standing at the corner, waiting for work.
If you are now eagerly reading in hopes of finding out an amazing adventure involving me, the law and a tiger, i will have to disappoint.
Recently i had to apply for a renewal of my green card. Quick update in the mix: due to a huge backlog in processing applications, i now have a temporary card (or letter) to replace my previous temporary card until i get my new not temporary card. Logical right?
Anyway, now i was summoned to go to the immigrations office today to get my fingerprints taken.
Totally unnecessary i would say. Since the US immigration service already has my prints from when i entered the states for the first time officially with my card. They printed me. Oh and they again took a picture of me. They already have like 4 on file plus the copies of my picture id's. But hey, they wanted another picture. Go ahead. You only charge me 80 dollar. What if i was a model? Wouldn't they supposed to be paying me to take my photo? Ha.
No i'm not sour. I'm just doing what needs to be done to get where i want to be.
By the way, photo above is not from the official fingerprinting session. I officially state there was no cute stationary nor pink ink involved what so ever. Serious business people, serious business. *smile*
And yes. I need to get my nails done. I know. i will.
Want to meet my Love?
Hop over to Heart Handmade where my hubby is part of the Other Half Series.
And since he is too modest to pitch himself in an interview about how it is to be married to me, i will do it for him; check out his music on myspace!
Ok, so if you've been reading my blog for awhile, you might know about my visa adventure to get from Amsterdam to my Love in New York like two years ago.
Remember how happy i was when i officially got my papers? I finally could really move!
Now, almost two years later, paperwork fun is here again. Why? Well, if you get a greencard based on a marriage that is still fairly new, your greencard is "under condition" for two years. My "conditional" two years are almost over and now we have to prove that we're still living together as a loving couple to get my conditional status removed and to get my permanent green card.
So how do you prove love? I'm learning now that you do that with a lot of documents. Preferably financial documents. Crazy that loves comes down to your taxes. And how many utility bills you have in both your names. And who remembers to save the envelopes your Christmas cards arrived in, so you can show personal mail send to you both? I know i didn't.
I know i love my husband. My husband knows i love him. Everyone we've met know we love each other.
But now we have to prove it to the INS. Feels weird.
Another thing you can send in as prove are affidavits from friends/family/coworkers. Who has ever asked their friends to write an official letter about how they see your relationship? I can tell you, that is a bit strange to ask. But now that the letters are coming in, it is fun to read them. Because there is Love in those letters.I'm getting ready to send out all the paperwork and i hope i'll get my new card soon! Of course we can use all the good karma in the world, so if you are reading this, pls keep your fingers crossed for us!
congrats!!! xx cat
CiTiEs of B
Thank goodness! I was hoping they'd come to their senses eventually.
Congrats!!
Ohhhh I'm so happy and relieved for you! What a good December! :o)
YAYYYYY!!!! I'm so happy for you! (:
What brillant news for you, Im delighted for you, you deserve it. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas now this year and your hip is better too :)
All things nice...
Congratulations!!!!
I am sooo happy for you, that's great news.
oh, Ismoyo, I am so totally rapt for you. Sometimes dreams do come true. Relax, get strong and enjoy your new life.
Maureen. www.thepizzagang.com
Congratulations!
That's fantastic news! A super big fat congratulations to you! :D
congratualation thats great ^^
Congrats!! I'm really happy for you and I'm so glad that it worked out. I'm sure positive turn of events will make things even better. And you will heal faster :)
congrats!!! I was hoping that they'd be all like, :oops my bad, it was the wrong couple: but that is some awesome news!!!
(i've been following for a while and never posted a comment but I think this deemed some congratulations. ><)
It's so nice that all of you are so supportive! It feels good in times of trouble and it feels even better in times of joy. Share the happiness!
I am so pleased for you two , and just in time for Christmas ...!
A positive frame of mind should help you heal better as well.
So happy for you!
WOW Isi, that is such fantastic news. I am thrilled for you.
XO