ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Australia and New ZealandAustralian Beneficiaries - Packet 3 to Interview date
QUOTE (Vanessa&Tony @ Jul 19 2009, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
MEDICAL APPOINTMENT INFORMATION - MELBOURNE

So, on Friday I had my medical appointment. As I said in a post above, I called the doctors on Wednesday the 15th July 2009 to try and book an appointment. I called Dr. Poppenbeek's office first basically because they had a website so I knew what to expect. They told me that the next available appointment was August 18th. I then called the other doctors office, Dr. Okraglik (Dr. Charles is what he goes by), and they asked when I wanted an appointment and I said tomorrow hopefully, but she said she only had Friday the 17th July 2009 available at 11am.. I of course said yes smile.gif

I arrived early, 10.30am and started filling in the paperwork. They had all the forms that i needed and all I needed to bring were 3 photos (they didn't know what to do with 2 of them but kept them just in case), my immunisation records, and my passport. I was also asked to give a urine sample and keep it with me until they asked for it (lovely blink.gif). I was told I would pay at the end as payment would include any immunisations if I needed them.

The forms basically were for medical history, immunisations and x-ray. There were only a few places I filled things in... tick boxes for "have you had any of the following.." and my name, passport number, date of birth and my case number (if known).

DOCTOR

I was called in to see the doctor at around 11.15am. He wasn't mean, he just seemed, busy. Not overly talkative, don't think he smiled once, just straight to the point.

Here is the rough schedule of what he did: He,

  • asked most of the questions that i'd already answered in medical history
  • asked me for my immunisation records (I took my baby book so he went from that first, then any updates I had) then wrote what i needed on a form
  • asked me to stand up with my arms straight out and eyes closed
  • had me stand in a corner facing away from him and block each ear in turn while he whispered numbers and had me repeat them
  • had me stand in the same spot and read the bottom line of an eye chart
  • Had me sit on the bench, lift my shirt and listen to me breath from my back, and then front
  • checked/felt my neck (for lymph nodes i assume, or swollen glands)
  • checked/felt under my arms (again for lymph nodes)
  • pulled my pant legs up and check my ankles (no idea why)
  • had me undo my pants a little so he could do the tapping thing all over my belly (couldn't reach my lower belly otherwise)
  • then he pushed in all around my belly in the same spots he tapped
  • then he had me flex my tummy muscles (such as they are tongue.gif) and pressed again
  • had me take a deep breath then breath out while he pushed up against my diaphragm (under my rib cage)
  • placed his fingers in between my pelvis and upper leg in front (nothing suss) and had me turn my head and cough. He did this for both legs (checking for hernias)

Then I sat up. He asked about pap smears and i told him I have them every 2 years and have one coming up. He asked that I send him the results when I get them.

He then said we were all done and I would go and the nurses would help me now. He asked how i would like to collect my results, whether I wanted to pick them up or have them mailed. I asked that they be mailed and express posted. He had no problem with that and wrote the charges down (in doctor writing so I had no idea tongue.gif).

BLOOD TEST

I was asked to take a seat and was waiting around 1/2 hour (they were pretty busy) till a nurse called me and took me to have my blood taken. It was only one vile of blood to test for HIV and syphallis I believe. It didn't hurt at all and she was lovely.

X-RAY

I then was told to sit in a little room while I waited for the x-ray guy. i was waiting around 10 mins and eventually he came and handed me a really flimsy (throw away I think) gown and told to strip down to my waist. I had to remove a necklace if I was wearing one (I wasn't). He then took me to the room and had me stand up against the x-ray board and on his count I had to take a deep breath and hold it till he told me I could breath again (5 seconds maybe). He told me to make sure I stayed close to the board when I took the deep breath. I got changed and waited while it printed (5 mins) while he checked to make sure it worked out okay (otherwise he'd've done it again).

THE NURSE - IMMUNISATION etc

Eventually I was taken to see the nurse who does a small assessment and give my immunisations.

She:
  • took my urine sample (woohoo... finally!!)
  • had me look at a colour blindness thing and read the numbers in the circles
  • asked me if i needed glasses (I told her i HAVE glasses but I only need them for computer work)
  • had me stand on a scale (eep!)
  • measured my height (which was WRONG btw I have NOT shrunken 2 cms!)
  • gave me my injection (I had Adacel which is Pertussis (whooping cough), dyptheria, and tetanus boosters). Again didn't hurt

And that was it. She gave me my paperwork and sent me to the front to pay and finish up.

All up it cost:
  • Standard fee - $330.00
  • Immunisation - $ 55.00
  • Express Post - $ 5.00
  • TOTAL $390.00

I left at around 12.30pm. It took an hour and a half overall so I suggest taking some food to snack on in case you get hungry. It could take less time but I was waiting a while and it was QUITE busy and the girl's admitted a girl was off sick so they were a little understaffed.

