ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomSo my cat (who belonged to somebody else) is legally mine as it happens
I am so glad you get to keep the cat as yours... I know how precious pets are!!

We moved our Mischief (she's a cat) here to the US in December from the UK.. let me know if you have any questions that pop up with the move, happy to help!


(PS- cats don't need rabies vacs to come from the UK to the US) :)


I'm trying to stave off more worries about the finalisation of getting to the USA, I got my visa last week and this week had to deal with the cat. It has been another nightmare of worry for me and the cat who I thought was 2 years old and I have now been corrected.

2 years ago I obtained a cat that was crying at my door that I thought was a kitten (now proven to be a very malnourished 2 year old cat.) All the neighbours told me my next door neighbour had thrown him out some weeks ago. I spent the next 2 years caring for the cat and avoiding the neighbour, who subsequently threw away the cat bowl and litter box he had, so I was certain the cat was abandoned, not least by the fact the neighbour did not care that the cat spent all of his time in my house.

Now I got my visa I had to face my very worst fear of taking the cat to the vet who told me he was chipped and had been regged at that particular vet by my next door neighbour. They also said this was a tricky legal area and they were going to have to alert the owner and tell him I have his cat, unlss I speak to him first. The vet was also quite adamant I should tell him I wanted ownership of it in order to take it out of the country!

I didn;t want to speak to the guy in case he said "no you cannot take my cat to the USA." But I worked up the courage to. He took the business card of the vet and told me happily that he would ring and transfer ownership. He then proceeded to fail to ring. I've been ringing the vet every day, who got thoroughly fed up of me and told me there was nothing they could do, that it was a legal battle I would have to have on my own hands.

I didn't want to leave the cat in the UK only to continue to be abandoned by said neighbour, and taken in by the RSPCA who would proceed to kill it. I have felt like I am stuck in limbo and utterly despondent at this situation. I still do not have my plane ticket booked.

This turns out to be utter rubbish. The vet rang back today and said they researched it and it's legally my cat, and legally I don't have to speak to the previous owners so if I don't want to I should not. The reason it is legally my cat is for a start it did not even belong to the next door neighbour, it was only regged at the vets in his name. The owners, that he now said he bought it off are in Manchester. The company that chipped the cat have been alerted, they have contacted the original owners but they are not answering their phone nor returning messages. The cat has not been reported stolen nor missing in 4 years of its life. After 2 years of a cat going "AWOL," if nobody claims it in that time then after that period it can be claimed and reregged in the name of whoever claims it. So it is legally my cat as I was the first to take it into the vets and say it was mine. I've been given the code number from his chip, phoned the registration company today who have told me the vet already rang about an abandoned cat with this ID. THey confirmed nobody had ever reported him missing so he's mine and all I needed to do was pay 15 pounds to reg him in my name. Now I can get him his rabies vaccination without any vet flipping out saying they MUST alert the owner that I have their cat and am abducting it to the USA.

I'm so relieved about this, but I do wonder why nobody ever know the correct information about anything.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-13 10:02:00
United KingdomLND CASE NUMBER
Perfect! Good luck :) Schedule as soon as :)

So I called the NVC today....and I'll be dammed...they had my LND CASE NUMBER......GREAT NEWS....from my NOA2 approval date which was the 24th of April til the 18th of May it took 17 working days.....

Now for the medical \;0


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-18 18:11:00
United KingdomHas the UK recently outlawed animals as carry on baggage?
Note that I think you are forbidden to give your pet anything in order to calm them before the flight, due to adverse reactions with the altittude, etc. (a few years ago, I believe you could)



With regard to taking your pet out - assuming you have enough time after you go through immigration, etc. AND to go back through security, then that will be fine.



