Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (ivannnaloveskiwi @ Jul 29 2009, 02:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi All, seems we didn't asked the right question about getting through custom..what the heck do you do with the brown mysterious envelope? do you give it someone at customs? why do you have to have it at hand? does customs in LA open it..Is it carry on so you dont lose it? lol.. we just dont know..shrugs.. thanks Pack the "Mysterious Brown Envelope" in your carry-on then whip it out when you get to the customs line. If you hold it so the officer wandering around can see it they may even direct you to a shorter line Then when it's your turn at the desk just hand it to the officer there, they'll do all the rest. They'll open it and have a quick flick through and maybe ask you some general questions like where did you meet etc, but it's more for their curiosity I think. They'll take your finger print yet again and if I remember I think they take your photo, and then you're done, leaving the MBO with them. You can ask them where it will be handed on to if you want but I don't think any of us got a definate answer about that. My first trip I had a 2hr connecting flight in LA and the Qantas flight was nearly an hour late getting to and leaving Auckland, so I hoofed it off the plane with the hoardes, and let me tell you, they were moving, and by the time I got to the customs line I was all hot and bothered and yuk , it was quite a hike. As I stood there in the long line waiting, my connection took off......but that's another story......lol The last time I arrived I'd made sure I had a 4hr wait between connections, I let the hoardes fill the first bus to the main terminal and I sat in the second bus with a few others while it waited for the crew. I arrived all calm and collected at customs and there was no long line. Zapped through in minutes and felt sooooo much better. Sometimes it's the little things you forget about but it's the little things that make the difference.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 07:09:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 28 2009, 08:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hidden questions???? Ooooooo ..I am curious now! Lol........ I had a young blond girl doing mine and she chatted on about this and that, asked if I'd got a job yet and a bit later if I had been home to visit yet......I said....noooo I'm not allowed to work yet or travel home till I have my EAD/AP........but she asked them in a very matter of fact way, just slipped on into the conversation. She must know the ins and outs of AOS so I figured she was just testing me	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 21:54:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 28 2009, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Zeddess @ Jul 29 2009, 11:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wow thanks cdneh and kiwiana, I'm so glad I found this site! No doubt that I'm going to have heaps of questions for you guys in the coming months, already I've learned so much just by reading everyone elses posts, so I think I have a pretty good grasp of what I have to do (hopefully!!). Our case is relatively basic (haven't really had much life experience yet!) so we're crossing our fingers to receive the NOA2 by like late November if all goes well. From what the statistics have been telling me, the processing times for Kiwis seem to be pretty decent so I'd be absolutely stoked if I get to go over before my 23rd birthday in March! Anyway just wanted to say hi and thanks for the help in advance, really appreciate it and will keep you posted! No worries I sure all of us will be happy to help I don't know where you are there, but quite a lot of us went through Auckland, and can certainly help if you are going through there. Kiwiana wrote a truly wonderful write up on the medical she had, and when I went along afterwards I found that a big help..right down to finding the place. VJ has been such a big help for us, first with the K1 and now doing our AOS. Biometrics tomorrow for me Good luck for tomorrow Cdneh....not that you'll need it, they just take your finger prints and your pic...just watch out for any hidden questions in the general chit chat is all Fill us in when you're done.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 19:30:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Zeddess @ Jul 28 2009, 05:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey all! I'm really new at this and it's all quite daunting, but seems like you've all had amazing journeys that have worked out wonderfully. We've only just filed our petition last week so I'm right at the beginning of mine! I'd just appreciate any advice you have about how long we should expect it to take as I know it varies so much, he's coming to NZ in December so I'm thinking it would be awesome if I get my interview while he's here, I'd be too freaked out to go on my own!! Is 5 months from now a bit unrealistic for getting an interview? Thanks again!! Welcome Zeddess You've found the best place for getting help to go through the whole "let's go live in America with our loved one" drama....lol. Everyone here is very friendly and only too willing to help where they can. If you're in Auckland you're lucky because the doctor we all used, Dr Marcus Stone, is really nice. The medical is a breeze and the people that interview you at the Auckland consulate are very nice too. It's a drawn out process, believe me, but well worth it in the end. You'll be just fine.