ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow do I retrieve dates of past trips outside the US?
I have crossed the border oodles of times to Quebec and have no idea how many times it has been over the past few years. My passport never gets stamped either. I'm just going to put that I was a regular visitor to Canada for afternoons, evenings and long weekends over the past few years totaling to approximately x number of times. At least you know how many trips, and I can't imagine approximate dates being a problem. But perhaps someone will come along with some information who's more informed.
Lou LouFemale02007-05-01 11:40:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWritten or Spoken Exam?
QUOTE (AFQuaid @ Sep 6 2007, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hello Everyone,
This is my first time in this board. Some may know me from the K-1 forum from 05-06 and onwards to AOS 06-07.

I intend on applying for citizenship if everything goes A-OK with getting perminent residency and just wanted to get some general knowledge.
I've been practising since K-1 and teaching myself about American History so it's not too new to me but what I wondered was...

Is this going to be a written examination or spoken? I always assumed spoken interview where you're asked 10 or more questions related to America depending on how many you got correct etc. But a family member of my SO is telling me it's BOTH written and spoken and the written part is huge. She's never taken the exam as she's a born US Citizen but worked in the country I cam from for a while and came back to the US. I'm not sure what to believe is right.

Can anybody shed any light?

Fiona & Andrew


At the moment it is an oral exam with some written thrown in depending on who interviews you (and your level of English, I think). The written is a simple test of writing a few sentences. I wouldn't worry too much about swotting up so early. They are planning to change the test, and who knows if it will change again by the time you're ready to file.
Lou LouFemale02007-09-06 13:32:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionJourney Is Complete
I bet that feels good! Twinkies and Bud Light all round. laughing.gif good.gif
Lou LouFemale02007-10-02 10:19:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionTaking the Oath
Yep, the oath is well dodgy. But...ya gotta do what ya gotta do and all that. ;) :whistle:
Lou LouFemale02007-08-17 08:53:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionVSC Oath Taking?
Thanks for that, Verika. That is gold dust! I see they have stopped ceremonies in Montpelier. I think they couldn't cope with security last time I heard about it!

Have a great time. smile.gif
Lou LouFemale02008-01-29 08:35:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionVSC Oath Taking?
They don't take place at the VSC. Sometimes there are in Montpelier (Usually Sep 11), and other times they are in Burlington. Haven't heard of anywhere else...yet!

QUOTE (Kezzie @ Jan 28 2008, 08:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Your Citizenship interview will be held at your local office not the VSC.... the oath ceremony is held about 4 - 5 times a year...


Kez


The ceremony is often not at a local office. Certainly not in VT anyway.
Lou LouFemale02008-01-28 12:20:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWhat did you use to study for the test?
QUOTE (Lansbury @ Feb 1 2008, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (jasman0717 @ Feb 1 2008, 05:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
There are also books and some communities have classes. You might look into both. Good luck good.gif


As they publish the questions ans answers what is the advantage of taking classes, what do you gain by doing so?


If English wasn't my first language, I'd be pretty grateful of taking those kind of classes.
Lou LouFemale02008-02-04 12:42:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionWhat did you use to study for the test?
Yep that's all I did. OH started asking me random questions at odd times in the car or wherever and now I am confident I know them all without thinking. good.gif
Lou LouFemale02008-01-30 21:29:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionMy Interview
Congratulations!



"7. do you support the government of the u.s."

Is nobody bothered by this question??? Cos I am, BIG time. Why did they ask you this??
Lou LouFemale02008-05-15 08:10:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionI-751 letters from USCIS
Hopefully you'll get your own in the mail soon? Fingers crossed!
Lou LouFemale02006-07-10 04:50:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?
I guess the issue is whether the I-751 instructions are clear. If it was optional to send affidavits, why would they state that at least two people should provide them? Will only one affidavit strike you out? Of course, nothing is straightforward with the USCIS :no:

I am clear with what I want to do now. Thanks for all the help ;)
Lou LouFemale02006-07-12 10:29:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?
I sure am glad I'm not a USC too :rolleyes: Thanks for your help and clarification. It actually did help even though you had to be pedantic to do so :thumbs:

Edited by Lou Lou, 11 July 2006 - 06:07 PM.

