biggish data

Cheap phone calls to the UK ?

SKY & BT in the UK have unlimited calling to US landlines or mobiles for 5 pounds/month. I ring hubby a few times and he calls me back...the only catch is you have to hang up before 60min. so we hang up & he calls back for another 60min. If your hubby already has one of these landline providers than he just has to call & ask to add it on.

trojam227

Female

England

2011-05-25 22:41:00

Brit wanting to go...

It's just like admittance to the US. If they like the looks of you, they let you in.

Or not.

Or they do something in between. Like limit the days of your stay.

Or like me after the first few entries/exits, UK Immigration just says "welcome back." They don't even ask how long I'm staying, or my purpose for visiting anymore! LOL...I think they are sick of my face. I've come a long way though..one of my first visits a lady officer asked "how long do you plan on conducting your relationship this way?" I responded with "ummmm, I guess as long as it takes?" I felt like a little kid getting in trouble by the teacher. Whatever you manage to do hun, don't overstay your visits or it will be a major problem down the road if you do decide to get married. And answer all questions honestly on everything!

trojam227

Female

England

2012-03-31 23:17:00

Obtaining Court Records

loosegee, I have experience with this since we needed the same things from the UK. You will need an official ACPO (police certificate) AND you need to go to the court that convicted you for a MOC (memorandum of convictions) and make sure they stamp it with an official seal of some kind. Order the ACPO online here: http://www.acro.poli...rtificates.aspx (there's a whole application process..takes about 2 wks to get once ordered)
If you can't get to the court you can call them and have your MOC mailed to you (takes about a week). They may tell you they can only go back a certain amount of years. If so, ask if they can give you something in writing stating that, because you need it for US immigration purposes. If you live anywhere outside the UK for 6mos or more, you will also need a police certificate from that country. We didn't send the MOC to the NVC and got an RFE! lol...you will definitly need both, or the letter why you couldn't get the MOC. Also, the documents are only good for 1 year, so make sure you get through the NVC stage before they expire. I ordered ours too early and had to get new ones. Good luck

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-06 19:42:00

Poe next week

I am so happy for you and your wife, Sulph!! Chicago airport is pretty descent...they have little white rocking chairs all around for people to chill on...a bit different from JFK or Newark. You should be excited since you guys worked long and hard for this. You family will be there to visit and skype with...this is your future, and you deserve to have one! Even if it's with a Yankee Doodle (as my husband calls me)! Best wishes in your future endeavours.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-07 07:47:00

Subject Access Record ?

Hi Kimmie,

I have never heard of anyone needing a subject access record. I thought if you have a "spent conviction" and it doesn't show up on your ACPO, then you would just get an MOC from the court who convicted you. It may or may not be available depending on how old the conviction is. If he has no arrest history then you just send ACPO...as far as I understood it anyway.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-08 21:50:00

I had my interview today.....

YAY! That's freakin awesome!! Must be a great feeling after all this..I know Newark airport all too well. Hopefully my husband will get to know it sometime this century!

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-07 07:15:00

Looking for a journey buddy

Hey.

I'm new to VJ (I posted my complex situation in the introduction board), but basically I am hoping to be in the US with my husband by the end of this year.

Just wondering if there is anyone on here that is at the beginning of their visa journey and still in the UK? I am based in London and will be filing the I-130 at the end of the month (pay day). I have so many questions and don't want to bombard the boards with them . So looking for anyone who's in a similar position.

Nice to meet you all

Porsha

Hi Porsha, nice to meet you! Cathy will be a good mentor as a fellow UKC who made it through the process. My husband is in England currently waiting. I am the USC so I might be able to help on that end a bit, if you ever need it. Best of luck!

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-16 14:42:00

File I-130 now at lockbox or wait 6 months and DCF at London?

