ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomAnyone else got a FOUR DAY WEEKEND? :D
I work for a council - and we get given an extra day off after every bank holiday, so I've got a five day weekend!

I don't really agree with the policy - council tax bills are so high that it seems wrong for tax payers to pay for extra holiday days for thousands of staff; but I will be making the most of it and heading off to Somerset for a few days!

I wonder if the embassy staff in London have an extra day off too?
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-04-04 08:43:00
United KingdomHappy St George's Day!
I wonder if there are any English socities in the US that celebrate St georges day?

I know in Chicago the Taffia - the Welsh society - do their best to promote St David's Day on March 1st, they even managed to get on the local news this year. They also light up the Empire State Building in red and green as March 1st has been officially recognised as the 'day of the Welsh' by the US government.

Does anyone know if anything interesting happened for St George's day though? Any Morris dancers perform in Time Square or anything?
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-04-24 04:09:00
United KingdomSocial networking
I've found a new site to distract me while I wait for my NOA2 - its called Virb.com and kinda like Myspace, but its not full of kids and spammers and dead easy to customise. So I thought if any other visa people set up a profile maybe we could have our own little Visa Journey group on there as another way of keeping track of each others visa progress.

Heres the link: www.virb.com
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-05-20 06:02:00
United KingdomWhy did you choose the US?
My fiance went to uni in Wales - that's how I met her, and while she got a very good job related to her degree within a few months of returning to the US, many of her friends from the course are struggling to find work in Wales.

I'm also aiming to move more into magazine journalism, and in Cardiff that just isn't an option, so moving to Chicago will be loads better for my career prospects too.

However, we don't intend to stay in the US permanently, or move back to Wales, as we'd quite like to live in Australia for a while, if we can afford to move over there.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-06 10:50:00
United KingdomFavourite English word or phrase (or Irish or Scottish ....
I know my fiance's entire family are very fond of using 'wanker' now. I also taught my brother in laws to be a coupld of simple footie songs eg who ate all the pies - just to see if it can catch on at baseball games!

My fiance went to uni in wales too, so she exported a few Welsh words back home too - my favourite words to use are cwtch (pronounced kootsh) which is a Welsh cuddle, and cariad which is Welsh for darling.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-06 03:11:00
United KingdomPolice Certificates
I applied for my police certificate with my local heddlu (Welsh police) and after 50 days and no letter I rang them to ask where it was. They told it had been sent a few weeks ago, but as I hadn't received it they'd send me a replacement.

Typically of course after getting home I found the original, buried under a pile of my housemate's junk. :angry: So it had actually only taken 30 days to come through, but had lain hidden for another 20!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-05-30 10:44:00
United KingdomI am...
Erm, honourary Welsh.

I was born and raised in England but have lived in Wales long enough and speak enough Welsh that I am considered honourary Welsh by my mates, and I feel more at home in Wales than any place i've ever lived in England. I also support Wales in rugby over England any day. As I wasn't born here I can't be considered fully Welsh though, so I normally say my nationality is British, but I'm a South Walian by choice.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-29 06:23:00
United KingdomThis is the waiting for packet 4 thread.
Hurray, we're just about to join the waiting for packet 4 group. I've just booked my medical (July 30th) and i'm ready to send off my packet 3 forms, but i'm going to send them by special delivery tomorrow rather than today, as there will be no one home at US embassy tomorrow to sign for mail - they'll all be off celebrating independence day.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-03 04:25:00
United KingdomJust booked my medical

Most of the info you need to book the medical can be found on this website: http://www.visamedicals.info/

All the info they're supposed to send in the packet 3 can be found here, except for the medical questionnaire - and they told me I can fill in one of those on the day.


I was told I had to take a completed one with me...


Yeah I think you are supposed to take one with you, but i didn't receive one in my packet 3 and was told I can fill one in when i get there - and having seen a scan of the questionnaire I know its going to take me 10 seconds to tick no in all the boxes.

