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

[yankiwi 0]

Hey all!

We've survived moving out of our flat (and all the drama that came along with it) and are now just 2 days away from flying out to the US! It's still hard to believe. Living out of a suitcase divided into 2 different seasons is such a challenge! I hope the weather isn't too cold in San Francisco or we'll be doing shopping straight away!

I love NZ Post right now. We shipped 15 boxes--6 of the H6 boxes (big ones) and 9 of the H4 boxes (about half the size). All the weights averaged between 8-12 kilos except one that was 15. 11 were shipped international economy and 4 were shipped international economy courier. In total it cost us just under $2,000 NZD to ship around 138 kilos! WAY cheaper than the quotes I was getting from international moving companies to ship far less. The guy in the post shop was shocked that it turned out being more affordable than going with a moving company. He thought for sure we were going to break the bank with those boxes! He said though that the way they've revised their shipping to be more dependent on weight than size has made it so basically you are paying to ship the weight no matter what boxes you pack it in. We could have moved without taking anything, but having lived here for 2 1/2 years with pretty much nothing more than what fit in a suitcase and 2 boxes, I couldn't ask Chris to move to the US and leave everything familiar behind for the next 6-10 years if there was any way to take some important things with us. There's just something about being able to have some familiar things around you when everything else is foreign. With current conversion rates we paid slightly over $1,000 USD, it would have cost several times that to replace the things we shipped! Now lets hope they all arrive safely!

Congrats on having that packet in your hands finally cdneh!! We keep handling Chris' with kids gloves, I'll be SO glad to hand it over at the POE!

Good luck with your interview tomorrow Michelle! I'm sure it will go well and then you'll be rushing around like crazy trying to tie up loose ends before joining your love in the US.

Congrats to Chris & Kim on your wedding!

[cdneh 3,112]

I am starting to eye up Post Shop for sending now..but what do you put on the customs labels?

[cdneh 3,112]

She'll be sitting outside in the coffee place waiting to go up the lifts now ...sending you calming vibes!!!

[yankiwi 0]

I am starting to eye up Post Shop for sending now..but what do you put on the customs labels?

Well, we mostly sent things like clothing, books, documents, pictures, CDs, etc... so that's what I put! As long as you make sure you aren't shipping any prohibited item a general idea of what's in the box has always seemed to work for those labels. You have to use the bigger international "consignment note" to ship the bigger boxes instead of the tiny green labels. I checked "other" and wrote "personal items" but the post shop guy scratched those out and checked "gift" instead, which is the same thing the post guy in the US did when I sent things here! LOL I think it's to indicate to customs that you are not going to be selling the items, which affects if they charge duty or not. Estimating the value of used items and such is a bit hard, but a ballpark figure should be fine, our labels usually looked like "clothing- $75, books- $50, CDs- $75, documents- $25" and I didn't even try to list the approx. weight of the items but the post guy didn't say anything about leaving them blank so I'm assuming that was fine. They just weighed it at the counter and wrote the total weight. If you're shipping a box thats value totals over $250 you'll have to buy additional insurance cover for it which covers up to $1,500 and only cost about $10, Alternately you can opt to send it International Economy Courier which doesn't cost too much more and is tracked (the regular international economy shipping isn't tracked) and covers for more than that. We sent 2 laptops that way, VERY well padded in their original boxes and blankets. Our really valued stuff (like love letters, gifts to each other and such) we also sent in a couriered box, since I knew that's what I'd be the most upset over losing if something went bad with the shipping.

It's all a grand experiment I guess, and the ultimate test will be if everything gets there safe and sound. But if it does, well, we've just moved house for far less than most people do! I'll make sure to post back as the boxes start arriving at my mom's place.

Oh, and one other thing. I taped all the open edges with packing tape, then numbered each box in the left hand corner of each side and wrote a corresponding list as to the contents as I packed, that way I knew what was in each one and it made writing the customs labels afterwards MUCH easier. Also, there is a little spot on the form for "sender reference" that we wrote each number in as we filled them out, so when we got to the post all the guy had to do was match each form the the numbered box! It streamlined things and he was quite pleased we were so organised about it. Can you tell I've moved a LOT?

[cdneh 3,112]

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

[Lisaandtim 0]

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

[Lisaandtim 0]

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

Also for proof of funds, does he need statements for the whole year? Can they be online statements? He has some paystubs but not all.

[cdneh 3,112]

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

Take it easy...that's what I'd say....it's not as bad as we all worry about. Hard to believe ..but true. I was quite nervous as all get out, and I didn't need to be.

Have a read of Kiwiana's thread on her interview, it tells you everything you need to know, and all about what happens.

