7 weeks now

[SephEan]

(sigh) its been 7 days since i e-mailed them and i haven't gotten any response. I called them up last monday and said it still on process. I'm getting paranoid. We submitted complete docs. and more..

To those who are waiting too, what do you guys do to divert your mind from thinking about your visa? i need some outlet. ive been watching tv series like Prison Break, Jericho, Heroes and One Tree Hill but my eyes are getting sore..lol I quit my job to focus on wedding preparations and requirements for visa application(besides my previous job was terrible, making me sick and always stressed).. I was very outgoing person before I meet my hubby, I love bar hopping, the night life..Meeting new friends. I thought that time it was the life i wanna live with.... but all changed when i mee my hubby, i became a home body. spend my time chatting with him rather than going out. Thats why i cant find any other outlet to divert my mind rather than watching dvds and sometimes reading...

Some advice please. Thanks! God bless all!

[marylen]

hello sephean...we understand your input much more your feelings right at this point of.........just be patient Sephean............you are on your way..........almost right at the end of the final step.............thats part of the whole process....7 weeks is just quite normal, surely before 3 mos you will definitely got your visa in hand, TODAY, TOMORROW or at ANY DAY(who knows!) . I myself even not get started one yet but I will glad and be more happy that i still have more time left to extend up my stay here along with my beloved families...coz we all know that in the end if God's will ..we will be with our hubby till the rest of our life journey.......As for now Sephean just enjoy your stay here , this is the right time for you to do so, as time gets closer each day, the day that finally you will say Goodbye, a time that you've been waiting for so long, a time to end up the closure of your life here , and a TIME that you will of course think all your memories an ended up shaded your tears secretly and endlessly .... we know that whatever it may be we will gonna be miss our country,...but on the other hand we dare to do so as we need to move on and go on life , we dare to leave everything behind because in our heart we grown up as a mature individual and ready to face the next chapter of LIFE and to be with our husband is the most important thing of all, and with that whatever pains and memories play back it doesn't matter, we are ready to take all the risk as we truly believe that LIFE is not a bed of roses..............

I may advice you to be patient and divert all your attention to the people that surrounded by you, for the things that u never do yet, much more with your family that for sure they will definitely gonna miss you, spend quite time with them, with your siblings, friends, families and cousins, be with and mingle with them, get reunited, just a simple thing as that forever you will be cherish until the end of your stay and wherever part of the world you are in you will always be remembered that somewhere along the way you are the same PERSON, a truly one loving individual... okay sephean...just take it easy....GOOD LUCK


Mary

[SephEan]

Wow!! that was what i really need to hear sis!! Thanks, whenevr i need advice u are one of those who always come to my rescue. that is a very inspiring advice and what you to know that u made me feel better.. thank you sis!! and good luck to your application... til next time!! God Bless!!

[Piamed]

Hi SephEan

The waiting is hard for me but I have my work to distract me. It's much worse for Pia. Now that the wedding planning is over, she has graduated and submitted all the documents for her visa application she has had little else to occupy her time. Until today.

Pia's activities
Today she enrolled for and a started a cookery course. This is something Pia has wanted to do for a while; learn new dishes and methods of cooking.

Prior to this she had tried to work with her old company but of course whilst wanting her as an employee the boss knows (he was one of our ninongs) that at some time in the very near future she will be leaving so they do not want to be left high and dry suddenly, which is understandable .

Another thing that Pia was going to try to do was undertake driving lessons but the only vehicle available to her to learn in was a Jeepney . Also the only place for her to practice was on the national highway. The owners of local open spaces available, would not allow it. So we decided that she should wait until she is here to start the lessons.

My activities
For myself, although I have work which is quite demanding time wise, I still have a large amount of time to miss my wife and contemplate when her visa will be granted.

So, I keep finding things to do in the house in preparation for her coming. I wash the curtains, buy new toilet seats, cutlery, tidy the garden etc. Its a fine balance between wanting to have the house perfect for her and still leaving enough for us to do together and her to do alone so that she makes her mark on the house (red sofa aside) and feels its hers .

