Scandinavians

[Brewlin 52]

Unfortunately I can't help very much since I used to be on my husband plan and now with ACA, I don't really know how it works anymore. :/

[Unidentified 2,930]

Exactly

I want to buy the tickets sooooo bad ?

Icelandair fly to BWI right? I assume you'll be flying there since you're going to MD. They will allow 2 checked in bags if you need to bring a lot of stuff. WOW air also flies there and they are cheaper than Icelandair (WOW air is Iceland's budget airline) but they have cheap ticket prices but you have to pay extra for bringing bags. Icelandair are also generally the cheapest option.

Unfortunately I can't help very much since I used to be on my husband plan and now with ACA, I don't really know how it works anymore. :/

That's okay I'll google and see what I can find.

[Camillasofie 5]

Icelandair fly to BWI right? I assume you'll be flying there since you're going to MD. They will allow 2 checked in bags if you need to bring a lot of stuff. WOW air also flies there and they are cheaper than Icelandair (WOW air is Iceland's budget airline) but they have cheap ticket prices but you have to pay extra for bringing bags. Icelandair are also generally the cheapest option.

Oh I mean the plane tickets for the honeymoon

But yes, I'm going to Baltimore or Dulles international when I finally get my visa in hand. And I've been looking at WOW and Icelandair. I think I'll take Icelandair. from the reviews I've seen for WOW I think Icelandair is a better choice. But I'll never know which one is best, can't be on both planes

[Unidentified 2,930]

Icelandair fly to BWI right? I assume you'll be flying there since you're going to MD. They will allow 2 checked in bags if you need to bring a lot of stuff. WOW air also flies there and they are cheaper than Icelandair (WOW air is Iceland's budget airline) but they have cheap ticket prices but you have to pay extra for bringing bags. Icelandair are also generally the cheapest option.

Oh I mean the plane tickets for the honeymoon

But yes, I'm going to Baltimore or Dulles international when I finally get my visa in hand. And I've been looking at WOW and Icelandair. I think I'll take Icelandair. from the reviews I've seen for WOW I think Icelandair is a better choice. But I'll never know which one is best, can't be on both planes

Of course! Sorry, my thoughts are all over at the moment

I have flown with Icelandair and I think they're good. Only downside is that food is not included but I usually just buy something and bring with me on the plane. I'm flying home (to IAD) with Icelandair

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I haven't decided what I want to do for citizenship! Our situation is a bit different, since we're planning on moving back to Sweden once my husband's military contract is up in 6 years. So theoretically I should be fine with the 10-year GC. But we'll have at least one kid by then, and having citizenship would make it so much easier to go back and forth to visit American family! But then there's taxes to be paid...and it's expensive to become a citizen!

I'd do it just to not go through the process again for an IR1 if you decide to come back.

I am also trying to figure out the whole insurance thing because Seve says adding me to his insurance once we're married is too expensive. About $500 a month or something like that.

Found a Visitors Coverage Insurance which is health insurance for Green Card holder and other types of visa holder in the states. http://www.visitorscoverage.com/

Seem cheap but don't know if they're good.

The obamacare subsidies will depend on your joint income, but the first plan we had last year was about $300/month without a subsidy. The subsidy ended up covering the premium, so it was basically free, but it was a year in which only one of us worked really part time. There should be calculators and things to tell you about would your subsidy would be.

Now, in Minnesota, the Dane qualifies for a health plan with a super low premium per month run by the state. It isn't Medicaid, but is geared towards immigrants and those with incomes too high for medicaid. You might have something similar in your state. Best way to find out is to fill out an application on your state's obamacare website.

Edited June 14, 2015 by N-o-l-a

[Unidentified 2,930]

I'd do it just to not go through the process again for an IR1 if you decide to come back.

The obamacare subsidies will depend on your joint income, but the first plan we had last year was about $300/month without a subsidy. The subsidy ended up covering the premium, so it was basically free, but it was a year in which only one of us worked really part time. There should be calculators and things to tell you about would your subsidy would be.

Now, in Minnesota, the Dane qualifies for a health plan with a super low premium per month run by the state. It isn't Medicaid, but is geared towards immigrants and those with incomes too high for medicaid. You might have something similar in your state. Best way to find out is to fill out an application on your state's obamacare website.

Our household income is too high for me to qualify for subsidies. I took a look at the obamacare website and we concluded that it would be better to just put me on his insurance which also includes dental and vision which most of the obama care insurances didn't. Thank you though

Edited June 14, 2015 by Maria&Seve

[renatesol 13]

Our household income is too high for me to qualify for subsidies. I took a look at the obamacare website and we concluded that it would be better to just put me on his insurance which also includes dental and vision which most of the obama care insurances didn't. Thank you though

I'm mostly "worried" about what to do in that gap between arrival and when I can be put on my fiance's insurance... I know my traveler's insurance won't cover me so I've already canceled that, but now I'm not sure if I should get something for the inbetween time.

