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

[KimandRuss 0]

Oh my goodness! Congratulations kelzm!!! So happy for you! How are you feeling in regards to all of this? Happy to be finally coming 'home' I suppose but is there some anxiety about leaving your son in NZ? Do you use frequent flier miles??? Sorry i'm so nosey! I am so happy for you and wish only the best. Please keep us posted!

I don't want to hijack the thread because this is certainly your moment but i'm a little stoked that so many VSC December filers are being approved lately! Fingers crossed that the trend continues!

My Russ posted this in the other thread we started...just wanted to share...

Kia ora

this may seem a little strange but its actually kim's other half writing this, i would say better half but that is a lie she is far better half than i could have ever hoped for, and not being with her now is not a burden i like or take lightly (to tell the truth it kills) so i know how you guys must feel with all this waiting, funny thing is if it was viable the other way and kim could come here it would be so easy, for that i am not too happy with the extra wait. but in the end it will be well worth the wait to be able to wrap my arms around her and know that i never have to leave again.

anyways i just wanted to chime in and say hi, i am sure by now you have received all the advice you can process at the moment ruby, i know when kim and i started looking into all this the idea of time apart felt like a big stone hanging over our heads, we are still waiting, but hoping for that magical 2 week process time on the noa2. lol. if there are any of those processing people out there, pleasssssssssssssssssssssssssssse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what ever the case may end up i know we are on the path to something magical.

ok i am gonna stop being soppy

i hope you are all keeping sane,

take care

aroha nui

Russ

Edited February 20, 2008 by KimandRuss

[kelzm 0]

Thanks for putting in Russ's post Kim. I have to agree with him, sometimes I think it'd all be so much easier for us to live in NZ but there are some advantages in the US that just make it the better choice right now.

I'm feeling very excited. I have to admit that I'd been feeling a bit depressed recently. It seemed like things were going so slow. USCIS has to be the worst part of this journey, there's just such an overwhelming silence from them, and such uncertainty on when things are going to be processed. I'm glad not to be moving on to NVC as at least there are steps so I can cross off each one as something achieved when we get to it.

It's all starting to seem a little more 'real' to me now. That makes me both excited, and sad. I can't wait to be able to move to be with my husband, yet at the same time I'm already fretting about leaving my son. It's been me and him together for 14 years and it's going to be a huge change for us both. I'm also very close to my family, my parents will be caring for my son on the weekends when he's home from school, it's going to be difficult to be somewhere I can't see them every week.

Mostly I just try not to think about these things (or I start asking if I'm doing the right thing by my child and stressing), though I think it's going to be some major adjustment for my whole family when the time comes.

It now all seems so close though! I have lots to do, a house to sell, a degree to try and finish, a holiday in May with my husband, I'm hoping the remaining months will fly by with me kept busy. I do use frequent flyer miles, I now always fly airnz, I used to shop around to try and save $$ but mostly it's a saving of only a hundred or so dollars so I'd rather have the miles.

I'm currently tossing up whether to cash in my miles for my one way trip when I move or.... using them to upgrade to business class so I can get the extra baggage allowance (ok, it's mostly I want to have the lie flat beds, and the luxury, girls got to treat herself sometimes, right?)

Whew.... I sure do talk a lot, huh?

[KimandRuss 0]

Kelzm, NZ is gorgeous but I own the house my mom grew up in on the street named after my family in the same city that my great-grandparents landed in when they came over from Sicily. Most of my family & friends live within a few miles of each other and we see each other quite often. The job opportunities are better here as well. Russell's parents have a lot of property in NZ so we will always have a home to go back to there as well.

I have a 15 y/o daughter and a 12 y/o son so I understand and sypathize with your anxiety with all of this. Being so close to your folks and having your son staying in NZ has to be difficult. I'm sure you take comfort in knowing he'll be well taken care of. You have to do what's right for you and it seems that coming here to be with the man you love and married is what is right. I've always told my parents that the greatest gift they ever gave me was showing me how to love and be loved. I hope I am giving that to my children as well. It's truly life's greatest gift and i'm sure your son knows that and appreciates that mom is happy.

So you have to sell your home and finish your schooling??? How much longer is the process expected to be for your visa? The last two couples I have talked to that when through the NZ consulate had their interview within 6 weeks of their NO2 being approved. It will be good to have it all done and just ready when you are!

We flew qantas when Russell came home with me and the kids in 2006 and managed to have the maximum amount of bags at their maximum weights (paid a little extra as well) to get all his things home. What a fiasco that was! Was so much cheaper than shipping it all! though So, most of this things are already here. I'm still waiting for qantas to get back to me regarding all the flights I had with them but last month I flew Air NZ. I did upgrade to premium which was nice but i'd love to go business class! Yes, it's good to be pampered!

Yes, i'm a chatterbox too! It's good to know i'm not alone in all of this.

[KimandRuss 0]

Ruby... any decisions made yet? And how did dinner with your folks go?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[kelzm 0]

I haven't looked into this ruby, but are you able to apply for your K1 while you're still in the USA? Just wondering if you can do that in your last month or so, at least then when you return to NZ it'll shorten the wait?

Best of luck with that dinner!

[KimandRuss 0]

Good morning/evening ladies...

Ruby, you don't need to have anything to report to post. It's always good hearing from you...reminds me that i'm not alone in this.

Kelzm, hope you're getting more and more excited about your big move!

It's my understanding that as long as you are not entering the country with the intent to immigrate that you are free to marry while here and adjust status. Some people have not had to leave the country at all. There are loads of posts related to that topic here on VJ.

