Wednesday, 03 October 2012
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VISA APPROVED!!!
I woke at 3:30 and tossed and turned the rest of the night. At 5:40 I messaged Alicia: "Did your alarm go off? Are you up?" She responded that she was and that they were ready to go to the Embassy.
Not long after, she texted me to call her. They were at the Embassy, in the line for 7:30 appointments, and everyone else in the line had an appointment confirmation sheet with a barcode and a photo. Hers just had numbers. A lady with a megaphone was announcing over and over that everyone should have the sheet with the barcode and that people without the proper papers would be sent to the back of the line and would miss their appointments.
Alicia ran to a nearby internet cafe to see if she could track the sheet down in her e-mail, and I logged into the Embassy website. I found the appointment confirmation, but when I printed it, it was exactly like before, no barcode, no photo. Finally the young man at the cafe found out that Alicia was applying for an immigrant visa, and he said, "Oh, everyone else is applying for tourist visas! Hurry back!"
She ran back and talked to the two crowd control girls, who directed her into the right line. She and her son finally got inside, and went to a window where they were given a sheet detailing the order in which her documents should be (which was completely different from the order the website had indicated). They sat in a waiting room for a few minutes, and then were interviewed by an American staffer.
Both Alicia and her son were very impressed by how polite the man was (the first American they have dealt with in this process). He smiled as he talked to them, and spoke calmly, and was friendly. He asked about the history of our relationship and how long we have been dating. Alicia offered to show our wedding rings. He said he didn't need to see them, that everything was fine, and that the visa was approved.
She texted me at 8:13: "My love, your country has allowed me to follow you. Our dream of being together has become reality..."
So, the ordeal is finally winding down! The end is in sight. Now if the bank will just answer regarding the offer I made on the house in Tampa...
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Comments (51)
Glad you got some good news today :) I hope all turns out well with the rest as well :)
I juist subscribed to you and bam the visas were approved! So glad
@KarensPotpourri2 - Thank you. I filed the first papers in late January, and the websites said it takes 8-9 months, so we're right on schedule!
Yay -- the toughest step accomplished!
Congratulations Tim!
Wow that is very good news indeed.
Woo hoo!!!
That's wonderful!
@chronic_masticator - @doahsdeer - @oceanstarr - @angys_coco - @andreas_d - @slmret - @KnightInCROATIANarmor - Thank you all. This has been quite an ordeal, especially Alicia's week in Bogotá, so we're delighted to have this hurdle out of the way. I still need to finish details on my house, clear it out, and put it on the market, and then there's my move to Tampa, and getting a house there, a trip to Colombia, shipping Alicia's belongings, a wedding there, trip back to Tampa, and another wedding! But now at least it's all possible.
wow. that's amazing. :) I'm happy for you!
Happy Dance all over the room!
Yay! Hallelujah! and Praise the Lord!
Oh yay! I didn't know you guys were working with immigration. It's a painful process but the benefits are great. Congrats to both of you. I have my fingers crossed about the house in Tampa!
@Roadkill_Spatula - Congratulations!
@Foodhog - Yes, my fiancee is someone I knew in Colombia in the 1970s. We got reacquainted a couple of years ago when I had a business trip to Bogotá and took some vacation in Medellín. She has a sister in Tampa, so we're going to live there.
@TheSecretLifeOfPandas - @seedsower - @ata_grandma - @plantinthewindow - @KnightInCROATIANarmor - Thank you. We're very happy. I think Alicia is going to celebrate with a nice long nap. She's still sick from all the immunizations they gave her the other day.
One step at a time. Sounds like the steps are going in the right direction. Congrats!
WOO HOO! Zippy Kayo Kaye! Dream the dream and make it come true! Salud and Happy Days! Vaya con Dios!
@Ampbreia - @winniezpoo - Thank you. Life is good. Stressful but good.
After everything you have all gone through leading up to this moment, I am so glad she was interviewed by someone who really allowed her to see America in a wonderful light. Congratulations to all of you as the process calmly and gracefully has slipped into high gear.
This is such wonderful news and I am so happy for you and Alicia.
@Roadkill_Spatula - That is such a romantic story. Sounds like an awesome life you 2 are starting together. Congrats again, this is a huge deal for you and your newish family!
So exciting!