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

[cdneh 3,112]

i'm sorry sweetheart. Like I said, believe nothing they tell you.

I know it's hard to get in a festive mood with all of this hanging in limbo. Unfortunately, we too spent many a Christmas like that. Just try to keep focusing on the fact that, even tho it feels no closer, it really wont be much longer now.

Thanks Kim.

[kiwiana 2]

i'm sorry sweetheart. Like I said, believe nothing they tell you.

I know it's hard to get in a festive mood with all of this hanging in limbo. Unfortunately, we too spent many a Christmas like that. Just try to keep focusing on the fact that, even tho it feels no closer, it really wont be much longer now.

Thanks Kim.

cdneh:

Just want to say that once the embassy does receive it, everything is going to go extremely FAST! (And as you have everything ready) You could have visa within just a few weeks after embassy contacts you. The docs (for the medical) seems to get you in pretty quick for that. And you would be sending all the forms off to embassy el pronto, with the form that says you have everything ready for interview!! so it will be All Systems Go!!!!!

I am still waiting for my fiance to send me some things, so that will be a good few weeks yet and am not forseeing an interview until January sometime. But for me, it is giving me some breathing space as i have been racing around like a dog chasing it's tail this week and need to chill out a bit!!

(already i am concerned about this tb test that one has to do when we get to AOS stage. I am hoping by then, KimandRuss and others would have sussed out what it is all about and how to proceed with it )

[kiwiana 2]

It's just lovely to hear from those who are now in usa with their loved ones!

Kelzm: Sounds like you are settling in just great! Thanksgiving in Hawaii?!! woo hooo! fantastic!! How long does it take to get there by plane? oooh would love to go there!!

And your first Christmas with your husband? How wonderful!! Let's hope that it does snow, so you can experience that as well for the first time! And with your son visiting soon too, just perfect!!

Kim&Chris:That was a pretty good deal on the plane ticket! And even with the stopover,it still arrives much earlier in LA than other direct flights to LA from here.

It's good to know that you arrived there without any problems whatsoever. I too, was wondering where they send your envelope when you give it to them at POE. So it's reassuring to know from Kim (kimandruss) that there is no need to worry about it now.

be sure to let us all know your wedding plans and how you go with getting your SSN!!

yikes! -5 temperature!!! At least you have someone to warm you up in bed now!! LOL! JK!!

best wishes to both of you!!

[Lisaandtim 0]

I too have been reading posts and catching up on what everyone's been up to. Good to see things moving for some of you and I'm sure things won't be far off for the rest

I've been here in the States for about a week now and have really spent most of that time catching up on sleep and trying to get rid of the sinus infection I had for about a week before I travelled. I def do not recommend flying with bad sinus, but when you've been waiting all that time, nothing was going to stop me

The trip was pretty uneventful. I bought a one way ticket with Air Tahiti with a connection on NWA to Memphis. It worked out to be the cheapest option. $1669 all up. I did contemplate an open return ticket but to me it was more important to spend less right now and have more in the bank to live on for the next few months till I can work.

The flight leaves at 3pm and it's a 5hr trip to Tahiti. Once there you leave the plane via the old fashioned airplane stairs, and then walk across the tarmac to the main building. Even at 9pm Tahiti time, stepping out of the plane was like walking into a sauna. The main building is all open and only has ceiling fans so there's no respite there You line up to have your passports inspected and then go around the corner and get on board a different plane for the rest of the 8hr flight to LA. All in all we were lucky to have been there for not much more than 30 mins.

Once we landed at LA I decided not to try and keep up with the hoards charging off for customs and immigration. I made that mistake last time I did this trip as I only had a 2hr window for my connection, (which I missed coz the flight was late leaving Auckland), and I felt like I'd just run a race....all hot and bothered.

The good thing with Air Tahiti leaving Auckland at 3pm instead of Qantas that leaves at 7pm is that it arrives in LA at 8.15am, giving a 4hr 20min window to get all the POE sorted and still get my connection.......so I let the hoards pile on the first bus across the tarmac to POE and sat quietly with the remaining straglers in the 2nd bus that was waiting for the crew.

By the time we got over to POE everyone else had processed and I was as fresh as a daisy, well almost....lol. I waltzed straight through POE with the guy just asking the odd question in conversation while he opened the MBE, took my finger prints and took my photo. Barely took 5mins

I nipped around to terminal 2 with my bags and checked them in, then with 3hours or so to spare I sat myself down out in the LA morning sunshine to enjoy the fresh air after all the hours couped up on the plane. Everything else went without a hitch and the flight was even a bit early getting in to Memphis where Chris was waiting for me I was the most wonderful thing to fall into his arms again

And that was my trip.

I do have one question for Kim (Kim and Russ) though.

I asked the officer at POE which USCIS office my paperwork will be sent to as per the instructions, but all he told me was that they will be sent to the main POE sorting office there in LA and will be forwarded on from there. Even asking again saying that I'm supposed to find out at POE and why... got the same reply, which I'm assuming meant he had no idea.

So now I'm a bit worried about where to send the AOS paperwork to. Is there some other way of finding out at all?