Well, I don't have experience with DCF through london but according to timelines here it cuts processing time in half. But adding the 6 month wait for your wife, it still brings you to about an 10-11 month wait altogether. You can potentially do it in less time having your wife file in the US. It really depends on your personal situation what makes more sense. There are factors to consider when doing DCF...if your wife leaves her job here in the US, who will be your sponsor for Affidavit of Support? How much will she be giving up to move there? Is there any chance you will need a waiver of inadmissibility where living abroad with her spouse would make it difficult to prove extreme hardship? Just examples of things to look into. If none of this applies to you both and you have a USC/LPR sponsor for the I864, then the bonus of DCF is being able to live together while you wait.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-13 22:00:00

I can't wait for my husband to get here and take over the kitchen! He's a better cook and loves to food shop...after 14yrs of doing it I will be happy to hand over the job. :yes:

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-12 14:14:00

Thanks Honey! I will try it on the kids this weekend, not that little yanks are good judges of yorkshire puddings but all I got at the mo.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-16 19:44:00

I have a couple of recipes if you want to try them. Had to adapt mine to US ingredients but they're both original British. One of the recipes is by my BIL who is a Yorkshireman. He says the only requirement to a successful Yorkshire Pud is that you were born there. He also claims that his rise with the lightness of cumulus clouds... but so do mine. He will be here in May. I shall challenge him to a pud-off.

I would love that Krikit! Jamie Oliver's doesn't cut it for me. I got the hot pan, sizzling oil thing down, but the batter isn't quite right. Thank You!

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-16 14:20:00

That's kinda funny because I grew up on campbell's baked beans & tomato soup, and have eaten heinz beans & soup but don't notice much difference. Any brand vegetarian beans also taste the same to me. In the NY/NJ area, Stop N Shop supermarkets have a british section but not cheap. 40 bags of PG Tips is like $4.75! They have mushy peas, heinz beans, heinz soup, and hard to find Cadberry stuff like digestives & curly wurley's and a bunch of other stuff. I found a nice shepherd's pie gravy too..just played around with it adding my own seasonings. The yorkie puds have to be made from scratch...haven't seen aunt bessie's around here! I'm working on perfecting them before my husband gets here. He doesn't think it can be done by a Yank, but I will prove him wrong!! lol

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-08 23:02:00

Finger prints with police certificate?

I just realized you are DCF. If I can recall, e-scanned fingerprints are taken at the embassy on interview day. I have not heard of london wanting fingerprints ahead of interview for DCF. You may have read that to order foreign police certs fingerprints are required (countries outside the UK).

Edited by trojam227, 29 May 2012 - 05:17 AM.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-29 05:10:00

Finger prints with police certificate?

No. To order the ACPO you do not need fingerprints. We have ordered two in the past 2 yrs, so I know for sure it is not a requirement.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-29 04:41:00

I don't know. Perhaps a call to knightsbridge to ask if they have a specific list or how exactly you are to accomplish what they need. I recall a previous case where the person was saying they had to have a private evaluation and it cost them 700 pounds. There was a woman whose SO was popping off at the Knightsbridge exam when asked how many pints he had on a typical night at the pub. He said about 10. That didn't go over as funny. His whole case was referred back to the US for a CDC evaluation and I don't know if they ever got the visa.

Your case is not about current behavior like that one, so is in a totally different ball game. Your incidents were long ago so maybe the evaluation, though a delay, might not be negative for current harmful behaviors.

OK I will call knightsbridge tmro. I think I know the case you are talking about and if it's the same one, her husband was required to do a rehabilitation program for 3 years. I think 1 year has passed already.

I think you are right that she couldn't make a mental health diagnosis with only the police report and the answers he gave her so she is passing it off to the professional. I am pretty sure he will pass the medical, but it will likely hold things up for us filing the I-601 for his convictions. We have been waiting so long for this denial just so we can move on to the next phase...doesn't seem right.

Thanks again for your input and keep me in mind if you come across anything else of relevance.

(I am a little less neurotic today so I can get a grip on this issue and just keep plugging away)

trojam227

Female

England

2012-06-25 14:13:00

Two years ago new Technical Instructions for Civil Suurgeons and Panel Physicians came out concerning Physical or Mental Disorders with Associated Harmful Behaviors and Substance-Related Disorders. It somewhat put the onus on the doctors to gather information from the patient to make their determination.

Around that time, Knightsbridge started requiring the police certificate. When it first started I kinda speculated that maybe people were showing up for interview without them because they didn't order in time so the Embassy was getting tricky and making them be shown to get the medicsl to make sure they would have them for the interview. Then after discovering the new Mental Health guidelines, it seemed more likely that it was a way for Knightsbridge to get a clue about possible addictions. If a police report had drug arrests, DUIs or a lot of pub brawls, it gave them a hint to ask alot more questions to meet their new responsibility of uncovering possible substance abuse issues.

