Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (Krikit @ Dec 3 2009, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (saywhat @ Dec 3 2009, 11:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Also staying a LPR does not absolve anyone. LPR's are treated the same as Citizens and have to sign up for this when they apply for a green card (selective service) My Canadian friend (a LPR) was enrolled at an American university during that time and was obligated to serve in Vietnam. It changed him forever. It's interesting how some believe that upholding the US Constitution automatically translates into bearing arms and killing people. There is a role for everyone during times of strife. Everyone has a talent for something and those talents would be best put to use elsewhere. Chaplains, for instance, cannot carry firearms. But they do serve when called up. I would also prefer that my doctor be looking after his patients rather than running around with a gun. Actually I have just realized that the whole subject and discussion of this post is irrelevant as the only people who can apply for Naturalisation are LPR's and they are already in selective service if they fit the profile.. The oath at the time of Naturalisation is superfluous except that it means that after the ceremony you are still on the hook as a citizen if you leave the country, whereas an LPR can skip off as soon as Lockheed's shares go up and ####### Cheney gets his grin back.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-03 13:56:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (internetkafe @ Dec 3 2009, 07:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am for draft. Let everyone feel the pain. Also there should be a war tax. War is not free. It is government spending, big government. I wonder how would the fiscally conservative people react to realities... Will they answer their country's call and join the military and pay the war tax as a true patriot should or? If we attack another country like panama or grenada again, I will volunteer to crew a searchlight unit from my bunker in the night club area of Seattle instead of paying the tax.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-03 13:24:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (freetv @ Dec 3 2009, 01:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hold on a sec, there are really people here that would not bear arms if their country needed them? So your basically saying that if the country was going to hell and hundreds of thousands of people are running for their life and you were asked to man a gun so that your children, parents, and friends could get away you wouldn't do it? The only time America would ever ask you to defend it is in a situation like that (your an older lady...). I think its really insulting that anyone even ask this question, and no exceptions should be made, if your not willing, stay a LPR. Sorry if I hurt anyone but I feel very strongly about this. I think people who have doubts about this , are thinking about Vietnam type situations - false wars - and remember that the US introduced the draft for that war; so to say the govt would only call on people if the enemy hordes were swarming ashore is not correct. They will use people compulsorily whenever they want to Look at what happened to Mohammed Ali for refusing to go and take part in a false war. Vietnam was a false war coz we lost it and nothing nasty happened. Many extreme patriots simply refuse to admit that the govt sometimes sends Americans to be killed and crippled in what are totally unnecessary conflicts - and often they are draftees who will have criminal sanctions applied if they don't comply. Immigrants should be aware of this at least. Also staying a LPR does not absolve anyone. LPR's are treated the same as Citizens and have to sign up for this when they apply for a green card (selective service) Edited by saywhat, 03 December 2009 - 11:23 AM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-03 11:21:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (Redneck-NOVA @ Dec 2 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Here I agree with every word. Glad you liked the last bit. I would just answer 2 things which are a bit off topic so I won't bang on about it: 1 The decision to execute someone should not be influenced by the money consideration of keeping them in jail. My wife agrees with you so perhaps it's the American approach of reducing everything to 'tax dollars'. If I got even 5 years in an American jail, I would prefer execution. I have been in British prisons many times (not as an inmate) and they, by contrast, are doable. 2 I gladly admit to having elitist tendencies. The whole world is full of people with 'low self esteem' and they line up to see their psychiatrists and suffer years of domestic beatings. They all want to raise their self esteem. I have had a good solid self esteem since I can first remember, but as soon as someone detects it, they want to slap me down to make me like the low self esteemed. The world would be better if people valued themselves more and considered themselves better than to do drugs and crime and hang out with low life situations and take orders from other people without first running it through their own set of values which they trust. (Heck, almost back on topic) If any gun owner thinks they are less responsible than the others, they should sell their guns immediately. I take pride in my training and self discipline and I compare myself favourably to the crazies you refer to on the gun sites and I don't see anything wrong with that. Yes, I should be among the first to be granted a license under a tougher regulatory regime. Despite all that self worth thing, I don't act like a raging egotist in real life and I quickly recognize when people have better ideas or better abilities than me or are just all round better people than me. I am quite self depracating much of the time. Love yourself, but only for those things you have worked on and created yourself through adversity is my motto. ok sorry for the diversion readers, back to to the topic	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-02 12:38:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (internetkafe @ Dec 1 2009, 10:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How about getting a Kalashnikov? You need a GC or what? LOL I dont fit into any stereotype easily .. I am against capital punishment coz I think a life in prison is X times worse I have a pistol and a concealed carry permit and AR-15 assault rifle (US version of Kalashnikov) but I am PRO tight gun control/required training /locked up guns etc I am very anti illegal immigrant/amnesty - but pro universal health care I am for just defensive wars - but against foolhardy adventures for commercial gain Would I bear arms for the US ? Yes if the North Koreans were flooding ashore in Seattle. BUT - protect the Afghan heroin poppy fields to please our 'allies' who own them ? Nope. Apart from that ... the absence of anything bad happening after the Vietnam defeat tells me the reasons for the war were bogus and we could have had cheap shirts 15 years earlier. Say yes but think hard and be true to yourself would be my answer.. jeez it's great being old and exempt You whippersnappers have it hard.