Hans & Christa's quest for a Green Card

GOT IT!

2006-04-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's not green and it's not -yet- a card...

But we sure have a Green Card!

On Monday April 24th we went to the American Consulate in Amsterdam and within 1,5 hours we were already outside, with the promise that our passports would be in the mail in a couple of days.

The visit to the Consulate was pretty smooth.
Window #1 took all of our papers (we came two pictures short)
Window #2 took our money
Window #3 took the interview and validated the green cards

Two days later our passports came in the mail and we managed to fly back to the US a couple of days earlier; we arrived yesterday (Thursday April 27th).

Customs took our fingerprints, stamped forms and X-rayed our suitcases and within the hour we were on our way.

Are we happy?
YOU BET!

Expect a party over at our place as soon as the plastic green card comes in the mail.
Stay tuned!

Hair raising - to say the least...

2006-04-10T16:21:00.000-07:00

And not good for our bloodpressure...

Arriving in Holland, last week, we found an official letter from the American consulate at Christa's parents house (dated 22 feb!) asking for other police certificates than those we had send in.

Telephoning with a very strict officer at the AC.
In the end picked a new date for our final interview -> April 24.

Since we still have animals to take care for and because of a meeting, I (Hans) flew back on April 10th and will fly again to Holland on April 21st.

At least we did our medical in Amsterdam on April 6th so that should be OK.

Now.... I need a beer.

Stay tuned for more updates as the final date draws near(er).

Do we really have everything?

2006-03-18T14:48:00.000-08:00

OK, here's the deal:

Last month we heard, while vacationing on the Dutch tropical island of Bonaire, that our number was current. Ofcourse we celebrated that with some -uh... too much- champagne.

Back in the US the second letter was in the mail with the interview date for the American Consulate in Amsterdam. After making the appropriate appointments for the medical exams, we gathered all the documents and forms needed for the interview.

We think we got everything in place now. It is out of our hands.
So on April 12th we'll be in Amsterdam for that interview.
Please keep your fingers crossed.

As soon as we know more, I will let you know!

Till then,

Hans & Christa

PS: pretty exciting, isn't it?

Future of the Green Card Lottery - BACKGROUND

2006-01-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that there is a lot of discussion about the future of the Green Card Lottery, officially called the Diversity Immigrant (DV).

Most of the Representatives and Senators want to abolish it, calling it a excellent way for terrorists to get into the US legally. They unfortunately don't base their opinions on facts. Everyone has to undergo several background checks: the US performs one and you need to have a background check from your native country.
No way the OBL's of this world will get their chance to get into the US.

But the DV Lottery is for a lot of -mainly Republican reps and sen's- an easy way of scoring.

Last December the House passed an ammendment ending the diversity lottery program. It passed 239-182. Ofcourse it still has to pass the Senate, Democrats are hopefull that this bill will not pass. Meanwhile DV2007 is already on its way.

This is a informative article http://washingtontimes.com/national/20051217-123709-6995r_page2.htm

More later!

Holding your breath...

2006-01-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

We are only 1400 numbers away from our greencards!!
I don't want to be jubilant too early because anything can happen but:

Yesterday -January 11th- the new advance cut-off numbers for March were published. For Europe that number is 9850, a raise of 1550. If next month will show the same increase we will soon thereafter learn our interview date...

Exciting stuff! So we are continuing collecting documents, forms and all the other paperwork necessary.

Thanks again for all your comments and a new update will follow as soon as we have more information.

Keep the faith ;)

Happy New (Green Card?) Year!

2006-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

First let us wish you all the best in 2006, may all your wishes come true.
And we know what our wish is :)

And we are moderately optimistic since the advance notification for the February cut-off number is 8300. So, it is getting closer by the month.

With a bit of luck we have an appointment in two months, providing that it will go up with 1500 the next two months, ofcourse.

So right now we are going through all of our papers, documentation and forms; just to check if we really have everything in place.

I am thinking about writing our experiences into a small booklet, I hope someone would be interested in that. It will be filled with tips and tricks. Just thinking about it right now.

Thanks to all of you who are reading our little blog (and encourages us to write more frequently, smokeonit :) )

Please cross your fingers for us, since somewhere in the next 10 days the new cut-off number will we published.

Oh yeah, don't hesitate to check out our websites:
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&userID=696561
http://www.dreamstime.com/chrisdodutch_portfolio_pg1
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/search.php?photo_by=dnbMTuXkWO&mode=1

(see also our links on the right)

Sloooowwwwly.... (but surely?)

