I601 in Honduras [Archive] - Immigrate2US.net

catrachowife

07-31-2007, 06:19 AM

Thankyou aguafria for those email addresses. I think maybe I will try them again, but they probably will only say the standard reply. Last time I emailed, they said it would be 6months from the day Homeland Security receives the paperwork. (For those of you just getting started, the visa section will forward the 601 to homeland security, which is in the same building and takes about 2 weeks).

To wanaads questions: The staff at the embassy were pretty much like any other government employee, if you know what I mean. The man who actually did the interview was friendly and helpful, but you have to get through a prescreening interview first to make sure you have all your paperwork. Just make sure you triple check that list of papers they need that they sent you from the embassy. We thought they would ask more questions about our relationship, but I think since we showed a bunch of our pictures of our 5 week old daughter, they couldn't really dispute that our marriage is for real.

To daisy2: They will let you turn in your 601 with letter of hardship that day, which is the best, to be absolutely sure they get it. I don't trust the mail system and it's unbelievably expensive to send things via fedex or DHL to Honduras. Have you been checking out samples of hardship letters? I wrote a letter before I left Honduras, but got home and realized it needed alot more evidence, after reading samples here on this website. Now, my letter is 7 pages and I have a stack of letters (doctors, family and friends) and other evidence that I came up with. Also, remember to have the fee for the waiver, along with the fee for your hubby's fingerprints.

So are you ladies doing this on your own, or are you working with a lawyer? It's so nice to finally find some people going through Tegucigalpa. I've been looking around on this website for awhile and could never find anyone.

wanaads

07-31-2007, 02:59 PM

Thanks so much for the info. It really is such a relief to finally hear from people going through Honduras - every little bit of information helps. So maybe this should be our official Honduras thread so we can keep track of everyone's progress?

We are not using a lawyer, though not for lack trying. We've consulted with a few but they either didn't feel like they could help us, didn't seem to understand the process as well as I do (thanks to this site!!) or were just too expensive. I feel confident that I can do it myself but, you know, it would be beyond tragic if we got denied because of some stupid mistake I made. But I guess that could happen with a lawyer too.

daisy2

07-31-2007, 07:18 PM

Thanks so much for the info, catrachowife. It is very reassuring to see a solid little group of people going through Honduras.

We are using a lawyer but are gathering a lot of the documentation ourselves. Right now I am just nervous that they have gotten frustrated with us for postponing the appointment so many times and will make us go through the whole I-765 process again (our first appointment was scheduled for January of this year and our lawyer postponed it a couple times.) I really hope that doesn't happen. Anyway, good luck to everyone and thanks for sharing this information.

aguafria

08-01-2007, 01:22 AM

Hi All,

catrachowife: I hope that you will get a more definitive answer. It's too bad that member Thernand is no longer with us; she flew to Tegu and submitted another waiver after the first one was denied. It was about a year, but she was eventually approved w/ the second waiver.

*******

I am actually a finace filer and decided to submit my I-601 after the interview (I didn't have it ready). My HSL is very short (2 pages), but I don't want to fret anymore, so I'm completely stepping out on faith. The man at the embassy was really nice to my fiance and gave him the RFE to send me to return to the embassy. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the interview, due to finances, but am pleased the way things have turned out thus far. BTW, I am not using a lawyer. This site has informed me more than the two lawyer that I did consult. The lawyers that I consulted, never mentioned anything to me about a waiver.

Well, here is what my fiance told me what occurred on his interview date: He arrived on time and waited for his name to be called. During his prescreen, the lady requested the required documents and relationship evidence. He said she asked questions about who was in some of the pictures, how and when we met and if we lived together. We never lived together, so she asked how far apart we lived. She asked him the dates he entered and left the US a couple of times. He felt perhaps she was trying to confuse him on this question, but when you tell the truth there is no confusion :). He also asked him if he wanted to marry me and why he wasn't requesting a visa for his son at that time. He has a son in Honduras and we decided to file for him in the future and he said the lady said "hmmm, must be the mother, huh?" She also asked for the receipts of money that I had sent him. After this part, he waited for about an hour before he was question by the second interviewer who basically asked him about his EWI dates and return to Honduras. He also asked him when we met. He then proceeded to tell my fiance that the law states he is banned from the U.S. for 10 years, but he is eligible for the waiver. He said the guy was really nice and said give your fiancee these papers to complete and she can send them to the embassy or you can return them. He even told him the waiver decision is about 6-10 months and at least that is better than 10 years. So, now I'm awaiting the receipt of the RFE, so that I can complete and return to the embassy w/ my hardship letter. I am also uneasy about the mailing system, but it's all I have at this particular moment. It took nine days for him to get the interview packet (via DHL). I will be using FedEx to send the waiver packet directly to the embassy. I'm praying that these new fees will cause the system to become more efficient as a whole and we don't have to be apart from our loved one for so long.

BTW--I plan to visit Honduras in about six months. My fiance is in the state of Valle (southern Honduras).

I echo your sentiment catrachowife; it's great to see others from our little group.

Until another...
aguafria

catrachowife

08-01-2007, 07:07 AM

Aguafria, so which address will you send your stuff to? I was confused by the sheet of paper that I had because there were 2 addresses, one in the states and one in Honduras?
So where else is everyone's guy from? Mine is living with his parents in Comayaguela (Tegucigalpa) right now. When he's here with me, we live in Wisconsin. I wish so much that I could quit my job and go stay with him until he can come back. Only one problem . . . who will pay all my bills? Oh well, I guess our little girl will get to know him when he comes back, right? 10 months is definetly better than 10 years.

wanaads

08-01-2007, 03:49 PM

catrachowife, I have thernand's email address. I'll email her and ask if she wouldn't mind checking in with us here or if I can give you her email and you can talk to her personally.

My husband is still here with me in Arlington, VA. When he goes home, he'll be in Choluteca with his mom or maybe Tegu with his aunt if he can find work there.

daisy2

08-01-2007, 04:02 PM

My husband is from El Paraiso in the western part of Honduras. We just moved from Massachussetts, where I was in school, back to Tennessee, where both our families live. He will be in El Paraiso while we wait for the waiver while I work here. But I hope to be able to stay down there with him a couple of weeks around the time of the appointment...

Thank you again everyone for sharing information. As soon as we have our appointment, which the consulate told us yesterday would be within the next two months, I will post a description of everything that happened.

wanaads

08-01-2007, 04:53 PM

Well, I HAD thernand's email address. The email I sent her just bounced back. Hopefully, she'll come and find us again!

corazoncita

08-01-2007, 06:55 PM

Hi ladies! I am so relieved to see a group of such kind people with loved ones going through Honduras. My family is in a pretty unfortunate situation :bluesad:, and while I found this thread quite helpful, it doesn't closely relate to our personal situation. I started a new topic, and I would appreciate it if you would read it and pass info along to anyone who may know the answers to my questions. Thank you soooo much!

Here is the link...
http://immigrate2us.net/forum/showthread.php?t=963

Noelle

wanaads

08-01-2007, 07:07 PM

OMG, your baby's picture just made my day!!!

corazoncita

08-01-2007, 07:13 PM

:blush: Awwww, thank you!

aguafria

08-02-2007, 12:22 AM

Hi everyone,
Catrachowife: I'll be sending my packet to the Honduras address. My fiance said the guy told him that I could send it directly to the embassy. Wish me luck.

Wanaads, thanks for offering to contact Thernand anyway. Her advice would have been really appreciated, but we'll manage with our little group :) I visited Choluteca when I was in Honduras last year. It was like a couple hours drive from my fiance's home. Also, I'm in northern Virginia, too (Stafford County).

I'm hoping we can really gather some info here for the Honduran thread.

aguafria

08-02-2007, 12:28 AM

Oh, one more thing.

Daisy2, if you don't hear anything from the consulate in two months, contact them again or your congressional/senatorial representative.

catrachowife

08-02-2007, 02:44 AM

Wanaads
I was reading a different thread and saw your question about having your hardship letter at your husband's visa interview. They did ask us if we had our ready on that day, so we could have handed it all in then. They give you a sheet of paper when he is denied stating examples of what would be considered a hardship, but you've probably seen a copy of that somewhere in these forums online (health, financial, family, personal, etc.). I would suggest having everything ready at the interview. Remember the letter has to be from you, not him. I wrote it originally from his viewpoint and had to return later after I rewrote in from myself. Every day that you save yourself now by getting it in ASAP will be that many days faster your husband will be able to return to you:)

wanaads

08-02-2007, 02:45 PM

aguafria: I can't believe you live so close! Though I guess there is a pretty big Central American community in this area. I'm just always so surprised when I find out someone from the site is nearby. I haven't been to Honduras yet but am planning to spend a few weeks there when we go for the appointment and to visit as much as possible while we wait out the waiver decision. What did you think of it? I'm pretty adventurous so I'm not worried about going, but my husband is always teasing me that I will get eaten alive by the bugs and I won't want to eat any of the food, etc.

catrachowife: Thanks for the info. I definitely plan on having everything ready that day then. I don't want to wait one hour longer than we have to! I've started to gather a little information that I think will be helpful for the HSL, but I just dread writing it. I don't have any health issues or a sick parent(thank God!) nor do we have children yet or any of those level one or two issues so I'm pretty stressed about that part. I'll figure it out though.

corazoncita

08-02-2007, 05:24 PM

aguafria/wanaads

I originally met my husband in South Carolina, but he often went to Virginia to visit friends... his church was there. It's some type of evangelical denomination, and the US headquarters is in Northern Virginia, I believe. He has TONS of Honduran friends in Virginia... it's a small world!

corazoncita

08-02-2007, 05:31 PM

Where is everyone's spouse from originally?

Mine is from Colon, in a little town called Sinai. He was also a police officer in Honduras for about 4 years... during that time, he lived in San Pedro Sula, and Trujillo. The suegra, cunados and sobrinos mostly live in Sinai, Colon.

wanaads

08-02-2007, 09:22 PM

My boy is from Pespire in Choluteca. His family has been there for generations - most still live in that area, including Mami.

honduchick101

08-02-2007, 09:23 PM

Hi all,

This is my first time posting and I just wanted to let you know how excited I was to find a group of Honduran filers....:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

We will soon be filing thru Tegu. as well I have just sent in the visa fee so we will see how long it will take to get his 1st interview.. Does anyone know how long it usually takes after you have sent that in?

