When is he coming??
So, you're wondering when the man will finally get here and what the situation is with his visa? Since some of might not know the entire story and since I'll use this blog to save stories for posterity, I'll give you the long version, from the beginning. For most of you, skimming skills will probably come in handy for this update..or you might just want to skip it entirely. For those of you who I haven't talked to yet or for those of you with poor memories (Oh, wait, that would be me!), you might actually enjoy the details that follow.
I filed for the fiance petition in June 2006 (and submitted 84 pages of evidence, some of it very personal evidence, to prove our relationship!!). Five months later, in November, the petition was approved and the file sent on to the U.S. embassy in Togo. We had hoped to receive a letter from the embassy in December, telling him what to prepare and when to come in for an interview. We waited and waited, wondering why in the world it was taking so long. After getting back from our Christmas/New Year's trip to Togo, we contacted the embassy, which promised to mail another letter to us in Benin (but would not allow us to come and pick it up or tell us what it said). After waiting another week and having only a few days left before we were going to leave to Togo to begin my trip to Ghana in order to fly to London to take another flight to Hungary to catch a van to Romania to visit my parents (yes, a long trip!), we called again and they said we could pick it up! Go figure! And I had hoped the American embassy might operate differently than the typical Beninese or Togolese officials! When we picked up the letter, it gave him a Feb. 6 th interview date, as well as a bunch of forms, instructions for medical exams, and other requirements. It turns out that they had mailed a letter in December with a January interview date, but we never received it (which doesn't really surprise me when the envelope says "official U.S. embassy business" on the outside!). Although all of this was a bit frustrating at the time, considering it would have been nice to still be there with him on his interview date, we both believe this timing was for the best.
On Feb. 6th Koudjo had his interview at the embassy, which according to him lasted less than 12 minutes with only 2 questions. The two questions? They asked him when my birthday was and how we met. It seemed that there were also a couple little side questions (like how we got engaged and whether he had met my parents), but the main interview was just those two questions. We had practiced all sorts of questions I thought they might ask, but at least he was prepared. And he got the answers right :). The kind lady who did the interview was the same lady I had met a couple weeks ago when I had my affidavit of support sworn in. She remembered Koudjo from that time and asked about me as well. Remember those 84 pages of evidence I turned in last June? Well, it turns out they were well worth the time. Koudjo was supposed to present new evidence of our engagement today, but he was never even asked for it. Instead, the woman acknowledged the good work I had done with the first submission of evidence, said we were smart, and ... offered her congratulations!! He was told to come back two weeks later, Feb. 20th at 3:00pm, to pick up the visa.
We expected to celebrate and buy a plane ticket Feb. 20th, but unfortunately he still hasn't received his visa. Not to worry, there doesn't seem to be a problem with his specific visa.. There were 4 or 5 other people waiting with him on Tuesday to receive their visas. After an hour, the guard finally came and told them to come back on Thursday instead. Koudjo called the next day to find out what was going on and they said they would call him when it was ready. Still he went back on Thursday, as did the others, to see if he could get it. Again he and the others waited until they were told to come back Tuesday. This seems typically African, but quite non-American. So, we're both not quite sure what is going on. Since it involves several people, it doesn't really put any worries that there is something wrong with his case. It's just means more waiting and trying to be patient.
I could go ahead and give you our thoughts as to when he'll come to the States and when we'll get married (and I'll become Chrischona Sodji!) , but I'll wait until he gets his visa and we KNOW when he's coming. But it shouldn't be long...
I filed for the fiance petition in June 2006 (and submitted 84 pages of evidence, some of it very personal evidence, to prove our relationship!!). Five months later, in November, the petition was approved and the file sent on to the U.S. embassy in Togo. We had hoped to receive a letter from the embassy in December, telling him what to prepare and when to come in for an interview. We waited and waited, wondering why in the world it was taking so long. After getting back from our Christmas/New Year's trip to Togo, we contacted the embassy, which promised to mail another letter to us in Benin (but would not allow us to come and pick it up or tell us what it said). After waiting another week and having only a few days left before we were going to leave to Togo to begin my trip to Ghana in order to fly to London to take another flight to Hungary to catch a van to Romania to visit my parents (yes, a long trip!), we called again and they said we could pick it up! Go figure! And I had hoped the American embassy might operate differently than the typical Beninese or Togolese officials! When we picked up the letter, it gave him a Feb. 6 th interview date, as well as a bunch of forms, instructions for medical exams, and other requirements. It turns out that they had mailed a letter in December with a January interview date, but we never received it (which doesn't really surprise me when the envelope says "official U.S. embassy business" on the outside!). Although all of this was a bit frustrating at the time, considering it would have been nice to still be there with him on his interview date, we both believe this timing was for the best.
On Feb. 6th Koudjo had his interview at the embassy, which according to him lasted less than 12 minutes with only 2 questions. The two questions? They asked him when my birthday was and how we met. It seemed that there were also a couple little side questions (like how we got engaged and whether he had met my parents), but the main interview was just those two questions. We had practiced all sorts of questions I thought they might ask, but at least he was prepared. And he got the answers right :). The kind lady who did the interview was the same lady I had met a couple weeks ago when I had my affidavit of support sworn in. She remembered Koudjo from that time and asked about me as well. Remember those 84 pages of evidence I turned in last June? Well, it turns out they were well worth the time. Koudjo was supposed to present new evidence of our engagement today, but he was never even asked for it. Instead, the woman acknowledged the good work I had done with the first submission of evidence, said we were smart, and ... offered her congratulations!! He was told to come back two weeks later, Feb. 20th at 3:00pm, to pick up the visa.
We expected to celebrate and buy a plane ticket Feb. 20th, but unfortunately he still hasn't received his visa. Not to worry, there doesn't seem to be a problem with his specific visa.. There were 4 or 5 other people waiting with him on Tuesday to receive their visas. After an hour, the guard finally came and told them to come back on Thursday instead. Koudjo called the next day to find out what was going on and they said they would call him when it was ready. Still he went back on Thursday, as did the others, to see if he could get it. Again he and the others waited until they were told to come back Tuesday. This seems typically African, but quite non-American. So, we're both not quite sure what is going on. Since it involves several people, it doesn't really put any worries that there is something wrong with his case. It's just means more waiting and trying to be patient.
I could go ahead and give you our thoughts as to when he'll come to the States and when we'll get married (and I'll become Chrischona Sodji!) , but I'll wait until he gets his visa and we KNOW when he's coming. But it shouldn't be long...
posted by The Sodjis | 1:41 PM
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