2005-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

I will try not to nag too much about the incredible slowlyness (ahum) the way the cut-off number for Europe is goin. I'll try. It's way tougher for The Other Regions.
But if you compare this rate with those of previous years, this DV must be one of the worst.

Last month it one went up with 900 to 3900.
The advanced notice for December for Europe stands at 5500.
It's probably going to be tight for us.

Is there a slightly lighter note?
Not yet, but I'm looking.

Back...

2005-10-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know it has been a while, but the cut-off number that was published in September was very disappointing (3900) and that gave us a big scare.

And the numerous rumors about stopping the DV Lottery didn't help matters.
I will try and post some updated information on that, the only thing I know is that it passed a House sub-committee, so it is in a very early stage.

So, with that all said, I will promise to post more regularly, beginning with the upcoming new bulletin!

Hans

Rise, rise (please...)

2005-08-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last couple of days I was browsing the internet, in search of an answer to my Main Question: is there any hope left after the first bulletin in which the first cut-off number for Europe is on a all-time low (see posting below).

A lot of people reassured me: "Be patient, it will fo up way past your case#", "They are most likely raising the cut-off numbers by two to 3000 a month, in order to avoid a standstill for months at a time".

This all makes sense, so we will hold on to those.
Thanks y'all

Oh and, yeah, it is my birthday today :)
So click on those Google Ad links at the bottom of this page, so I can buy myself a Bud tonight ;)

Hans

Mmmmm.....

2005-08-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

Well, that gave us a little scare.
Yesterday, the new visa bulletin came out, with an advance notice for October, the first month of the fiscal year 2006:

EUROPE EU 3,000

Yikes! That is the lowest EU-start of a DV Lottery in many, many years.
As you might know, our case number is 11xxx so there is a long way to go.
No interview for us this year.

Oh well, we still have plenty of time.
:)

Later!

Getting close?

2005-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

August 8th, which means that any day now The US Department of State will send out the new Visa Bulletin (see link on the right). With a little luck the cut-off number will be above our case#, so keep all limbs crossed.

Our hearts go out to the DV2005 winners whose casenumbers didn't become current. For months -and I'm talking specifically about Europe now- their cut-off number just didn't move. It's unfair, I know.

Then, there is talk about revising the DV Lottery system. In a good and a bad way.

Let's start with the good.
Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss introduced a bill to the Senate to "permit an alien to remain eligible for a diversity visa beyond the fiscal year in which the alien applied for the visa, and for other purposes."

For the exact proposed bill:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/webreturn/?url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:S.1119:

It's a good sign a Republican senator is proposing this bill, it just might get the vote of the Republican majority.

But.
Yes, there is a but. Here comes the bad way.

There are also enough lawmakers who want to abolish the DV Lottery, arguing that it is a backdoor for (would-be) terrorists to come to the US legally. Well, before getting a Green Card -through the lottery or in an other way- the applicant has to go through background checks, including a FBI one.

We'll keep a close eye on both developments.

Hope to talk to you in a couple of days!

Winning a Green Card

2005-07-07T19:09:00.001-07:00

My oh my...

On the day of Christa's surgery -June 13th- a big white envelope was sticking out of our mailbox. The Kentucky Consular Center. The long awaited Notification Letter in which Chris was congratulated with winning a green card! The timing couldn't be more perfect.

But this is just the first step.
After joining 8 million other people with the DV Lottery last December, we are one of 100.000 who received a chance. Indeed, a chance because only 55.000 green cards are available for coming year. But people die, move or just are too freaked out to move to the US.

Well, we have been here some 2,5 years and frankly, we would freak out going back to where we came from, The Netherlands that is. Ok, we know that the US is not perfect, but which country really is? This one comes pretty close to it, according to us.

Nature, hiking, wildlife, travelling are our passions. Combine that with the vast business opportunities, way more living space than in Holland and -I'm sorry, my fellow countrymen- a more relax atmosphere, and this is the country we would like to call home. Oh, and did we mention the nature, the hiking and the wildlife?

:)

So, what's next?
We have to wait until our case number (2006EU00011xxx) will become current, which means that they will process our application.

Based on previous years, our number will probably become current somewhere between November 2005 and April 2006.

Which means basically... eh... that we have to wait.

So please leave comments and come back regularly for our updates!

Hans & Christa