Been a while...news and info :)

[RunningWithScissors]

Scissors, I was wondering where you'd gotten off to.

Lol, I've been shuttling back and forth to Cambodia. It's an incredible place in so many ways.

 

We can't help much with the Cambodian consulate, but it's sure interesting to hear about some place other than GUZ.

When we're all done I'll do a write-up on the Cambodian process so other folks who come here after me can (hopefully) benefit from it.

[chilton747]

I am not sure how you got put under a microscope and why we should have to ask Rak about your character, but I like reading your posts and I wish you well in this process. Let us hear how things are going.

[RunningWithScissors]

It's been a while since I've been here and a lot has happened, so I thought I'd take a moment and do an update....

 

I got back from my 6th trip to Cambodia a couple of weeks ago. I think I've made 2 or 3 since I was here last but heck if I can keep track. It's all turning into a big fuzzy blur, lol.

 

To make a long story short, a few days ago we received notice that our K1 Fiance petition has been approved. (Yes!) It took forever- about 6 months from the date I filed it. Today I got the paper copy of the approval notice in the mail. According to the notice, they've sent the stuff we filed to the National Visa Center in Hew Hampshire. They claim that the NVC processing "should be complete within 2 to 4 weeks". Then they send it off to the embassy in Cambodia.

 

I've talked to a bunch of people in Cambodia regarding the interview timeline, including a couple of ladies who just had their interview and are actually in the US now. The consensus is that the embassy gets it and normally processes it within a week or two, then sends out the interview notice by email. The interview is usually about 30 days from the notice date. Again, this is Cambodia so I don't know how that compares with other countries. (I understand that China's processing takes considerably longer, probably because they have a lot more people to process.) But no matter what, we're getting very close to "show time".

 

The US just built a brand new embassy in Phnom Penh about a mile from my fiance's home, so we're lucky in that respect. Prior to it being there I'm told that applicants had to go all the way to Thailand for their interviews.

 

Now, I'm going back to Cambodia on December 5th for a couple of weeks. I'll be there for my engagement anniversary and my birthday.

 

Soooooo......if everything goes just right, I may get the official packet to hand carry over there before I leave. If not, my attorney is going to put one together that has all the same forms so either way I'll be taking some papers over to fill out. Wish me luck. It's possible that my fiance could be here by the end of January or (more likely) sometime in February.

 

A few other items I wanted to mention:

 

1) First of all, I was completely wrong when I stated my attorney was going to fly over to be at the interview. He meant the interview here, not the one in Cambodia. Doh. My bad for mixing that up, but that's what he said, "I'll be there for the interview". My mistake. Double Doh.

 

2) I understand that Rak's lovely wife is here in the US now. I've spoken to him a few times and he sounds like a very happy guy. Bravo to you Rak, for surviving this long ordeal and seeing it through to a successful conclusion! I wish you and Jen (sp?) many years of happiness together. If there was ever anyone who deserved it, it's you.

 

3) If you're really bored and want to read the latest nonsense on my trip-log or whatever it's called, you can do that here:

 

My Fifth Trip To Cambodia

The Mud Garden, Awesome Landings, Phnom Penh Traffic Insanity

 

My Sixth Trip To Cambodia

Scary Mannequins, Wedding Rings, The Jetson's Place, and "epignyous goodish fidelity!"

 

 

So...that's what I've been up to......

Edited November 16, 2007 by RunningWithScissors (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

As always, great trip log RWS ... good luck in th next few months!

[spacebar]

Wow , sounds like a troublesome story with your previous lawyers. Sometimes you can find more helpful information here than the lawyers. I had filed all my paper work myself and had a bump in the road but after that when I got to P3 I seriously needed help. This website has a great amount of resources and the people here are very experienced and helpful. In my suggestion, I would pay close attention to the advice from people here since they have gone through it and know what you're going to be dealing with

[RunningWithScissors]

Wow , sounds like a troublesome story with your previous lawyers.

Lol, that's like saying World War II was "loud". Yes, the first attorney cost me a lot of money and I wasn't pleased at all with what she did. The attorney I have now is much more experienced and, in my opinion, much better.

 

The first attorney used an online data collection system called "INSZoom". It was gruesome to work with and made a mess of a lot of the data I input. It mixed up my ex-wife's name with my fiance's name (!!), then it would put my mother's name in place of my name, then it would swap my mother's and fiance's birthdates, etc etc etc. It would also truncate my previous work addresses so they were no longer valid or even real- it would change something like "125 Oak St, Suite 200" to "125 Oak St S 200", making it look like the address was on "South 200" rather than in "Suite 200".

