Australian Beneficiaries - Packet 3 to Interview date

[Giggles 1]

I wish USCIS and NVC would hear my whinging......we have called and called and they still won't tell us where our file is or what's happening. Now they have told us to call back if we haven't heard anything after 60 more days. If we wait that long our petition will expire the next week. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm whinging all the time but it's so darn frustrating and upsetting.

[lyekka 5]

Well the consulate must have heard me whinging and we got packet three today, at lunchtime! I sent back the DS-230 today while I was at work (I hope I don't get in trouble for filling it out in pen, and handwriting my additional answers!) It was sent via email to both Alex and I, so they must have gotten my email from when I contacted them a few days back asking if they had my packet yet I should get my medical results on Monday or Tuesday, and hopefully have the police check by next week (it's been two weeks since I filed for it), so then I can send the rest of packet three and get my interview. Whoo hoo!

Awesome Congrats!

[Warren and Cindy 6]

Well the consulate must have heard me whinging and we got packet three today, at lunchtime! I sent back the DS-230 today while I was at work (I hope I don't get in trouble for filling it out in pen, and handwriting my additional answers!) It was sent via email to both Alex and I, so they must have gotten my email from when I contacted them a few days back asking if they had my packet yet I should get my medical results on Monday or Tuesday, and hopefully have the police check by next week (it's been two weeks since I filed for it), so then I can send the rest of packet three and get my interview. Whoo hoo!

YAY!!!!! Grats!!!

you might get an interview before xmas ir you get all your stuff in soon

[alex and astrid 38]

Well the consulate must have heard me whinging and we got packet three today, at lunchtime! I sent back the DS-230 today while I was at work (I hope I don't get in trouble for filling it out in pen, and handwriting my additional answers!) It was sent via email to both Alex and I, so they must have gotten my email from when I contacted them a few days back asking if they had my packet yet I should get my medical results on Monday or Tuesday, and hopefully have the police check by next week (it's been two weeks since I filed for it), so then I can send the rest of packet three and get my interview. Whoo hoo!

YAY!!!!! Grats!!!

you might get an interview before xmas ir you get all your stuff in soon

Yeah, thats the plan!

Giggles You've got a senator involved in your case, right? NVC/USCIS has to know your case is about to expire, they can't just let it sit!!

[Giggles 1]

Yeah, thats the plan!

Giggles You've got a senator involved in your case, right? NVC/USCIS has to know your case is about to expire, they can't just let it sit!!

That's the next step we're going to take now. We thought we'd see if there was any outcome of the tracer they put on our file. It didn't eventuate to anything. We had thought I could be in the US before Christmas....there's no chance of that now.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hey guys!!

Sorry I've been away for a while... over in Iowa getting married actually

So, now obviously I need to apply for AOS. I have a weird qn (which I'll look up in a sec) which is, do I start the changes to my passport etc NOW or wait till after I have the AOS? Legally my name is now my married name, but all my info is still in my maiden name... I think my passport number stays the same (can't say I've ever tried to change it before ) so I was thinking it shouldn't be an issue because they'll ask to see the marriage licence, and my passport just hasn't been changed over but they have the licence to prove it IS my name now... phew... weird.

Side note to the Aussie girls changing their names after marriage - if you do it within the first year of marriage it's FREE so.. saving of like $200. I don't know about my UK passport though. It's about to expire anyway.. ugh.. more money.

Few comments on everyone elses posts ---

Alex & Astrid - Grats on P3! I read your medical stuff and I agree... being naked is WEIRD and I didn't have to be. Nor did I have a breast exam... also weird. It's over with now though I'd be interested to see who else who went to your doc had to be naked and got a breast exam... whether it's the norm... 'cause it's definitely not on the medical reports that it needs to be done (that I saw anyway). Oh & about editing posts, you apparently have 5 minutes to do so(after hitting "post") as long as you don't navigate away from the page. 5 minutes from the ORIGINAL post, not your latest edit of it either.. which is a HUGE pain.. if you post something you want deleted you need to report it to a moderator and they'll "hide" it. I had to do that

Giggles - I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it. I hope you're able to get it sorted ASAP. Keep us all posted and let us know how you go getting a Senator (I read someone asked this) involved. Good luck! I'll be thinking of you.