Good experience all in all and I was told i should *hopefully* get my results around Wednesday smile.gif I was told that I was to take those with me to the interview (and mail them of course with P3). I told the doctor I read somewhere they would send them to the consulate. He said that only happened if there was something wrong otherwise they go to me smile.gif

Very excited biggrin.gif Hope this helps one, or some of you in some small way. Good luck biggrin.gif

P.S. Some of the information on Dr. Poppenbeek's site appeared to be out of date so be careful reading that. I like the Dr. Charles had the x-ray and bloods all in the same building where with Dr. Poppenbeek you have to go to a different place about 4 city blocks away. Not a real big difference but i felt less stressed just sitting and waiting. Take a book or something... their reading collection was pretty average smile.gif



wow you were very descriptive but most importantly imformative for others, i have been through all that now, but i couldnt remember the amount of detail you went into...and congrats by the way. you will notice that it will fly by soon. i am now living with my husband in the USA after going through the K1 visa process, i jumped the gun and had my medical before i had packet 3 but that was ok (the medical is good for one year and you will need it for AOS - at least the vaccinantion part) once you petition leave NVC it will really fly, once it leaves there may i suggest you email syd embassy to see if they have it and therefore they will have your email addy and they can email you packet #4. once i got packet number 3 i think my interview date was 11 days later. we will have to hand over your passport but they send it back to you within a couple of days with the express post envelope you supply them ( those instructions are in packet#3..i think) once you have your passport back your free to come to the USA to be with your fiance. so unless your very unlucky like me being stuck at NVC for 6 weeks i would assume you'll be having your interview before the end of August!! good luck..glad to see more Aussies here.. oii oii oii
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-07-18 12:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusWaiting Sucks
QUOTE (slim @ Sep 25 2009, 05:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Kailey @ Sep 24 2009, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Slim, it's not ####### what you're talking about but just a simple abscense of good principles and sort of degrading.
That's what my wife tells me when I talk about my #######. Or, more apropriately when she talks about my #######.

QUOTE (Kailey @ Sep 24 2009, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
+ about '####### rulling the world'. With all my respect to Mr.Freud , world is a bit more complicated. But there are lucky ones who don't know about that.
Yeah, those are the ones with penises. (or is it peni?

QUOTE (baron555 @ Sep 24 2009, 09:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
what's the cyclic rate of fire for an AK-47?
As fast as you can pull the trigger with major pauses when you swap out mags.
Now with my M1 Garand, there's a pause and a ping after every eigth round.

Why swap when you can have a 250rd drum?

That ping sound the Garand makes actually prompted a buddy of mine's grandpa to mod one during the Korean War. They'd somehow get an extra round in there so it would ping, the Chinese would jump up to bayonet charge, and then ol' gramps would give 'em a sample of American ingenuity. I can't figure for the life of me how they did it, but my buddy said it was true because their CO tried to court martial all the guys who modded their rifles! Court martial, hell - They should've been field commisioned!

QUOTE (BluesTraveler @ Sep 24 2009, 04:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
600 Rounds / Minute

No cheating! This was ol' what's her name's chance to get back in my good graces.

QUOTE (clueless_in_usa @ Sep 24 2009, 05:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
you can easily invite the "girlfriend" to join for a little fun time, together with the fiancee. innocent.gif

whistling.gif Let's just say I commisioned a full study and report on the issue... with negative results! Surprisingly enough, the "girlfriend" was all for it! Maybe that's why she was the "girlfriend" and not the wife. It's cool to have that wild and crazy chick to meet up with on the weekend, but is that really the one you want to introduce to your mom? Someday be the mother of your kids? "Hey kids, I met your mom in the back of....." No way!

QUOTE (tommys_girl @ Sep 24 2009, 09:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
OMG you men make me sick.... i may be wrong but the idea of a K1 isnt to wait n see if its going to work!! people who are waiting paitently for their K1 because like me didnt want to spend their first married year of their live living apart, not to see if they if maybe it was going to work out or not ( you should already know that - sure not every marriage is 100%) . we made sure that we wanted to be together before we even thought about applying for a K1. i bloody well hope you paid for her expenses in her home town ( ie medical and visa application) coz id would be mad if i paid all that money just to wait n see if it worked out. i guess you've been lucky so far coz it has worked out. and she is none the wiser, but still shame on you!!! and i dont give a ####### that you made your statement 2.5 weeks ago. its still not right!.....shame on you!!

Still didn't answer why you're subservient.

QUOTE (Gone To Texas @ Sep 24 2009, 11:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
However, I still question what long term damage might occur in a relationship if one party is thinking that she is the only One, and the other side also thinks that she is the only One as well, but he also has a number Two, number Three and so on.
Absolutely, but if there's full disclosure, then what's the problem?

QUOTE (Gone To Texas @ Sep 24 2009, 11:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Btw, Kailey.......is that a Colt AR-15 you are holding? Your guy must be pretty lucky to have a woman that thinks and feels like you do, and who can also shoot. wink.gif - M

I wondered how long it was going to take before we started playing "name that gun." If you can identify it as a Colt from that angle, I'm impressed! I wasn't even sure if it was an AR. Almost looked like a VEPR on my awesome little screen. How bout it Kailey? Wanna clear it up for us?

QUOTE (Gone To Texas @ Sep 25 2009, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I don't have an M1, but I have 3 Enfields.......love those old WW guns.

CMP, brother! http://www.odcmp.com

You can buy a Garand for under $600. And I aint talkin no BS hang it on the wall Garand, I'm talkin a take it out of the box and make hits at 800 yards Garand. They'll ship it right to your front door, no FFL required.

