LAND DOWNUNDER, Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

[CareBear 18]

I'll stay optimistic for you too Jess - fingers crossed for a speedy processs

Well I'm loving that the US exchange rate is so high at the moment - I bought some today for 91 cents so I'm absolutely stoked.

As for my leave date Nick its back to the original date of 29 October with a finish work date of Tuesday 26 October. My best mate from NZ has decided she wants to see me before I go so she and my godson are coming over but they cant get here until early Oct. With there only being 3 weeks between that and the original leaving date there wasnt any point in changing all the tickets etc so I'm sucking it up - 44 sleeps to fly day

[jalvernaz 0]

Just got our Case Complete today thank god!!! Hopefully the long wait is almost over. Anyone know about how long it takes to get your interview date after cc. Thanks so much!

[bextavaz 4]

sooooo should I be updating my country to USA now?

Carey: My stuff arrived in Denver today. Turns out that "send for arrival on the 14th" somehow turned into "arrive on the 20th"...

They sent it via Truck from LAX to DEN. I sent an email to Roy to say WTFBBQ because I thought I was paying airfreight the whole way, and his response was as follows:

You have paid for airfreight transportation to Denver, however all airlines reserve the right to move freight by road for many different reasons, within the country of destination. In most cases flights are used, but on some occasions a trucking service is used.

I just accepted it because I want my stuff, but just beware if you are expecting something to arrive on a specific date, it may pay to keep this in mind

Once he sent it, he provided the airwaybill number and receipt immediately, and I've been able to track the whole shipments movements from start to finish...

Other than the "truck" thing, definitely a good service to deal with...

[CareBear 18]

Cool thanks Nick I wouldnt be too concerned if mine arrived a week after it was supposed to as what is in the boxes isnt urgently required - mostly household stuffs. Even arriving a week later is still a tonne faster and cheaper than shipping!

Thanks for the heads up - really appreciate it

How's Denver?

[bextavaz 4]

Cool thanks Nick I wouldnt be too concerned if mine arrived a week after it was supposed to as what is in the boxes isnt urgently required - mostly household stuffs. Even arriving a week later is still a tonne faster and cheaper than shipping!

Thanks for the heads up - really appreciate it

How's Denver?

Good. 98* today so its pretty warm... can't wait for the snow to arrive

Went out to dinner and drinking with my sister last night... I've now been introduced to the club scene... cool place, although I'm going to have to learn to twostep/line dance if I want to get anywhere on the dancefloor

Other than that, it's difficult to avoid just spending for no reasaon... I can't do anything til I get my SSN so I'm playing the waiting game at the moment... hahah

[bextavaz 4]

Cool thanks Nick I wouldnt be too concerned if mine arrived a week after it was supposed to as what is in the boxes isnt urgently required - mostly household stuffs. Even arriving a week later is still a tonne faster and cheaper than shipping!

Thanks for the heads up - really appreciate it

How's Denver?

Further to my original post - the Airport charged me a US$50 "Terminal/Handling" fee... so just beware that there may be some "misc" costs at the USA end of your belongings journey

I had to take some paperwork to customs for them to clear which they just stamp and give it back to you, and then you pick your stuff up.

Apart from the sending of it by road from LAX to DEN and the "misc" charges that they came up with... it was really an easy experience... haha!

[CareBear 18]

Thanks Nick - I was kind of expecting that may happen (extra charges) as it did when I shipped stuff from NZ to Oz 7 years ago.

Glad it went okay for you - am happy now to send my stuff with them too

And it sounds like you're having a blast with your sister - good stuff

Edited September 21, 2010 by CareBear

[bextavaz 4]

Got my welcome letter today. Hopefully the rest will arrive very soon... I'M SOOOOOOOOO BORED, I WANT A JOB ALREADY! lol

[bextavaz 4]

Rofl.

And very next day I receive my Green Card oh how you are amusing me USCIS.

Now, I wonder if my SSN will turn up, or I'll have to go to the office to get one...

hehe.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Rofl.

And very next day I receive my Green Card oh how you are amusing me USCIS.

Now, I wonder if my SSN will turn up, or I'll have to go to the office to get one...

hehe.

Are you a CR-1 applicant? Your thingy says FB-1.. hmmm... the only ones I know to get "sent" SSN's without applying are CR-1/IR-1 applicants.

Welcome to the US

[TJ2010 5]

Hi Gang,

Things are moving forward with our IR-1 application. I paid the AOS fee today and send my choice of agent information via email. Holding my breath to see if they accept it via email-

I'm hoping hubby gets the AOS confirmation this week, as he's home for a few days before going out (on the boat) again and we're hoping that he'll be able to send his tax stuff during this window of time. Fingers and toes crossed!

Since he's coming out at Christmas some of the pressure is off since we've stopped worrying about when I'll be coming. No matter what we WILL be seeing each other in less than 3 months time, and that makes life a bit easier. Had I known the visa process would take so f'ing long we would have planned a holiday together for the middle of the year... but hindsight is 20/20 isn't it? The earlier I get my visa, the more likely it will be that we can fly back to the US together in early January. So we're really hoping for that outcome.

Congrats on you case complete jalvernaz, that's great news. I'm looking forward to hearing how long you have before interview... I hope it's a short wait!

Good luck with the job hunt Bex! Congrats on receiving your GC!

Edited September 26, 2010 by TJ2010

[bextavaz 4]

Are you a CR-1 applicant? Your thingy says FB-1.. hmmm... the only ones I know to get "sent" SSN's without applying are CR-1/IR-1 applicants.Welcome to the US

My visa on my Green Card is actually an F11. But on the DS230 I ticked the box that said "send me my SSN to ______ address" or whatever it was. Mum certainly believes that it will be sent out... but I guess the Green Card is just as good as having a SSN (even if I can't give people the SSN).

Good luck with the job hunt Bex! Congrats on receiving your GC!

Thank you! It's going to be amusing that's for sure...

I went and checked out some of the campus that I'm looking at studying at next year... Helps a bit that I know one of the Radio DJs that spins for the local radio, so it's awesome to be able to see new things I really should buy my new camera so that I'm prepared to take a million pictures of everything... hahah!

There's actually another hint for expediting your green card delivery... when I arrived, mum had me go to the USPS website, and "update" my address details. Basically you put a previous address for where the "sponsor" lived, and then the current address where you will be living, and for the cost of $1 they update the records so that they can see your specific mailing address.

How do I know this? Well my father immigrated under a spousal visa about 100 days before me or something, and he received his green card the day I arrived. I received mine in 12 days

Sure enough it's not tested, but anything to get everything received ASAP right?

[Bacon 0]

So we finally got our bio appointment set for Oct 4th. Looking like Ham can get his work authorization in about a month. Which would be so great cause he seriously needs to get a job. He is not liking being at home at all any more. He's found so much Aussie stuff in Atlanta though but we haven't been able to visit any of the places yet. Hopefully things will be a bit better in another month.

[TerriandEric 4]

I got my letter Welcoming me to the USA yesterday. So now I wait for the GC to follow. As frustrating as this process has been at times, I am glad it is all but over (except for the removing conditions in 21 months) time to relax & enjoy our life & who knows find that ever allusive job HAHA!

[CareBear 18]

Hey Bacon & Terri - awesome to see that things are moving in the right direction