LAND DOWNUNDER

[hawaiiandreams 0]

hiya hd

good luck for the up coming interview...you will do just fine..to me and many it was the easiest part of the whole process..

advice hmmm....enjoy the view...take a magazine..something to munch on...and get in last into the elevator so your first to get through the security part and get a number...lol ohhh and relax by now you would know everything backwards that they might throw at you in the question department...im sure you will do just fine mate..

take care

kath

Oh, thanks so much Kath! Especially for the advice on the elevator. LOL.

Just wondering if I have enough evidence.. I was taking a look under the CR1 section and found a posting from Alex that said he submitted the following items:

2 notarized letters stating the validity of our on-going relationship from close friends.

copies of my phone bill showing calls to my wife.

copy of my itinerary from past flights to visit her as well as future booked flights.

copy of health insurance status with my wife added to it (they allowed it even without her SSN).

pictures of us together with family in different states and pics during our civil wedding.

copy of a hallmark card sent from my wife to me.

At this stage I have:

-pictures taken over the past 3.5 years (including pics with family in both countries)

-3 years worth of email and a few cards

-Wedding cards and our wedding album

-Most of our flight itineray's and ticket stubs (and copies of all entry to the US stamps in my passport)

-He's miltary so I have docs stating I am sponsored by his command

-Docs showing I have medical and dental cover under the military medical system

-Military ID card

Should I worry about getting signed affidavit's from family/friends? Or have these generally not been required?

Thanks. Any advice is appreciated!

Edited January 13, 2008 by hawaiiandreams

[Kath 0]

hiya hd

your quite welcome to any help i can give mate thats what were all here to do...

i did a search on one of the aussies called hampster..he posted what elle gave him as a guide to what to take to his interview..he was also a CR1.. hope it helps..also take a look at vylex or elle's posts also it might help too mate

scroll down this page to see hampsters post about interview what to take

gawd thats the longest description i have ever put on a link lol..sorry about that..just hope it helps ya in anyway..

take care

kath

Edited January 14, 2008 by Kath

[hawaiiandreams 0]

hiya hd

your quite welcome to any help i can give mate thats what were all here to do...

i did a search on one of the aussies called hampster..he posted what elle gave him as a guide to what to take to his interview..he was also a CR1.. hope it helps..also take a look at vylex or elle's posts also it might help too mate

scroll down this page to see hampsters post about interview what to take

gawd thats the longest description i have ever put on a link lol..sorry about that..just hope it helps ya in anyway..

take care

kath

Thanks Kath, you are an absolute angel! Bless you.

Well, it looks like I am all ready to go. Even though nothing states its explicitly necessary, i think I might get a few wiitten statements from family and frineds too, just in case!

How do you find the volunteer work Kath? Are you still doing it? I would imagine it would be quite rewarding and a good way to put yourself out there and make new friends. I was thinking of doing something similar when I reach the US! Well thanks again and have a nice night! Oops, that woud be day for you!

Edited January 14, 2008 by hawaiiandreams

[Kath 0]

hi hd

YW.....yes im still doing the volunteer work every thursday...it is rewarding..i work in the pharmacy and the people are wonderful...

i did a search for volunteering in hawaii..if it dont give you much help do a search in google for volunteering in hawaii there were quite a few..

volunteering

also go on the uscis website and do a search for the welcome to america brochure..there is quite a bit of info in there on all kinds of stuff..

take care

kath

[hawaiiandreams 0]

hi hd

YW.....yes im still doing the volunteer work every thursday...it is rewarding..i work in the pharmacy and the people are wonderful...

i did a search for volunteering in hawaii..if it dont give you much help do a search in google for volunteering in hawaii there were quite a few..

volunteering

also go on the uscis website and do a search for the welcome to america brochure..there is quite a bit of info in there on all kinds of stuff..

take care

kath

Excellent, thanks for the info kath. I'm going to look into it! Thanks again and have a great day!

[jennybeni 0]

Hey guys!

Steve just got his interview date in the mail - January 30!!!! We are very excited. He'll probably come over a couple weeks after that (if all goes well, of course). We're not stressing too much, esp after what you all have said about the Sydney interview - just have to get all our paperwork in order.

Thanks for all the info!

Pat, did you say the fee change was after Jan. 31? I think his letter said to pay $150-something so I am really hoping we don't wind up having to buy 2 receipts.

[hawaiiandreams 0]

Congratulations jennybeni! That's great news! Now long now..

i'm also on the count down, this time next week I'll be in Sydney! Yahoo!

I just have a question about the medical report and Appendix C which includes a list of vaccinations. Does anyone knwo what this is for? Looks like its just to be kept for the applicants reference. It's included in my medical report but the panel physicain has left it blank. He gave me a copy of it when I had the medical, with a few things filled out and boxes ticked - he told me to keep it for "my own records".

Any clues? Just curious!

[trailmix 77]

I've always wondered, why are you Aussies stuck in one pinned thread, why don't you have your own forum?

[Kath 0]

g'day tailmix

i suppose, that no one else has ever thought that it needs to be in one lol...and i dont think were stuck here really we just come in here to help other aussies in anyway we can...its an aussie thing...

thanks for the observation...

take care

kath

[patriciaofoz 0]

Home, sweet, home.

...and I came home knowing that my US visa had finally arrived (it arrived Wednesday). So tomorrow, I'm gonna go down to my travel agent and buy that plane ticket! So exciting!

Only thing is, the envelope which I'm suppose to NOT OPEN is already half ripped (thanks to it being really thick and the envelope they shoved it in isn't exactly the toughest). You can still see that it wasn't fully opened - so hopefully the POE Immigration people aren't going to question it.

