ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomReturning Packet 3
Have they logged your packet 3 return on the system yet? I called DOS and they told me mine had been logged on and I am eligible for an interview but one has not been allocated yet. Maybe try calling DOS to see if they have logged you packet 3 details yet, that may give you some peace of mind?
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-01 14:43:00
United KingdomBig Day Tomorrow
Aaaaw, i'm really sorry to hear that, it must be horrible to get so far just to get delayed at the final hurdle......like others have said, i'm sure you will be approved in time, hopefully it won't be long, fingers crossed you hear soon, star_smile.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-30 16:26:00
United KingdomIV19 - relevant to London interview
Thanks!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 16:27:00
United KingdomIV19 - relevant to London interview
Hi, I posted this in the consular forum but there have been no replies. Has anyone had their packet 4 recently and been confused by it? Mine says enclosed is form IV19 and instructions for the interview, but there was nothing apart from the very same letter? I have searched IV19 on here, checked the UK embassy info and the US embassy website for form IV19 and cannot find any reference to it. Or is the letter with just the date on it all you get? I think I know what to take but they have not sent me any list, should I have received one? Thanks
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 15:58:00
United KingdomMorning all.....
Hi!

Haha, I thought I was the only one crazy enough to move back into the parents so soon before moving to the states. I have been back a week....i've got another 9 weeks here. Lets say its like a tin of sardines. I have also had to change jobs aswell as move house, I must be insane...mind you, my police certificate for work has only today come through so I have had the week off, which I really needed. So I start my new job next week.

Lets hope we re-adjust to being back home quickly good.gif

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-23 07:12:00
United KingdomInterview check
Make sure they are long form birth certificates. If it helps, this is what I was asked for:

Appointment letter outside embassy
Original long Birth cert + copy
Original police cert + copy
Passport
2 passport photos (again, the booth was out of order last Thursday incase anyone is banking on using theirs)
I-134
Full COPY of 2008 tax return including W2

Child custody docs:
Original + copy of HMRC letter
Original + copy of lawyer letter
(asked to send sworn affadavit from notary as well)


Good luck for your interview!!

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-26 14:19:00
United KingdomTHAT miserable receptionist at Bentick Mansions
This is just petty but while i'm in the mood to vent, but she did not even give me a receipt for my £270 cash when I asked her, she said the vaccination record was enough laughing.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 15:36:00
United KingdomTHAT miserable receptionist at Bentick Mansions
We just had our medicals today too....we arrived at 11.30 for our 12.50pm appointment hoping to be seen early or just to wait (it has been the wettest day of the year and we were soaked) only to be told to come back at 12.50 as it was their lunch break mad.gif How nice it must be to get that long for lunch. When we were eventually allowed in, she was as abrupt and ill mannered as others have said before me. She also needs a lesson in the Data Protection Act as she demanded every applicant in the room leave their passports, medical questionnaires and vaccination history on the counter in full view of everybody. This would have you in alot of trouble, if not fired in the NHS. Who the hell wants their most personal details on view to the whole room? Where I work, you can't even leave a personal file face up at your desk, it has to be turned over in case someone not dealing with that patient sees something! I was appalled, especially as I asked to keep my records with me until I was in the room with the nurse, mainly because there were so many bits of paper and a tiny vaccination card of mine from birth that could so easily have been lost, but she insisted, in that 'if you don't like it you can @*$! off' kind of way. Cow, I thought at the time that she must indeed be the infamous receptionist from hell!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 12:14:00
United KingdomHow much stuff did/are you shipping from UK to US?
I am shipping 7 cartons: 1 bike size, 2 very large cartons, 2 medium and 2 small (book/cd size carton) with excessbaggage.com.....I paid approx £500 including insurance.....storage over 4 weeks is extra, so I will pay approx £77 on top of that next week for one months extra storage. I am going on June 26th, so the plan is for them to release my stuff in a week as they say the fastest it can take is 3 weeks to ship by sea, and there are penalty fees US side if your stuff arrives before you do! I'm hoping iit arrives pretty soon after we get there but I am told its generally 6-8 weeks, how long has anyone else waited?
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-30 12:04:00
United KingdomThe Joys of the US medical system
quote]

Shame we can't have the quality of US health care at NHS costs. Bottom line is neither is better than the other there is good and bad in both.
[/quote]


True. I'd rather have NHS quality though thanks, i've worked in US and UK healthcare and feel the standards are far higher in the UK. The hospitals aren't shiney and new, granted, appearances go along way.