Here's two links about the new guidelines and the actual instructions.

This one explains that diagnosis is based on clinical terms as defined in the DSM. That's kinda the bible to psychiatrists. I'm only famililiar with the DSM because I spent a week this year on jury duty of a repeat offender pedophile, sexual pervert, etc. Most of it was a parade of psychiatrists explaining their evaluations and reading definitions from the DSM. One classified him as a deviant over a pervert because of this or that. I don't even remember all the psych terms now but I remember the definition in the DSM was all important. So perhaps the GP at Knightsbridge is not all that up on making a judgement call on this one so is passing it off to a psychiatrist to cover his a$$. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing for you. It's more like the GP sees a pattern of behavior, but he needs a psych who knows those clinical definitions to evaluate.
http://www.cdc.gov/i...structions.html

And here's the latest version of the Technical Instructions on the topic. You'll see in there that it shifts responsibility to the Panel Physician to gather records, etc to make the determination or seek the opinion of specialists.
http://www.cdc.gov/i...ealth-pp-ti.pdf

Read all of it so you know what they are probing for. It may not be as bad as you think.

Thank You...this makes it a little clearer. Now we just have to hope that either he is not found to have had a mental disorder causing harmful behavior likely to reoccur, or that he is in remission. Another monkey wrench I wasn't expecting. So it does look like CDC will be getting the results if he has a class A or B.

Any clue where he is supposed to have the psych eval done? Does GP set it up or do we find our own doc?

trojam227

Female

England

2012-06-25 08:18:00

It probably was the DUI that did it then (although it is old). They are going to evaluate if he has a drinking problem. If he had more then one DUI he might need a waiver.

This thread might be of interest, http://www.visajourn...visa-now-i-601/

Thank you for pointing out this thread. Not sure what to make of all this except that we will see how the psych eval turns out. If you find anything else that might be helpful, please post!

trojam227

Female

England

2012-06-25 08:12:00

He has convictions from the 1980's and early 90's. No drug charges ever, 1 dui from 20 years ago, and the rest were assault & a GBH sec 20. All fist fights. He never served jail time and received either a small fine or community service. The UK makes you bring the police certificate to the medical appointment.

She did drill him about all the convictions and also asked him 3 times if he ever did drugs. He said "listen, I never did drugs, drugs were not my thing, and I don't plan on starting now at 48 years old. I hung around with a bunch of lads at the pub when I was younger and punch ups were a weekly occurence." He hasn't been in trouble in a very, very long time but they still want him to repent and rake him through the coals. Now he must have a mental problem associated with harmful behavior that happened while Regan was president!!

I am losing faith in this country by the minute! Do they realize what kind of people are already here illegally??? Try and do things the legal way and all you get is scrutiny..I am so angry at this system I could spit bullets.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-06-24 20:02:00

I am not usually one to ask questions on here anymore being a member who has been in this process longer than I'd care to admit, but I need help.

My husband had his medical exam on friday. His interview is this coming Friday. He was drilled on his police certificate for 40 minutes and the end result was that he has to have a Psychological Evaluation before the panel physician will forward his medical results to the embassy. She wants to make sure he doesn't have a mental condition associated with harmful behavior..

How long will this hold up the denial notice from the embassy, because I can't file the waiver without the denial first! What can we expect to happen at the interview? Should my husband explain what the hold up with the medical results are all about? Does CDC have to get involved with this?

I am seriously in panic mode right now, so personal experience or knowledgeable input only please.

(and yes, I am going to contact a lawyer this week but I want some enlightenment on this subject)

Thanks, I appreciate it..

Edited by trojam227, 24 June 2012 - 06:30 PM.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-06-24 18:28:00

Transition Issues

I have a couple of suggestions for those who aren't here yet, and for those who read this thread in the future:

To the one moving from abroad:

Make sure you have some of your everyday familiar items with you from Day One. Things that to you, make your present home a home. Some art prints; a decorative pillow; anything - whatever it is that says "home" to you. Even if it's worn out. It's yours. It's home.

Try to think of your first few months here as a time to renew yourself. Plan for the renewal. Make a list of projects you have been wanting to do and didn't have time for in your old busy life. Share these projects with your American spouse BEFORE YOU GET HERE. Set aside funds for them (if necessary) and then DO THEM when you get here.

