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

[Lisaandtim 0]

Sent the parcel in on 23rd Feb and I got the little card thing back about a week later to say the parcel had been delivered and signed for . The first NOA1 letter arrived on 7th March 12 days after I sent AOS off. And so the waiting continues.......

12 days is pretty good! It's a bit like deja vu. In the waiting room again There was so much to remember to put into the package. I hope I never left anything out

Hello everyone !

Sorry haven't been on much. I have been busy with wedding, AOS paperwork, and finals for my pharmacy class, which I passed!

We have the biometrics appointment tomorrow. They're making us drive way out of our way but lol guess I should be used to that by now.

I was wondering if we have to bring the K1 stuff too as it says bring all paperwork in regards to this document or something along that lines. Does anyone know?

Glad to see the progress some of you are having. Hope it continues.

Sorry my last one was brief, I wanted to share our social security/DMV experience but ended up spilling soda on the desk. So here it is.

I , the USC, ended up being the one to change my name. So it wasn't as hard as some of you had to go through. We go to the social security office so I can get a new card and they say oh you have to go to this other location. So we go there, and it's in the back of a scary looking building. Luckily, that meant no line; all of the lines were for the front part. So we applied for cards, and things seemed to go well. But the lady said since I am receiving benefits from social security, i have to let them know i am married so i may want to save myself a trip and just go next door now and tell them. So we did only to find out they couldn't because my husband didn't have a SSN but to come back or call in 2 weeks when we get the cards. That seemed okay but in 2 weeks, he got his card but mine never showed. I called on the phone and asked and they said it should be there but to be patient. Also while on the phone, I had to let them know about being married and then they tell me my benefits are going to stop since I got married. I was like WHAT?! I can't work because disabled at the moment and they are telling me my money is going to stop? This was definately a roadblock. So I went in to the office to talk about it to someone only to go through the same process again, as if no one reported I was married before, which made me wonder who the guy was on the phone that took my info down. But the lady said I might still qualify for other benefits but I would have to go to the other office because someone there started some form and they don't like to interfere with other office's stuff. So the next day we go back and get it figured out. They said I'll be getting a little less a month under a different benefits program. Also, I had to apply for a new card since mine never showed. The guy's excuse was it was the post office's fault. Hmm idk about that but ok.

So I have my card now but now they are saying I owe them $1700 because of overpayment so idk what is going on! But we tried to go to DMV to get my husband an ID card. They said they could only issue it until the visa expires but it has to go through a legal office which takes 60 days so by the time he would get it, it'd be expired . Has anyone run into this?

So that is my experience with the wonderful SSA and DMV lol.

[kiwiana 2]

Sent the parcel in on 23rd Feb and I got the little card thing back about a week later to say the parcel had been delivered and signed for . The first NOA1 letter arrived on 7th March 12 days after I sent AOS off. And so the waiting continues.......

12 days is pretty good! It's a bit like deja vu. In the waiting room again There was so much to remember to put into the package. I hope I never left anything out

Hello everyone !

Sorry haven't been on much. I have been busy with wedding, AOS paperwork, and finals for my pharmacy class, which I passed!

We have the biometrics appointment tomorrow. They're making us drive way out of our way but lol guess I should be used to that by now.

I was wondering if we have to bring the K1 stuff too as it says bring all paperwork in regards to this document or something along that lines. Does anyone know?

Glad to see the progress some of you are having. Hope it continues.

Sorry my last one was brief, I wanted to share our social security/DMV experience but ended up spilling soda on the desk. So here it is.

