ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomWould you risk it?
I wouldn't chance it... it'd be just bad luck, the one time you need everything to be on time, to get a delay somewhere along the line. You would also want to be refreshed before such an important interview, not worn out from a long plane journey and stressed out through immigration etc.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-03 04:28:00
United KingdomWhere in the UK are you or your SO from?

Did everyone come here on holiday with their nan, or does it just seem that way?


I must be one of the few who've never been to the IoW... Closest I ever got was Little Hampton and the Witterings. My family has never followed the norm :P
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-08 06:01:00
United KingdomWhere in the UK are you or your SO from?

Dunno if being from Slough means he's a Londoner? *shrug*


Slough isn't London, we're (I'm from there too - little village called Cippenham) about 20 minutes outside of it, which puts us in a different county (Berkshire) :) Strange to know there's someone from the exact same area who has gone through the same process :blink:
C and JFemaleEngland2007-07-31 05:20:00
United KingdomWhere in the UK are you or your SO from?
I am from Berkshire, my husband is from Iowa :)
C and JFemaleEngland2007-07-02 04:44:00
United KingdomVisa on the Brain
I understand that completely. I've decided that it comes and goes.

When Josh & I first started this process it was all I could think about because it was finally putting a light at the end of the tunnel when we would be together permanently. At this stage (over 3 months in) I'm calmer because there is no movement on the cases... but I know as soon as there is a touch my thoughts will be focused almost completely on the process again.

It also doesn't help that I told my workplace that we are applying for a visa and so I will eventually be leaving my job. I verbally told them so that they can prepare and made sure they understood that there was no definitive date when this will happen. So I'm lucky that I'm not being kept to any "leaving" dates. However, it is so much more difficult to motivate myself through the working day :wacko: How am I going to be when I'm 2-4 months further down the line? :help:
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-09 05:31:00
United KingdomInterview today.....VISA APPROVED!!!!!!
Congratulations :D
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-15 01:39:00
United KingdomHow Did You Meet Your USC/UKC?
Josh and I met in a chatroom for a Sims 2 modding website in May/June 2005. Talking in the chatroom progressed onto online gaming together (first GuildWars and then World of Warcraft). We admitted we had feelings for each other in August 2005, and the first visit in Feb 06 just confirmed them :)
C and JFemaleEngland2007-07-27 02:07:00
United KingdomSomeone, please buy our house!

Well I accepted the £123,000 offer on friday


Congratulations :) I hope the rest of it goes smoothly for you :)
C and JFemaleEngland2007-07-23 05:57:00
United KingdomUsing Dublin Airport for US Pre-Clearance
I really wish I'd known about this before hand ohmy.gif

I am due to travel to the States tomorrow, for a 2 week visit and I have been fretting about US immigration for weeks (make that "months") now unsure.gif I have proof of employment, return ticket and wedding invitation as proof of ties to home/reason for visit, but am still scared of being sent back on the next available flight >.< Getting turned away in Ireland seems so much less daunting.

This will hopefully be my last visit before our visa is approved but it is completely nerve-wracking for me. I can't even get in the mind-frame of spending time with my husband because I don't want my hopes dashed if I'm turned away sad.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-31 01:37:00
United KingdomSometimes the little things make you think
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Aug 29 2007, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ooooh - I just wish we already had it so I could plan the decor and the garden and...


Hehe, you sound just like me Jeraly. I have never lived in a place of my own and I can't wait to get a little place for Josh and I. We'll probably rent for a year or 2, to get my credit score started off and get a nice deposit saved, then we're aiming to buy a 3 bedroom place of our own smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-30 08:32:00
United KingdomSometimes the little things make you think
QUOTE (Lou Lou @ Aug 27 2007, 02:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (TracyTN @ Aug 27 2007, 08:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I totally agree with you. They have 2 basset hounds, but they stay in crates all day

(2 dogs in a crate all day? 2 dogs even left alone all day? Don't get me started on that habit people have over here. headbonk.gif )


My hubby's parents do that with their 2 dogs. Don't get me wrong, they let them out on their lunchbreaks and also at night when they are in, but I can't imagine locking up any of my dogs in a crate for hours at a time. No freedom for the poor pets and I believe they lead to join problems from spending so much time unable to exercise.