One of the spare rooms is used to store all the wedding gifts I brought back (courtesy of very large luggage allowances) and the copious amount of new stuff that I bought that Sofi (sorry Pia) and I will rearrange together.

That's how I get through this and also meeting pinoy as I try to establish an initial pinoy social network base of people she can talk to and meet with until she establishes her own friends both pinoy and indigenous (not foreigner here ).

Everywhere I go I meet new potential friends and let Pia speak to them on the phone. I met a filipina yesterday, spoke to her hubby last night and am going to their house for lunch today. Pia is the most anticipated passenger at Leeds airport . So many have seen our wedding pics online and some have even spoken to her on the phone. My neighbour, Singaporean and complete with expensive taste, can't wait to take Pia shopping (hala hala) .

Suggested activities
Another thing you might consider SephEan is whether you want to do a course in the UK and start looking while over there. Also, you might consider the things that you will need to take with you when your visa is granted, little things such those small bowls used for mixing th soy sauce with the little chilli peppers (sorry, I can't recall what they are called) and vinegar.

By the way, I have emailed them 3 times and received 3 responses. The longest took 3 working days; the others 2. And I have been advised my submissions will be added to my wifes application file.

Anyway, hope that helps a bit!

God bless you!

[SephEan]

Hi SephEan

The waiting is hard for me but I have my work to distract me. It's much worse for Pia. Now that the wedding planning is over, she has graduated and submitted all the documents she has had little else to occupy her time. Until today.

Pia's activities
Today she enroled for and a started a cookery course. This is something Pia has wanted to do for a while; learn new dishes and methods of cooking.

Prior to this she had tried to work with her old company but of course everyone knows that at some time she will be leaving so they do not want to invest further training etc., which is understandable.

Another thing that Pia was going to try to do was undertake driving lessons but the only vehicle available to her to learn in was a Jeepney....hehehe. Also the only place for her to practice was on the national highway. The owners of local open spaces available, would not allow it. so we decided that she should wait until she is here to start the lessons.

My activities
For myself, although I have work which is quite demanding time wise, I still have a large amount of time to miss my wife and contemplate when her visa will be granted.

So, I keep finding things to do in the house in preparation for her coming. I wash the curtains, buy new toilet seats, cutlery, tidy the garden etc. Its a fine balance between wanting to have the house perfect for her and still leaving enough for us to do together and her to do alone so that she makes her mark on the house (red sofa aside) and feels its hers.

One of the spare rooms is used to store all the wedding gifts I brought back (courtesy of very large luggage allowances) and the stuff that I bought that Sofi (sorry Pia) and i will rearrange together.

That's how I get through this and also meeting pinoy. Every where i go I meet new ones and let Pia speak to them on the phone. I meet a filipina yesterday , spoke to her hubby last night and am going to their house for lunch today.

Suggested activities
Another thing you might consider SephEan is whether you want to do a course in the UK and start looking while over there. Also, you might consider the things that you will need to take with you when your visa is granted, little things such those small bowls used for mixing th soy sauce with the little chilli peppers (sorry, I can't recall what they are called) and vinegar.

Anyway, hope that helps a bit!

God bless you!

Hi Piamed!! that is a great help. thank you so much. I just told my hubby while i was reading your post and chatting with him at the same time (right now), that i would like to enroll to a culinary school, like ur wife. i have less knowledge about cooking and i dont want my hubby to get starve. lol... gonna inquire first and hopefully i can find somwhere near my place. maybe i could enroll for a week session...

I've been thinking about the driving lesson too, i know how to drive tho, my friend thought me but i want to learn from a professional one..but the prob is even if i gt help from a driving school i doubt if my family would be trusting enough to lend me the car.

hey Piamed, i dont think u have read about my post regarding the hotel which is near my hubby's place..i asked him abt that and he said its near. maybe when i gt there and ur wife maybe we could say hi to each other personally

and hey the things u do in preparation for the coming of ur wife, that is so sweet! i wish you both happiness and the best luck in life!!

