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

[cdneh 3,112]

Hi everyone!

I just filed our petition this morning. My fiance's only been back in NZ (Chch) for 3 weeks and it's already driving me mad!

It's good to have other people in the same boat to keep my spirits up.

Good luck to all of you!

Welcome to the thread! Nice to see a new face from time to time! If we can help, just ask

[kiwiana 2]

Not a peep. There are a few of us in the June AOS thread in the same boat, transfers to CSC, that haven't heard a thing. I laugh now to think we all were pretty happy about that, as it was meant to be so much quicker. A lot of people from the same time that had interviews have already got their cards.

I will be so pleased to get this over with..for a while

Good luck on the job front...lol..I have never heard of a group interview!

It's has to be coming soon. It's been like 4 months now hasn't it? Fingers crossed that it comes through VERY soon and then you can put it all behind you for the next 21 months (come on CSC get a move on!!)

Megger: Welcome to the thread! The folks here on VJ are just wonderful! Don't hesitate to ask any questions. We will all do our best to help if we can!!

[cdneh 3,112]

Not a peep. There are a few of us in the June AOS thread in the same boat, transfers to CSC, that haven't heard a thing. I laugh now to think we all were pretty happy about that, as it was meant to be so much quicker. A lot of people from the same time that had interviews have already got their cards.

I will be so pleased to get this over with..for a while

Good luck on the job front...lol..I have never heard of a group interview!

It's has to be coming soon. It's been like 4 months now hasn't it? Fingers crossed that it comes through VERY soon and then you can put it all behind you for the next 21 months (come on CSC get a move on!!)

Nearly 4 months since the transfer...we filed in June.

[Kelvan 0]

Not a peep. There are a few of us in the June AOS thread in the same boat, transfers to CSC, that haven't heard a thing. I laugh now to think we all were pretty happy about that, as it was meant to be so much quicker. A lot of people from the same time that had interviews have already got their cards.

I will be so pleased to get this over with..for a while

Good luck on the job front...lol..I have never heard of a group interview!

It's has to be coming soon. It's been like 4 months now hasn't it? Fingers crossed that it comes through VERY soon and then you can put it all behind you for the next 21 months (come on CSC get a move on!!)

Nearly 4 months since the transfer...we filed in June.

I hope it arrives soon cdneh. How long does it usually take?

Megger: Welcome to the thread! Everyone here is very helpful so if you have any questions just ask! I wouldn't know what to do without them

[kiwiana 2]

I hope it arrives soon cdneh. How long does it usually take?

Megger: Welcome to the thread! Everyone here is very helpful so if you have any questions just ask! I wouldn't know what to do without them

I had the pleasure (lol!) going via the interview route with my AOS and it was almost four months to the day from sending in the AOS package to the interview.

It is suppose to be much quicker if you get transferred to CSC but it doesn't appear to be looking that way at the moment. If memory serves me correct i think Kim had problems too with waiting. I really hope it gets approved for cdneh asap

[cdneh 3,112]

I hope it arrives soon cdneh. How long does it usually take?

Megger: Welcome to the thread! Everyone here is very helpful so if you have any questions just ask! I wouldn't know what to do without them

I had the pleasure (lol!) going via the interview route with my AOS and it was almost four months to the day from sending in the AOS package to the interview.

It is suppose to be much quicker if you get transferred to CSC but it doesn't appear to be looking that way at the moment. If memory serves me correct i think Kim had problems too with waiting. I really hope it gets approved for cdneh asap

So does cdneh

[kiwibelcanto 3]

Thanks for the congrats guys!! Still pretty nervous about the next stage but trying to be optimistic.

Just a few questions... how long does the petition usually hang out at the NVC for before it comes to NZ? My fiance is starting to work on the affidavit of support but what are you supposed to do with it, or does the embassy explain these things in the package they send you? Silly questions I know but I just hate not knowing what to expect..

I hope you hear something soon on the GC cdneh. good luck with job hunting for you kiwiana and soon for kelvan! and congrats to kelzm for finding work too

I feel sorry for that random Vietnamese couple on the page before that got denied a visa

[cdneh 3,112]

Thanks for the congrats guys!! Still pretty nervous about the next stage but trying to be optimistic.

