UK AOS 2009 Thread

[rocks 494]

I can definitely understand how stressful it can be living in certain locations and especially while going through the immigration process. One thing you should know about Mississippi and many other southern states and areas outside in the country......they are very close knit communities that don't take kindly to strangers. They are very cautious about the people they consider outsiders. I moved from southern California to small town Mississippi many years ago and dealt with this issue. The people in that state are some of the nicest I've met and some of the ones who could make me wish to spit nails. You need to take small rural life into consideration when you live in these areas, especially if you are not considered an American Citizen at this time.

People that live in these locations are extremely patriotic and "Pro-American". You will be the odd man out, until you are accepted into the fold and the community. When I went from the west to the south, I was lucky in the fact that most of my ex-husband's family lived in the town, but even with that connection I had to earn their trust and respect. Sad to say, just having a green card may not make "people shut up" and your life easier, you still may have a lot of work ahead of you.

Another thing you should know, there are many "dry" counties in Mississippi and towns around these counties are leary of those who purchase alcohol. So if they are hassling you a bit, give them a smile and try to always be very polite. In Texas, I've worked as a bartender and "technically" I was not supposed to take any I.D. other than a Texas Drivers License or a Texas State ID. Even if someone walked in to my bar with a valid passport or USA Military ID and I wasn't a 100% sure about their age, I had to tell them "NO".

Its a smart move to make sure you know all the rules, laws, etc. of where ever you may live, because there can always be some strange stuff that can pop up and bite you on the behind.

I hope life gets easier for you, just take a breath and relax.

wow, someone who actually lived here haha! can i be nosey and ask where you lived? we live in a city (if you can call it that) with casinos and alcohol so it's probably the most relaxed and progressive place in all of ms. i seem to mostly have problems with government workers and rednecks. the really different thing for me here is that instead of not saying that you're racist or xenophobic or whatever they choose to be, it is fine to be open about it. i've heard the n word more times since i've been here than i probably have in my whole life but on the flip side i have also met some of the nicest people i have met in my whole life and it's hard for me to know what to feel about this place! the issue with the bar tender was a bar we go to not that often but regularly enough, it was the owners wife who never works there usually which is why it was so odd. we know her son and he isn't like that at all.

i think part of my problem is that i don't feel part of society, my status is still unknown. we know quite a few people here in the community but that's really no help for me in day to day life as this isn't a close knit community. i have a friend who works for the governor of the state up in jackson, hopefully he can direct me on how to complain about the woman at the dmv. even my husband had a bad time with her when he took his driving test many moons ago.

[rocks 494]

Haven't caught up with posts because we just got in, but...

Yis, Knight and I tied the knot! A thousand thank-yous to Nich, my surrogate mum, who made it all happen. Shaz I wish you coulda made it...

It was all very madly planned, and we had no idea if it was going to work so we didn't say anything but it worked! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Am le tired (flight got delayed because the plane was borked, Continental was VERY sorry for us missing our Anchorage connection and put us up in the Sheraton in Houston for the night -- would have called you Nich, but we were utterly out of it and I know you're outside the city!), need a shower, and found Bean somehow killed a bird by the front door on the inside, even though he's been in all week and Knight's buddy's been checking on him...

I've also got a very mysterious package with a hair pin, a thank-you card and no name...

Yooooo! But, more later. Now, shower + sleep.

Magpie.

congratulations!!

i'm so glad that you finally were able to make it here and that everything has gone smoothly for you both, you deserve it!

[P&R 1]

wow, someone who actually lived here haha! can i be nosey and ask where you lived? we live in a city (if you can call it that) with casinos and alcohol so it's probably the most relaxed and progressive place in all of ms. i seem to mostly have problems with government workers and rednecks. the really different thing for me here is that instead of not saying that you're racist or xenophobic or whatever they choose to be, it is fine to be open about it. i've heard the n word more times since i've been here than i probably have in my whole life but on the flip side i have also met some of the nicest people i have met in my whole life and it's hard for me to know what to feel about this place! the issue with the bar tender was a bar we go to not that often but regularly enough, it was the owners wife who never works there usually which is why it was so odd. we know her son and he isn't like that at all.

i think part of my problem is that i don't feel part of society, my status is still unknown. we know quite a few people here in the community but that's really no help for me in day to day life as this isn't a close knit community. i have a friend who works for the governor of the state up in jackson, hopefully he can direct me on how to complain about the woman at the dmv. even my husband had a bad time with her when he took his driving test many moons ago.

Yep, I actually lived there. I lived in the small town of Richton, outside of Hattiesburg. Sounds like you must be down by Biloxi or round about that area. I went gambling in my first casino down there, when I turned 21.

It definitely took some getting used too, I guess you could say, about hearing the "n" word so many times. Where I grew up in California, it was like a melting pot of cultures and people. I never judged and still don't someone for those reasons, but it can be very difficult living around others who don't feel the way I do.