I would suggest, however, that if anyone doesn't receive the questionnaire in their packet 3 but has a complicated medical history, that they contact the embassy and get the form sent out beforehand, otherwise it could be difficult to do on the day of the medical.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-11 06:45:00
United KingdomJust booked my medical
Most of the info you need to book the medical can be found on this website: http://www.visamedicals.info/

All the info they're supposed to send in the packet 3 can be found here, except for the medical questionnaire - and they told me I can fill in one of those on the day.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-11 03:39:00
United KingdomJust booked my medical
When did you ring up for the medical? I booked mine last week and was told the earliest date they had was 30th July, so i had to book it for then and delay a trip I had planned, and now I see you've managed to sneak a medical in before me! :huh:

I guess they must of had some cancellations, so you've had some good luck on the timing of it with yur work trip, well done! This visa process is so frustrating its always good to hear when something works out well for someone.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-10 06:07:00
United KingdomTime To Take Advantage Of The Dollar Rate
yeah I was thinking about this too - i'm still waiting for my interview date and probably won't be moving until October but now seems like a good time to send some money over - anyone with financial know how out there who can offer some predictions on whether the rate is likely to fall or continue rising in the next few months?
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-12 08:23:00
United KingdomThose with a visa, please step forward

I've seen a lawyer note that he'd had incidents with clients who traveled after the FBI checks for the State Department (which are ordered by the NVC when the petition arrives there) were completed. Because of the travel the consulate wanted the checks repeated, delaying the issuance of the visa, so his recommendation to his clients is that once the petition leaves the NVC, stay home.


If this is true it could potentially be a problem for me - I'm waiting to hear if i got a temp writing job that will mean I have to travel to a few more European countries before my interview date - but as the job hasn't been confirmed yet I didn't list the countries in the 'places you've visited in the last 10 years' section in the packet 3 forms, so if i get a few more passport stamps i guess it could cause delays. - the job is good an opportunity for me to turn down if the project gets the go ahead, however.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-12 08:38:00
United KingdomFriday whinge from the maven
tuesday weather winge - if you don't hear from after tonight it's because i've drowned trying to cycle home - the weather here in Wales is a little damp.

I've been thinking about bottling the rain water and selling it - if i give it a welsh name like 'Glaw Cymraeg' (welsh rain) i think people might buy it - there's a guy out there who sells Welsh air in bottles, so why not rain water!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-17 10:50:00
United KingdomFriday whinge from the maven
oh yeah - i forgot to add that my bicycle broke on wednesday on my way home from work :crying:

but at least it wasn't raining that day.

cooking for one is lame, i hate it - and i don't have a freezer so i can't do the 'cook for 4 freeze the rest' thing either.

i am cooking nasi goreng for friends tonight though - i haven't told them what it is, they're just excited cause it sounds exotic, ha ha!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-13 09:47:00
United KingdomFriday whinge from the maven
i'm going to join you and have a friday winge too cause i'm fed up about stuff!

I'm fed up cause its July, its supposed to be summer and all its doing is raining and raining, and by the time the embassy eventually get round to giving me an interview it will probably be winter and i'll miss all the summer weather in Chicago.

And I'm fed up cause of all the waiting. I have no real work to do at work cause i've handed all my important duties to someone else already, so all i'm doing is waiting to leave. I've also been waiting for about 6 weeks to here about a temp job that i desperately want and they keep delaying the decision (publishers are just as slow as USCICS)

and i'm fed up of this visa process being so long and frustrating

and i'm fed up of cooking for one, sometimes I can't even be bothered to cook and just eat rubbish. (maybe i should hold a dinner party - any VJer's near Cardiff?)

and i'm really fed up of being without by fiance - we've been apart a year now and i really miss her.

So hurray for VJ for being a place where we can vent and other people understand our frustation and fed up-ness. Ahh, that feels better! :wacko:
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-13 08:53:00
United KingdomWohoo! + Doh = Monday
Or even better a symbol that represents 'angry fiancee' - perhaps something like this:

Posted Image

the prospect of getting a telling off from my fiancee will probably be enough to remind me not to open my brown envelope when i get it.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-17 09:28:00
United KingdomWohoo! + Doh = Monday
Posted Image

Maybe they need a symbol like this on the mysterious brown envelope.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-17 09:15:00
United KingdomCalling the US
I use planet numbers (www.planet-numbers.co.uk) and there are a bunch of services like this - you just call their number first then dial the number you want, so i've just got it on speed dial on my phone.