Thanks again,

honduchick

meesh

08-02-2007, 11:16 PM

I'm not going through Honduras, but I want to wish you all the best of luck:) And, I just had to say that corazoncita's baby is absolutely adorable. Super preciosa;)

aguafria

08-04-2007, 05:48 PM

welcome honduchick!!! Our little hondureno group is growing!! Yeahhh!! I believe the appointment should be scheduled within a couple of months of receipt by the embassy in Tegu. If you've confirmed that Tegu has received the packet and it's been a couple of month, I would contact the embassy. I believe its been posted that they will not start scheduling again until mid -august. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask away

aguafria

08-04-2007, 06:10 PM

corazoncita

08-06-2007, 02:24 PM

Wanaads,
I had a wonderful time in Honduras and hope to return in about six months (but we'll see). Every one was sooo nice. I felt like a part of his family. The only thing that bothered me was the heat. Bien caliente!!! One day I actually vomited because it was so hot. The house didn't have an air conditioner, but the car did, so I was happy whenever we traveled. The bugs didn't bother me that much. I did bring Pepto Bismol and insect repellent. I didn't need the Pepto and I think I used the repellant one time. I ended up with a few mosquito bites, but they really didn't itch. I can't wait to go back.

What city/county did you go to? I gather it was a larger city... I know my husband's family does not have a car, and no one in the village has a car except for the church. Nobody can afford one. However-- I plan on renting a big van (if they have them, and if I can afford it!) so that I can take the family around. I have seen videos of the village where my husband lives... all the "houses" are made of cinder blocks and have dirt floors. The original homes were lost during Hurricane Mitch. There is no plumbing... my hubby said that you have to find a nice place under a tree with the breeze blowing. I am all about roughing it while I'm there-- but Isai says that he is embarrased and wants me to stay in a hotel in Trujillo. Hello-- I am his wife. Doesn't that mean I love him unconditionally?? I am a little scared of the bugs... namely ****roaches. I have a HUGE phobia of them... they make my heart race and break a sweat. One time, one of those flying ones came in the house and I started crying. When I asked hubby to kill it, he laughed as he caught it in his bare hand and said that if I was scared of a cuca-rachita like that (and trust me, that thing was HUGE) then I couldn't survive one day in Honduras. He said there are also lots of big snakes around where he lives... but I could handle that as long as I don't cross the path of a roach!

Did you do any sight seeing when you went to Honduras? I realllly want to go to the beach, but more than that-- I want to see the Mayan ruins. I would love to see that!

wanaads

08-06-2007, 03:42 PM

honduchick: Welcome!! Yay! I'm so happy that we have a little group of us in various stages so we can all keep track and support one another. We just got our visa bill on Friday - will send off the money this week, so we'll be right behind you!

aguafria: Glad to hear you had a good time. I'm really looking forward to seeing where my husband grew up and meeting his family so I feel like no matter what the conditions, I'll have a good time.

corazoncita: Mi suegra's home is exactly the same. I've seen video of it - she sleeps in a hammock which sounds pretty fun to me! My husband is embarrassed too, but he's also proud of where he came from which I can understand. So I don't think there will be any hotels for us. I'm most worried about mosquitos. They love me - I get attacked just walking out my front door! So I will be Deet-ing myself up real good every day.

I would LOVE to see Copan and Roatan but that might have to wait until we get our approval (I'm thinking postively!). We will be seriously pinched for cash when we go for his appointment. We've talked about having another wedding at the church in his village once we get the approval since none of his family could come here last year. So maybe the beach and the ruins would make a nice honeymoon!

Klame1983

08-06-2007, 03:57 PM

Hello. I am new to this website and this is my first time posting. A couple of months ago, I filed the I-130 for my husband which is from La Ceiba, Honduras.

Apx. how long does it take from the point you start the process until the interview in Honduras? I'm just worried because I wanted to start law school soon and I would really hate for all of this to mess up my plans. I plan on being with him to Honduras while the waiver is approved. We don't have any children, and I've caught up with all of my debts, so I can freely travel over there. I do have medical issues, so that's about the only hardship I can see will help us with the extreme hardship thing.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for creating this thread! :)

wanaads

08-06-2007, 04:52 PM

Hi Klame and welcome!! My approximate guess on how long it from the time you file your I-130 to the time you get your appointment date is 9-10 months. That's assuming there are no other issues or RFEs and that you promptly turn in the follow up paperwork after your I-130 approval. According to the embassy's website http://honduras.usembassy.gov/english/mission/sections/IV/timeframes.htm the appointment is then another 1-2 months after they receive your packet from NVC and 6-8 months for waiver processing.

You are planning to stay in Honduras with your husband while the waiver is processed? Though I'm sure we would all agree that we would not want to be separated if we could help it - and it's great that you have that option available to you - it may impact your ability to make a strong case for extreme hardship if you are already living there. Though maybe your medical situation is all you need. It's hard to say. In any case, welcome again!! This site is an incredible resource and extremely supportive. We're glad you found us!

corazoncita

08-06-2007, 05:09 PM

[QUOTE=Klame1983;12344]Hello. I am new to this website and this is my first time posting. A couple of months ago, I filed the I-130 for my husband which is from La Ceiba, Honduras.
[QUOTE]

Hi Klame! Welcome! I realllllly want to see La Ceiba while I am in Honduras... my husband says that La Ceiba is "la novia de Honduras." I hear it is beautiful! :) Good luck with your process and your waiver... I am just now getting started, so I don't know how long it will take for us. (there is a 6 month prison stay and likely deportation involved)

wanaads: My hubby is also very proud of his little town, so he needs to get over his complex and let me enjoy myself Santos-family-style. I am pretty sure my suegra sleeps in a hammock as well! I know on the video, there were a couple babies sleeping in a big hammock outside. I'm pretty sure the kids share a bed, though. At the same time, if I am able to take any money with me, I want to give them some kind of gift without offending them. I sort of thought they might enjoy going to the beach and staying in a hotel for a day or two. Isai insists they would really like that-- but I don't want to put the wrong message across, you know?

Klame1983

08-06-2007, 05:31 PM

WANAADS: Thanks for your response. I myself work in the immigration field, although not consular processing, but I try to stay informed about what's going on with this process. Although I plan to go to Honduras with my husband while the waiver is approved, I think I can prove extreme hardship because I'll have to be coming back to the U.S. to receive medical treatment. Also, my mom suffers from heart & other problems. On top of that, it's going to interfere with my education, as of course I wouldn't be able to go to law school there. According to the attorney that's assisting me, he says the most important thing to prove if I do stay over there, is to demonstrate that I would only be able to live there for a temporary amount of time (months) and not years. Would you agree with that? Any suggestions?

aguafria

08-06-2007, 05:32 PM

Welcome Klame and hopefully as a collective group, we'll be able to answer any other questions you may have. I hear La Ceiba is beautiful. Everytime I see someone new sign on I get so excited :).

wanaads: My fiance sleeps in a hammock too. The house actually has three bedrooms, but because it sooo hot he's more comfortable sleeping in the hammock with the fan blowing. He and I slept in the hammock the week I was there. It wasn't bad at all. It sure beat sleeping on the bed and being hot and sticky. My fiance tells me after Hurricane Mitch an influx of geckos arrived and sometimes you'll see them crawling on the ceiling or hear them making their little noises. I felt better swinging around in the hammock than just sitting here in the bed. I'm surprised the mosquitos didn't bother me that much, but the seemed to be enjoying my fiance's flesh tremendously!! I made sure I brought an extra can of repellant for him to keep. I love your idea about another ceremony in Honduras. Most of my fiance's immediate family is here, but that is a great idea. I would love to do that, but I have to think about the one in the U.S. first :).

corazoncita: Where I was, I don't think there were any roaches, so I'll pray that there aren't any in Copan! I would love to visit the Ruinas, but that will have to be a separate vacation, after this process is over. Copan is very far from where my fiance lives. He lives about three hours south of Tegucigalpa in the state of Valle. He lives in a place called Agua Fria (hence my name) that is in the departamento de Nacaome. It is in the country and I visited homes of various types. Some w/ dirt floors constructed w/ boards and clay, some w/ tile floors, some w/ toilets, some w/ outhouse and some w/ none at all. I even saw a makeshift shower stall. None of this bothered me, except the heat. I'd say about 30% of the residents in Agua Fria have cars, the rest use bicicletas or the bus. My fiance didn't want me riding around in the bus, so we decided to buy a car. He is the only one in his family that has a car, because we paid about $2000 for this 4-door Nissan Sentra. When he returns, we'll most likely sell it, if his brother hasn't learned how to drive it by then.

Since I was there only a week, I really didn't sightsee as much as I wanted. We went to Las playas, Cedena, Amapala, and one other I can't remember. We visited Choluteca briefly. Apparently, there is a lot of pride in this bridge that goes into Choluteca, so he wanted to show it to me (I took pictures of it) :). His brother used to live there and at one time had a taxi cab business, but after Hurricane Mitch, all was destroyed. I also visited Valle de Angeles, which was a couple of hours north of Tegu. I wanted to bring home some souvenirs and they have many tiendas that sell these things. It is a big tourist area, so I ran into many 'northerners.'