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 19:26:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (kiwiana @ Jul 26 2009, 11:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The biggest item i had was those darn 'xrays' that we all had to get done for the medical. They are now just lying in the wardrobe collecting dust Ana I was just talking to my SO about the x-rays only last night. We're off to St Louis tomorrow to watch the LA Dodgers play and I was emptying out one of my large cases, they've been stashed in there for the last 7 months never to see the light of day.....lol	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-26 18:04:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kelvan @ Jul 26 2009, 04:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh yeah I almost forgot about the x-rays xD So I need to bring the with me as carry-on in the plane right? And I need to bring my secret yellow envelope! So many things to remember. Thanks for the advice about the ESTA and the white form on the plane guys! I leave NZ on Friday August 7th. I have already bought my return ticket back to Auckland in 2010 for a visit because it was the same price as the one way trip! I don't have to use it but I thought what the heck, it's the same price! I haven't even started packing either >_< Luckily my family of 4 people are coming over for the wedding so I'll get them to bring the rest of my things. I can't believe how much stuff I have. I'm gonna bring my backpack and a carry-on size suitcase with rollers. Hopefully they will allow me those two things! I tried emailing United Airlines but their system is super slow and I don't even know if my question made it through. You'll be fine with your backpack and carry on size case, as I said that's what I took plus a laptop. You don't need to take the x-rays as carry on, just put them in your check in luggage as you won't be asked for them at POE. The only important thing to take as carry on is the "mysterious brown envelope". I put mine in the outside pocket on my carry on suitcase, luckily it fit perfectly. You'll only need it when you land in the U.S. as you come to customs/immigration so it's better to stash it from the get go than to risk losing it anywhere. How lucky are you that your family are coming for the wedding, they each should be allowed to take 2 checked in suitcases so make good use of them.....lol Pretty soon it'll all be a distant memory, trust me	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-26 17:59:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kelvan @ Jul 26 2009, 04:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey guys! Just popping in to update. Life has been quite hectic lately! Friday was my last day of work. Picked up wedding dress yesterday! Had hen's night! Now I am (finally) ready to pack my life into two suitcases X_X I am applying for an international drivers license tomorrow. Also need to find a decent way to get my wedding dress through 3 flights in once piece. A few Q's I have... 1. Do I need to apply for the ESTA before I leave? 2. Can I take 1 x carry-on suitcase + 1 x backpack on the plane (have checked United Airlines and they say 1 x carry-on + 1 x personal item)? So close See above re the ESTA. I took two big suitcases, right on the weight limit, checked in and one smaller case on wheels as carry on, (just make sure it's the correct weight limit). I also took as carry on my laptop in it's carry case, my handbag stuffed to the gunnels, and my long winter coat draped over my arm, (so I had more room in my cases ). It's not easy to fit your entire life into 2.5 suitcases ......lol	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-26 09:16:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (ivannnaloveskiwi @ Jul 26 2009, 01:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi everyone, does anyone know if you have a visa, do you still have to to the ESTA before you leave for the US? thanks! I'm pretty sure you don't because the ESTA is part of the Visa Waiver Program, which as you have a visa, you won't be using. When you're on board the plane and they bring around the arrival cards you fill out before landing, just make sure you tell the hostess you want the white I-94 ..... Not the green I-94W VWP one and you'll be fine.