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 18:43:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (Brit Abroad @ Dec 1 2009, 09:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Interesting take on this one - if you're born American you aren't required to swear an oath to bear arms in defence of the country and yet a foreign-born American has to? Seems like discrimination to me. I could understand being asked to swear an allegiance of priority to America over your former domicile, or to relinquish American citizenship and return to your birth country if you couldn't, but allowing a native to opt out while forcing a naturalised citizen seems somewhat unfair. Yes I thought the only difference between me and a natural born American would be being President but I suspect there is more. Up to July this year a Washington State Green Card holder could not buy a firearm without a special alien license which was withheld anyway. Only citizens. Now they can and I did on day 1. Nice little CZ .22 target rifle like I had in the UK. It was changed by the court under the 14th amendment - discrimination. The law reflected the time when black people could not be citizens and therefore could not have a firearm. The US is moving forward on all fronts - but it will take time.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 16:37:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (Redneck-NOVA @ Dec 1 2009, 05:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm not an anarchist, I understand that government is a necessity and it can be useful at times, but I don't trust it and act on my best concience too. I would swear but with my own definitions in my mind and judging the situation as it unfolds. If a tyrannical Wasilla based govt takes over in the US I won't bear arms against it ('it' being the combined US armed forces) - I will grab a cheap ticket Seattle-Heathrow one way. Actually I might fly business class. This dual citizenship thing (Europe/USA) looks better and better	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 13:07:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (Redneck-NOVA @ Dec 1 2009, 05:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (saywhat @ Dec 1 2009, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If the constitution was legally amended to exclude all hand gun ownership, would people uphold the amended constitution and hand in their guns ? I bet some would pick and chose which parts of the constitution (as amended) to uphold. No offense, but this is a dumb statement. There are always people who don't like some laws, complain about them, or outright ignore them. It's illegal right now for felons to posess handguns or any other guns, but it doesn't seem to stop them does it? Plus, playing "what if" game doesn't prove anything. As of now, the Constitution says what it says and Heller decision last year cleared up the possible interpretations too. No offense taken - I am married and therefore used to it. But the post is one big 'what if'. 'What if ' you were called upon to take part in a war which you didn't think was for the defense of the USA and where hundreds of thousands of innocents would die ? - could one sign up for an oath to do that ? I am pointing out the blank cheque (check) that many are willing to hand to the government when it comes to going to war, but they would take back that check when the government asks for something that takes away from their lives. Either you trust the government with it's gun control AND wars, or you exercise your discretion when it comes to supporting either of these. In that case we are picking and choosing and I see nothing wrong with that. Handing our lives to the govt in an unreserved manner belongs to the past and that is what oaths seek to do. Hitler was very keen on oaths as the mind and discretion of the oath taker is switched off and they submit to higher authority who remind them of their oath : example: >>> Jungvolk Oath (taken by ten-year-old boys on first entering the Hitler Youth) "In the presence of this blood banner which represents our Führer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the saviour of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God." I think that swearing to act within one's own concience and with only the finest motives at all times would be a much more admirable thing for a citizen of any country to do. I would still do the swearing thing though and then act with my own concience which takes precedence.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 12:34:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (rsn @ Dec 1 2009, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> "Voulanteerely" is not a word. That was my point. We really are onto something here. We can swear to 'voulanteerely bare arms' and all we need is a T shirt to comply. http://www.countryhu...ttobarearms.jpg	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 11:55:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	If the constitution was legally amended to exclude all hand gun ownership, would people uphold the amended constitution and hand in their guns ? I bet some would pick and chose which parts of the constitution (as amended) to uphold.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 11:33:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (elishav @ Dec 1 2009, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> However, given the automated response of most issues by the USCIS authorities, they would likely deny your citizenship if they noticed among the hundreds of people taking the oath that you said no to that question, and then make you schedule an alternative oath without the 'baring arms' part. That's the answer - swear to 'bare arms ' but don't 'bear arms' It's 110 degrees here in summer and I bare arms every day	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-01 11:13:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Willing to bear arms?	QUOTE (NickD @ Nov 30 2009, 03:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just sayin', it ain't very easy to get in, and with three kids, even when we had the draft, they would want no part of you, would have to give you free medical and dental care to your kids even if you met all the other requirements. You would be too expensive for the government. My granddad had 5 very small children and tried his best stay out of the army when everyone else was signing up voluntarily.. They conscripted him anyway and he was killed within a few months when he and his friends were ordered to walk towards a heavy water cooled machine gun. His body was never found. They pass all sorts of laws in time of war and those bear little resemblance to peacetime laws. These people who advocate arms to attack their own (the US government) are fantasists. They spend half their time praising the US military, and the other half polishing their guns and saying they will kill their own servicemen if the government becomes too socialist and tyrannical. I am 62 years old and in shape. I have a brand new AR-15 assault rifle and National expert marksman qualifications starting in 1967. Luckily I am considered incapable of causing any harm to an enemy so that's ok. However, paper targets should be very afraid. The poster who talks about Chavez should realise that it wouldn't be him on the end of your bayonet, it would more likely be a scared 17 year old begging for his/her life and your comrades encouraging you to give 'battlefield justice'. War is not a noble thing - it's organised murder no matter how it's portrayed. The politics and the theory is one thing, the reality is something else. When you are under 26 you don't think like this and that's why the government wants you and not me. Would you die for the Vietnam war ? 