Just from my experience though, my cat was too darn scared to do anything. She didn't eat / drink / anything until she was at my parents house. Meaning - she did nothing for about 20 hours. Remarkable kitty ;-)


My other worry-

No direct flights to where I was going on the airlines that allow pets. I have to travel on two planes. I am not bothered about taking the cat out of its carrier at any point, he was good as gold at the vets yesterday but that was principally because I was there. I really hope at the connecting airport which I'm guessing is my port of entry, that I am allowed to leave the airport, feed the cat and come back in. I have for this purpose bought a cat leash in case. Iam not joking about this cat, he is ridiculous. My neighbour was feeding him at one point, because I was at work. She let him in because it was raining. He saw me come home and tried to jump out of an upstairs window to get to me, while howling bitterly. This is going to be close to 24 hours of him being in a bag. We have taken long trps around the town on buses to acclimatise him but I'm not too sure this is going to be anything less than extremely stressful, not least if I am delayed at PoE and miss the connecting flight. Because there are no more connecting flights that day on the pet friendly airline! Fortunately there are pet friendly hotels in the area.

Do I take the cat through immigration? I heard that they prioritise families with kids at Washington DC (connecting airport.) I'm really hoping I will get prioritised if I am holding a cat because it would be terrible to miss the flight and subject the cat to more stress.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-21 11:14:00
United KingdomHas the UK recently outlawed animals as carry on baggage?
No, they won't take your cat away from you when you are boarding the plane.

** YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE YOUR CAT OUT OF ITS CARRIER **

After you go through security, they will guide you to a small room where you will need to take your cat out of its carrier. They will ask you to hold the cat whilst they take its carrier and run it through the security belt (because obviously, they cannot do that with the pet in it!)

I think Premium Economy was an extra 50 quid for my flight (LHR - LAX), but I believe it varies. Your cat needs to fit under the seat. There's unfortunately, no way around that.

Unless it is somehow not much more expensive, I don't really want to spend that much more money. This has been an EXTREMELY expensive and lengthy visa process for me, compared to many others coming from first world countries. If I have to scrunch up in my seat and not be comfortable because the bag doesn't quite fit under the seat I'm going to have to put up with it. If I can somehow get an upgrade on the day that isn't too expensive I'll go for it.

The thing that most concerns me is I saw on another post that even though the cat is deemed hand baggage, that they take it away and put it on your seat waiting for you. I'm really concerned that my cat is going to wail and wail and be deemed stressed and unfit for travel. This is a very noisy cat that "talks" all the time, I'm already prepared for having to keep the cat quiet by waving interesting things in front of his bag. Right now as I type the cat is wailing for attention. Really concerned it will be seen as stress and they won't take him on the plane. I wanted to be able to watch him all the time to keep him quiet.

As for the people with allergies, no the cat hair cannot fly out of the bag. The bag has very fine mesh. Also very few airlines allow pets on board. Those that do only allow 2 pet for the entire plane.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-20 14:44:00
United KingdomHas the UK recently outlawed animals as carry on baggage?
Ours was 16" D x 9" W x 11" H, and it was a good fit. There are some other albeit older posts on here about travelling with animals in the cabin.


I would say - get to the airport very early - that way, you will know if there are any problems early on.

But honestly, I think you will be fine. I know it's very stressful.


Also - did you by any chance buy a seat in Economy Plus? That would be my recommendation. You get just a bit more leg / under the seat room, which could make or break your pet fitting under your seat.

In normal economy, the aisle seats have slightly smaller under seat stowage. I think it was all the same in Economy Plus.


Well they told me to get a sherpa bag and it could be 18" by 11" by 11", if it was a solid bag the dimensions were less. But I'm still worried because they have given me different information every time. I'm worried because I bought this bag: Medium Sherpa Bag Dimensions: 45cm (18") D x 27.5cm (11") W x 26.25cm (10.5") H. Bag Weight: 1.30kg (2.87lbs) For pets up to 7.26kg (16lbs)

Worried it will be too big!


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-19 10:43:00
United KingdomHas the UK recently outlawed animals as carry on baggage?
When I flew with my cat in February, there were no precautions against allergies or anything. They didn't even ask anyone around me if they had a problem. Luckily - the woman next to me loved cats.

The Sherpa bag is AMAZING (for the cat anyway).

I bought this one in the pink: http://www.sherpapet...at Tote Carrier

Note that it technically DOES exceed United's size restictions but I promise you - it DOES fit under the seat and is amazing.

It's just over 1kg - but I'm not sure why they told you that about the weight. People's suitcases are heavier than that. You will be fine.


