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

[kelzm 0]

Gosh look at us all online

I'm tired of my chair too, mostly because I'm frantic to get 3 assignments done this week. These are the times I regret the amount of procrastination I did in previous years, trying to finish up my degree as fast as possible isn't the greatest way to spend all my weekends!

[LandS 0]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes everyone!

Thanks Kim, you are a lifesaver.

My GP said she could write me a letter saying that I've had my vaccinations, but I guess I'll take the form to my medical just in case. It would be handy not to have to go through another medical for the vaccinations when AOS time comes.

Wish I could help with the money transfer question, but the only thing I'm a little familiar with is Western Union...

Good luck with the 3 assignments Kelzm!!!

Edited August 24, 2008 by ShawnandLu

[amaciar 0]

We send money from Nics bank to mine. You need to have the routing number and a few other details for the account the money is going into. Both banks will take a bit of a fee but it is safe and relatively easy. When you do send money try and send a larger sum so that the fees don't feel as bad. Good luck! I know that from BNZ and Kiwibank you and do international transfers online and there is no need to go to a bank.

[gshennen 0]

We send money from Nics bank to mine. You need to have the routing number and a few other details for the account the money is going into. Both banks will take a bit of a fee but it is safe and relatively easy. When you do send money try and send a larger sum so that the fees don't feel as bad. Good luck! I know that from BNZ and Kiwibank you and do international transfers online and there is no need to go to a bank.

Cool - thanks for that, will look into that, as the two banks we use are BNZ and Kiwibank!!

Cheers

Grant

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

I got a reply email from the auckland consulate today, the question being if it was ok to have a co-sponsor for the I-134,

there reply was.........

If you have sufficient funds of your own, the I-134 is not essential.

Your CV would also be required.

Any person resident in the U S can provide an I-134 but needs to show their income and last year's income tax return, as well as their U S passport (copy) or Legal Resident card.

As they haven't said what constitutes "sufficient" i'm not sure i'm any happier than i was before, however, if i recall correctly someone earlier in the thread said they showed them a bank balance of $13000.00 and the consulate was happy with that so i guess i'll be ok.

I'm also not really clear on what they're saying in the second paragraph, do they mean the fiancee doesn't have to fill in the I-134 but if we have someone willing to sponsor us other than our SO we can get them to complete the I-134??

i'm confused and it's been a crappy day so i'm sorry the info isn't better

[kiwiana 2]

MichelleS: Thanks for letting us know what the consulate said. I too, am confused over what they mean. Maybe Kim would know what it is all about. The way things are at the moment, my fiance would need a co-sponser too, so i am very worried about this part of the process. Why do they want to see a CV? What does that have to do with having enough income? So if the beneficiary has sufficent funds (whatever that amount may be). Does it mean that the fiance doesn't need to fill in a 1-134. I hope someone cam answer these questions for us. It is all so confusing.

Once again, thanks for finding these details out. Just hope someone can explain it to us all.

sorry it's been a crappy day for you but hopefully things will look brighter once it is all explained

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

This is what i read in one of the reviews of the auckland consulate......

She also checked through the affidavit of support - I was getting Joanne's dad to co-sponsor as Jo is heading back to Grad School. But after looking at Jo's she asked if I had any saving and if I bought the bank statements with me - I had and showed that I had savings of around NZD13,000, and she said it would be find with just Jo's affidavit and my savings - we didn't need a co-sponsor. She said she wanted to make it as easy as possible for us to down it on our own.

I'm thinking we are going to be ok, i just didn't want to be worried about that right up to and during the interview.

[LandS 0]

This is what i read in one of the reviews of the auckland consulate......

She also checked through the affidavit of support - I was getting Joanne's dad to co-sponsor as Jo is heading back to Grad School. But after looking at Jo's she asked if I had any saving and if I bought the bank statements with me - I had and showed that I had savings of around NZD13,000, and she said it would be find with just Jo's affidavit and my savings - we didn't need a co-sponsor. She said she wanted to make it as easy as possible for us to down it on our own.

I'm thinking we are going to be ok, i just didn't want to be worried about that right up to and during the interview.

I just spoke to the US consulate and they said that basically, what the officer wants to know is that you are not going to go on welfare. Considering it takes about 3 months for the work authorization to be processed, and depending on when you get married after you enter the US, they want to know you have enough funds for those initial months until you are able to find a job. It doesn't matter if they are your own savings or your fiance(e)'s income, or co-sponsor's income. I think US$13000.00 is enough.

The CV is to see what kind of qualifications/work experience you have, your earning potential, and I guess your work history.

[KimandRuss 0]

Evening/afternoon folks.

The NZ Embassy does seem pretty lax in regards to the I-134. I actually like their thinking.

Most consulates follow the standards set by the I864, which we will file for at adjustment. I have a feeling the US government will follow protocol so you might just want to have a back up plan for adjustment time in the States if you will not meet the minimum.

[cdneh 3,112]

Am I the only one that doesn't get this? Sorry...I'm a bit confused still.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

No Kate, I'm confused also, but i've deciding i'm going to take my cv, my bank statement, a completed I-134 from Rob and a completed I-134 from our friend, if they don't need all of that, great but i'd rather have it with me then be turned away and asked to come back with something. Seems the safest way to me

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

oooh and we now have a web cam, I'm sooooooo happy

[cdneh 3,112]

oooh and we now have a web cam, I'm sooooooo happy

Aren't they a wonderful invention

[cdneh 3,112]

No Kate, I'm confused also, but i've deciding i'm going to take my cv, my bank statement, a completed I-134 from Rob and a completed I-134 from our friend, if they don't need all of that, great but i'd rather have it with me then be turned away and asked to come back with something. Seems the safest way to me

Sounds a scheme..take the lot.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

I know, i actually had a wee cry, it was very emotional seeing him again, i forgot about all those expressions i love, those little smiles and that look on his face he gets when he's teasing me, telling me i should do what the man says, just everything really