Installing Ring and Immigration frustration, Part 1

 8/27/2022 21:40

Today, I installed a new Ring doorbell, clipped some wires, and tried to kick start the thing, but it’s not functioning.  I need to buy another device in hopes I get the thing working before my wife joins me.  How is that going?   Thank you for asking.  The interview we waited for was this past Tuesday.  Last week, the staff at the US Embassy reviewed her paperwork and it was all in order.  The week before that, Meli had her medical, up to date vaccinations, a check of some vitals and she passes and had to pay out of her pocket for it.  Each trip (3) my wife makes to San Jose can take up to five hours.  She had spent nights there.  Last week the interview took place and the only thing holding the visa from being approved it her police records from Chile and Mexico.  She now has Chile.  I asked her to spend the night and go to the Mexican Embassy the next day and explain the situation.  They recommended she return this Monday and wait in cue and once at the window, explain to the embassy rep that she is from Tilaran which is five hours away.  They will make an appointment on Tuesday.  That would be two nights in San Jose.  She would have to go back the next day and write two handwritten letters which will be sent DHL to the police records in Mexico City where a friend will have to pick them up and mail it back to the embassy in San Jose CR.  What happened to email?  The internet?  Chile sent her police records by PDF in a few hours.  I know what would happen with Mexico.  On the first two attempts, they will apologize and explain they lost the letters, or they misplaced the filing, and she would need to start the process again.  Go back to San Jose for the third attempt, since three times is a charm, and let’s face it, it will be a new year.  I know it.  The whole concept it too vague.  But the US Embassy promised, hey get us the certs from these countries and we will send your visa in two days!  On Monday, she’s speaking to a friend in Mexico City who will work on this request.  I asked Meli to speak to another friend whose husband is an attorney and maybe he can assist with these records.  I reached out the local congresswoman’s office who called me back mixed up thinking I was calling about my wife working at the US Embassy, nope, not me.  I reached out to an immigration attorney who explained she does not need the national police, but the state police record will be sufficient.  And other friends and clients have offered suggestions, do you know an attorney? So, for now, we are ignoring the Mexican Embassy since that will not work. 

Thank you for reading this.

Flying to Costa Rica 30May22

05/30/22 10:05 30,000 feet above the Atlantic

The sunlight is pouring through the open window.  I can pull the shade, but don’t want to.  I like looking outside, even if it is the endless ocean.  The sky is clear.  There has been minimal turbulence, dare I say none.  I was a nervous flyer.  That was before starting this long-distance relationship.  Last night, I stayed at the Fairfield Inn at JFK.  I was thinking about all the flights I made to Mexico City and Costa Rica over the past four years to visit Meli.  I flew Jet Blue, Aero Mexico which is a class act, blankets on each seat and a nice shot of spirits before landing.  They even serve a hot delicious meal and alcohol which is part of the fare.  I also flew Inter-Jet which I don’t believe exists any longer, they were cheap.  I think I bought a sandwich on their flight.  The service was minimal, flickering lights in the cabin and I thought just maybe it’s not the safest airline.  So, I stay at this same airport for these trips to CR.  It’s what I do when I depart from JFK in the morning and Jet Blue only offers these flights a few days out of the week.  But this last hotel booking was expensive, almost $250 with tax for the room…for the night?  Seems steep, but it’s supply and demand since today is Memorial Day and the first of summer for many American travelers.  I waited for the 6 AM shuttle to the airport, met an older gentleman who asked where was I going?  JFK, I answered, no, your final destination?  Oh, Costa Rica.  I’m flying down to Costa Rica to visit Meli.  Not that I mentioned my wife’s name.  He doesn’t need to know her name. 

