ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomUSPS suck
QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 11:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Lol. I live in the back of beyond in the far north of Scotland. 1 post office is all we have. Wishful thinking of having Fedex up here.


Price you have to pay for living in one of the more beautiful parts of the world yes.gif
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-29 15:27:00
United KingdomUSPS suck
QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have just found out that USPS have it in hand now. Bit of luck it will be there today.


For time sensitive documents if the extra cost doesn't put you of, you might consider Fed Ex or UPS.

When we purchased our US house the papers had to be signed in front of a US notary public, so we had to go to the US Embassy in London. We did that on a Wednesday morning walked to the nearest Fed Ex office and the signed documents were delivered to the title company in Oregon 10.30am the next day.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-29 12:56:00
United KingdomUSPS suck
QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 28 2008, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Lansbury @ Apr 28 2008, 06:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Maybe a back log of stuff for Customs to clear.



Back log at xmas i can understand but its April. It's taken long for this to send than the presents i sent at xmas. Im just cheesed of cause i spent that extra few pounds so that it could be there ASAP. I sent it by airsure.


If US is anything like the UK end there is always a backlog waiting to be examined.

Most stuff goes through without being checked but if something is pulled out to be checked it takes several days. Last box I sent to the UK got held up for 2 weeks. Why yours should have be singled out, if it has been, you may never know. Might just be random or someone in Customs didn't like the look of it.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-28 14:59:00
United KingdomUSPS suck
Maybe a back log of stuff for Customs to clear.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-28 12:21:00
United KingdomProcessing dates and Packet 3
Once they get to your date you will get the NOA2 saying approved within about 7 days and around 2 weeks after that packet 3, it may well be a few days quicker than those times.

Edited by Lansbury, 01 May 2008 - 12:28 PM.

LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-01 12:27:00
United KingdomHeinz Baked Beans
A whole fresh supply arrived from the UK packed into my sons suitcase when he came for a visit.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-22 16:14:00
United KingdomUS websites that accept UK Credit cards
QUOTE (Poiteen @ May 6 2008, 02:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey guys, just in case anyone was wondering, I called circuit city, best buy and Target. None of them would take my UK credit card over the phone. The stores said that they could not take sensitive info like that over the phone and the phone ordering lines said that they couldn't enter UK details in to their systems. Humph! Sending money today.


Haven't tried Best Buy, but in the past we had no problems with Target and Circuit City taking phone orders from the UK. Guess they don't want to bother now.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-06 12:52:00
United KingdomUS websites that accept UK Credit cards
We had much the same problems when we lived in the UK buying gifts for the US family. My wife solved the problem quite often by telephoning the stores and placing the order that way. Most seemed happy to accept a UK credit card order it was just that the people who designed their web sites seemed to think the world started and ended at the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-02 12:53:00
United KingdomVisa same day?
QUOTE (StillThePrettiest @ May 7 2008, 12:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
they asked for my passport when I flew BA from London to Aberdeen... it was as a form of photo ID I think; I never had a UK driver's license, but still, it was required smile.gif


They have fallen in line with the others then. They were refusing to do so at one time saying it wasn't necessary and served no useful purpose from the airlines standpoint.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-07 15:07:00
United KingdomVisa same day?
QUOTE (English Muffin @ May 7 2008, 11:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (TayRivers @ May 7 2008, 02:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have a question, If you fly down to London for your interview and you have to leave your Passport with the embasy, then how do you fly back home? I belive you need photo ID to board your flight and if you dont have a photo Drivers Licence what do you use?


You use any piece of photo ID that the airline you're flying with will accept. If you don't have any then you'll need to consider another form of transport.

Gillian


BA certainly didn't require any ID to check in for a domestic flight and I can't find anything on their web site that says that has changed. BMI seemed to only want ID for "domestic" flights between the UK and Ireland

Ryanair on the other hand has the most stringent ID requirements.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-07 14:27:00
United KingdomVisa same day?
QUOTE (StillThePrettiest @ May 6 2008, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
well, that's why I said 'haven't heard of anyone' and not 'no one has had to' wink.gif

do you know who they were, out of interest? I don't recall anyone posting in this sub-forum about such a thing... may well have missed something though; I only check a few threads wink.gif


Well there have been so few and spread over the time I've been on the board that I don't recall names.