Sad to say, the bar owner may have just had a really bad day when she gave you such hassle. Or since you said she hardly works there, then having to show up that day may have just put her in a foul mood. The DMV people, well I don't know what to say about their attitude. Usually though, the DMV and many other businesses have a note or poster on the wall with info on how to file a complaint and who you should send it to. You might try that route and check.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Thankums for the words of congrats, guys! We're going to go to the social security office and sort out my name change today, and then it'll be the bank, and then...

The bank won't be too bad. They mucked up my name on my credit card anyway (they put my first and middle name on it, despite me writing my last name in the "last name" box) and I don't have much else in the way of paperwork. The only thing is sorting out my passport...any advice regarding that? There's a British Honorary Consulate just around the corner from our neighbourhood but I don't know if they'd handle passport cases. Oddly enough, I can't find anything specific on the consulate itself aside from its location. I've checked the UK website and as far as I can tell, they ask for you to send an application but it doesn't specify whether you do that if you're overseas and mail it directly to the UK somewhere.

I'm sure you guys have had to go through this fiddly process -- thoughts? Any input would be awesome.

Here's the UK gov link about it. Surprise, surprise, there's a fee!

Magpie.

[English Muffin 59]

There's a sticky at the top of the page. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5878

[Kirsten UK 2]

Well, I went to get my social security number today and the lady said she could not give me one in my married name as I entered the country using my maiden name

She has had to send my application off to homeland secuirty to get them to approve it, this may take 6 weeks or more

My question now is: must I wait for a social security number to file our AOS papers? I'm so disappointed already. Thanks.

[English Muffin 59]

You don't need a SSN to file AOS.

[skparker 0]

just wanted to happily note that my husband received his EAD card in the mail today

card production was ordered on 7-7 and 7-10 its at the house. fast fast woo hoo

time to go out and celebrate

[Talyss 0]

congrats on the EAD

[Zoe and Hal 0]

Magpie, check this:

http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/how-to-apply

Supposedly it's taking around 6 weeks at the moment...

[Big Papa Zone 93]

I've been reading the "small town syndrome" topics on the latter pages of this thread with great interest. Rocks, I'm in the same boat as you, the only difference being that my hick town is located in Illinois, not MS. And yeah, I'm sure you're thinking that Illinois is a more, "civilised" state than MS, but trust me, the Southern part of it is a redneck as it gets!

I too have encountered both types of folk: nice as pie; and completely ignorant and retarded. I've found that most (if not all) of the idiots gather in the local bars, so I've simply stopped using them. It's no great loss, and drinking at home is cheaper anyhow! Paul is spot on about the close-knit thing, too. In these small towns, you'll find that a huge percentage of the inhabitants have lived there their whole lives, and everybody seems to be related to everybody else. If you're not from that town you're considered an outsider, let alone from another country! Rocks, the key to it (I think anyway) is pretty simple: don't give a sh!t. Seriously, focus on those that do like/accept you, and to hell with those who don't.

I'm also staggered at the difficulty some of you seem to be having getting a driving licence. I only had to present a passport, my SSN card, and a something with my address on it (I used my cellphone bill) and that was that. I was sat down to take the computer test, taken out to drive once round the block, had my photo taken, and handed my licence. The whole thing took less than an hour!

On the downside, still no job. And I've no idea where one is going to come from either.

Oh well...........

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Thankums so much for the links, guys -- I think I'm going to opt for leaving my passport alone until I get my green card and can hopefully get my middle name changed. There's no point in forking out absurd amounts of money when I'm only going to have to do it again later. Apparently, my name's already been changed, but I'm stuck with my middle name for now. I do need to get a driver's license so I can sort out bank stuff, and maybe the social security office will be more cooperative if I have it in my name. They had told me that the marriage certificate wasn't enough (as it didn't display my name in its changed state).

I hope that it's not illegal to continue to have my passport in my maiden name for a while longer, though...it doesn't look like I'll be travelling anytime soon. If I'm being a dunce on the matter, and it IS illegal, feel free to bop me over the head.

Magpie.

[Hannah+Vito 0]

i thought i saw it posted on hre that if traveling with green card in married name and passport in maiden name then you should take a copy of your marriage certificate with you to show you are legaly the same person. is that true? cos i only replaced my passport last november because i had a melting accident just before my interview. i only had a ear left on it too and it cost me 70 quid grr oh well.

still waitng for that biometrics notice to arrive

[miss g 1]

im not changing my name.. jsut to avoid the bother urgh

damian i called the secretary of state here, about the licence thing, as soon as I have my ssn, i can take my proof of residency ie bills and my uk licence and pay i think max $100

[Big Papa Zone 93]

damian i called the secretary of state here, about the licence thing, as soon as I have my ssn, i can take my proof of residency ie bills and my uk licence and pay i think max $100

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the fee. Mine was the princely sum of $20.

Illinois rules (or is full of slackers - you decide).