Just a few questions... how long does the petition usually hang out at the NVC for before it comes to NZ? My fiance is starting to work on the affidavit of support but what are you supposed to do with it, or does the embassy explain these things in the package they send you? Silly questions I know but I just hate not knowing what to expect..

I hope you hear something soon on the GC cdneh. good luck with job hunting for you kiwiana and soon for kelvan! and congrats to kelzm for finding work too

I feel sorry for that random Vietnamese couple on the page before that got denied a visa

Most only are at NVC a couple of days then get sent on. We just happened to strike a new thing last year at NVC, and ended up in AP there for quite a long time. We didnt know anything about it at the time, as K1's dont usually get AP there, but I could write you a novel about it now

You need to take the affidavit of support with you to your interview, from memory. I had two big files full of stuff in case they wanted it, but the didn't ask for very much. If you want I can dig up a couple of reviews people wrote that were good, and Kiwiana wrote a brilliant review of the medical xray day

Where in NZ are you?

[cdneh 3,112]

Couple of links for you ..the medical day and the interview Kiwiana posted about. I was so glad she posted all this as I was right behind her

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

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2561403

[kiwibelcanto 3]

Thank you so much for digging those out cdneh! that's really nice of you

I work a little bit further up Queen Street from the Embassy in Auckland, which is pretty handy, and I'm not too far a drive from the doctors in Remuera either. I'm trying to compile a whole bunch of evidence for the interview (emails, IMs, text messages, phonecalls etc) but I'm still terrified that it's not going to be sufficient as he can't come to the interview and I don't have a ring yet.

Did any of you guys go to the interview by yourself??

[cdneh 3,112]

Thank you so much for digging those out cdneh! that's really nice of you

I work a little bit further up Queen Street from the Embassy in Auckland, which is pretty handy, and I'm not too far a drive from the doctors in Remuera either. I'm trying to compile a whole bunch of evidence for the interview (emails, IMs, text messages, phonecalls etc) but I'm still terrified that it's not going to be sufficient as he can't come to the interview and I don't have a ring yet.

Did any of you guys go to the interview by yourself??

Don't worry about not having a ring...quite a lot of people didn't including me I know how stressful it is, and how worrying too, but we are all here to help

Most of us went on our own. I had heaps of emails and texts and IM's and all that, and they didn't even ask for it. They wanted to see the originals of things we had sent in, birth certificates, and the like. We didn't have any pics to send with our K1 that showed us together, we had some of me that he took and some I took of him, but not a one together. I started to take webcam shots that showed picture in picture, and she spent a while looking at those

For sure Dr Stone is the one to go to. It's not hard to find if you read what Kiwana wrote and she really nailed it very well. It was a pretty simple exam too.

Edited to add, the email address for the consulate is.. AucklandIV@state.gov and they do get back to you quite quickly. I emailed and gave them my AKL number and the told me my case had arrived there in the form of the electronic copy. I was able to email back and forth and get an interview date that suited, and it all started to go pretty quickly from there!

Have you had a look at the NZ consulate info on here? It's quite good...this link shows you a lot about the consulate and about what is in packet 3 and 4

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/inde...mp;cty=Auckland

This link takes you to some reviews..

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php

Edited November 10, 2009 by cdneh

[kiwiana 2]

Zeddess:

As cdneh mentioned most of us didn't have rings. And we went on our own. (I'm not sure if they will let your SO in for the interview or not)

I was as nervous as heck on the day (so glad they had bathrooms in the arcade next door LOL!!) but before you know it, it is soon over. One thing that i wasn't expecting was the way the interview was conducted.

When i think of an interview, i imagine sitting across a table from the interviewee but at the embassy it is totally different. You stand by the counter/window and talk between glass to the consulate person. They have a microphone they talk into so you can hear what they say.

It is quite weird and amusing to discuss your personal matters in front of others sitting there waiting to be seen.

And as cdneh said: Dr Stone is the doctor to see! The medical is quick and the doc is really nice and puts your mind at ease.

You have to get an xray done and blood test at different localities (those places are not far from the doctors... if you drive there)

The embassy will send you a letter once your file has been through AP with instructions on what to do next. Its a very anxious time but also exciting too as it means that soon you will be with your loved one!!

