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

[ivannnaloveskiwi 0]

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

[kiwibelcanto 3]

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!!

[cdneh 3,112]

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!

It's not an unrealistic time frame you would think, but it all depends on how long all of the steps before you get to the interview stage take. Sort of like how long is a piece of string

Anything we can help with I am sure we would all be happy to. There's a good group in this thread, and VJ is the best resource around I think.

[kiwiana 2]

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!! It certainly does seem a little daunting at first but the folks here at VJ are so kind and helpful and I am so glad i found this site

It's not unrealistic for the process to take 5 months but there seems to be no set time frame or order that USCIS takes to process the cases. A few people have got approved after only 2 months, some after 3, 4, 5 months, 6 months and a some take longer.

Feel free to ask us anything! We are all here for each other and once again Welcome!!

[kiwiana 2]

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!

[kiwibelcanto 3]

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!

[cdneh 3,112]

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

[kiwibelcanto 3]

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!

[cdneh 3,112]

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!

Thanks!

You'll have plenty of help then if you are in Auckland !

Here's Kiwiana's post ..just to save you hunting it down:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2448336

Edited July 28, 2009 by cdneh

[Kim & Chris 0]

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 0]

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.

[cdneh 3,112]

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.

Hidden questions???? Ooooooo ..I am curious now!

[Kim & Chris 0]

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

[cdneh 3,112]

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

Aha! Thanks for that! I will keep an ear out for that sort of carry on

[cdneh 3,112]

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.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=New Zealand&cty=Auckland