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

[rubyred 0]

thanks for all the info! i guess we'll just ask the county clerk about the nationality of the witness. re: the ceremony - we won't be having anything till next year, when my family comes over. this will be strictly a walk in and sign papers kind of situation. i want to pretend we're NOT married until the ceremony next year, so that the day will feel 'completely' special, if that makes sense. i already have my wedding band (we got my engagement ring/wedding ring as a set) but i don't think i'll wear it till the ceremony!

[Lisaandtim 0]

thanks for all the info! i guess we'll just ask the county clerk about the nationality of the witness. re: the ceremony - we won't be having anything till next year, when my family comes over. this will be strictly a walk in and sign papers kind of situation. i want to pretend we're NOT married until the ceremony next year, so that the day will feel 'completely' special, if that makes sense. i already have my wedding band (we got my engagement ring/wedding ring as a set) but i don't think i'll wear it till the ceremony!

I'm going crazy here on this dumb police report thing. No one emails us back and the phone says 'not taking calls'. Can we just go get one ourselves and hand it to them? It's been over a week. Idk what's going on. Any advice?

[cdneh 3,112]

thanks for all the info! i guess we'll just ask the county clerk about the nationality of the witness. re: the ceremony - we won't be having anything till next year, when my family comes over. this will be strictly a walk in and sign papers kind of situation. i want to pretend we're NOT married until the ceremony next year, so that the day will feel 'completely' special, if that makes sense. i already have my wedding band (we got my engagement ring/wedding ring as a set) but i don't think i'll wear it till the ceremony!

I'm going crazy here on this dumb police report thing. No one emails us back and the phone says 'not taking calls'. Can we just go get one ourselves and hand it to them? It's been over a week. Idk what's going on. Any advice?

Is it the New Zealand police clearance you are waiting for? They won't accept one you get yourself, if that's it.

[Lisaandtim 0]

thanks for all the info! i guess we'll just ask the county clerk about the nationality of the witness. re: the ceremony - we won't be having anything till next year, when my family comes over. this will be strictly a walk in and sign papers kind of situation. i want to pretend we're NOT married until the ceremony next year, so that the day will feel 'completely' special, if that makes sense. i already have my wedding band (we got my engagement ring/wedding ring as a set) but i don't think i'll wear it till the ceremony!

I'm going crazy here on this dumb police report thing. No one emails us back and the phone says 'not taking calls'. Can we just go get one ourselves and hand it to them? It's been over a week. Idk what's going on. Any advice?

Is it the New Zealand police clearance you are waiting for? They won't accept one you get yourself, if that's it.

Heh I am freaking out for nothing. Just after I wrote this my SO sneakingly got ahold of a person through the appointment line. They said the police report has been received however the computers are down. X.X So, now we're waiting on computers to come up, hopefully tomorrow she says, where they will call him if it does and can come pick up the visa and how ours and 1 other person is being affected by this ><. I am tired of waiting! But I guess it is good I learn patience. Just, I miss him so much and next week is our anniversary. And it seems like one thing after the next. Like it's always one more week =(. Well God willing we will have it in hand tomorrow. Sorry for freaking out earlier.

[cdneh 3,112]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

[yankiwi 0]

Hey all!

Well, we're here in the Bay area!

We flew Air New Zealand Premium Economy and are SO glad we spent the extra money on it. Check in is a breeze, no long lines since you get to use the premium check in that first class also uses and you go straight through customs right there, then up an escalator to a specific line in security! The whole process took far less time than we expected and was surprisingly stress-free.

When we landed in San Francisco and got to immigration we asked one of the officers which line to go in and showed him Chris' envelope. He quickly said "Oh, we have a line special just for people like you, and you can go through it together!" and escorted us to the line where a guy was just finishing up. Then it was our turn. The officer was great! Such a good sense of humor, very chatty, asked a few questions, took Chris' fingerprints and a picture, and before we knew it we were done! I think it was even easier than the Consulate, and we all know how great the Auckland Consulate is, so that's saying a lot.

We declared everything we could think of (better safe than sorry) and had to go through additional screening where they hand checked our baggage. It was no big deal though, the guy was really nice about everything, we didn't have to wait in any long lines. They did confiscate some seeds I had (that a guy at a shop swore would be fine taking in as long as we declared them), but we were fine with that since we half expected they wouldn't be allowed in.

After that we were all done! I'm so glad we picked SFO for our POE, all in all our trip over here was a great experience and I hope everyone's travel goes just as smoothly!

I have to admit I'm suffering from a bit of culture shock. I've been gone from the US for almost 3 years and now I can't understand the accents! All the stores are massive in comparison to NZ and Chris and I find ourselves wondering through them in awe....and then I forget what I went there for. *snort*

Our boxes have started arriving at my parents house (the ones we shipped courier with extra insurance). They're pretty beaten up according to them, but still in one piece so hopefully everything inside is fine. I made sure to tape up all the edges so that probably helped. We'll arrive there March 1st so I guess we'll know for sure then!

Good luck to Cdneh, Michelle, and Kiwiana as you get everything ready for travel!

[Lisaandtim 0]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

[cdneh 3,112]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

Exciting !!!

[Lisaandtim 0]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

Exciting !!!