However what popped into my mind when I read your post was someone who waited nearly three weeks for it to arrive. When they contacted the Embassy there was no reason it just hadn't been dealt with. There have been a few others who have waited up to 2 weeks. It just seems at odd times the things don't get sent out at quickly as normal.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-07 12:06:00
United KingdomVisa same day?
QUOTE (StillThePrettiest @ May 6 2008, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
haven't heard of anyone getting it the same day; haven't heard of anyone having to wait the full five days they allow themselves... it seems to average at about two or maybe three days smile.gif

(talking about London, of course smile.gif )


There have been people posting on here, only a very few, but they have waited more than the five days for London to send the visa out. That has happened when the visa has been granted and for no apparent reason just got delayed in sending.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-06 16:40:00
United KingdomLondon US embassy question
QUOTE (Poiteen @ May 9 2008, 04:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
How'd your anti-climax go? laughing.gif


For my age very well innocent.gif
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-09 11:01:00
United KingdomLondon US embassy question
No point in getting there before 8.30am.

Cell phones have to be left at security. You can't take a back pack in that has to be left as well as the phone. Unless you really need a backpack it might not be worth he hassle.

Good luck it will be an anti climax and quite an easy day.

Edited by Lansbury, 08 May 2008 - 01:30 PM.

LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-08 13:29:00
United KingdomUK Police Certificate question
Just list the address as required by ACPO. You get one certificate the address requirement to to assist in identifying your records if there is more than one person listed with an identical name and date of birth. Or you are not listed but another person with identical details is, that way they can determine it isn't you.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-08 10:42:00
United Kingdom..Helllp please
Unless things have changed UK immigration policy does not allow you to change status while in the UK. So if he entered as a visitor he would not be granted a residence visa without leaving first.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-10 13:28:00
United Kingdompacket3 sent with royal mail london
QUOTE (StillThePrettiest @ May 9 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
wait, wait, wait


WAIT


was this Packet 3 sent Special Delivery, or not? because if you don't use Special Delivery for ALL your packets, regardless of number, then you're messing with your OWN life,


but if you send it special delivery it goes into the main Embassy mailbox and goes through the Embassy postal system.

If you send it ordinary mail it goes for some reason straight to the consular visa section mailbox which seems to get it there several days quicker.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-09 14:36:00
United Kingdompacket3 sent with royal mail london
QUOTE (Poiteen @ May 8 2008, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Nope, they get off on meSSing with your liFE!! laughing.gif


No they are teaching you to be self reliant and stand on your own two feet and not to rely on the nanny state. All skills you will urgently need from day one of your life in the New World.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-08 12:07:00
United KingdomInterview Questions for K1-Visa
QUOTE (Poiteen @ May 13 2008, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
At no time does an immigration officer call around to your home and ask you about the mole on your boy's #######. At no point will he be asked what brand of toothpaste you use. yes.gif laughing.gif


You haven't meet the guys from ICE here in Portland then. Even the mayor has been highly critical of them and their collection of mole photographs innocent.gif
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-13 13:16:00
United KingdomOregon-Washington/UK Couples filing or have filed with CSC
There are quite a few Brits already in the Portland area but there isn't anywhere that is a meeting place, we seem to have assimilated into the local culture quite well. Don't recall seeing that many posting who are going through the visa process right now.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-19 14:43:00
United KingdomQuestion on tax returns?
When we did ours in 2006 we took three years tax returns. They asked 3 years of returns and took all of them from us.

My wife had been living in the UK for sometime by then and the tax forms we took were just normal photocopies of the tax returns she sent to the IRS.

I would follow the directions as they are now on the London Embassy web site, but if you have can easily provide 3 years of tax returns do so. Better he has them and not need them than to be asked for them and not be able to.

London seem pretty relaxed about how you provide the financial evidence as long as it is provided. So bank statements are ok although they don't seem to ask for anything more than is necessary to prove you meet the required income or assets.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-20 16:12:00
United KingdomNightmare about Interview
Don't know what you lot are worrying about. As we keep telling you all the interview is the least stressful part of the whole process.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-22 13:37:00
United Kingdomwaiting and worrying
I send that check list anyway, no harm to do so with a covering letter. Why wait while they look for it. It has obviously got separated from the other papers and could be anywhere.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-24 11:11:00
United Kingdomwaiting and worrying
QUOTE (sarahs @ May 17 2008, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Would you happen to know off-hand if on the DS-156, UK citizens need to put their National Insurance Number in the spot where it says "National Identification Number (if applicable)"?