Be open and honest with your American spouse. Their life has changed now that you are here. But not as much as yours. Sometimes we get busy and just think you are OK. Tell us when you aren't.

To the US citizen:

Get rid of the blatant "ex" stuff in your.

Make closest space, drawer space, bookcase space, DVD space - as much space as you can.

Make a physical space for your spouse from abroad. I hung a pair of curtains in our home office that looked like some you see would see in my husband's country. We hung two pictures from his old house over his desk.

Get some patience and some understanding. And some empathy. Lots. You might have been the reason someone moved thousands of miles to get here. But you aren't a good enough reason for their life to come to a standstill.

Thanks Rebecca Jo, good tips! I agree that we aren't a good enough reason for anybody's life to come to a standstill. Our lives have been at a standstill for years! It'll be a relief to breath fresh air again and actually work together to build something "real". Limbo, stagnant, whatever you want to call it, is not a comfortable place to be.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-14 08:06:00

National Visa Center (Dept of State)

Transition Issues

This house that I am living in used to be my husbands home with his first wife, they lived here for 12 years and were married for 14 years. Larry lived on his own here as a bachelor for 3 years, but I wonder sometimes whether that fact is bothering me? ....I have to shower....

Maybe when you get on your feet and start gaining some confidence you can make a suggestion to your husband that you start shopping around for a new house. I live in the house that me & my ex shared at one time, and I already have a plan that when my husband gets here we will put it on the market and look for a place that's OURS.

Another thought, since you like blogging, why not jump into some photography to document all the new things around your new home! A lot of adult continuing education centers have photography classes and maybe it will get your creativity flowing?!

I bought my husband a DSLR camera and a couple of lenses for our anniversary, so he is learning how to use it now so he atleast has something to do and show people back home, if he can't find a job right away.

I feel bad that you are struggling this much...wish I lived closer, we could hang out. I'm a little worried about my hub not adjusting well whenever he finally gets here. He lives life as a single guy in his own flat with his grown kids in the same town, but does his own thing. I live in a house with my kids who I love to death but miss companionship tremendously and can't wait to feel motivated again to go outside and make the yard look beautiful, or cook dinner, or iron clothes for someone who enjoys & appreciates it. I'll be so happy to have him and he'll hate it. That's my biggest nightmare.

Hang in there hunny, he is probably loving that you are around and you will find your own identity again.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-13 15:15:00

CLARIFICATION

VJ

Question for anyone. I keep reading the I need to send in my wifes police clearances in to the NVC for processing, but I am also reading and told by people here in Japan that I need to hand carry the police clearances to the Embassy. I was instructed that the Consuler needs to be the one to open it.

So do I send it in or bring it the day of the interview?

Thanks!

The NVC will definitely want the original certificate. Unlikely they will complete your case without it. Order 2, send 1 and keep one for interview if you are worried about this. That's what I would do anyway.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-04-12 07:11:00

National Visa Center (Dept of State)

nvc documents

You keep checking the payment portal until the invoices show "PAID". Click on each one and follow instructions on how to print barcoded receipts. Send the I864 package with the appropriate barcode sheet on top, send the DS230 and all documents with the IV barcode receipt on top.

trojam227

Female

England

2012-05-02 20:08:00

OKAY GUYS I NEED YOUR HELP. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MATTER TO ME, SO I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.

WELL MY HUSBAND GOT HIS VISA TWO WEEKS AGO AND HE SCANNED HIS VISA AND PASSPORT TO KABUL AIRLINE TO BOOK A TICKET. HE DID THIS FROM KANDAHAR, AND HIS CLOSE FRIEND WILL BRING HIM THE TICKET FROM KABUL. MY DAD FOUND OUT AND HE SAID THIS WAS ILLEGAL AND HE WILL BE TROUBLED IN THE AIRPORT UPON HIS ARRIVAL TO THE US WHICH IS IN 5 DAYS!!! SO PLEASE HELP ME, IS THIS POSSIBLE WHAT HE DID, AND IS IT OKAY?? IS IT LEGAL? THE TICKET WAS 1100.00 US DOLLARS, I HOPE THE PEOPLE WERE NOT TRICKING HIM. PLEASE HELP MEEEE.......I AM PRAYING FOR YOU ALL.......
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU HELP AND SUPPORT....
GOOD LUCK TO ALL, I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR HELP!!!!
PLEASE WRITE ASAP!!!

