Fiance Visa Process

there are 4 steps in this process.
we are currently between steps 1 and 2.

Step 1. US Citizen (ME) petitions homeland security on behalf of fiance for him to be able to apply for a K1 visa. (my petition was sent on March 15 and approved on June 13)

Step 2. Petition was approved and sent to the National Visa Center, where it is assigned a new case number and forwarded to the foreign consulate, Ankara is our Consulate.

Step 3. Petition is receiced by Consulate and then foreign fiance can apply for visa. (this is a lot of work, putting together documents, getting medicals, etc)

Step 4. Interview. Avat will go to the consulate for an interview. He will either be granted a visa within 10 days or be put on Administrative Processing (more in depth background checks)

Step 5. (if put on AP) Wait until background checks are cleared, visa issued. Can be a waiting period of 10-90-365 days...no certainty here.

So there it is in a nutshell. All the layers of a fiance visa.

Its been a while

I am bad at blogging, it is official. In my defense I did create it in order to stay in contact with people while living in Istanbul and since I have been back I have not written. Now I am going to start blogging about our visa process, since there is so much that goes into the actual process and for everyone to get a better understanding of what actually happens during this process.

I am really excited to document this all because it shows God's faithfulness and provision to His children, specifically me and Avat!!!

All Glory to God.

Waiting

It is hard to believe that I have been back in Chicago for 6 weeks. Time was hard in Istanbul being so far from everyone, but being here makes me miss Istanbul. I feel like life is always like this. A constant longing to be everywhere other than where you are.

Avat and I have been chatting, emailing, calling, skyping this entire time. People warned me how hard long distance relationships are and I thought I would be able to handle it but boy was I not in store for everything we would go through apart. God has been faithful and here in the midst of it all but it is such a challenge.

Now we are waiting. Waiting to get his visa to come here. Waiting to be together again. Waiting for me to get a real teaching job, thankful for subbing though. Waiting for the UN to help him out of his horrible situation there.

Waiting on God has it's reward. Can't wait to see what and how He gets Avat here and how He does it. It is all in his hands.

Getting Ready to End this Chapter

It is crazy that I have lived in Istanbul for the past six months. I have met so many great people and made friends that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Just wanted to send some shot-outs to some great people I have met here...

Whitney Rose...you are such an amazing, mature person. I have enjoyed every moment we spent together. Right when we met I knew we would be good friends. You have been more of a sister to me than a friend! I love you dearly and will miss all the sleepovers and Sunday afternoon's together. Please come visit in Chicago and I will definitely visit in Australia!


Lenka! You are such a kind and generous person. I have has so much fun spending so much time with you (with the exception of the past five weeks!) and getting to know you. I hope that life brings us together in the near future, and possible in Chicago for a wedding!!! And I love this picture of us, it is hilarious!



Armando, Jen, Joshua, Jaden, and Jeremy! I love you all. You have been so helpful and open to listening to and helping process all the confusion between Avat and I. Thanks Armando for taking time each week to teach Avat and Jen for allowing him to be away from you and the boys. Jen thanks for just talking me through so many issues in such a short period of time. I have learned a lot from you all and I really do love your boys. They are great because you both are great.

Dobrinka, an older sister who really took care of me and helped me out so much. God used you to bless and I thank you so much for giving me a beautiful cold place to live in the summer, food to eat and someone to talk to and learn from. I am sad to leave you during this hard time for you. I will continue to pray for you and your family during this next year of transition. Thanks so much for all you did for me. I hope to reciprocate the acts of kindness to someone else someday soon! Hopefully we will be able to see each other in the states. Love you! (Picture to follow shortly!)

AVAT. So much to say here. It is hardest leaving you. I know that God has brought us together and in His timing He will bring us together again. We pray and hope that it will be a short time but we know that His will is best for us and we rest in the hope of His good and perfect will bringing us back together, in the US! I love you and am grateful for your willingness to grow in Christ and trust in Him for everything. You are a great example of leaving everything and following after Him. Continue to trust in Him and His will for our lives. It will be a hard separation but will make our next meeting even more joyous!!! There is a saying in English that "absence makes the heart grow fonder!" (This was our last picture together...;()

Thanks again everyone for your friendships and you help while I was in Istanbul. I love you all and can't wait to see you all again!

Coming Home

After much thought, consideration and prayer I have decided to come home for Christmas and stay. It is a hard decision to make for one reason, Avat. We have been dating since just two weeks after I arrived in Turkey and have really grown in love together. He is really sad and I am really sad but we both feel that God is separating us for a reason and in His perfect time we will be reunited!

It leaves our relationship at the point where we are at the mercy and grace of the US government. Praying that they will grant him a visa to come to the US in about five months. After the arrival we will get married. Yes that is right folks we have decided that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together and are leaving it in God's hands. Please continue to pray for him and his spiritual growth, safety and comfort during this long waiting period. I will only have to wait about five months surrounded by friends and family. He on the other hand will be waiting alone in a not so just place.

It is bitter sweet leaving here and being away from Avat but I am so happy and excited to see my family and friends. I was going to wait and surprise everyone but couldn't hold it in any longer. These next two weeks I have to prepare paperwork for Avat and spend some quality time with him and then the next week will travel to Greece for a day and possibly Ephesus. Thanks for your prayers through this season of my life. I love you all very much and can't wait to see you all so soon!!!

Prayer Needed, But when Isn't it!

The past few weeks have been extremely challenging at work and pretty much down right unfair. I am rethinking my commitment to stay for the entire year and need prayer on whether I should stick through it or come home early and finish the few classes I have left for my middle school endorsements. It is a hard decision to make because it will be hard to be away from Avat and also I don't want to give up working here but the system is just corrupt and unjust, in all areas. Pray for me for wisdom, guidance and peace in the choices I will make this week.

Love you all and can't wait to see everyone either this Christmas or late January. Thanks for your prayers.

Visitors from Home

The past two weeks my cousin and two of his traveling friends came to Turkey to visit. It was so nice to have people from home come and see where I live, meet my friends and just experience the culture I have been experiencing.

here they are Mike, Steve and Tim

They stayed with me in Istanbul for three days and went off and did some exploring on the west coast before meeting up with me and Whitney in Capadocia. Here are some pictures of our time together! Enjoy.


Whitney and me in the underground city, representing of course!


Whitney, Mike and Tim having a brief discussion. Tim was a little too tall for this underground city!


Enjoying the view from in the valley.


It was very nice to be in nature and see green grass and trees and a stream.


Sunsets are very beautiful here.


In the Hot Air Balloon before take off!

That is it for now. I will post a lot more pics on facebook, this takes too long!