Klame1983

08-06-2007, 05:36 PM

corazoncita

08-06-2007, 07:20 PM

CORAZONCITA: Thanks for welcoming me. I've never been to Honduras, but according to my husband, he says that more than likely I won't be able to stay there for long, although the plan is for me to go stay there the whole time. He says that life there is completly different than here. I don't know if it's like this in all Honduras, but in La Ceiba they mainly eat seafood, and I hate seafood! We're trying to save as much as we can so we can just live a more comfortable life in the city, but even at that, he says life is hard. Keep me updated with your case. Good luck to you! :)

LOL... my hubby says the same thing! He says that in Honduras, nobody has a care in the world. Nobody ever worries, and nobody rushes to do anything. They don't eat at restaurants or go to movies... he says that nobody makes plans-- they just go with the flow. Luckily, I LOVE seafood, and I can't wait to try the food! My main goal is to have his mother teach me to make a halfway decent tortilla. Beware-- they eat a lot of iguana in Honduras as well. I don't know WHAT I will do if they try to serve it to me! :fright: I don't want to be rude... but I know that if I try it, I will very liklely gag! I think La Ceiba is pretty darn close to Trujillo... my husband was born in Tocoa, Colon-- but he spent a lot of time in Ceiba and (mostly) Trujillo when he was a Honduran police officer. I can't wait to see the beautiful water! Someday, we want to go on a honeymoom in Roatan.

corazoncita

08-06-2007, 07:43 PM

My fiance didn't want me riding around in the bus, so we decided to buy a car. He is the only one in his family that has a car, because we paid about $2000 for this 4-door Nissan Sentra.

Did you buy it in Honduras? I'm so ignorant (especially when it comes to cars) that I fear they would completely screw me over... I have "dumb tourist" written on my forehead. I know hubby would try to keep me from being corrupted, but he really knows nothing about cars either.

Klame1983

08-06-2007, 07:56 PM

LOL... my hubby says the same thing! He says that in Honduras, nobody has a care in the world. Nobody ever worries, and nobody rushes to do anything. They don't eat at restaurants or go to movies... he says that nobody makes plans-- they just go with the flow. Luckily, I LOVE seafood, and I can't wait to try the food! My main goal is to have his mother teach me to make a halfway decent tortilla. Beware-- they eat a lot of iguana in Honduras as well. I don't know WHAT I will do if they try to serve it to me! :fright: I don't want to be rude... but I know that if I try it, I will very liklely gag! I think La Ceiba is pretty darn close to Trujillo... my husband was born in Tocoa, Colon-- but he spent a lot of time in Ceiba and (mostly) Trujillo when he was a Honduran police officer. I can't wait to see the beautiful water! Someday, we want to go on a honeymoom in Roatan.

CORAZONCITA: My husband already told his family that I don't like seafood, so at least they know not to offer me any. I think being in Honduras will for sure make me shed unwanted pounds as I'll probably won't be eating much, walking a lot, and sweating a lot too. Do you ever feel depressed about this whole immigration process? I really want to start law school soon, but I'm just scared to stay behind and be away from him. My husband is such a wonderful person and I don't want to be away from him for one moment, so I would really want to go stay with him. I don't know what to do. I just feel really freaked out right now.

honduchick101

08-06-2007, 08:36 PM

Hi guys

Just to add my two cents...We are from the Puerto Cortes area...Has anyone visited Pto Cortes? If not I would suggest going... It's a lot more laid back then San Pedro Sula.. Personally I just love going to Honduras my parents have a house near the beach and all of the good restaurants are near-by.
My sister had her 15th party at casa de playa hotel ...Awesome service!!!:>

http://www.hotelcasadeplaya.net/

Coranzocita: La Ceiba is very beautiful but so is Trujillo. The beach in Trujillo is awesome very clear and calm. You will definitely enjoy yourself. And if you go to Trujillo make sure you take some nice comfortable shoes. Too many hills I preferably like to ride in the car while I'm there.

catrachowife

08-08-2007, 03:02 AM

HI everyone
I haven't been online for awhile, so I had alot to catch up on. Welcome to our newcomers! It's very exciting to hear everyone's stories, they are so similar as far as how Honduras is and everything. My hubby's family in Tegu is very poor. But after the 2 weeks I spent there, I came to appreciate the little things, like the (freezing cold) running water and the toilet. I become quite accustomed to everything, and appreciated life here in the states even more. (By the way, my time there has also made me realize that yes, I can take cold showers at my house now that my hot water heater is broke, until I get it fixed:bounce:.
Anyway, I can't wait - only 15 days til our daughter and I take our trip to Honduras. It's been 2 months since I've seen mi amor, 2 1/2 months since he's seen his hija. We get a short week with him now, and hopefully 2 weeks in October.
I wanted to say, anyone looking for a cheap excursion while they're in Honduras, we took a bus trip up to Tela (and La Ceiba) while we were there last time, which I think is close to Trujillo. The bus was $8 per person (6 hour trip) and the hotel (Porvenir) was $10 per night. It was an adventure, but the sheets were clean, we had our own bathroom, and there was running water in the shower, which is more than I can say for the hotel we stayed in the next night in Ceiba for $35. Of course, that was during their "Carnival", the big celebration they have every year. Maybe Ceiba is nicer when the whole town isn't packed with drunk people? But I would recommend Tela for the adventurous ones out there. I didn't feel unsafe at all the whole time I was there, but I would never go with a bunch of Americans. With our husbands, I think we're OK.

wanaads

08-08-2007, 02:51 PM

Hi Everyone,

I've been busily working away on a draft of my HSL but it's just so nice to read about everyone's Honduran adventures. So many great ideas for places to visit! It makes me so excited to go even if I will be leaving my boy there for a while.:cry: My husband told me yesterday he was scared to go because he didn't trust the US government to let him back in. I told him there was a chance that they might not but we just can't think about that. We have to stay positive and believe that everything will work out.

Catrochowife, I can't believe you're going in just two weeks!! You must be overjoyed about having your family together again!! Please tell us all about it when you come back.

Anyone else going in the next few months?

corazoncita

08-08-2007, 04:36 PM

I guess I'm the only one who hasn't been to Honduras!

catrachowife: I will definitely do the bus thing!! That sounds like a BLAST! I want to go to Trujillo and Ceiba soooooooo badly. I also want to see the Mayan ruins! I wonder where they are located...:blush: How many hotel rooms did you need to get? I know I will have to get A LOT because we have a bajillion neices & nephews. Wow! You get to go to Honduras a lot! I think I will only be able to afford to go one time during the whole process... I know how your hubby must feel. Mine hasn't seen his daughter since she was 2 months old. :( He won't be able to see her again until she is over a year old... my heart is broken for him.You'll definitely have to take lots of pictures to share with us when you get back! :)

wanaads: My hubby is terrified of the government too! He is such a pessimist about this whole thing, and he really thinks he'll never be able to get back here and live a normal life with his family. I have really strong hardships, and I told him to trust that, and to trust God. I know the reason he has issues w/ that is because his lawyer told him he wouldn't be going to jail for his criminal offense, and that he would not be deported-- but now here he is in jail, and on the way out of the country. I have to stay really positive for him and for myself in order to stay sane in all of this. We'll just have to support each other as much as possible in these difficult times... anytime you (or any of ya'll) wanna talk, I'll be there.

QUESTIONS FOR EVERYONE:
For my I-130, here is what I have...
~I-130 app
~G325A, the 4 copies each for me, and my husband (my husband's are in the mail to the prison... I put instrutions for him to sign and send back)
~Copies of my birth certificate, and my husband's birth certificate
~Marriage certificate
~Color passport photos

AM I MISSING ANYTHING???

I need to send a check... does anyone know what the fees are these days? I know they went way up from a year and a half ago the first time I tried to send it.

Approximately how much were your plane tickets? How far in advance did you book them?

WHILE the I-130 is being processed, what kinds of things were you asked to submit? Did they send you any letters asking for additional information, and what kinds of documents were you required to send in?

AFTER your I-130 is approved, I know you have to send in some kind of fee before they will schedule your appointment. How much is the fee, and what is it going toward? What else do you need to get to the embassy in TGU before you go to your appoinment?

Thank you soooooooooo much in advance, ladies! :)

wanaads

08-08-2007, 07:55 PM

Yeah, sometimes I think I must be crazy basically turning my husband in and taking him back to his country, trusting that our government will let him back in!! But we do have to stay positive, it's so hard, but it's the only way to get through this.

As for your I-130, it sounds like you have everything you need. I know that other people have sent in photos and letters to prove bona fide marriage, but I didn't send anything other than what they required and we had no requests for evidence (RFE) or anything. Just a loooooong wait and an approval. Maybe others who were asked to provide additional information will chime in about what they were asked for.

The current fee for the I-130 is $355. Have a look at my timeline for the other fees (I think these are the current fees, but I'm not 100% positive). I just paid the $380 for the visa application yesterday. I believe you'll need copies of your last two years' taxes for the Affadavit of Support and maybe some documentation about your current salary. For the visa application, you'll need your husband's prior addresses since he was 16, his employment information for the last 10 years, all schools attended and your husband will need to submit the original or certified copies of the following documents:
Birth certificate
Court and prison records
Deportation papers
Marriage certificate
Military records
Passport
Police certificates
Termination of prior marriages
Translations of any documents not in English

I can email you the document that lists all of this if you want to PM me with your email address.

wanaads

08-08-2007, 07:59 PM

Oh! Be sure to make copies of EVERYTHING! You should make copies of every single document you send them and send it certified mail with a return receipt requested. Then keep it all in a safe place in case you need it.

corazoncita

08-08-2007, 08:25 PM

Thanks for the info! This raises some more questions...

~When do you file the visa app? After you go to the appointment, or before?
~When you say police certificates, are you referring to the time my husband was an officer in Honduras?
~Will we need to turn in a copy of our daughter's birth certificate?
~What if my husband doesn't have an "address" in Honduras, per se? In his village, the houses don't have seperate addresses... stuff gets sent to the town in general, then you go to the post office to pick up your mail. (and yes it can get very corrupt!)
~On the G325A, I couldn't put a street address for his last known address in Honduras-- for the very reason listed above. I put the town, county, and country, but left the street address part blank. How big of a deal is that? I don't know very good Spanish, so I don't know how to tell his mother what I need. :(

I would LOVE it if you could email me the form... I will PM you! :) I am also going to post a request in General Conversation for a Spanish translator from this board. Maybe someone can help me write her a letter.

aguafria

08-09-2007, 01:55 AM

Hi all,
I'd like to say that this immigration process is very depressing, but we have to remain strong. I feel like I have to remain strong for my fiance, so he doesn't think the situation is hopeless. When he hears me sounding depressed or when I cry, he'll comfort me by saying "don't worry, I'll be there soon." Sometimes it's really hard being the strong one, but we have to persevere. I2US really helps because I know that I'm not alone. Many people that aren't in the situation really don't understand and most times I don't want to waste my time explaining.

corazoncita: My fiance bought the car in Honduras. His brother is a teacher and one of his co-workers was selling it. Ifyou want to find the current fees try ---> http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

catrachowife: I agree w/ corazoncita, the bus trip sounds wonderful. I remember my fiance telling me about a 'Carnival' and we entertained flying into La Ceiba. I'd really love to see more of his country and this is a great idea, thanks.

honduchick: The casa de playa looks very nice! A little slice of heaven. I'll put this on my list too.