Wanna learn to shoot that thing, or your Enfields? Check out Appleseed - http://www.appleseedinfo.org

See you on the trail!



hey SLIM none of your business go away get a life and be a better husband than you were as a fiance....
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-09-25 07:03:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusWaiting Sucks
OMG you men make me sick.... i may be wrong but the idea of a K1 isnt to wait n see if its going to work!! people who are waiting paitently for their K1 because like me didnt want to spend their first married year of their live living apart, not to see if they if maybe it was going to work out or not ( you should already know that - sure not every marriage is 100%) . we made sure that we wanted to be together before we even thought about applying for a K1. i bloody well hope you paid for her expenses in her home town ( ie medical and visa application) coz id would be mad if i paid all that money just to wait n see if it worked out. i guess you've been lucky so far coz it has worked out. and she is none the wiser, but still shame on you!!! and i dont give a ####### that you made your statement 2.5 weeks ago. its still not right!.....shame on you!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-09-24 20:36:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusWaiting Sucks
QUOTE (slim @ Sep 7 2009, 07:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (johnj @ Sep 4 2009, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Did you keep the girlfriend, after your s/o arrived!

No. But we did work at the same place so I still had to see her sometimes.

QUOTE (AKguy @ Sep 6 2009, 04:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think she helped him type that message. tongue.gif

She actually would not talk to me for about three months. Not even so much as a hello. Finally several months later we all went out "as a group" from work and she and my wife met. I thought I was in for the best catfight ever, complete with pudding and/or oil, but they got on OK and did their best to be civil. She did her best to let me know what I was missing and I did my best to wave to my wife whenever she'd glance over at us.

Since I've switched jobs I haven't heard from her again.

QUOTE (amberdima @ Sep 6 2009, 07:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
oh slim, you should never keep just one. then it gets all relationshippy and sad when your fiance arrives.

I've always had a "primary" and several alternates, (up unitl I was married, of course) and I had full disclosure with this girl before we even started anything. "I have a fiancee, she's coming here in several months.... but in the mean time...." and everything was kosher because she knew about my fiancee and she even liked the fact that I had alternates - let's just say she wasn't afraid to share.

But, like you pointed out, it gets all relationshippy toward the end. I'll give her credit though because she'd catch herself every time and wouldn't cross the line. She'd start going in that direction and then stop herself. Maybe that's why she didn't talk to me for three months!



OMG i cant belive you had a "girlfriend" while waiting for your fiance to get here, even if your fiance new about her/them you should be disgusted with yourself. i hope your finding it hard to be faithful now and i hope your wife opens her eyes to what a pig of a hubby she has!!! i know waiting is hard my fiance and i spent the good part of 3 years being apart before i could make it over here with my visa but at no point did either one of us want to have someone on the side!!!! we believed in being faithful to each other!! if you wanted to play the field then dont get married in the first place! its men like you that give other men a bad name!!! shame on you!!!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-09-23 16:13:00
Asia: East and PacificReturning to Australia with Family
QUOTE (kaffy @ Jul 19 2009, 05:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
adding - 5 years is not necessarily a bad thing because by then, you and your husband will be married past the 5 year "limit" and he will automatically be granted a subclass 100 permanent resident visa for australia, he won't need to get the temporary first then 2 years later do second stage processing

edit to add- also found some possibly good news for you in the VJ FAQ page

QUOTE
If you came to the United States on a K2 visa, you can apply for citizenship 5 (five) years after approval of Adjustment of Status, as only spouses of US Citizens are eligible to apply for Naturalization after 3 years. However, if a K2 is very young, it is possible that they may be naturalized along with the parent, if the parent becomes naturalized before the K2 turns 18.


http://www.visajourn...ralization.html


Hi Kaffy

Well that helps alot, because at the moment my daughter is only 13, i rread on the link that if the child is still under 18 at the parents naturalizion the child doesnt need to wait the 5 years!! woohooo

thanks again
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-07-18 13:50:00
Asia: East and PacificReturning to Australia with Family
QUOTE (sharyna @ Jul 19 2009, 05:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
ok so if i apply for us citizenship, will i lose my australian citizenship altho i have it thru birth? i was borne in australia

and thankyou for all your information it is greatly appreciated!!!



No you wont lose your Australian citizenship, as i i read it on the web the USA & Aus governments allow dual citizenships. as for my daughter she is here on a K2 and she arrived here with me at the same time so hopefully it wont take her 5 years, thanks for the help everyone
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-07-18 13:28:00
Asia: East and PacificReturning to Australia with Family
QUOTE (kaffy @ Jul 19 2009, 03:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yes, your daughter has dual citizenship (Australian + US) through descent.

QUOTE
just one other thing ... i already have my green card which i have to renew next year for 10 years .... so if i were to move now do you think that everything i've done will still have been done for nothing?


Unfortunately, yes.

QUOTE
Maintaining Permanent Residence
You may be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status if you:

- Move to another country intending to live there permanently.
- Remain outside of the US for more than one year without obtaining a reentry permit or returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.
- Remain outside of the US for more than two years after issuance of a reentry permit without obtaining a returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.


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

The only way you can avoid this is if you wait until you have naturalized to become a US citizen, obtained a US passport, and then relocate back to Australia.


when can you apply to become a naturalized US citizen, because my husband and i plan to move back to Australia one day with the hopes of being able to have dual citizenships between the USA and Aus to be able to come and go as we please, is this possible at all?? . at this stage we are about to AOS from my K1 to spouse so i know its a little way off until i can be naturalized?? but how long is it 2 years or longer??

plus he has 2 US citizen daughters (from a previous marriage) and i have 1 Aus citizen daughter(from my previous marriage) how do we take them with us, does my daughter get dual citizen when we apply to be naturalized?
thanks
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-07-18 13:05:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)STUCK @ NVC for AP
QUOTE (kiwie @ Jan 22 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats to all of you who got out of AP recently!!!!
And my thoughts go out to those guys who are still in AP...I'm praying for you!!!