 

I'm a web developer and a programmer. I build applications like INSZoom, so I'm not exactly unfamiliar with filling out a web form. The real confirmation came when I mentioned INSZoom to the 2nd attorney. He started ranting about how he used to use INSZoom and he said his clients "hated him for using it"- it screwed up their data too. So it wasn't just my imagination. INSZoom has or had some serious problems. I build web applications for a living. I've built stuff at least as complex than INSZoom and I damn sure know how to type my own name into a text field. I'm also pretty sure I wouldn't mix up who my ex-wife is and who my fiance is over and over again. INSZoom was a huge problem for me and the first attorney even admitted they'd had "some issues" with it. Just like Ford had "some issues" with the Pinto (such as when it was hit from behind it would burst into flames and incinerate everyone inside).

 

 

Sometimes you can find more helpful information here than the lawyers.

Yup, and that's why I came here. I heard good things about CFR and it was highly recommended. I think this is a "must visit" site for anyone involved in immigration whether they've retained an attorney or not.

[Guest Mike and Lily]

There are good lawyers and bad lawyers. But no one will care about your situation as much as you do. Getting a good lawyer is usually a crap shoot, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can do as least as good a job, if not better. For me, I prefer to have a little more control over my own destiny. if we succeed, we take the credit, if we fail we learn from our mistakes and move on. I really don't think having a lawyer will add credibility to your case, (although the lawyers would like you to think so), most of the people here did not utilize a lawyer, we just relied on the experiences of others to learn from and prepare our cases appropriately.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

Wish you luck

[RunningWithScissors]

Another month, another trip. I'm getting too old for this, lol. The trip is grueling but I'd leave again tomorrow if I could. The latest blurb (writeup) for this trip is here:

 

Cambodia Trip #7

(http://discoverseattle.net/forums/index.php/topic,3388.msg113207.html#msg113207)

 

This trip was for our 1-year engagement anniversary and my birthday, plus the usual horsing around in the city. The weather was beautiful- 75 degrees and sunny with a nice breeze blowing almost the whole time.

 

Still waiting for the nice folks at USCIS to forward our papers to NVC and then on to the US Embassy in Cambodia. With any luck we'll hear something in a month or so.

[Rakkasan]

Welcome back RWS. I really like the photos that you provide in your reviews. You definitely have an eye for the odd. Whenever I am in China I seem to be so busy with family or touring that I forget to take photos of the odd items I see and usually only take the normal touristy type photos.

 

One photo I wish I would have taken was in Guilin where the department of parks had signs posted for various sites, but whoever designed the signs did not have access to a space bar on their keyboard. The signs would be written as

 

"Guilinparksdepa

rtmenttourofth

emysterycave."

 

No spaces and no breaking of words at the syllables.

 

I hope you and your fiance' get your interview soon. It will be interesting to see how things work in Cambodia. I would like to know if the line in the morning in Cambodia is anything like the big crowd that gathers in Guangzhou.

[RunningWithScissors]

I hope you and your fiance' get your interview soon. It will be interesting to see how things work in Cambodia. I would like to know if the line in the morning in Cambodia is anything like the big crowd that gathers in Guangzhou.

I just found out that our paperwork was transferred to the NVC. They claim it'll be out of there and on its way to the embassy in Cambodia in roughly 5 business days, so we'll see- it's remotely possible that her interview could happen during my planned February trip but I'm not holding my breath.

 

The last time we were there we stopped by the embassy just to say 'hi'. (Frankly they were pretty jerky about it, but that's another story.) There was a line that appeared to be for visa apps that was about 30 or 40 couples long. I don't know for sure if that was what it was for, but the line was all couples and they were all holding chunks of paperwork.

[RunningWithScissors]

A quick update...I received our 'PHP' case number from the State Department today and they're stating that the paperwork will be transferred to the embassy in Phnom Penh in 5 days. Soooooo, there's a slim chance that my fiance will have her interview while I'm there in February.

 

In Cambodia sometimes they just send a packet to the person, but sometimes they call them up, tell them what paperwork they need to gather and then tell them to call for an interview as soon as they have it. It'll be interesting to see what they do.

[Robert S.]

I just found this thread and read it all. What an interesting visa related case this is. Thank you for coming here and telling your story. I believe it is all going to work out fine for you. Will be waiting to hear the report.

[RunningWithScissors]

A quick update on our progress...

 

My fiance received her "Packet 3" forms in Cambodia yesterday (YESSSSSSSSS!), with instructions for her medical exam and a list of documents. She's supposed to get the medical exam, assemble the documents, and return it all to the embassy in Phnom Penh as soon as she has everything they're asking for.

 

We have pretty much everything ready except for the medical paperwork and she'll be going to one of the two "approved" exam locations within a day or so to get that done.

 

She called me up last night just bouncing off the walls and saying "Oooh darling, I'm so exciting, I'm so exciting!!" (She means, "I'm so excited", lol. )

 

I don't know what the lead time is after she returns the paperwork to the embassy, but we're both hoping like crazy that she'll get to have her interview while I'm there this time...I'm due to be there February 7th through the 19th, so with a little luck it may just all work out perfectly.

 

So.......that's where we're at now.

 

"I'm so exciting, I'm so exciting!!" lol B)

Edited January 24, 2008 by RunningWithScissors (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

That's great news ... maybe it will all come together for you guys!