As far as not trusting the government, that has never crossed my mind. I trust God and that is enough for me. If it's my destiny to live in Honduras for 8-9 more years, then I suppose I'll make the best of the situation, but I cannot entertain that thought. For me, it's worth trying to do things right
than walk around with a dark cloud over me.

Let's be optimistic, persevere, pray, and encourage each other!! :thumbup:

jeialeigh

08-09-2007, 01:53 PM

Hola damas... Hello Ladies!! :wave:

I'm facing a very similar situation and, after reading the thread, have decided to post my historia (my story)!! ONE OF YOU ASKED ABOUT A SPANISH TRANSLATOR - WELL, I'M BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH!! So, I'd be glad to help you out with anything I can!

My husband is originally from La Ceiba, Honduras and he's lived in the US since '98 (illegally - he entered illegally as well!). We were married in March of 2005 and filed the I300 in late January 2007. We've now received the AOS and the Visa application packets. We paid the fee for filing the visa app (I'm not up on the lingo still, so let me know if you don't understand).

I have some specific questions, but I thought I'd just introduce myself for now!

wanaads

08-09-2007, 02:40 PM

Welcome jeialeigh!! I love that our group is growing! I mean, it would be great if none of us HAD to be here, but since we do it's nice to have so much support. Sounds like you and I are very close in terms our timelines. I just paid the AOS and Visa app fee but haven't received the paperwork yet. Hopefully soon.

corazoncita, your questions are pretty much exactly the same as mine!! I went over all the info we needed with my husband last night and he thought I was crazy when I told him we needed his military records. How are we going to get them?! I have no idea. Anyway, my understanding is that you file the visa app before the appointment - it has to be on file in order to even get the appointment. Police certificates mean their police record, like arrests, etc. for anywhere that they've lived for more than six months. (I think, not positive on this one.) For the visa app, you'll only need your husband's birth ceritificate. You'll want to include a copy of your daughter's in your HSL. We have the same problem with my husband's address in Honduras. We are using the address of an aunt who lives in the city with an actual house number. I think you should use whatever you used on the I-130. After your I-130 approval, your husband will be sent a choice of agent form where he can request that all documents regarding his case be sent to you, so you don't have to worry too much about him trying to get mail there. This form will go to the current address you listed for him on the I-130, btw. I think the address thing is fine as long as you are consistent on all the forms.

Can someone else who is further along in the process chime in if I'm wrong on any of this? (aguafria maybe?)

On a personal note, I'm so stressed guys. All I can think about is what I'm going to do when my husband leaves. I'm actually considering moving back in with my mom - and I'm 37 years old!! I stayed up all night last night just laying in bed thinking about how this is all going to work and what's going to happen if we don't get an approval and all kinds of stuff. I know I need to stay positive and most of the time I do feel really strong, but I guess I'm just having a bad day. :bluesad:

corazoncita

08-09-2007, 03:22 PM

Hi jeialeigh!! Welcome to our little Honduras group! :thumbup: It's so exciting that we have each other for support during these difficult times. I have been a member of this board for 2 years, so I am quite familiar with the way things work in general as far as the immigration process goes. I have been inactive for quite awhile because I just had a baby in February, and now I am just getting started sending off my I-130.

You should talk to Klame1983... she is bilingual as well, and her hubby is also from La Ceiba! :)

corazoncita

08-09-2007, 04:00 PM

Awwww, wanaads! Hang in there, hun!! I know just how you feel... If you ever need to talk or gripe, feel free to vent to me. My sister just did my budget for me yesterday (she is an accountant) and I have $7.50 left over after paying all my bills (or partial payments to bills, rather). She was so excited to do my budget, because she was thinking I'd be surprised at all the money I had left over to put into savings. She was really frustrated after she entered everything into the computer, because she got to tell me I'd be able to put a whopping $7.50 into savings. WOO-HOO! YIPPEE! Trust me, if my mom or dad lived close enough to where I work, I'd be moving in with one of them, too! My husband left me with SO many bills, and SO little money when he went to jail... I miss him so much, and I love him to death... but sometimes I feel so angry that he didn't follow the laws and that he left me and our daughter in this bind. :(

Thanks for all the information on the questions I asked. On the AOS, what if I don't make enough to support him? Depending on my bonuses, I make $35K-$44K per year, but I don't know if that is enough, especially since I take as many deductions as possible. Can I use my sister as a "co-signer" or something?? Does that even make sense lol? She makes more than I do, so can she "vow to support him" or whatever? I am wondering how the CRAP I'm going to be able to collect all of his police records... before I even met him, he had like three charges for driving without a lisence, a couple open container violations, and only God knows what else. I know the charges would have been in South Carolina, but I'm here in Missouri... I wonder how to make sure I obtain all the records... they have a habit of spelling his name incorrectly as well.

I have to admit that it's frustrating to have to do all this stuff, but I am almost happy to be so busy with it, and not having to think about what is happening. If I wasn't running around trying to get everything ready for this I-130, I would be just lying in my bed depressed and crying. I am trying to look at this like a challenge, like I am a detective trying to solve a case and beat the bad guy (USCIS). I guess it's good that I'm an optimist, but I hope I'm not setting myself up for a huge letdown. All I can do is have faith in God...

jeialeigh

08-09-2007, 04:07 PM

wanaads: I sent in the visa fee certified mail 7/12/07 and got the paperwork for filling out the application on Monday!!! So, about 2 weeks or for me to get the paperwork back.

For the Visa App, they ask for police certificates (criminal records check, I guess) for all places he lived in Honduras for more than 6 mos since the age of 16. I'm under the impression that he doesn't need criminal records checks for the time he was in the US?? Or am i wrong in that?? I've requested certified copies of all his court papers and police records involving a DUI back in 2005. I'm just not sure if this is all I need!!!

Also, for the documents written in Spanish, how are u all going to handle that, since it asks for translations of all documents not in English?? Will you hire a certified translator?? Since I'm bilingual, I had thought to do them myself and save a little bit of $$ (since this whole process has not proved to be cheap!). Let me know what you think about that??

Just a quick poll.... How long have we all: known our respective spouses, been married, how long they've been here illegally, and how many kids we have??

Lelin and I met 3/03, engaged 12/03, married 3/05, again he's been here since 1998 illegally, and we have 1 childe (Cecilia Grace)

jeialeigh

08-09-2007, 04:17 PM

Corazoncita, you can go to the UCIS website and look at the affadavit of support form. There it tells you the minimum income requirements for being elligable. You can also add your husbands income to the total income as long as he can get a letter from his employer stating that he will remain employed at the same company once he's gotten his papers. That may be hard to get in your case since he's not working right now. HOWEVER.... !!! Based on what you said your gross income was, you should more than qualify. You just have to make 120% of the poverty income for your household. So for a household of 3 (including your husband, since you'll be 'supporting' him) the minimum income is around 22k to 25k!!! And you can also have someone else state on the form that they will assist you in supporting your husband, if neccessary (if I remember correctly). I haven't filled out this form yet, because at the moment I'M UNEMPLOYED!! That's what complicates my life even more!!

We lived in Florida and have just relocated to North Carolina to be closer to my family during this whole ordeal (I'll need some help/support if I'm going to be a single parent for a few months). We've been here less than 2 weeks so I'm staying home with my daughter while my husband works. I have no choice at the moment, because there's no daycare/sitter option available right now. I just finished graduate school, so I should be able to find a job fairly quickly, but i can't at the moment.

honduchick101

08-09-2007, 05:00 PM

Welcome Jeialeigh!!!

Just a bit of background on us.. We have been married for 3 years but like others took everything very slowly ( Hoping for Reform) but now we are pretty much prepared for what is going to happen. We have a 2 kids and live in TX. I will also be moving in with my parents in the next month or so...you know to save money and have that support from my family...

Between Jeialeigh and Wannads and myself were pretty much at the same time in regards of sending the VIsa fee.

corazoncita

08-09-2007, 10:38 PM

jeialeigh~ Where in NC do you live? I lived in Pinehurst (Moore County) for 2 years, and I just moved back to Kansas City, Missouri. I grew up here, and after the big ordeal with my husband, I needed help and support from my family. I love being back here... I MISSED this place so much! I just wish my husband was here.:bluesad: I miss him terribly... he is still in NC serving his time before he gets deported. He is in Vanceboro, and I think that's on the East Coast.

April 2005- met Isai
December 16, 2005- got married
June 2006- found out we were having a baby!!!
February 22, 2007- Emery-Grace Maria (<---para mi suegra) Santos was born at 11:28 pm, 8lbs, 20 inches, tons of black hair and BLUE eyes
March 24, 2007- the car accident that changed our lives
July 30, 2007- husband sentenced to 6-8 months

I've been missing my husband since April 3rd, 2007. :bluesad:

catrachowife

08-10-2007, 06:51 AM

Franklin came to the US illegally (actually swam across the river - I never knew what the insulting name "*******" meant til I met him) in 2004, we met 5/05, engaged 8/05, married 10/05, had our baby girl Annabelle Marta 4/15/07, we went back to Honduras 5/22/07. I'm definetly thrilled to be going there in a couple weeks - I CANNOT wait to see his reaction when he sees Annabelle again after 2 1/2 months! To answer one question that I don't think got answered, yes you do need police records from the U.S. too. I'll post more later . . .

catrachowife

08-10-2007, 06:53 AM

By the way, I'm trying to figure out how to put a picture of Annabelle on here, but I don't know how. It's funny how similar she looks to corazoncita's baby!! By the way, I'm also bilingual, if anyone needs help translating. I just had a friend of mine who's bilingual put her notarized signature on anything I translated, since I couldn't sign it myself. If you have friends who can do it, do that, don't pay anyone to translate.

catrachowife

08-10-2007, 07:42 AM

Just wanted to see if this will bring up my picture that I put on my profile....we'll see

catrachowife

08-10-2007, 07:43 AM

Nope, if anyone can help me figure this out . . .

