I had been attacking for a long time in order to reside in personal country using my Canadian wife, nevertheless Cover out of Relationships Operate (DOMA) is blocking myself regarding my personal straight to follow happiness inside means. Despite writing emails every single senator and every presidential applicant twice up to and greatest celebrities, such as for instance Ellen DeGeneres, contacting immigration attorneys plus the ACLU, and conversing with whoever perform pay attention, they checked you to my personal fantasy was zero closer to getting a great fact. Which is up to whenever quickly DOMA fell, immediately after becoming announced unconstitutional. Mindy and i also famous into the soul that have tens and thousands of other bi-national gay partners globally only looking forward to the straightforward directly to come home. The thing was a pile out of files.

The initial step – Submitting the new We-130 Petition

I experienced to help you fly from our residence within the Chiang Mai, Thailand down to Bangkok so you’re able to file the petition to help you recruit Mindy as the American Consulate within the Chiang Mai cannot deal with immigration says. Directly all over throughout the American embassy is the Homeland Protection workplace. Apart from make payment on $420 processing commission on Western Embassy, the entire petition process happened into the fifteenth flooring out of Tower Two of the Sindhorn Building State-of-the-art.

Immediately following turning in brand new petition function additionally the supporting paperwork, paying the filing percentage and you can restoring a mistake I experienced made whenever filling out the form (I found myself perhaps not born on 1800’s), I became requested if i you’ll sit a tiny expanded since the brand new “administrator desires to consult with Turc femelle myself”. Unsure just what which intended, I waited patiently which have lots of time prior to my get back airline so you’re able to Chiang Mai.

Within 10 minutes I happened to be summoned with the windows and you may requested to raise my right hand and you will swear in all honesty. Shortly after staring during the admiration at a huge red “approved” stamp from glass whenever i confirmed the facts of your own mode lower than oath, I became advised that my personal petition had been recognized. Inside amaze and you may appreciation that the manager had turned just what usually takes thirty day period on moments, I thanked their own for expediting the method. She checked-out me personally rectangular on vision and told you, “You have waited for enough time”. I almost cried immediately on the Homeland Defense office while the it was for the first time one my wedding try accepted because of the my own government and you may my strive is actually verified. We remaining the office using my acceptance letter at your fingertips and you can my personal hands held filled with triumph.

Next step – Packet step 3

Our very own pleasure reduced although once looking forward to a couple months instead of hearing one thing. We in the long run inquired at the Community Work environment inside Bangkok as to our next step merely to read they’d sent away a training letter singular day shortly after my petition had become approved however, we never obtained it. Really!

However, no less than we had been right back on course. It absolutely was your next step regarding obtaining a green cards would be to complete Packet step three, and that involved an internet piece (Means DS 260) plus the completing from a keen Affidavit (Function We-864) for my situation, demonstrating (and swearing) which i you will financially service Mindy. There are a number of support data files necessary for this, including tax info, proof of domicile, proof of a career an such like. Mindy in addition to requisite a background choose most of the country she had lived in as the sixteen years old. So it meant i required background checks to own Canada, Germany and you will Thailand not to mention the latter several will need getting technically interpreted on English.