off topic- Help with immigration. found "THE ONE"

groundclown · Since 12 May 2007 135 Posts Hood River Stoked

Well we all know that kite boarding brings us to all corners of the world. I found 200+ days a year of great kiting and the woman of my dreams. this is where the problems start. Married for over a year (kind of) and just left Karina behind for the second time. I do not a lot of money, just livin' the life. A death, an operation,and cancer have added to the problems. already refused a visa (tourist) once. please help my bikini clad newbie (ya she's hot) get a session in my home town. Oh, and meet the parents.

Thank you in advance,
Jonathon

Btw-
If anyone wants to hit Lake Nicaragua and enjoy some rock solid steady 9m winds let me know. You can crash at our hostel 1 km from the beach. Rivas, San Jorge, Nicaragua.

Macaframa · Since 06 Jul 2010 81 Posts California Delta

But what are you asking for specifically? Refused the tourist visa? That's a bummer. At least you're abroad and out livin the dream. Sounds nice though, good luck..

kochease · Since 03 Jul 2008 760 Posts In Ft. Stevens, OR Opinionated

WTF is this all about???? I think this is a good topic for the honey badger.......

dancingwind · Since 18 Jul 2007 321 Posts Obsessed

Little confused!! If you you Married Karina already she should be eligible for a green card soon!!

krueg · Since 16 Feb 2010 51 Posts Wenatchee Wa **CGKA Member**

[quote="dancingwind"]Little confused!! If you you Married Karina already she should be eligible for a green card soon!![/quote]

I dont think so. Honey Badger doesn't give a shit.

groundclown · Since 12 May 2007 135 Posts Hood River Stoked

Living the dream, but with a taste of nightmare thrown in. "living Abroad" is my problem. I seem to only be able to make it work 6 months at a time. While I manage to make a bit of money in Nicaragua, I still need to return to the Gorge to make $ to go south again. I had to come back to the US without my wife last year and now I am (without my wife) back again. A family obligation will pull me away from work and life for about 50 days this summer greatly reducing my chances of making enough money to return to Nicaragua for the winter. My father is losing the battle with cancer and we need to sail his boat from Mexico to Scapoose, Oregon. The docs say he should not go on the trip as there is only a small chance he will make it through the trip. I left my wife alone in Nicaragua for most of 4 months last year. During this time her best friend and her mother passed away. this was followed by a ruptured appendix putting Karina bed ridden for 3 months. she is still having MAJOR health issues as a result. It is not good in any way that I am forced to be away from her right now and this added stress only compounds her health problems. I just want Karina to be allowed to come to the US so we can live and work here for a while. We have a house (with hostel and bar 5 min walk from my kite launch- you are all welcome to visit) and small farm in Nicaragua. eventually I would like to settle there. this will take a few years (8-10) at best as first we have to go through. getting her residency and green card over a period of 8 years before I could apply for residency in Nicaragua. living is not free and I have very little $ and right now very little time. If I knew that she could come to the US this would take a great load off of my shoulders. At the moment i have no idea how to make everything come together so we can be together in the US or Nicaragua.

I am hoping that someone in my family (kite community) knows someone somewhere that can make things a little quicker and easier. I am currently writing US Cong Reps in our district as well as US Sen hoping to expedite my case.

Thanks in advance
Jonathon Merrell

lewmt · Since 04 Aug 2010 182 Posts MT Stoked

I think - unfortunately - you need to hire a legal beagle(with immigration expertise) despite the $ woes. Your situation sounds complicated and INS doesn't allow any measure of discrepancy in the tangle of paperwork you face. 1 undotted i or uncrossed t and you may have months of further entanglement & those bureaucratic tweaks are definitely the gov't's very own Honey Badgers - they definitely don't give a shit.

I have a friend(canadian female) who just finally finished with the nightmare after marrying(US male) 9 months ago. They tried the D.I.Y. route & it cost them many months and hassles from an immigration friendly country. May be the best $ you ever spent in the long run.

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

Jonathan,
Congrats on meeting the "One"!

I used a service called USA Visa Now, it cost about $350 plus all the filing fees (about another $1500 or more. The service was helpful in getting her into the US, but that is only the start, although most the docs you will need later in the process are collected at this point. Its a long complicated road, which will be more so if you want to leave the country after she is here and before much of the documentation is formalized. (My process was a little different since we were not married yet, she came in on a fiancee visa which required we get married within 90 days of her arrival).

Be prepared to have her start getting medical checks, police clearances, birth certificates, divorce decrees, and you will have to provide a affidavit of support certifying you earn more than the poverty level for your family size. Each region has a different waiting period, it was about 6 months from when I filed (my fiancee came from Taiwan) the fiancee visa. I would expect it to take 6 months to a year from when you file. Then it could be another year before she can leave the country without being concerned about getting back in.

Coming into this country when married is not as easy as some would have you think, although it is still probably the easiest route.

Anyway, no matter what you do make the best of it.

I don't log in much anymore but I'll PM you my eMail address. I'd be happy to share my experience and give any guidance that I can.

Kind Regards,
Diggy

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

Love - Love. A terrible situation. As far as your fathers health is concerned...I don't mean to be cavalier about what I'm going to say..it's his choice. His life or death. Be at peace about that. He can make his own decisions. It's not your decision to make. Really. As far as your "wife" goes....you are sooo very wonderful & selfless. Very romantic. My heart goes out for you both. I'm not a religious person, but my family believes in a "prayer chain" and I will put you on it. Any positve energy may help.

All the best to you & yours.