I'll be in Sydney next week (for work)....do you think I should go up to the Consulate and tell them it's ripped and have them put it in another envelope or am I just paranoid?

All that matters is I have my visa - it's the most precious thing I own at this precise moment

[patriciaofoz 0]

Pat, did you say the fee change was after Jan. 31? I think his letter said to pay $150-something so I am really hoping we don't wind up having to buy 2 receipts.

Congrats, jenny!

Yes, the fee changes January 31st - ignore what they did on the letter (did they just cross out the soon-to-be-old-fee and hand write the new fee?). That's what totally confused me - even though on the note underneath the letter which talks about the new fee change, it says that it doesn't kick in until AFTER January 31st. I don't know why they would write the new fee when your interview date is BEFORE the new fee change. They definitely confused/panicked me!

[vylex 0]

hi vylex nice to see ya good to hear all is going so well for the two of you...is your wife working yet...

talk ya soon

take care

kath

Hi Kath!

Vy is in the process of getting her driver's permit (her Aus license expired and we forgot to renew before leaving oops!) We then have to wait for 3 months before the road test. That kinda limits her mobility for work since where we are, she needs to drive.

Also, she is in the process of getting her Nursing credentials evaluated here before she can take the NCLEX Nursing board examination. This process alone can take the part of this year...especially if she needs to take a class to make up any deficiencies.

But first thing is she needs a car. She can get a job doing anything while waiting for the Nursing evaluation to make it through.

Things are great otherwise. I know she'll enjoy being able to go out and browse on her own once we get her license.

How goes it with you these days? Hope all is well (with you and everyone else).

[vylex 0]

HD,

I agree with Kath's tips below 100%

Also I recommend getting in early as possible...maybe 45 min before they open the door. The reason is you can get one of the first tickets (make sure to hit the ticket machine just off to the right once you get into the actual Consulate portion). You'll get called up right away then and the waiting will only be a an hour or two.

Form our experience...it was the easieist part indeed. It's really just a paper-review session with a few passing questions. You'll hit one of the booths where they collect the paperwork. Have it nice and organized in the order they ask. They'll ask you to sit and wait (1 to 2 hours maybe?) and then get called to window 5 or 6 and that's where they ask for fingerprints. If they person asks you to do some fingerprinting...you're practically home free. He/she might ask a couple of innocent sounding questions. That is the "interview". Once it's done, they'll say everything is in order and it will be mailed. You can also request for a pickup if you stick around Sydney for a few days.

Good luck and enjoy the view of Sydney and the Harbour Bridge. That's where my wife and I first kissed hehe...during the Bridge Climb tour.

hiya hd

good luck for the up coming interview...you will do just fine..to me and many it was the easiest part of the whole process..

advice hmmm....enjoy the view...take a magazine..something to munch on...and get in last into the elevator so your first to get through the security part and get a number...lol ohhh and relax by now you would know everything backwards that they might throw at you in the question department...im sure you will do just fine mate..

take care

kath

[hawaiiandreams 0]

HD,

I agree with Kath's tips below 100%

Also I recommend getting in early as possible...maybe 45 min before they open the door. The reason is you can get one of the first tickets (make sure to hit the ticket machine just off to the right once you get into the actual Consulate portion). You'll get called up right away then and the waiting will only be a an hour or two.

Form our experience...it was the easieist part indeed. It's really just a paper-review session with a few passing questions. You'll hit one of the booths where they collect the paperwork. Have it nice and organized in the order they ask. They'll ask you to sit and wait (1 to 2 hours maybe?) and then get called to window 5 or 6 and that's where they ask for fingerprints. If they person asks you to do some fingerprinting...you're practically home free. He/she might ask a couple of innocent sounding questions. That is the "interview". Once it's done, they'll say everything is in order and it will be mailed. You can also request for a pickup if you stick around Sydney for a few days.

Good luck and enjoy the view of Sydney and the Harbour Bridge. That's where my wife and I first kissed hehe...during the Bridge Climb tour.

hiya hd

good luck for the up coming interview...you will do just fine..to me and many it was the easiest part of the whole process..

advice hmmm....enjoy the view...take a magazine..something to munch on...and get in last into the elevator so your first to get through the security part and get a number...lol ohhh and relax by now you would know everything backwards that they might throw at you in the question department...im sure you will do just fine mate..

take care

kath

You kissed on the bridge? How cute! :-) I shall remember you both when I'm there on Tuesday..

Thanks for all the tips Kath and Vylex. I can't really get there first thing because my interview is not until 11, but i'll be sure to arrive with a good 45 mins up my sleeve!

It's all so exciting!

P.S. Is anyone else have issues with our Aussie thread today? It seems to be difficult to get to the most recent page.....

[Kath 0]

hiya vylex

wow vy is really busy..hope she doesnt have to any more study and her credentials are good enough ...

i tell ya the best thing i did was get my licence...it gave me my independence back which i missed when i first arrived here...i know robbie didnt mind driving me around but with his schedule it was hard...and he still drives me around when were going out lol..what can i say he loves driving..lol...

all is well here..bought our first house together and its coming along lovely painted nearly all the rooms now and come spring we will be doing stuff outside...work is going well..they have cut back on hours but i dont mind that its nice to have a few days home during the week...doing my removal of conditions in july so that is my next step...one of my friends at the hospital couldnt believe i had to do that even though i married an american....good to hear from ya mate and that everything is going so well for you two...

Hi HD

your most welcome ..you will be surprised how easy it is mate...we walked out thinking gawd ya know we could of done this on the phone and saved us hundreds of dollars...

havent had any trouble getting in here today...maybe ya computer needs rebooting mate

and by the way good luck for the interview in a couple of days you will do fine mate..get all ya little ducks in a row and breathe...

take care

kath