Coming to America!

In February 2007, Dan and I decided we want to be together for good. We had a relation already for some time and we were and are deeply in love with each other. This wish, to be together for good, was a bit more complicated than usual because I lived in the Netherlands and Dan in California, USA. After doing some research, we were told the fasted and safest way is to get married, and from there to apply for a visa for me. So we set a date for the wedding: 22^nd of September 2007. My oldest brother and his wife were so generous to open their house for our wedding, and they all did the arrangements for it. We had two wedding planners!! And they were superb.

• We started right away to get the papers in order for the wedding in The Netherlands. Dan had to get his birth certificate papers from Wisconsin with apostile stamps on it. These stamps are the final right stamps that are needed on all papers Dan had to provide.
• Make sure that the clerk at your local Regional Office for the Secretary of State knows about these stamps!! So, if you are in the same position, ask for these stamps! This website will give you an example of what is required to get the Apostile stamps. www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/notary_authentication.html

I had to do my part of this deal and get the right certificates also. Beside all the work it takes, which is not a problem, it costs also a lot of money! At some points though, the amount of certificates that was needed, was overwhelming. But it was not as much as we faced for the application for the visa, but that’s for later.

• On 16^th of June 2007, we went to the town hall in the Netherlands to get the announcement for the marriage. This is necessary in the Netherlands. (Ondertrouw).

After this was done, the marriage could go on. In august 2007 we went on a pre-honeymoon to Hawaii. I know, a bit strange to go before your wedding on a honeymoon, but after the wedding, the application for the visa would start, and then I would not be allowed to come to the USA during this time, so we had to go on our honeymoon early. And, I must say, it was wonderful!

The wedding in September 2007 was a fairy tale. Everything was right. The ceremony went in English and Dutch, and it worked out very well.

• We started to fill out the application I-130 form/Petition for Alien Relative when we came back from the wedding. All the information about this form and other forms that will need to be filled in, you can find on the website of the  USCIS : http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=c67c7f9ded54d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD. You can also download here this I-130 form and the other required forms. In other parts of this website, we explain more about all the information you need to know when you apply for a visa.

Dan took it with him to the USA. On the 27^th of September 2007 he mailed the application and the check of 355 Dollars with filing fee that is required, by special delivery mail, and we tracked it on line. It was at the US Immigration office on the 29^th of September 2007. And then the waiting started. We would use the notification of the check being cashed as an indication our case was filed. But unfortunately, they did not cash the check for a very long time.

We looked at the Internet and found out that we applied for a visa at the same time that literally millions of so called “legal residents” applied for a citizenship in the USA. So, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) did whatever they could do to decrease the waiting time by hiring more employees, but unfortunately you hear nothing from them until your case is filed. When we called them, they were very polite at the USCIS service desk, but they could not give us more answers. So we had to wait.

• On line we found some timetables on the official USCIS site when your application will possibly be done. http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
  Ours was for July 2008. We thought back then, that is not acceptable and could not be true…… It can’t take that long!!!!!!!

• Finally, on the 6^th of January 2008, then we got mail!!  We were now in the system, and they asked me if I wanted the mail directly to my address in the Netherlands or sent to a representative, like an attorney or to Dan’s address in the USA. I thought, it would be faster if the mail goes directly to my address. Not a good idea! All mail from the US Immigration Services and later from the National Visa Center goes first to a mail center in Germany and from there the mail is distributed to the addresses in Europe.

So, mail from them, sent to me, took about 4 to 6 weeks! Sometimes the dates were from 2 months before! This was so frustrating. We called to try to let it be sent to Dan’s address, and he could send it then by Fed-Ex to me. Unfortunately, it was not possible to change the addressing person. It was all in the system now. Shoot!

• On the 7^th of March 2008 we received mail from the National Visa Center in Portsmouth http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/immigrants_1340.html that we were approved by the USIS and now the real application for the visa would start. We were told that it would go fast from that point. Again, unfortunately it did not work that way for us. All forms and certificates were ok. Dan had to fill out the I-134 form, Affidavit of Support. There hasn’t been any obstacles’ according our papers. The only problems we faced again were the amount of people who applied for a visa and the mail.

Lucky for us, Dan was able to come to Europe several times, still it was not yet ideal.

• And then, at the 2^nd of July 2008 we got the letter that all is in order and that the papers are sent to the American Consulate in Amsterdam. Pretty soon after that we received a letter from the NVC in Portsmouth, that I was scheduled for an appointment at the American Consulate in Amsterdam on the 5^th of August 2008. So that was going really fast now! Then, a week later I received the yellow envelope from the American Consulate with all the documentation and an appointment letter for the 18^th of August 2008. I was pretty confused and after a call to them, they told me that the right date was the 18^th. Oh well, That gave me a bit more time to make an appointment with the screened Dutch physician, which is the only physician that you can go to for the medical exam. The physical exam was thorough, and the doctor and his wife were wonderful. A week later I called them and they said all was fine with me. Phew! So up to the 18^th of August 2008!

• The appointment at the American Consulate in Amsterdam was a bit intimidating but overall it went ok, and I met the consul of the USA. I had to leave my passport behind and they would print the temporary visa in it and send it to my Dutch address. The “green card” would be sent to my new address in California. They gave me the big envelope and the big X-ray picture envelope which I had to hand over to the American Customs when I enter the USA.

We finally could book our tickets for my move to the United States!

On the 22^nd of August I had a drink at the bank for saying goodbye to my colleagues. Dan and I had a goodbye party in the Netherlands for all the family and friends at a friend’s house on the 30^th of August, and on the 31 of August 2008 we would fly to my new home!

The goodbye party was great. All our Dutch family and friends were so warm and loving. It was pretty emotional at some times.

• The next day, Dan and I were flying home. In the plane I only had to fill in the white sheet of paper for Customs when you enter the USA.

• At the LAX airport I could finally stand in the citizens’ / resident’s row for the customs. However, after I gave the Homeland Security person the envelope, I was sent to an office, and there they took care of that envelope. It took more than 2 hours before they had gone through everything and then, finally, I was able to go. This has been a bit stressful.

• After 1 ½ week in the USA, I already received my official Permanent Resident Card and a week later I received my Social Security number card. So this went amazingly fast!

Overall, it all has taken a long time to have my visa. But looking back, I can see it as a period I got used to the idea of leaving the Netherlands, my family and friends, finishing up things there and also getting used to the idea I was going to live in a complete different country at the other side of the world. And I can truly say that it all was worth it!