Documents submitted, Jaden's passport recieved, next step?

We received Jaden's passport today! Just a couple days shy of three weeks, without paying the fee for expedited service, and they said it would take about 6 weeks. Praise God!

A member of the most recent team to Ecuador brought back the documents that I needed from Luis and the notarized translations of all the documents that are in Spanish. I was able to get them on Thursday afternoon, I then went to make the appropriate copies and got them sent out by 5:00 Thursday evening. I already paid the fee for the visa online, due to a donation, so the next step according to the NVC is to wait for them to send me his interview date.

Once we get Luis' interview date, I am hoping and praying that Jaden and I will be able to go and be there for the interview. Once we get the date, Luis will have to go and get the $180+ physical and have all of his medical records reviewed before the interview. At the interview hopefully all of the paperwork will be in order, we are to bring originals of everything we can along with Jaden's passport and birth certificate, and any information proving our relationship (pictures, letters, emails, etc.)

Provided everything goes well, they will make a decision the same day and we will leave his passport and go back to get it a week or so later and be on our way!

Please pray with us:

• For everything to go smoothly
• That Luis will be home before Christmas!
• That all the paperwork would be present and accounted for.
• For funds for tickets
• For Jaden and I traveling alone.

Another step....

So, on Friday, September 24, 2010 I got another letter from the NVC. They said they have received my Affidavit of Support processing, and told me that I needed to go online, and download form DS-230 parts I and II and send it in with the appropriate civil documents. They also reminded me to pay the $404.00 that they told me about in their last letter.



I have filled out form DS-230 and have the list of the civil documents. Each document must be an original, or certified copy and any foreign language document must be accompanied by a translation. Accompanying all of these documents I need to send a photocopy of each document submitted.

• Luis' birth certificate


• Luis' police record


• our marriage license


• 2 passport style photos of Luis
  
• a copy of Luis' passport

Somehow I need to get some of these documents from Ecuador, and send it all in as soon as possible.

(Written September 26, 2010)

It's about time for an update...

First things first, it has been a long while since I have posted an update, so long in-fact that most of you have probably stopped checking for any news but, I just remembered this blog and realized that I should probably bring it up-to-date.

Back in February 2010 we filled out the first stage of paperwork, dealing with the government, to be mailed to the Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Service. Form I-130 which consisted of: Form G-325A Biographic Information (one for each of us)
Copies of our documents (passport, social security cards birth certificates, marriage license, etc.)
Three Sworn statements of friends attesting to the validity of our relationship, along with the notarized translations, as the originals were in Spanish.

We received confirmation that they had received this information on March 5,2010, it was approved on June 23, 2010.

The next step was for this paperwork to be forwarded to the National Visa Center, and I needed to then fill out the Affidavit of support paperwork and pay the $70 fee. This paperwork is still processing.

At the same time, the NVC sent paperwork to Luis, requesting that he name someone in the U.S. as his agent, so that they could receive the paperwork on his behalf, it took a month for him to receive this information. He named me as his agent, and on Monday, I recieved confirmation that I am his agent and must pay a visa processing fee of $404, which is the very last step before the information is sent to the Consulate in Ecuador, and things start on Luis' end.

Thanks for checking in and for your prayers.

Still no progress

So, I haven't posted in a long time I know, but sadly there has been nothing to report. I still can't afford to do any more with the paperwork, so I am getting nowhere. Its discouraging to have to always tell people that I still haven't made any progress, but it is the truth. I wish I had better news to post, but I don't.

I do however trust that all things will come in God's time, and I know that He is in control, so when He wants it to happen, it will. He knows the desires of my heart, and I trust Him to know what it best for us. Thanks for prayers and support! God Bless

From the beginning

So here is a breakdown of how things have gone so far.

I started going to Ecuador when I was in 7th grade. Luis and I met while I was on a mission trip working at his home church in late June and early July of 2005. We started "dating" in September, but the relationship was difficult being so far away and only talking online and seeing each other for two weeks of the year. But we made it through and on July 2, 2007 we got engaged.

When I was in Ecuador this summer, Luis and I went to the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil, on July 3, where I was able to get a notarized document, for $30 that proved that I was not married to anyone. From there were married, on Friday, July 4, 2008. We have some friends who have done a lot of the process already and when we were at the consulate they gave us a paper listing all of the things that we need to get done before we begin the process. Before I left we spent over $300 and many hours of travel time getting documents, having them stamped and notarized according to procedure.

Now that I am in the states, I have contacted Senator Olympia Snowe's office for guidance. They helped me in the past to get my passport in a hurry so that I could go on the mission trip to Ecuador, and agreed to help however they can now. We were told that the first thing that we needed to do was get our marriage license translated and notarized. My friend helped me find an agency online, which is recognized by the department of homeland security, Worldaccess Translations, who would do it for $40. Well that was money I didn't have so it would have to wait. I also decided that it would be a good idea to get my name changed to my married name on all of my accounts and such so I tried to get a Missouri state ID ($11 that I didn't have) and that was also full of issues- problems with my birth certificate, etc. - but I finally got that accomplished today. I tried to get my bank account changed, but then I didn't have my marriage license translated yet or my new state ID, and my dad who is also on the account, wasn't with me, yet another road block.

Beyond all that, I need to get a new passport with my married name, so that when Luis comes we can pass through security together, which will cost about $120 altogether. I also need to get the petition filed, in order to get the process started with the government, which will cost $400.

So that is the story so far. I was blessed a few weeks ago with $60 in my mailbox here at school so that took care of my Marriage license translation, which I paid for and faxed today and should receive in the next couple weeks, and the State ID which I was able to get today.

Next I will need to change the name on my bank account and get my passport.

I could use all the prayer I can get, and any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated. I really miss my husband, and I can't just pack up and leave because I am currently still in school working on my Bachelor of Science program in Cross-Cultural Ministry at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri. After I graduate in May of 2009, I will be going back to Maine to find a job and begin paying back my loans. I would love to have my husband here soon so that I can have him with me as I work and so that he can meet my family.