LAND DOWNUNDER

[vylex 0]

I believe I have everything I need for the interview. It seems so simple and straight forward I'm worried I've forgotten something. I've paid the $175 processing fee and it says there's also a $455 visa fee also??? which we take in cash???

Hi Pris, just like HD said no fee. Vy and I were ready to cough up some more dough when the consulate dude said we were all paid up. Woohoo more money to spend on celebrating.

The people that usually pay at the Consulate are the ones doing Direct Consular Filing since the USC is living abroad and he/she doesn't go through the NVC like we do.

I do have one other query: I'm supposed to bring the I-864 Affidavit of Support to the interview but J said that the NVC office sent it all to Sydney Consulate so does this mean they have it and I shouldn't worry??? I'm thinking of emailing them just in case.

Much appreciated in advance.

Cheers,

Pris.

They should have it already. However, I brought another copy with me and had some additional paystubs for proof of continuing income. They never asked for any further evidence though. If you can have your husband mail or fax you some additional pay stubs and his latest W-2 (he should've just got that from his employer). I had emailed them the same question before.

See my email thread...read from the bottom up.

From:"Sydney, IV" <SydneyIV@state.gov>

[Add to Address Book]

To:

Subject:RE: CR-1 application:

Date:Friday, September 21, 2007 12:36:16 AM

You could fax to your wife your most recent pay stub to accompany your employment letter.

If you have already submitted your 2006 Tax Returns to this office or to NVC, you don’t need to submit another copy.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Visa Assistant

U.S. Consulate General

Immigrant Visa Unit

Level 59 MLC Center

19-29 Martin Palce

Sydney NSW 2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From:

Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 5:28 PM

To: Sydney, IV

Subject: RE: CR-1 application:

Hello,

Thank you for the confirmation.

1) I had submitted the letter of employment which was dated in July of 2007. Do I need to submit another one dated in September now? Also, can I send recent paystubs from my employer to prove the July letter is still valid?

2) When I submitted the I-864EZ, I also included a copy of my 2006 Tax return (with photocopies of the W-2 forms) as well as 2005 and 2004 Tax return transcripts. However, I gave the original W-2s to my wife for the interview.

Please let me know if this is enough.

Kind Regards.

-Vylex

-------------- Original message --------------

From: "Sydney, IV" <SydneyIV@state.gov>

If you have already submitted an I-864 to NVC you will not need to do another, however, the supporting documents must be updated, that is:

Verification of current U.S. employment, position, date of hire and salary.

2006 U.S. Federal Income Tax Returns and

assets, if they were submitted as well.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Visa Assistant

U.S. Consulate General

Immigrant Visa Unit

Level 59 MLC Center

19-29 Martin Palce

Sydney NSW 2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From:

Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 1:01 PM

To: Sydney, IV

Subject: CR-1 application:

Hello,

We have reviewed the interview letter instructions and it states for my wife to bring the Affidavit of Support I-864 with her. Do I need to fill out another one and send it to her? I just sent it in to the National Visa Center last July in order to complete our case.

Please let me know if you require another I-864 from me to give to my wife during the interview.

Kind Regards,

-Vylex

So close now.

-Alex

[Poi_n_J 0]

They should have it already. However, I brought another copy with me and had some additional paystubs for proof of continuing income. They never asked for any further evidence though. If you can have your husband mail or fax you some additional pay stubs and his latest W-2 (he should've just got that from his employer). I had emailed them the same question before.

So close now.

-Alex

Thanks so much Alex. You're a gem

[Katz 0]

Hey all! This is gonna sound like a really dumb question (but I'm really paranoid at this stage)... I'm going to send off my Readiness To Be Interviewed paper on Thursday (yep, Valentine's Day. Haha.). Does the consulate only want the single sheet attached to the back of the visa instruction list, or the whole thing altogether?

Just wanted to make sure... Our petition will be very close to expiring (March 28th) when I finally get a date, so we can't afford to make mistakes.

(Gah. I feel like I'm going INSANE. )

[Katz 0]

I emailed the Sydney consulate today...

We're going to have to get an extention for our petition because it'll be too close to the expiration date - or have expired - by the time I get an interview.

I hope they approve it...