Ok he has a question:

The cards they hand out on board an airplane for customs and all that, which color one would I get or what do I ask for, obviously not the visa waiver one this time?

[cdneh 3,112]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

Exciting !!!

Ok he has a question:

The cards they hand out on board an airplane for customs and all that, which color one would I get or what do I ask for, obviously not the visa waiver one this time?

They usually come around with those pretty early in the flight. I am asking at the airport, and plan on showing my passport to the flight attendant handing out the cards.

[Kim & Chris 0]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

Exciting !!!

Ok he has a question:

The cards they hand out on board an airplane for customs and all that, which color one would I get or what do I ask for, obviously not the visa waiver one this time?

When they hand out the cards you ask for the white I-94 and make sure you fill it in correctly and fully as this will have to last you all the way through to filing for AOS and the details you fill in on the card need to match what you fill in on the AOS forms.

The steward on the plane might ask you to confirm what type of visa you have.

These damn things take so long to get (the k-1's)....it's a joy to be able to offer them up when asked for

[cdneh 3,112]

Oh not to worry! Who here hasn't had a freak-out I've had mine for sure!

Glad to hear it's on their end, and that they have heard from the Police.

Yay! Just got news that he is picking up his visa today! Omg I'm so excited I don't know what to do first!

Exciting !!!

Ok he has a question:

The cards they hand out on board an airplane for customs and all that, which color one would I get or what do I ask for, obviously not the visa waiver one this time?

When they hand out the cards you ask for the white I-94 and make sure you fill it in correctly and fully as this will have to last you all the way through to filing for AOS and the details you fill in on the card need to match what you fill in on the AOS forms.

The steward on the plane might ask you to confirm what type of visa you have.

These damn things take so long to get (the k-1's)....it's a joy to be able to offer them up when asked for

Thanks for that! I am willing to offer mine up

[ivannnaloveskiwi 0]

HI EVERYONE,

6 DAYS AND COUNTING TILL INTERVIEW DATE...2/26 9AM.. I CANT WAIT...BEEN SO LONG..CONGRATS ON ALL WHO MADE IT THROUGH ALREADY,

HOPEFULL HE'LL HERE AROND THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH...

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP...LOL..I'M SURE I'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ...

LISA/HENRY

[kiwiana 2]

Thanks for that! I am willing to offer mine up

me too!! i don't even mind walking up and down the aisle to show everyone

kim&chris:Thanks for the info about which card we ask for as i have been wondering about that, so now i will know what to do how's it going with the AOS?

yankiwi: it's good to know that you arrived safe and sound with no hold ups etc. Hope nothing was damaged in the boxes that you mailed over beforehand.

Lisaandtim: congrats on the visa! have you set a date on when he will leave nz?

ivannaloveskiwi: wow! only 6 days to go! be sure to let us know how he gets on!

cdneh: only like 11 days to go now!! (the countdown continues!)

michelle and kelvan: how's it going?

[Kim & Chris 0]

Thanks for that! I am willing to offer mine up

me too!! i don't even mind walking up and down the aisle to show everyone

kim&chris:Thanks for the info about which card we ask for as i have been wondering about that, so now i will know what to do how's it going with the AOS?

yankiwi: it's good to know that you arrived safe and sound with no hold ups etc. Hope nothing was damaged in the boxes that you mailed over beforehand.

Lisaandtim: congrats on the visa! have you set a date on when he will leave nz?

ivannaloveskiwi: wow! only 6 days to go! be sure to let us know how he gets on!

cdneh: only like 11 days to go now!! (the countdown continues!)

michelle and kelvan: how's it going?

AOS paperwork is about to be despatched.....just putting the final package together today and then it's off to get the money order and to send it registered mail...and then of course cross the fingers

After many grey hairs and $1010 US later .......the next step is finally underway

Chris has been full of sinus and a head cold from the day we got back from our honeymoon, so I went to buy him something for it and lo and behold you can get Sudafed here over the counter, (the old stuff they banned at home that is....the stuff that actually works....lol).......anywho.....they wanted photo ID, like a drivers license from here which I of course don't have yet. So after much guesswork on their part they finally managed to fill out the form on the computer by using my NZ license.

Sooooo I decided to get a state ID to tide me over till I can sort the DL thing out. Went down there yesterday after making a call to find out what paperwork they required from me. It all sounded easy peasy over the phone I should have known better.

The older lady i saw behind the counter was really nice but quite baffled and needed a younger girl to come and help her. The much older woman supervisor (not nice) had a hissy fit and said i shouldn't be doing it before my visa had been changed to my married name as it was the wrong order to do things, it would throw everything out and I'll have trouble down the line getting my visa changed!!!

I couldn't see it myself as my name had already been changed at the Social Security Office, so she more or less said, be it on my own head and walked off in disgust.....

It was my first taste so far of any kind of hassle/opposition and it took the shine off what I thought would be another little triumph. To make matters worse I got home and noticed she'd put a digit wrong on the zip code, so now I've got to go back and get it redone....#######......lol

All my dealings up until now had been with younger people and I think they tend to either keep up with current proceedures or are more newly trained and therefore may be more up with the play.....( no disrespect to the older people in these offices....I'm no spring chook myself anymore... lol)