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AW: Green Card Interview

H and I had our USCIS interview this morning. It went WAY better than expected! We got up at 5 and were at the courthouse by 6:30 so we would be first in line when it opened at 7. We were in and out in about 30 minutes and got approved on the spot, which we were not expecting at all. Normally they split up the husband and wife to make sure your answers match, but for some reason they kept us together. They didn't ask any questions aside from when we met, have we met each other's parents, and asked my H some ridiculous questions like:
1. Do you have plans to overthrow the US government?
2. Are you a spy?
3. Are you a terrorist or do you plan to become a terrorist?
4. Do you have weapons training?
5. Are you a Communist?
6. Are you a polygamist?

I think it was just nerves but for some reason I could barely stop myself from giggling during these questions. We also had a MASSIVE binder (literally weighs 10 lbs) prepared with all our financials, phone records, insurance info, etc. and a 100 pg photo album. He didn't even ask to see the photo album and all he wanted from the binder was a copy of our lease and our most recent bank statement. Then he stamped approved and our lawyer turned to us and said congrats.  I started crying and couldn't look at H because I knew it would make me cry even more. We won't get the card in the mail for another 3-10 days, but that's OK. We are just so grateful to have this behind us. Even though it was a remote possibility, it was scary to think about having to move overseas in the event that he did not get the GC. Now we are done with immigration until January 2018 when H has to apply for citizenship. 'MERICA!!

We got home by 8am and I changed into my Mrs. Last Name shirt from our wedding, and then we promptly popped some champagne and called our parents. We hadn't told anyone that we had the interview today so it was fun to surprise everyone! Here I am enjoying my mimosa:



The most exciting part is that this means we can finally book our HM!!! We want to go to an adults only all inclusive in Mexico or the Caribbean and I would love your recommendations! So far I have Sandals, Excellence, Secrets, Couples, El Dorado, Majestic, and Jewel. Any others I should check out or anyone here have any personal experiences with any of the resorts I mentioned (positive or negative). Also any tips/pointers for AIs would be helpful...neither of us have ever been to one.

Thanks for all the vibes LADIES!

Re: AW: Green Card Interview

  • edited April 2016
    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!  That's so exciting, and I'm glad the process was less than you expected!

    Also (and this is the historian talking): some of those questions sound straight out of the Cold War.  They must not have revised their list since about 1965.

    Edited: I can't spell "congratulations," apparently.
  • Congrats! I'm so glad it was so easy for you! Now you get to plan your HM, yay!!! I can't say anything about Mexico because I've never been, but I'm just so happy for you!
  • Congratulations!
  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Congrats!





  • Congrats, you two!

  • Congratulations!!! That must feel so good to have that over with.

    Re: HM recs... H and I went to Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica and I wouldn't recommend it... Idk if it's Sandals in general or just our experience but they were rude when we wanted to switch rooms when we arrived and told us we were making a mistake (they booked us a ground floor room with windows literally looking out onto the pool, there was no privacy and we had booked a balcony room). They also were super pushy about buying things while you are there - since its AI they want you to go to the stores, get massages, etc. etc. it was never ending.

    Really beautiful place though!
  • Congrats you two!!!!
  • Oh! As for Honeymoon. We went to Mexico 2yrs ago and had a great time! We stayed in Riviera Maya, and our hotel was beautiful. We chose it for the fact there was a lot of nature {ie; lots of trees and animals, barely in cages except for gorillas but that's a side note}

    It depends on what you guys want for hotels, most are all inclusive.
  • YAYYYYY CONGRATS!!!!

    LMAO at the questions. I would have giggled too. 

    I mean what spy is going to say "Ah shit, yeah, you got me."

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  • Woooo!! Congrats, that is so awesome!!!!

    @pambeesly524 I'm surprised you didn't like Whitehouse. I haven't been but my mom's a travel agent and loves Whitehouse. She sent us to Couples Swept Away in Negril for our honeymoon because she & my dad go there annually. It was our gift from them so we didn't pay. And I won't lie- I didn't think it was worth the money at all. It was nice but we felt like we had basically the same experience in Cancun for 3 times cheaper.

    @jen I know she sells a lot of Hard Rock in Cancun, she sent my friend there last year with a rooftop hot tub. Moon Palace is a big seller too. She sent my other friend to Sandals Grande St. Lucia and that is a more expensive island but totally kicks ass. We stopped there on a cruise and it was our favorite island.

    We loved Cancun because we took a day tour that went to the famous Mayan Pyramid Chitzen Itza (one of the 7 wonders). That was really cool!!

                                                                     

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  • YAY!!! Congrats! I'm sure that's a huge weight off of both of you.

