2 months...

...is the time it took for the H to get his green card!

Around the first week of December, H and I mailed in the letter of applicant readiness to the US consulate, which meant that our paperwork was finished and H was ready for his interview.

We received Packet 4 from the Embassy on Dec 12th (aka the day I was supposed to leave for NYC) with the interview date and time - which was for the 19th of December! H and I were quite surprised, because damn! that was fast!

H decided to go ahead with the interview even though I'm not in Paris, since the US citizen is not required to be there for the interview. So he went and got his medical appointment done 2 days before the interview and headed over with all the paperwork I had prepared on my part (I-864, tax returns, etc. which are to be provided by the US citizen). H was all nervous for his interview, but apparently it took all of 10 minutes. It went something like:

US Interviewer Person: So, why do you want to move to the U.S.?
H: My wife is fed up with being in France.
US: (sympathetic) Oh. Why?
H: Because she's been here for a few years already, and it's been hard for her to find a job.
US: (with extreme sympathy and understanding) Oh. (nods, as if all the Americans living in France who move back to the US with their spouses all have the same reason for moving back). I see. What do you do?
H: I work in film production.
US: Okay then. Thanks. You're all done now. We'll call you in a little bit.

Turned out H's paperwork has been approved, but they needed to keep his passport so they could stick the visa in there, but since he was leaving Paris this morning to fly to NY for the holidays, we have to go back to the Consulate with his passport. Also, apparently they need some sort of a letter where I state that I don't file tax returns in the U.S. because I'm unemployed.

I think it's very nice that it all went so fast and easily - I've heard that in other countries there can be a very long wait for the green card process, so I guess we're very lucky. Though I think this is because the US consulate in France makes it mandatory that the US citizen has a titre de séjour, and cannot be on a student visa if they want to file for a green card for their French spouses.

In other news, while waiting for the H at the airport tonight, I overheard a conversation between 2 older women and I was dying to join in.

Cuban Woman (to French woman): Are you waiting for the flight from Paris?
French Woman: Yes, I am.
(blah blah blah, then:)
Cuban Woman: Are you French?
French Woman: Yes, I am. Are you?
Cuban Woman: No, I'm from Cuba, but my daughter lives in France. She's getting married this year to a French guy.
Me (in my head): ME TOO!!!! Except I'm already married. But technically, I am still kind of a newlywed.
French Woman: Oh, how nice! And you live in New York?
Cuban Woman: Yes, I do.
Me (in head): Wow! That's just like me and my mom! Except my mom's from Taiwan, but she lives in New York too!
French Woman: Where in France does your daughter live?
Cuban Woman: She lives in Paris, in the 16th arrondissement, near Trocadéro.
Me (in head): Wow! ME TOO! I LIVE IN THE 16TH TOO! NEAR TROCADERO!!!!!!!!
Cuban Woman: Yeah, my daughter is just coming home for the Christmas holidays, then she's going back to Paris.
Me (in head): Hey! ME TOO!
Cuban Woman: My daughter used to study in France when she was in college.
Me (in head): ME TOO! What are the odds?!
Cuban Woman: Her fiancé doesn't speak too much English.
Me: JUST LIKE MY HUSBAND!!!!!!
Cuban Woman: My daughter has been having a rough time finding a job though, but her fiancé just opened up a restaurant in Paris, so they probably won't be moving back to the U.S. any time soon.
Me (in head): Just like me! I'm having a hard time finding a job TOO! But I'm moving back to the U.S. this spring.
Cuban Woman: My daughter is going back to Paris next week.
Me (in head): ME TOO! WHAT A COINCIDENCE! Maybe I should say something...
(Cuban woman takes out her cell phone and starts talking)
Me (in head): Or not.