We finally made it to NVC after over a month...
Now I was wondering how you actually found out that you are in AP????
I know we have only been there for 2 days..but after all this craziness I just wanna make sure.
Thanks to all of you!


hi...go to the guides section on this site and look for flow chart for k1, scroll down and you will see a phone number to call them
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-22 15:20:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)STUCK @ NVC for AP
hi everyone i called the NVC today and they said that out petition left ther yesterday. so its on its way to Australia (finally yaaaa) i hope everyone else will have the same good news soon too!!!!

one step closer to being with my fiance...im sooooooo excited!!!!!! woohooooo lets hope the rest of it goes smoothly and quick. im tired of going to bed alone!!!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-22 06:07:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)STUCK @ NVC for AP
hi we too ar stuck at the NVC, we have been there since dec 9th, i thought that we had done something wrong because everyone i had seen had been sent on within a week. it has now been 6 weeks and i hope by the time it hits 7 it will be over... i got asked today in a private message here whether or not being in AP had anything to do with previous marriages or name changes or any criminal records. does anyone still stuck in AP have any of those problems, my fiance has been married twice before and me once, i have also had a name change due to the fact my mother remarried after my natural father died...please let me know
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-18 15:50:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures~Big News~
QUOTE (DanielleandChad @ Jul 31 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (furiousng @ Jul 30 2009, 02:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats on your marriage and good luck on your immigration journey!!!! good.gif



Thank you so much. smile.gif



HI wow another aussie here in the USA, we are going to take over soon lol hahahaha just joking, im not totally sure because i did the k1 visa, but seein he is here on VWP i think he will need to go back to OZ and you caqn start the k3 visa, its a longer wait than what the k1 would have been but at least it will be legal. all the forms and things that you will need are here on this website, you just need to go look under the guides section and it tells you evrything you need, not to mention just ask on here if you get lost or confused. good luck on your journey hope it all goes well for you
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-08-01 10:39:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPolice check
QUOTE (Erin G. @ Jul 25 2009, 10:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
We're just starting out gathering stuff to submit, and will probably do so by October or November. Is it too soon to get a police check? I couldn't seem to find any information on VJ concerning that.

Thanks.


police checks are only good for one year, so leave it as long as you can but not too long incase there might be a problem with your background check
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-08-21 06:22:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussionfee's for removing conditions
I have looked around on this forum (but apparently not too well) i was wondering what the fee is for removing the conditions on the 2 year greencard, i know i have some time until i need to do this but id liked to know in advance hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.
Annie
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2010-06-06 15:49:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussionmoving back home

You might have some problems because i'm pretty sure you get sent a letter for removal proceedings if you don't file ROC before your deadline... best not to risk that. I think your options are:

1. Apply for ROC and wait for that to come through then apply for a re-entry permit so you can stay out of the US for up to 2 years (in case you change your mind)
2. You leave BEFORE it expires and hand over your greencard (you should look into that) and "prepare" for your families arrival in Australia. Get an apartment, start work, get your medicare cards in order, health care card if applicable. etc etc.

This stuff you probably already know but just in case you haven't though of it, here's some other advice -----

Your spouse will need a visa to enter Australia. I don't know how long the processing time are there. Your child will need to make sure she has her US passport and her Aussie passport before she leaves. US passport because it's easier to get (in my opinion) when you're in the country that issues it. Her Aussie one, I'm not sure what sort of proof you need in order to get her Aussie citizenship stuff in order. Maybe you already know but I don't.

On the school front, your child may finish out the school year in the US, but she will be missing the START of the school year in Australia, which I personally think is more important. Looking at it from her point of view, she will be there to start with everyone else BEFORE friendship groups are fully formed. She would feel (or be treated like) an invader if she comes in a few months "late". She might feel behind in the school work. She will have time to meet kids at the park, or in the street, or through friends before school starts so she doesn't feel like "a freak". Any time someone with an accent starts school they're treated like a novelty or a freak... forward planning will help her fit in a bit better and hopefully not miss her "old" friends too much. You will need to find out what grade in school she will be going into because I know American school is behind Australian schooling (or was with many people that went on exchange) so how would she normally be assessed for her "level"? At the school you pick is she tested before starting? Or is she just put in her age group? What about her school uniform (sometimes they run out, I know they did run out of my school's jumpers for a while there... COLD!!), and getting the book and stationary list together. What about enrolling her in school, depending on your state (in Australia), is there a deadline for that?

If you don't put her in school straight away she will be further behind. Maybe you can move back to Australia about a month before school starts so she can meet with family, and your friends and stuff before starting school. She can start to feel like she fits in. Then maybe you can take her on a tour of the school before she starts there so she knows what to expect..

Depending on her age, that month being in Australia might help her lose her accent just enough that people don't notice right away because she WILL get stared at (I'm sure you know from when you got here) and kids aren't exactly subtle! It'll give her a chance to settle into her new house, her new room, the new food... before the stress of starting school...

