I need help understanding later part of the process

[Sassyandswoop 2]

Hey guys, I was hoping you could all help me out.

I'm a little lost on what to expect from the final parts of the process. We got married in September last year in Australia (my country) and we are waiting for our i-130 to let me rejoin him.

My husband and I have been waiting almost 4 months since our NOA1 so we are hoping to hear something soon. What I can't seem to find a simple, straight-forward answer to is a few questions I've got.

- Medical - Do we have to book the medical ourselves or is an appointment made for us? When does this appointment take place, now, after we get packet 3 or after we return it and get packet 4?

- Passport - I saw somewhere that they send out a passport with the visa after the interview, but I can't understand if this is given to us, if we have to pay for it, if what I read was just that person receiving the new passport they had to order themselves under their new name? Do I already need to have a passport in my married name, or is my maiden name okay?

If I've forgotten anything, could you please throw in anything extra? I've found very little about the later part of the process that I can actually understand.

[Deb+Steve 13]

Medical - you will receive instructions on when to submit your medical, PCC etc. You book it with a panel physician in your state once you receive your NVC case # once your petition is approved and you've received your NOA2. The costs vary per state. The panel physician in Brisbane charges $470 which includes the Xray but the vaccinations are extra if required.

Passport - yes, you leave your passport with the Consulate (if your visa is granted) and they mail it back to you with the visa in it. Apparently, they request that you come to the interview with a 3kg Prepaid express post satchel.

The interview is scheduled by NVC with the Consulate. The process is different to the K1. Also, we waited just over 4 months for our NOA2 (125 days). Won't be long now for you.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Deb+Steve

[lucyrich 20]

- Passport - I saw somewhere that they send out a passport with the visa after the interview, but I can't understand if this is given to us, if we have to pay for it, if what I read was just that person receiving the new passport they had to order themselves under their new name? Do I already need to have a passport in my married name, or is my maiden name okay?

The passport they send out with the visa in it is the one that you hand them at the interview. Exact procedure may vary somewhat from one consulate to another, but basically, at the interview, if you're approved, you leave your passport with them, and then they'll put the visa in it and get the passport back to you. It will probably take them overnight to prepare the visa and affix it into the passport, so they'll probably send the passport back to you by mail or courier. Contact your local US consulate if you need more precise details on their procedure.

So it's up to you to come to the interview with a passport from your home country. You'll get it from your home country's government using whatever procedure they have.

As to whether it should be in a married name or maiden name, consider that generally, the name in the visa has to match the name on the passport. And the name on the green card will match the name in the visa. The name in your social security record will match the name on the green card. And at least in some states, the name on your drivers license must match the name in your social security record. There's probably bit of room for flexibility and name changes along the way, especially for someone recently married, but it's a lot less bureaucratic red tape if you can allow one name to flow all the way from the initial passport through the end of the process.

Of course, you're not required to change your name due to marriage. It's a cultural custom and personal choice.

But whatever name change you do or don't want due to marriage, it's probably a good idea to come to the interview carrying a passport from your home country that has your name written exactly the way you want to use it in the US. Getting that passport arranged gives you something to do while you're waiting for the visa process.

Furthermore, starting the immigration process with a new passport that has a long validity may save you the trouble of renewing your passport at a consulate in the US, which, depending on where you live in the US and where the consulates are, may involve a long inconvenient trip.