As i've got a load of free minutes on my mobile each month I phone from that and i never seem to get charged any extra even though i'm usually on for an hour.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-19 09:40:00
United KingdomLondon to JFK one way ticket
I've just stumbled across a direct flight from Heathrow to JFK for £261 with Kuwait Airways, I'm not sure how often they fly though.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-31 06:02:00
United KingdomLondon to JFK one way ticket
Ooh, spooky - shortly after I posted the above saying i'm searching for flights I got a BA marketing newsletter telling me their sale ends tonight! ha ha maybe they're monitoring the board! They have return flights london to NY for £209 which seems a bargain but its too soon yet for me to book a flight and you have to book by midnight to get that price.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-24 06:56:00
United KingdomLondon to JFK one way ticket
I've been looking for that route too, and as yet I haven't found any direct flights that are cheaper one way, but there are several good one way deals if you are prepared to a change - so far i've seen Air Italia via Milan, Air Suisse via Zurich and whatever the Irish airline is that goes via Shannon or Dublin too - but i'd been keen to know too if anyone has found a good one way direct option.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-24 05:32:00
United KingdomWhere in the UK are you or your SO from?
Dwy'n dod o Lloegr yn wreiddiol, ond nawr dyw'n bwy yn Nghaerdydd!
(I'm from England originally but live in Cardiff now)

Sorry, can't resist the temptation to add a little Welsh representation. Although I grew up in England Cardiff is my home now and i'm sure i will miss it when i move to the US - we have a word here called hiraeth - it kind of means 'longing' in English and something all Welsh expats experience apparantly! I have also lived in Sussex, Somerset, Leicester, Leeds and Newcastle, but met my fiance here in Cardiff.

I've always though it must be especially frustrating for all you guys from N.Ireland in particular to have to travel to London twice for medical and interview. How long does it take you to get there?
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-29 04:30:00
United KingdomNeed some UK forum love!
Without a doubt applying for this visa is the most stressful thing i've ever done, and with the complete lack of official instruction I'm not sure how I would have coped without VJ. When I get to Chicago I know that there's still a hell of a lot to do, which is why i'm sooo glad that the Tafia exisits - they're the Welsh society in Chicago and its full of people who've already been through the visa process and I know they're going to be able to offer loads of support too.

So, to reduce stress levels I really recommend hooking up with any local societies like that in your area, i'm sure they'll be of help.

Plus I went kyaking on the weekend and, rather bizarrely, it was one of the most relaxing things i've done in a long time and really helped me chill out. There was a bit of exercise involved of course, but a lot of floating along with the current too! It was great for me, but maybe a spa break would be better for others!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-08-08 03:13:00
United KingdomVisa on the Brain
Yep, the visa, the move, the marriage - all I can think about at the moment. I just handed in my notice at work too and now i can't concentrate on work at all. I just keep thinking 'one month to go, woo hoo'.

I get periods of excitment and periods of nervous tension now too, and periods of the two mixed together - something I like to call nervousment (feel free to start using this word - getting a new word into the dictionary is one of my goals in life!)

perhaps the embassy should provide a free counselling service to help get us through the stress!

Edited by CardiffIan, 09 August 2007 - 03:27 AM.

CardiffIanMaleWales2007-08-09 03:27:00
United KingdomMedical Review 10th Aug 2007
I assumed male patients would get male doctors so was quite suprised when the above mentioned S.African, and pretty good looking, doctor asked me to strip to my underwear!

And here's a warning for other future male patients, shortly after checking you're a boy come the words 'small #######' - I 'm pretty sure she was referring to the needle she was just about to jab into me for the blood test of course! :huh:
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-08-13 05:30:00
United KingdomGood luck tomorrow, CardiffIan!
Thanks everyone. The sms couriers delivered my passport this morning, so my visa and brown envelope are safely in hand and i'll be flying to Chicago on sunday!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-09-14 04:04:00
United KingdomGood luck tomorrow, CardiffIan!
Thanks everyone! I've been approved! I can't believe that after six long months its almost over and I could be in Chicago next week.