I , the USC, ended up being the one to change my name. So it wasn't as hard as some of you had to go through. We go to the social security office so I can get a new card and they say oh you have to go to this other location. So we go there, and it's in the back of a scary looking building. Luckily, that meant no line; all of the lines were for the front part. So we applied for cards, and things seemed to go well. But the lady said since I am receiving benefits from social security, i have to let them know i am married so i may want to save myself a trip and just go next door now and tell them. So we did only to find out they couldn't because my husband didn't have a SSN but to come back or call in 2 weeks when we get the cards. That seemed okay but in 2 weeks, he got his card but mine never showed. I called on the phone and asked and they said it should be there but to be patient. Also while on the phone, I had to let them know about being married and then they tell me my benefits are going to stop since I got married. I was like WHAT?! I can't work because disabled at the moment and they are telling me my money is going to stop? This was definately a roadblock. So I went in to the office to talk about it to someone only to go through the same process again, as if no one reported I was married before, which made me wonder who the guy was on the phone that took my info down. But the lady said I might still qualify for other benefits but I would have to go to the other office because someone there started some form and they don't like to interfere with other office's stuff. So the next day we go back and get it figured out. They said I'll be getting a little less a month under a different benefits program. Also, I had to apply for a new card since mine never showed. The guy's excuse was it was the post office's fault. Hmm idk about that but ok.

So I have my card now but now they are saying I owe them $1700 because of overpayment so idk what is going on! But we tried to go to DMV to get my husband an ID card. They said they could only issue it until the visa expires but it has to go through a legal office which takes 60 days so by the time he would get it, it'd be expired . Has anyone run into this?

So that is my experience with the wonderful SSA and DMV lol.

i totally know what you have gone through with SSA!! Talk about frustration at the highest level! I'm so sorry that they have given you the run around! I really don't think they know what on earth the rules ARE at all!! I hope it all works out well!!

We haven't attempted to go to DMV yet, as i fear there will be roadblocks there aswell. so I am going to wait until the EAD arrives before we experience that part of the journey

I asked on a different thread about what to take to biometrics and was told that you need the appointment letter, ID- passport, DL or birth certificate and marriage certificate. Kim&Chris have had their biometrics done, so hopefully they will be able to tell us what you need for the appointment.

[Kim & Chris 0]

i totally know what you have gone through with SSA!! Talk about frustration at the highest level! I'm so sorry that they have given you the run around! I really don't think they know what on earth the rules ARE at all!! I hope it all works out well!!

We haven't attempted to go to DMV yet, as i fear there will be roadblocks there aswell. so I am going to wait until the EAD arrives before we experience that part of the journey

I asked on a different thread about what to take to biometrics and was told that you need the appointment letter, ID- passport, DL or birth certificate and marriage certificate. Kim&Chris have had their biometrics done, so hopefully they will be able to tell us what you need for the appointment.

Goodness it's late so I'll have to think back. As far as I can remember it's pretty much as you said Ana.

You take the apt letter, the NOA1's that you recieved for all parts, (AOS, EAD & AP), your passport, your marriage cert. You don't need any of the K-1 stuff you sent in previously, but I took the copies of everything I'd sent in for AOS as well as all the birth, old marriage & divorce certs.

They basically just take your fingerprints several times over and take your pic.

While they're doing this they engage you in general chit chat, but the girl who did mine asked quite a few questions, in general conversation, like had I been home yet and did I manage to find a job yet.......i answered no to both stating that I was still waiting for the papers to do these things.

She may have only been making conversation but just be aware. I guess when you've been through as much as we have you learn to be on your guard, like everything is a test.

The whole thing only took about 10mins, and we were lucky enough to have no waiting time. 2 and a half hours drive each way for a 10min apt...lol...crazy eh!!

[Ed+Cindy 1]

Question for everyone who went through Auckland on a K-1:

Did Auckland request a copy of the original I-129F package you mailed to USCIS?

We are prepping for packet 3 and the interview and this is the only item I don't have. Our lawyer has it. I can get it, but if I don't need it, I can go ahead and mail documents to Cindy.

Thanks.

[kiwiana 2]

Question for everyone who went through Auckland on a K-1:

Did Auckland request a copy of the original I-129F package you mailed to USCIS?

We are prepping for packet 3 and the interview and this is the only item I don't have. Our lawyer has it. I can get it, but if I don't need it, I can go ahead and mail documents to Cindy.

Thanks.

They didn't ask for the I-129F package as such but i did take a copy of the package along with me just incase. They mainly asked to see the usual documents like birth, marriage, divorce certificates. And asked for recent photos.

