So here is what we have been up to since my last post about our anniversary!
On March 14th I got the email notification that our I130 had been approved and was being sent to the National Visa Center. (I was so happy and surprised when I got that email 6.5 months in the works that I even made the trilling sound Moroccan’s women make at weddings and births!)
That meant that we now started a new part of the seeming never-ending visa process and we are inshaAllah one step closer to going home to the US. I have to admit I actually like the National Visa Center better than USCIS because I can send emails or call them and they are pretty darn good at giving you clear answers on things. I started calling them after I got the notification our I 130 was approved but then sent an email as calling internationally to hold for 26+ minutes gets expensive. I got an answer back in two days from them with all our case information. Not bad.
The National Visa Center/State Department website for visa stuff need some Silicon Valley love because the time out feature is a pain the in ass – it times you out even though I am actively typing in information in forms! I am not alone in experiencing that issue either. The online payment was a breeze once I figured out I couldn’t pay using Mozilla Foxfire.
I also like that they are starting an online document submission process where you can scan and email them documents! Only certain visas are able to use this so far but for those of us who live overseas – this could be a time and headache saver!
So now all the National Visa Center fees are paid. I have submitted my husbands DS 3032 and DS230/260 online. I have my husband gathering all the documentation required for support of the DS230/260.
My mother is working on her I-864 and gather the support documents for mine that I sent her in August of 2013 with twp signed but undated signature pages should she need to redo my I -864 because of errors in mine at the time she was doing her’s as a joint sponsor.
Our Moroccan Family book arrived yesterday 4/5/14 after waiting 4 months for Omar’s aunt to send it from Midelt to Taza.
The Moroccan family book is important because in Morocco when you have a child you have to have an official register them in this book and then this grants them all the rights of a Moroccan citizen – even if your living abroad which can be done through your local Moroccan consulate.
So when we decide to expand our family from us two to three or more each time we will add our children to this book. InshaAllah.
Also on April 7th the Sahmoudi – Habri family expanded by one with the birth of a son to my cousin in law Khadijah and her husband Nouraddine. The baby has been named Montussirbillah Habri – I coined the nickname “Monty,” because that name is a serious mouthful. I helped, “doula,” her through her labor and I will be posting about that experience as well as the after birth care in Morocco later so keep an eye out for that post.
So thats whats been up for March – early April so far.
American Muslimahs Musings 
Hi, best of luck with the immigration process, as I am also, preparing papers for the immigration process, and am currently living outside of America, I would just like to ask, what is the process you used to pay the immigration fees, for the I130?
Salaam alaikum,
I paid by sending in a personal check although a money order also works well. InshaAllah this information also helps you.
Thanks a lot it has helped/
Is that the only copy of the family book? Will you take this book with you to the USA when you come? If you do, what about the rest of the family in Morocco? Will baby Monty be entered in the family book?
Each married couple applies and gets their family book. We will bring the family book with us to the USA when we return and when we have kids we will have them entered into our family book. Baby Monty has been entered into his mom’s and dad’s family book.