It always disappoints me when some people bash the NHS, these people really don't have a clue just how good it is. And as someone earlier said, if you don't like it, go private - and be treated by NHS staff doing overtime haha!!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-06-21 06:24:00
United KingdomSecure Mail Service
The tracking number never worked for me, I had to call them and ask, but they were very good and texted, even changed the delivery address at the last minute and found me at work in a huge hospital kicking.gif Mind you, you do pay for it though!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-07-15 06:50:00
United KingdomMedical
Hi, my daughter and I had our medicals in April. She did not need to have the blood test.

I was also a single parent but my daughter's father was named on the LONG birth certificate, which is the one you need to take to the interview. I had a letter from a solicitor explaining my personal circumstances, and how I had the right under English law to take her wherever I chose without the consent of her biological father. However, the US embassy stated to my face, they are not interested at all in English law, it is what happens after you arrive in the US that they are concerned about and they want concrete proof that you are not in anyway preventing the biological father contact by removing the child to another country without their consent. So, long story a bit shorter, I was sent away from the embassy and told to see a Notary Public to get a sworn affadavit to confirm all I had told them regarding my personal circumstances were true. This is a legally binding statement in terms of your visa approval. The kind of info included on the statement I found to be personally embarrassing, not the sort of thing I would want an acquaintance, neighbour or even friend to read, but thats just me. The statement has to be written in your own words but my Notary guided me as to the kinds of things to say so as to leave no stone unturned in terms of describing EXACTLY the relationship you had with your childs father. I found the K2 part of the process the most difficult, there are gaps (I'm sorry to say) in some of the guidance on VJ where K2's are concerned.

Keep all of the documents you submit pertaining to your parental responsibility. Get an extra copy of the affadavit at the time its written. I re-submitted copies of them all with my AOS as I had no idea whether or not they would need them again, I hope it runs smoother than the K2 process did. You will also need to get a copy of any Parental Responsibility Agreement made or not made in regard to your child. There is a thread much lower down in the UK forum about this with details on how to obtain it. A birth certificate with no paternal details unfortunately does not alone mean that you STILL have lawful custody of the child, therefore obtaining a letter from the HMRC Family Division stating there are no PRA's relating to your child will prove to whomever (including the Notary) that you are still the lawful custodian. I would recommend you get the PRA letter before you spend money on the affadavit, as it is a key document to show the Notary and to have written into the affadvit. PM me if you want to talk any more about this, good luck!

PS timeline.gif

Edited by Kirsten UK, 24 August 2009 - 11:41 AM.

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-24 11:38:00
United KingdomBCG vaccine and tb test
hhhhhhmmm, thats strange, it works for me?? Sorry, i'm no good on computers, I don't know what else to try other than copy and paste, which is what I did originally headbonk.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-25 17:36:00
United KingdomBCG vaccine and tb test
Yep, I too had the BCG at school, and there is now no record of it! I did have a skin test a few years ago, which was positive, and the nurse wrote on the skin test certificate she gave me to say the reaction was due to a previous BCG vaccination. Now, any medical practitioner in the UK can write a letter to say you have a BCG scar if you show it to them as proof of previous immunization.

I could be mistaken, but I think I read recently that they have changed the rules at AOS stage to now screen for TB as well as a few others (Hep A I think??) Yes, a chest x-ray will only exclude active TB, so its debatable what USCIS might potentially do if you haven't had a BCG. I got the I-693 filled out by Dr Arnold just in case purely because of the grey area surrounding TB right now, I sent her my skin test certificate (but i'm not sure whether she included it or not!). Fingers crossed all my medical records are up to date! Heres the link to the TB info:

http://www.uscis.gov...00045f3d6a1RCRD

Edited by Kirsten UK, 24 August 2009 - 09:31 AM.

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-24 09:27:00
United Kingdomlast-minute interview prep questions - please help!
Yes, alwys US sized photographs
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-09 11:23:00
United KingdomHaving children after marriage?
I'm not sure about DCF or CR-1 but if you need to file the I-864 with this then here are the poverty guidelines for 2009 but they will go up in 2010:

http://www.uscis.gov...form/I-864P.pdf


Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-18 13:53:00
United KingdomHaving children after marriage?
Just make sure you have insurance that covers pregnancy, I know mine won't cover me for the first 12 months and i'm not eligible for medicaid!