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-26 08:48:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 22 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> *insert sound ...pin dropping* Where is everybody? I'm here ......just been busy looking for jobs and babysitting the grandson while others are working etc Have got another job interview tomorrow for an office admin job. Will let you all know how things go. I asked someone about a job agency here and apparently they take money out of your first paycheck as payment.......is this how they work at home??? I thought they were free and charged the companies wanting the jobs filled.....beats me, Ive never used one before. I think my I-485 was touched today, (sounds a bit rude), the dated changed to todays date but the status is still the same....Pending!! The temp has cooled off a bit in the last few days, and it's been quite pleasant outside for a change....been able to sit out on the porch and have a coffee and watch the world go by....quite pleasant.......oh in saying that, one night last week there was a drive by shooting a couple of doors up...lol....... sounds bad i know but it really is generally a quiet pleasant little street here, during the day all you can hear are the locusts and birds outside. Seems it was a grudge against the mayor who lives there by some young guy. Was one shot only and thankfully no-one was hurt. Didn't hear a thing here though.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-22 22:35:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (kiwiana @ Jul 18 2009, 11:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I can't quite understand the logic of the process of AOS. Some people get AOS without sending in I-693 or TB skin test and some get RFE for it. I sent in I-693 but not the tb skin test (had the xray done in nz) so I am kinda worried about will happen at the interview. If they say i do need a tb skin test, will they deny me at the interview because i didn't do one? And in all honesty i really don't want to have one done. As i read that some peoples results turn up positive if they got vaccinated against TB as a kid. After reading LisaandTims experience at the interview, I am not looking forward to the interview at all. Ivannaloveskiwi: You will both be together again very soon!! I bet August 9th can't come fast enough!! kim&chris: Those 4 way stop signs look mighty confusing. But everyone is courteous and we all get through unscathed I think the drivers here are much more well behaved than in nz. I think people in nz suffer from road rage alot more which can be quite scary. They could learn a thing or two from the drivers here lol! Another thing that i haven't figured out yet is converting mph to kms and the weather temperatures. I sent in the copy of the vaccination sheet we were giving from the Auckland medical and I didn't have a TB test done. The only RFE I got was for hubby's evidence of employment information. I'm assuming they flick through all files upon receipt and send out the RFE's then if there's any. I wouldn't worry about the TB test Ana, the interviews are the final thing before giving out GC and I'm pretty sure they don't schedule the apts for them until they're satisfied all your paperwork is in order. There would be no point otherwise I can still remember mph ... just.....lol.... 30mph=50k, 50mph=80k, 65mph=100k or thereabouts, but I decided not to bother trying to convert it, they've got so many speed limit signs all over the place and they change all the time and they're in miles and the car speedo is in miles so there's really no need to convert I don't think. As for the temperature, I still talk in celsius....lol drives them nuts but i have a widget thing on my desktop that shows the temps here for the next 5 days and you can quickly click on it to change it from celsius to fahrenheit and back again so I'm slowly picking it up and they slowly picking up celsius at the same time.......tis only fair.....lol It's funny because we were still in imperial when I was a small child, and some things like height measurement I still think of in inches and feet so it's really no biggie. They talk of weight in pounds though and when I mentioned stones and pounds they looked at me like I was talking a foreign language, they'd never heard of stones........lol Edited by Kim & Chris, 18 July 2009 - 10:08 PM.	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-18 22:04:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 17 2009, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS Current Status: Case Transfered to Another Office for Processing On July 17, 2009, we transferred this case I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS to our CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER location for processing and sent you a notice explaining this action. Please follow the instructions provided on the notice. Wahoo.....Congrats Cdneh, the gods must have heard you saying you'd already had your delay......that was super fast...lol Ana if I had 5 bucks for everyone here who has said "I love your accent" I wouldn't be looking for a job.....lol Oh and the cheesecake was yum by the way Ivannnaloveskiwi - not long to go now for you two, further down the track