UK AOS 2009 Thread

[MARM 7]

Congratulations MARM! What an end to a long journey. Enjoy the next 2 years, I hope you're celebrating. Congrats to everyone else who has been approved also. Such a relieving feeling.

Just popping in to say that I still haven't heard back from Harvard.. I left two voice mails and an email, but no response. I don't know what else to do, looks like I'll have to give up on that one. I don't understand why they invited me for interview and then completely blanked me for two weeks.. ho hum. The driving is going well, I've been learning for two weeks and have already driven on the highway... not nervous at all, just can't wait to be able to get myself out of the house!

Hope everyone is doing well.

Thanks Gemmie! Sorry that Harvard is keeping you hanging, I hope that you get a good opportunity coming your way very soon!

[MARM 7]

Oh WOW! Really happy for you MARM. The window closes around March 30, 2012 (two years from the card issue date.) He'll have an expiration date on the GC. He has to have it renewed before the expiration. So they say to apply 90 days prior to the expiration, which will be around New Year's Day 2012. If you send it earlier than 90 days, they will reject it.

I have been working in the yard alot planting flowers, bulbs, and shrubs. Spring has motivated me. There are sisters in the neighborhood (ages 4 and 8) who love helping me. The kept fighting over the little garden spade, so I bought another one and some neon colored kid's garden gloves for them. They are so chuffed (trying to speak British. hahahaha) It takes me twice as long with the little helpers, but they love digging, planting and watering.

And the media room is getting painted. It was the big old (badly painted) burnt orange room. Now it's a pleasant dark grayish/greenish taupe color and is almost finished. We had to go get a third gallon of paint yesterday. We're being given a sofa for it. Of course there's no "media" stuff but I'm sure my husband is cooking up plans in his mind for his future "Man Cave."

Thanks Nich! I am glad that Spring is doing your health some good!

Way cool Marm, and congrats from Pat and I!

Bob and Pat

Thanks Bob and Pat!

All of you fellow UK'ers mean so much to us! Really

Edited April 1, 2010 by MARM

[obbynox 0]

Congratulations MARM

Just popped in to update everyone on my sons fiascoooooo formely known as AOS....

We;re still waiting for our lovely congressman to get back to us, so in the mean time i hopped on the phone and started calling up some civil surgeons in the area. After about 5 calls to various places i found a great place in Hoboken NJ, who could fill in the medical form and yes it was covered by our insurance (most other places i contacted wanted to charge us 100-200 dollars....pfft) We took my son on friday, handed over all his vaccination records for transcribing, had a brief chat with the doc (no questions were asked about any other area of the form..ie: mental health ) we were told he needed a TB skin test (no biggy) and that was it...went back on monday, his arm was checked by the nurse to make sure he had a negative reaction to the test, and the medical form was handed back to us all signed sealed and ready to go! Today we got conformation from the postal service that the letter had arrived and been signed for (let them DARE tell me they can't find this one) so the wait begins AGAIN.

I have to say i am still furious over the thing, and reading around the forum my son isn't the only K2 to go through this. I really hope someone wakes up pretty soon and sorts all these medical RFE's out...like its not stressful enough filing in the first place...Arrrrgh!!

Anyway, good luck to all with AOS, Jobs, driving test etc....

Selina.

[MARM 7]

Congratulations MARM

Just popped in to update everyone on my sons fiascoooooo formely known as AOS....

We;re still waiting for our lovely congressman to get back to us, so in the mean time i hopped on the phone and started calling up some civil surgeons in the area. After about 5 calls to various places i found a great place in Hoboken NJ, who could fill in the medical form and yes it was covered by our insurance (most other places i contacted wanted to charge us 100-200 dollars....pfft) We took my son on friday, handed over all his vaccination records for transcribing, had a brief chat with the doc (no questions were asked about any other area of the form..ie: mental health ) we were told he needed a TB skin test (no biggy) and that was it...went back on monday, his arm was checked by the nurse to make sure he had a negative reaction to the test, and the medical form was handed back to us all signed sealed and ready to go! Today we got conformation from the postal service that the letter had arrived and been signed for (let them DARE tell me they can't find this one) so the wait begins AGAIN.

I have to say i am still furious over the thing, and reading around the forum my son isn't the only K2 to go through this. I really hope someone wakes up pretty soon and sorts all these medical RFE's out...like its not stressful enough filing in the first place...Arrrrgh!!

Anyway, good luck to all with AOS, Jobs, driving test etc....

Selina.

Thanks Selina. Sorry that you had to get the medical redone for your son. Hopefully they process his adjustment ASAP now.

[obbynox 0]

Thanks MARM hoping this will be the end of it, and the next i hear will be 'card production ordered' then we can get on with an USCIS free life (well until my lifting of conditions, lol)

[Nik+Heather 121]

YAY MARM!!!

So, you'll have to file in the 90 days BEFORE it expires, not after. So I think the window to file for removal of conditions will be between Dec 30th and March 30 2012

[MARM 7]

YAY MARM!!!

So, you'll have to file in the 90 days BEFORE it expires, not after. So I think the window to file for removal of conditions will be between Dec 30th and March 30 2012

Thanks Heather!

Another question: So my fiance never received the EAD document. Even if he receives it now, it won't be of any use as his green card has been produced. So what do we do with the EAD if he does receive it after the GC? The Immigration Officer at the interview told us to send the EAD back to them if he did get it now, but that doesn't make sense to me for some reason (I have never heard of sending anything "back" to USCIS). Anyone have any ideas?

