March 2, 2002:

• In January and earlier, people had been receiving their "first Notice of Action" (NOA) from Nebraska a day or two after the application was delivered but we were not so lucky. We heard nothing and my check had not cashed yet. Around February 20, I was starting to get worried that things had really slowed down, and suddenly, a bunch of people got their second NOAs, many dated February 18. I tried to relax, and Serge reminded me that we were still way ahead of the game, but my check still hadn't cashed by February 28. I checked on March 1, and there it was, cleared! Then on March 2, 2002, we received the hard copy of the NOA in the mail! Serge and I were together when we got it, which was great, as we got to celebrate in person.
  

April 2, 2002

• We are still waiting for the next step, which is the second NOA. The current wait time (as of 4/02) is around 48 days so we could hear soon.

April 8, 2002:

• Well, we've had a little setback. This morning I checked our status via the INS message system and found out that a "request for evidence" or RFE had been sent out on April 6. I'm not sure what we didn't submit (our packet was 3 inches thick!) but we'll get the info to them and hopefully it won't delay things for too long. I am anxiously awaiting the end of the work day so I can go home to see if we got the RFE in the mail. Serge had a dream a day or two before we found out about the RFE that we were denied! Scary - he's getting to be psychic.

April 11, 2002:

• Okay, so this is the silliest (and most annoying) reason for an RFE - they want a state, not county, issued birth certificate:
  
  "Certificate must be issued by a state entity, not county."
  
  Never mind that the STATE OF INDIANA suggests and encourages people to get their birth certificates from the county they were born in. So I have sent a request for two copies of my state-issued birth certificate via the internet. Thank god for the internet! I asked them to be Fed Exed to me - hopefully we can get the RFE back to Nebraska post haste. As Serge said, he's not too worried about proving I was born in the US! What a joke.

April 17, 2002:

• My newly-minted STATE ISSUED birth certificates arrived today and I wrote a brief cover letter and sent one to the INS this afternoon via Express Mail, with a signature request. The INS should receive it by Friday. I'm hoping this doesn't hold us up too much since we are now only about 7 months from the wedding!

April 22, 2002:

• Finally got through on the Post Office website to see that the letter to the INS was received on Friday, April 19 (again, at 3:17 a.m.!). Called the INS hotline tonight to discover they have updated it to say that they received the evidence on April 19, and that, due to "preliminary processing" of my case, instead of an estimate of 70-100 days, now the estimate is... 100 days! Not sure how that makes any sense, but hey, it's the INS. Hopefully the next we hear from the INS will be the second NOA. I'm more than a little astounded that they recorded it as received on the same day it actually got to them. Maybe that means they are getting their act together? Seems too much to hope for.

May 3, 2002

• We're approved! And Serge was here so we could hear it together! We called after work today, and there it was. Serge even dreamed, two days ago, that we had been approved! This is the second time Serge dreamed about the application - and correctly dreamed what we were about to hear! Maybe he should be a psychic!
  
  Now we wait for the official notification from Nebraska and for Serge to get his packet from Montreal. I will start gathering my stuff for the interview, although we are hoping the interview will be scheduled in August at the earliest, so we have plenty of time. It's only 211 days until the wedding! Yay!

May 23, 2002

• Today Sergio got the packet from Montreal - just under 3 weeks from the date on our approval notice. I will post a list of the items included in the packet when I get a copy from him. We are now almost exactly 6 months from the wedding, and a little more than 5 months from when Sergio plans to move to the U.S. I have already started gathering items for the I-134, including ordering copies of my tax transcripts and writing a letter for my boss to sign about my employment. I have also written a new letter of intent to marry. Serge is going to schedule his medical and get his RCMP check soon. That should be about all we need to do prior to the interview!

June 5, 2002

• Sergio completed and mailed in the DS-230 part 1 form today. He also requested a copy of his police certificate, and got six regular "passport" photos done, in case they want passport instead of "ADIT" style photos - he will have seven ADITs and six passports to offer them. He is planning to make an appointment for the medical in the next week or so - we're still hoping for an interview in August in Montreal.

June 25, 2002

• Sergio had his medical exam and pickedup his police certificate last week. Today he completed and sent in the checklist to Montreal, with a cover letter asking for an interview on Friday, July 26, 2002. We'll see what he gets - if he gets that date, I'll be able to attend.  Otherwise he'll have to go alone. :-(

July 9, 2002

• Sergio received "Packet 4" from the Montreal consulate, which is just a letter with his interview date, which is July 26! We are both thrilled, since I really want to be there, just in case something isn't signed or they need anything more from me, and also because I want to support him as this is probably the most stressful part of the whole process. We will stay in Montreal Thursday and Friday night, so we can explore the city and celebrate, knock on wood!