you'll wonder what all the fuss was about......lol and when you're doing AOS ask as many questions as you like, we'll only be too happy to help out if we can. Honestly I don't know about arrows here, but I've never seen so many blimin stop signs in my life. When I first got here I wondered how the hell a 4-way stop sign would work, but amazingly enough they do. Ana it may be because we're in a smaller town, (about 20,000), but all the drivers are really curteous here and they don't speed by any means, mind you for a small place there sure is alot of cops here, state troopers, county sheriffs, city police.....it's all very confusing, and apparently some can nab you in one place but not others ......lol	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-17 23:13:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	OMG Ana .........what an experience at the DMV!!!!!! I can't believe it. You see all this awful stuff on tv and in the movies but the thought of being involved in any of it yourself is totally terrifying. Shows how badly you need the state ID!!! I can't believe you have to wait that long to get it, they gave me mine on the spot, but that's the difference between big and small town I guess. Where are you in California? My hairdresser (where else would you get all your information from.....lol) was telling me that I shouldn't have too much trouble finding something as no-one here really wants to work (in this town), I'm sure she was generalising and there's plenty who do, but still, she said they have a devil of a job getting people who actually turn up. And it took 3 days for a plumber to come out on an urgent cal, apparantly they all bunk off to go hunting.....lol, can you believe it. Have you tried looking on Craigslist for a job? They have plenty for Little Rock, being alot bigger than here, but they do have a few for Searcy still. I check there from time to time. They may have some for your area. It's funny Little Rock is only 35-40 mins away, no different than going from Waiuku to Manukau but here they all think it's a long way away.....lol Anyways, I'm off to make low carb cheesecake	Kim & Chris	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-17 17:02:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	we have our interview next thursday!! sure we'll be fine, but still nervous!!	rubyred	Male	New Zealand	2009-07-22 23:12:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Hi Zeddess, good luck with your visa! The Kiwis here are friendly and can pretty much help you out with any questions you have about the process Hey does anyone know of a website for NZers where they can register that they are living overseas and you can look up the US and the states and see which Kiwis are living there? Did I just imagine seeing this?	Kelvan	Not Telling	New Zealand	2009-07-29 04:06:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Oh yeah I almost forgot about the x-rays xD So I need to bring the with me as carry-on in the plane right? And I need to bring my secret yellow envelope! So many things to remember. Thanks for the advice about the ESTA and the white form on the plane guys! I leave NZ on Friday August 7th. I have already bought my return ticket back to Auckland in 2010 for a visit because it was the same price as the one way trip! I don't have to use it but I thought what the heck, it's the same price! I haven't even started packing either >_< Luckily my family of 4 people are coming over for the wedding so I'll get them to bring the rest of my things. I can't believe how much stuff I have. I'm gonna bring my backpack and a carry-on size suitcase with rollers. Hopefully they will allow me those two things! I tried emailing United Airlines but their system is super slow and I don't even know if my question made it through.	Kelvan	Not Telling	New Zealand	2009-07-26 16:44:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Hey guys! Just popping in to update. Life has been quite hectic lately! Friday was my last day of work. Picked up wedding dress yesterday! Had hen's night! Now I am (finally) ready to pack my life into two suitcases X_X I am applying for an international drivers license tomorrow. Also need to find a decent way to get my wedding dress through 3 flights in once piece. A few Q's I have... 1. Do I need to apply for the ESTA before I leave? 2. Can I take 1 x carry-on suitcase + 1 x backpack on the plane (have checked United Airlines and they say 1 x carry-on + 1 x personal item)?	