They handed me back the older photos that we had sent in the original package. Then at the interview the lady asked for some earlier evidence of us being together and i pulled out a few things from the copy of the I-129F package i had brought along.(can't remember exactly what now- it may have been hotel bills- my brain is a bit tired to think at the moment )

I would say that it may pay to be safe and have it on you anyway. Better to be over prepared then under

[Kim & Chris 0]

A few questions for anyone who may be lurking here during the very long wait for poxy offialdom to do their thing!!

Are we obligated to inform any official depts at home that we've married?? Wasn't sure if we needed them to udate their records or anything.

Is anyone who isn't extremely qualified in one field or another contemplating sitting the highschool diploma that most of the jobs here seem to request? 40 years of work experience may not count for much here, don't know yet, just anticipating this may be the case while I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs and could be studying if it would help. There seems to be few enough jobs going in smalltown American as it is (the size of Pukekohe if that) without me being hampered by not having the HSD. I'm invisaging ending up flipping burgers till we move .....I'm too long in the tooth for my pins to take it methinks

Oh and has anyone found a mayo here similar to ETA. The standard stuff seems to be bland and very oily.

As you can tell....yes I have alot of time on my hands at the moment...lol

[kiwiana 2]

A few questions for anyone who may be lurking here during the very long wait for poxy offialdom to do their thing!!

Are we obligated to inform any official depts at home that we've married?? Wasn't sure if we needed them to udate their records or anything.

Is anyone who isn't extremely qualified in one field or another contemplating sitting the highschool diploma that most of the jobs here seem to request? 40 years of work experience may not count for much here, don't know yet, just anticipating this may be the case while I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs and could be studying if it would help. There seems to be few enough jobs going in smalltown American as it is (the size of Pukekohe if that) without me being hampered by not having the HSD. I'm invisaging ending up flipping burgers till we move .....I'm too long in the tooth for my pins to take it methinks

Oh and has anyone found a mayo here similar to ETA. The standard stuff seems to be bland and very oily.

As you can tell....yes I have alot of time on my hands at the moment...lol

you are not alone on that one!! Out of the last 10 days my SO has worked 9 of them! And here i am not able to work and spend my time waiting on the mailman to deliver anything for me (ssn in married name? biometrics appointment? transfer to csc?)

I have far too much time on my hands to say the least lol!

But yesterday the mailman did deliver on the NOA's! all three arrived in separate envelopes! yay!!

I have not heard of the high school diploma you mentioned, so am very interested in what others think on it.

As far as the departments back home. I'm not quite sure which ones would need to know our married names. But do we have to notify places like Inland revenue that we now live overseas? or would they all ready know that from us leaving our jobs there and on our passport information?

The work situation seems to be a bit grim worldwide at the moment and i hope that i will be able to get a job when the EAD arrives. I can envisage myself serving in a fast food place asking the customer. 'would you like chips with your order'? 'what fizzy drink would you like'? 'The tomato sauce and serviettes are over there'!

And the customer giving me a confused look .. like 'what the heck did she just say to me?'

[Ed+Cindy 1]

I have not heard of the high school diploma you mentioned, so am very interested in what others think on it.

Its sometimes called a 'GED" for General Equivalency Diploma. It shows you have education consistent with high school here. If you don't have a solid high school degree, then it would definitely help your job searching.

As far as the departments back home. I'm not quite sure which ones would need to know our married names. But do we have to notify places like Inland revenue that we now live overseas? or would they all ready know that from us leaving our jobs there and on our passport information?

If you let IRD know before you leave, you may be entitled to a refund of some PAYE taxes. That's because IRD would have taxed you based on a full year's salary, but since you left before the year is up, you probably overpaid your PAYE. I did this before moving back to the US and got about nz$500 back. The same form lets IRD know you will no longer be working in NZ. I can't remember the form number, but you could search for it.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Ed+Cindy

[Ed+Cindy 1]

If you let IRD know before you leave, you may be entitled to a refund of some PAYE taxes. That's because IRD would have taxed you based on a full year's salary, but since you left before the year is up, you probably overpaid your PAYE. I did this before moving back to the US and got about nz$500 back. The same form lets IRD know you will no longer be working in NZ. I can't remember the form number, but you could search for it.