50 thousand Americans dead and half a million crippled in mind and/or body. As soon as it ended we were all friends and US manufacturers were setting up sweat shops there to make shirts. So what was all that about ? What were the terrible consequences of losing ? What happened when we lost ? All in all I would try my best to avoid killing people in that sort of war. But soldiers can't pick their wars - they have to obey the orders of a Bush brother or Sarah or even - Glenn Beck ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-11-30 18:43:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Renouncing Citizenship	QUOTE (Old Dominion @ Dec 8 2009, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I guess I don't understand anyone who would worry so much about money, to the point of going to another country for tax purposes alone, so long as there is enough to live comfortably on. Families are far more important than taxes. It is hard to comprehend why someone would see as an option, becoming a tax-dodger...but that's just me. It's very easy to judge people on then internet based on just a few words - I would caution against it. If my USC wife died or divorced me when I am in my 70's, I would prefer to return to England to be with my old friends and my daughter and my grandchildren. I would then have pay US tax and do US tax returns for my remaining years as the US is the only country which pursues it's non resident citizens for life. I think it's reasonably in these circumstances, to consider how easy it is to renounce US Citizenship if certain events come to pass - and it's best to do that BEFORE applying for citizenship I think I will apply for citizenship as it has practical advantages. Don't ask me to get all misty eyed about it as I wasn't brought up as an American - the whole world knows that America is the most extreme Nationalistic/Patriotic country in the world and the English are not comfortable with that after fighting German extreme Nationalism. If it works against me in my later years, it's only a day out in London to do the renunciation. I could go on a Thames cruise while I was there.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-09 13:38:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Renouncing Citizenship	QUOTE (esoll @ Dec 8 2009, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> To give you a bit of info. If you move to EU and are a US citizen you will pay taxes on your income from the EU but, and this is important. You will start paying taxes only above a certain income and I believe this limit is high. I remember looking at it when I become an US citizen and it was around $80K 10 years ago. Find out and this could be a none issue. ESoll This is so for EARNED income All my income is UNEARNED (for tax puposes) and the $80K + exemption is not allowed All my income would be taxed by the US and the UK if I moved to the UK - the double tax relief is not 100% allowed by the US and the time and expense of US tax filing is a great inconvenience - especially As I go into my 60's and 70's and 80's etc I see countries as just places where 'just people' live and I don't have this holy reverence for the US that many Americans have because of their upbringing - so renouncing citizenship has no mystical or religious 'hand on heart' effects for me. I wouldn't renounce British citizenship for practical purposes as the UK is like all other countries in the world who do not milk their citizens while they are living somewhere else and pursue them for life. Apart from getting a new passport every 10 years, British Citizenship has no down side. Perhaps I won't need to renounce citizenship, but it's best to research this stuff in detail before taking citizenship on Edited by saywhat, 09 December 2009 - 01:26 PM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-09 13:25:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	Renouncing Citizenship	QUOTE (Malrothien @ Dec 8 2009, 04:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (elishav @ Dec 7 2009, 04:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was rather disappointed when I took the citizenship test on the Canadian Immigration Website and found it's rather difficult to move to Canada, or as Homer Simpson calls it, "America Junior". I assumed they would be more welcoming than the US. However, I think the rules are more stringent in light of the current economic climate. Canada has strict rules because there are hundreds of thousands of applications - and also because of the socialized health care system. Anyway, OP, if you make under $85000 USD, you do not need to worry about double taxation as the US and the UK have a double taxation treaty. http://www.hmrc.gov....nr/dtdigest.pdf My income is pension+interest+capital gains so I would get no exceptions as it's not classed as 'earned' and the double tax relief would be restricted too. Yes the US is very unusual in tracking it's citizens forever, even if they are non resident, and claiming their income for tax. No escape.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2009-12-08 00:13:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Affidavit of Support! HELP!	Good news! We didn't need 864 form, He passed his interview and received his Visa!! It'l be soon! -Scarlet	kevblu	Male	United Kingdom	2007-08-12 15:46:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Affidavit of Support! HELP!	thank you all so much. we called the embassy (that 1.20/minute line) and they confirmed what you are all saying, that we dont need the i-864 until the adjustment of status, it must have been a mistake. it certainly had us both panicking when we noticed the mistake though. now were back to being confidant about the interview. thanks Kevin + Kristine	kevblu	Male	United Kingdom	2007-07-30 06:50:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Affidavit of Support! HELP!	