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

[cdneh 3,112]

Kim & Chris...congratulations!!! May you have many many happy years together!

[kiwiana 2]

Kiwiana - I know it's not the same as having the original photo, but have you thought about getting some of the photos you can't bring and getting them scanned? Then you can save them on to a usb pen, or use an online storage/print site (I use shutterfly). They'll be there for you to access, or print them out when you get to the usa.

I brought a lot of photos with me and I realised that my son had none of himself growing up, or any of the family events we'd been to so as part of his xmas present I spent time scanning the photo's and made up an album for him. With shutterfly it's very easy, you can get the prints mailed to you, or you can send them to your local target store for pick up in an hour.

Also... if you don't have a scanner and don't want to pay a service to do it, check out your local library. We had scanners at all of our library branches and it was free to use and most internet sites are free also, so you can upload direct from there.

Thanks Kelzm! that's a great idea!!

[Kim & Chris 0]

Kiwiana - I know it's not the same as having the original photo, but have you thought about getting some of the photos you can't bring and getting them scanned? Then you can save them on to a usb pen, or use an online storage/print site (I use shutterfly). They'll be there for you to access, or print them out when you get to the usa.

I brought a lot of photos with me and I realised that my son had none of himself growing up, or any of the family events we'd been to so as part of his xmas present I spent time scanning the photo's and made up an album for him. With shutterfly it's very easy, you can get the prints mailed to you, or you can send them to your local target store for pick up in an hour.

Also... if you don't have a scanner and don't want to pay a service to do it, check out your local library. We had scanners at all of our library branches and it was free to use and most internet sites are free also, so you can upload direct from there.

Thanks Kelzm! that's a great idea!!

This is what I did with some of my photos a while back....I made collages of the family over the years and put them in photo frames for each of my brothers one christmas and luckily enough I'd left them on my computer, no way would I have had time to do it otherwise. I also copied them onto a USB flash drive to have a backup of them just in case....you could also use the little memory cards that fit in the cameras as a storage device.

Tell you the best thing I brought with me though.......... I'd been at my place of employment for just over 12 years and one of the suppliers I'd been using that long bought me a digital photo frame. It's a very nice philips one, must have cost a bomb, so I wrapped it carefully in my hand luggage and with time on my hands here, set about loading up a memory card with various family photos from my hard drive and pics of Chris and I and his family.

I have it on the bedside table, it flicks from one photo to the next and I have a constant reminder of family and friends to help stave off the home sickness

It's one of my favourite things.

[KimandRuss 0]

Kim, your A# is your Alien #. It is on your NOA2/I797 and should also be on your passport. It is not your I-94 or visa number. Everyone who deals with US Immigration is dealt an Alien #. Russell was 'lucky' enough to get his when he got 'das' boot! Congratulations on your marriage.

No need to worry about AOS. Just more paperwork. Some people get through without having a CS sign off on the vacc. and some have gone through without the TB test. The problem is the Civil Surgeon will not sign off on the TB because it's not routinely done. The CDC just made it mandatory last summer. We just missed the cut off so Russell will most likely get an RFE for it but we're taking our chances. If anything is held up it will be the GC. If that's the case then he will just go to the health clinic here and have a free TB test done and we'll send the results in.

Michelle, glad your medical went well.

[Kim & Chris 0]

Kim, your A# is your Alien #. It is on your NOA2/I797 and should also be on your passport. It is not your I-94 or visa number. Everyone who deals with US Immigration is dealt an Alien #. Russell was 'lucky' enough to get his when he got 'das' boot! Congratulations on your marriage.

No need to worry about AOS. Just more paperwork. Some people get through without having a CS sign off on the vacc. and some have gone through without the TB test. The problem is the Civil Surgeon will not sign off on the TB because it's not routinely done. The CDC just made it mandatory last summer. We just missed the cut off so Russell will most likely get an RFE for it but we're taking our chances. If anything is held up it will be the GC. If that's the case then he will just go to the health clinic here and have a free TB test done and we'll send the results in.

Michelle, glad your medical went well.

Thanks Kim.........we never recieved the I-797/NOA2 in the mail, we only recieved an email of acceptance which it wasn't on.

Looking at my passport, on the Visa sticker it has an A# under the word annotation, so I'm picking it's that and not the red number further over.

I'm usually quite onto it, but these processes make me feel like a right dunce sometimes ....lol

[Kim & Chris 0]

Kim & Chris...congratulations!!! May you have many many happy years together!

Thankyou Cdneh......

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

What would be a safe wait time to book a flight after the interview? I want to pre-book for the savings... but I dont want to book too far out, I'm so tired of the waiting game.

[kiwiana 2]

What would be a safe wait time to book a flight after the interview? I want to pre-book for the savings... but I dont want to book too far out, I'm so tired of the waiting game.

Usually after the interview, it can take anywhere from 3 days to 7 for one to receive their passport back with visa. After my interview, my waiting time fell between a US public holiday and the weekend.I got approved on a friday and received the visa the following friday.

Whereas others have received theirs much faster. So i don't think you would wait longer than a week for it at the most!!

so i am sure you could pre-book a flight not too far into the future after the interview

* * * * * * * * * *

And speaking of flights, is it better to buy a one way ticket when you leave nz or is it more economical to buy a return ticket?

If i got a return ticket, what is the maximum length of time you can have it for before you have to use the return?

or can you get an 'open' ticket with no alloted return date or do you have to specifically name a date that you will return on it?