Plus, they let their cats roam where ever they like, which seems unfair to me sad.gif

Edited by C and J, 28 August 2007 - 07:20 AM.

C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-28 07:19:00
United KingdomTransformers
Thanks for all the responses, they're very helpful smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-19 02:24:00
United KingdomTransformers
I'm trying to find a few prices for transformers to use my UK appliances in the US. The only one I have managed to find so far is on the Maplin site for £29, all the others I've found seem to convert the other way (US appliances for UK use).

Are transformers something that are readily-available cheaply in the States and, therefore, something that I should just wait to get until I am there or should I continue looking now? I'm hoping they are readily available, because Ebay is full of cheap transformers to convert American appliances for UK use. £4 vs £29 is a lot of difference just to convert the "other way".

Does anyone have a particularly good brand or model number that they can recommend? I obviously want something that will last (who doesn't!) and cheaper would be good too smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-18 02:47:00
United KingdomAnyone been refused entry at Heathrow?
My husband also visited the UK back in May.

When he was asked the reason for his visit he said that he was here to "visit his wife". I am unsure what other questions he was asked but I do know he said we were working on an immration VISA for me, which may have helped reduce the questioning.

I would suggest bringing a few ties to home but, one of the most helpful items, would be proof (NOA1) that you are applying for the UK spouse to live in the US smile.gif That shows there is little to no reason for you to want to stay in the UK permanently.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-19 02:18:00
United KingdomConcern about the medical
QUOTE
Hmm... it's hard to say since there aren't hard and fast rules about it. In your case, as the depression was a recent occurence, I would think it would be safer to get the letter closer to the time of the actual medical. Then you could show a longer period of being "all better" and also it would be more up to date. If it had happened a long time ago, I would think four months wasn't too early to get the letter. I'm just reasoning that out rather than actually knowing though. Does that make sense? smile.gif


Thanks MargotDarko smile.gif That's very helpful smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-18 05:21:00
United KingdomConcern about the medical
QUOTE (MargotDarko @ Sep 18 2007, 09:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
About the depression and anorexia - is it possible to get an appt with the same GP who saw you at the time? It would be best if you had a letter stating what happened in the past but that you're okay now. Better to have it an advance than have stress at the medical and scamble for it later.


I am in a similar position, I had a spate of depression from the middle to the end of last year, bought on by numberous things but mainly (I believe) by this process and having to leave my husband after each visit. I will be obtaining a letter from my doctor regarding the depression but was wondering if it is jumping the gun to get the letter now? I probably won't have the medical for another 4 months (my K3 has not even left USCIS yet) so is there such a thing as getting something like this "too early"?
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-18 04:33:00
United KingdomDid you get married in a hurry for the visa
When I was growing up, I was never interested in marriage. It was purely a bit of paper to me and that bit of paper isn't necessary to prove how much you love someone. My whole outlook on marriage was probably because my mum and dad never married but had a loving, long term relationship. If the visa process wasn't necessary in our relationship, I could have seen us living together, unmarried, indefinitely.

Josh and I knew after our first visit together that we wanted to be together permanently and, for that to happen, we would have to marry. We waited until my 3rd visit to the US to tie the knot. It was a small ceremony, with only his parents as witnesses. The judge that performed our marriage was wonderful, we chose a vow which had a rather long passage before the actual vows, that summed up exactly how we felt for each other smile.gif But it was a small event and low key.. neither of us are particularly outgoing, so suited us perfectly smile.gif

Edited by C and J, 29 August 2007 - 05:43 AM.

C and JFemaleEngland2007-08-29 05:42:00
United KingdomHas anyone thought about going the other way???
QUOTE (robinklake @ Sep 20 2007, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If I remember correctly, Sammy (beautiful baby by the way!) is from up north somewhere (Manchester?) which probably would compare favorably to CA.