[Poi_n_J 0]

I emailed the Sydney consulate today...

We're going to have to get an extention for our petition because it'll be too close to the expiration date - or have expired - by the time I get an interview.

I hope they approve it...

I don't understand Katz; you started yours after us how can your be expired yet?

Your sig says you started July, shouldn't that mean you have at least till July???

[Katz 0]

I emailed the Sydney consulate today...

We're going to have to get an extention for our petition because it'll be too close to the expiration date - or have expired - by the time I get an interview.

I hope they approve it...

I don't understand Katz; you started yours after us how can your be expired yet?

Your sig says you started July, shouldn't that mean you have at least till July???

We have four months from the approval date to get the visa... Unfortunately everything just dragged out for us.

Our approved petition is going to expire on March 26th... According to the email reply from the consulate, our petition will have expired - or be very close to expiring - by the time I get an interview date. We would have been fine if I didn't have to wait over three weeks for a damn finger print appointment (and some other annoying circumstances that was beyond our control... >_>) I still haven't even received my police clearance yet. Probably won't for another week or two.

So... We're gonna have to extend it to be safe. :\

[Kath 0]

hi katz

dont stress too much about the extension mate...what must happen is your fiance (u.s. citz) is the only one that can request the extension...we also had to have an extension...

my fiance (now hubby) wrote a letter sent it to me then i faxed it to the consulate and we got an extension....

all your fiance has to do is state why he is requesting the extension..state your circumstances that has happened ..we extended ours because robbie was coming over in june to get me and wanted to be at the interview...im sure you wont have any problems mate...just get it in asap...

if you want i can email you a copy of our extension letter ...and will look on here if there is an example for ya too

just send in the sheet that states the readiness on it katz...

hope that is some help to ya katz...

hi to all by the way.. hope ya all keeping warm and cool where ever you are...lol...

its -8c here at the moment...and the snow is staying on the ground with it being so cold lol

hey kelli have you heard anything from walmart yet mate...

take care

kath

example extension letter

found it .. look under K1 example forms and its the bottom one mate...

Edited February 12, 2008 by Kath

[Katz 0]

hi katz

dont stress too much about the extension mate...what must happen is your fiance (u.s. citz) is the only one that can request the extension...we also had to have an extension...

my fiance (now hubby) wrote a letter sent it to me then i faxed it to the consulate and we got an extension....

all your fiance has to do is state why he is requesting the extension..state your circumstances that has happened ..we extended ours because robbie was coming over in june to get me and wanted to be at the interview...im sure you wont have any problems mate...just get it in asap...

if you want i can email you a copy of our extension letter ...and will look on here if there is an example for ya too

just send in the sheet that states the readiness on it katz...

hope that is some help to ya katz...

hi to all by the way.. hope ya all keeping warm and cool where ever you are...lol...

its -8c here at the moment...and the snow is staying on the ground with it being so cold lol

hey kelli have you heard anything from walmart yet mate...

take care

kath

example extension letter

found it .. look under K1 example forms and its the bottom one mate...

Kath, thank you SO much. If you could email me a copy, that would be wonderful. My email address is: professor_katz@yahoo.com.

Will and I saw the example earlier... But we were a little confused by the "9FAM 41.81 N3.1 (Period of validity)" bit. Oh, does it have to be notarized as well? The email from the consulate didn't say anything about it needing to be. Also... The "I-797 approval notice number", is that the beneficiary number on the NOA2?

By the way... It's 36 degrees here at Perth at the moment. Can I please have some of your snow? LOL.

[Chicago_dreaming 0]

hi katz

dont stress too much about the extension mate...what must happen is your fiance (u.s. citz) is the only one that can request the extension...we also had to have an extension...

my fiance (now hubby) wrote a letter sent it to me then i faxed it to the consulate and we got an extension....

all your fiance has to do is state why he is requesting the extension..state your circumstances that has happened ..we extended ours because robbie was coming over in june to get me and wanted to be at the interview...im sure you wont have any problems mate...just get it in asap...

if you want i can email you a copy of our extension letter ...and will look on here if there is an example for ya too

just send in the sheet that states the readiness on it katz...

hope that is some help to ya katz...

hi to all by the way.. hope ya all keeping warm and cool where ever you are...lol...

its -8c here at the moment...and the snow is staying on the ground with it being so cold lol

hey kelli have you heard anything from walmart yet mate...

take care

kath

example extension letter

found it .. look under K1 example forms and its the bottom one mate...