Here you go: IR50:

Refund application - people leaving New Zealand IR50

http://www.ird.govt.nz/forms-guides/keywor...leaving-nz.html

[kiwiana 2]

If you let IRD know before you leave, you may be entitled to a refund of some PAYE taxes. That's because IRD would have taxed you based on a full year's salary, but since you left before the year is up, you probably overpaid your PAYE. I did this before moving back to the US and got about nz$500 back. The same form lets IRD know you will no longer be working in NZ. I can't remember the form number, but you could search for it.

Here you go: IR50:

Refund application - people leaving New Zealand IR50

http://www.ird.govt.nz/forms-guides/keywor...leaving-nz.html

Thanks!!

[amaciar 0]

As for the mayo I do know that in the Price chopper near me they have a new English food section. There is salad cream and english baked beans. Not that it is completely the same but probably closer than American stuff.

[kiwiana 2]

Hi all!

I have been trying to send a text from usa mobile phone to a nz telecom mobile phone without any luck. I'm not sure of the correct combination of numbers you are suppose to put down. has anyone had any success at sending a text to nz from usa?

Do I put 011 then 64 then 027(for telecom) and then the rest of the nz mobile phone number? or do i have to put a 9 in there somewhere for an auckland area code? or do i not put the 0 down on the 027 number but just put 27?

I am very confused

[Kim & Chris 0]

Hi all!

I have been trying to send a text from usa mobile phone to a nz telecom mobile phone without any luck. I'm not sure of the correct combination of numbers you are suppose to put down. has anyone had any success at sending a text to nz from usa?

Do I put 011 then 64 then 027(for telecom) and then the rest of the nz mobile phone number? or do i have to put a 9 in there somewhere for an auckland area code? or do i not put the 0 down on the 027 number but just put 27?

I am very confused

Hi Ana

Lol I had a devil of a job getting this all sorted when I first got here, I could send texts home but couldn't recieve them for a couple of months, turns out the guy in the AT&T store hadn't set the phone properly when we got it and nobody could figure it out for ages.

But back to your problem.....to send a text you go.... 0116427 and then the rest of the number .... whether it's 027 or 021 you leave off the 0.

To phone back home is 011649 and then the number.

Hows everything else going, have you had any AOS progress?

[Ed+Cindy 1]

Hi all!

I have been trying to send a text from usa mobile phone to a nz telecom mobile phone without any luck. I'm not sure of the correct combination of numbers you are suppose to put down. has anyone had any success at sending a text to nz from usa?

Do I put 011 then 64 then 027(for telecom) and then the rest of the nz mobile phone number? or do i have to put a 9 in there somewhere for an auckland area code? or do i not put the 0 down on the 027 number but just put 27?

I am very confused

If you are on a GSM network (ATT, T-Mobile), you can use "+64 27 xxxxxxx).

From a CDMA network (Verizon, Sprinit), You will probably use "011 64 27 xxxxxxx)

Don't ever use the "0" before 27 or 21. That is only for calls placed within NZ.

Also, you may have to call your cell phone carrier in the US and make sure international texting is enabled. Sometimes they don't enable it by default for security.

[Kim & Chris 0]

Hi all!

I have been trying to send a text from usa mobile phone to a nz telecom mobile phone without any luck. I'm not sure of the correct combination of numbers you are suppose to put down. has anyone had any success at sending a text to nz from usa?

Do I put 011 then 64 then 027(for telecom) and then the rest of the nz mobile phone number? or do i have to put a 9 in there somewhere for an auckland area code? or do i not put the 0 down on the 027 number but just put 27?

I am very confused

If you are on a GSM network (ATT, T-Mobile), you can use "+64 27 xxxxxxx).

From a CDMA network (Verizon, Sprinit), You will probably use "011 64 27 xxxxxxx)

Don't ever use the "0" before 27 or 21. That is only for calls placed within NZ.

Also, you may have to call your cell phone carrier in the US and make sure international texting is enabled. Sometimes they don't enable it by default for security.

Ana if you're not sure about putting in the + before the 64 (I wasn't) you can still programme 011 into the phone (as I did) and it should automatically convert it to + when it dials or sends the text (mine does and I'm with AT&T).