Klame1983

08-10-2007, 02:33 PM

Catrachowife: Maybe you already gave this information, but how long has your husband been in Honduras? Can you give me kind of like a timeline? My husband is from Honduras as well, but we're still waiting to get the I-130 approved. I'm just really nervous about this whole ordeal. Thanks and I wish you the best! :)

corazoncita

08-10-2007, 03:39 PM

Nope, if anyone can help me figure this out . . .

What you have to do, is go to photobucket.com and create an account. Upload the pics there and they will be transferred into a format which can be used on message boards. You will just copy the IMG code, and paste it in your i2us signature, and it will show up everytime you make a post :thumbup:

There is a way to change the size of the picture for different purposes, and you will want to choose the size that is suitable for message boards. Choose the size BEFORE you upload the photo. If you need any help, just email me! I will PM you my email address.

catrachowife

08-11-2007, 05:46 AM

Klame: We started the whole process (was it with the I130, I don't even remember now) back in 1/06. His visa interview was 5/30/07, which is when he ended up going back to Honduras. Honestly, up until we got the notice that his visa interview was in Honduras, I was still holding on to hope that he wouldn't have to go back. I went with him and came back 6/5, so we've been apart over 2 months already, but only 12 days til we're together again . . . yeah!!! Anyway, our timeline would have been a little shorter because we had a hard time getting his passport, it got lost in the mail, then we had to wait until we had the money for the visa fee. So, it probably would have been a couple months less. Good thing it went that way, because otherwise he wouldn't have been here when our daughter was born. I think even though this really sucks right now, God is watching out for us and dealing what is needed to be dealt right now.

Thanks Corozoncita, I will try that with the pictures so everyone can see little Annabelle:)

Klame1983

08-11-2007, 08:26 AM

catrachowife: Thanks for the info. Please keep me updated as far as milestones you and your husband pass with this process. Thank you for being so positive. It helps to have this network of people going through the same thing. When you go back to see him in a couple of weeks, are you going to stay there until the waiver's approved?

aguafria

08-12-2007, 01:11 AM

Corazoncita, the application is required before the interview. My fiance doesn't have a standard numerical address (Agua Fria, Nacaome, Valle, Honduras) and I never ran into any problems with placing that in my application. For the I-129F petition I added an attachment explaining the mailing system. I must say he never received anything from the embassy, but neither did I.

catrachowife, enjoy your upcoming trip!!!

I actually didn't need US police records for the interview. I guess because they took fingerprints for the FBI check.

catrachowife

08-12-2007, 05:35 AM

wanaads

08-13-2007, 02:34 PM

aguafria, you mentioned in another thread that you would post a ltter from the embassy regarding waivers. I ust had a quick look and didn't see it. Would you mind posting it here? I'm deep into writing my HSL and would love any little bit of guidance the letter might offer. Thanks!!

corazoncita

08-13-2007, 06:15 PM

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me how much they are paying for plane tickets, and how far in advance they are purchasing the tickets. Do you have an airline you recommend? Also, how much does it cost to take an infant on your lap? I thought it was free... but all the website say that lap rides are not free internationally. Any input on this would be appreciated! :)

wanaads

08-13-2007, 07:17 PM

I did a check recently for tickets in Dec/Nov and they were running around $600. The only flights directly to TGU are from Houston (on Continental) and Miami (on American and Taca), so you'd have to connect to one of those cities from your nearest airport. Sorry, I don't know what they charge for a baby, but you can call one of the airlines and ask. They should be able to tell you if there's some kind of flat fee or percentage of the ticket.

corazoncita

08-13-2007, 10:18 PM

Thanks for the information! I was coming up with about $600 as well... MAN that's a lot!!! Guess I'm just going to have to get used to the fact that I am not going to find any special deals on this flight... If I have to pay for my daughter, it will cost $1200. I haven't come close to spending that much on transportation in my life-- and I have flown to Europe before!

aguafria

08-16-2007, 01:02 AM

waanads: Sorry, I haven't forgotten. It looks like I'll have to type it out, since scanning didn't produce satisfactory results. I'll post it here in a few days and 'pm' you.

catrachowife

08-16-2007, 02:03 AM

Our trip to Tegu from Milwaukee, WI stopping at Houston is $850 on Continental. It's about 600 for me and $200 for Annabelle plus taxes. I was told that the fee for her covers taxes and fees for going over the border basically. It is way too much money, but I can't think about that part. All I can think is that Franklin will see his little girl for the first time in 3 months next week!!!
If you can get to Miami for cheap, I think Taca has pretty cheap tickets. I just didn't want to risk havining a change in schedule if i bought the tickets seperately because then it would be my problem if i don't make the flight from Miami to Tegu.

corazoncita

08-16-2007, 02:30 AM

Thanks for the info! Will Annabelle be riding on your lap as well? I already have a passport, but how long did it take for you to get a passport for your daughter?

Klame1983

08-17-2007, 04:08 AM

Klame
No, unfortunately I can't afford to stay there. I would love to, but I have to work here while we wait. I'm going for a week this time and hopefully will go in October when I have 2 weeks off. That depends on if I find a bank in Honduras that will cash our state tax check while I'm down there. My bank won't do it here unless he's here in person signing in front of them. I've called several other banks, and it's the same story too. So if anyone has any info on whether it might be possible to cash an American check in Honduras, please let me know.

Regarding the check you need to cash, I asked my husband and he suggested a bank in Honduras called Banco del Pais (BGA) because they also have a branch in Miami, so they might take checks from the US. He's not positive about this, but he said it's the only possiblity you'll have. He said that any other bank will def. not cash it. Let me know if you're successful with it. :wave:

catrachowife

08-17-2007, 04:27 AM

Thanks Klame. Hopefully we can find that bank and they'll cash our check.

Corazoncita, yes Annabelle will be in my lap. I'm not buying a seat for her until I have too. I'm hoping that she is just gonna sleep the whole way. Her passport actually only took like 3 or 4 weeks, which just figures since I paid the expedited fee to get it in less than 10 to 12 weeks. It probably would have gotten here the same amount of time minus the $35! Just another way this lovely govt. is screwing us over, right?

Only 6 days left til we're together again . . .

MegDan

08-18-2007, 05:20 AM

Hi Ladies,

I just read all these posts and after some tears (it just infuriates me how many of us are going through this and being separated from our loved ones!) I decided to let you know that I too, am a Honduras filer.

Currently, I just paid the Immigrant Visa Bill and I also sent in the I-864.

Please feel free to ask me any question you have, as I am an open book and I'm SO happy that it's not just me in this Honduras filing situation! :)

Thanks ladies and I hope to talk soon,

Megan Banegas

kitkat1

08-18-2007, 05:45 AM

Hang in there Meg - you're in the right place and you will get through it!!!

MegDan

08-18-2007, 02:42 PM

Thank you so much KitKat1.

I know I will get through this. It just is really hard sometimes. But like they say "Something that is hard to get is worth fighting for"...I think the saying goes something like that.

corazoncita

08-18-2007, 08:40 PM

Hi Megan!!! OH how out little group is growing by the week! WELCOME! :)

Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you-- and as KitKat said, you have found the right place. We get through this by encouraging each other and leaning on one another for support. This website contains some of the wisest people I have ever met-- and also a wealth of information on immigration.

BIG HUGS to you... hang in there, sweety. We'll get through this!

wanaads

08-19-2007, 03:18 AM

Welcome Megan! :wave: It's always nice to hear from another Honduran filer. As corzincita said, this site is a wealth of information with amazingly supportive, helpful and intelligent people. We're glad you found us.

MegDan

08-19-2007, 07:05 AM

Corazoncita: Thank you for the welcome. I'm SO glad I found this thread! I have searched MANY times for Honduran filers on VisaJourney.com as well as here and FINALLY I have found people who are just like me! I couldn't have found it at a better time either! And must I say, what an adorable baby girl you have! ¡Que linda! :)

Wanaads: Thank you also for the welcome! I was shocked to see how many Honduran filers there really are! It's nice that I'm not the only one! I'm glad I found you all too! :)

aguafria

08-19-2007, 11:27 PM

Hi All,
Here's the written statement in the notice the embassy advised my fiance to give to me along the with I-601 applicaton. I've typed it exactly as it was written (emphasis are not mine).

***********************************
Dear Applicant:

This letter refers to the application of waiver of grounds of inadmissibility that you are required to file in conjunction with your application for an immigrant visa pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Approval of such application requires a finding that the refusal of your admission to the United States would result in extreme hardship to your qualifying U.S. citizen or lawful permanent spouse or parent. Extreme hardship to your U.S. citizen or lawful permanent son or daughter may only be considered in waivers of certain criminal grounds of inadmissibility.

After extreme hardship has been established, approval of the waiver also requires the favorable exercise of discretion from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The decision in each case will take all facts into consideration, the favorable against the unfavorable.

A waiver of section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act is dependent first upon a showing that the bar imposes an extreme hardship on a qualifying family member. Congress provided this waiver but limited its application. By such limitation it is evident that it did not intend that a waiver be granted merely due to the fact that a qualifying relationship existed. The key term in the provision is “extreme” and thus only in cases of real actual or prospective injury to the United States citizen or lawful permanent resident will the bar be removed. Common results of the bar, such as separation, financial difficulties, etc., in themselves are insufficient to warrant approval of an application unless combined with much more extreme impacts. Matter of Ngai, 19 I & N Dec. 245. With these criteria in mind, furnish documentary evidence proving that failure to receive the waiver requested will result in extreme hardship to your qualifying relative.

Please be very detailed as to how you meet the “extreme hardship” burden. Keep in mind that the hardship must be to your qualifying family member – not to you. Please note that your photo albums and personal correspondence, while proving the bona fides of your relationship with the petitioner, usually do not help to demonstrate extreme hardship.

