NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

I'm doing the Final filling in of the forms thing... and I have hit yet another question mark.

New Zealand Adresses! Aaaaargh! The space on the forms leaves so little room, and I am supposed to make "Wainuiomata, Wellington" somehow fit in the Town or City box that is This <------------> big?

My Fiancee, Genna, says I need to include the following info: Her street, Wainuiomata, Wellington, New Zealand, 6008

But there are only spots on the I-129F form for Street, Town or City, State or Country, and Postal Code

Can someone who has been filling these in for NZ give me some bit of insight?

[Kelvan 0]

Hi Dave n Genna! We had that problem with some of our fields when filling out the pdf form on the computer. You can leave it blank and then handwrite it (very neatly) in the box after you've printed it out in black ink. Can someone else confirm this?

[KimandRuss 0]

Hi and welcome.

Yes, you can either do as Kel suggested and write it in freehand, OR you can follow the I-129f instructions ...

If extra space is needed to complete any item, attach a continuation sheet, indicate the item number, and date and sign each sheet.

The example forms (link above) will help you a lot too.

as an added note... be sure you tick the box part C, Q2. Many people miss this, and are RFE'd, as they believe it's related to the military question above.

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

Hi and welcome.

Yes, you can either do as Kel suggested and write it in freehand, OR you can follow the I-129f instructions ...

If extra space is needed to complete any item, attach a continuation sheet, indicate the item number, and date and sign each sheet.

The example forms (link above) will help you a lot too.

as an added note... be sure you tick the box part C, Q2. Many people miss this, and are RFE'd, as they believe it's related to the military question above.

You just saved me and RFE with that last part. Thanks so much.

I have decided to leave the "Wellington" section off of the address, as she does not actually live in Wellington and I have already listed a "town"... ugh...

[kiwiana 2]

Thanks Russ for giving us the account of the medical and xrays etc. I have written it all down and will know where to go when the time comes, instead of stressing out even more so than normal on the day (worrying about where the medlab etc is) and.....

Kim and Russ: Thanks for the info on the Australian police certificate. I may ask at the Aussie Regional forum and see if they may know where i go to file for the police certificate.

Grant: I think that sealed envelope would drive me nuts with curiosity!! I would be holding it up to the light, picking at one corner, putting it down on the table and then picking it up again a few seconds later and placing it on another table, pacing up and down etc.. I would DEFINITELY put that envelope away somewhere. padlock it away in my suitcase or something, so that i wouldn't see it

Dave_n_Genna: welcome to the regional forum! When we filled in the forms, I found the same trouble with trying to type in the information. So my partner hand wrote the 1-129f and we each hand wrote the G325's. He had the carbon copy ones he ordered from the USCIS (of the G325's) but i had printed my forms out so i had to hand write on all four pages.

We then made two other copies of everything to keep as references so handwrote those too! I hadn't done so much handwriting in my life. One gets so used to just typing stuff that you don't realise just how shoddy ones handwriting becomes until you have to write very NEATLY into those itty bitty tiny boxes!! It was a challenge for sure! I think out of the 12 pages in total i wrote out(including extra copies) I actually wrote out probably 16 times, with the ones i made mistakes on and had to redo!

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

Hey Dave and Genna, welcome to our thread

sadly i also had trouble, south titirangi rd doesn't fit either, i struggled and struggled with doing it on the computer and then ended up doing them all by hand, what a pain, quite literally

[LandS 0]

Hi guys,

First off, thanks Kim for telling me about this thread, and thanks Russ for the info on the medical. I am really excited as I will have mine on Tuesday. Although I am in Christchurch it helps to know that it was pretty painless.

Now, I thought by now I would be an expert on these forms but no such luck. Maybe someone can help me...

Are we supposed to get the vaccination form (DS-3025) with Packet 3? I didn't get one, so I downloaded it from one of the websites they gave us (version 03/2008).

Do we need to to include the visa fee receipt when we send back packet 3 or do we take it to the interview?

Do we need to take passport-sized photos of our US citizen fiance(e) to the interview?

In form I-134, if the US citizen sponsor (born in the US) has lived outside the US for a period, what should s/he put in #2 as the date since when s/he has resided in the US? Birth date or date s/he returned?

Also, I am partially dependent on Shawn right now as I have just finished my Masters, so should he include my name in #8?

Edited August 23, 2008 by ShawnandLu

[KimandRuss 0]

Good morning my kiwi friends.

Welcome to the NZ thread Luciana,

Here is a list of vaccinations

The vaccinations were updated 7/1/08. The new form I-693 will be filled out at adjustment time. Russell got a signed document (vaccination documentation worksheet) stating he's had his vaccinations so it wont need to be signed off on by a civil surgeon when the time comes. Many things are not even needed until AOS but a lot of people choose to have them in their home Country.

Your visa receipt should be placed on the outside of your passport and taken to interview. At least that's what Russell told me.

No photo's of the US fiance needed. They have the one sent with the initial package.

If the US has always been his home (ie; residency) I would assume you would put since birth. I don't think I would put that you are partially dependent on him as that is what the form is for anyway. Somebody else may have some different thoughts regarding that but that is what I would do.

hope I helped.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

Welcome Shawn and Luciana

Hey Kim what airline was it that had the cheaper fares to the states? you mentioned something in an earlier post about flying thru tahiti on a mon or fri.