Kelvan	Not Telling	New Zealand	2009-07-26 04:07:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Jul 29 2009, 08:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (ivannnaloveskiwi @ Jul 29 2009, 02:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi All, seems we didn't asked the right question about getting through custom..what the heck do you do with the brown mysterious envelope? do you give it someone at customs? why do you have to have it at hand? does customs in LA open it..Is it carry on so you dont lose it? lol.. we just dont know..shrugs.. thanks Pack the "Mysterious Brown Envelope" in your carry-on then whip it out when you get to the customs line. If you hold it so the officer wandering around can see it they may even direct you to a shorter line Then when it's your turn at the desk just hand it to the officer there, they'll do all the rest. They'll open it and have a quick flick through and maybe ask you some general questions like where did you meet etc, but it's more for their curiosity I think. They'll take your finger print yet again and if I remember I think they take your photo, and then you're done, leaving the MBO with them. You can ask them where it will be handed on to if you want but I don't think any of us got a definate answer about that. My first trip I had a 2hr connecting flight in LA and the Qantas flight was nearly an hour late getting to and leaving Auckland, so I hoofed it off the plane with the hoardes, and let me tell you, they were moving, and by the time I got to the customs line I was all hot and bothered and yuk , it was quite a hike. As I stood there in the long line waiting, my connection took off......but that's another story......lol The last time I arrived I'd made sure I had a 4hr wait between connections, I let the hoardes fill the first bus to the main terminal and I sat in the second bus with a few others while it waited for the crew. I arrived all calm and collected at customs and there was no long line. Zapped through in minutes and felt sooooo much better. Sometimes it's the little things you forget about but it's the little things that make the difference. thank you.. that clears up alot of questions!!!	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 13:33:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Hi All, seems we didn't asked the right question about getting through custom..what the heck do you do with the brown mysterious envelope? do you give it someone at customs? why do you have to have it at hand? does customs in LA open it..Is it carry on so you dont lose it? lol.. we just dont know..shrugs.. thanks	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 02:57:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (kiwiana @ Jul 28 2009, 12:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (ivannnaloveskiwi @ Jul 27 2009, 02:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hi everyone, how long did it take for you to process through customs when you arrived in los angeles...trying to scheadul conecting flight..ty In general, the times i have arrived in LA, i have probably waited anywhere from 10 minutes (to just get through the custom part) up to over an hour (for the baggage to arrive from the carousel which included going through customs) But the last two times i arrived in LA, it wasn't the customs that held me up, it was my flight from NZ. Last year I sat at Auckland airport for 12 hours as the plane was delayed. The only good thing is that when the plane did finally arrive at LA, they quickly sent us through customs, so there was no waiting. This year my plane was also delayed. I think by 2 hours if memory serves me correct. Of course, this is not a common occurrence, thank goodness! But to be on the safe side it may pay for you to have a bit of space inbetween connecting flights, so that you can get your bearings at LA airport and find out where to go for the next flight etc. Everything will be fine! Thanks ana, well plan for the afternoon...lol... we are such worriers..i know i wont finally feel complete untill he's here.. always seems to be something.. like i'm barely hanging on the tip of his fingers.. and almost about to slip away..	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 00:04:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Welcome Zeddess ! Most were here before me and let me tell you.. i wouldn't of gotten through any of it without them..the help and support is awsome! So your in good hands.. .. It's the Waiting, waiting.. that gets you.. good luck!!	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 23:59:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	hi everyone, how long did it take for you to process through customs when you arrived in los angeles...trying to scheadul conecting flight..ty	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-27 02:14:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Hi everyone, does anyone know if you have a visa, do you still have to to the ESTA before you leave for the US? thanks!	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-26 01:31:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	HI, HIS FLIGHT IS SCHEADULED FOR AUGUST 9TH, HOPEFULLY HE CAN GET EVRYTHING SOLD AND ANY FINES HE HAS ,TAKEN CARE OF SO HE CAN LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE...( LOL SEEMS HE GOT SOME TICKETS AFTER RETURNING FROM THE STATES... BAD BOY!!)