Extreme hardship can be demonstrated in many aspects of your qualifying relative’s life such as:

a. HEALTH - Ongoing or specialized treatment requirements for a physical or mental condition; availability and quality of such treatment in your country, anticipated duration of the treatment; whether a condition is chronic or acute, or long-or short-term.
b. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS - Future employability; loss due to sale of home or business or termination of a professional practice; decline in standard of living; ability to recoup short-term losses; cost of extraordinary needs such as special education or training for children; cost of care for family members (i.e., elderly and infirm parents).
c. EDUCATION - Loss of opportunity for higher education; lower quality or limited scope of education options; disruption of current program; requirement to be educated in a foreign language or culture with ensuing loss of time for grade; availability of special requirements, such as training programs or internships in specific fields.
d. PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS - Close relatives in the United States and /or your country; separation from spouse/children; ages of involved parties; length of residence and community ties in the United States.
SPECIAL FACTORS - Cultural, language, religious, and ethnic obstacles; valid fears of persecution, physical harm, or injury; social ostracism or stigma; access to social institutions or structures.
f. Any other situation, which you feel, may help you meet the burden of extreme hardship.

All claims of hardship must be documented in English, thus documents in Spanish must be translated into English pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 8, section 103.2(b)(3).

This information is necessary to render an equitable and fair decision on your application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility. Any hardship evidence should be submitted at the time of your interview with a Consular official for submission of the waiver application.

Should you choose not to provide any form of evidence, the case will be decided on the basis of the information available on file.

*******************************************

aguafria

08-19-2007, 11:31 PM

catrachowife,
My fiance uses BGA. When I visited, I changed my dollars for lempiras at BGA, so hopefully they'll take US checks too. Have a wonderful trip!

catrachowife

08-20-2007, 01:33 AM

Okay, I'll try them. Thanks, I'm soooo excited!!!

MegDan

08-20-2007, 04:14 AM

Aguafria: Thank you for taking the time to type out that interesting info about the I-601.

Catrachowife: Have a wonderful trip to Honduras and a safe flight there and back! :)

aguafria

08-21-2007, 01:36 AM

Not a problem. I'm just glad I could help :). I2US has helped me so much. If it weren't for this forum I'd be 'up the creek without a paddle.' You know, I had someone laugh at me this weekend when I told him I wasn't using a lawyer. He told me that it was going to take at least two years for anything to happen. I got the impression he didn't think I really had any idea what was going on. So, you know what? I made a bet with him (God forgive me) that it'll be less than two years. I actually told him one year. His wife agrees with me and said make sure you keep me posted. Wish me luck:thumbup:

corazoncita

08-21-2007, 01:50 AM

Way to tell him, aguafria!!! I know you'll win the bet ;)

MegDan

08-21-2007, 03:04 AM

You go Aguafria! I'm sure you will win the bet too!

wanaads

08-21-2007, 07:35 PM

aguafria, thanks again for posting the letter. I think it will be very helpful to all of us who are behind you in the process. And way to go on the bet - you tell 'em!!!

catrochowife, you're leaving tomorrow, right? Have a wonderful and safe trip!!

corazoncita

08-21-2007, 07:45 PM

I am just wondering... did anyone here consider the K-3 route? It was recently brought to my attention that K-3 visa requests are processed more quickly than I-130's. I am sersiously thinking about paying the extra money to file for the K visa, and my husband will just change status within the US.

I know what all the pro's are... can anyone think of any cons I am missing? Let me know why you decided to go the other route. I would appreciate your input! :)

wanaads

08-22-2007, 12:15 AM

Well, as you can see from my timeline, I filed the I-129F in May and still haven't heard anything. Granted, I waited several months to file it. Maybe if I had filed it as soon as I got the NOA from my I-130 it would have been approved already. I don't know, but since my I-130 was approved and there's still no movement on the I-129F, I'm just going forward with that. Don't know how helpful that is...:o

corazoncita

08-22-2007, 12:37 AM

Wow, wanaads-- it sounds like you should be getting an approval any time now! On the US Embassy, Tegucigalpa website-- it says the processing time for the I-129F is 3-5 months. It's coming up!:) Let me know how this progresses! I appreciate the info...

y14gemini

08-23-2007, 11:01 PM

Hi everyone!! I am ALSO a Honduran Flier!!! My husband is in Honduras waiting and me and our kids are here "suffering"!

y14gemini

08-23-2007, 11:54 PM

It is supposed to be Filer, sorry!!

wanaads

08-24-2007, 03:53 AM

Welcome y14gemini! I'm sorry to hear that you and your kids are separated from your husband. How long has it been since you've seen him? What is your timeline? Did you file an I-601? Sorry for all the questions - we're just desperate for information here!

corazoncita

08-24-2007, 02:49 PM

Yes, welcome to our little (but growing!) family of Honduras filers! I get so excited to see all these people coming out of the woodwork... we know so little about this office! Hopefully as more and more of us get through this disaster, we'll be able to contribute information to one another.

I am so sorry that you and your children are going through this. It breaks my heart everytime I hear a story like this... it's just not right! Hang in there and stay as positive as possible. We are all here for each other... BIG HUGS!

MegDan

08-24-2007, 04:43 PM

Oh gosh, it breaks my heart too. I hate to say this, but what our loved ones have gone through, well it makes me ashamed to be a citizen of this country.

Undocumented (I hate that word illegal. God didn't make anyone illegal) or not, we are all human beings!

Is it wrong for me to feel this way? I was born here but I just don't agree with how immigration treats people! It's just awful and absurd! :cry:

y14gemini

08-24-2007, 11:25 PM

Hi, well the last time that we saw him was this summer! The kids and I flew to Honduras and we stayed there the entire summer (May until July)! It was great to be together but so sad when we left.

My timeline..it is long but to make it short....We met in 98, were married in 01. Applied for relief for him under the LIFE Act. My husband was getting EAD for 6 years. One day my husband was doing a favor for a so called friend and ICE arrested him at the port. Once he was apprehended and questioned, they told him thay he was not eligible for anytype of relief since he was removed from the country back in 94! Now mind you during all of this time (since we applied for relief) we built a company, purchased a house, and pay our taxes (business and personal). I guess our money is good enough for the govt to take but he is not good enough to stay here! (SORRY I JUST GET SO TICKED OFF)! We have kids together!!!!!

Well I just called the NVC and they have completed his file we are awaiting his iinterview. I was told that all of the interview times for the month of September have been taken but interviews are scheduled for the next month (October) are scheduled the 2nd week of every month (September) so that is good news! We hired a lawyer (local) to do our I601. So when we go to the interview we will have it in hand!

I think I answered all of your questions! Any more please feel free to ask! And thanks for welcoming me!! :)

aguafria

08-25-2007, 01:36 AM

:welcome: to our 'Honduran group.' Hang in there. We all have each other to lean on. Feel free to ask questions at anytime. You're lucky, I wish I could stay the entire summer in Honduras.

rkzal

08-25-2007, 04:06 AM

I have been lookin around on the site for a while and finally got a chance to read through this thread. My husband is in La Ceiba. We just had his K-3 interview on Aug 14. I am in the process of getting the i-601 together. Hopefully I can get it to him in the next week or so. I just got back from Honduras in June. I was there 6 months. He has been gone since 11/2004. I went from 9/2005-7/2006 and again from 1/2007-6/2007. I guess I am here now. We are so close to getting him home that we decided I would come here and focus on that and my mom is having mental health issues and I need to help take care of her. We have 3 children (one is mine from previous relationship) Once I get the dates together I will post my timeline. It is so encouraging to see all of you guys here and I will be praying for each of you.

rkzal

08-25-2007, 04:22 AM

wanaads

08-25-2007, 12:54 PM

y14gemini, thanks for posting your info. I can't believe that about the "friend" turning your husband in to ICE! At least you and your kids have been able to spend some time with him. I have a question about the interview, you said you called NVC and your file is complete - so are they sending you an interview time or do you need to call the second week of Sept. to schedule one? So does that mean it's up to you to schedule the appointment? Or is it just that that is the only time they send out the appointments? Thanks!

aguilar1115

08-25-2007, 02:37 PM

edited

corazoncita

08-25-2007, 04:23 PM

Definitely not wrong and I am ashamed right along with you! I bet if there was as much oil in Mexico as in the middle east things would be VERY different!

GOOD point... I never thought of it like that before!

y14gemini

08-25-2007, 04:25 PM

Wanaads--No the NVC will be scheduling the interview appointment. But I wanted to let everyone know how they schedule appointments! I know for me it was a mystery not knowing or wondering how they schedule so I wanted to pass the info along!!!! :) You can also check by the case number on the embassys website to see if a case has been scheduled. The only thing with this is it is not immediately updated! Here is the link:

http://honduras.usembassy.gov/english/mission/sections/IV/index.htm

Just click on the month of "September" (or whatever month if September has passed). But once the documnet is open you can Control F it and put in your case number! Hope this helps!

corazoncita

08-25-2007, 04:30 PM

corazoncita
-I filed the I-129 as soon as i got the receipt for the 130 and I got the approval letter for both on the same day. Like 3 months later. The K-3 interview came 6 months after that. Hope that helps.

Yes, that DOES help... if only I could get the money to send eveything off!! I'm thinking about getting a second job, but I already work 60 hours a week and I wouldn't be able to afford more child care for my daughter... my family helps with Emery-Grace as much as they can, but they all work too. :( I have EVERYTHING I need to send off the I-130 and I-129F-- except the fees. I may not be able to send anything off until January when I get my tax returns... he will almost be out of jail by then, and I really wanted to send it off before that, so that everything would be processed WHILE he was away... it would knock out a lot of waiting time. I don't know if they will even approve him for an interview since he has a criminal record. There are lots of charges for driving without a license, a DWI charge, and right now he is serving 6 months in prison for "Failure to Stop for Accident." That is a felony, but according to immigration law, it is not considered an aggravated felony, so I am just going on faith here.