Meli moved back there this past September, and I feel this is the third trip I made to see her there.  Once in November and flew down on New Year’s Eve and back to New York on the 9^th of January.  Haven’t been back since.  I wish she was here with me.  I wish we lived together and the good new is, we are getting closer to when the visa is approved.  There’s still a few pending steps.  My paperwork and the interview date still needs to ne arranged.  She will need to see a doctor sponsored by the embassy ten days before the interview.  On July 27^th will be two years since I submitted the spousal visa paperwork.  I heard it took that long, but somehow, I didn’t believe it.  I was fooling myself, not believing the facts, no.  Not me.  It won’t be that long.  No way.  It’s becoming that long.

The media and the pundits should know the average duration to immigrate legally into the US.  Yes, the previous administration had an impact, but this was for certain countries.  I’d like to think.  Yes, COVID did have an impact, and I believe still has an impact.  Yes, I should have hired an immigration attorney, instead of going the cheap route with Catholic Charities, but what difference would it have made?  You complete paperwork and submit and wait.  The last review, they needed additional paperwork from me for proof of my divorce and tax forms for transferring a portion of my 401K to Ali.  Meli’s paperwork is approved.  I was certain she’d be flagged.  So that put us back a couple of months and it’s where we are at.  Waiting to see if my paperwork was accepted and from there, our case is transferred to the embassy in Costa Rica.  If Meli still lived in Mexico or the Philippines, the process will be longer since there is such a backlog in those countries. 

There is a little girl in the seat in front of me and she’s stretching her hand back onto my tray.  Time for wine!

 

Thank you for reading this.

The Immigration Process, my wife is a Costa Rican citizen

5/28/20 22:11

My wife and I have been using ZOOM at night.  We start with WhatsApp, and soon switch to Zoom.  It gives us the ability to work and see one another.  The last time we were together was on March 7.  Covid was starting to take hold in different parts of the world.  I wore a mask at the airport in Mexico City, and yet it seemed the virus was a distant threat.  The same attitude some world leaders regrettably took.  I have permission to work in Mexico City, to be with my wife, but the hospitals in Mexico are not prepared for this crisis.  It may not be a good time to travel there.   Do I want to risk it? There are travel restrictions, essential personal is allowed entry, not tourists.  After checking more details on-line, the restrictions are meant to curtail land entry, but not air.  Maybe in a couple of weeks?  I’ll talk with Meli about this tonight.

The visa process has been on-hold.  Due in part to the government agencies had been closed. 

But honestly, it has been difficult to dedicate time to this process.  One factor may be the way we have led our long distant relationship for these past two years. Things are not that different, although we are married.  It’s the same.  Each day, we wait; it’s another day longer in the process.  It’s that simple. 

Last night, Meli and I discussed structuring our time more effectively.  Which includes making time for the visa process.

Taking action has been my theme for the last few weeks.  Whatever action that may include, family, work, visa, exercise, program, meditation.  I need to take the time.  If I take the time and accomplish my tasks, I will meet my goals.  Sounds simple. 

So, how about it?  I am going to keep a record of what we need to do to accomplish this.  The first task has been completed, contacting Catholic Charities in Allentown who are assisting in the process, check.  Completed.  They asked if I obtained the necessary documents. No check there.  Not yet.  So we are back to square one.

Order my birth certificate from the town, which I was told is easy enough.  I will do this today.

Order proof of my divorce, I tried to go through Suffolk Country offices web site, but the offices were closed and there was not a link to process this request.  In the past, I needed to go to office in Riverhead, which is at the end of Long Island.  I needed the same official paperwork to get married in Costa Rica, and last November I drove out to the offices. I obtained and submitted – all originals to the lawyer who conducted our civil ceremony, my paperwork – our paperwork is stored in a government office in Costa Rica.  I am not getting them back.

Take a passport photo with a blue background?  I will double check on the blue.  I will take care of it this weekend at the local CVS. 

Both my wife and I have been busy at work and we are blessed to have our jobs.  We are both hard workers and now with this blog entry, it will serve as a record keeper, I will record our progress.  And this includes the effects of the Covid-19 virus.

Thank you for reading this.