LAND DOWNUNDER

[Rings 10]

CONGRATS TO EVERYONE!!!!

I am so glad to see that everyone is getting ahead. Thank you all for your support. We couldn't have done this wiothout your support.

[Katz 0]

Hey guys! I have a question for you...

In January, I plan on going back to the US again to visit my fiance, but this time for about 6 weeks (the first time 'round I was only there for three). Like in April, I will be using the VWP.

I have two main concerns:

1. It is quite likely that our petition (according to the processing timelines) will be approved in January sometime (maybe even earlier, like in November), possibly during my 6 week visit.

2. I plan on quitting my (new) job about three weeks before I leave, and then get a new one when I come back.

Do you suppose I will have major problems at the Port of Entry? I know that they have the right to refuse entry for any reason, and the fact that our petition is very close to being (hopefully!) approved (that and I just quit my job for a long-ish stay) might look a little... fishy to them.

What do you folks think? Should I get tourist visa just to be "safe"? I'd like to get your opinions/experiences on travelling during the visa process. Thanks.

[hawaiiandreams 0]

CONGRATS RINGS (Loke!) !!!!

Hey! Thanks for the info Alex..

Will go ahead and get my police certificate sorted..

Did you just email the general Sydney email address to ask to your interview to be pushed forward? You have saved yourselves quite a bit of time there.. it's great..

If you could let me know that would be great because I am going to try and do the same when my time comes :-)

Take care.. and thanks again..

Yep. Once we got the case complete message that told us the case has been forwarded on a specific date (there will be TWO types of case complete auto messages on the NVC phone system) I waited a week before emailing the consulate to confirm it's arrival.

At that point, they simply returned confirmation and gave me the interview date. After I received that info I asked them if they could give us an earlier date (waitlist) if possible. Well they did! First time, they had an opening the next week LOL! It was too soon. Then they just sent a letter with a new date to my wife for Oct. 26th! I initially asked for late October and they came through.

Just be sure to include the case number, petitioner and beneficiary info with each correspondence. I think it helps speed up replies in my opinion.

That's awsome Alex! Just goes to show they can be accomodating when they want to be!!

October 26th.. that's a good date! Good luck to you and the wifey, you are almost there!! :-)

Thanks again for all your info... will give it a try when we reach that stage.. hubby sending off IV fee bill and i-864 tomorrow so we are getting closer! :-)

[Kelli 0]

Congrats meowgirl! Thats great news!

Well, I have a bit of trouble adjusting, with Kevin at work all the time, so I have decided to get a puppy! She is a Shih Tzu, she is soooooooo cute and I get her next Tuesday! I am soooooo excited!

Hope everyone is doing well!

[Niphredil 0]

Congrats to everyone

I'm all pretty much set now. My only BIG hassle is trying to determine a date for leaving. One ways really aren't all that much cheaper it seems x.X oh wells. Looking at a december 8th date perhaps, or 5th. All very nerve racking. What if I don't get it? *meep!* what if I do get it, and the MBE comes ripped? What if the sky fell? What if martians came and landed on our planet and forced us all into slavery?! OH NOES! lol

I also never sent the consulate an e-mail. It's all quite confusing. They want the Police to send them the certificate, but they also want you to bring in copies... ####### mate? So I decided to just bring it in with me. Not like I have some sort of weird criminal history, however...

Vylex: Is your wife taking the DS-230 part 2 with her, or sending it in beforehand? Again, confusing. I understand I can't sign it yet, but one form says to send it in 'when completed', and the other only mentions sending in DS-230 part 1.

[vylex 0]

Congrats to everyone

Vylex: Is your wife taking the DS-230 part 2 with her, or sending it in beforehand? Again, confusing. I understand I can't sign it yet, but one form says to send it in 'when completed', and the other only mentions sending in DS-230 part 1.

Hi Niphredil! Check on the price of a return and see if it's cheaper. Sometimes it is. If so just get that and then you can use it if you want a year later.

As for the DS-230 part 2, she will bring it in. I don't think the consulate will do anything with it anyway until she is there to sign. There isn't any pre-processing I can see them doing to it.

Speaking of confusing, my wife never received the DS2001 (applicant readiness) form. Was she supposed to print that out from the website or was that supposed to have been included in the packet 3/4? My understanding was that sending it in generates the interview date. However, we already got that and the packet 3 and/or 4 never had the DS2001. I wonder if they need that lol.

As far as the Police cert goes, I would just bring it in. If they want you to bring copies in, then I would just bring the original too. I would argue the case otherwise. Also you said you didnt email them yet. Why not fire one off now? That way if they say bring it in, I would print that out as evidence. That's what I am doing. She is going to bring any email correspondence to the interview just in case they say something contrary to our understanding.

Hawaiiandreams, good luck on the next few weeks! So much hoopla has been going on in the NVC forum. Make sure you fill out everything on the DS-230 when it's time to send it in. Some people have been getting RFEs for stupid stuff like not filling in certain lines. We almost did the same mistsake because you can't type everything in the computer. Some people forgot to hand-write the remaining little details and got delayed because of it.

