Scandinavians

[rarasantiago 3]

OK so the realtor came by yesterday to have a loot at my apartment. I got a good vibe, feels like he will do a good job. Plus my uncle knows him so it's good to have that connection. I don't think I'll get screwed. We were on the same page regarding the starting price, which also felt good, I was a little worried he would evaluate it and set the price lower than my expectations. It remains to be seen whether I will get that, though, but at least it feels good where we're at right now.

I've started looking at flights. I have a question. Seeing as how return flights are generally (a lot) cheaper, can I book a return flight or do I have to book a single trip ticket? I mean, I won't be using the return ticket (assuming POE goes according to plan), but maybe I can just cancel the return ticket at a later date after POE? What do you guys think?

Good news about your apartment and best of luck it goes through smoothly!

You can also book a multi-city flight: Stockholm > Pittsburg > Another City (maybe a place your wife and you would like to have a vacation during the Spring to get away from the Pennsylvania weather ) You can book an inexpensive one-way flight back to Pittsburgh through Southwest from many US cities. I book multi-city flights a lot since the airlines practically force you to buy round trip tickets. If you want to purchase through a specific airline you may be limited to their destinations for options, but try sites like Orbitz, Expedia, Momonda, etc.

[LlamaInvasion 76]

Get a round trip ticket, but be sure to cancel the return trip after you've arrived!! There's a couple of examples on VJ where people didn't cancel, they just didn't show up for the flight, and the airline didn't update the passenger manifesto, thereby making it look like the person actually left the US (which had dire consequences for their visa/PR status).

Edited November 27, 2012 by LlamaInvasion

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Lots of great input. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. You guys rawk!

[jaycali 415]

Have any of you guys actually ever managed to get more than a sentence or two out of the Stockholm embassy by email? I'm emailing them tomorrow morning to inquire about the status of my visa, why it's taking so long, and when I can expect it in the mail. I'm just scared of another one sentence, uninformative response, because then I'll be left feeling like I have to nag and whine. Is it perhaps better if my wife sends an email? (I just happen to be way better at wording myself) Actually, I'm scared of nagging them so much that they'll put my case on hold for no reason lol. However, at this point I'm just about to go bananas from not knowing anything. They did tell me last wednesday to contact them if I hadn't heard anything "in a weeks time" and I do admit, it took me a lot of effort not to email them again today.

Any tips?

I had a theory over a glass of wine, that since I put my mother's name and address on the envelope (I did inform them), they're sitting over there holding onto a case with no stamped envelope, and a stamped envelope with no case..

Edited November 28, 2012 by Jay Jay

[rarasantiago 3]

Have any of you guys actually ever managed to get more than a sentence or two out of the Stockholm embassy by email? I'm emailing them tomorrow morning to inquire about the status of my visa, why it's taking so long, and when I can expect it in the mail. I'm just scared of another one sentence, uninformative response, because then I'll be left feeling like I have to nag and whine. Is it perhaps better if my wife sends an email? (I just happen to be way better at wording myself) Actually, I'm scared of nagging them so much that they'll put my case on hold for no reason lol. However, at this point I'm just about to go bananas from not knowing anything. They did tell me last wednesday to contact them if I hadn't heard anything "in a weeks time" and I do admit, it took me a lot of effort not to email them again today.

Any tips?

I had a theory over a glass of wine, that since I put my mother's name and address on the envelope (I did inform them), they're sitting over there holding onto a case with no stamped envelope, and a stamped envelope with no case..

My husband was also afraid of getting blacklisted with all the emails he sent. But just keep sending them, I don't think they'll intentionally delay sending it out because of all the emails, they'd probably want to stop getting emails from you too

What we found was that sending only one short question per email was the best way to get questions answered. I know your situation is a little different and they told you to contact them in a week so some back story may be needed. Maybe mention that you've contacted the DOS and know it's been printed, something like: According to the DOS my visa was printed two weeks ago on Nov. xx. What day will my passport be mailed out?

Hopefully you won't need the email, and the passport is already in the mail!

Edited November 28, 2012 by rarasantiago

[Moomin 292]

Have any of you guys actually ever managed to get more than a sentence or two out of the Stockholm embassy by email? I'm emailing them tomorrow morning to inquire about the status of my visa, why it's taking so long, and when I can expect it in the mail. I'm just scared of another one sentence, uninformative response, because then I'll be left feeling like I have to nag and whine. Is it perhaps better if my wife sends an email? (I just happen to be way better at wording myself) Actually, I'm scared of nagging them so much that they'll put my case on hold for no reason lol. However, at this point I'm just about to go bananas from not knowing anything. They did tell me last wednesday to contact them if I hadn't heard anything "in a weeks time" and I do admit, it took me a lot of effort not to email them again today.

Any tips?

I had a theory over a glass of wine, that since I put my mother's name and address on the envelope (I did inform them), they're sitting over there holding onto a case with no stamped envelope, and a stamped envelope with no case..

I haven't read all 30 pages in this topic. Did you put your embassy case number as subject in your mail or something a la "STK2012000000 visa in print inquiry"? I'd try sending the same email to both NIV and IV units.

They used to be faaaast critters before all Danish, Swedish and Norwegian cases went to Sweden. Maybe it's still the extra workload since they might be focusing on other areas than the emails.

[jaycali 415]

Get a round trip ticket, but be sure to cancel the return trip after you've arrived!! There's a couple of examples on VJ where people didn't cancel, they just didn't show up for the flight, and the airline didn't update the passenger manifesto, thereby making it look like the person actually left the US (which had dire consequences for their visa/PR status).