July 26, 2002

• We had our interview in Montreal and were approved! For the long story, click here. The short version is that everything went well, all the paperwork was done correctly, and Serge is the proud owner of a K-1 visa that does not expire until January, 2003. :-) We even got some advice on how to handle the border crossings between now and the day Serge actually uses the K-1, since the visa is in his passport. Now we can relax and enjoy getting ready for the wedding! It's only 127 days until the wedding!

October 20, 2002

• Today Sergio crossed the border in Port Huron/Sarnia and used his visa to officially emigrate to the US. It was hard for both of us to leave Toronto, knowing that this was such a big change for Serge and he was leaving his home and family. Despite the sadness, we were both relieved to finally get to the border and use the visa, ending all the suspense and worry about what would and would not happen, and whether we would have any problems. For the long story, click here. The short version is that we were in and out in 15 minutes, and they hand-wrote his work authorization into his passport! So he's work authorized and legal, and has until January 19, 2003 to marry. Our wedding is November 30, which is only 41 days away! Yay.

October 22, 2002

• Today we went down to Social Security and applied for Sergio's social security number. They weren't able to issue it on the spot because he was not in the computer yet, but they will hold his application until 10/30/02 (ten days after he entered) and then try the computer again. If they don't find him in the computer then, they will send a form to the INS to verify in writing his status. That could take up to 45 days, so we're hoping he's there. It's nice of them to check, but we'll see if it makes any difference. We both can't wait until all of this stuff is DONE. 39 days until the wedding, 41 until we do the walk-in Adjustment of Status!

October 30, 2002

• Serge went to the Social Security Office today and his name is in the computer! He can call an 800 number tomorrow to get his number and his card should arrive in about two weeks. So he can get paid! Yay!

November 30, 2002

• We are married in a beautiful ceremony in Ann Arbor with 350 of our family and friends there to celebrate with us. We leave for the honeymoon on Tuesday, before filing Serge's AOS paperwork, hoping that it won't delay things. Unfortunately, we are about to run into a big new INS problem. :-(

December 17, 2002

• We returned from our honeymoon on December 13, and began putting the paperwork together for the AOS application, including I-485 (original), I-325 Biographic info (original), Non-USC birth certificate (copy), 2 ADIT photos, ADIT worksheet, I-797 (original), K-1 visa and front and back of I-94 (copy)
  marriage license (copy), I-864 (original, sworn in front of the INS clerk), 2001, 2000 and 1999 tax transcripts and W2s (copy), Employment letter (original), and a check for $255 (no cash accepted). In the time between entering the US in October and now, the process for instant AOS has changed at the Detroit INS. They no longer do instant interviews, although they still want K-1 AOS applications to be filed in person, not mailed in. We were aware of that, thanks to some info on the newsgroup, so we were not completely shocked. Our interview is scheduled for January 6, which means we will not be heading to Toronto for the holidays. We also have learned that they are not giving out the I-551 stamp due to a so-called "freeze". So even after the interview in January, we may not have the stamp. :-(

January 6, 2003

• We had our K-1 AOS interview today in Detroit to adjust Sergio to conditional permanent resident status. As far as we know, they are doing no more "instant" AOS interviews in Detroit.
  
  We arrived at 6:45 a.m. to beg them to interview us early because Serge and I have both been sick with the flu - he was up all night the night before (or if you don't sleep, I guess it was just early that morning!). No luck - the information officer wouldn't even tell the interviewer about our predicament. Not surprising, but we were still glad we got there early - there were plenty of spaces in the parking lot and in the lobby, and by the time we left, both were packed.
  
  We were the second couple interviewed, and were called in at about 9:30. The officer swore us both in, asked for our driver's licenses and birth certificates/passports, and began going through our AOS paperwork. He asked if he had a copy of MY (the USC's) birth certificate. I stated that he should, since it was sent in to Nebraska, and he was able to find it in the file. He told us he would ask us a few questions, and then take Serge's fingerprint, and send it out for security clearances. He also stated that they were "waiting for the packet of information from the consulate in Montreal" to marry with our file, and when that was complete, along with the security check, we would receive a letter from their office, and could come in for the passport stamp. The greencard would follow about 8-9 months later. He stated that he thought the approval should come through in the next two weeks or so. We'll see.
  
  The questions asked by the interviewer were about Serge's parents first names, where he was born, all the questions from the I-485 about clubs, crimes, etc. and then he checked our wedding date, the date on our 2nd NOA from Nebraska, the date on Serge's K-1, and the date on his I-94.
  
  I was confused about them needing to get the "packet from the consulate" since I thought they put everything INS needed in the MBE, but oh well. Serge did get a one year EAD because we knew that the 90 day one would expire in about two weeks, so at least he won't have to quit his job! We will file for AP if the approval letter doesn't come by the end of January.

February 3, 2003

• After waiting for four weeks to get Sergio's aproval, we decided it was time to go down and ask some questions. He went in and was able to talk to the officer that interviewed us in January. He did not get the approval though, as they are waiting for something "from Washington," which we assume is the security clearance. Serge was able to get his Advance Parole document, so we are able to travel back to Canada to visit his family!