Kiwiana: I packed my x-rays in my check in luggage, could be wrong but as far as I am aware they're not needed at POE and I wasn't asked for them at all.

Well I guess my next move is to plan a wedding, which is something we never gave much thought to earlier as there was so much else to sort out.....and to get my SSN sorted out next week.

I'm loving the cooler weather too, even spring was getting too hot for me at home and I am indeed hoping for some snow around christmas time. We've already reached today's high of 3deg and the overnight low is supposed to be -5

It's been a journey but it's been well worth it....

Thats wonderful that you got to the states just in time for xmas! =)

I had another question for people. Was wondering if I did got to NZ until my so can come back to the states if it'd be a problem form wise. Like after the noa2 will i need to fill out any more forms?

[cdneh 3,112]

i'm sorry sweetheart. Like I said, believe nothing they tell you.

I know it's hard to get in a festive mood with all of this hanging in limbo. Unfortunately, we too spent many a Christmas like that. Just try to keep focusing on the fact that, even tho it feels no closer, it really wont be much longer now.

Thanks Kim.

cdneh:

Just want to say that once the embassy does receive it, everything is going to go extremely FAST! (And as you have everything ready) You could have visa within just a few weeks after embassy contacts you. The docs (for the medical) seems to get you in pretty quick for that. And you would be sending all the forms off to embassy el pronto, with the form that says you have everything ready for interview!! so it will be All Systems Go!!!!!

At this point I'd like to know they at least have the case.

Even if they found it tomorrow and sent it on at once, we won't be getting anywhere now until next year. We were hoping, had things progresssed as promptly as your case, to spend the holidays together.

Thanks all who have tired to cheer me up...maybe we will hear something by way of better news the week coming. I sure could use a little good news today....

....oh my good goodness..now I'm quoting country and western lyrics...the madness takes it's toll...

[kiwiana 2]

At this point I'd like to know they at least have the case.

Even if they found it tomorrow and sent it on at once, we won't be getting anywhere now until next year. We were hoping, had things progresssed as promptly as your case, to spend the holidays together.

Thanks all who have tired to cheer me up...maybe we will hear something by way of better news the week coming. I sure could use a little good news today....

....oh my good goodness..now I'm quoting country and western lyrics...the madness takes it's toll...

I'm really hoping that nvc have got it all wrong and that the package that arrived at the embassy today may somehow be yours. And that packet 3 will arrive in your letterbox without any warning just like the NOA2 did. But if not, then you should definitely hear some news from them THIS week!!!

(I wonder if the embassy here closes down for Christmas for a (week/few weeks) holiday or would they follow USA public holidays? As they don't have as many days off for Christmas over there like they do here. Because if they did only observe USA Christmas holidays and your packet 3 did come in the next week, you may be able to get an interview before Christmas. I realise you probably wouldn't make it there for Christmas, but you could get there possibly 2nd week of January?)

Sending lots of good vibes!!!! hurry up packet 3!!!!

[Ban Hammer 13,343]

are non-kiwis welcome here?

[kelzm 0]

are non-kiwis welcome here?

All you gotta do is pass the vegemite test.....

But seriously, we're a friendly bunch around here, non-kiwi's are welcome.

[cdneh 3,112]

are non-kiwis welcome here?

They must be...I'm a Canadian in sheeps' clothing...and they let me in ...

[amaciar 0]

Yum vegemite. I do miss it. Anyone know how to get it stateside?

[KimandRuss 0]

Charles, are you following me?

I had another question for people. Was wondering if I did got to NZ until my so can come back to the states if it'd be a problem form wise. Like after the noa2 will i need to fill out any more forms?

Lisa, as long as your paperwork is in order and that fiancially it doesn't affect your affidavit there is no reason you can't be in NZ. *insert envy here*

cndeh, I still wouldn't believe what the phone-bots tell you. I bet that package was yours!

no idea where to get vegemite *shiver*

[cdneh 3,112]

Charles, are you following me?

I had another question for people. Was wondering if I did got to NZ until my so can come back to the states if it'd be a problem form wise. Like after the noa2 will i need to fill out any more forms?

Lisa, as long as your paperwork is in order and that fiancially it doesn't affect your affidavit there is no reason you can't be in NZ. *insert envy here*

cndeh, I still wouldn't believe what the phone-bots tell you. I bet that package was yours!

no idea where to get vegemite *shiver*

You know this is a good thing...right?

[kiwiana 2]

They must be...I'm a Canadian in sheeps' clothing...and they let me in ...

hoping that tomorrow or this week you will receive packet 3 in your letterbox

[cdneh 3,112]

They must be...I'm a Canadian in sheeps' clothing...and they let me in ...

hoping that tomorrow or this week you will receive packet 3 in your letterbox

It hasn't been sent as yet. He rang them tonight.

[annax 0]

Yum vegemite. I do miss it. Anyone know how to get it stateside?

In San Francisco I can think of 10 or so places offhand you can find it. You can even find it in standard grocery stores. (usually in the british foods section)

There are a number of places online you can order it too, like:

http://www.simplyoz.com/products/aussie_food

Edited December 9, 2008 by annax