Unsolicited advice I know, but I also know lots of people who've changed schools and countries and it's always been hard on them coming in the middle of the school year. Sometimes they might have been treated so "special" their school work lags behind, some are treated poorly so they miss their "old country".

-----

On the greencard front, yes, I think you will encounter issues if you don't plan to ROC. You may get removal proceedings started and that doesn't look good. I think you should leave BEFORE your GC expires to get your ducks in a row before your family comes... or just you all leave before your card expires for the many reasons listed above.

Good luck with your decision. I know it's probably not an easy one when you made "the big move" to the US but I don't blame you. The income here was a BIG shock to me :S Though I've had no issues with expensive, I've noticed everythings pretty cheap compared to Australia.. but when you factor in the shitty income I suppose it does look expensive... actually the growing old here part scares me most, at least we have pensions and government assistance in Australia, not to mention the medical system!!



Hi Thanks for your response, my daughter is Australian but one of his is American, we will need to stay here until our taxes are filed, as for being an outcast it wont be a problem because my daughter has stayed in touch with her Australian friends and they also know her American sister, the only real problem i have with not going before the greencard expires is the cost of the ROC which in my case would be an additonal $1000 and we have no desire to return to the USA, although that being said we might need our 2012 taxes to help us with air fares cost, as we want to bring our 3 dogs with us too, ( i know this will be expensive) we have looked into my husband getting a visa and we understand he needs one, we have also seen that if we wait until we have been married for 2 years he can get a permanent visa. as i said before money is really tight here, esp with me not working at the moment( i am looking for work )i was working for at least 6 months until recently, when we first appilied for my visa money wasnt such a problem but now having 3 teenagers living with us (one nearly 18 and not wanting to move to Australia) things have changed dramatically! is there a way i could get my 2 year green card extended or should i just waste $1000 on getting the ROC??
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2010-08-12 13:18:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussionmoving back home
After alot of discussion with my husband, we have decided that we will be moving back to my home country as we are finding it really hard to manage our lives here, as in the pay isnt so great, everything is expensive and we cant seem to be getting anywhere,i was wondering if anyone else has been considering the same thing, my temp greencard is going to run out in april 2012 but we really wanted to stay until the end of may so our child would finish out the school year, what kinda of problems would we have by my being here 1 month longer than allowed??
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2010-08-12 12:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsRECEIVED NOA2 - No Email - No Touches
QUOTE (tom_em @ Oct 31 2008, 09:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Best wishes on your birthday and congratulations.


wow congratulations....i guess it will be an awesome birthday knowing that your getting closer to your loved one.......happy birthday star_smile.gif good.gif
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-10-31 05:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsWho among you here filed for a K-1 Visa last June?
QUOTE (chunsan @ Nov 13 2008, 01:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Estimated time usually is 4-6months unless you were lucky enough like other VJ members here. Don't worry based on your time line your I-129F may be adjudicated between Nov 17-23, 2008. That's pretty close. We filed our K1 Visa last June 24th and received our NOA1 June 27th until now still waiting for NOA2 approval. Good luck to all of us here waiting for the golden word approved.


hi we filed in June too but we had a little delay getting our NOA1 coz my fiance forgot to get one of the papers notarized ugghhh.. so we are still waiting too, each day i log on the dates keepy moving back but our number keeps dropping on the IGOR list so lets hope its not tooo much longer now
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-14 01:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsApproved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
QUOTE (HelloWorld08 @ Nov 21 2008, 06:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
congrats and good luck for your next journey!


wow congrats that must feel soooo good, you wont be far away from the rest of it now..we are still waiting, and our timeline keeps changing, its sooo frustrating, hope we hear good news soon.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-21 03:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsatlast...NOA2 approved
QUOTE (cdneh @ Nov 26 2008, 07:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats!


Ours arrived yesterday, but dated the 18th. In the regular mail. Never had an update or a touch.


wow congratsssssssssss that is sooo awesome, i hope mine comes soon too.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-25 15:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJune filers
QUOTE (zuluforzen @ Dec 19 2008, 08:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
wow thaT is s0 great my dear ozzie friend good luck with all you do !! still waitng for mine!! kicking.gif star_smile.gif good.gif


hi thanks for that....and yes he will need to go to sydney. i too live in melb and i need to go there too, i hope your journey goes fast but no matter how long it takes the end result is worth it.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-12-20 19:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJune filers
QUOTE (panterchen @ Dec 13 2008, 09:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats!!! It's time for ours now too I guess!! :-)


ty all and im sure those that are still waiting it wont be long til yours is here too. just one question how do i know when its moved onto the next step? do they send another letter by mail. even though we have the hard copy the USCIS website still says we are pending i think thats a little weird anyway at least we have some good news and thanks again everyone your all amazing
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-12-12 18:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJune filers
yaaaa after many months of waiting we finally got a hard copy of the NOA2 today it was dated Dec 4th, with no email notification and no touches. im sooo happy its here one step closer to being with my fiance yaaaa...when you think this day will never comes. it finally does. i cant belive how relieved i feel. keep your chins up to everyone that is still waiting your time will come soon i promise...