Kath, thank you SO much. If you could email me a copy, that would be wonderful. My email address is: professor_katz@yahoo.com.

Will and I saw the example earlier... But we were a little confused by the "9FAM 41.81 N3.1 (Period of validity)" bit. Oh, does it have to be notarized as well? The email from the consulate didn't say anything about it needing to be. Also... The "I-797 approval notice number", is that the beneficiary number on the NOA2?

By the way... It's 36 degrees here at Perth at the moment. Can I please have some of your snow? LOL.

Hi Katz,

I emailed the Consular today also, told them my expiry date 05 April and I am close to sending my statement to them. Asked if I should send it ASAP or I am safe to send it in the last week of February. Their reply was to send it when I'm ready but they did give me instructions as to what to do if I need an extension. Perhaps send your Statement back, you should get an interview date within a week and then you can determine if you need to apply for an extension or not.

Also, I am yet to receive my police clearance stuffies. 3 weeks tomorrow and if nothing, I'll call them on Friday.

I share your anxieties too

[Kelli 0]

Hey Kath.....

They are bloody hopeless over there . After I handed in my app the guy called me up and said would I be interested in doing the 2-11pm shift. ...I said yeah, he just had to call my references back at Big W....well, a week passes , I go in....he still hadn't called them. ....he called a few days later and said the number wouldn't work, so I gave him the number again, had to call him at 4pm the next day to remind him to call ( he asked me to remind him... ). It turns out they can't ring international, so I gave him references from here, telling me he would call them. Well, in this time my hubby has been employed by them...I gave him an international calling card today to call my peeps back home, and he told hubby that he was going to call my references here

So, I am a bit over them at the moment....

End of rant!

I hope that everyone is doing well!

[Katz 0]

hi katz

dont stress too much about the extension mate...what must happen is your fiance (u.s. citz) is the only one that can request the extension...we also had to have an extension...

my fiance (now hubby) wrote a letter sent it to me then i faxed it to the consulate and we got an extension....

all your fiance has to do is state why he is requesting the extension..state your circumstances that has happened ..we extended ours because robbie was coming over in june to get me and wanted to be at the interview...im sure you wont have any problems mate...just get it in asap...

if you want i can email you a copy of our extension letter ...and will look on here if there is an example for ya too

just send in the sheet that states the readiness on it katz...

hope that is some help to ya katz...

hi to all by the way.. hope ya all keeping warm and cool where ever you are...lol...

its -8c here at the moment...and the snow is staying on the ground with it being so cold lol

hey kelli have you heard anything from walmart yet mate...

take care

kath

example extension letter

found it .. look under K1 example forms and its the bottom one mate...

Kath, thank you SO much. If you could email me a copy, that would be wonderful. My email address is: professor_katz@yahoo.com.

Will and I saw the example earlier... But we were a little confused by the "9FAM 41.81 N3.1 (Period of validity)" bit. Oh, does it have to be notarized as well? The email from the consulate didn't say anything about it needing to be. Also... The "I-797 approval notice number", is that the beneficiary number on the NOA2?

By the way... It's 36 degrees here at Perth at the moment. Can I please have some of your snow? LOL.

Hi Katz,

I emailed the Consular today also, told them my expiry date 05 April and I am close to sending my statement to them. Asked if I should send it ASAP or I am safe to send it in the last week of February. Their reply was to send it when I'm ready but they did give me instructions as to what to do if I need an extension. Perhaps send your Statement back, you should get an interview date within a week and then you can determine if you need to apply for an extension or not.

Also, I am yet to receive my police clearance stuffies. 3 weeks tomorrow and if nothing, I'll call them on Friday.

I share your anxieties too

The police clearance... That's exactly what I'm waiting to get back. It's been two weeks tomorrow, and still nothing... It's so frustrating because I'm all ready to go. Just my luck I'd get an interview before the police clearance... Not good. So, I'm gonna email the consulate tonight to ask if they've extended it. Just to be sure... Then I can relax just a little.