What forms did you need for the Affadavit of Aupport? We've gotten an odd-seeming request from the consulate in packet 4... Kevin is preparing for his K1 interview, scheduled for Aug 8th and as he's looking through his checklist, a previously unbeknownst form is being requested...Affadavit of Support Form I-864! We have Affadavit of Support Form I-134 all prepared (which was the only form requested in packet 3) and this is the first we've even HEARD of an I-864 form... to top that, reading this form indicates that it is to be used for spouses, children and parents, nothing about fiances or about K1 visas. What do I do? Did the consulate screw up and send us the wrong checklist? -Scarlet	kevblu	Male	United Kingdom	2007-07-26 18:05:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	I'm not really enjoying the NVC much at all When I started with NVC I thought it was great coz you could ring them and find out exactly where you were - but the plod-plod through the stages and all the waiting week after week and mailing this and mailing that and waiting for letters and weird stupid messages is popping my skull hope I can get done by next Friday and start getting frustrated by the embassy/medical instead fingers crossed i have done the 230 right and get finished...if that bounces back i will scream, fall on my back, and do the brain damaged cockroach dance ! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-27 09:50:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Yes we got our 864 letter yesterday - 3 weeks after they said they had generated it ! no form in there - just the link on the website to download it also they send a cover sheet - I compared it to the one i did with james shortcuts and it is totally identical that email doesn't refer to the cover sheet - weird - so weird- if you do James SC I would not send it without a cover sheet Interesting, yes, I was wondering about the cover sheet. I am tempted to send it without a cover sheet, just to see what happens haha Hee hee! I tell you what, did you see what is said at the bottom of the link on Step 9? Mail the form and any required supporting documents to the NVC. Be sure to include the bar code sheet for the applicant’s case. I guess this speeds up the process as far as filling it out ahead of time. It seems that the peitioner still needs to wait for that piece of info. Alan, Thanks for confirming the AoS coversheet. I am tempted to mail out my AoS package this weekend if I don't get the I-864 snail mail by tomorrow since everything is already filled out. Yes the cover sheet that arrived 2 days ago was absolutely identical to James' version so you can mail it with confidence (as long as you put the right number in the barcode generator !) Also- everyone - make sure the printer you use is a good inkjet or a laser - i used my cheap black and white laser for 864 and professional colour laser for the 230 cover sheet.. the colour one my pal did was awful and unacceptable (but dont tell him)- the little bar code on the 230 cover sheet was really fuzzy - but prontaprint did a super sharp one for £1. alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-27 02:42:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Maybe everyone has seen this, gets this email - but it's new to me and I did a search and didn't find anything similar. Some background: I sent the choice of agent via email - didn't hear anything for 10 days so sent it again and received a reply the next day - thanks, we got it we accepted it - all good. Yesterday, a couple of weeks later - I get this email as well - Good afternoon, Your inquiry has been received at the National Visa Center (NVC). A packet containing the Immigrant Visa Processing Fee Bill has been sent to the designated agent or attorney of record. The payment due amount listed on the fee bill must be paid according to the instructions before the DS-230 will be accepted. The NVC is waiting for form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) to be completed by the petitioner. The petitioner must complete a Form I-864, regardless of the petitioner's income level. Please have the petitioner complete this form and return it according to the instructions so that we may continue processing this file. Please visit http://travel.state..../info_1335.html to download a copy of the I-864 and/or the instructions. If you do not have access to the internet, you may wish to visit your local library or an internet café. Regards, National Visa Center So does everyone receive instructions to download the I-864 (I'm sending ours today, I haven't been too concerned about rushing to get it in). Yes we got our 864 letter yesterday - 3 weeks after they said they had generated it ! no form in there - just the link on the website to download it also they send a cover sheet - I compared it to the one i did with james shortcuts and it is totally identical that email doesnt refer to the cover sheet - weird - so weird- if you do James SC I would not send it without a cover sheet Edited by saywhat, 26 July 2007 - 11:06 AM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-26 11:03:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	we just received the I-864 pack yesterday - even though it has been sent in to NVC and and approved for ages now (via James short cuts) But yes the IV is the main thing so basically the whole thing boils down to A do the agent form with an email (saved me 3 weeks) B do the ds-230 with James - saved me 3 weeks... We are doing ours from uk so big savings - 6 weeks is super... The I-864 would have got there one day later than the DS-230 if we had not used short cuts - so not really worth it... I used fedex on tuesday for the IV form but the driver came 30 mins late so it missed the plane but it arrived at NVC 1 hour 5 minutes ago So I agree that just doing A and B above is all that is needed- having said that, as James says, if there had been a problem with the I-864 then we would have had time to sort it without holding the whole thing up and in retrospect, the I-864 is therefore worth doing with James SC	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-26 10:12:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	You think??? That would be too much for me, I was thinking more like the 7th. Any bets? Alan, You are so right about doing this online instead of calling that NVC number. It would be so much easier but beggars can't be choosers, huh? Diana I think the 'case complete' happens when it happens rather than a monday night (like forms generation) more like I-864 when they stick it on the system when they are happy So fingers crossed for the 3rd ! I am checking train times to London/hotels/medicals/inoculations and last but not least 'moral turpitude' that you can be deported for ! No end to the things to worry about ! only one I havent figured is where to hide my mobile phone while i am in the embassy as they wont allow one in ... possibly that lion's mouth in trafalgar square ?	