[Metope 0]

How soon are you getting married? Once you're married, you should be able to get on your husband's insurance. I just kind of...didn't have insurance for a month or so. Yeah, it was risky, but it worked out! ACA is more of a law than a specific health insurance, so it applies to everyone who is eligible for health insurance. You won't be eligible for Medicaid though, since that's considered a form of welfare.

We actually don't have a date yet, but I think only a couple days after I arrive just to get the paperwork going, August 1st is likely since I arrive July 29th. I can't be on his insurance though, since he has a cheap deal through his job and apparently it'll be even more expensive to get me on it since I'm not an employee, than for me to just buy my own. I just emailed our immigration lawyer friend asking her if there's a provider she usually recommends her clients. All the provider's I've found so far say that you should have your SSN on hand before shopping for insurance though, but I don't have one yet! Do you really need an SSN to have insurance? That seems ridiculous, the same providers also say that the only requirement is that you have to reside legally in the state. Ugh this is so confusing! I should just close all tabs until I hear back from the lawyer!

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Hi! *waves*

Us old timers are still around, see? Sorry to here about your RFE, I kept thinking we were going to get one for ROC, but it seems our ROC wait was short and without issue. Maybe it is the universe's way of balancing out the crappy job they did with the CR1.

4 tickets to Denmark next year for us, but at least children are usually given a discount. I'd be happy to sacrifice my ticket for the money saving and that we wouldn't need to rent a car if I didn't go (but, also I could do without going back), but alas, my husband is too chicken to handle two kids on his own.

Are you going to go for citizenship when it comes up?

Yes I think I will apply for citizenship. It just feels like that will make life easier down the line. I don't know whether my wife and I will ever move to Sweden, but if we do and we want to move back the US, I won't have to go through the whole green card thing again. I am very glad we did do everything the right (legal) way, but waiting to get the visa waa rough.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

I went to Waikiki in 2012 when I was on vacation from my Au Pair job. First time I've ever traveled on vacation by myself It was the most amazing experience ever!! What did you guys do? Did you go to Pearl Harbor and that kind of stuff or were you just enjoying the beach?

We went in November. Plane tickets and hotel for one week in Waikiki was $2.950 or something like that. The weather was really nice, warm but not too hot. Our hotel was two blocks from the beach - perfect walking distance. Not as expensive as if we'd been right on the beach and still near enough to the beach that it took us like 5 minutes to walk there.We stayed at the Vive Hotel by the way. I can really recommend it.

Aside from enjoying the beach and the Pacific Ocean, we went to the Honolulu Zoo, we went hiking up on Diamond Head, the extinct volcano (although we didn't go all the way to the top, we're both afraid of heights. 3/4 of the way was about as far as we made it - plenty for us). We went to Germaine's Luau, en excellent experience. Fun entertainment right on the beach and good food. That was something my wife really wanted to do. I was kinda indifferent to it but once there, I really enjoyed it. The concierge at the hotel said Germaine's is the best luau to go to on Oahu and yeah, it was really neat.

We did go to Pearl Harbor. That was actually the main reason why we didn't go to one of the other islands. My wife's grandpa was stationed there when the Japanese attacked (he was in some sort of non-fighting branch so he was stationed on a part of the base that wasn't as badly bombed). Even for me who's not American it was rather emotional. We watched a 25-minute documentary about the attack and we went out on the USS Arizona Memorial. I don't want to say it was cool, cause cool is not the right word. But it was very interesting.

We also went into Honolulu to the Iolani Palace and we looked for this pizza place we'd heard of. We found it, but it had moved and the new place as such was just a crappy dive bar. The pizza was very good, but I was a little disappointed by the overall pizza place experience.

Anywho... Hawaii was great! The best week of my life. We want to go back. We're hoping by 2018 we will have saved up enough money to go again, and that's also the year my step daughter graduates high school, so we want to bring the kids also (I have a step son who's 20 and a step dahughter who's 14, almost 15). She didn't buy the argument that people never take their kids on their honeymoon, but next time it'll just be a regular vacation. We'll most likely go to Maui or the Big Island next time though. As much as I loved Oahu, Waikiki and Honolulu seems to be where most tourists go.

Pictures from our trip on my blog: https://mrborkstrom.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/hawaii-2/

Edited June 14, 2015 by Mr. Borkström

[Unidentified 2,930]

I'm mostly "worried" about what to do in that gap between arrival and when I can be put on my fiance's insurance... I know my traveler's insurance won't cover me so I've already canceled that, but now I'm not sure if I should get something for the inbetween time.