Lou LouFemale02006-07-11 18:07:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?


By the way, the Affidavits play the big role in the I-751 process :star:
I suggest to you to prepare the new Affidavits again,its very important.
Sincerely.

hi Sweetigirl,
That is an opinion that not everyone shares. The affidavits from people who know you is not a requirement and some lawyers feel they're not needed.
We did not send any affidavits with our I-751.



On the I-751 instructions, it asks for at least two people who have known the couple to provide affidavits.
Lou LouFemale02006-07-11 14:20:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?


I'm pretty clued up about what to send, but do have a query that is making me curious about my impending filing of the I-751.

When I had my AOS interview they asked for no evidence. Nada. They didn't look at anything I had brought along, and when offered to them as a nicely acco-clipped file they recoiled back and said "no way". I wasn't even sworn in, but we won't dwell on that one ;)

Now coming up to filing the I-751 I am wondering what part my AOS file plays in this, if anything at all? Is it completely seperate process where they won't even glance at past files? The reason I ask is that I am concerned (only a little!) that they will see from the AOS that there is no extra evidence, only the document stuff sent with initial filing. Should I be compensating for this in any way (by sending extra stuff that was intended as AOS evidence), or can I rest easy at night knowing that just following the instructions will be enough?


HI! Just following the instructions will be enough! You need to file the new Evidence with the I-751 file,the new documents and pictures that will prove that you were living together and have a realtionship since the AOS interview .
The new evidence for the I-751
-Affidavits from the friends and family preferebly with the pictures included.
-Different bank statements on both names ,credit cards,home ownerships,leases,homephone bills,cellphone bills, electric and water bills,postcards from the friends ,joint tax returns and etc...
Any other additional evidence you have for to provide that your marriage was entered in good faith.
Best wishes.
Sincerely.


Well, affidavits in the sense that friends and family wrote that they knew we were married and all that nonsense. None of it sworn though ;) Those were part of our AOS as part of the evidence package. Yeh, we have all the bills and that ####### :rolleyes:

By the way, the Affidavits play the big role in the I-751 process :star:
I suggest to you to prepare the new Affidavits again,its very important.
Sincerely.


I am pretty clued up about the I-751, and it was whether to supplement it with the other stuff. I've also got all up to date stuff, including the all important affidavits. Cheers :yes:
Lou LouFemale02006-07-11 08:40:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?
Well, affidavits in the sense that friends and family wrote that they knew we were married and all that nonsense. None of it sworn though ;) Those were part of our AOS as part of the evidence package. Yeh, we have all the bills and that ####### :rolleyes:
Lou LouFemale02006-07-10 21:30:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?
Thanks for the reply. I guess I should follow my instinct and send everything to avoid any further problems. I refer to evidence like earlier affidavits that are dated from 2004 and things like that. I now have new affidavits from different people but I guess there is no harm in throwing in the old ones too.

We are the same race and nowhere near the same age (25 years difference), but it had no effect on our interview. The interviewer was more interested in OH as he teaches at the college where the interviewer was studying. I'm certainly not worried about it raising any red flags anyway.

Good luck with yours :thumbs:
Lou LouFemale02006-07-10 19:22:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionFiling I-751 - concern from AOS?
I'm pretty clued up about what to send, but do have a query that is making me curious about my impending filing of the I-751.