My embassy experience was pretty good, it was fairly quick and simple, so now fingers crossed that i'll get the visa in the mail soon - and good luck to everyone else who've got interviews coming up.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-09-11 13:09:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
yipeee!!! biggrin.gif biggrin.gif kicking.gif

Recent London 'graduates'
May: JamalNTam, Oath/Leney, Tigersden, Marina+Dave, Mark&Steph, tonyeck, AlienUKGirl; June: jac, kins, TracyTN, bevray, REP&KMM, elmcitymaven, wodge2003, craigandkym, FutureAmerican, Linababe, ashp, Duffbeer; July: RGNSCOT, robburnsefc, msu17, Teddy-406, TimsDaisy, linzzee, cindi, ValWesUKUS, TQMAngie, selly, Jennymc11, halcut, Jake & Ali, psho, Dan&Tiffany; August: dropinboy, essjay, Neal&Cari, JenandBarney, Converse34, Miss My Husband, TracyUK, Rubycon/Disco, JandC....
Approvals Pending

Name..................Visa....P3Sent....MedDate.....P4Rec'd......IntDate/Time........Status

Justchillin...............K1.......05/01.....05/11.........05/05.........06/15..08:00..........PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
justbee&robbie.....CR1.......05/12......06/27........05/30........7/11..................PENDING 2006 TAX RETURN
Dawny&Tommy....K1..........06/07.....08/15.........07/11.......08/16...10:00......PENDING some other Info

August 2007 Interviews

Name..................Visa......P3Sent....MedDate.....P4Rec'd........IntDate/Time........Status

adi77...................K1.........07/01......06/22.........07/31..........08/15...09:00......
Mothy..................CR1........06/11.....07/02.........06/27..........08/21...08:00......APPROVED
uzume.................K1..........05/29......06/14........06/23...........08/31................APPROVED

September 2007 Interviews

Name..................Visa........P3Sent....MedDate.....P4Rec'd...IntDate/Time..............Status

blspicer...............K1..........06/12.......07/16.........06/26.........09/04.....09:30....APPROVED
marstorr.............CR1.....................................................09/04.....08:30....APPROVED
missingmilwaukee...DCF.....................07/18.........................09/07.............APPROVED
CardiffIan............K1..........07/04.......07/30.........................09/11.............APPROVED
samwatts............K1..........08/16.......09/06.........................09/12.............
RaTBoX...............K1..........07/20.......07/26.........08/16.........09/28......10.00........


Waiting for Interview

Name..................Visa.........P3Sent.........MedDate.....
paulinespens..........K1..............................08/10
saywhat.........CR1/IR1..............................09/20
MargotDarko.........CR1..............................09/03
midicat.................K1..........03/19.............05/10..
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-09-11 13:15:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
looks like i'm next up after missingmilwaukee and getting a little nervous already!

I've got a bunch of financial evidence but i'm still worried they're going to ask for more. I have a copy of my fiances last few payslips, her 2006 tax return, letter from employer, letter from bank and affadavit - plus statements from my bank to show my own funds - HSBC were hopeless when i asked them for the 'letter from a senior bank officer' that the P3 docs mention, they were completely baffled by it and it seemed like i was the first person to have ever thought about emigrating, so i hope the statements are ok.

I also still need to get passport pics - I went to the Snappy Snaps in cardiff last week and its turned into a cafe bar! so i'll have to do a quick trip to oxford street to get my pics.

But its my last day at work today, the rugby world cup is starting and the american football season is starting (go bears!) so its all good, roll on tuesday and i hope we hear good news from missingmilwaukee soon!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-09-07 09:56:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
Woohoo! Got home today and a lovely brown envelope had come in the mail. I got my interview date, its Sep 11th!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-31 11:36:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
Quick update on the above - just sent an email to the London embassy, about an hour later they replied with the following:

"The Embassy has received all your required forms, and you have been listed as eligible for a visa interview. You should expect to receive written notice of the time and date of your visa interview within the next few weeks."
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-24 04:50:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
3 weeks now since I sent packet 3 so i'm getting excited about the imminent arrival of my packet 4 (fingers crossed).

