DS160 form

Since I received instruction from Embassy, I started to fill the online form DS-160.
I did once when I applied F1 visa.
At that time, staff from study abroad agency helped me by phone.

This time, visa type is different, questions are different.
When move pointer on sentence, it shows translation, so mostly I could, no problem.

This morning I reviewed, enter correct answer which I was not sure.
Reached confirmation page, printed out.

With that number, I proceeded next process.
I made my profile on US embassy website, paid application fee by credit card, and made interview appointment!
It's one month ahead.
The earliest available date was Feb 12th. That's too soon.
I should get police certificate and medical exam.

Maybe this month passes quickly.
 

Packet from Embassy

Today I received big envelope.

From US Embassy!

When I checked visa status online, it shows "ready", that means they can accept my interview booking.
But I hadn't received this envelope AKA "instruction".
I guessed it should be on way here, then today!

Now I can fill the form DS160, they say it takes 1.5 to 2.0 hours.
I've done before when applied F1-visa for student.
So I know some but this time should be more info...

I do soon and make appointment for interview!

Case number

Yesterday I wrote that we haven't received case number since we got NOA2 end of Dec.

Last night, we got it!
I was almost let my fiancé send claim mail(^_^;)
He and also our lawyer received that email which has case number.
Still it takes time to forward petition to embassy in Japan several weeks.

Several??

Again, too long!

Anyway, our visa journey goes on.
   
 

Visa situation

About fiancé visa, we got Notification of Action 2 (NOA2).
That was Dec 25th.
Petitioner received actual mail on that day.
Approval date is Dec 18th.

Our case is sent to National Visa Center (NVC), they issue a case number.
They say it takes around 30 days.
And our lawyer says 45 to 60 days.

What??

That's too long!
I'm really disappointed.
Why that takes so long...
In this letter, we have to allow at least 30days to hear next step.
I feel we can claim.
Wondering the US government shutdown affects or not.

Hope we hear something from them soon.



 

Look back 2018

January:
I joined handmade event in Osaka, it was the first time to have my own booth for satokomatsu.
Sales was... but I learned display, how to explain my concept, and I met buyer from department store.

February:
My fiancé and I decided to ask lower to apply fiancé visa.

April:
Busy with collecting documents for the petition and work at office.

May:
In Japan, there is so-called "Golden Week" holiday.
We went to Fushimi where is famous of sake distillers, enjoyed Japanese tastes.

June:
Finally my fiancé and I gathered all documents and submit USCIS.

July:
From event in January, I got a chance to join the event in Hanshin Department store in Osaka.
It was held for whole 1 week. Many friends visited me, I really appreciate it. And feel our bond.
I got confidence about my jewelry concept.

August:
Worked on orders.
Met my old friend from Portugal after 14 years. 

September:
I joined another handmade event in Osaka.
I met customer from web shop and who visited my booth in January(they remembered!)
Got some orders!

October:
Visited Nagoya Boston museum in Aichi. They closed in this month.
Later busy at office.

December:
On 19th, finally USCIS approved our case!
Now I'm waiting for packet from embassy.


I hope you will have a great year!

Approved

For these 6 months I kept checking our case status USCIS online.

This morning when I opened that site as my routine, I saw different alphabet.

"case was approved"

?!?!?!
I always saw "case was received", what??
Finally our petition for alien fiancé was approved!

Like other bloggers mention, took almost whole 6 months.

While waiting,  I feel worked a lot.
In September, I joined handmade market at World Trade Center in Osaka.
Now I have bulk order, 30pcs initial jewelries and some pieces.

Once approved, the embassy in your country sends or emails you next instruction.
That takes 3 to 4 weeks, I heard.
When you received case number, you can start next step like getting police certification and immune shot at certain hospital.

Maybe 3 to 4 weeks pass soon, because we have winter holiday, have fun.
I enjoy this season in Japan.







 

Reunion

Before Japanese summer vacation called "Bon-yasumi", I met my friend the first time after graduation.
15 years ago??
We were same band during collage time in Osaka, we copied Marylin Manson's songs.
After graduation, she went back to Portugal, moved to Monaco, then Paris now.

On Instagram, I got know she visited Osaka.
Texted, she says "Are you in Osaka now?!"
She thought I'm in US(￣▽￣;)
Somehow, many friends think I'm in NY now....yes, I will....someday soon.
So that's kinda sudden, we decided to meet.

Actually, she was planning to have her birthday party next day, I was invited.
I didn't know who comes, anyway I went.

Maybe 12 people gathered?
More than half were "Nice to meet you." (mostly Japanese)
A few were from same music circle.

We could catch up, thanks to social media, we could have a nice chance to reunite.
When I moved to NY, Paris is much closer than from Japan, maybe we can visit each other??
I'm pretty sure that we can meet anywhere.
 

August 15th

Today is the anniversary of end of World War Ⅱ.
From the view of Japanese.
It's the day to pray for victims, pray for peace, swear we never bring a war again.

Just out of curiosity, I asked my fiancé if US has special meaning for today.
He hasn't heard much about that.
Japan takes August 15th as a special day, Emperor comments, so does Prime Minister at ceremony.

I looked up on internet, on Wikipedia,  September 2nd is regarded as the final day of WWⅡ in US．

He says Civil War or Battle with British, last day becomes important.
Japan's attitude is learning from past and American, mostly boast independence.(America first?)