[Piamed]

Hi Piamed!! that is a great help. thank you so much. I just told my hubby while i was reading your post and chatting with him at the same time (right now), that i would like to enroll to a culinary school, like ur wife. i have less knowledge about cooking and i dont want my hubby to get starve. lol... gonna inquire first and hopefully i can find somwhere near my place. maybe i could enroll for a week session...

You are most welcome and good luck with the cooking course. I wish I could attend a pinoy/asian cooking course.

I've been thinking about the driving lesson too, i know how to drive tho, my friend thought me but i want to learn from a professional one..but the prob is even if i gt help from a driving school i doubt if my family would be trusting enough to lend me the car.

I guess cars are valuable financially and practically. I am about to order a new car, will I be enthusiastic about Sofi driving it right away (first 10 years), hmmn, probably not! Only, err, kidding honey.

hey Piamed, i dont think u have read about my post regarding the hotel which is near my hubby's place..i asked him abt that and he said its near. maybe when i gt there and ur wife maybe we could say hi to each other personally

Sorry, I did not see your reply about the hotel. It would be really nice to meet you both. Pia and I are still undecided about whether she will work or we will start a family sooner.

If she does work I will try to secure a job with my old company up here for her. That will help to ensure she can get her qualifications considered, a common problem.

If I can't help her get a suitable one up here we may have to move down to your area so that she can get a job with my current employer. We will see!

and hey the things u do in preparation for the coming of ur wife, that is so sweet! i wish you both happiness and the best luck in life!!

I am trying so hard to ensure that she is able to have friends so that she can have her independence, when she wants it, adjust to life in the UK sooner and not feel so homesick. Pia and I wish you and your hubby God's biggest blessings over your life together.

[scott&ligaya]

Piamed, Having just gone through similar preparations for Ligaya's arrival(now happily settling in) I have thought about would I have done anything different, the only thing I think she would have loved would have been for me to have gone to the "wet" market in the city centre and made sure I had already got the salmon heads in the rif!!!!!!!!


Sephean,
have faith, it will work out for you, and try to get yourself out more again, go running,swimming if you can and generally get yourself in the best fitness you can for your hubby (best present ever), once you get here and start in on the fish and chips, potatoes, kebabs, fast food and other UK favourites it all goes to crap! lol.

[Piamed]

Piamed, Having just gone through similar preparations for Ligaya's arrival(now happily settling in) I have thought about would I have done anything different, the only thing I think she would have loved would have been for me to have gone to the "wet" market in the city centre and made sure I had already got the salmon heads in the rif!!!!!!!!

You know, I don't think Pia eats fish heads...really! Sis, yes!

Sephean,
have faith, it will work out for you, and try to get yourself out more again, go running,swimming if you can and generally get yourself in the best fitness you can for your hubby (best present ever), once you get here and start in on the fish and chips, potatoes, kebabs, fast food and other UK favourites it all goes to crap! lol.

I told Pia i will buy a new set of scales and chart her 'progress'.

[aromulus]

Come to think of it.....

Jet is gathering a bit of ballast around the beams.......

Mind you, she needed a couple of extra oz's in places....

[Piamed]

Come to think of it.....

Jet is gathering a bit of ballast around the beams.......

Mind you, she needed a couple of extra oz's in places....

I'm not sure that we have control over where those oz's go!

[aromulus]

(sigh) its been 7 days since i e-mailed them and i haven't gotten any response. I called them up last monday and said it still on process. I'm getting paranoid. We submitted complete docs. and more..
!

As I replied to your other post........

All you have to do is to wait, nothing else...
Very rarely they will go into the hassle of answering mail...
The only reason that I received a mail or two from them is because we applied for an EU Family Permit, and the rules are slightly different, I guess.

[SephEan]

Sephean,have faith, it will work out for you, and try to get yourself out more again, go running,swimming if you can and generally get yourself in the best fitness you can for your hubby (best present ever), once you get here and start in on the fish and chips, potatoes, kebabs, fast food and other UK favourites it all goes to crap! lol.

