I will only be able to visit for a few weeks, but we have every intention of making every minute count as we will be apart for quite a few months after this trip. We hope to have this I-601 waiver completed by August and sent in by September. It has involved a lot more time and paperwork than either of us anticipated. For all that have contributed with letters or financial donations_ thank you!
Whenever someone asks about how the process is going and are wondering why in the world my husband has not returned yet, I mention this "waiver" business. To help clear up some of the mystery, here is what this waiver is all about:
In order to fully understand it, I must start from the beginning! When Pieter interviewed at the U.S. Consulate in Amsterdam and they gave him the approval, we all celebrated and sighed with relief because he would get to return to America and we could finally be together! We celebrated because the U.S. Consulate is supposed to have the last say in any visa case. We did not suspect that there could be a change in the results the next day. Well, there was.
When Pieter's approval got changed to "in administrative processing" that meant that U.S. border control was reviewing the case once more... they suspected something.
When they scanned their database they found that my husband was recorded as having given a false statement in an airport interview by answering "no" to the question of "have you ever overstayed a visa?" Pieter's work visa expired in September, the month we got married. He and I were both under the impression that once you married a U.S. citizen you were fine to remain in the United States. To our surprise, that rule had changed. Therefore, Pieter's reply of "no" to this question, was considered a lie.
We are now where we are simply because of misinformation and misunderstanding. It is rough knowing that something so seemingly minute could cause such a ruckus in the system and cause a newly married couple to spend months at a time apart from one another. If only we could have the chance to state our piece and make our intentions known, I truly believe this could all be cleared up with a conversation. But we are now thrown into a pile of other discouraged individuals, criminals, and likely terrorists who are trying to make their way into the country.
The waiver that we are working on filing is based solely on me and my life circumstances at the moment. I must prove to the USCIS that I am in extreme hardship without my husband here with me. Medical, spiritual, educational, financial, mental, and familial reasons can be given to plead my case. I must accurately back each reason up with documents regarding how these are extreme hardships. I feel tremendous pressure to complete this task and am deeply saddened that it has come to this.
As a wife who has been put in such a desperate position, I am determined to get my case heard, so I have made the decision to contact various government officials to inform them about my situation. If anyone reading this knows of a community, state, or other government leader that I should contact, please contact me by email or through facebook. We greatly appreciate all encouragement, prayers, and positivity as ours runs low on difficult days!
I appreciate prayers for safe travels, as well as peace in our hearts as we have to depart from one another once again in just a few weeks. Words cannot even begin to describe how much I am ready for all of this to be over. . .
We are now where we are simply because of misinformation and misunderstanding. It is rough knowing that something so seemingly minute could cause such a ruckus in the system and cause a newly married couple to spend months at a time apart from one another. If only we could have the chance to state our piece and make our intentions known, I truly believe this could all be cleared up with a conversation. But we are now thrown into a pile of other discouraged individuals, criminals, and likely terrorists who are trying to make their way into the country.
The waiver that we are working on filing is based solely on me and my life circumstances at the moment. I must prove to the USCIS that I am in extreme hardship without my husband here with me. Medical, spiritual, educational, financial, mental, and familial reasons can be given to plead my case. I must accurately back each reason up with documents regarding how these are extreme hardships. I feel tremendous pressure to complete this task and am deeply saddened that it has come to this.
As a wife who has been put in such a desperate position, I am determined to get my case heard, so I have made the decision to contact various government officials to inform them about my situation. If anyone reading this knows of a community, state, or other government leader that I should contact, please contact me by email or through facebook. We greatly appreciate all encouragement, prayers, and positivity as ours runs low on difficult days!
I appreciate prayers for safe travels, as well as peace in our hearts as we have to depart from one another once again in just a few weeks. Words cannot even begin to describe how much I am ready for all of this to be over. . .
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