    I would HIGHLY recommend Secrets. We stayed at Secrets Maroma (Rivera Maya area) and it was beautiful. It was almost all couples there so it's very serene and relaxing. 7 different restaurants, and the 6 we tried were SO good. My only two tips are to get an extra shot every time you order a drink (because the drinks are pretty weak) and don't bother with getting the preferred club access - not worth it.

    Feel free to PM me for more info! :)


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  • @jenna8984 we didn't have a BAD time, but I don't think I would go back. Everything we liked about it is true of other all inclusives, so I'd love to try a different one next time. I've seen great reviews of Whitehouse and I did love the grounds and everything!
  • minskat30minskat30 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited April 2016
    Also, on the honeymoon thing.  I've been to Excellence and Secrets.  Excellence was better than Secrets in my opinion (especially Excellence Playa Mujeras).  My favorite AI that is adults-only in Mexico is Le Blanc though.  We went there for our honeymoon and they bent over backwards for us...(i.e., I remember one time the loungers near the pool were all taken and we were looking around for a spot, a waiter saw us looking, asked us where we would like to sit and 5 minutes later came out with two loungers, an umbrella and an ice bucket for our drinks).  It is wonderful.  :) 
  • Congrats! We went to Finest Playa Mujeres for our HM and got a room with a roof top deck w/jacuzzi. We loved it. Half the resort is adults only and half is for families so if you don't want to see kids AT ALL then I wouldn't recommend it. I didn't see kids enough that it bothered me and I don't really like them lol.
     




  • Yay Congrats! I'm so glad everything went smoothly!

    We went to Sandals in the Bahamas and it was ok. We had a great time since it was all-inclusive but I will second that they are very money grabby and are constantly asking you to purchase things. Also the one time we asked them if we would have maid service because our sheets hadn't been changed in three days and we didn't receive any clean towels. They said that since we didn't purchase a butler suite that we wouldn't get that. I was like, "Well is there a washing machine because we need to wash our towels lol" I didn't come to a Sandals resort and pay all this money to wash our hotel provided towels and sheets. They were also rude and we asked if we could get room service and they replied with the same answer but then we ordered a "honeymooners special bed in breakfast" and it was basically the same thing as ordering room serivce. Lol it was fun but still I would probably go elsewhere.


  • Congrats! 

    @cu97tiger will have a really great recommendation for you which is where she went for her HM as well as a couple other past TK regs. I was actually booked there but then we decided to go to SA instead. Good luck with planning! 



  • Congrats!!!!  I'm sure you two are glad it's all over!
  • @pambeesly524 Ah yea, that's how we felt about Swept Away. Of course we had a nice time and the grounds were amazing but we wouldn't spend our own money to go back when it was similar to cheaper places. Also the dining rooms all needed collared shirts and shoes and while that's nice, we also like having the "grab a burger in your bathing suit" option and they didn't really have that.

                                                                     

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  • Congrats! Haha those questions made me think of That 70s show when Fez was applying for citizenship.

    We've only stayed at one all inclusive and that was in Mexico. We booked through cheapcaribbean.com and had no issues.  The resort we were at was Now Jade Riviera.  We had a balcony suite that technically was a rain forest view but we were on the third floor so we also had an ocean view.  We loved it and plan on going again.  The only time we had to open our wallets was for tips and souvenirs (spa isn't included but we didn't try it out).  
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  • Thank you for all the tips everyone!!

    @southerneapch89 - Now I am wary of Sandals...I had checked out their website and it seemed very confusing with all the different levels.

    @minskat30 - I looked at Le Blanc, it was GORGEOUS! But it's out of our price range. :( Also unfortunately Excellence Playa Mujeres is unavailable for the week we are going. BOO!
     
  • @jenjen047 @southernpeach89 is spot on with the butler vs. non butler suites.. We were told the same thing about room services and we didn't have booze in our rooms because we weren't butler level. We also did the honeymoon package which included rose petals/champagne waiting for you after dinner one night, and one morning of breakfast in bed. We had to call to get the night-time thing  because they forgot, and even then they never brought us the champagne. We followed directions for the breakfast and it never got picked up off of our door handle, so we had to call about that too.

    All in all I got the feeling that they don't really care about you unless you're butler level.
  • I haven't been to Sandals so I'm only going off what I've heard, but I've heard complaints about butler level because they never leave you alone!! Like you want to just veg out in your room and they are all up your ass trying to bring you things and butler you and you're like just go away for a day. So it's like a double edged sword apparently.

                                                                     

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  • @cu97tiger - That's on our list! Our wedding florist actually recommended it to us also. It looks gorgeous! H is from Ireland.
  • Congrats!!!!!!!!!!


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