..THEN WE HAVE A WEDDING TO PLAN..SOMETHING SMALL , QUICK AND EASY..OUTSIDE WE HOPE..AND THEN WE'LL BE ALMOST CAUGHT UP TO YOU ALL...LOL... AT LEAST I KNOW I HAVE YOU ALL TO HELP WITH THE AOS..HE ASKS ME ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND I HAVE NO ANSWERS.. I HAVE READ THROUGH THE THREAD AND HAVE PICKED UP ON A FEW THNGS. BUT I'LL WAIT ON THE QUESTIONS..HAHAHAH FOR NOW!ITS BEEN EASIER THIS TIME BEING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER KNOWING IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE'RE BACK TOGETHER. I THINK WE WERE VERY LUCKY THAT EVERYTHING WENT THROUGH..AFTER READY UP ON THE HARDSHIP IT SEEMS MANY DIDN'T GET APPROVED.. MUST BE A SIGN THAT WE ARE MENT TO BE TOGETHER!!! HE'S SO WORRIED ABOUT THE DRIVING TEST..I CAN UNDERSTAND AFTER BEING IN NZ AND DRIVING MY SELF...LOL I DONT KNOW HOW MANEY TIMES I LOOKED THE WRONG WAY, THEN PULLED OUT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET..I HAD TO SERIOULY THINK ABOUT WHERE TO GO. I LOVED HOW YOU COULD NEVER GET LOST, EVERY STREET CORNER SHOWED YOU WHICH WAY TO GO..( AS LONG AS YOU KNEW WHERE YOU WERE GOING!)I NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN SO MANEY ARROWS AND NOT ONLY FOR TOWNS BUT EVERYTHING, I THINK ONE SIGN POST I COUNTED LIKE 10 ARROWS..WE DONT HAVE THAT HERE.. ITS " HEY GOOD LUCK, HOPE YOU FIND IT" I LOVED NEW ZEALAND, I'LL MISS THE BLUEBIRD KIWI STYLE CHIPS AND THE PIES..BUTTER CHICKEN..MMMMMM.	ivannnaloveskiwi	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-17 22:49:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Thanks for the welcomes guys! QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Jul 30 2009, 12:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have two more states to add to my list of " States I Have Been To".......lol (Illinois is just over the bridge from St Louis), and I just love the whole stadium atmosphere, so as I said, it was all good. Omg I can't wait to start my "list"! How many states do you have on yours so far? I've only been to Washington & Idaho so there's only 48 more to go! Haha QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 30 2009, 08:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree with everyone else...the wait is the worst. We were stuck ast NVC in AP for over 7 weeks after getting our NOA2, and that sure as heck didn't help at all! Yeah, the long-distance thing has taught me a LOT of patience. I just wish it would hurry up and be the end of the year already because I'll definitely know by then if we've been approved and I'll also get to see him again, yay!!! Sorry for the ignorance but what exactly is AP though? I've heard it around but just not sure what it does and why?	zeddess	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 16:32:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Jul 29 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Welcome Zeddess You've found the best place for getting help to go through the whole "let's go live in America with our loved one" drama....lol. Everyone here is very friendly and only too willing to help where they can. If you're in Auckland you're lucky because the doctor we all used, Dr Marcus Stone, is really nice. The medical is a breeze and the people that interview you at the Auckland consulate are very nice too. It's a drawn out process, believe me, but well worth it in the end. You'll be just fine. Aww thanks! It's definitely a saga just trying to be together that's for sure! Never thought I'd have to "apply" to be with my loved one but life has a funny way of doing things sometimes.. it's totally worth it though and I can't wait for the end result Such a relief to know the medical and interview aren't scary at all, now all I have to worry about is being confused with which forms and documents go where! I won't think about that though until the time comes QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 29 2009, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Zeddess, here is a link before I forget to the Auckland consulate. That email address can be quite useful, and they do answer very quickly. http://www.visajourn...ex.php?ctry=New Zealand&cty=Auckland Cheers for the link, very helpful! Thanks for the link to Kiwiana's medical review too, really gives me a clear idea of what to expect so here's hoping I don't get too stressed out about all the things I'm supposed to do! What do you reckon has been the hardest part of the whole process?	zeddess	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 23:30:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (cdneh @ Jul 29 2009, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No worries I sure all of us will be happy to help I don't know where you are there, but quite a lot of us went through Auckland, and can certainly help if you are going through there. Kiwiana wrote a truly wonderful write up on the medical she had, and when I went along afterwards I found that a big help..right down to finding the place. VJ has been such a big help for us, first with the K1 and now doing our AOS. Biometrics tomorrow for me Ohh how exciting! That seems like a million years away for me right now, but I'm sure it'll go quick! We're wondering why we didn't do this earlier, we've been talking about it and gathering information on it for probably about a year now, so I'm really looking forward to getting it all over with! It's so tough flying back and forth Yup I'm in Auckland, so it's really handy to have the consulate being just down the road! I'll definitely have to check out the write up that Kiwiana did on the medical as that's probably the main part of the process which I'm really unsure about (the mysterious package 3). Good luck for tomorrow!	