Edited April 1, 2010 by MARM

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks Heather!

Another question: So my fiance never received the EAD document. Even if he receives it now, it won't be of any use as his green card has been produced. So what do we do with the EAD if he does receive it after the GC? The Immigration Officer at the interview told us to send the EAD back to them if he did get it now, but that doesn't make sense to me for some reason (I have never heard of sending anything "back" to USCIS). Anyone have any ideas?

I've heard of lots of people being asked to turn in their EAD card at their interview. I believe I've also read that people have been given an addressed envelope in which to return it once the GC is actually in hand. I think it depends on the local office. Some take the card and some don't mention it. I suppose since it's not needed, it's a security thing to not have unexpired EAD cards floating around. I don't recall any instructions for us since there was no interview. But we didn't get any email or "Welcome to America" letter...just an unannounced GC in the mail.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Since we weren't being approved immediately at our interview, she let Nik keep his EAD and AP. She instructed us to carefully destroy and dispose of the documents once the Green Card came. No requirement to send it anywhere.

As Nich says, maybe it is a local office thing.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Woohoo for Marm! What a long wait it's been, and you two have had to go through so much. I'm so glad they approved you on the spot you guys have worked so hard for it.

Gemmie, I can imagine your frustration -- there were some applications I had put in where they didn't bother telling me whether they'd even looked at it or not. You'll get the perfect job, and I know you will -- and who knows, they may still get back to you. My fingers are crossed!

Hugs to Selina...they're making you jump through some ridiculous hoops, which you shouldn't have had to dealt with in the first place. They better process it properly now...otherwise we'll form a posse and deal with it ourselves!

Nich shnookums, I lost your number and Knight and I have to postpone the wedding for a year. His current truck's transmission went, and the way things were racking up financially, there was no way we could get through the next few months by just barely scraping by. It wasn't an easy decision, but I'm being sensible about it. This way, we can focus on my future sister-in-law's wedding this summer, and then it gives everyone plenty of warning for next year and I can plan it properly. I need to make lots of phone calls and apologise to people...blurrgh!

Magpie.

[Allie and Nigel 2]

We got the EAD card today! Woohoo!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nich shnookums, I lost your number and Knight and I have to postpone the wedding for a year. His current truck's transmission went, and the way things were racking up financially, there was no way we could get through the next few months by just barely scraping by. It wasn't an easy decision, but I'm being sensible about it. This way, we can focus on my future sister-in-law's wedding this summer, and then it gives everyone plenty of warning for next year and I can plan it properly. I need to make lots of phone calls and apologise to people...blurrgh!

Oh poo! I was seriously going to look at tickets again this morning and see if any frequent flyer things had appeared since I last looked or just bite the bullet and purchase a trip. Lucky I am easily distracted. ::oh piece of string::

Sorry Sunshine, but at least we threw a swell first wedding last summer. It was done on the fly, but still has some special memories for us. I love how you tossed your bouquet from the island to the boat of cheering people passing by. That was so priceless, and you actually hit the boat and not the river. And that girl who ended up with the bouquet must have some priceless memories too.

We got the EAD card today! Woohoo!

Wonderful. Now the hard part....finding a job. Good luck for something great.

[MARM 7]

Thanks Magpie!

So I guess we will just see if the EAD turns up and if it has an envelope enclosed to return or a phone # to call, we will, otherwise we will put it safely away in our records.

[Gemmie 142]

Grats on the EAD!

Sorry to hear about that, Magpie. It happened to us last year (the transmission going) and it's seriously cancer to cars. You're being very sensible about it though. Put your energy into enjoying your SIL's wedding for now. At least you can save more money and have more time for planning. Though your throwing the bouquet to the boat sounds awesome!

After 3 weeks of chasing Harvard, I got a one sentence reply telling me the job has already gone. I'm gutted and a little annoyed as I was leaving emails and phone calls left, right and centre to set up the interview. I thought she could've at least gotten back to me to let me know. I've asked a friend if there are any jobs going at her area of Harvard at the Children's Hospital... but at this point, holding out hope is hard. On a positive note, I'm now driving full-on highways. Funnily enough, I've not been nervous at all.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Gemmie

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Just checking in & out so to speak...it's been a while & maybe I'd better get in there before we're phased out by the 2010 thread..

Marm: Sooooo happy for you. It's been such a long journey for you both & you must be happy that you have a 2 year break. I'm sure the next stage will be a piece of cake in comparison.

Magpie: I'm sorry that you have to postpone your celebration wedding. It must be tough when you were looking forward to it so much. I'm sure next year you'll have a bigger & better celebration than you initially planned :-) You also have the lovely Nich who is always there to support you.

Gemmie: So sorry you're not having much luck on the job front. If it's any consolation, neither am I. I've applied for a zillion jobs & no one has had the decency to even reply.. Urgh!

Congrats to Nik & Heather.. Yay!

Good Luck to Allie & Nigel for the interview..

And to Damiem who started the thread. You've probably had the toughest journey of all. I hope you are coping under the most difficult of circumstances & that you remove conditions without any hinderances.

As for us..well maybe it's a good job I didn't get any replies to job interviews. My hubby has been offered another job in Miami (so this means he doesn't have to go with the Dubai job that he previously thought he had to take, meaning we'd be apart for 6 months of the year) So, we move to Florida next week. We'll be living just north of Miami where it's not so crazy!!

We'll get settled there & I'll try again with the job hunting....

Anyway, I'm sure we'll all catch up again in the Removal of Conditions thread in 2 years time.

Good luck everyone! Keep smiling