I reckon you should ring to find out where your police clearance is. Did you have to send off for one with the finger prints to the Federal Police in the ACT like I did?

Gah... I just want it to be over with already. :|

[hawaiiandreams 0]

Hi there KATZ - I had similar concerns as at some stage I didn't think my medical was going to be ready in time for the interview.. i ended up emailing the consulate to ask them if they would need to re schedule my interview as there was a possibility that i would not have everything required for the interview. They replied saying not to worry about it, as long as I had everything else I would be fine. I should still go for the interview on the scheduled date and I could simply mail the missing information when I received it and they would then complete my visa and mail it to me once they received it from me.

You might still receive it on time, but i agree that you should call the police satation and follow it up in the mean time! Good luck!

HD.

Edited February 14, 2008 by hawaiiandreams

[Chicago_dreaming 0]

The police clearance... That's exactly what I'm waiting to get back. It's been two weeks tomorrow, and still nothing... It's so frustrating because I'm all ready to go. Just my luck I'd get an interview before the police clearance... Not good. So, I'm gonna email the consulate tonight to ask if they've extended it. Just to be sure... Then I can relax just a little.

I reckon you should ring to find out where your police clearance is. Did you have to send off for one with the finger prints to the Federal Police in the ACT like I did?

Gah... I just want it to be over with already. :|

Katz, I called the Criminal Records Department here in NSW who process the checks/fingerprints and they received my fingerprints, etc and a week later they finalised it and sent the results to the Consular. I've had no word at all and it's been 3 weeks today (they advised 15 working days for completion) since the local station faxed my prints/info. Hence why I called them.

So I'm confidant the Consular has my police check by now. Medical is complete. My fiance will send me his docos soon so I'm about set to send off my Statement of Readiness!

[Katz 0]

Katz, I called the Criminal Records Department here in NSW who process the checks/fingerprints and they received my fingerprints, etc and a week later they finalised it and sent the results to the Consular. I've had no word at all and it's been 3 weeks today (they advised 15 working days for completion) since the local station faxed my prints/info. Hence why I called them.

So I'm confidant the Consular has my police check by now. Medical is complete. My fiance will send me his docos soon so I'm about set to send off my Statement of Readiness!

They sent your police clearance off to the consulate? That's... weird. I thought you are supposed to get it back in the mail? I'd definitely email the consulate to make sure anyway. Couldn't hurt... Peace of mind and all.

I might ring the Fedeal Police on Monday to see if mine's been sent off...

Congrats on getting close to sending off for your interview! How exciting. Wouldn't it be funny if we received the same interview date? Hahaha.

[patriciaofoz 0]

Oh sorry, I just have a question regarding tax returns for Aussies in the US.

I have heard that Aussies are required to lodge a tax return with the Australian Tax Office every tax year, as well as a US tax return?

The following info is just to the best of my knowledge - and, I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means.

If you have no Australian income, and move overseas, you no longer need to file an Aussie tax return.

After I moved to the US, I still had some investments in Australia, and was earning Australian "income" (interest).

The information I eventually was able to get from the ATO was that while I was earning Australian income, I was required to submit an Australian tax return, just for the Australian income.

On my US tax return, I declared the Australian income (as foreign income), and then also got US tax credits for the Australian tax I paid.

After a year or two I signed a statement at my Australian bank declaring I was a foreign resident, this way the bank automatically deducted 10% of my interest payments, and submitted it directly to the ATO. I no longer was required to submit an Australian tax return. I continue to declare my "foreign income" & foreign tax paid on my US return.

The US tax year is jan /dec. It gets a little complicated with the differnat "years", and the exchange rate - but, I just submit all the info to my tax agent here to the best of my ability.

On the flip side, if you continue on & become an American citizen, you are required to lodge a US tax return - even if you no longer live in the US. I have no idea how much this is enforced.

HTH - feel free to ask more question.

THANK YOU so much for this information, very useful. I was wondering how it would work out...

Well, update from me is I finished with work today (very very sad moment, I love my job A GREAT DEAL) and it's only TEN MORE SLEEPS before I get on that Melbourne>LAX>St Louis flight!!!!! And 6 weeks before we get hitched!

Happy travels, all. And all the best with everybody's "things!"