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-10 23:01:00

Thanks Abenitez, I feel a lot better. I dont know why they will supposedly take one of his suitcase, but thats what i heard, so I hope insha'ALLAH you are right. Thank you so much for your help.

Good Luck to ALL}

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-09 23:52:00

Thanks Transformer for the info. I dont know why Dubai will take one of his suitcases, but my mothers friend's son was coming through kandahar airport, then in Dubai they took one of his luggage, and kept the other one. I hope the same doesnt happen for my fiance. Also, if anyone knows how long they keep people waiting in dubai??

thanks alot for writing backk....
good luck to all

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-09 16:20:00

I AM SOO SORRY EVERYONE!!! I MEANT MY FIANCE IS COMING THROUGH KANDAHAR AIRPORT NOT KABUL. I GOT MESSED UP! SORRYY..
PLEASEE HELP!
THANX AND GOOD LUCK!!

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-09 00:58:00

HEY MEMEBERS.... I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS CAN HELP. ITS BEEN A WEEK AND A HALF DINCE MY FIANCE GOT HIS VISA AND HE JUST BOOKED A FLIGHT AND IS COMING TO NYC. HE IS COMING THROUGH THE KABUL AIRPORT THEN TO DUBAI THEN TO LONDON, NYC... SO MY QUESTION IS, IS HE GOING TO NEED A DUBAI VISA? EVEN THOUGH HE IS NOT STAYING OVERNIGHT? IM NOT SURE ABOUT THIS AND I WAS HOPING YOU GUYS CAN HELP. ALSO, I HEARD TODAY FROM A WOMAN, THAT THEY ONLY LET ONE SUITCASE PER PERSON IF TRAVELING THROUGH KABUL, IS THIS TRUE? I HEARD THAT DUBAI WILL TAKE ONE OF YOUR LUGGAGE AND LET YOU KEEP THE OTHER. I HOPE THIS IS NOT TRUE.

PLEASEEEEE HELP MEEE....
I AM PRAYING FOR YOU ALL, AND GOOD LUCK......

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-09 00:30:00

Congrats to all with visa in hand, isnt this weird, as soon as my fiance received his visa everyone else started to get them too. well i am glad that happened, and i will continue to pray for everyone else who is still in Ap......good luck and pray my fiance gets here soon, and has no problems in POE...thanks alllllll

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-06 15:52:00

OMG congrats sweethearts!!!! That is more than good news!!!! I told you guys they are going to issue visas to people who have been in AP for at least 3 months. I am sooo happy for you!! Doesnt it feel great!!! Good Luck.......and be happy.....

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-05 15:48:00

Farah, they dont reply to your emails because they can only reply back to the applicant who is your husband.

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-04 22:39:00

Thanks revived, but the thing is with my Fiance is that he cannot come through Pakistan Airlines, because he does not have a Pakistan visa and they will issue him a pakistan visa for $800.00. That is a lot of money plus the airline ticket is 1100.00 for Kam air. So my family is suggesting him to come through Kabul but my bro-in-law is saying that he will make a stop in Dubai and that they will give a lot of problems there. I hope someone will give me some advice, for this is the last phase that I am going through. I am praying for everyone so please PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEMS??!!

I THANK EVERYONE AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-04 22:37:00

Yes, i don't think this is true transformer, My whole family has been coming through JFK forever, and doesn't matter which airport you come through you will interrogation. And also my husband doesn't have a beard, and is only 21 years of age, so i don't think he will have many problems. But it is all in ALLAH hands, but i thank you for trying to help. Thanks, also if anyone knows, from which airline should he come through? From karachi or Kandahar?? Which airline will give him the least problems???? PLEASE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP>>>>>

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-04 16:33:00

Well yes i meant leaving from karachi. sorry, lol. Umm he has not bought a ticket yet, because he has to renew his pakistan visa, and i was also wondering how far along they will issue him a ticket, i hope a week or two before ramadan... But honestly I dont care when he comes as long as he arrives here in ny safe and sound. I thank you all for your help. YOU ARE ALL IN MY DAILY PRAYERS. THIS IS A GOOD MONTH, SO HAVE SOME FAITH AND YOUR PRAYERS WILL BE HEARD. AMEEN.

waiting4myheart

Female

Afghanistan

2009-08-03 21:38:00