When did you start???

[JennyM]

Ok, ALOT of us need a hardship letter. When did you guys start putting your letter together and getting info from doctor's offices? I want everything to be ready but I also don't want year old information when I go with my husband to Guatemala for his interview. "Patience is a viture" unfortunately, I don't have any.

[aprilstorm]

I found this site AFTER my husband went to the interview..I did send him with a letter and a few doctor letters along with letters from my friends and family..but then when I found this site I was worried that mine wasn't going to be good enough so I started preparing a 2nd letter and it took me about a month before I thought it was the best I could do...I had a lot of help from people on here and thankfully my hubby was approved and he came back home in May of this year!!!!

[Hopeful...]

Ok, ALOT of us need a hardship letter. When did you guys start putting your letter together and getting info from doctor's offices? I want everything to be ready but I also don't want year old information when I go with my husband to Guatemala for his interview. "Patience is a viture" unfortunately, I don't have any.

Hi, Jenny! I started writing my HSL and gathering evidence about two - three months before my husband's visa appointment as we knew he would be denied. I did want everything to be as current as possible (like country reports, travel warnings, etc.), but I also wanted to give myself enough time to write, revise, write, revise (and so on!!) and gather exactly what I needed without having to spend every day until 3A.M. working on it. Also, I was working and living in Cairo at the time, so I needed time to get things sent to me from the states (like proof of home ownership, documents from my church, etc.) which definitely meant giving myself extra time. I'd say start working whenever you'd like on the general outline that you'll follow and revise as you go along. Good luck to you on this emotional journey!!!

[JennyM]

i started my letter already but my all my dr.s have a heads up on what i need. And i bought the house on my own so i dont have any joint ownership except credit cards and bank accounts. Any of you have that as well?

[Adriane]

I gathered evidence for almost 6 months. But I started by working up a framework so I would know what I needed. Of course the letter grew and morphed after the original outline, but that really helped. I broke it into Hardship Categories (Health, Career, Safety, Financial, etc.), then Harships within Categories (Pre-daibetes, ovarian failure, depression under the 'Health'), then Interacting Hardships (i.e. tying in "Lack of insurance" from 'Medical with "Pre-daibetes requiring care & medicine) from 'Health.) Then I made sure I had an item of evidence from each one.

I say start early- some doctors, etc., will be more cooperative than others.

Good luck!

[SHELLYFCO]

Knowing that you have to do a HSL is to your advantage. The longer you have to work on the HSL and gather as many hardships as you can, the better.

[JennyM]

Well, I have pending hardships from my disability from the military (from 2000) and all my doctors said they would help me out, just let them know when. So I have my hardships ready, I just need to frame out my letter and go from there.