Edited by tommys_girl, 12 December 2008 - 09:58 AM.

tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-12-12 09:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsk1 still at NVC after 5 weeks
QUOTE (Rob&Dawn @ Jan 18 2009, 10:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (tommys_girl @ Jan 18 2009, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
HI everyone, our K1 made it to the NVC on dec 9th but we are still there, i have called a few times but all i get told is that its in adiminstration process and that they have no idea how long it will be there, is anyone one else having the same problems??? please let me know??

good luck for your journeys lets hope we are all with our loved ones soon wacko.gif i'm going insane being away from my fiance it has been over 1 year and 1 month since i was last with him.


have you asked if you are in AP (Admin Processing) as this is not something they will just tell you, you have to ask.
Hope you get your filemoving again.


yes i have asked why, how and is there anything that has been missed or anything i can do to get it moving again and they said no!! grrrr i have asked is this just a line you give when you dont know an answer and they said no.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-18 08:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsk1 still at NVC after 5 weeks
HI everyone, our K1 made it to the NVC on dec 9th but we are still there, i have called a few times but all i get told is that its in adiminstration process and that they have no idea how long it will be there, is anyone one else having the same problems??? please let me know??

good luck for your journeys lets hope we are all with our loved ones soon wacko.gif i'm going insane being away from my fiance it has been over 1 year and 1 month since i was last with him.

Edited by tommys_girl, 18 January 2009 - 05:48 AM.

tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-18 05:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportspacket #3 now what?
hiya everyone

im a little confused, they said in packet number 3 that i have to send an original of the birth certificate and a copy, the same with the other papers, then they say bring the originals to the interview, but it if i send them the originals first i wont have another lot of originals?? im sooo confused can someone help me please. and how up to date does your police record need to be i have one from april last year will that do or will i need to get a newer one??

thanks, hope everyones journeys are nice and quick..
Annie
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-02-06 08:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsI GOT MY VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!
QUOTE (MyUKLove @ Mar 5 2009, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
star_smile.gif Omg! star_smile.gif We're so excited! kicking.gif good.gif Thank you all for the great help you gave us during this time...I know it will come in handy again in the coming months as we do the adjustment of status, etc...

This site and you all have been life-savers and blessings to us!! =)

We love you!

Aleisha kicking.gif kicking.gif kicking.gif kicking.gif kicking.gif kicking.gif



wow fantastic news!!!! im really pleased when i hear of other peoples happiness too. i got my visa on feb 24th and i to am saving my money and sellin my stuff!! its not easy, plus my fiance is coming here to get me and we are going back together. are you flyin to the usa on your own??'
anyway good luck with the rest of your journey.. i know it will be worth all the waiting time!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-03-05 05:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJune 2008 Filers!
QUOTE (symbiosis @ Oct 28 2008, 02:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Got another touch this morning! That's 3 in 3 days! Is that good?

HI everyone , we filed i June too but because our NOA1 was late we are still waiting our NOA2, anyone else sick of waiting (stupid question i know!!) our timeline on here has passed its dates and we called the USCIS and they said its still pending, i guess coz of the NOA1, so there isnt much more we can do but wait , i hope it ends soon...
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-21 17:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsI tried to check my case using the receipt number but the web showed it as a validation error
QUOTE (Danu @ Jul 23 2009, 02:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
for me our application didnt come online until the day it was approved, then I saw a touch the next day and nothing since...it still says pending though we got our NOA2 in the mail the Thursday after I saw it finally show up. Others dont show up at all, some show up and never show touches or updates to the status. Its a very unpredictable thing, some people who enter the files into the system do so properly, others dont. When we called about it we were told it would never show up in the system. You may or may not be able to see it in the future. As long as you have a copy of the NOA1 you will be fine, though I know it does bring some comfort to be able to check it.


HI i wouldnt trust the USCIS website when checking your case, i'm already in the USA, married and have just done my AOS, meanwhile on the USCIS website my case still says pending and its dated August 2008. i remember how frustrating it was waiting and waiting but once you have your NOA2 it will fly trust me!!! good luck on your journeys
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-07-22 19:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsk1 prosess and waiting
QUOTE (afuentes @ Nov 12 2009, 02:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
stiill haven't found there email



Hi, maybe give this a try...... cdjimmigrantvisas@state.gov i found that under the Embassy Info tab up the top of this page!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-11-12 15:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsk1 prosess and waiting
QUOTE (afuentes @ Nov 7 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
ok i have send them all of that stuff ....i just recive the later that they fwd the case to the embassy where the interview would take place then they will send the paperwork to my fiance... wondering how this paperwork its deliver and she needs to be there to recive ... she works in a church so she travels allot...any ideas or points ... or facts to tell me here ....



if she has an email account send it to her embassy in her country, that will process her visa, i did that and had in a few days once it arrived at my embassy in my home country.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-11-07 11:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsJuly '08 filers
QUOTE (MactanLove @ Dec 10 2008, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Shannon ? Nick @ Dec 8 2008, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (MactanLove @ Dec 8 2008, 10:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
USCIS initiates I-129F processing in the order they are received but they don't all get adjudicated in order - nor do I think any of us would want that. A FIFO (first in first out) system would require all of us to wait for those I-129Fs that require extra processing time to be completed before we could get our approvals. It would be an impossible system to manage. Imagine someone getting an RFE and taking 3 months to respond...we'd all have for that I-129F to be completed before we could get approved. No, it's definitely not FIFO - it's more fair than that. Generally, however, the I-129Fs are approved in the order they are received...think about it. All of us with approximately the same NOA1 dates are getting approved at approximately the same time. It's clearly as fair a process as it can possibly be. smile.gif



whoops, let me clarify what I meant smile.gif

I do think they should be processed in order. I do think that each case should be looked at in the order they are received. If someone gets an RFE, that file should then be set aside to wait for the needed info - and the adjudicator can then move on to the next case that was rec'd and start processing that one. When the needed RFE info arrives the adjudicator should return to the file and finish processing it, imho.
While I am THRILLED we got our approval and have moved further on in the system I would have rather seen my approval come when it is my turn. I think that all of the April, May and June filers should have had attention to their case in some way before mine. Just as I would have appreciated our case being taken care of before the August filers that had been approved.