When I had my AOS interview they asked for no evidence. Nada. They didn't look at anything I had brought along, and when offered to them as a nicely acco-clipped file they recoiled back and said "no way". I wasn't even sworn in, but we won't dwell on that one ;)

Now coming up to filing the I-751 I am wondering what part my AOS file plays in this, if anything at all? Is it completely seperate process where they won't even glance at past files? The reason I ask is that I am concerned (only a little!) that they will see from the AOS that there is no extra evidence, only the document stuff sent with initial filing. Should I be compensating for this in any way (by sending extra stuff that was intended as AOS evidence), or can I rest easy at night knowing that just following the instructions will be enough?
Lou LouFemale02006-07-10 18:08:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionNotary or just affirmation?
It says 'sworn to or affirmed' so we have just gone by 'affirmed' which doesn't need a notary. I think the VJ guide is way out of date, and feel much safer following the actual instructions that come with the I-751 form.
Lou LouFemale02006-07-11 14:28:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionI-751 additional evidence requested. What to send
Thanks for clarifying that, Meauxna :) I keep reading about the SSNs everywhere!
Lou LouFemale02006-07-10 14:54:00
United KingdomIs it just me....

I think my whole point is that if homesick was a little more restrained in her dislike of the UK, she would probably get a hell of alot of sympathy and understanding off of people. I didn't mean to sound nasty when I posted, I really didn't, but it was the icing on the cake for me and I was pretty angry. Just my 0.02c. Anyway, I waffled on enough about it, it's getting old and now I need a drink. :lol:

Ah, that would explain you knowing about these hot and humid Indiana summers! Yeah, I'd be interested in where he gets his cheese. Is it me, or did that just not sound right? :P


I don't think HA is looking for sympathy at all. I mean, she must be the only American here who understands us Brits more than any other. She's lived and worked with them for years, the poor cow. :lol: ;) And I don't think you sounded nasty either. :no:

Man, those summers are a killer! I always refuse to visit between May and September. :P
Lou LouFemale02007-04-17 10:00:00
United KingdomIs it just me....

But, to me, slagging off the UK (or making digs about how inferior it is in every post) isn't anything to do with the constant longing for home she must be feeling. Just my honest opinion though.


I dunno...she even started a thread about what people would miss from the UK so that certainly wasn't sniping. Who's 'she', the cat's mother? Sorry, I hate using that term and I should have used HA instead. :whistle:

Oh, and talking of cheese, have you looked for Cabot in Krogers? I'm sure they have it as BIL buys it all the time over there. They sell it in huge blocks, about $7 a lb. They call it extra sharp, but to me tastes like mild cheddar. The one in a black wax wrapper is a little stronger, but of course more expensive. And I know he gets really good cheeses, and he's only an hour away from you....I'll ask him where.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-17 09:43:00
United KingdomIs it just me....

Yes, you've made it quite clear how much you dislike the UK. Usually in EVERY post you write. You're fed up with the UK? Well, I am getting fed up with you whining about it too. Sorry if this post pisses you off, but if you can whine about the UK I'm going to whine about you. :yes:


That doesn't make any sense. If you don't like me the proper response would be to put me on ignore (as I'm about to do with you), not to read what I write then whinge about it. You've jumped on many of the posts I've made here and have attacked me but I've not risen to the attacks, and you've gotten more and more aggressive as a result. Hence, I'm going to ignore you from now on. I'm sure it won't make any difference in your life, but it will make a big one in mine.

Have a lovely day.



I must say (poking my nose in) that the last round of visits from you were indeed someone who hated the UK and b*tched and moaned. Someone who was just as your name stated -- homesick. Over time I got used to it, and putting the shoe on the other foot, well...I can't blame you. I was homesick too and did my fair share of b*tching and moaning about the US. I just didn't do it much on a forum. When I did, I got flamed too. I just don't bother now.

This time around you're much better behaved. :lol: Actually, putting the snipes aside (which don't bother me), you're quite funny! Well, I think so anyway.

This may not be the best place to have a whine, and I'm sure there are plenty of other forums where she could find like-minded folks, but when it comes down to it, she's homesick, people. That's all. :yes:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-17 08:46:00
United KingdomIs it just me....