I'll probably just get a cheap insurance specific for people coming her to immigrate just until I'm put on Seve's insurance. We'll get married almost right away so hopefully I won't be using it for long. The ones I've looked at seem to be similar to the insurance I had when I was studying in the states through an organisation in Sweden.

[Unidentified 2,930]

We went in November. Plane tickets and hotel for one week in Waikiki was $2.950 or something like that. The weather was really nice, warm but not too hot. Our hotel was two blocks from the beach - perfect walking distance. Not as expensive as if we'd been right on the beach and still near enough to the beach that it took us like 5 minutes to walk there.We stayed at the Vive Hotel by the way. I can really recommend it.

Aside from enjoying the beach and the Pacific Ocean, we went to the Honolulu Zoo, we went hiking up on Diamond Head, the extinct volcano (although we didn't go all the way to the top, we're both afraid of heights. 3/4 of the way was about as far as we made it - plenty for us). We went to Germaine's Luau, en excellent experience. Fun entertainment right on the beach and good food. That was something my wife really wanted to do. I was kinda indifferent to it but once there, I really enjoyed it. The concierge at the hotel said Germaine's is the best luau to go to on Oahu and yeah, it was really neat.

We did go to Pearl Harbor. That was actually the main reason why we didn't go to one of the other islands. My wife's grandpa was stationed there when the Japanese attacked (he was in some sort of non-fighting branch so he was stationed on a part of the base that wasn't as badly bombed). Even for me who's not American it was rather emotional. We watched a 25-minute documentary about the attack and we went out on the USS Arizona Memorial. I don't want to say it was cool, cause cool is not the right word. But it was very interesting.

We also went into Honolulu to the Iolani Palace and we looked for this pizza place we'd heard of. We found it, but it had moved and the new place as such was just a crappy dive bar. The pizza was very good, but I was a little disappointed by the overall pizza place experience.

Anywho... Hawaii was great! The best week of my life. We want to go back. We're hoping by 2018 we will have saved up enough money to go again, and that's also the year my step daughter graduates high school, so we want to bring the kids also (I have a step son who's 20 and a step dahughter who's 14, almost 15). She didn't buy the argument that people never take their kids on their honeymoon, but next time it'll just be a regular vacation. We'll most likely go to Maui or the Big Island next time though. As much as I loved Oahu, Waikiki and Honolulu seems to be where most tourists go.

Pictures from our trip on my blog: https://mrborkstrom.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/hawaii-2/

Seeing your pictures really makes me want to go back now! Really nice pictures

Yeah for me Pearl Harbor was also why I picked Oahu. I couldn't go out to the USS Arizona Memorial as there was some bad weather coming in and they wouldn't let anyone go out there. I did get to go on USS Missouri were the sign the peace treaty so that was nice. Like you said, it's very emotional to be there and the word "cool" just feels wrong to use.

I stayed at the Maile Sky Court. Would only recommend it if you can't afford anything else. I was making minimum wage and picked it. Doesn't include any meals but it's close to the beach though I was too busy with tours etc that I think I only really spent a few hours actually being on the beach

I went up to Diamond head, took a submarine tour to see fish and the coolest thing I've ever done: Helicopter tour over the island. I hate heights and I really hate flying but the Helicopter tour was so amazing I forgot all about being scared

[Sara_1982 17]

Hi all,

This might be a stupid question but are you not protected for the first 45 days by your Swedish home injurance? Or does that not apply because of the visa-type and that you are not planning on coming back... I plan on beeing registerred on my mom and dads address for a few month until I´ve settled in.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Hi all,

This might be a stupid question but are you not protected for the first 45 days by your Swedish home injurance? Or does that not apply because of the visa-type and that you are not planning on coming back... I plan on beeing registerred on my mom and dads address for a few month until I´ve settled in.

Just be aware of the fact that you're supposed to let Skatteverket know you're leaving 2 weeks before you leave which means you won't be registered at their address anymore. I also don't know how that insurance thing work as I would assume you don't have a return ticket and like it's been said previously you might not be covered. You should look that up.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Maria&Seve

[renatesol 13]

Just be aware of the fact that you're supposed to let Skatteverket know you're leaving 2 weeks before you leave which means you won't be registered at their address anymore. I also don't know how that insurance thing work as I would assume you don't have a return ticket and like it's been said previously you might not be covered. You should look that up.

This is for Norway, but in my experience Norway and Sweden do a lot of things the same way, so... My insurance company told me that if I didn't change my home address, my Norwegian travel insurance would still cover me for 90 days. However, as Maria said, you're supposed to notify them when you move.

Also, consider that if something were to happen to you in the US, your home country insurance company might see it as cheaper for them to bring you there for treatment - in which case you might end up effectively abandoning your AOS application. Note that I haven¨t checked this last part with any insurance companies, but it's what I've read around the 'net.

So my thinking is better safe than sorry - I'm getting insurance in the US.