zeddess	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 18:32:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Wow thanks cdneh and kiwiana, I'm so glad I found this site! No doubt that I'm going to have heaps of questions for you guys in the coming months, already I've learned so much just by reading everyone elses posts, so I think I have a pretty good grasp of what I have to do (hopefully!!). Our case is relatively basic (haven't really had much life experience yet!) so we're crossing our fingers to receive the NOA2 by like late November if all goes well. From what the statistics have been telling me, the processing times for Kiwis seem to be pretty decent so I'd be absolutely stoked if I get to go over before my 23rd birthday in March! Anyway just wanted to say hi and thanks for the help in advance, really appreciate it and will keep you posted!	zeddess	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 17:05:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Hey all! I'm really new at this and it's all quite daunting, but seems like you've all had amazing journeys that have worked out wonderfully. We've only just filed our petition last week so I'm right at the beginning of mine! I'd just appreciate any advice you have about how long we should expect it to take as I know it varies so much, he's coming to NZ in December so I'm thinking it would be awesome if I get my interview while he's here, I'd be too freaked out to go on my own!! Is 5 months from now a bit unrealistic for getting an interview? Thanks again!!	zeddess	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-28 05:08:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	I got an email tonight from CRIS - EAD card production ordered. Nothing on the AP, but I am wondering as that never ever showed a touch, not even after biometrics when the other two did, perhaps it is coming anyway? EAD	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-13 22:28:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kelvan @ Aug 14 2009, 10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Without air-con I would die! lol Apparently we just had the hottest weekend of the year, what a time to arrive! Hey we bought two 'chicken pies' from the frozen section and tried them for lunch today. Nothing like a NZ pie I've made a few meat pies while I've been here in the past though so will stick to that! Anyone know if they sell puff pastry sheets? I have been using some but they are folded into three sections and I have to roll it out. I just realised my favourite Auckland radio station streams online so I'm listening to the Auckland traffic updates right now Oooo which station is that?	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-13 20:22:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kelvan @ Aug 13 2009, 03:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hehe that shouldn't be a problem We are sooo busy with wedding stuff right now! Our wedding will be September 18th. Man is it HOT here They call it the 'dog days of summer' around here. I dunno why, but the heat an humidity are something else.	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-13 07:37:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Aug 13 2009, 11:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Kelvan @ Aug 12 2009, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello guys! Now that I'm in the US, what exactly do I do now? I read that you should wait about 2 weeks before applying for a SSN. Is there anything else I need to do in terms of forms? No. as you said, just wait for two weeks and go and apply for you SSN. Relax for a bit, but just don't forget to get married!!!! ........lol Yes...remember that one!	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-12 21:49:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Zeddess @ Aug 12 2009, 05:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Cheers Kim, I would really liked him there for support but I've heard the interview is pretty easy anyway and probably not as scary as I imagine lol. Do they mind if you don't yet have an engagement ring as "evidence"? He's a college student so is finding it hard to pay for tuition, plane tickets as well as a ring He refuses to let me help though as I'm already saving up to move over there (arrghh!) Aww a little pink echo! I bet she loves it. That's really clever mailing yourself boxes, I never thought of that! Pretty sure I'll be able to fit everything into 2 suitcases though (touch wood!) because most of the things I have are small and compact, clothes will probably be the biggest concern I reckon.. I have a habit of "just in case"! I don't think it matters if you have a ring or not. Quite a lot of people don't.	