I personally dont consider any language as a "gift" ( btw gifts are not usually returned - whatever the condition it may be). Language is a tool - a method of communication. Myself I was under the impression that the migrants ( before the american government of the day decided it resented the taxation by a island so far away called Britain) were actually a mixed bunch - from all corners of europe - dutch irish british france etc ...so i suspect the "english " being used in american is probably influencedby this. It is interesting to note - i have been told by french canadians that the french they use is slightly different to French in france - and likewise spanish spoken in spain differs to the spanish spoke in other parts of the world.

Language is certainly a fascinating debate thereare so many views on it....


I speak French and the French they speak in Canada is so different that I have trouble understand it...the accent is so strange-sounding to me. :blink:


I've found French Canadian very 'slangy', which may be why you have trouble? Get out in the sticks of Quebec, and it's even harder! But then again, the same can be said for the language and accent difference between Paris and somewhere out in the sticks of the south of France. My closest friends are Mexican and wow, they sure do have 'slangy' Spanish compared the the Spanish I learned at school. It sure is fun learning from them though.

Kat -- I hate supermarket shopping too. I find the stores to be dirtier than UK stores which I don't like either. And what is with the aisles of virtually the same stuff? I really don't want to buy chips in 4 different flavours, but 10 different brands. In fact, I don't want to buy chips at all. Same goes for soda and paper products. Wow, paper plates are big sellers! I've given up and just shop at my local co-op -- much better quality and selection.

And the grated cheese? Yeh, they do have it in the UK. It's just so they can sneak in some lovely potato starch and probably all other kinds of fake goodness to get you hooked on chemicals. Gotta love those food companies -- I swear they are linked to drug companies in some way or another.

Shopping in Walmart? I'd rather stick rusty pins in my eyes. Evil! :lol: :o
Lou LouFemale02007-04-17 07:07:00
United KingdomAm I Bovvered?

do you know...I've never seen those before...
That had me rolling!!


lets see if this works!


http://www.youtube.c...s...ted&search=


funny...


"They're callin' it Tescos". Comedy classic. I think Catherine Tate is bloomin' fantastic!


Gawd that was funny. Never seen that one. Great set of clips on youtube. Does anyone have the first series on dvd? I've gotta get that cos I missed the whole first series.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-18 13:46:00
United KingdomAm I Bovvered?
I was quite surprised by Comic Relief this year. It's usually a pile of shite, but I actually enjoyed some of it this time. Gotta love Gran. She's the best. :thumbs:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-16 15:14:00
United KingdomHappy Birthday LisaD!!

Took ya long enuff! :devil:

Glad you had a great time! Happy Belated, woman!


Oh, I stopped being carded after 35 so be warned. It was a horrific realization that I may never be carded again, and perhaps I really am starting to look my age. I blame it on moving here. :yes: ;)

I just looked at the calendar on VJ and there were 11 members willing to say they shared the same birthday as us. 2 of them are the same age as me. I wonder if they get carded? :angry: :lol:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-23 08:19:00
United KingdomHappy Birthday LisaD!!

wonder what TZ and LL did? Where are they?



I'm here. We went to Quebec City for the weekend to visit friends, practice my sloppy French, and eat outrageously good food. :D

Where is the other cool bird, Zilla? We want to know what you did too!
Lou LouFemale02007-04-23 07:27:00
United KingdomWill standard UK passport photos suffice for K-1 Visa Interview?

on sizing stuff & head room, etc!


And that's the key here. I think that the head size in the pics are FAR more important than the actual surrounding area. Maybe this is why they are being accepted.


But who takes a ruler into the photo booth to measure if your head is .5" from the top & 1" tall????


I did with the old ADIT pic requirement. :lol:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 14:24:00
United KingdomWill standard UK passport photos suffice for K-1 Visa Interview?
Back in the old days of the 3/4 view pictures, I still used a photo booth and checked the measurements were AOK. Nobody said anything because they were photo booth piccies and not from a lab.

Recently I used UK passport photos for the removing conditions. I realised they were not quite to size, so I cut them including all the extra border to get them to US size. Not a problem with that either.