[gshennen 0]

Welcome to the new guys in here. Put your feet up, we are a good friendly bunch.

I have a question...

What experience has anyone had with transferring money to the US from NZ? I want to transfer some oney to Brook's parents to buy a car for us, but not sure of the best or most cost effective and safe way of doing this?

They don't have the internet, so using Paypal (which I have heard of being used a lot) is not an option. Basically it has to go straight into their bank account.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers

Grant

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

hey grant, mum sent me some extra spending money while i was visiting in april, she paid $25 to bnz here but then the receiving bank took $30 and then Rob's bank also took their share (tho i don't remember how much that was i think it was under $10) so after losing on the exchange rate and the banks taking their bit it was all a bit depressing

[kelzm 0]

Hi all, big welcome to our new kiwi couples! It's heartening to see there are so many of us going through this (not that I wish the stress and confusion of applying on people!), but it's nice to have company on the trip.

Grant I looked at different ways to transfer my money, some people recommend using commercial transfer places such as XE. I decided in the end it was easiest to talk to my bank about it. There are two options through most NZ banks (I use Westpac), telegraphic transfer or money draft. For both of these they charge a flat fee ($25) but unlike cash there is no currency commission so that's the only fee on this end. Like Michelle said there may be charges from banks on the other end, but for most it seems to be around $10 - $15. To do a direct transfer you'll need Brook's parents bank info which they should be able to obtain from their bank.

I decided to go with a bank draft to take my money with me, which is made out to me and I'll use it to open my own bank account in the US.

Here's the info from Westpac: http://www.westpac.co.nz/olcontent/olconte...aphic+transfers

[kiwiana 2]

Welcome ShawnandLu!

MichelleS: I wasn't aware of this but apparently for the 1-134 form, ones fiance has to earn 100% above the poverty line and not 125% as I had always thought. Apparently the 125% applies when one fills in the 1-864 form later on the US.

Here's the site: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/ty...types_2994.html

Grant: Don't get me started on transferring money from here to US A few weeks ago i went to my bank here (who shall remain nameless) and asked them if i could send some money from my bank account to one in the US. The teller said .'Oh we don't send money to the US" I was like' what??'

I tried to explain it to her again and she said 'how about a bank money order?" i said, no i want to transfer money directly. She ummed and arrred and then said, well i will make a phone call and see if we deal with any banks in america. she came back and said we do but not with the bank you want to use over there. To cut a LONG story short. she said she would send it to another bank in the US they deal with and they in turn will pass it on to the bank i wanted the money to go into. It cost $25 to do the transaction and i left there feeling very frustrated and angry with the whole episode.

Later on I decided to look online for banks here in nz and found that westpac are pretty good with sending money overseas (telegraphic transfer) so i went and opened an account with them. The woman there was very helpful and said there would be no problem sending money to banks in the USA. They also have affilation with the Bank Of America, so that is good. There is still the standard $25 fee for transferring the money over. As kelzm mentioned, you can also get a bank draft, which sounds like a good idea to do, when one leaves new zealand. thanks kelzm for mentioning that!

[KimandRuss 0]

Hi folks...

Michelle, i'll pm you.

Grant...paypal really is a great option and just fyi, it does link right to your bank account. Mine is linked to my bank account as well as my debit card. It's possible you can do a transfer directly from your bank in NZ, should check with them. Sorry I couldn't help more.

Hi Kel

Ana, it is well known that most Consulates look for 125% income. Rather than try to explain it all, I'll copy and paste Yu & Dan's post (as I often do ) in another forum. He really does explain it best....

Not an absolute requirement but the consulates tend to treat I-134, like I-864 and recomend same financial evidence.

Example:

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/up...w/3._OF-167.pdf (Read affidavit of support section)

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/faffidavit.html (Read Affidavit of support section, (notarized copies of his or her latest federal income tax return, a statement from his or her employer showing salary and the length and permanency of employment)

http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwfivk1.pdf (k. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT)

http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-niv-kaffidavit.html (Copies of his or her latest federal income tax return, Statement from his/her employer showing salary and the length and permanency of employment)

The list can go on and on.

One thing about I-134, the directions included with I-134 are very old, USCIS has no reason to update them since USCIS has no application for that form.

The consulates tend to treat the I-134 like a mini-I-864 as so prefer the same financial evidence as the I-864.

In our case this what the I-134 included.

• I-134 signed and notarized.

• SIMPLE Tax transcripts from the IRS for past 3 years, (Redundant for the (1040,W2,1099) but are free from the IRS http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq1-6.html

• Photo copy of IRS form 1040, and W2s for past 3 years (Not necessary if you provide the transcripts)

• Letter from my employer stating annual salary, job responsibility, and that is full time, on company letterhead.

• Photo copies of past month or so of pay stubs up to a few weeks before the interview.

My income was well above the povertyline so I did not include any asset data (LIKE BANK STATEMENTS or property values).

If your income exceeds 125% of the povertyline when counting yourself, prospective immigrant and any dependents, then don't bother with assets (401K, Bank balance, Stocks etc..), it is just extra un-needed data to provide, the consular officer is most concerned with INCOME.

I'm so busy with work my butt hurts from sitting in this chair! grrrrrrrrrrrrr I'm so tired of computers!

[kiwiana 2]

Thanks Kim!