I can't remember exactly all the things i had to show at the interview but they did want to see how much funds i had in my bank account. My SO didnt meet the minimum poverty guideline requirements for the I-134 (at that time). I emailed the embassy and asked them if i needed a co sponsor and they didn't seem all that bothered as long as i had my own funds.

(They are excellent when it comes to answering your emails quite quickly and are very nice!!)

Hope you hear from the consulate soon with packet 3!

cdneh: what on earth is going on with your AOS?? still no word eh??

[kiwibelcanto 3]

OMG so packet 3 was waiting for me as I got home from work tonight!

I'm reading over it and it sounds fairly straightforward, just the medical that sounds confusing! I'm sure I'll be alright, I might go to the one in CityMed (near my work) as I've been there before and I'm pretty sure they have lab/x-ray facilities there too. geez I'm going to feel like I've had a warrant of fitness after all that poking and prodding!

How soon after you send back the forms do they schedule you an interview? Also, what sort of amount of funds are they looking for me to have? I've barely started saving up! and I don't necessarily have any recent photos of us together... just some from when I was there in July and even then I think we're only together in one or two.

It's actually kind of a relief to hear the interview is conducted so casually, I have this scary image of a small and dingy interrogation room with a bright light LOL. If they take your bag from you though does that leave you with nothing to entertain yourself (not even a book?) while you wait for the second part of the interview...?

think that's all the questions for now! thanks for all the advice, I'd be lost without you guys

[cdneh 3,112]

OMG so packet 3 was waiting for me as I got home from work tonight!

I'm reading over it and it sounds fairly straightforward, just the medical that sounds confusing! I'm sure I'll be alright, I might go to the one in CityMed (near my work) as I've been there before and I'm pretty sure they have lab/x-ray facilities there too. geez I'm going to feel like I've had a warrant of fitness after all that poking and prodding!

How soon after you send back the forms do they schedule you an interview? Also, what sort of amount of funds are they looking for me to have? I've barely started saving up! and I don't necessarily have any recent photos of us together... just some from when I was there in July and even then I think we're only together in one or two.

It's actually kind of a relief to hear the interview is conducted so casually, I have this scary image of a small and dingy interrogation room with a bright light LOL. If they take your bag from you though does that leave you with nothing to entertain yourself (not even a book?) while you wait for the second part of the interview...?

think that's all the questions for now! thanks for all the advice, I'd be lost without you guys

I am trying to remember why we didn't go to City Med, it had something to do with it being more expensive or something? Anyone else remember?

Yay on getting packet three!!! It won't take long at all to get the interview date, once they have the parts of packet three back. Fill in and send back the Police clearance thing for them, that is probably the one thing that might take a week to ten days.

If your fiancee can meet the requirements for support don't worry too much about your own funds. They just want to make certain you will not be a public charge. My SO was retired, and we had planned on his daughter being the sponsor, but I had enough fund on my own, having just sold my car

I think your pictures sound fine, it's hard to get pictures together when you aren't even in the same country Take the ones you have, and copies of the ones you used to file for the K1.

LOL on the bright light interrogation...no nothing so harsh as all that. The lady that interviewed me was a young American lady, and very nice. She went through the file and asked the odd question here and there. As Kiwiana said, it seems a strange way to conduct an interview!

No bag, no cellphone...but really there isn't that long between the two. The first person takes the parts she wants, and tells you to take a seat, and I went up to the next window in not time.

Any questions just ask Any of us will be glad to help

cdneh: what on earth is going on with your AOS?? still no word eh??

I wish I knew! Coming up 4 months since the transfer to CSC..

[kiwiana 2]

I am trying to remember why we didn't go to City Med, it had something to do with it being more expensive or something? Anyone else remember?

yes, i think it was more expensive to go to City Med (at that time). And we heard good reviews from others that had seen Dr Stone too.

Congrats Zeddess on receiving packet 3! Things are going to ZOOM along now!! Everything will be alright as far as funds go if your SO meets the requirements for support.

The interview part is pretty casual (i had visions of interrogation tactics too before i went )

It's funny that you go through all that security( have your bag searched and xrayed and locked away, speak to the person through a microphone with glass separating you) All this top security stuff, then have your interview conducted in the open where everyone can hear all your business!!