I've heard rumors of this as well, and would not want to chance it being true.

Lots of great input. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. You guys rawk!

I've always found www.kayak.com great, both for round trips and one way tickets. If you end up buying a round trip with a return trip that you won't be using, remember that Tuesdays and Wednesdays, between late January and early May are the cheapest days. I mean.. who goes on vacation on a Tuesday in mid February?

Edited November 28, 2012 by Jay Jay

[jaycali 415]

My husband was also afraid of getting blacklisted with all the emails he sent. But just keep sending them, I don't think they'll intentionally delay sending it out because of all the emails, they'd probably want to stop getting emails from you too What we found was that sending only one short question per email was the best way to get questions answered. I know your situation is a little different and they told you to contact them in a week so some back story may be needed. Maybe mention that you've contacted the DOS and know it's been printed, something like: According to the DOS my visa was printed two weeks ago on Nov. xx. What day will my passport be mailed out?Hopefully you won't need the email, and the passport is already in the mail!

I haven't read all 30 pages in this topic. Did you put your embassy case number as subject in your mail or something a la "STK2012000000 visa in print inquiry"? I'd try sending the same email to both NIV and IV units.They used to be faaaast critters before all Danish, Swedish and Norwegian cases went to Sweden. Maybe it's still the extra workload since they might be focusing on other areas than the emails.

Thanks for the advice guys. We sent them a 6 sentence email this time lol. I'll keep you posted.

Moomin: Sometimes they answer your question in 15 minutes, other times they take 3 days to answer a fraction of your question. It'####### or miss really.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Jay Jay

[jaycali 415]

Fast reply this time!

"The visa has not been sent out yet. As stated in previous emails we will contact you shortly. You should have your visa no later than within a few weeks."

Overall however, I suppose this is good news.

[Moomin 292]

I've heard rumors of this as well, and would not want to chance it being true.

It's only people arriving on the K1 there might be a slight risk of the airplane company selling the unsused seat to someone else but neglecting to change the name in their system. If a person arriving on a K1 leaves before having AP or greencard in hand, they're abaonding the AOS whereas the CR/IR1 already has their stamp/greencard after arrival and don't have to deal with the same process.

The solution could be to book the return flight somewhere out in the future. I think my return was 8 months from POE. I got a (small) refund too upon cancelling.

Anyways - glad you got an email out of the embassy. Hope you see your passport and visa in the mail soon!

[turion2 2]

woho! our case left NVC today going to Stockholm!

Is there any possibility to get married in vegas over christmas/new year, you think ?

Edited November 28, 2012 by turion2

[rarasantiago 3]

Fast reply this time!

"The visa has not been sent out yet. As stated in previous emails we will contact you shortly. You should have your visa no later than within a few weeks."

Overall however, I suppose this is good news.

At least they remember you Looks like Stockholm is also changing what they tell people about the passport delivery time frame, after cairns' interview yesterday they told him to expect the "passport back within the next 3 weeks."

[jaycali 415]

It's only people arriving on the K1 there might be a slight risk of the airplane company selling the unsused seat to someone else but neglecting to change the name in their system. If a person arriving on a K1 leaves before having AP or greencard in hand, they're abaonding the AOS whereas the CR/IR1 already has their stamp/greencard after arrival and don't have to deal with the same process. The solution could be to book the return flight somewhere out in the future. I think my return was 8 months from POE. I got a (small) refund too upon cancelling.Anyways - glad you got an email out of the embassy. Hope you see your passport and visa in the mail soon!

Thanks for clearing that up.

woho! our case left NVC today going to Stockholm!Is there any possibility to get married in vegas over christmas/new year, you think ?

Congrats!

Honestly, I doubt you will be able to have the visa in hand by xmas/new years. The embassies tend to get busier before the holidays, and both the embassy and postal service work slower during the holidays. In addition, it looks like actual mailing of the passport and visa now take 2 - 4 weeks, rather than the previously common 5 - 10 days.. I'd expect you to be able to travel in January though!

At least they remember you Looks like Stockholm is also changing what they tell people about the passport delivery time frame, after cairns' interview yesterday they told him to expect the "passport back within the next 3 weeks."

Ok, that's actually comforting to hear - means it's not just me

Edited November 29, 2012 by Jay Jay

[turion2 2]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Congrats!

Honestly, I doubt you will be able to have the visa in hand by xmas/new years. The embassies tend to get busier before the holidays, and both the embassy and postal service work slower during the holidays. In addition, it looks like actual mailing of the passport and visa now take 2 - 4 weeks, rather than the previously common 5 - 10 days.. I'd expect you to be able to travel in January though!

Ok, that's actually comforting to hear - means it's not just me

Thank you, yes I think so too, and now reading about the waiting time to get the passport back January is my best bet.

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

At least they remember you Looks like Stockholm is also changing what they tell people about the passport delivery time frame, after cairns' interview yesterday they told him to expect the "passport back within the next 3 weeks."

I hope that gets fixed by Spring.

I am rather disheartened with our (supposedly cancelled) K1 packet they sent out today from Stockholm. Even though I've looked at the I-129F application over, it appears someone in Stockholm is very very bad at spelling. His first and last name are both handwritten and spelled wrong (Bjorne instead of Bjarne) and 2 letters in the last name are wrong. Also our street address is spelled incorrectly and they left off the apartment number. Seriously? I'm pretty sure it is by some miracle it actually got delivered because we've also since moved from that apartment bloc! I suppose the mailman figured all the American mail comes here anyways.....