Thanks Scott&Ligaya!! Is that really her name "Ligaya"? Wow!! thats really a nice and sweet name. About going out again, actually i already have plans this saturday. Thanks for the advice.. about the best present, well i think i still have it, lol!!!..can't wait to try european cuisine..

[kimmi]

Dont worry too much sis, try to remove it from ur mind for a while as much as possible..he he he

who knows ur visa will arrive this week..Goodluck,,,

[SephEan]

As I replied to your other post........

All you have to do is to wait, nothing else...
Very rarely they will go into the hassle of answering mail...
The only reason that I received a mail or two from them is because we applied for an EU Family Permit, and the rules are slightly different, I guess.

Hi Aromulus!! waiting is difficult but you are right, that is the only thing that i am supposed to do.. About answering the mail, i called them up and asked about why they aren't responding to my e-mail they said it depends with the queue..oh my!! how long is the queue? its 7 days now!
Anyway it doesnt matter anymore if they gonna e-mail me back, coz i know they just gonna tell me the same thing i heard from the phone when i rang them.

[SephEan]

Dont worry too much sis, try to remove it from ur mind for a while as much as possible..he he he

who knows ur visa will arrive this week..Goodluck,,,

Hi kimmi!! I read somwhere that you were called for an interview the next day u phoned them to follow up your application? is it right? By the way thanks much for the advice but you know its not easy...but im gonna try harder this time sis!

[SephEan]

To Piamed, Goodluck on your plans with your wife, hope meet you guys!

[kimmi]

Hi kimmi!! I read somwhere that you were called for an interview the next day u phoned them to follow up your application? is it right? By the way thanks much for the advice but you know its not easy...but im gonna try harder this time sis!

yes sis that's right.. like u I find it really hard to wait, it feels like u took an exam and u didnt know if u pass..then after around 5 weeks I tried to call them and they told me that they will call me back because they will check my application and then they call me back to inform that I need to have an interview the next week then after that I got my visa..

[SephEan]

yes sis that's right.. like u I find it really hard to wait, it feels like u took an exam and u didnt know if u pass..then after around 5 weeks I tried to call them and they told me that they will call me back because they will check my application and then they call me back to inform that I need to have an interview the next week then after that I got my visa..

Oh wow!! so your visa just took 6? 7? weeks?... how was the interview? im so jealous of you sis!!

[kimmi]

Oh wow!! so your visa just took 6? 7? weeks?... how was the interview? im so jealous of you sis!!

its nearly six weeks sis..hey, dont be jealous u will have ur visa at the right time as long as u prepared well and include all the docs needed for sure u will have it who knows this week..he he he

btw, when is the last u called them??and how many times u have called them?

[SephEan]

thanks sis! may u serve as my angel!..hehehe!! i called them last Monday-May 20, I e-mailed them May 14, then e-mailed them again May 20-morning..
We gave them complete docs. all they required.

[kimmi]

when I submitted my application, I emailed them after a week and I received a reply that it was forwarded at the embassy already so I have to wait..and then after a month I emailed them again and they replied to me that they are doing the checks already and then after a week(my 5th week) I tried to phone them and that's it then they told me I had a scheduled interview but I dont know now why they are not replying to emails..

[alicat]

i dont know what too say,(coz i just wait for 10 days)
dont worry too much,just be patient sis,i know its not easy to
wait,you did the right thing,u emailed and call the embassy.
just keep doing it..goodluck..

[SephEan]

maybe im not valuable to them lol!! anyway if i wont be getting any e-mail from them this week, i will call them again next week on exactly
8th week since we applied for the visa. Thanks Kimmi for the help! I will continue praying, never gonna get tired of waiting... thanks again sis!! you are such a big help!

[kimmi]

maybe im not valuable to them lol!! anyway if i wont be getting any e-mail from them this week, i will call them again next week on exactly
8th week since we applied for the visa. Thanks Kimmi for the help! I will continue praying, never gonna get tired of waiting... thanks again sis!! you are such a big help!

that's the right thing sis..Goodluck and u'll be in my prayers..just dont forget to post here the good news..