Even if it could work out favourably with house prices, I still see that as a hard move, at least until you get on your feet.

The main thing for me, is what the move would do to any savings you have... Almost doubling them when you enter the US, halving them when you enter the UK. It makes getting a foothold back in the UK that much harder. Plus, with the recent Northern Rock bank fiasco, I wonder if banks will be as willing to loan people such high wage-to-mortgage ratios.

For me, house prices are greatly in our favour when comparing where I live (south of England) to where Josh lives in Iowa:

The very large (compared to what I am used to) 3 bedroom house owned by hubby's parents has a $160,000 price tag.
A 3 bedroom home (of half the size) here in Berkshire with a £250-280,000 price tag.
For a reasonably-sized house (somewhere between the 2 stated above, still 3 bedroom) we are looking at around $90-100,000. Heck, if I bring that down to a UK house-size, it could be as low as $65-75,000. Of course, Josh wouldn't dream of living in something as cramped as a UK house, hehe wink.gif

With the US market apparently on the decline and the UK market continuing to grow, the difference in value will just continue to grow.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-21 02:07:00
United KingdomHas anyone thought about going the other way???
As others have said, the standard and the cost of living is just so much better in the US. Also, I am another person who is not on the property ladder in the UK and I know that Josh and I would probably never be able to afford a house here.

The pace of life is better. I feel rushed all the time here but everything seems much slower in Iowa. No one seems to be in a great rush to get anywhere and it's like stepping into the past, where people don't have to lock doors when they leave the house. A far cry from the crime that we see all over the UK.


When you weigh up what the future looks like in each location, waiting those extra few months is definitely worth it smile.gif But who knows what the future holds... we might return to the UK in the future smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-20 08:50:00
United KingdomHello all you people in the UK forum...
Hmm... nothing good happened in the summer.

Best things around the summer months, was Josh coming over to the UK for 3 weeks in May and my 2 weeks in the US earlier this month. Summer was just some "time to wish away" to get to the next visit.

I'll be so glad when this whole process is over and I can start enjoying each day again, instead of wishing them all away.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-09-28 02:02:00
United KingdomHopefully I'll be able to report all done tomorrow!!
It's almost lunchtime now (always late) so hope everything went well this morning smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-03 05:24:00
United KingdomWe're baaaaack!!! England was beautiful!!
Lovely photos smile.gif Looks like you had a great time smile.gif

QUOTE (freecake @ Oct 10 2007, 03:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
hahaa we definitely ate ourselves across the country when i was over there back in august. i was like must..eat...everything...unknown..to me.. please...
aha
AND we found the Cadbury outlet, i still have some of those chocolate bars in my fridge..


Hehe, I'm the same when I visit the States. When I'm there on holiday I have to eat out at a different place each day and enjoy walking around the supermarkets and picking up strange sounding things smile.gif It'll be so different when I'm there full-time and have to cook/be cooked for.

Luckily hubby already knows the limits of my cooking so there's no surprises there whistling.gif

Edited by C and J, 10 October 2007 - 03:01 AM.

C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-10 03:00:00
United KingdomHow often do you visit your fiance in the UK?
My hubby has only been able to afford to visit me once here. He answered honestly that he was here to visit his wife and they let him through without any issues. Unfortunately I can't really comment on visiting "too often" but, bring proof of ties to home (letter from work, proof of owning a home etc etc). It's better to have too much information and not need it, than no information and get turned away.

More than anything else, I would suggest taking your visa application information with you (NOA1 etc). As I mentioned in another thread, the fact you are applying for your fiance to immigrate to the States is the biggest proof that you are not intending to stay permanently in the UK smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-01 02:32:00
United KingdomWedding Photos
QUOTE (Aymerlu @ Oct 10 2007, 01:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Great pics! You both look so happy!