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 15:42:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Alan, I'm so glad you got someone to tell you that they will mail you the DS-230. The people I talked to wouldn't confirm that with me at all so that's why I was really confused. If they said they're going to mail it out this week it means you can put yesterday's date on the DS-230 coversheet. The only difference I saw between the real coversheet and the one from James' shortcuts is that the letters that go on the very top (U.S. Department of State) and the IMMIGRATION word under the Statue of Liberty are dark blue. Everything else looks exactly the same so no big deal. Also, the automated message has not changed at all. It's been saying that they're missing documents for almost a month. Very annoying actually, so I'm glad Erica just said it will change as soon as the case is completed. Thanks girl! We're almost there Alan!!! Diana Thanks for the confirmation Diana! Good Luck to you and Alan! You're almost there! I am hoping the IV Bill and I-864 packet is in my mailbox when I get home today. *CROSSES FINGERS*. In retrospect, I do think that the DS-230 generation message was trumped by the "Missing Documents" message. Anyway, I know what to expect now. The only variable for me is the DS-230 online form which expires at the end of this month. I hope they delay the update. I know people here have stated that it will most likely be accepted. I hope so because I don't want to have my wife fill out another form and then wait again for the mail. Jeepers! there is always something to worry about ! I think most superceding forms say the old one is valid for x months after Good for you keeping your eye on it and I am sure you will figure it....perhaps an email to NVC to say have they any plans to replace the form when it expires might put your mind at rest - they are not quick at responding just now but might be worth it... Future folk need to watch the fees too and make sure they don't miss any changes... I emailed nvc a while since on that and they confirmed nothing was imminent Yes they are really cagey about the 'generation word' so 'when will the ds-230 letter be sent out' seems to work... and as you say 'this week' means yesterday if you call on a tuesday... I would love to get my hands on their system and sort it out for them ...all events would have a message and press 4 to hear the previous message...press 5 to hear the next message..then you could hear all the past messages with non being covered over like the i-864 monster... actually it should all be on line and accessed by a case password....oh don't let me get started on it ! anyway at 8am today UK time I was in serious despair and now I am elated and the last form to the US has GONE !!!! We have done it all from the UK and it was tough... but not as tough as some and I feel so sorry for those who's cases go on ice for weeks and months and nobody knows where the file is or what is happening... It must be almost unbearable....thank goodness for VJ.. I will certainly stay on VJ after its all over and try and help out - pay my dues the best way that anyone can...	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 10:57:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	sure thing Diana !!!! You have lost a couple of weeks through it and that's a shame but there is no telling how the stages pan out so you might make it up later in the process... They might send my fake form back while your genuine one sails through - who knows.. anyway yes we are absolutely on the same time line now... I reckon 'case complete ' a week on Friday for you and I ....(guessing) We are having a special bottle of wine as soon as we get that message. This is the THIRD time through for us (2 K1's before), so I am absolutely exhausted and sick of it. At least I have done the medical/immunisation/photos/interview before so I know the ropes and where to go and where to stay. Most important part is to ram your elbow into people's faces as you run for the front door at the embassy and grab your priority number when they release the queue - that was done to me 10.30am and i had to wait to 4.20pm for my interview... I hope our discussion on this NVC message thing is read by lots of people and it will help them a lot when they are trying to make sense of the sequence of messages on the NVC and what to say when asking for the ds-230 generation (is the letter on its way to me ?)... PHEW !!!!!! I expect a letter from London in say 3 weeks time (ish) - it's feet up and relax from now until then...	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 10:22:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Diana, I'm happy you at least have it now! Still find the whole situation so odd. I've been thinking that the only thing different in our situation was the fact that we didn't send in the I-864 until after the generation of the DS-230 letter. It just worked out that way. Maybe that's why we did get an updated message before(, cos it certainly never changed from 'missing info' to 'hey, we got your DS-230, working on it now!') I don't know, grasping at straws to find something to work with here On the plus side, the automated message will change as soon as they're done with it, so you won't have to wait till a tuesday update Erica ! you give me hope Johanna- hope Johanna ! I didn't realise that your I-864 went in AFTER !!!! the ds-230 message !!!!! I reckon (hope) that explains a lot about the message not changing...at least I am grasping at straws hoping the 'missing docs' messages does not change when the DS-230 is generated if the I-864 is already checked and on the system I will certainly find out in 1 hour and 30 seconds time when i call em ! James' short cuts don't go into great detail on this bit so we are all learning as we go along Is anyone reading this who's I-864 went in AND was on the system before the DS-230 was generated and can tell us what the messages said ? Diana - at least you have the real thing now - go for it gal ! alan MYSTERY SOLVED !!!!!!!!!!!!! Just called NVC I asked if 'the ds-230 letter had been produced by the system' and she said yes it is being sent out to you this week ! in other words it has been 'generated' but that is a forbidden word ok so now we have proof - if the I-864 has been 'processed' then the silly 'missing documents message does not change when the ds-230 letter is generated PROVED !!!!! ok FEDEX arrives in next 90 minutes and guarantees the ds-230 delivery in new hampshire by 10am local Wednesday !!! yippee !! come on Diana gal - we are romping ! and Erica thank you so much for sticking with Diana and I and solving this mystery (which was) alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 07:02:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Diana, I'm happy you at least have it now! Still find the whole situation so odd. I've been thinking that the only thing different in our situation was the fact that we didn't send in the I-864 until after the generation of the DS-230 letter. It just worked out that way. Maybe that's why we did get an updated message before(, cos it certainly never changed from 'missing info' to 'hey, we got your DS-230, working on it now!') I don't know, grasping at straws to find something to work with here On the plus side, the automated message will change as soon as they're done with it, so you won't have to wait till a tuesday update Erica ! you give me hope Johanna- hope Johanna ! I didn't realise that your I-864 went in AFTER !!!! the ds-230 message !!!!! I reckon (hope) that explains a lot about the message not changing...at least I am grasping at straws hoping the 'missing docs' messages does not change when the DS-230 is generated if the I-864 is already checked and on the system I will certainly find out in 1 hour and 30 seconds time when i call em ! James' short cuts don't go into great detail on this bit so we are all learning as we go along Is anyone reading this who's I-864 went in AND was on the system before the DS-230 was generated and can tell us what the messages said ? Diana - at least you have the real thing now - go for it gal ! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 05:31:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Mononoke, I posted to you on another forum. I was getting the automated message saying they had reviewed my documents and found info missing or incomplete. I spoke with a rep who said I had been mailed a letter. I used James Shortcuts and sent in the DS230. The message stayed the same so I started to freak out thinking that maybe the operator was wrong. I didn't receive my letter until two weeks after the date I was told it was generated. The date on the letter was the date given by the automated message which said a letter had been mailed to me on that date explaining which documents were missing or incomplete. The message did not change until it reflected that my case was complete. Hope this helps, and is not too confusing. The date given on the 'missing documents' and 'we are sending a letter to say what is missing' letter is the date they 'approved' the I-864... In my case, this was last wednesday the 20th July... Are you saying your 'letter' was the DS-230 info pack with cover sheet and had a date which was NOT a monday ? That can't happen as I understand it...unless your I-864 was coincidentally 'approved' on a monday and then that would make sense but still means the auto message never reflected the DS-230 generation... If you are saying that, then like Diana, it seems your DS-230 pack came out without any change to the auto message that talks about 'missing documents' Is that right ? alan Edited by saywhat, 24 July 2007 - 03:33 AM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 03:32:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	Ok here's the scoop. I called the NVC today for the 4th time and they couldn't confirm that the DS-230 was mailed out. They kept saying that it was "supposed" to have been mailed out two weeks ago, but they wouldn't confirm it. WORD OF ADVICE: even if they say it was supposed to have been mailed out, assume that they have mailed it. I just received the DS-230 coversheet and it was dated 07/09/07. Those freaks of nature!!!!! Anyway... at least I got it, right? Diana Diana - Right !!!! I am calling them 7.30 eastern just in case they tell me something different to the automated which is still stuck on 'missing documents'... did your auto message ever change from 'missing documents' ??? - now that you know the DS-230 WAS 'produced' or 'mailed out' or whatever word they prefer which is not 'generated' This really is doing my head in waiting week after week and month after month..I was just starting to get optimistic last night but this morning I dare not ring em as I knew somehow it was not going to happen... I knew it alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 03:18:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	called this morning tuesday 24th.. our IV check was 'processed' last wednesday.... but message remains same- 'missing documents' no IV form generation advice drat drat and double drat	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-24 02:19:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	Date of when DS-230 is generated	I'm keeping my eye on the postman every day, I'm so ready to send that stuff out you don't even know. I'll let you guys know of the date I see on the coversheet once I get it, maybe there is a trend they follow just like simple male said. I am calling NVC in the morning (checking auto system first) My check (cheque!) was received by them a week last friday according to the mail tracker and I called NVC on Wednesday and they said the check had been 'processed' I am hoping if it is like Erica's (and your's too I hope), there is a good chance it will be done today for tomorrow's message but I know it isnt certain and it might be next week... But Erica's was done a few days after payment was 'processed' so I hope yours and mine follow that pattern..and yours will indeed be in the mail any time now... I will report back tomorrow !	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-07-23 11:42:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	question on barcode using james shortcut	QUOTE (Ness and Keith @ Aug 19 2007, 06:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi zakura02, Just read carefully this website about Jame's Shortcut. http://www.visajourn...100#entry885374 I hope this will help you. Good luck. QUOTE (zakura02 @ Aug 7 2007, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi everyone! Our case number was assigned by NVC July 31, now i am thinking about using james shortcut for my AOS bill so following the steps i was able to print out one, out of my curiousity i scanned the generated barcode using our scanner at work and it scanned MNL2006*** which is ofcourse someone else's case if not just random numbers, will that be a problem if our case number is not the same one that they will scan? My anxiety level about this whole process is over the roof! but i've read a lot of fellow fillers here that used the shortcut having no problem at all so it gives me more motivation to use the shortcut to atleast buy some few weeks on this long process.. I can confirm james' short cuts work - only trouble i had was when i departed from his instructions - do use irfanview program and make sure you have the new word forms he mentions. the barcodes are a little tricky and make sure you print em off on a laser - especially the 230 form where it has that little bar code - my pal printed mine off on his inkjet and they were fuzzy and indistinct- i went to a print shop and they did me a copy for one pound (£) which was very sharp Let me repeat my plea for folks to follow the instructions carefully and send in totally correct forms otherwise the NVC might get sick of this and make changes to stop it in future ..i saved about 6 weeks at least and more like 2 months. check and check and check again and ask VJ folk if you are doubt	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-20 15:31:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	question on barcode using james shortcut	zakura02, You're missing a step in James' shortcuts, which is the most important one. You have to follow his instructions on how to generate YOUR own code and then you replace the MNL2006 # he has on the sample coversheets. We cannot all use the same MNL code because all of our cases are going through different embassies. For example my code starts with BGT2007xxxxxx. Diana Yes this really worries me for those who come after - I think the NVC might stop us getting away with James' shortcuts if we abuse it by sending in before the forms are generated or sending in wrong barcodes or fuzzy barcodes etc.... I appeal to everyone using this system to read james' shortcuts very carefully and use the updates he has posted