Warren & Cindy - CONGRATULATIONS!! I'm so happy to read that you're approved and you'll be over here in 7 days America time, 6 Australian!! I remember that feeling of "oh my god, I can't believe it's FINALLY happening". Just the other day I was saying to Tony how it was over 200 days to go, then suddenly I was here, then there were 60 days till the wedding, and now it's over! We're back in Texas after 3 weeks of not being here and it's so WEIRD that we've come full circle... lol. /happy sigh. Sooooo happy for you!

BT4SK - Tony and I are in Houston at the moment but hope to move back to Iowa in or around March next year when the lease expires here. We'll be living about an hour from davenport in a little town on 30. Iowa is a nice place to live but it's going to take a while for me to get used to the cold.. just like the heat here in Houston ALL the time and the muggy weather is hard to get used to!

Miss Natalie - I don't know if I read your post already but CONGRATS on the interview approval!

Omnivore - I will PM this to you too, but unfortunately you can't go back ages later and edit posts and I would REALLY like to amend that first link because the embassy has changed their site around and now it's invalid. Anyway.. here's the new Police link: -- http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/vis...ertificate.html. Also, grats on P3!

If I've missed anyone I'm sorry but good luck and grats to you all anyway. I'll be checking every now and then but I should be applying for my AOS by Dec 12 as that's when my Visa "expires" and I've been told that I need to apply for AOS by then... BUT that some people are okay doing it a couple of weeks later... however technically I'm out of status after Dec 12 and I don't want to risk it.

Talk to you all again soon

Hugs

V*

[Warren and Cindy 6]

Venessa....wedding pics!!

thanks i'll be applying for AOS around that time too, we should keep in closer contact

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Venessa....wedding pics!!

thanks i'll be applying for AOS around that time too, we should keep in closer contact

I'll PM you a link to a FB folder... for privacy reasons I'll keep them off VJ If anyone wants to see them PM me and if I know you well enough I'll let you see

As for closer contact, sure thing Are you on FB? If so, PM me your details and I'll add you

[Deb+Steve 13]

Venessa....wedding pics!!

thanks i'll be applying for AOS around that time too, we should keep in closer contact

Congrats Warren and Cindy!

Seems like no end in sight for us at the moment so I'm heading to New York over Xmas instead. We need the sustenance to see us through the next few months I think. This whole process sure does take its toll. Hope everyone is well & happy.

[Deb+Steve 13]

I had this thought that I should have filed AOS from VWP but there was no intention of getting married. It was spur of the moment (blame Vegas) so I had to come home. House, job, life etc waiting for me. So if there is no intent how the hell do you file and then wait it out over there if you have to come home?? Sorry, I'm venting but only 36 and a wake up and I will touch him again.

[alex and astrid 38]

Alex: who did you contact at your local council?

I forgot I didn't answer this! I called the council and just asked for the department that handled vaccination records. I'm pretty sure it was the health and environment department.

[kaffy 2]

Side note to the Aussie girls changing their names after marriage - if you do it within the first year of marriage it's FREE so.. saving of like $200. I don't know about my UK passport though. It's about to expire anyway.. ugh.. more money.

Hey Vanessa do you have more info on this? I've been married nearly 3 years and still havent changed my name in Australia yet (I use my married name as my legal name here though).

I tried doing it back in Aus (after we had married and before we moved to the US) but the QLD BDM registry gave me the run around saying that they couldnt accept my o/s marriage certificate and that I would have to file a legal name change... which I had to wait 12 months for since I had to re-establish residency.

We ended up moving over to the US one day before I reached that residency requirement so I emailed the Aussie Embassy here as to how to go about doing it. Come to find out they CAN accept o/s marriage certificates... but since I'm an Aussie citizen through naturalization I would have to change my name on that first, THEN submit a name change for my passport - such a PITA!

Since I have to present original documents I will probably do it in person when I am in DC next year. If there is a simpler way I would love to hear!!

thanks

[alex and astrid 38]

Hmmm....so once we are married, we just contact our closest australian embassy and get our name changed there? Does that mean getting a new passport, or they just change something in our passport to note the change? I still have more than six years left on mine, would be a shame to have to get a new one!

[Giggles 1]

I'm glad I won't have to go through all the dramas of changing my name...I'm keeping my own.

[kaffy 2]

Hmmm....so once we are married, we just contact our closest australian embassy and get our name changed there? Does that mean getting a new passport, or they just change something in our passport to note the change? I still have more than six years left on mine, would be a shame to have to get a new one!

There's no rule saying that you absolutely must change your name on your passport