Gorgeous pics. I love the veil/train smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-10 09:26:00
United KingdomPolice cetrificate
QUOTE
QUOTE (KJC @ Oct 10 2007, 12:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A Met police application will do KJC no good. He/she will need to apply to his local police force using their forms. He can either go to his local constabulary web page, or go into the station and ask for the correct form.


Is this true?

I just downloaded the above form, filled it in and was ready to post it tomorrow morning... Now I'm not sure if I should...

I guess I will just go to the police station to be on the safe side... Having a police report rejected by the people at the embassy would be a complete disaster wacko.gif


Yes, it is true. You have to apply to your local police force (doesn't have to be at the station, in person). You can download the form from your local force's website and post to the address they advise.

For example, I applied to the Thames Valley Police Force at their Oxford HQ address. The subject access form I received back is sent from the National Identification Service at New Scotland Yard but specifically mentions that Thames Valley Police have nothing on file for me.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-10 09:23:00
United KingdomJust sent off the I-130 !!!!!!
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Oct 10 2007, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
where's all the fresh blood? devil.gif


Hehe, I'm almost 6 months into my process so not fresh blood... unfortunately, you're right, it is really quiet on the new-petitioner-front sad.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-10 09:16:00
United KingdomMoving to California
Good luck for tomorrow, hope the journey is a smooth one smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-17 03:33:00
United KingdomLife before my duvet
I love my duvet and find the many little-blankets that Josh is used, to be very strange. Why have many when one suffices tongue.gif We're going to come to some kind of compromise eventually, unless I can persuade him of the power of the duvet devil.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-16 05:34:00
United KingdomDo I need to so anything?
I would contact the embassy just to be sure. They should not be processing a K3 after they've already issued your visa and, if it was me, I wouldn't want any loose ends smile.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-27 13:55:00
United KingdomI134 or I864
Thanks for all the excellent answers biggrin.gif They're extremely helpful good.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-01 02:31:00
United KingdomI134 or I864
Thanks for the indepth answer, YuandDan smile.gif

We were confused because the guides say that the form required varies by consulate and I didn't want to use the I-134 only to find out that London required the I-864 instead wacko.gif

QUOTE
2. I-134 / I-864 Affidavit of Support form. Ensure it is notarized (by a public notary), with all required supporting evidence. Some consulates may require one or the other forms. You will need to verify with the consulate which they require. You can call or email the consulate to check ahead of time. Additionally, the consulate will notify your fiance(e) via mail correspondence which they prefer. Attempt to start collecting the required information ahead of time, as it can often take several weeks to collect it all.

C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-31 11:41:00
United KingdomI134 or I864
Hi all,

Now that we have our approval from USCIS and our petition is waiting to be sent to the NVC, we are trying to be pro-active and work on what we will need for the interview. One of the things we are not sure of is which form the London embassy requires for the affidavit of support for a K3 visa application... I-134 or I-864.

I also don't see anything on the I-134 that mention using a joint sponsor wacko.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-31 10:53:00
United KingdomGot an interview date
QUOTE (SteJen @ Oct 31 2007, 11:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Visa denied based on income tax from last year. Never mind the fact I make more than enough now, I've already made more than minimum as of September. The "fat cow" as she called her wouldn't even look at the info for this year. Now she has to mail me a form to be filled out by a co-sponsor, if I can find one. So much for being here by Thanksgiving. Even Christmas is in jeopardy now.


That's such sad news sad.gif I hope you're able to find a joint sponsor and get this sorted out quickly. Don't let this get you down.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-31 11:45:00
United KingdomGot an interview date
Good luck for today biggrin.gif Here's hoping for a big approval good.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-10-31 03:09:00
United KingdomInterview at US Embassy London
Congratulations good.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-02 08:33:00
United KingdomInterview tomorrow in London!
QUOTE (Matt and Sarah @ Nov 1 2007, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
PASSED! It only took 1.5 hours, she breezed through! Second one in the que and they only asked her a few questions, easy!