PS- Did I already tell you that my friend, Klame1983's, husband is from La Ceiba too? My husband is pretty close to there as well... he is really from a small village in Colon-- closer to Trujillo, but I want to see everything!! I can't wait to see the beaches!

y14gemini

08-25-2007, 04:33 PM

I meant to mention that I too will be calling to make sure that he gets an interview! By the way when the NVC tell you that it takes 2-4 weeks to process, that is incorrect! I called on Wednesday to check on his case and they told me that thefy had received "something" in the mail and to call back in 2-4 weeks because it takes that long to process! Well when I called 2 days later (whick was yesterday, Friday) that is when they told me that the case was complete and waiting for an appointment, which are scheduled the 2 week of the month!!

corazoncita

08-25-2007, 04:34 PM

y14gemini

08-25-2007, 04:36 PM

September is finally up!!

rkzal

08-25-2007, 09:41 PM

Corazoncita-
I totally understand about the childcare. It took us a while to get the money together too. It may be a little more difficult but I am sure everything will work out fine for you guys. Those are not major crimes and he has done his time.
Mi suegro is from Colon and they have alot of family there. I have been there once-but all I saw was cornfields. I would love to go back and see more. Ceiba is beautiful, I loved the rivers and the beach. I would like to to to Roatan. My husband was just over there working for 6 weeks and said it was so beautiful. I hope you will be able to go soon after he gets there. I know his family will be so excited to see the baby! Mi suegra never let me hold the baby or feed him-she completely took over.

y15gemini-
I always got a faster response through email. They only give you a 2hr window to call and it is always busy. They will send you the packet by email too, if you request it.(I think it is on the website also) I was always worried my husband wouldn't get it -they don't get mail where he is, only downtown. They did deliver it like 2 weeks before his appt.

rkzal

08-25-2007, 09:42 PM

sorry- y14gemini

corazoncita

08-27-2007, 03:26 PM

rkzal~
Wow! Your suegra is from Colon? I think your are the first person I've ever talked to who has a relative from Colon! We never find anyone from there... my hubby grew up in a little town called El Sinai... I think it's pretty close to Sona Guerra and Trujillo. I can't wait to meet my in-laws, but I'm sooo scared because I barely know any Spanish! Most of us have learned a little bit from our husbands by now-- but my hubby is selfish. He constantly wants to improve on his English, so he NEVER speaks Spanish to me! The words I learn come from novelas or Spanish-English dictionaries. I am also really nervous because I am not a very submissive person, and one of my good friends (who is also filing through TGU for her subby) brought it to my attention that his family may not receive that very well. She is also nervous for the same reason. I really want to act like my friendly, independent self... how did everything go when you were there? My suegra is VERY excited to see my daughter-- however, this will be like her 113th grandchild-- so I'm interested to see if she'll be as excited about my daughter as my side of the family was. On my side, she's the first everything-- niece, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc. I just can't wait to see everything! But-- first things first. I have to find money to send the forms off.

EVERYONE~

I talked to my hubby today, and he thinks he can get a voluntary departure if he is well-behaved in prison. He's been talking to a lot of people and they have given him some advice as far as not getting deported. He says that I need to call his case manager a couple times a month. He says this will remind him/her to monitor Isai's behavior, and when she notices he's been well-behaved, the may let him go without calling immigration. I ultimately want to be able to send the receipt copies for my I-130/I-129F to the case manager to prove that I have filed for my husband. I am pretty sure I can get him out for a voluntary departure-- his last case manager was SUPER nice and was able to explain his G325A forms to him so that he could sign them and send them back to me. JUST PRAY that this will work out for us!

thernand

08-27-2007, 07:28 PM

This is thernand. I am back!!!! It is so good to see so many Honduras Filers on here. It was so lonely when I was going through it. I don't know if I can be of help to anyone but I will sure try. I hope all of you have a shorter wait time than we did. It is good to be back. I'll answer any questions that I can.
Good luck to all. Never Give Up Hope!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbup::bleh:;):wave::

corazoncita

08-27-2007, 07:34 PM

:)YAY!!! You can make a post!! You will be like our immigration mentor... you're the only one who has completely made it through this process in Honduras. Glad to see you back... BIG HUGS!!

corazoncita

08-27-2007, 07:36 PM

:)YAY!!! You can make a post!! You will be like our immigration mentor... you're the only one who has completely made it through this process in Honduras. Glad to see you back... BIG HUGS!!

PS-- you're in Arkansas?? My hubby has a TON of friends in AR... I think a lot of them live in Arkansas City. Are you close to there?

Klame1983

08-27-2007, 07:47 PM

Klame1983

08-27-2007, 07:56 PM

THERNAND: Also, would you mind describing your experience with this process? I know it's probably very detailed, but I think we would all benefit from it. Thanks in advance.

corazoncita

08-27-2007, 08:02 PM

Also-- would you be comfortable posting your hardship letter?

thernand

08-27-2007, 08:07 PM

thernand

08-27-2007, 08:09 PM

I will have to go home and see if I can find the disk that I had it saved on. If I can I will gladely post it.

thernand

08-27-2007, 08:26 PM

My time line.
I-130 filed June 2002 approved Nov. 2003
It took about a year for the NVC office paperwork.
First interview in Honduras November 15 2004
Dec. 5 2004 DHS Recieves waiver packet. from Visa office
End of July/Early August 2005 DENIED WAIVER
SENT MTR end of AUGUST 2005
FEB.2006 got notice that they wern't going to accept MTR
end of March 2006 I went to Honduras and filed a new waiver.
They made us do the whole process again. The Medical exam, fingerprints, interview and all.
DHS office recieves waiver packet May 2006
APPROVED EARLY FEB. 2007 HUSBAND HOME FEB. 9,2007

NOW WE ARE FILING FOR HIS SON
I-130 FILED JUNE 2007

I was always treated great by the people from the Visa office. They were all very nice and helpful. Always did everything they could to help me all that they could. I was always allowed to go in with my husband for everything except for back into the back room where they do the fingerprints.

The DHS office is in the same building so there is not alot of time in transfering papers form one office to the other. When I first started the process and we were denied there was a different officer there that did the waivers than there is now. The one who is there now even took time to talk to me personally on the phone when we were discussing how I needed to go about filling a new waiver the 2nd time around. My e-mails were always answered with-in a few hours to the next day unless it was the weekend coming up.

The main thing is Documentation of all the facts. There are lots of problems in Honduras that can be used as hardships. Diseases, unemployment, schooling, infant death rate. The list goes on and on and on.
thernand

corazoncita

08-27-2007, 08:27 PM

I am in a little town called Lincoln. The closest big towns are Fayetteville on one side and Fort Smith on the other. I don't even know there was an Arkansas City in Arkansas let alone where it is. Isn't that sad. Anyway, I'll have to Map Quest that to see where it is.
thernand

I love Northwest Arkansas! I have a lot of family in Springdale... we go down there all the time-- in fact, my dad was there this weekend. Thank you for posting the hardship letter!

wanaads

08-27-2007, 08:28 PM

Welcome back!!! :wave: So glad you came back to us! When I first found this site I think you were the only one going through Honduras and even though it took FOREVER to get your approval the very fact that you finally got one was (and still is!) enough to give me hope to go on.

thernand

08-27-2007, 08:41 PM

Klame1983

08-27-2007, 09:15 PM

It still amazes me at what we had to go through and he was stuck there for 2 years and 3 months. At the time that seemed like forever but now that he is home it doesn't seem like it was that long. One thing that always kept me going and helped me keep my hope alive was the time I spent in prayer and on this site. I still to this day pray for everyone going through this process every night before I go to sleep. I truely believe God will not ever give us more to bare than we can and when the weight gets too much all you have to do is give it over to him and he'll help get you through it.
thernand

Wow, that's a long time! Thanks for the encouraging words and for posting your timeline. So the people at the consulate are nice? WOW! That's great news.

Did they tell you why you were denied the first time? I hope you can find your hardship letter to post. :wave:

aguafria

08-27-2007, 11:23 PM

Welcome Back Thernand!!!!:grpwave:

Do you know where I can find reputable evidence about the employment situation? I want to put something in my letter about the job market, but have been unable to find anything worth referencing.

On another note, please keep us up-to-date on how the process is going w/ your step-son. If we're approved (fingers crossed), my fiance and I plan to do the same w/ his son.

Thanks in advance,
aguafria

rkzal

08-28-2007, 05:58 AM

Thernand, you are so right about prayer. When my husband left we lost everything, even the car. We were living in a hotel and my oldest son's father refused to let me take him to Honduras. I was at my lowest point and decided to give it all to God and a few months later we were all on our way there. I got to stay for 9 months and (after coming back to have a baby) went back for another 6. Now that I am here and we are about to file the waiver there is so much uncertainty about our future but I know God is working it out for us. Thernand, thanks so much for the encouraging words. I would like to encourage all of us to take a moment to pray for each other every day and see what amazing things will happen.

rkzal

08-28-2007, 06:42 AM

corazoncita-
I will have to find out where they are from in Colon-I don't remember the name. My husband is the same-he never really taught me any Spanish even when I was there. It was more important to him to work on his English. You might feel funny for a week or so but you will pick up on the basics pretty quickly. Everyone is really helpful and you will find alot of people who speak some English too. Break out your old spanish 101 book -I even go to the library and check out the kids books in espanol and try to read them. I was also addicted to the telenovelas for a while. About being submissive-that can be an issue and being the gringa they will watch everything you do. Just be yourself and don't worry about it. Try not to disagree with hubby in front of people. They can easily take things the wrong way because they don't know what you are saying and his friends will make fun of him. I also learned to always smile and great everyone, and if they offer you food TAKE IT!!-and they will love you. You will do just fine.

wanaads

08-28-2007, 10:56 AM

thernand, if you can find it, would you post your denied HSL as well? I think it would be helpdul for us to be able to compare. Thanks!

thernand

08-28-2007, 02:48 PM

No luck finding that dang disk yet but I will keep looking.

This web site will give you major amounts of information on Honduras. Here are a few examples. There are graphs that go with part of them on the unemployment rate that I did not past to here. It will give you lots of information. http://www.indexmundi.com/honduras/

Honduras Unemployment rate
Honduras > Economy
http://www.indexmundi.com/honduras/unemployment_rate.html
Unemployment rate: 27.9% (2006 est.)