Edited by Kirsten UK, 17 September 2009 - 08:26 AM.

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-17 08:25:00
United Kingdomhow to watch UK tv Online
Has anyone used PC-Streaming.com to get UK tv? I looked it up and thought it seemed a bit pricey but am seriously considering it as i've got Strictly withdrawals!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-22 14:07:00
United Kingdomhow to watch UK tv Online
QUOTE (Gemmie @ Sep 13 2009, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (primahen @ Sep 8 2009, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
film on hdi player...google it. www.filmon.com. you can watch bbc, itv, channel 4, chanel 5 in real time. bbc two sometimes, but then it asks you to subscribe . there are porn channels but they are subscription. there s also film four, eurosports bbc news ........its good.


Thanks primahen, we downloaded filmonHD and it works great for watching the basic 1-5 channels. : good.gif Now I just have to remember to tune in 5 hours earlier than I did in the UK to catch up with Eastenders and Corrie (yes, I am sad).


Does this mean I will be able to watch Strictly on Saturday?? I am beside myself with grief over it!! I subscribed to UKNova but am particularly thick when it comes to the internet and can't figure it out.....or is filmonHD straight-forward with no strings attached?
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-14 07:40:00
United KingdomTime frame for legally staying in the United Kingdom
Thats fantastic news!! Its all falling into place now smile.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-23 07:15:00
United KingdomCountdown
Well, that was the most enjoyable flight I can remember, good films, food was actually quite tasty biggrin.gif , flight took off on time, landed early and all in all was straight-forward!

POE was a little bit nerve-wracking...after going to the customs desk, the guy put our passports and sealed envelopes into a clear plastic wallet and handed us a number '2' and told us to go to a seperate interview area *gulp*. I had done this once before at Charlotte and was given the third degree and told not to return to the USA for at least 8 months! So this worried me, but after being kept waiting approximately 30 minutes, a nice customs officer (I know, I've not met many nice ones before tongue.gif ) called us to his desk and asked me why i'm here, then wished us good luck for the wedding and congratulations star_smile.gif . That was it, easy-peasy!!

So we're here, soaking up the sun. We get married next Thursday, I am so very excited. I have so far refrained from checking out much of the next stage of the visa process, apart from fees etc. I'm going to enjoy the weekend then start reading up on here on what to do next. This forum is just the most awesome resource out there, there is no way we could have got this far without it, so thank you to everyone that has offered advice, we really appreciate it good.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-06-27 11:31:00
United KingdomCountdown
Well, the time has finally arrived!! My daughter and I are at Gatwick airport right now, due to take off at 10.10am. I will post our experience of POE as soon as we are settled in. Its surreal, it has taken years to get to this point, now it all seems to be happening so fast! star_smile.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-06-26 02:29:00
United KingdomCountdown
Good luck Stinky!!!
We're going in 6 weeks 4 days, seems like a long time still biggrin.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-05-11 00:18:00
United KingdomNHS care for spouse on UK visits
The NHS is still very bad at charging non-UK residents for care at the point of delivery, however, this is starting to change and if she is in the unfortunate position of needing hospital care whilst in the UK, be warned that they may well put their hand out for payment via insurance or some other means. As long as your wife can obtain an NHS number she should be ok. I myself have insisted at times that people who are not eligible for NHS care that is free at the point of delivery pay (as a former NHS employee). She would need to register with a GP upon arrival in the UK, many GP's are so overwhelmed by foreigners that they know how to play the system to get people the required NHS number so as to get them out their door ASAP. It is a sad state of affairs that people such as yourself are so willing to cheat the system and even brag about 'hoodwinking' on here. Just because you paid your NI for years does not make it ok for your wife to obtain free healthcare. The NHS is dreadfully underfunded and is a wonderful resource that needs to be protected to ensure its future so that it may keep UK residents/citizens healthy.

The easiest and most honest thing to do is simply take out travel insurance before you go, that way if she gets sick shes covered, no problem, and it won't cost very much at all if you do some research.
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2010-01-02 09:55:00
United KingdomHealthcare problem.. continuous coverage..!?!?
Not sure, just thinking of any possibilities, have you got a NHS medical card? They are usually given out at birth but you could probably get a copy? It has your NHS number on it and is proof of entitlement to NHS care. I would contact your GP in the UK and ask for one. Good luck!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2010-01-15 06:57:00
United KingdomCoping with the move from the UK to the US
There was only one bit of advice I was given on how to cope before I left by a very good friend of mine who herself had moved to England from South Africa. She said give it 2 years to adjust. Plain and simple, it will take time for it to feel like home when you can pop to the shops and know which brands are best, cheapest or to figure out the coupon systems and to know your way around. I'm clinging on to that advice and am prepared to give it time, it is so vastly different in NC to my former life in and around London that there simply is no point making comparisons, it would only serve to make me homesick.