and the new forms he mentions in his updates where applicable. If you don't understand it or don't have the computer skills then don't do it. I am retired so I spent 2 days reading and learning and messing around and going to the printers to get a sharp image etc.. My forms are in and on the system so they are probably ok - but I fear for those following if the NVC get sick of wrong forms submitted at the wrong time - they might just change to unique references (like the IV bill) so you have to use their forms - so be VERY CAREFUL and READ and UNDERSTAND and check on VJ if you have the slightest doubt about how or when - otherwise you could put your file back weeks and cost future VJ folk months on their processing ok James version 2 link - please read updates lower down the posts.... http://www.visajourn...100#entry885374 'information is the currency of power' Edited by saywhat, 08 August 2007 - 02:25 AM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-08 02:21:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	question on barcode using james shortcut	We used James' shortcuts with our own NVC case #. You need to wait until the NVC has received your case so you can get your new # and then use the shortcuts. Thanks for the reply, NVC had received our case and assigned us our case number already, im waiting for them to generate the AOS fee bill, my question is if a lot of us will use the same steps according to the shortcut then we will have the same barcode and it wont be individualized with our case number when scanned, or maybe it doesn't matter to them as long as you pay the fee? It may be me being thick but I don't get this question yet... If you download James' word document and then go to the internet and generate the number that the NVC has given you - and then paste it on the form - and then scan it with your barcode scanner just to check, - it has to be the same as the number the NVC gave you - that is, the one you generated am I missing something ? we all submit our own number which is barcoded so the NVc are not getting forms all with the same barcode - if that was your question ? alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-07 15:21:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	Just got back from Scotland - driving up was wet but then a 2 really nice days - 800 miles ! Just got back and called NVC and....... guess what... are you ready... CASE COMPLETE !!!!! last Friday ! yippee ! must have been very late So then Carolyn took the phone from me and rang again to make sure I had not entered the wrong USCIS number ! Neither of us has smiled as it has been so awful - we we really beat and thinking it might take all winter to re-establish Carolyn's domicile with her in the US alone...... but tomorrow we will smile ! boy will i smile ! I never imagined we would be out of this hole 1 week and one day later but we are... That was simply AWFUL !!!!!! I want to thank all my VJ friends who offered all that wonderful support when we so despairing and not knowing how to get out of that terrible trap... it was so good to know we had your thoughts ... You USC's who are not living in the US - get working on DOMICILE right now - its a great white in the surf of the NVC wave ! We had to pull out every single thing it mentions on the 864 in order to clear this hurdle and we reckon it was a near thing.... We are DONE with NVC - DONE !!!!! ok off to sleep for a week... alan Edited by saywhat, 20 August 2007 - 03:46 PM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-20 15:45:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	I really think they're saying that it'll take 15 days to review the case again to be on the safe side. They will probably (and hopefully) approve it before then, especially since they already received the extra evidence on Monday. Diana Hi Diana Just checked auto line again for 3rd time today... the message has changed to 'we received your checklist' and gives yesterday's date (thursday). Of course they always quote the date it gets on their system though I know fedex delivered it early monday... I bet they drink a lot of cold coffee as it takes em 4 days to drink it.... and 4 days to wash the cup..and then 6 to 8 weeks before they need a wee-wee But anyway I was delighted at the change of message as it means the ball is in their court amazing how a nothing message like that can cheer me up - just anything to know something is happening.. It wont keep me smiling for 6 to 8 weeks though - so come on NVC - give me one final wave goodbye and I promise to forget you forever alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-17 09:54:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	Hi Alan, I have been watching for your reply as I was anxious to see how it was going - obviously not as well as hoped! 10-15 days seems totally unreasonable - as you already know. If it is any consolation it appears to be the NVC standard response for everything, whether this or hey have you received my IV fee bill (it is the response I got from them yesterday). I find this whole situation you are in baffling, I know you both do too. I am certain it will have a good result though. I completely understand your frustration and despair over the whole stupid thing and now that you may have to change your plans and Carolyn may be leaving for the U.S. on her own - that just compounds it for you both. If Carolyn does end up going back to the States alone (who knows, they might have an update tomorrow - I assume you will be calling every day) - that will then mean they can't dispute her domicile and you will be reunited in no time - I hope you can focus on that (should the need arise!). Chin up, oh and I don't think you are a 'drama queen'. Thanks for that - thanks very much it - helps a lot to know my VJ pals understand me... A lot of soldiers cant speak about war when they get back because 'anyone who wasn't there would not understand' and its the same with this visa thing - only VJers know the worry and frustration and pure fear - my friends just say 'no big deal it will be ok' and 'so what if you cant get a visa until spring' The ironic part is that the spousal immigration legislation is meant to reunite couples - but the NVC are saying that unless we split up, then they cant progress the visa. They actually want a USC to split from their spouse - half the problems in the western world are because of family breakup and here is the government insisting on it. If we agree to breakup - only then will they issue a visa to reunite us !! Is it me or has the world gone mad ? Anyway enough ranting/venting/clawing at a problem that is out of our hands... I agree that the 15 working days message is probably the standard stuff which is better than the 4 to 6 weeks they trot out usually So I will not think about that and hope that a supervisor might actually get our official reply with documents and barcode plus my fax and email... I will keep calling the auto line twice a day but that voice is popping my skull ! ok fingers crossed - we are off to north west Scotland in a severe rain storm and lashing gales on Saturday to cheer ourselves up - so