I put on a travel date of Oct 10 and a wedding date of Oct 30, so it will be interesting to see when they schedule my interview and see if it corresponds with the travel date at all. I have a job here until Oct 1st so I don't mind if it is a late Sep interview, but if they give me an early Sep interview I might bring my travel plans forward a bit - or I might take a couple of weeks to do some travelling around Wales, see some friends and family - I figure I better do it now as I probably won't be coming back too much.

I just hope the postal strikes and the floods don't cause too many problems - I'd hate to think my packet 4 is floating around a flood plain somewhere!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-24 03:35:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
Happy Independence Day! I asked at work if I could have the day off as I need to practice having July 4th off - but unfortunately they didn't go for it.

I sent off my P3 forms and checklist this morning by special delivery, and i'm hoping for a mid-September interview date!
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-04 05:47:00
United KingdomUnited Kingdom Interview Thread 2007
Hi, i've just got a quick interview date question.

I know that the dates are assigned fairly randomly - but are you given the option to state dates when you won't be available?

I'm expecting my packet 3 to come in the next two weeks but as i'm likely to be out of the country on work from end of July to mid Sep i'd like to request that my interview date is not before Sep 10th - is this possible?
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-22 10:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI tried a search, honest..
I've been researching about the police checks too. I haven't foundd any official statement anywhere about how long the document is valid for, still looking - but all the FAQ's sections on police websites say it takes 40 days to process.

I have discovered though that you need to fill in the forms from your local police authority. It's no good sending your forms to the MET if you've never lived in London for instance. So i'll be sending mine to the Heddlu de Cymru (Welsh police), even though i've also lived in England.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-04-04 09:03:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionaffadivit of support help please

Be cautious of 'boosting' her account if bank statements will be used as supporting documents for the I-134 as large deposits from you might be misconstrued. B)



Good point!

Also, I was wondering about question 11 of the I-134. Is it sensible to tick yes 'i do intend to make contributions' even if the 'specific contributuons' haven't been decided yet?

We may stay in her parents house for a few weeks when i first move over there, but nothings been finalised. I guess that word 'intend' means that this isn't a binding statement though and it seems wiser to tick yes rather than no.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-06 10:00:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionaffadivit of support help please
I'm preparing for the next stage after NOA2 now, and to be honest the affadivit of support baffles me completely.

My fiance, the US citizen, earns more than the 125% poverty line, yet the majority of her earnings go straight out the bank to pay off a stuent loan, so her monthly balance on her bank statement is always tiny and in reality she can't support me.

I am the alien, yet i have no debts and a decent amount of savings, which means I'll be able to support myself when I move to the US.

So what i'm trying to find out is whether my savings will be taken into account at the interview or will I have to transfer funds to my fiances US account to boost her affadavit of support app?

i used to think of myself as reasonably intelligent before i started this visa process, but i'm finding this seriously confusing and over my head.

Edited by CardiffIan, 06 June 2007 - 09:10 AM.

CardiffIanMaleWales2007-06-06 09:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLondon medical
I just booked my medical this morning. They asked if I had received my documents and had my case number - I explained I had my forms but they forgot to include the medical questionnaire.

The girl said no problem, just arrive a little early to fill one out. Also as the maps to the medical centres and FAQ's for the medical are on the website http://www.visamedicals.info i don't think there is any reason why you can't book your medical using just your case number.

I booked my medical for the earliest slot - july 30th, so there's quite a long waiting list at the moment in London.

I am on a K1 visa, not a CR1, so my circumstances may be different, but I reckon you could phone the medical centre again and say you have received your docs and get the medical booked, as your next set of docs is certain to arrive before you actually get to the medical.
CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-03 07:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionSpeedy Packet 3 at London

Gah!

I've just noticed that my packet 3 doesn't have any forms enclosed!!!!

I hope I can download the ones I need!



Don't worry, you aren't supposed to get any of the forms with your Packet 3 - the instructions you got tell you the web address where you can download them all.

You are supposed to get a medical questionnaire though. Did you get one? They forgot to include that in my packet 3 which i got on monday, but they told me i can fill one it when i go for the medical.

Edited by CardiffIan, 05 July 2007 - 09:32 AM.

CardiffIanMaleWales2007-07-05 09:31:00