[Niphredil 0]

I got the readiness form in Packet 3 *it's on the back of the Documents Required tick box*. However, I don't think our postal system is this fast, as I sent it on the Friday, and got the interview date on the Monday.... especially when packet 3, according to the stamp, took 4 days to get to me from Sydney.

I had thought about that in regards to the return ticket... I just need to check ticket prices and whatnot x.X I dunno, I guess the 8th, even the 5th would be a decent day. it's about 3.5 weeks after the interview, so if there is a problem, I can get it fixed, and... well I mean, whilst sh*t happens, I see no reason to be denied. Unless that whole 'limit of visas' kicks in @.@

I did get this tidbit of information though. High Season starts 10th of December. However, she also mentioned that a late low season ticket may cost more then a beginning high season one. Just something for those that are planning flights like me

[Auscali 0]

I had thought about that in regards to the return ticket... I just need to check ticket prices and whatnot x.X

Check the one way price on Air tahiti Nui (Flight Centre's can help). A few years back I needed a one way ticket - Qantas/Air NZ etc were bot much cheper than return, Air Tahiti Nui's one way was only slightly more than half the return cost. Of course, things may have changed.

As to someone's suggestion to buy a return, and have the return to use in the "distant" future, you may well find that buying a return ticket, with a one years window for the return, may cost substantially more that one in which the return need to be used within , say, 90 days. Once again, i haven't looked t this for a while, so, this may have changed too.

[sugarbob 0]

you bastards I want my ead! :x

[SharynY 2]

hey everyone...

has anyone had their entry point into the US thru san francisco (yeah i'm having my panic attack)......... i've got like a 2 hour window and everyone tells me i'll be fine that immigration wont take that long but i dunno....

i guess i'll just run off the plane and push in line!!!

[sugarbob 0]

hey everyone...

has anyone had their entry point into the US thru san francisco (yeah i'm having my panic attack)......... i've got like a 2 hour window and everyone tells me i'll be fine that immigration wont take that long but i dunno....

i guess i'll just run off the plane and push in line!!!

it's hard to say whether or not that will be enough time because it really depends on a lot of things..what happens to your flight before it leaves, while it's in the air, when it lands, when you can disembark the plane, what is happening at the airport before, on and after your arrival.

Eg, my flight left late because some dolt was refused entry @ customs and they had to fish their bags out etc so we took off 30mins late, didn't really make up any time in the air and due to our lateness we came in minutes after another plane had landed and therefore you were several hundred people back in the line even if you were the first off the flight. Don't stress, if you miss your connecting flights for something like that you will be rebooked no problem..just make sure you're issued paper tickets for your flights at your checkin in aus.

My main point is don't stress or have panic attacks over something like that, it's completely out of your control, there are so many things that can happen that will impede a smooth journey...all you can do is roll with the punches, be calm and you'll come out of it with a smile knowing you at least made it in.

[SharynY 2]

well see i thought about that.. how they can just put me on the next flight - and yeah i cant control those things thats true...

i'm flying United all the way international and domestic.........

just make sure i have my fiance's cell number handy to call him to let him know whats going on lol......

Edited October 3, 2007 by sharyna

[Niphredil 0]

Sharyna: the good point about staying with the same airline/group is that in Australia, get them to book your bags all the way through to your final destination.

The only time you'll need to get your bags is for customs/immigration, and once you're through, on the other side, there should be someone who'll direct you to put your bags either in a seperate location or on a conveyor belt. No lugging them about to the counter, AND you'll have your boarding passes, so just head to the gate

I do this with Qantas/AA through LAX all the time. Once I'm out of that corridor with customs, right before you head out the doors beyond security, there's an area to the left, usually with about 4 people and lots of bags, where you can dump them (you may need to show your boarding pass), and away you go Don't know about SF though

It's another time saver. When you check in in Australia, just ask them about it

Vylex: That's a fantastic tip about the e-mail correspondence. I'll be sure to fire one off My luck, I'll get the interviewer who was just dumped the day before and is bitter at those getting to see their SO's x.X

[SharynY 2]

good idea niphredil.... that way i dont have to worry about checking i think lol...

either way i'll ask united here in sydney when i check in here...........

i'm so nervous!!! hehe

[omeysgirl 0]

Aussiewench or Someone else with any information...

Last week my fiance (beneficiary) was sent a letter notifying him that I must fax over a letter asking for an extension of our petition. He went in June for his interview and everything went fine except he needed to get police clearance from Granada. That took 2 months! He finally sent it back to Sydney Sep 25th, then he got that letter (the same week). Of course I immediately faxed a letter requesting an extension and stating my intention to still marry him etc... I noticed that you had uploaded a form for that extension on here. Right now we are waiting. Im on pins and needles. We were all done. They even sent him a welcome packet to the US. Im just wondering, what if that petition expired and i didnt realize it, will they still do it? We were approved for out fiance petition in April. His interview went well (in June) and that stupid police thing took forever!! So now we are waiting to see if they release his visa. I PRAY! OMG! Should I call them? Should I use your form you uploaded? I mean I thought my was fine. I dont know...

Stressing.

What do you think? Everything has gone perfectly up to this point. They didnt say the petition expired just that it was nearing the expiration and for me to fax the letter. Which I did. Any insight?