radio silence until Tuesday - so thats the reason for silence - not that i am swinging on a rope in the woods ! thanks again VJ friends .... more next week alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-17 03:04:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	Thursday night 16th august 2007 Carolyn called NVC and asked if they had received her wisconsin state tax form with the barcoded query cover sheet which fedex delivered 9.45 am monday... the operator said she had no record of that !!!!! Carolyn said she had been told by NVC that would be enough to complete the case The operator said that a supervisor would review the case in 10 to 15 WORKING days - 3 weeks - but didnt say whether the supervisor would have the important evidence that I paid £36 to get there overnight. I have now lost hope quite badly and I think they are playing cat and mouse with us just to be obstructive so they can claim they are doing their job - Carolyn however thinks they are earnest sincere people and just busy We are going to give it a couple of weeks then Carolyn is going to resign her good job here and return to the States alone. I will give notice on this rented house and return to my house in Yorkshire alone I am 60 years old on the 7th of November and I feel I have put my life on hold and thrown away a precious year of my life for nothing. I don't have the heart to keep raising my hopes Thursday to Thursday, month to month as its like being in prison and being called back for possible parole every 6 months. I just wish they would tell me they aren't going to do this thing because they like to make an example out of 1 in 50 - then we would know its all over. So there we are - 99% of it done and every stage passed perfectly and they finally got us on the last little technicality they could seize on at the time of the final review day when everyone gets their 'case complete'. Is Carolyn temporary or not - we have a ton of evidence she is including London Embassy (same dept of state) saying they wont take her case as she is temporary in uk so go file in nebraska. She has a ton of furniture in store in wisconsin waiting for her return and we have sent them the monthly bill for storage. She has current and active US bank account/credit card/pension etc etc and a US postal address to receive her bank statements. She has filed her Fed AND state taxes for 2006 and they have copies. NVC says prove it to us - and every time we send them more evidence they are going to wait a month and say 'send us more' It's like 'one flew over the cuckoos nest' and it feels like i am going to be crushed by 'the system' and wake up strapped down and lobotomised by the NVC.. So thats it until whenever.....bit of a drama queen you might think but boy if this ever happened to you then you would think differently ... I used to work for a big US company as European finance director in charge of 28 companies so I am used to taking stress and handling crises and I thought I could handle and repair any situation - I was paid for resilience and resourcefullness- but this is different - I feel so powerless and there is no alternative and nothing I can do to make anything happen or improve this continuing disaster.. not money, not energy, not knowledge not anything i can throw at this will get me out of this coop. I cant even walk away from it all because I am married. If it was the UK I could just bribe the prime minister with a political donation but the US isnt like that... right, where is that GIN !!!! alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-16 14:49:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	Dear Alan, I can not believe they did this to you. You provided every reasonable piece of documentation. Sometimes NVC is too much. I am so sorry... Successful immigration seems to require that US citizen be in two places - in the US to hold domicile and in the spouse's country to definitely prove bona fide relationship. I wish you a quick recovery! Rika ... and these guys could test a terminator ! all digits crossed alan Thanks Rika - every bit of kindness is welcome right now. It's ironic that London embassy refused to take our case because Carolyn is 'temporary' in the UK - and Nvc say she is domiciled in the UK without attachments to the US: Seems like they want it both ways... Seems like they are trying their best to be harsh: OK as at tonight we are relying on 'temporary absence' as defined by the I-864 form instructions and can show: U.S. Mailing address U.S. checking account active all the time since she came to the U.K. A U.S. Credit card active all the time since she came here U.S. cell phone account - active U.S. 401k pension account - current U.S. storage facility containing all Carolyn's furniture waiting for her to return - will monthly bills the fact that she petitioned for my immigration within 10 weeks of coming to the Uk The fact that she has 'conditional leave to remain' in the UK which is why the U.S. Embassy in London would not deal with her petition and sent it to Nebraska - they told her she had 'temporary' residency here I am hoping they will relent but if they don't it will be a very grisly situation for her and me Just what else do they need for 'temporary absence' I really don't know.. thanks everyone alan Edited by saywhat, 12 August 2007 - 12:33 PM.	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-12 12:31:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	RFE FOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION !!!! DESPAIR !	Alan - Good luck on your journey. I went through a smiliar set of circumstances concerning the domicile issue. My only saving grace was that I had a job offer in hand. I had lived in the Philippines almost two years prior to the interview and while I could clearly show all the documentation you listed, It was placed on administrative review. The state tax may help, but we pay taxes on money generated in the US where ever we hang our hats. It may be the same for that state. From their side of the fence, they approve applications for residence in the USA which is what you are going to have to most likely show. This is further complicated by the fact she is working there. Until a supervisor agreed to let the job offer stand as proof of domicile, I was told I would have to return to the USA and after a "suitable period" they would consider me "domiciled" in the US. The hard part is to establish the fact you want to live in the US when you can only state the fact. Once again, good luck - Don Ouch that was tough Don - hope the 'suitable period' stuff does not kick in.... If we get past the NVC I think we will be ok as Carolyn will have resigned her job in the UK - and we will have those resignation letters plus 2 plane tickets to Chicago... its just getting past NVC that is tough... Carolyn was only in the UK a little over 2 months when she petitioned for my immigration which might help... The options on the I-864 instructions are all OR OR OR so we are hoping that the clear intention to return plus temporary absence will be ok - anyway we will see what they say next ... alan	Captain Oates	Male	England	2007-08-12 05:05:00