Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Most of you here(in LDR section) know my story. Been together since 2001. Have been long distance since January 2003. Married in 2006. Paperwork filed 2007 (due to a whole lot of crap and partially due to the misinformation from the embassy!) So I just got notification that his interview is finally scheduled. YES FINALLY. It has only been two and a half years that I have been working toward this. And they scheduled the interview for March 4th at 8:30am. MARCH 4TH. That is next week and there is info that he needs to bring with him that I have HERE. It takes three weeks for him to get mail from here. It takes seven to nine days for a FedEx. OMG. So now I am going to have to ask for a reschedule of the appointment - or chance it and try to get the paperwork there in time. I am thinking it is best not to chance it BUT I am concerned that if it is postponed they may hold it against us. This SUCKS. The interview is finally scheduled! YAY!! The interview may have to be postponed. I am so happy - I am so scared - I am so worried!!! UGH! These emotions! GAWD!!
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Fax or scan the documents and email them!!
nittanylion Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 I am sorry you have to go through all the bs paperworks. I hope everything workout for you in a speedy process. This is incredible that you have so much patience, and waiting for so long to make this permanent for both of you. I hope everything out for and I wish you nothing but the best! Cheer!
Rollercoasterr Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Can you fax it? Most places will allow a fax. I really hope this works out. shooooo now I'm nervous.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 No I can't fax it. I can't even Fed Ex it to the embassy because they will not receive it. He is in Tonga and the embassy is in Fiji. He has to bring it with him. So the best I can do is try to find an attorney that will accept it on his behalf and then he will pick it up from their office. But that takes a lot of trust. And they will charge me to do that too. I don't know how much. I have to find out tomorrow. It just totally freakin' sucks. I am so completely freaked out I can not sleep. My mind is racing a million miles an hour trying to think of possibilities. I feel sick.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 I am sorry you have to go through all the bs paperworks. I hope everything workout for you in a speedy process. This is incredible that you have so much patience, and waiting for so long to make this permanent for both of you. I hope everything out for and I wish you nothing but the best! Cheer! Thank you for your best wishes. I am having such a hard time not bawling my head off. I feel like if I let go I won't be able to stop.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Have you tried phoning airlines like Qantas, to see if they can ship it faster?
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 The problem is the flights to Tonga. There are only 3 days a week that they fly in. I am going to call the airlines though and see if they hold it at the airport for him. Maybe they'll do that. The other problem is my last commission check needs to get her for the funds. He has to turn in $1150.00 when he goes to do the interview. And unless that check gets here I don't have it. STRESS I feel like those pictures of a scared cat - fur all on end tail straight up back hunched Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Good idea. Also, potentially held in Fiji, if Tonga's too small. I don't know that part of the world...at all. DHL is Fedex's competitor. Try them too. Edit - Don't forget about cash advance's on your credit card.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 I guess I am just stuck thinking should I try to make it work or do I push it back and to give me some time to get this crap done. I just don't know!! I am so glad this is all finally happening but it couldn't be at a worse time as far as circumstances.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Where there's a will, there's a way. Wait until you've exhausted all sources tomorrow. How much time do you need to give, for an extension?
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 I don't even know about how muh advance notice I have to give for an extension. I think we can request a different week (like 3 weeks from now) to get all of the crap together. He also has do his medical exam in Tonga and my lawyer advised not to schedule that until we got an interview date. I just don't think he thought it was going to be a weeks notice. The other embassies have heavier traffic so he had said we would get the notice and it would be 30 to 60 days from that time. Not 1 week! Fiji is the embassy that most of the South Pacific has to go through. And all of those countries are so tiny. That is probably why they could get it so quickly. I am thinking I can also use the excuse that I would like to be present and have to get a medical clearance to travel. My doctor (she knows about all of this and more) can then write a letter that it is inadvisable and he can bring that with him. --- That is if I have to postpone so at least there is a reason. Then they shouldn't hold it against us. I just hope I don't have to.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Two more possible airlines: Air Pacific Air New Zealand (operated by Air Pacific) sb129 lives in New Zealand and Citizen Erased is in Australia. Maybe these ladies might know of some other airlines.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 I don't even know about how muh advance notice I have to give for an extension. I think we can request a different week (like 3 weeks from now) to get all of the crap together. He also has do his medical exam in Tonga and my lawyer advised not to schedule that until we got an interview date. I just don't think he thought it was going to be a weeks notice. The other embassies have heavier traffic so he had said we would get the notice and it would be 30 to 60 days from that time. Not 1 week! Fiji is the embassy that most of the South Pacific has to go through. And all of those countries are so tiny. That is probably why they could get it so quickly. I am thinking I can also use the excuse that I would like to be present and have to get a medical clearance to travel. My doctor (she knows about all of this and more) can then write a letter that it is inadvisable and he can bring that with him. --- That is if I have to postpone so at least there is a reason. Then they shouldn't hold it against us. I just hope I don't have to. Have you considered discussing any of this with the U.S. embassy, as a long shot? Would they be willing to help in some way? Edit - I'm sorry Island Girl. I don't mean to put more heat onto you. You're going through enough. You've just sparked off my emergency trigger, thinking about a possible solution. Do what feels right for you. You do have a million logistics to handle.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 Yes those are the two airlines that fly into Tonga (the only ones). Qantas actually sells tickets but they are for Air Pacific. TBF I am just so nervous and worried. I talked to him just a little while ago and I didn't tell him all of this is going on. He will flip out if he knows all of this juggling has to take place. I have to get this figured out before I can tell him what the plan is. He will want a clearly laid out schedule of what to do and when and I do not have that right now. I am worried and stressed enough. It doesn't do any good to have him feeling the same way but completely powerless. At least I have things I can try to do.