Just out of curiousity - is that Sherpa bag thing so tight that cat hair can't get through or are there any other precautions taken regarding people with severe allergies to cats? My soon-to-be mother-in-law would have serious problems if you sat next to her with a cat for an 8 hour flight...


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-18 18:16:00
United KingdomHas the UK recently outlawed animals as carry on baggage?
In February of this year, I moved from London (LHR) to Los Angeles with my cat in the cabin with me... under my seat.

That page that you linked to - I believe when I viewed it it said that pets were something like 200 pounds (note - which was wrong. I think she cost me between 40 - 80 pounds. All I know is it was considerably less).

Call United's booking line (I called the US number, even though I was in the U.K.) and chat with them about what you're trying to do.

You will need to book your flight first, and THEN add the pet. You can book over the phone and add your pet at the same time OR you can book online and add your pet later (That's what I did - but it can be risky, as only 2 pets were allowed in the economy cabin. I did it almost straight away and confirmed that at the time I called, no pets were booked yet).


I hope they haven't changed anything for you, as it was wonderful being able to fly with Mischief!!



I really need help, I have been trying to book a flight via United airlines but the people on the phone are just clueless. But despite the fact people on this site have taken their animals as hand baggage on United, I found this page on united's site that suggests they are NOT ACCEPTED from the UK, as hand or checked baggage.

http://www.united.co...,,53410,00.html

So I went to delta's site and found this:

"United Kingdom (U.K.) regulations do not permit carry-on pets or accompanied pets traveling with passenger baggage. All animals, including service animals, must be transported as cargo. "

What is going on? Any advice? God but I hate this country. This makes me hate it more.

I can;t put my cat in cargo. I just can't. I guess this means I'm giving my cat away.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-17 16:08:00
United KingdomTravel Info, Advice and Deals
I usually buy direct from the airline's web sites.. however...

In February when I moved from the UK to the US, I got a great deal off STA Travel's web site for a one way ticket (LHR - LAX) that was just over 200 pounds. The same ticket if I would have purchased off BA's website was £900 something.

My fiance's moving in June and his ticket was around £320, LHR - LAX. Again - used STA.

Thought it would be worthwhile starting up a thread that could serve as a forum for travel queries and discussion.

e.g. where does everyone springboard to/from when crossing countries? My fiancee is in South Carolina, so thus far I've been doing a London - New York leg ahead of an internal flight down the East coast (usually La Guardia - Myrtle Beach).

Never sure if there might be a better way, but flights to places like Chicago and Tucson always seem more expensive than NY.

I need any tips I can get at the moment, really. Seems like I'll be looking at a mid-July flight but the summer prices are extortionate - even budget airline Iceland Express' staple flight (Gatwick to Newark via Reykjavik) has been hiked from £140 to £270 (and, in some cases, even £399).

Any advice much appreciated :thumbs:

Feel free to keep this thread updated with questions, deals and reports of your own, too.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-22 21:13:00
United KingdomExcess Bagage
Agreed! I did that and it worked out so well..

The chap who checked me in was really nice.. my bags were slightly over the 50 lb limit but he let them through, as I explained I was moving ;-)

All the best!!

I'm hoping to fly with BA this week or next on my CR1 visa.

I'm going to fly with 3 suitcases. Initially I'm only allowed 1, but the excess charge per suitcase is something like £40 each. Far cheaper then shipping my things across or using royal fail :)


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-22 21:15:00
United Kingdomi-129f question
We did United Kingdom. Everything worked out well. I think some chap who wrote GB once had some issues... I'll try to locate the post, if I can.

Just a word - don't abbreviate anything (like county or whatever... e.g don't say Herts. for Hertfordshire).

Edited to include link: http://www.visajourn...-years-instead/

That's the post I was referencing above.




So i was wondering, on the I-129f form, in the "state/country", "Country of Citizenship" etc boxes, what do I write? Does it matter whether I put United Kingdom, or Great Britain or not? I've been using "Great Britain", but just wanted to be sure I was putting the right one down. Thanks!


Edited by * Kristin *, 07 June 2011 - 05:59 PM.

* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-06-07 17:58:00
United KingdomMedical Interview Question
Nope, I don't believe they do. Bring any record of jabs, etc. with you that you can obtain from your GP.


Hi all,

We're currently going through the visa process to relocate to America (wife and I are both currently living in UK, she's the USC), and I will (hopefully) shortly be receiving Packet 3, necessitating the booking of a Medical examination with the US Embassy's doctors down in London.

Having taken a look at the guidelines and questionnaire forms, I'm curious as to whether the doctors at the Knightsbridge clinics have the same rights and access to my medical records as my local GP would do?


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-06-21 12:25:00
United KingdomDS-2001, do I need to inform embassy of address alteration?
Try to inform them is my suggestion...

My fiance had moved and used his new address on the DS-2001.... but strangely enough - never got the appt letter in the post. (Now, was this because it was a new address, was it lost in the post, who knows..) Found out the appointment date by calling DOS, so were lucky in that sense...!

Hello!

Just a quick one- I sent off my DS-2001 last week with my packet 3. On this form it asks for the address you would like your appointment letter sent to. I have just moved house and so I put down my new address on the DS-2001.

Does this mean I don't have to call the embassy to inform them of my address alteration? apart from mailing the hopefully approved visa back to me after the interview, a situation I assume I will be able to specify an address for at the time, I can't forsee them using my address again- OR do you think it's better safe than sorry?

Thank you for any help.
Emma


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-06-22 10:30:00
United KingdomHow long to log packet 3 at embassy
Three to six months to issue a visa after that?! That seems awfully high, even with waiting for an interview appt, having an appt, and getting the visa issued...

For those of you out there in the same situation, i have just called the helpline, and not had the news i wanted to hear:

It is currently taking 2 - 4 weeks to log the receipt of forms.

they will not issue an email code until after 4 weeks - so don't waste your time calling for one.

They then estimate 3 - 6 months to the issue of a visa.

I've spent an hour crying, and contemplating why we thought it would be a good idea to move to the US instead of him moving here, we clearly made the wrong move.

Just hope this info might help some other peeps out there


Edited by * Kristin *, 11 May 2011 - 10:30 AM.

* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-11 10:29:00
United Kingdomprepaying for interview in london embassy
Once you prepay, you will be emailed a receipt of payment that you will take to your interview appointment. They will ask you for this upon arrival.

I have read of people who have paid 'on the day' - but I'm not sure how this works :-/

Ok. So I am totally confused. According to this http://photos.state....visa/iv_019.pdf we are to pay for our interview on the day of the interview at the embassy. HOWEVER, I keep reading in multiple posts that we are to prepay for it or we will not even be let in the embassy. Can someone please help us in this?? I don't want to get screwed over again like I have a few times already in this journey.
Thanks in advance.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-06-27 12:45:00
United KingdomShipping from the UK to the USA?
Another suitcase only cost me about 40 quid... and it was nice to be able to have my stuff same-day (even though it wasn't super important..)

I wish I knew how to send something surface mail - it must be cheaper than DHL et al?

I've had parcels (big ones!) from the US that have taken weeks to get here and have come surface mail... so surely its possible to send a large parcel via surface for cheaper than via airmail?

2.5 kg box measuring 40 x 30 x 20 will cost me £35 to send to the US via parcel2go. Ow.

Edit: Done some research, and surface mail probably wouldn't be much cheaper. Guess I'll bite the bullet. Cheaper than another suitcase...probably.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-28 18:48:00
United KingdomShipping from the UK to the USA?
Agree!

It would probably be easier to re-purchase the items here.... saves $$ and less hassle!


Hi there

I would think very seriously whether it is worth bringing any electronic items over, the reason I say this is that the usa uses a different power supply than the uk, and electronic items are so much cheaper here, when you weigh up the costs of shipping it will probably be cheaper in the end to buy one here. Also I shipped over my computer and even had a new power supply put in but I ended up buying a new one here.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-18 10:19:00
United KingdomVisa In Hand
Agreed - you should be all right, assuming that you don't get places into AP, they don't misplace anything, etc..... it really is best to wait 'til you have the visa, just in case anything were to go wrong. (can't say we followed that advice, but we're just thankful everything worked out)

Probably.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-08-10 10:20:00
United KingdomAny of y'all homesick?
If anyone's in the Orange County, CA area (or feels up for a drive there) :), there is a wonderful little shop in Laguna Niguel that carries an assortment of British goods called African Hut (yes, they also do carry South African good). We popped in there last weekend and caught up on some of his favourites... Lucozade, fruity Brown Sauce, Cadbury Snack, etc. In addition to food items, they also have household goods (e.g. Fairy liquid).