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-12 09:39:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	There was no way I would have ever got all my stuff in 2 suitcases....I'm old So..I mailed myself 7 boxes from the PostShop. Way less than shipping and got here in 3 weeks. I sold stuff on TradeMe, and I made my flatmate a present of my car, a little pink Echo. Hers was 19 years old and she was having a hard time managing it (she is 72) And my bags still had HEAVY tags	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-11 21:10:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Sorry it hasn't turned up Kim..I know how frustrating that is	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-10 16:37:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	I don't know if this helps, but when I got to New Zealand I was told I could drive there on my Canadian DL for a year. People rent cars there when they visit from all over and they do the same thing.	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-10 08:22:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Aug 7 2009, 01:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I forgot to mention............................. Our hopes for a good nights sleep the night before last were shattered around 3.30ish am when the cat disturbed us, (luckily), and as we were laying there we heard the power go off, (the ceiling fan stopped and you don't realise how much whirring the turned off electrical stuff makes untill it shuts down all at once),........ followed closely by the tornado sirens!!!!! OMG!!! .... we've had a few storms since I've been here but the tornado season was unusually quiet this year and was meant to be over by this time, the power goes off in this street frequently and we've had it go off in the small hours before followed by big electrical storms....but never the sirens at the same time since I've been here so as you can imagine I was a little on the wired side to say the least. As there was also no internet we were flying blind, so I rang my cuzzy in NZ and got her to jump online and tell me what was going on here....as we suspected there were several tornado warnings which were expected to last about about an hour so we all gathered in one room to wait it out. The wind was blowing a gale but Chris still had his head out the front door to check for funnels when the sky was lit up and said "it seems to be in the distance". Just at that moment a massive flash and boom happened all at once right above us, it was quite comical to see the look on his face and watch him jump back inside the house. (I tend to run to a bit of humour in a crisis)....lol. About 4.30am as the storm had quietened down a bit we thought we'd try and get some sleep before the alarm at 5.15, then the damned neighbours dog started!!!.....lol I really don't blame him, I mean fancy leaving your dog out in an electrical storm and possible tornado strike. I miss the rain and electrical storms we have at home and look forward to moving to Portland so I can enjoy them again without the fear of tornadoes. The sirens and storm in the middle of the night has to be the worst for putting the wind up you.....no pun intended.....lol Wow! That's some kind of night you had! Glad you are alright there!	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-08-06 10:48:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (rubyred @ Jul 31 2009, 06:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> APPROVED!! really lovely interviewing officer - she told us she was recommending us for approval within about 3mins of the interview! Congratulations!!!!	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-31 09:12:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	Oh not at all...most people go through NVC in a couple of days. That is why we were so freaked out	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 20:39:00
Australia and New Zealand	NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!	QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Jul 30 2009, 11:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Zeddess @ Jul 29 2009, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the welcomes guys! QUOTE (Kim & Chris @ Jul 30 2009, 12:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have two more states to add to my list of " States I Have Been To".......lol (Illinois is just over the bridge from St Louis), and I just love the whole stadium atmosphere, so as I said, it was all good. Omg I can't wait to start my "list"! How many states do you have on yours so far? I've only been to Washington & Idaho so there's only 48 more to go! Haha Congrats Cdneh.....one more hurdle been passed......you got transfered too didn't you so it should be plain sailing from here on We did..we were sent to CSC...and boy do we ever hope so	cdneh	Female	New Zealand	2009-07-29 17:49:00