[scott&ligaya]

HI Sephean,
yes my mahals name is Ligaya which all the filipinas here will know means joy and happieness, it suits her prefectly and was given to her by her eldest brother 10 minutes after she was born when she smiled, well I am sure it just looked like a smile. She does use Joy a lot especially when we were living in Hong Kong but I love the name Ligaya and prefer to use it. if our baby had been a girl I would have wanted to use this name but we have a beautiful boy (3 mths yesterday) called Joshua.

Take care of yourself and just keep busy, all the best things are worth waiting for.

[Sangoma]

, and try to get yourself out more again, go running,swimming if you can and generally get yourself in the best fitness you can for your hubby (best present ever), once you get here and start in on the fish and chips, potatoes, kebabs, fast food and other UK favourites it all goes to crap! lol.

We call this the Heathrow injection. Anybody who was trim and passes through Heathrow, usually doesn't remain trim for long......................

[islander]

(sigh) its been 7 days since i e-mailed them and i haven't gotten any response. I called them up last monday and said it still on process. I'm getting paranoid. We submitted complete docs. and more..

To those who are waiting too, what do you guys do to divert your mind from thinking about your visa? i need some outlet. ive been watching tv series like Prison Break, Jericho, Heroes and One Tree Hill but my eyes are getting sore..lol I quit my job to focus on wedding preparations and requirements for visa application(besides my previous job was terrible, making me sick and always stressed).. I was very outgoing person before I meet my hubby, I love bar hopping, the night life..Meeting new friends. I thought that time it was the life i wanna live with.... but all changed when i mee my hubby, i became a home body. spend my time chatting with him rather than going out. Thats why i cant find any other outlet to divert my mind rather than watching dvds and sometimes reading...

Some advice please. Thanks! God bless all!

This makes me more worried now about my application also. I just wonder why results of visa applications now took so long compared before?!
Like you sis, I have also resigned from work since wedding preparations time, makes me very bored at home now. Have already done driving lessons also, but i don't know what's next...

thanks for all the suggestions here, gives me an idea on things to do to keep busy & not concentrate on waiting for visa.

think what we need to do now is PRAY, PRAY and PRAY!

[SephEan]

We call this the Heathrow injection. Anybody who was trim and passes through Heathrow, usually doesn't remain trim for long......................

Really? Is that it? oh i can't wait to be there!! lol! need some fats!

[SephEan]

This makes me more worried now about my application also. I just wonder why results of visa applications now took so long compared before?!
Like you sis, I have also resigned from work since wedding preparations time, makes me very bored at home now. Have already done driving lessons also, but i don't know what's next...

thanks for all the suggestions here, gives me an idea on things to do to keep busy & not concentrate on waiting for visa.

think what we need to do now is PRAY, PRAY and PRAY!

Hi Islander, Oh don't wanna make u worry more with my posts sis,..this morning i read my bible, and today it says: Jesus said we don't have to worried or be fearful, because our heavenly Father knows our needs, and we are valued by Him. He is perfectly willing and able to meet our needs.
When something concern us, what's our perspective? It's not what we see but how we see it that reveals our attitude. If we look at life through the lens of our powerful and good God, we'll trust Him instead of fearfully worrying. When our perspective is right, we can see God and His faithful provision...."When fear and worry test your faith, And anxious thoughts assail, Remember God is in control And He will never fail.." Worry is a burden that God never meant for us to bear.

Hope this help you, when i read this earlier this morning my worries all gone now... hope it will do the same for you and for the many others who are waiting for their visa results!!

[SephEan]

HI Sephean,
yes my mahals name is Ligaya which all the filipinas here will know means joy and happieness, it suits her prefectly and was given to her by her eldest brother 10 minutes after she was born when she smiled, well I am sure it just looked like a smile. She does use Joy a lot especially when we were living in Hong Kong but I love the name Ligaya and prefer to use it. if our baby had been a girl I would have wanted to use this name but we have a beautiful boy (3 mths yesterday) called Joshua.

Take care of yourself and just keep busy, all the best things are worth waiting for.

Wow beautiful baby boy!! belated happy 3rd month birthday to you angel Joshua!!!