As long as the size is OK, it doesn't matter where you get them done.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 11:09:00
United KingdomPret a Manger

Oops, sorry, that must've come out wrong (reading back, yep, I'm sure it did!) - didn't take anything personally, was just typing quickly while pretending to be working! What I actually meant to say was that I agree with you entirely about the excess of wonderful places to get lunch (well, if you have more than 5 minutes, anyway), but that I enjoy my Pret lunches when I have them, too.

Oh, and I also meant to say 'mmmmmmmm' a lot about Brick Lane (hmm, do I have time for a Brick Lane visit before I leave on Saturday? No, I don't think I do.... :( ). And about falafels. Mmm, falafels.

Sorry for sounding grumpy - didn't mean to be!



Hey no problem. :no: I thought my comment could be interpreted that I was snapping at you so we both had crossed lines. :P

You're leaving on Saturday? How exciting! Although I do remember having such bittersweet feelings about leaving. I'm sure you're making the most of your last days. Cherish them. :yes:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 08:53:00
United KingdomPret a Manger

Another vote against Pret I'm afraid. There's such an excess of wonderful places to get lunch, why go to a tourist joint?


In my case, because when I have 5 minutes to run out and grab lunch, the 'tourist joint' is a damn sight better than most of the alternatives (crappy work canteen, a few mediocre sandwich shop/cafe places, Greggs, Benjys, Starbucks, Subway...). Oh, and because I like the sandwiches. And I'm not a 'tourist', either, and am well aware that there are more interesting and individual places to eat out there (god knows I spend enough of my cash in 'em), but.... I like the occasional lunch from Pret, too. :blush:


Wow, didn't know you'd take it so personally, and didn't realise my post was directed at you. Apologies if you think it was. There is nowt wrong going to Pret if you like it, but I was just expressing it wouldn't be on my list to miss when there are so many wonderful things that you can't get over here.

5 mins to get lunch? Ouch, that's another thing I wouldn't miss. ;)
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 08:24:00
United KingdomPret a Manger
Another vote against Pret I'm afraid. There's such an excess of wonderful places to get lunch, why go to a tourist joint?

I miss Borough Market for chorizo sandwiches, Camisas for the pasta, and Gaby's on Charing Cross Road for the best falafel ever. Ahh...office lunch times were the best. :thumbs: The Taj Bengali supermarket on Brick lane is sorely missed by me too.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 07:45:00
United KingdomBoots cosmetics
I would go for a good diet as a prevention, Lisa...plus avoiding the sun like Mags says. It will just age your skin no matter what. A good high SPF every single day which I'm sure most people do anyway.

Good luck with the ciggies. I gave up 7 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. :thumbs:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-27 13:06:00
United KingdomBoots cosmetics

I heard from that Dr Oz of 'You the Manual' that any skin creams that claim to be anti aging can only work if there's alpha hydroxy in it. Has your relative ever said anything like that?

Cmon Lou, you need to give us the inside track on what to buy! :)


OK wrinklies. Get your best reading specs on.

Basically, there are things in anti-aging moisturizers that do work: alpha hydroxy acid, retinol, peptides, and vit C. They work mainly by speeding up exfoliation which helps smooth your skin. If they don't have any of those ingredients in them they are a crock, and will only work temporarily by plumping the moisture in your skin.

She swears by any form of Retin-A which really does make you look younger. It takes around 2 months to really see a difference though. I tried Retin-A for 2 months and didn't see much of a difference, but I didn't have many wrinkles to start off with. Once they come, I'm deffo using it again though. :blush: I really like the Vitamin C moisturizers. They just work for me and my skin right now.

She is a big advocate of facial massages either at a spa (yeh right we all have loads of spare cash for that each month!), or a self massage at home. The act of touching your skin in a curative way will keep it youthful...yes, it will! I would also add drink LOADS of water, and always make sure you have plenty of EFAs in your diet, either through good quality supplements like Udos, or a good balanced diet.