I have been here 7 months and will finally start work this coming Monday. I did not expect to find a job right away but I did think it would be a bit quicker than this and I never expected to end up in a different field of work after spending most of my adult studying and working in a specific profession. This has been a source of upset for me but I am not going to give up, I WILL find a position that suits me, but I realise now it will simply take alot longer than I had hoped.

Driving. Well, I had never driven before I moved here as you don't need to when you work in London. So in October I got my permit and a week ago I got my license. I am still a very nervous driver and driving here on those huge multi-lanes and inter-sections terrifies me. When I have a bit more experience under my belt i'm sure i'll be able to enjoy the shopping out here a bit more and regain some of my independence. I feel like others that it is key to settling in here as the country is so vast and spread out that you have to drive in order to do even the most basic of tasks.

Friends. Well, I have my husbands friends and their wives, but they are not my friends, lovely though they are. Hopefully when I start work I will meet new people and have the opportunity to make friends of my own, but this again will take time to build relationships up to the level of my 'old' friends back home, and yes, it is still home. I have been quite isolated these past 7 months due to where I live and my inability to drive, but I do feel I have coped well with it and have kept busy by cooking, studying from home, and looking for work constantly online. Its amazing what you can find to do at home when its all you have. Facebook has been a godsend too.

Children. My daughter, who is 12, has settled in well. I can't think what could have happened if she hadn't, I don't honestly think I allowed myself to even consider it. She has made friends at school, is adjusting to the school system and has the most wonderful relationship with her new grandparents here. She is so close to my parents that that has been the hardest thing for her, not seeing them, especially at Christmas, it was bitter-sweet. But we call each other at least once a week for a very long chat and will in time be able to go home to England once a year. My Mum is planning to come and visit in the summer and we can't wait. I miss my father terribly but he is not well enough for the flights, so that bothers me immensely, so I feel an urge to go home constantly just to see him.

It didn't take me long to adjust to the climate - about as long as it takes to get off the plane and walk outside - I love it! I'm a sunbird and am never too hot, I can't wait for those 90 degree days to come back around!! The scenery, space, house, cost of living and way of life are all so wonderful, I love it for what it is and the beauty of NC never fails to amaze me. Its so different to my little part of Blighty, and I look forward to the day that it all seems 'normal' or just familiar.

So, after all my waffling, my only advice is this - give it time, don't expect things to work out overnight. I'm sure my friend is right, 2 years seems reasonable to me.

As for shopping, I still believe you can't beat ASOS.com for fashion, $6 international shipping and it arrives within a week. Maybe thats whats kept me going hehe!!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2010-01-23 18:37:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Thanks!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-19 08:09:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Can anyone clarify how much I have to pay at my interview please? I have been on the NVC websit and it says for processing the DS-156 its $131, but then it says to process the DS230 its $355! And then theres the immigrant visa security surcharge of $45 huh.gif

I'm sure I have read its just $131 per visa??
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-19 07:32:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Maybe an anonymous letter, better still a VJ petition should be sent!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 16:36:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
QUOTE (KnightAndMagpie @ Apr 16 2009, 08:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 16 2009, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
wouldn't one's gender identity be sufficently covered in your birth certificate? I have never understood this, if you're post-op transexual they'll never know the difference anyway!


tongue.gif Well, someone could change their parts out later...y'know, they might hit 18 and decide they want to see what it's like to be another gender for a while.



Magpie.


It may not be just transexuals but people trying to fraudulently pass themselves off as someone they are not. I haven't seen any myself, but I can't imagine remodelled genitalia looks anything like the real thing!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 15:50:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
QUOTE (mr and mrs @ Apr 16 2009, 07:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
<jaw on the floor> WHAAT??!

that is NOT OKAY.

please write a letter of complaint to knightsbridge. and cc: it the embassy, the state department, and your congressperson.