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

Also for proof of funds, does he need statements for the whole year? Can they be online statements? He has some paystubs but not all.

We had online statements. A lot of places have gone paperless now, and that's the usual.

[Lisaandtim 0]

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

Take it easy...that's what I'd say....it's not as bad as we all worry about. Hard to believe ..but true. I was quite nervous as all get out, and I didn't need to be.

Have a read of Kiwiana's thread on her interview, it tells you everything you need to know, and all about what happens.

Thanks for that! I've moved back and forth a lot, but I've used movers, and I haven't got that much this time. It is still mostly all in storage in Vancouver. I'll go up this afternoon and get some boxes

Ok I am freaking out. We have our interview on Feb 12 8:45am. Any advice?

Also for proof of funds, does he need statements for the whole year? Can they be online statements? He has some paystubs but not all.

We had online statements. A lot of places have gone paperless now, and that's the usual.

Bah, this resume thing is killing me. I'm trying to go with one that lists everything without an objective but i can't figure out what to put in the summary or really wat format. Basically, he'll take any job but that isnt really an objective lol. Any advice? We're not good with resumes. And theres like a billion types out there. Work history includes bakery assistant, paperboy, scorebench official, and light assembly (main one).

[rubyred 0]

thats mainly what they're looking for, though - proof that he is capable of working. so just list all his jobs. you guys are young couple right? and he's just finished studying? so they're not expecting you to have a set career path right now. just put something about how in the long term he would like to be doing so-and-so... just pick something he likes! they just want to see evidence he won't become a public charge. and i think when it comes to formatting, keep it very minimal, clean and simple:

name

list of each job starting from latest

job title

date worked there

duties/responsibilities

[cdneh 3,112]

I spent quite a bit of time, updating mine...and they didn't even ask for it.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

My visa was approved

I've done a full review of the consulate but i thought i would add a few things here.

Lisaandtim, I know exactly how you're feeling, everyone can tell us not to freak but until you actually go through it yourself you don't believe it.

I was a complete and utter mess, as i said in the review i left home at 7.30 for my interview at 8.45, traffic was horrendous and when i got diverted on queen st because of an accident i actually started yelling and crying. I had convinced myself that if i wasn't there at or before 8.45 they would turn me away. As it was i got up there at approx 8.50 and there was already someone there before me at the window. I didn't actually get seen til approx 9.15, not that i'm recommending you come late for the interview

When it came to proof of funds all i had was the contract to the sale of the house, i didn't take my bank statements as i have no money in the bank (keeping two households running will do that for you), i explained how much money i would have to take with me from the sale of the house and they were happy with that.

The first woman did ask for my resume, however i'm not sure the second woman even looked at it, but again, i would recommend taking one, i totally understand about doing the resume, they're a pain in the you know whatsit but ruby's suggestion is a good one and i think that's the format of mine, i don't have an objective on mine either.

Rob and my daughter had to tell me several times over the last 3 days before my interview to breath as i would quite literally forget to do that, i was stressing myself out so much over everything. Really after all the worry it was a breeze and i do think it is just a matter of them ticking off the boxes and making sure that we fit the requirements and have provided the evidence.

Lisaandtim, good luck for your interview though i really don't think you need it

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

She'll be sitting outside in the coffee place waiting to go up the lifts now ...sending you calming vibes!!!

thanks so much, amazingly i was quite ok once i was seated inside the consulate and waiting, still very nervous but a huge improvement on just trying to get there

[cdneh 3,112]

Congratulations! I knew you'd be fine!

[Lisaandtim 0]

She'll be sitting outside in the coffee place waiting to go up the lifts now ...sending you calming vibes!!!

thanks so much, amazingly i was quite ok once i was seated inside the consulate and waiting, still very nervous but a huge improvement on just trying to get there

CONGRATZ!

And yes, as Ruby asked, Tim and I are a young couple, which makes me worry. He's worked 3 jobs at a time before but now is just doing the mechanical assembly job as coming to the US a bit doesn't make you happy with the bosses lol. I am on disability for depression and wasn't able to get a dr note in time, so I attached a letter from myself explaining what I have, and how I am working on getting better, etc. Part of my plan to see if I can function is to pass a program (14 week pharmacy technician ) I am in at the moment, which I attached too. I hope that will show I hope to return to the workforce one day. He'd like to go to the program as well, should I mention that? Or will that look funny? My cousins could put a word in for him at dryer's ice cream if he knows his way around and has a licence lol. Any tips on what we should do? I have a cosponsor who is slightly above the poverty lines as well. Thanks