I think for Russell and I it might have caused some problems because he did leave a very good job, his apartment and took all his things. All we knew is that it would take a long time for my divorce to go through and we wanted to be together. We were actually instructed to marry while he was in the country but it didn't work out that way and we didn't want to risk anything by .

It would be much different for you coming on that visa. You're coming on a student visa..meeting your bf for the first time. If you choose to marry him within the next year you can do so while here and adjust status while you remain. That is my interpretation of the law. As long as you don't show intention intitially.

Sounds like a plan!

I have a spark of good news... As you know, we can't file until my divorce is final (April 14th now). They don't mail the divorce decree to you. It's something you need to go pick up sometime after it's final...can take a while. But the registar of deeds called me the other day. I explained the circumstances and he told me that he would pull my divorce decree out and stamp it and have it ready for me the day after my divorce is finalized so that I can mail out the K1 on April 15th. Small stuff really but it's been SUCH an uphill battle for 2 1/2 years now. Now that the VSC is moving along so much faster and that we have a concrete date to send I am seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

We're also contemplating another trip for me to NZ at the end of June. If we're luck and approved real fast I can adjust the tickets so that i'm there for the interview and we can fly home together! If we're still waiting, at least we'll have that time to look forward to and knowing it wont be long from then will make it much easier leaving this time. Last time was was just tragic.

Well i'm rambling now but I know you girls understand how i'm feeling.

Have a great day / night.

[KimandRuss 0]

Congratulations! That's one more thing you can check off!

[kelzm 0]

Hey ruby, congrats on having finished school! Must be nice to have that all sorted.

Kim - that's great news about the deed. I know people usually complain about government systems and processes but every now and then someone goes out of their way to do something that just helps make up for everything else. When we got married the celebrant also worked for the city council and as she knew we were going to put forms in to USCIS she had our certificate processed within a couple of days, instead of a couple of weeks.

You'll have to keep us updated with how everything goes. Sounds like Russ could be there pretty soon!

[rubyred 0]

so jordan met my parents for a late lunch today, and it went great!

my mum sent me a text message: "he's with us now, he is nice"

followed about 20mins later by a cell phone photo of my dad and jordan together. later on, another pic, of my mum with jordan and text: "what a nice guy. please thank him for lunch for us, as we forgot to. how old is he?" i think they were impressed he paid for lunch. my dad asked him if he thought jordan could put up with my BOSSINESS (thanks dad!!), so i texted my mum later, saying "tell dad I AM NOT BOSSY". but despite my efforts to maintain this as being just a 'friendship' to my parents, i'm pretty sure they know there is definitely something more going on. just a few things they said to jordan. but they seemed to really like him. i'm sure it'll seem less weird to them, that i met him on the internet, now that they've met him in person (even though i haven't!).

[kelzm 0]

Sounds like everything went great Ruby. Great news that your parents liked him.

[KimandRuss 0]

Awww i'm so happy for you, 'Ruby'. You must have had butterflies in your belly the whole time.

Isn't it funny how parents just know these things? My mother knew I was pregnant with my first child before I told her.

As a parent, I can tell you that what they want most of all is for you to be happy. It sounds like they've seen in Jordan much of what you've see.

Kelzm... as I told Russell last night... tomorrow wouldn't be soon enough and an eternity wouldn't be long enough. I'm going to plan on a June visit and an August arrival. Although i'd take sooner!

Any idea when you'll be travelling yet?

[kelzm 0]

I'm visiting in May (yay).

Hoping for a September move, if everything goes through smoothly I should be able to make that easily.

[rubyred 0]

that's such good news, to hear both you ladies are well on your way.

today i filled out the official application to the sponsorship agency, to get started on procuring me a J-1 visa. this is entailed paying out $995 which was very sad for my bank balance.

now i sit back and wait for and IEP rep to get in touch with me...

[KimandRuss 0]

Yikes! That's a hefty fee! I'm glad you got the ball rolling.

kelzm, aren't you dying to get here? Russell is staying in Auckland for two days after his interview so he can pick up his visa and fly home to me!

Well it seems even January filers are now being approved already by the VSC! There are some who filed much earlier still watiing but it seems new petitions are being processed at a super fast rate. We're contemplating putting off the June trip now because in reality, if things keep progressing the way they are at the VSC, he could be here as soon as June/July! Decisions...Decisions....

We also found out that Russell's family will be travelling here from NZ for our wedding. We were planning on a very quiet romantic ceremony but it seems that now we'll need to have a somewhat formal shin-dig.... that we somehow put together within the 90 day grace period. Oh well, i'll take it. It will be nice for them to be here and to meet all of the people that Russell is already so close to and who care about him.

There are a couple of other NZ/US couples about ready for the interview phase. I've let them know about our little corner over here.

Have a great day ladies!

[kelzm 0]

Oh! Good work Kim, hopefully the other NZ couples will join in and let us know how things go at interviews. I'm very curious about the consulate and what kind of timeframes things move through there.

I am excited to move, but I've still got lots to sort out here in NZ. The most important thing is timing my move to be around school holidays for my son. I'm still unsure how long its going to take for me to get through NVC, I really hope I get approved by August so that I can make the September trip, otherwise I may have to reevaluate and leave it till December.

I want to bring him over for his first ever vist to the US right after I make the move, so he can see where I am, see the room that I'll set up for him and also we can have a great holiday (Disneyland!) before I get a job and end up with no vacation time.