keerrchiinnggg!! The price of moving to the US!??

[miranda 0]

I don't want to sound a bit like a synical old fool here, but I guess that I'm only starting to realise how much all of this K1 visa thing is costing!

Original I-129f application = $150-$200 (can't remember exactly)

Medical for K1 visa = $170

visa at embassy = $ 60

waiver (I-601) that I had to file = $ 250

now I find out that the I-485 form AND biometrics are gonna cost $ 250 (or thereabouts)

So it's looking at nearly $1000 so far, that's a heck of a lot of money for the US DHS eh??? Somone's living in the lap of luxury over there!

Are you complaining or informing us?

How much would you spend to date someone here in the US for a couple years before getting married? Probably a lot more.

So basically, you're saying that it's just much cheaper to marry and bring foreigners over, than date and marry someone here already.

I'd rather date someone already here for a while, regardless of the money spent, than take a chance and marry someone from overseas w/o barely knowing him/her.

Just take a look at Nate's post, with that gal from Vietnam. Big mistake! Costly; perhaps?

Why is it that everytime you post anything it's rude. Honestly, he's just making a random observation that we've all made. If you think you're being witty, think again.

[kaffykat 0]

Yep it's expensive. But if you love someone and they love you back, then it's worth any amount you have to pay out and worth doing any kind of job to make sure you get the money to do it. Mike took on extra classes to teach and I am doing a grungy house cleaning job.

Luckily I am a collector of things, so have a few collections to sell off to help offset some of the costs, can't take em with me. THAT would cost too much.

[tom&tata 2]

The cost of giving up my life at home is priceless - I would not put price on that. But even that is smaller compared to not being able to be with my hubby. Sound cliche, but we consider outselves very lucky to finally be able to be together...soon !

I agree with kaffykat.. you do extra things for your love !

[daisy16 0]

Add in the lost pension from your home country. I can't collect my Canadian pension that I paid into for 20 years. While I will get something from my work pension, it's not much since I stopped working after "only" 12 years on the job. I'm already at 2 years with no pensionable job here.

Add in the costs of the fact that I would have had a comfortable old age now I'm gonna be a broke ol lady....

Edited February 23, 2006 by daisy16

[siobhan36 0]

Try flying to the states and back several times with two children, Add up all the costs then for fees x 3 etc NOW that is expensive

[wally 0]

Add in the lost pension from your home country. I can't collect my Canadian pension that I paid into for 20 years. While I will get something from my work pension, it's not much since I stopped working after "only" 12 years on the job. I'm already at 2 years with no pensionable job here.

Add in the costs of the fact that I would have had a comfortable old age now I'm gonna be a broke ol lady....

why can't you collect your pension?

[LostInIllinois 1]

Hey you forgot

The PRICE of Weding Rings

the PRICE of Wedding (small or big)

The PRICE of updating your wardrobe (to US styles)

The PRICE of SHOES (yikes)

YEAH!

Don't forget about:

the PRICE OF YOUR UNMARRIED FREEDOM!

[Cassie 8]

and don't forget the costs of shipping any personal items you decide to keep and bring with you.... I pared down considerably and it still cost me $3000 + (USD)

[ceriserose 1]

Add in the lost pension from your home country. I can't collect my Canadian pension that I paid into for 20 years. While I will get something from my work pension, it's not much since I stopped working after "only" 12 years on the job. I'm already at 2 years with no pensionable job here.

Add in the costs of the fact that I would have had a comfortable old age now I'm gonna be a broke ol lady....

why can't you collect your pension?

Um, yeah? It's my understanding that as a Canadian citizen you can collect your work pension(s), as well as CPP (when you're old enough) while living in the US. You're just taxed the 25% non-resident tax off the top.

Or is it some stipulation on your specific pension plan?

and don't forget the costs of shipping any personal items you decide to keep and bring with you.... I pared down considerably and it still cost me $3000 + (USD)

Amen. $2700 US for mine and that was discounted from the normal rate by 60%. That's a 4.5 hour drive south and I pared down as well. !!!

[pax 0]

Ewen's just going to pile all his ###### onto a raft and row it over. He'll be all right.

[Cassie 8]

Ewen's just going to pile all his ###### onto a raft and row it over. He'll be all right.

hot air balloon!!

[Jasman0717 9]

not so much..some others had to pay much more due to distance...and travel...plus $100 is the standard visa charge in most countries..you are lucky...

Good point! It was about 3k everytime I went there. We had to have a good holiday ya know

[raphael7546 0]

Cost me well over $8000.00 US just to move my household items here. And I pared down ALOT !

If someones interested in saving money then immigrating is not the best thing to do! LOL

[bly 0]

Ewen's just going to pile all his ###### onto a raft and row it over. He'll be all right.

hot air balloon!!

leave everything you have but 2 suitcases at your old home honey...

we'll start over and buy everything fresh in the USA.. it'd be cheaper! lol

[daisy16 0]

You cannot get your CPP if you do not live in Canada. This is one of the reasons the Canadian Snowbirds don't live in the US for more than 6 months. (that and the US VWP and insurance which only will cover them for 6 months)

This law changed about 10 years ago. My mom had moved back to the UK and was collecting the CPP. However, they moved back to Canada in order to get the CPP because of the 6 month rule. (it could be 6 months minus a day - whatever, it's about 6 months)

And yes, I can collect my work pension. However, I haven't contributed to ANY pension since I quit to come here in June. So already I'm down 1 year of not contributing to a pension. Add in the fact that I cannot get and will never get the kind of salary and pension here, that I was getting there, and you can start to comprehend the huge $$ amount lost. Also, I won't have worked here long enough to get a decent social security. I'm already 40. Yup. Screwed. And broke for the rest of my life. Ain't life great.

Add in the lost pension from your home country. I can't collect my Canadian pension that I paid into for 20 years. While I will get something from my work pension, it's not much since I stopped working after "only" 12 years on the job. I'm already at 2 years with no pensionable job here.

Add in the costs of the fact that I would have had a comfortable old age now I'm gonna be a broke ol lady....

why can't you collect your pension?

Um, yeah? It's my understanding that as a Canadian citizen you can collect your work pension(s), as well as CPP (when you're old enough) while living in the US. You're just taxed the 25% non-resident tax off the top.

Or is it some stipulation on your specific pension plan?

and don't forget the costs of shipping any personal items you decide to keep and bring with you.... I pared down considerably and it still cost me $3000 + (USD)

Amen. $2700 US for mine and that was discounted from the normal rate by 60%. That's a 4.5 hour drive south and I pared down as well. !!!