Oh, and give up the fags. They do nowt for your skin. :bonk: :yes:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-27 11:48:00
United KingdomBoots cosmetics

I guess I'm the only person coming from the UK who isn't going to miss Boots!



I'm another one who doesn't miss it one bit. I guess if there is one elusive product there that you can't possibly live without is one thing, but on the other hand, we have access to some of the best products on the net, and at a fraction of the price compared to the UK.

I'm a bit of a product junkie, and related to a rather popular beauty editor (well, she is popular in the beauty editing world). She has given me access to a plethora of products from all over the world that I would never pay the price for. Most of them are worthless and she will agree, but it still puts lil ole Boots very much in the shade when it comes to value and quality.

I'm quite surprised by BBW. I avoided it for a while thinking it must be full of ####### but visited one of their super sales they have twice a year. Some of their stuff is amazing, and at stupid cheap prices. I'm also a big fan of mineral make up companies. Really nice stuff without all the crappy chemicals. If only they could use that approach on the food here.

The only thing I miss is decent spray deodorant. I hate those sticks and gels. I stock up on every visit so I never run out.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-23 07:40:00
United KingdomLondon medical price rise

This is really interesting. My insurance comes from being added to Tracy's company health plan and she has a good benefit package. As such unless you work for a similar size company with a similar plan the premiums will not be as good. However I will PM you the details. It was important to her when selecting and starting that job. For a nominal increase in payments I am included. The dental care covers 3 cleanings a year, and as our dentist is an out of network one, the insurance only covers 80% of the cost. If we choose to use an in network dentist then 90% would be covered.

I have had a crown and 2 extractions on the NHS and am marvelling at the prices you got. £15 is just incredible. Both my extractions cost 3 figures, (yes, on the NHS). £12 for a white filling is approximately 10-20% of the cost I was offered, I had to opt for the silver fillings that still cost double the price you quoted for the white filling. Hell, just an X-ray costs £25. Each time I went to the dentist here I ended up paying over 3 figures for basic routine work. I was forced to use credit cards if anything else was needed.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the US system is perfect and it seems that different plans and locations affect the quality of service and amounts covered. In my case I would not be able to get the standard of service and pricing to compare, even on BUPA.


I'm on OH's health plan and not sure how large the company is where Tracy works, but his is about 8,000 on the last count so it's not that small, and not that big either. But it's in education, which is where they usually get stung both in health and pay. Just as well they get so many vacations.

My US dentist provides the x-rays to my private UK dentist so no new x-rays are needed. All I can say is your dentist is a rip off. :lol: My dental prices are pretty much in line with that chart, no? I don't understand why my white fillings are so cheap. I still find it amazing too.

Wow this is a whole 'nother thread needed about dentists. :P

Edited by Lou Lou, 26 April 2007 - 08:34 AM.

Lou LouFemale02007-04-26 08:32:00
United KingdomLondon medical price rise

My NHS crown - 85 quid (from a central London dentist)
My private UK dentist crown - 270 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (from same dentist above)
My US crown - $890 without insurance. Insurance pays half.


Bizarre. When I went shopping for a crown (which it turns out I didn't need) I could not find an NHS dentist in this city willing to do it. Private dentists quoted me £500, which is more than $890.

My NHS white filling - 12 quid
My private UK white filling - 80 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (same dentist again)
My US white filling - $260 without insurance.


When I still had an NHS dentist (who booted all her NHS patients off her rolls) white fillings were not even available on the NHS. Silver fillings cost £12, though; I think that's what you're thinking of.

My NHS tooth extraction - 15 quid
My private UK dentist tooth extraction - 35 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half.
My US tooth extraction - $120 without insurance. This is after shopping around and getting prices from $150 - $250.


ROFL...when a guy I worked with had a tooth pulled it cost him a hell of a lot more than £35.

