Thanks for the birthday wishes, folks!

Nora -- the gap between me being awarded my green card and acrually receiving it was huge, since I moved in the meanwhile, and the post office never forwarded the mail. It took two visits to the INS office to right things (never dream of arriving at the LA INS after 6am), but it was all painless once I got to a person.

It is slightly green. At certain angles.

It should be a real, Kelly green, or something. It's terribly disappointing to think it is only greenish.

Well, according to the lawyers, he's been a resident since December 14, and everything else is "purely administrative". However, "administrative" is where it can all go terribly wrong, is my fear. Also, just because in a database somewhere, you're listed as a resident, it doesn't mean much without the tangible proof, when you're, say, trying to travel internationally.

Want to talk about an immigration nightmare? My friend's husband is Iranian. He certainly got a warm welcome during his INS interviews.

I think he's supposed to get his passport stamped today, with residential status, so that's something at least.

And, yikes, Cashmere. How are things going for him/them?

I'm happy that we didn't do a marriage application for his residency. That way, the government should stay out of our business. Well, relatively speaking. (his green card is work-sponsored, in the works before we even got together)

Board ate my post! Grrrr...

Happy Birthday, ita!

And DX's brother! And my DH, who turns 31.

Also, DX, some of us in CT are not very fond of the Pats for exactly that reason. Of course, I am largely indifferent to football, but...stupid taunty team. We're still smarting from losing the Whalers.

Thank God we have UConn basketball or we'd have a complex.

Just looking ahead to tonight -- what time is The Amazing Race on in CA? I have to plan my evening. :-)

Happy Birthday ita!

And, yikes, Cashmere. How are things going for him/them?

He's actually doing well. He's getting an advanced nursing degree and they've been married for over three years. I don't know how long it actually took him to get his actual card, but I know he had several interviews over a year to get the paperwork done.

I don't know how long it actually took him to get his actual card, but I know he had several interviews over a year to get the paperwork done.

Tom's been in the process for 4 years. 2001 and 2002 were getting interviews, physicals, his company posting his job and interviewing candidates (to prove that Tom is the best qualified person to do the job), fingerprinting, forms, etc., etc., etc. I wasn't around for some of that, so some of that is anecdotal. The entire application was submitted in December of 2002 (he started the process January of 2001). 2003 and 2004, we played the waiting game. Residency awarded December 14, 2004.

Possibly the marriage track is faster, but by the time that became an option, we'd have had to withdraw the original application and start again.

Possibly the marriage track is faster, but by the time that became an option, we'd have had to withdraw the original application and start again.

Maybe. Up until then, Reza was in the country on a student visa, so he didn't try to pursue a green card.