Not too overpriced, shockingly, :)

We'll definitely be going back!
* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-25 10:57:00
United KingdomG-325A
We used United Kingdom....

i know this might sound like a stupid question but when it asks for country of birth and country of residence do i put england. united kingdom or great britain ??? i just dont wanna get it wrong lol.
thanks :)


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-08-10 10:22:00
United KingdomDebt in the UK when you move to the USA?
I could have bought a return plane ticket for what it cost me to buy out my Vodafone contract (still bitter).


I thought about sticking two fingers up to O2 (my cell provider) but I am not in the position of leaving a house that I occupy on my own. My parents still live here and they still use O2 for broadband internet.

So .. I think morally (!) and legally I ought to buy myself out of the contract, even though I'd rather not. I will try and use the "O2 don't provide a service in the US..." angle though.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-19 17:14:00
United KingdomDrivers Licences...
A perhaps silly question... if you are driving as a visitor on a UK license, do you need insurance? I was speaking to our insurance agent about this and she said she could add my fiance - on his British license - to our insurance. Is this wise? And is it needed...?

David,

your question is not an uncommon one and the issue surely is confusing as driver's license laws are a matter of the state, not the US government, and since we have 50 of these, there's a lot of different soups to be cooked.

Indiana is a new one for me so I had a quick read on the subject, but the way I interpret what's written, you do not meet the residency requirement of the State of Indiana yet and you are not in a position to satisfy Indiana's Secure ID requirements either. Thus, you are not a resident yet and can use your British license until you have become one and can document it. At that point your 30-day window opens.

http://www.in.gov/bmv/2766.htm


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-28 12:53:00
United KingdomIs this going to be a problem at the interview?
They don't need to be notorized anymore :)

Thank you both :)


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-09-06 11:25:00
United Kingdomtaking my cat to Florida
For letter templates and such, http://www.sherpapet...anteed_on_board was a great resource for us. They have little forms that you can fill out to show your vet exactly what to write in the letter.


How the hell do I take my cat to live in Florida?

I've rang DEFRA and they just linked me to this:

http://www.aphis.usd...ts_states.shtml

Which makes no sense to me whatsoever. Can somebody help me please.. ARGHHHHH!!

cheers :)


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-09-09 10:26:00
United Kingdomhow do you withdraw money on an ATM from a UK account?
That's peculiar. I kept my accounts open with HSBC and occasionally withdraw from them with no problem.



Did you tell the first that you were going to America? When my mate came to visit earlier in the year, he didn't, and they put a freeze on his account until he wrong them. hey thought his card was fraduently being used abroad.



As far as I remember it took me at least 5 days for my account to be verified with paypal and that was only december, you can't transfer money before it has been verified with the bank.

I know that the call centre won't help. Call centre training will generally not include questions like that. It is very specific. The woman in the bank couldn't even tell me what percentage the conversion fee for using the card abroad was, and that is pretty standard. What I wanted was for someone from the UK to tell me what option they use on the ATM. Very simple problem for someone who has done it before.

It is not the bank's fault it is the american banking system versus the UK one. Neither of my debit cards work in the machines here.


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-10-18 14:40:00
United KingdomWhy did you decide to make the move to the USA and not the other way?
I moved to the UK to be with him (was there for 3 years) and financially - we can do SO much better in the US (OC, California).

We both have decent, salaried jobs but London is far too expensive. We'd never be able to save to buy a house / flat in Central London, and wouldn't want to move out in to the suburbs.

And the weather.

Sunshine in California is grand ;-)

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to see why you chose to make the move to the USA and start a life here instead of the opposite...having the USC move over there?


* Kristin *FemaleUnited Kingdom2011-04-20 16:26:00