Year Unemployment rate Rank Percent Change Date of Information
2003 28.00 % 29 2002 est.
2004 27.50 % 30 -1.79 % 2003 est.
2005 28.50 % 165 3.64 % 2004 est.
2006 28.00 % 172 -1.75 % 2005 est.
2007 27.90 % 174 -0.36 % 2006 est.

See Also
Unemployment rate by Year Chart
Unemployment rate Rank Chart
Definition: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.

Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of April 17, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.indexmundi.com/honduras/economy_overview.html
Honduras Economy - overview
Honduras > Economy

Economy - overview: Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program in February 2004. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years has experienced a rapid rise in exports of light manufacturers. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of attracting and maintaining investment.

Definition: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of April 17, 20

thernand

08-28-2007, 03:09 PM

I also quoted this site for unemployment and infant mortality rate and other things.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107616.html

These are some I used on diseases in Honduras
Quote all of them.

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/id/tuberculosis/countries/lac/honduras_profile.html

http://www.nativeplanet.org/health/disease2.htm

corazoncita

08-28-2007, 03:58 PM

WOW! I read all those disease sources.... pretty scary to see everything in writing. I would just die if my daughter got sick while she was in Honduras!

corazoncita

08-28-2007, 07:03 PM

rzkal-- thanks for the info! That helps a lot... but I'm still scared lol!
I meant to ask you... what kind of food was served to you? My husband's favorite dinner is beans, rice, eggs, tortillas, and an avocado. He also likes platanos fritos.... these foods are pretty much what is eaten every day in my husbands neck of the woods (from what I understand) as well as seafood when he lived in Trujillo. The have tamales for special occasions, of course... but I am soooo scared I will be offered iguana! My husband says they eat it sometimes, and he really likes it. I don't know WHAT I'll do if they give it to me-- I don't want to be rude, but I know I'll gag reflexively... I'm also not fond of the idea of conch soup.

thernand

08-28-2007, 08:14 PM

Corazoncita,
Yes, those are the basic things that they eat. They call the other big lizard that they eat "Garrobo" not sure of the spelling and we say several people standing along the road trying to sell them and my husband says alot of people eat them however, no one was ever offended when I didn't eat something that they offered me. If I took something and decided that I didn't like it I just handed it to my husband to eat. I don't eat anything that lives in the water period!!!! I don't eat beans, eggs, only some kinds of rice. I do not eat anything hot at all. I mean I don't even cook with black pepper. They also eat lots of their cheese and cream with salt and tortillas. I am very careful about who we buy these items from. I want the kind made with the little tablets to curdel the milk not with the brine off of pig guts. Just ask, they will tell you which it was made with. My husbands family just laughs when I won't east something they cook. They let me go through the fridge and cabnets and cook what I want. We also stop at the grocery store before we head out to their place. It is in a small town called el Lemon. It is close to Nacaome. I was there for funerals and all kinds of stuff between the 4 different times that I stayed 10 days or more there and no one ever got mad at the way I did anything. They would watch closely but mostly just let it all go because I was a gringa from the US and most of them thought they were in heaven just to talk to me or to touch my white skin. The police were just as bad about wanting to talk to the gringa, touch the gringa's skin or hair. It was weird. But where my husband lives most of the people that I met said they had never met an American before.
thernand

corazoncita

08-28-2007, 08:37 PM

Really?? The police?? LOL that's cute... my husband used to be a policia in Honduras. I hope he doesn't get back into that--- I hear they are pretty corrupt. On the US embassy website, it says to carry only back packs (as opposed to a purse) because it will label you as a target for being mugged. It also says not to maintain eye contact with the locals for more than a couple of seconds. What is that all about??

Here is another question... how do they regard people who are overweight? I don't know if my husband has ever directly TOLD his family that I am overweight. I have talked to him about it several times, and he assures me that his family will love me because I "am beautiful in my heart and face". That is not a good enough answer for me... I have heard horror stories from people on this board who went to Mexico and the in-laws were like "Ay! Gorda!" They made a lot of disapproving comments, which were passed of by their husbands as curiosity-- but I think it would hurt my feelings if the familia wasn't prepared for my size... I'd show up, and they'd be like "whose that heffer and where is Isai's wife??" They have tons of pictures of me, but I'm very photogenic, and some are pretty old (some pre-baby photos, as well as a couple from high school). Every time I call Honduras, all the nieces and nephews are like "muy bonita, Noelia!" I just don't wanna show up, and his family is shocked. Isai says in Honduras, being chunky is a good thing... did you get that impression? Did you see anyone who was overweight?

y14gemini

08-29-2007, 01:34 AM

Corazoncita---I agree with you about the iguana, but I LOVE sopa de caracol (conch soup)! It is so good! I know my husbands family would make Baleadas (excuse the spelling) alot! Those were so good! I basically told my husband that we (me and the kids) will eat anything except mondongo (my kids love it, NOT ME) and the iguana! But the food was good! When he was here he told me the basics of what they would eat in Honduras and I would make it for him here!

Therand--I am glad that you and your husband are finally together! And THANKS for the information that you are sharing!

aguafria

08-29-2007, 03:16 AM

Thernand, thank you very very much for the information. I will most definitely be enhancing my letter. My fiance is not too far from Nacaome. We went there frequently, when I was there last year. After being in Honduras for so long, did it take your husband much time to readjust to
the U.S.?

Corazoncita, I'm sooo over the 'Gorda' thing!! When I visited Honduras and saw everything, it became a little clearer to me. I saw two overweight people in his hometown and everything and everyone else was skin and bones (including the cows). I remember making the comment about the heat and thats why everybody is so skinny. Because of my height (5'8") and body composition, my weight is pretty much evenly distributed. It still didn't go unnoticed; my fiance's 85 year old aunt kept saying 'gorda, bonita, alta' I just smiled and left it at that. It was actually amusing to me. Now, on doctors orders, I need to slim down, so we'll see what kind of comments I receive next time.

Rkzal: Where in VA are you? Wanaads and I are in northern VA. I loved the baliadas (sp) I had here in the U.S., but according to my fiance they are really a northern Honduras food, so I wasn't able to enjoy the during my stay.

rkzal

08-29-2007, 04:10 AM

Actually, I tried some iguana soup made with coconut milk and it was pretty good. Mi suegra gave me some rice with bunny. I thought it was chicken at first but it sure didn't taste like it. We ate rice, beans, tortilla, sour cream and avocado just about every day. Mi suegra liked to make 'spagetti' with chicken, culantro, sour cream served on rice with boiled green banana (guineo). I never tried the mondongo and never will. My kids liked it too. Yuck!! Never tried sopa de caracol either. I liked the baleadas. I can actually make pretty good flour tortillas now. They used to make fun of my tortillas saying they were shaped like triangles or maps-they would guess the country or state that my tortillas were shaped like.

They called me Gorda too. It was never said in a mean way. If your just a little chunky they will call you that. Sometimes my husband calls me his Gordita. Don't worry about it. Just know they will all be curious and staring at you wherever you go just because you're a gringa. The kids are the worst. There were countless times I rode the bus to my job and had one or two kids in the seat in front of me turned around just staring at me the entire time. I did lose about 35lbs the first time I was there and gained it all back and more after the baby.

Aguafria-I am in Richmond, my uncle is up there in Arlington. The baleadas were big in Ceiba. Every restaurant and most little food stands sold those and pastelitos too. Pretty good stuff!!

rkzal

08-29-2007, 04:22 AM

Corazoncita-if you really don't want to try something, they will not take offense. You will very rarely be offered anything strange. My husband did tell me not to make a face like 'yuck' -that is really rude to them. Just say thanks but no thanks. Your husband can help you respectfully decline.

thernand

08-29-2007, 04:59 PM

aguafria
It did not take my husband any time at all to re-adjust to the US. We came home on a Friday night and the next week we did the new ss card and went and talked to the company that he worked at before he left. Filled out the new paperwork for them and he went back to work the Monday of the next week. He was ready to be home and back to work. Where he is from in Honduras there is nothing. No work in any kind of companies. There are no companies were he is from down there.

corazoncita
The police are very corupt. It seems like they will take a bribe for anything you do wrong and will even make up things ( swerved while driving, no seat belt, anything to get some limperas out of you, not very many usually, and mostly because because you are a gringa they assume that you have money). I speak spanish farely well, not great but good enough to know what they are saying about me. They mean nothing when they say gorda. To them this is a sign that you are well off. Only people with money can afford to buy enough food to get fat. I did see a few fat women but not many. Most people there are very poor so also very thin. If you will listen closely you will hear that they are also talking about how beautiful you are. Another thing. I am heavy and a few inches taller than my husband but as long as he is wearing his boots and hat you can't tell. They all were great to me. My husbands family greated me with open arms. Even when I did fight with him in front of them but it was in Spanish so the knew and understood what I was mad about. I have been there several times now and can't wait to go back again. The heat didn't really bother me. I would nap in the hammock during the day but at night I wanted my bed to sleep in. We just ran a fan at night. When I go next time I am going to pack a couple of ceiling fans in my extra suitcase and take them to them to put up in the living room. I think that will help alot.

As for safety. I did my best to never carry my purse or backpack out of the house if possible. I mean there were times I had to have them because of paperwork but a non-descript black plastic bag was better. No one cared what was in it. My husband and his family were very protective of me. You will find that most people there carry some kind of pistol or a big knife or a machete (not sure of spelling). But they will stare and stare at the gringa, the children will even run down the road in town to tell other people so they will line up along the street to look at the gringa. My green eyes were very fascinating to them. I tried to wear my shades as much as I could. I am also light headed. So they really stare. Don't take offence they don't mean anything by it.

About the food. After I would decline the foods that I don't like my husband would make them all laugh by telling them all the things that I won't eat. I am kinda picky (at least he thinks so). He was great that first time I went and all his family(close and extended) wanted to see the gringa.

We bought our own truck the first time we went there. But I did ride the bus a few times. I really like it there. I Just miss the indoor plumbing.
thernand