Next time you address me, please steer clear of phrases such as "think about it" and "clearly" as they appear to be condescending and I do not appreciate that. We each have our opinions, please allow me to voice mine without feeling the need to "correct" me. Thanks smile.gif



Whoops. Let ME clarify what I meant smile.gif

I was throwing out the RFE as an example of how some petitions originally filed back in June could take longer to process and, as a result, a July or August filer might proceed to NOA2 before a June filer. It was an example...I should have made that more clear. What I'm saying is I don't think any of us wants a FIFO system. Can you imagine how this thread would read if we all us July filers were waiting for ALL the May and June filers to be approved? Holy smokes...a couple posters on this thread have expressed such deeply seated depression waiting four short months for NOA2 that I fear they would no longer be with us. What I'm saying is that I don't find it particularly "supportive" for people to say that the process is unfair...when it clearly is not. It's just not unfair. It's actually incredibly fair. Look at how everyone is getting approved at approximately the SAME time! That's all I'm saying. Sorry to have sounded condescending. Truly was not my intent. I just don't think it's fair to say USCIS is USELESS when we are all getting approved 2 months in advance of thier published processing times. In the real world, these people would be applauded for over-performance. IMHO! smile.gif


i dont know about anyone else but im sick n tired of waitng n watching everyone else around me gettin their NOA2s. we filed way back in June, but had a hiccup when VSC took 5 weeks to tell us we forgot to do something in the package so our NOA1 date is August instead of late June or at the very least early July. so now its december 9th (well 10th here in Oz) and we are still waiting. it would be soooo nice to receive the NOA2 in the next couple of days and maybe have the packet No.3 before they all close for Christmas ( what a wonderful present that will be) well i guess there isnt much more we can do but wait, we have called USCIS a few times but all we get told is that its pending. its sooo annoyin having someone else controlling your life. feels like its never gunna end!!! anyway all im tryin to say is that there are people out there that are very very lucky and there are some that just have to be patient n wait like me. something good is just around the corner. in 6 months im sure we will all be laughin at how frustrated we were waiting for the Visa's lol


tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-12-10 01:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApppppproooooved hooray
QUOTE (Laura and Alan @ Jan 6 2009, 01:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (candyland @ Jan 4 2009, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Now i'm doing all the jamaican dance, after 215 days no touch, finally. Approved Dec 31 touch again on Jan 01 (strange) way to start the new year, vermont rollin in approvals brace yourself may and june filers they are coming. It was a long ride now i'm done with VSC, i guess for now unto NVC.

Congrats to you Candyland. We just got approved today. I called USCIS at 3:30 today because we were almost to 180 days and the girl told me that they were processing March 2008, so I was disappointed, then I checked my email at 8:30 pm and there was the approval notification. It came at 5:30. This is going to be a wonderful year. Congrats again to you and the rest of the July filers yours should be coming soon.


congrats Candyland!!!!!!!!!!! and congrats to you too Laura & ALan i know you wont be coming down from the roof for awhile yet!!!!!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-06 00:34:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures~~Big News~~
QUOTE (DanielleandChad @ Aug 1 2009, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (mrsemcee @ Jul 31 2009, 10:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
congrats! im an Aussie too and i married a USC on my visa waiver.. he came and stayed with me in Australia for 5 months and now we are doing the CR1 process so i can live in the US with him biggrin.gif

good luck, msg me if you need help.. i am based in Melbourne... where is your hubby from?



Thank You.

Chad is from the Sunshine Coast. What part of the US are you going to be moving to?


hi, i was from melb too, what part of melb, i was in the southeast near morrabbin, and now im living in Louisiana USA congrats on your wedding, but can i ask is it hard being away from your hubby? we were going to get married then do the k3 but i diddnt want to spend my first year of married life away from him, im so glad i waited!! good luck
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-08-01 10:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresstill waiting for NOA2
QUOTE (kiwiana @ Nov 23 2008, 11:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (tommys_girl @ Nov 22 2008, 06:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
mad.gif HI everyone, we were very late in getting our NOA1 due to the fact that a form wasnt notarized!! ughhh has anyone else had similar problems?? we have called the USCIS and they say we are still pending, people behind us in the IGORS list are getting their NOA2 its sooo frustrating, so now i think it wont happen til early dec ughhhhh im soooo over waiting....annie



out of interest. what form had to be notarized?