Congratulations biggrin.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-02 03:38:00
United KingdomInterview tomorrow in London!
Best of luck for tomorrow good.gif
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-01 03:00:00
United KingdomEmbassy timings
QUOTE (MargotDarko @ Nov 12 2007, 02:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
1. Due to the recent problem, I'm not sure about this one. I would probably have said "no" before, but who knows now?

2. I would just get the I-134 notarised.

3. I wouldn't do it more than a few months in advance, but it's less than a few months for you now, isn't it? smile.gif

4. Yep, that's right.

5. If she earns a lot over the guideline, I wouldn't bother with the extra stuff. If she's only a few thousand over, it might be helpful to fill out that section. I would have her forego the house valuation due to the effort and possible expense to her but put down savings/checking as a back up.


Thanks MargotDarko, very very helpful as always biggrin.gif

Hopefully if there isn't too much of a delay getting to the NVC -> transferring to the embassy -> scheduling the interview, then it will be 2 to 2.5 months from now smile.gif I'm getting excited now as we're almost making progress... hearing from the NVC that they have our file will be a huge milestone in this who journey smile.gif Josh is aiming to pester them all this week, as we know they have received cases close to our approval date smile.gif

Edited by C and J, 12 November 2007 - 09:23 AM.

C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-12 09:19:00
United KingdomEmbassy timings
Now that our K3 petition is hopefully on the way to the NVC, we are starting to think more about the embassy side of things. My mum in law (our co-sponsor) had a few questions but I am still a bit hazy on the rules and don't want to answer incorrectly so thought I'd ask on here.

Now I am aware (from asking here previously) that the form to complete is the I-134 for the K3, so her questions are as follows:-

1) She files taxes jointly with my father in law, do they each need to fill in and sign an individual I-134? If not, does he have to countersign her form? Or is one form signed by my mother in law sufficient? (there was a problem in the K3 forum recently which prompted this question)

2) Does she only have to get the I-134 notarised or also the supporting evidence? Do the photocopies
that the embassy will keep have to be notarised?

3) Is there such a thing as getting the form notarised too early? (I noticed that the VJ guide said to do it as quickly as possible, but she was worried).

4) As a co-sponsor I believe she has to provide the same evidence as Josh (hubby): pay stubs, letter from employer etc

5) We believe as she earns over the 125% poverty guidelines value, she does not have to provide further financial information (value of house, value in bank, retirement funds etc) but is it beneficial to do so?
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-12 04:59:00
United KingdomCurrent UK interview waiting times?
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Nov 16 2007, 12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The wait time that's posted on the Embassy website is not for interviews, but how long it's taking them to process DCF I-130's. blush.gif

There's no info on the embassy website about how long it takes to schedule interviews. But that's what VJ was invented for!!! tongue.gif Going by recent interviewee' sigs on the interview thread

freecake:
16th July Case sent to London Embassy
31th July Received Pack 3 from London Embassy
1st August Sent pack 3 form
10th August had medical in London
16th August received police report
18th October Received packet 4
2nd November Approved at Interview
6th November VISA and MBE received

Paulinespens:
16th July Case sent to London Embassy
31th July Received Pack 3 from London Embassy
1st August Sent pack 3 form
10th August had medical in London
16th August received police report
18th October Received packet 4
2nd November Approved at Interview
6th November VISA and MBE received


So going by those, it'll be roughly 3.5 months from NVC sending the file to the interview (3 months from emabssy receipt -> interview), and that's as long as we're able to send back packet 3 promptly to say we have everything ready.

This will take a while wacko.gif So, if by a miracle, NVC send on my file either today or early next week, the embassy should get the file at the end of the month and a rough interview guess is still end of February earliest.

I have a ticket booked for 20th February (long story short, I had to book a return flight from the US to get home on my last visit and chose that date at random as a "possibility"). So we'll see if the flying date might make a difference. Worst case scenario, my interview is after that date and I have to book another flight instead.
C and JFemaleEngland2007-11-16 08:00:00