And are there penalties if you get a return ticket but don't use the return part up when the time comes? (hope this all makes sense!! )

Edited February 7, 2009 by kiwiana

[Kim & Chris 0]

What would be a safe wait time to book a flight after the interview? I want to pre-book for the savings... but I dont want to book too far out, I'm so tired of the waiting game.

Usually after the interview, it can take anywhere from 3 days to 7 for one to receive their passport back with visa. After my interview, my waiting time fell between a US public holiday and the weekend.I got approved on a friday and received the visa the following friday.

Whereas others have received theirs much faster. So i don't think you would wait longer than a week for it at the most!!

so i am sure you could pre-book a flight not too far into the future after the interview

* * * * * * * * * *

And speaking of flights, is it better to buy a one way ticket when you leave nz or is it more economical to buy a return ticket?

If i got a return ticket, what is the maximum length of time you can have it for before you have to use the return?

or can you get an 'open' ticket with no alloted return date or do you have to specifically name a date that you will return on it?

And are there penalties if you get a return ticket but don't use the return part up when the time comes? (hope this all makes sense!! )

I looked at buying a return ticket vs a one way ticket.

A one way ticket is usually more than simply dividing a return fare in half. I got a one way ticket for around $1600 nz, and a return ticket was around $2100 or thereabouts, maybe a bit more, I really can't remember, (bear in mind that I was travelling to LA and then on to Memphis).

You can get an open ticket for a year, and I'm positive there's no penalties if you don't use it, but if you're not going to use it that's an extra $400 or more dollars you didn't need to spend.

I opted for a one way ticket for a couple of reasons.

1st..... I felt at the time it was more important to have the extra money in my pocket as who knows how long it would be before i was either allowed to work or could actually find a job.

2nd......With waiting on EAD when you go through AOS, who knows when it'll be approved.

If you use the return ticket for a trip home, then you've only got to face the same question again when you want to head back to the U.S. Swings and roundabouts probably....lol

Anyway right or wrong that's what i ended up doing. Air Tahiti was the cheapest way to go then, not sure about now, but i'd def check them out. The service was fine, the food was no worse than anyone else, and if you have a connecting flight to anywhere else once you get to L.A., the Air Tahiti flight gets in earlier than Qantas....I found that out the hard way...lol

[cdneh 3,112]

I'm flying on a one way.. Air NZ to SFO and then on to Dulles ...BUSINESS class

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

ok last minute freak out

the pink letter from the consulate says to bring a large (foolscap/legal size) self addressed courier pack or registered envelope

i bought an A4 courier pack, did i buy the wrong one?

[kiwiana 2]

ok last minute freak out

the pink letter from the consulate says to bring a large (foolscap/legal size) self addressed courier pack or registered envelope

i bought an A4 courier pack, did i buy the wrong one?

ok now don't freak out.. I got out the stuff the consulate sent to me and tried to put it in a plain A4 envelope (not a courier bag, so the courier bag may be a little bigger) and it wouldn't fit just trying to slide it in.. BUT maybe if they folded over the yellow/brown envelope a bit more it could fit! be a tight squeeze but they may be able to do it!!

would you have time in the morning to get a foolscap size envelope at all?

what time is your appointment? There is a post shop nearby the embassy i think!!

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

ok last minute freak out

the pink letter from the consulate says to bring a large (foolscap/legal size) self addressed courier pack or registered envelope

i bought an A4 courier pack, did i buy the wrong one?

ok now don't freak out.. I got out the stuff the consulate sent to me and tried to put it in a plain A4 envelope (not a courier bag, so the courier bag may be a little bigger) and it wouldn't fit just trying to slide it in.. BUT maybe if they folded over the yellow/brown envelope a bit more it could fit! be a tight squeeze but they may be able to do it!!

would you have time in the morning to get a foolscap size envelope at all?

what time is your appointment? There is a post shop nearby the embassy i think!!

my interview is at 0845, the post shop next door opens at 0830

the courier bag is maybe an inch larger all around then the standard A4 sheet, but i think i'll buy a bigger one anyway, just to be safe

[kiwiana 2]

I looked at buying a return ticket vs a one way ticket.

A one way ticket is usually more than simply dividing a return fare in half. I got a one way ticket for around $1600 nz, and a return ticket was around $2100 or thereabouts, maybe a bit more, I really can't remember, (bear in mind that I was travelling to LA and then on to Memphis).

You can get an open ticket for a year, and I'm positive there's no penalties if you don't use it, but if you're not going to use it that's an extra $400 or more dollars you didn't need to spend.

I opted for a one way ticket for a couple of reasons.

1st..... I felt at the time it was more important to have the extra money in my pocket as who knows how long it would be before i was either allowed to work or could actually find a job.

2nd......With waiting on EAD when you go through AOS, who knows when it'll be approved.

If you use the return ticket for a trip home, then you've only got to face the same question again when you want to head back to the U.S. Swings and roundabouts probably....lol

Anyway right or wrong that's what i ended up doing. Air Tahiti was the cheapest way to go then, not sure about now, but i'd def check them out. The service was fine, the food was no worse than anyone else, and if you have a connecting flight to anywhere else once you get to L.A., the Air Tahiti flight gets in earlier than Qantas....I found that out the hard way...lol

From what you and cdneh have said, it seems that a one way ticket seems to be the way to go! Thanks!

Michelle: forgot to say in previous post.. Good luck for tomorrow!!! hope you will let us know how you get on.

[kiwiana 2]

my interview is at 0845, the post shop next door opens at 0830

the courier bag is maybe an inch larger all around then the standard A4 sheet, but i think i'll buy a bigger one anyway, just to be safe

yes may pay to play safe and get one. All the best tomorrow!!!