HI, he was told to notarize everything but i think it was the letter from his employer or it was the letter of intent to marry me i know it was one of them, i cant quite remember which one. i would have to ask Tommy but he is at work at the moment. i hope this helps
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-22 20:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresstill waiting for NOA2
QUOTE (rocks @ Nov 23 2008, 11:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Damian P @ Nov 22 2008, 06:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
it took 5 months for me to get mine


me too. i think that's how long most people have to wait.

try and keep yourself busy and distract yourself from the waiting time, i know it really sucks now but all this waiting will pay off in the end. wink.gif


thanks everyone, i guess im just frustrated seeing we have been waiting for so long to be able to file (coz of his divorce took ages!!) and then the delay (over 40 days) of the NOA1, i know there is nothing else i can do but wait, these past 3 years feel like eternity to me!!!!
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-22 19:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresstill waiting for NOA2
mad.gif HI everyone, we were very late in getting our NOA1 due to the fact that a form wasnt notarized!! ughhh has anyone else had similar problems?? we have called the USCIS and they say we are still pending, people behind us in the IGORS list are getting their NOA2 its sooo frustrating, so now i think it wont happen til early dec ughhhhh im soooo over waiting....annie
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-22 18:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedureslooking for aussie's waiting for their NOA2's
Hi all
im just looking for some aussie's that have filed around june/july esp those still waiting for their NOA2's, wondering how you are all going with the waiting, i'm hating it so much, mostly coz its has now been over a year since ive been with my fiance and i was kinda hoping we'd be together for Xmas, but i guess i'm going to have to be happy with Xmas over the internet again (3 years in a row now) so now im hoping for Valentines to be together. anyway i'd love to hear from everyone




Edited by tommys_girl, 29 November 2008 - 05:51 AM.

tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-29 05:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat was the fastest NOA1 to NOA2 for Vermont filers in 2008?
QUOTE (JulietteDumont @ Nov 29 2008, 02:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Saffyre @ Nov 28 2008, 07:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (JulietteDumont @ Nov 28 2008, 03:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This topic sucks so bad. It is like if you very lucky guys were doing a little dance front of ALL the other petitioners who are into the average waiting time 4+months. I can't even find a piece in my heart to be happy for people who got approved in 2 weeks. That is just unfair. Sorry but this conversation sucks, be happy to be extremely lucky is a thing, putting your unfair NOA2 front of our faces is just fuc*ing annoying !


I was approved in what I suppose would be considered a relatively quick space of time - 50 days. But I can see why this topic would annoy you, when you're waiting and waiting, the last thing you need to hear is how other people managed to get so much luckier than you. Trust me when I tell you that I was spitting feathers when I was waiting and people were getting approved in 2-3 weeks.

The only thing I would say is that unless you have a lot of money to fall back on, use this time to save as much cash as you can, and to spend as much time with your friends and family as you can - because when that time gets cut short, you'll miss them.

When I moved to the US, I found that I went from spending every day missing one person - my fiance (now husband) to missing everyone else in my life - parents, brother, friends etc.
Take time too enjoy these people as you will miss them more than you could realise.

That said, I wish you all speedy NOA2's

Thank you smile.gif
I appreciate that you understand what we can feel...



wow i guess some people get all the luck, im happy for those that get theirs quick, and i can apprieciate those like me that are still waiting for their NOA2's i love everyone's timelines even the ones that move quicker than mine, it gives me hope and inspiration to keep waiting patiently even though inside its killing me being away from my fiance, but at the same time im enjoying the time with my family, knowing that one day soon it will be them im missing with all my heart. no matter which way you look you will always miss someone when u live in one country and ur loved ones are in another. but as long as that bond is strong nothing will ever make them leave your heart.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2008-11-29 06:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedureswhat the HECK is proof of ongoing relationship?!
QUOTE (Conan @ Dec 31 2008, 07:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I am getting nervous reading this. My fiance is 19 and from the Philippines and I am 29 and am from the USA. I have a lot of phone records but they are to her cell phone. Can she bring in the phone to prove it is her number? Should I be worried? What is the best way for her to pass the interview? We are planning to be together next year and will be devastated if she isn't approved.


hey not all rednecks are the same, im marrying a guy from the south, yea he is a redneck but he doesnt go around yelling yehaaawwww or have a mullat haircut or watch nascar and guzzle beer. keep your mind on whats important and dont judge other people. otherwise your going to have a very sad life !!!!!!

tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-01-08 08:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresJust Met My Fiance,,
QUOTE (Old Dominion @ May 10 2009, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Unless there are problems in your past that must be explained, a lawyer will be of almost no help in your petition. A paralegal will actually do the "work" to complete the forms (but you'll provide all the detailed information) and it will take longer than if you did it yourself. The paperwork for the petition is quite straight-forward and there are no short cuts -- every detail is important. But if your attitude is casual, as it seems to be, you'll need to have a lawyer just to force your attention on the details.

As to sponsorship, your taxable income is a major factor in evaluating your ability to support the two of you. Bank statements and records are another factor. Being paid in cash is certainly legal, but if taxes and social security are not withheld, and the business doesn't file the monthly/quarterly form 941s with the IRS to pay the government, then it's called tax evasion. If you are partners with your parents, and take a share of the profits, there are still reports to be filed and you must remit 12.5% of your earnings to Social Security. Be sure of your standing with the IRS before beginning all of this.


you dont need the assistance of a lawyer, my fiance and i did it all by ourselves with the help from this website, once you file it will take about 7 months before you can even think about arriving in the USA to begin your new life. the whole process is pretty easy and straight forward. If i can do it im sure you can!!! i arrived here almost 3 weeks, and i still cant believe im here!! but unless you have secrets ghosts in your past you will be fine with doing the process by urself. good luck and remember we are all here to help you.
tommys_girlFemaleAustralia2009-05-11 07:00:00