Also, I think it's misleading how you're putting NHS service costs up there. Most of the Brits here would have a hard time finding an NHS dentist. There are none in this city accepting new patients. NONE. Zero. You'd have to go 50 miles in almost any direction to find one who is. Londoners (again) have a warped sense of what sort of services are actually available to the rest of us.


These are honestly the correct prices and recent ones too. I don't have any silver fillings in my mouth, so it is definitely a white one! The quotes are for small fillings, by the way, not molars. Believe me, I have shopped around a LOT for dental prices both in the UK and US. You don't wanna know how much my braces are costing because they're not covered by insurance even though it is not for cosmetic use. But they are half the price of what they would cost in the UK because it is a US company. I agree I had a better choice of dentist because I lived in London though.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-26 08:24:00
United KingdomLondon medical price rise

Again, all I can say is that it depends on the area you live in. Postcode lottery and all that.


The problem is, I would say you have to play the same postcode lottery living in the US. If it was universal excellent care over here, I wouldn't have a problem, but quite frankly, all I have found (and many others have too) is the same hit and miss service. There are still waiting lists...you can't even see an emergency GP and have to go to A&E, and of course because they are human, doctors still make mistakes over here too. So where does the money go? Well, we don't need to answer that one do we...
Lou LouFemale02007-04-26 07:26:00
United KingdomLondon medical price rise
This has gone completely OT but I really want to know the answer to this...

My NHS crown - 85 quid (from a central London dentist)
My private UK dentist crown - 270 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (from same dentist above)
My US crown - $890 without insurance. Insurance pays half.

My NHS white filling - 12 quid
My private UK white filling - 80 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (same dentist again)
My US white filling - $260 without insurance.

My NHS tooth extraction - 15 quid
My private UK dentist tooth extraction - 35 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half.
My US tooth extraction - $120 without insurance. This is after shopping around and getting prices from $150 - $250.


I live in a small state where prices are considered low for such dental work in the US. As you can see above, they are way more expensive than the NHS and UK private dentists. I shopped around for my dentist over here and on to my 3rd one who will offer somewhat reasonable prices. I have what many would consider very good health insurance but can't get good price on dental insurance. Basically my insurance will pay for 2 cleanings a year plus half of all dental work up to $700 a year. One crown and a filling can use that money and then I'm stuck until the next year. When I travel back to the UK I try and make a point of getting dental work done privately because it's so much cheaper.

It looks like I have crappy teeth, but I honestly don't :blush: ....I got all this work done in preparation for braces.

Anyway, I am being sincere here. Gone, could you please share with me your prospective insurance company that will offer such a great price on your dental work compared to the NHS. I simply haven't found one but would love to -- especially one that can be cheaper than NHS. It could save me a lot of $$$ in the long run and I see a root canal in the horizon costing me another $700+ with insurance.

You can PM me if you don't want to post such information in public.
Thanks. :D
Lou LouFemale02007-04-26 07:23:00
United KingdomLondon medical price rise

Still, despite all of this, all of the bad press, I'd rather have the NHS than the American system.


You're added to the list of ex NHS worker expats over here who I know, and they all say they would prefer NHS to the US health system.

Some have bad luck, some have good with the NHS, but there is no way I could complain about them ever again. If you're unemployed or disabled, the NHS is essentially free, and it is free to any foreign national who happens to get sick on their visit.

To top it off, and I have quoted this before, the US health system does not score high in the World Health Organization rankings despite its high cost to individuals. It actually comes #37 -- way below countries such as Chile (#33), Columbia (#22), and even the UK (#18). So what are we paying for? Some would argue you get what you pay for in the UK, but can we say the same about the US? Just like the NHS I'm sure it depends on where you live, but getting rid of the rip off insurance companies (yes, you will get ripped off here too, people!) and doctors in cahoots with drug companies would be a step in the right direction.

(I'm not quite sure why a private clinic price rise has anything to do with the NHS or the government though. As far as I can work out, the civil surgeons over here are making a nice little earner on medicals too.)
Lou LouFemale02007-04-25 14:20:00