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 You're one smart and capable lady. You'll figure out the best way to handle this! That's a good idea, to keep it low key until you have all the answers. You know your husband best.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 I'm really excited for you. While this might get delayed, it's not going to be much longer.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 I really hope not. My attorney said they could give him the visa to come immediately - or they could make him wait several weeks. I hope he gets it instantly of course. I think we have a really good chance of that with my medical conditions. I also hope the length of time we have been together and how long we have been LD will weigh on them. I don't think many could handle 7 years so we are obviously deeply committed to each other. We just need a break.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Have faith! You'll get a break. You will! Now I'm concerned. Your medical conditions? If you don't want to share on LS, I will understand but I hope you're okay.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 Yes medical conditions. *sigh* A number of things happened in rapid succession at the end of 2006. When I went to marry my husband I was finally told of the event that happened just months before the wedding. He was attacked on the street by a mentally ill man with a machete. He had passed the guy and the man had turned to bring the knife down on his head. He put his arms up as the knife was coming down and both wrists were cut. His right hand was nearly cut off. His right wrist is now fused because they didn't have the skill to reattach the ligaments. That was quite a shock. A month after I came back I learned that my company was cutting our pay by almost 50%. The next month I was scheduling his interview in Fiji - I got the time off of work which really took some doing and bought the tickets for us. Then I wrote the embassy for an appointment. They hadn't posted on their site that they'd be closed for 3 weeks and that was when I was supposed to be there. (They had told me to get the tickets and make sure by looking at their web site that it wasn't conflicting with their closure dates because they are closed for all US and Fijian holidays.) I rescheduled the flights immediately and wrote the Ambassador of the problem. They had written me back saying they would open for me whatever day I was coming. But the tickets were already changed. So I had the new interview date. The next month riots exploded in my husbands country and the main town was destroyed. My husband was in the thick of it as he helped his sister get inventory out of her store before it was burned. He helped the store owners next to her and then helped the police hold the crowd back so they could get away safely. Just a week later he went missing. It is a tiny little island and everyone knows who he is so for no one to have seen him - well it was alarming. Six days went by and his sister finally found out he was being held at the jail in conjunction with looting because he was on several security cameras carrying merchandise. She had to go find the officers that were present to vouch for him tell them he was assisting with removal of the merchandise - not stealing it. The next month was our interview. Two days before I was scheduled to leave there was a coup in Fiji. American were advised not to travel to Fiji and if there was travel to stay away from Suva (where the embassy is). My husband was flying into Suva but I was flying into Nadi on the other side of the island. It is approximately four hours driving. He didn't want to take a chance of something happening to me traveling by myself. So we decided to postpone at that time. We thought we'd just use the tickets within the next 6 months. But The Adam Walsh Child Protection Act was passed that January and the embassies stopped taking spousal paperwork. So the embassy wrote me and told me I had to file in the US. (They didn't write me a month later when that was overturned - I could have still used my tickets at that point.) So all of these things combined and triggered PTSD which I was predisposed to because of severe childhood abuse. In the years since my condition has steadily worsened. My doctor has said once all of this stress is removed from my plate, and I have him here, I will experience dramatic improvement but as long as things stay as they are I will continue to struggle. So there you have it. Sorry so long.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 ((Island Girl)) I'm so, so sorry to hear about so many sad things happening in your life. Things are going to go okay this time, whether the interview has to be delayed or not. You're going to do fine. You will. Once again, you're a smart and capable woman. Look at everything that you and your husband have gone through and yet, the two of you are deeply in love and determined to be together. Now that's a love worth fighting for and two strong people doing so. You've got much to be proud of.
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 Thank you TBF. Really. {{{ hugs}}}
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 You're welcome and welcome to more ((hugs)). Maybe it's time to get some rest Island Girl. You need some sleep so you're ready for tomorrow and so should I. Everything will be okay. It will. It really will be okay!!
Author Island Girl Posted February 26, 2009 Author Posted February 26, 2009 Okay. Just talked to the attorneys office and they didn't get the notice (a copy is supposed to be sent to them as well). They said they'll prepare a letter for me to fax for a reschedule of the appoitment and that it will not impact his approval at all. So that is REALLY good news. Everything else should be fine if the schedule it end of March or first week of April. In any event they have asked for a copy of the document so I'll be delivering that today. Here's how screwed up they are (as if I needed another example you'd be surprised at some of the imbecilic moves already). They sent this notice dated the 10th of February - the metered mail stamp on the front says February 18th so they held it for 8 days before stamping it. Who knows if it actually went out that day since it was sent regular mail and it came yesterday. They just don't care if we have to scramble and stress out. It is awful. Anyone who thinks Immigration is a cake walk or in any way a smooth process doesn't know what they are talking about. The system is so SO broken. I can sympathize with those who come here illegally. Not that I am condoning in any way. But this has been a living hell of stress and crap. Every time they change something it is retroactive so we had to keep resupplying things like passport size pictures, etc. I mean they have 6 at this point and then he has to bring 2 more to the interview. Originally when we filed we had to provide two which we did but they kept changing that. *sigh* There has been issue after issue. So much so friends of mine have suggested flying him to Mexico and passing him off as a very large Mexican! lol We would never do that of course but a couple months ago it was soooo tempting.
Trialbyfire Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 That's wonderful news about being able to gain time without impact to approval! Keep your chin up. I can't wait to hear about how soon that rescheduled interview will be. You've come so far. There's only a little ways left.
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