I put "not applicable" because the National Insurance Number is not an identification number
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-18 01:36:00
United Kingdomwaiting and worrying
QUOTE (sarahs @ May 17 2008, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
For certain reasons he was unable to make copies of the forms so he would need another checklist and whatnot.


He can download copies of forms from here.

http://www.usembassy.../visaforms.html

The online checklist doesn't have the box to put the check mark in but that can be put alongside the item, and he would have to known his case number to write that on. It might save you a fews days if the forms you need are online.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-17 15:07:00
United Kingdomwaiting and worrying
QUOTE (sarahs @ May 16 2008, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh gosh I know there are people with far worse issues here than what this is and people who've been waiting WAY longer than me and I really hope everything works out for everyone the way it should, no matter what the issue.

Do you know if England has a sort of "return receipt" for their postal service...where you get a signed post card or something back when they receive the package at the destination?


Recorded or Special Delivery you can then go online and see if it has been delivered. However that delays things at the Embassy a few days as that sort of mail goes into the main Embassy mailbox to await collection, and then has to get sorted at the Embassy and passed to the Consular section.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-16 18:06:00
United Kingdomwaiting and worrying
The not knowing is what causes all the stress. If only they had a web site which showed receipt of documents and the progress of the application much of that stress would be removed.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-07 14:42:00
United KingdomInterview Tip
QUOTE (Poiteen @ May 24 2008, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In case it comes up, they have a notary at the embassy. You're supposed to have an appointment to see them, but if you do have to have it notarised, you could ask them to squeeze you in to the notary's schedule and then drop the letter in to them when it's done. Don't know if they'll go for it, but it would be worth a try. And the notary at the embassy is a lot cheaper than other's i've come across in London.


The notary is in the US Citizen Services part of the Embassy. Unless things have changed a US citizen doesn't need an appointment you just turn up and take a ticket and wait. Of course if the USC isn't available my comment ceases to be helpful.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-25 01:40:00
United KingdomInterview Tip
Congratulations - nuisance about that letter they do seem to get picky about trivial things. Wonder what difference she thinks 4 weeks makes on the date of a letter.

If you want to get it over really quick look at UPS.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-22 15:19:00
United KingdomPassport back?
Good luck tomorrow, it is all quite straight forward.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-26 13:42:00
United KingdomPassport back?
As Poiteen says it will not be a problem if you have to travel now on the visa. Sometimes people cannot travel with in the 6 months and going over to the States and activating the visa and coming out is a way over that problem. Others have come over but had to return to the UK to complete winding up their affairs over there. While that is not the reason you are traveling it will have the same effect.

In fact it will have the advantage that by the time you do come over permanently in August your Green Card and SSN should have been issued and waiting for you.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-24 11:09:00
United Kingdomembassy rules
http://www.usembassy...visa/index.html
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-28 13:56:00
United KingdomAre you worried????????
The only thing that worries me about living in the US is someone using their firearm to defend themselves and the consequences of bullets flying around with just wooden walls between me and them.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-26 13:48:00
United KingdomBritish passport place of isssuance question
Once upon a time they use to put the issuing office details in the passport, I just checked mine and it doesn't seem to be done these days.

By the way the Isle of Man isn't in the Channel Islands whistling.gif

So I guess the answer is either the UK or if issued overseas the Embassy or High Commission is was issued at.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-15 12:37:00
United Kingdomhi all... new here and in London
Use this to search for airfares http://www.kayak.co.uk. It searches multiple ticket sales sites but not all of them.

Summer is one of the peak fare seasons and what with fuel surcharges etc the days of really cheap long haul flights are gone. That search site will find if one ticket agent has a flight cheaper than another but don't be surprised if the fares are quite high.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-05-29 13:38:00
United KingdomHELP! Power of Attorney
You can download a UK power of attorney form for a small fee from here.

http://www.clickdocs...of-attorney.htm
LansburyMaleEngland2008-06-10 11:40:00
United KingdomEmbassy says checklist missing!
Great news glad it has all been resolved and you have an interview date.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-06-10 15:11:00
United KingdomEmbassy says checklist missing!
I've sent you the fax number in a PM
LansburyMaleEngland2008-06-09 20:59:00
United KingdomEmbassy says checklist missing!
I've sent you a reply.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-06-09 16:44:00
United KingdomProcessing Times - London
Sometime in the summer months it can be stuck for several weeks. Karen who runs that section (if she is still there) only has a small staff and if they are not all there things slow down.

(When I was still working in the UK I had a lot of contact with the consular and legal sections of the Embassy through my job.)
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-10 13:21:00