Japan is single race country, monoculture, island and US is completely opposite.
America is shaped by different histories originating from different places, different religions.

When I talked to his dad, he said he enjoyed bowling when he was young.
Sounds like right after War ended.
As you know, Japan surrendered and after war, everybody was poor, worked very hard to survive, no entertainment.
I felt something.
That's the difference between winner and loser.

At the same point in the world, our countries had totally different life style.
And still same situation now in the world.

We study history always from OUR perspective.
We believe "We Are Right".
That's the beginning of conflict.

Fact is only one.
How to see it shapes you.





 

Sudden message

A few days ago, I got message from my old friend from collage.
It was the first contact after 8 years.
We were in same music circle, much closer than classmate.
Just we didn't have any chance to talk.

Her message sounded a bit serious.
At the time I couldn't call her so texted.
I wondered what she wants to talk to me...

Finally we could talk today.

That was about kind of business plan.
Not plan, idea. Everything is still up in the air.
Recently she got friend from Saudi Arabia.
She remembered I'm making jewelry using Arabic letter.
In meantime, her friend and she talked about new business, something like English lesson, making jewelry workshop etc.

Her call is if they can make that idea possible, whether they can involve me or not.

Actually they don't imagine anything clearly, just they have the idea.
Though, sounds interesting.
I told her my situation that I'm going to move to US maybe next year but curious about starting something new.

Maybe we'll meet soon and catch up.
Starting new thing makes us nervous but as long as we can enjoy, it's worth it.

 

How are you?

I really left this page for long time...

Last post was 'questionnaire' , now current situation is...
we submitted our petition to USCIS last month! Finally!

We prepared lots of documents, filed them to the mutual folder of both of our lawyer and us, we waited, waited, waited for the farm prepare to send to USCIS for a month.
We guessed they are busy, maybe taking care of us too...
but almost 4 weeks, it was enough time to reach the last straw to me.
I sent message not to assistant but lawyer herself directly.

Probably it worked.
Suddenly they moved on our case.
From my previous work, I'm used to send claim mail...

Anyway we got case number, what we can do now is just waiting for NOA2.

In meantime, I had a pop-up store at Hanshin Department store in Osaka for a week in early July.
For me, it was a great experience and compared to daily sales, it ended up great.
I could meet some old friends, coworkers, and new customers.
Attending exhibition is not the first time but selling MY products by myself is very excited thing.

I try to upload this blog more often!
Have a nice weekend!
 

Questionnaire

For my fiancé visa, so called K-1 visa,
we decided to hire lawyer, after looking up some and asking,
came to one attorney.

My fiancé in New York met in person once at their office, sending email each other,
finally we started to prepare for petition.

First thing first is submit the questionnaire.
Each personal basic info, address history, employment history at least 5 years,
education info, family member, stay in US history etc...

Some words are unfamiliar to me because it looks very serious format.
Maybe just avoiding vague expression.

Filling out the questionnaire took 1 week already.
I had to check my passport again and again, look up my college information.

This document is only a tip of iceberg.
I feel really need to study English more...
   

New hobby

I love handicraft since I was child.
Knitting, crochet, beads...etc.

Exactly this timing in last year, I found one more favorite by accident.
Tatting lace.
Unlike crochet, this method is making knots with bobbin.
Generally using very fine thread.

Last year I met one person who making tatting lace jewelry.
It was the first time to see such fine, small, sensitive and cute product.
By then, I've been familiar with crochet lace,
I got eager to try tatting lace.
She kindly let me know where I can get material, how she learnt tatting.
Maybe that was next weekend, I bought bobbin for tatting which is called shuttle.

Since then I love tatting lace!

My level is not making own pattern yet so usually I make motif from book or free pattern on internet.
This thread is mostly for embroidery, a bit harder than cotton thread.

This is my finest thread, DMC80.
For crochet lace, I use #40 and lizbeth is slightly finer than Olympus #40.
I enjoy my new hobby very much!


 

To design jewelry

I've been working on fine jewelry design all these weekdays.
And haven't finished yet...

At office, I design OEM and company's new products.
These are not satokomatsu work.
From my 8 years experience in fine jewelry industry, I'm working as a jewelry designer.

Customer shows us rough sketch or image, we make design.
After confirmation, we start production.

Sometimes their sketches are very vague, no other information, we imagine what they expect.
And occasionally they change design completely.
Bring us their image photo or more sketches.
Every time more info comes to me, I feel I wasted our time.
Why you didn't tell us first?

This time their request is decorative, colorful design line. (means several designs)
Difficult to draw, takes time.
And the most irritating thing is they also call themselves designer!
Are you??

If you request your original jewelry, it's okay you can't draw.
Designing is our job.
Just please let us know your ideal image.
Information, the more, the better.
That's the best way for both of us.

(This is irrelevant to customer design.) 

 

The highest wall

In these days, I'm checking about K-1 visa to move to US.
Is it better to hire lawyer or can we do by ourselves?
Which documents should we submit?
Which place do I have to visit?

Nowadays, thanks to internet, we can access to a lot of information and others' experience.
The highest wall I have to climb is my mom's opposition.
That's almost just emotionally thing.
I'm only child so I know her feeling.
She is living in very close location to her mom. (a few blocks away)
Hardly she went abroad.
She has never lived in other city.
She can't understand why I want to live overseas.

Is there anybody who could persuade your parents?