I really don't think its in my interests to complain about something else. I sent a very matter of fact email to the embassy a couple of weeks ago and have since worried about whether that may have any influence over my visa application. All email and correspondance gets added to your file apparently. I know that I ought to complain but it did strike me that Bentinck Mansions and all who work in it feel thet are a law unto themselves, again, quite possibly because they know very well we have no choice but to go there and their income is therefore guaranteed.

On a positive note, although the Dr did not wash her hands or wear gloves, the blood test did not hurt at all, not even a scratch or sting! And also, my daughter had to flash her bits too, much to her amusement.....the Dr said 'your a girl!' to her which she thought was hilarious (she was well aware of the fact after all!) and thought the Dr's comment made it sound like she'd just had a baby!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 15:46:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
You know, it is laughable that they want to check your bits, but sadly, it is a sign of the times with all the trans-gender ops these days, so we all have to be checked just to make sure we're not duping some poor, unsuspecting US citizen biggrin.gif So that part I understand, it was having to sit for 20 minutes in a gown half naked underneath that barely stayed together in a waiting room full of men that made me uncomfortable. I should have been allowed to put my clothes back on after the x-ray, it wouldn't have taken a minute to whip my bra off in the Dr's room, but the radiographer told me I should not get dressed. My advice to women is take a coat and put that on over the top of the gown, I only had my cardie with me that didn't do up!!

The unsanitary equipment that I noticed was on the sharps trolley, the trolley and bowl she used had blood splashes, and she didn't wear gloves or wash her hands ohmy.gif Makes you wonder, they're testing to see what diseases YOU have but god only knows what filth they may be spreading!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 13:20:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Well, my daughter and I have just got back from our medicals and I have to say, as a medical professional, that I have never experienced such rubbish treatment, people can knock the NHS as much as they like, but in all the hospitals I have worked at the standard is far superior, and all this set me back £270! Perhaps if the staff at Bentinck Mansions didn't have a guaranteed income from visa medicals they would actually offer a standard of care that meets the minimum recommended by the governement. Blatent breaches of the Data Protection act, lack of care regarding female dignity, abrupt receptionist, and unsanitary equipment in the medical room itself, sad.gif all in all an unsatisfactory experience.

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-16 11:57:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
I have phoned the embassy in London several times out of sheer desperation and frustration only to be given the same old type of answer...they have limited or no knowledge of your case and are unable to transfer you to anyone that does. My advice is call the Department of State (i'm sorry I don't have the number to hand, literally all of my stuff except my notebook and overnight stuff have gone, moving out tomorrow) and they can tell you the same info that the call centre over here can and its far cheaper. The embassy here though will give you the email code for customer services but over the past 5 weeks I emailed twice and they only responded to my first email after a week and a half. My final email was to notify them of my change of address and they didn't reply, but I found out they had updated a few days later by phoning DoS wink.gif

Edited by Kirsten UK, 13 April 2009 - 10:48 AM.

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-13 10:47:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
I'm really sorry Laura, I wish you all the best for the future and hopoe things work out how you hope.


I got my visa interview date today after calling DOS, its on April 23rd at 9am kicking.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-09 12:18:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Thats a really sensible suggestion, only problem is I have to buy tickets for my daughter and I (and its practically a full adult fare for her on most airlines flying to Charlotte) and the cost is a real issue. I wish I could see into the future! I would definitely book the flights if I had my interview date, I am very tempted to do it before then too...... tongue.gif
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-06 00:15:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
I'm debating buying out tickets today for the end of June...I had intended to go out late July, but its about £400 more then for both of us. I put travel date of June 26th of our forms, but I have no idea when our interview will be and the process has seemed pretty lengthy so far so I am dubious about buying them now but I am worried too that the prices will go up drastically in the coming weeks. Who thinks its a safe bet to book now for the end of June?
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-04-05 13:10:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
QUOTE (KAT&Allie @ Mar 31 2009, 06:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi guys,

just wanted to say hello. So glad I can join this thread FINALLY blush.gif

Plenty of good advice to read about smile.gif. I'll no doubt be posting asking for advice once I get past NVC stage biggrin.gif.


Yay, its good to see you here finally T!!! kicking.gif

Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-31 13:32:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
Mine took one calendar month, I called them on the day it arrived to find out where it was!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-29 03:39:00
United KingdomPeople between NOA2 and Interview ~2009~
I hope so too, thanks all.....now I just hope they acknowledge receipt of my returned packet 3 before I move in 2 weeks time!
Kirsten UKFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-27 15:02:00