How do you open a joint bank account when living in different countries???

[lynndy38 64]

Hi guys,

My darling Eric and I got married in Edinburgh on the 25th,I dropped him at Manchester airport today and to be honest I feel awful,I'm so angry with this whole process,that we have to live apart for goodness knows how long whilst the CR1 is completed,I know you all must have felt or feel the same way:-(

Aaaaanyway,I have a question, we recieved a few cheques as wedding gifts in our married name,yet we haven't got a joint bank account yet seeing as he's in the US and I'm in the UK........is there anyway we can open one whilst being so far apart? Or will I have to get the kind folks that sent us the cheques to redo them just in my name?

Also any tips in coping on having your spouse on the other side of the world would be greatly appreciated

[Que Saudade 284]

SKYPE...!!!!! it saved us. Still have dates. Skype while watching a tv show or something together. Be creative.

[pgmsc 3]

We do the Skype thing, too, and sync movies together to watch - yesterday, we watched the Opening Ceremonies together. It is really hard, but you can get through it. We talk every day, play games (I regularly beat him up at Words With Friends) and I went over in May to visit since I don't want to chance him getting denied if he comes here to visit. We instant message throughout the day, when I'm not too busy at work, and send each other notes once in a while. We're hoping to hear something any day now on the IR/CR1 petition since we're past due, according to the VJ timeline. This is probably the worse, knowing it should be soon but not getting an answer.

As far as the bank account, you're going to have a very hard time with that. From what I've found, most banks won't add a foreign spouse without a Social Security number (SSN) or tax identification number (TIN), and even if they do, they usually want both people to be present to sign. We just have separate accounts for now, and I plan to add him to mine once he's here and has an SSN assigned. You could try cashing the checks at either one of your banks, though - I think it just depends on the bank's policy for honoring checks. We had a couple from my family made out to both and I had no problem depositing them into my individual checking account.

Hang in there, though -- it really won't be long before you're both together again. I remember thinking that when we got married in January, and we are getting near the end.

[cathy2904 97]

Congratulations on your marriage.

I think you should be able to pay the cheques into your account even with both of your names on them.

Welcome to the wait. My best advice is to keep busy. Take the time to get things sorted for your departure. Spend time with family and friends - you will miss them. Make short term plans - it helps time to pass. This wait will soon be a dim and distant memory.

Edited July 29, 2012 by cathy2904

[habibi11 16]

SKYPE...!!!!! it saved us. Still have dates. Skype while watching a tv show or something together. Be creative.

yes skype is a wonderful thing.... we to have skype dates my friends laugh they know thats all we have... but its better than nothing we do dinner and a movie together and we even leave skype on when we go to sleep and he likes to watch me sleep..lol it helps with the waiting... yes be creative plus its a god way to talk with his family also....

Hi guys,

My darling Eric and I got married in Edinburgh on the 25th,I dropped him at Manchester airport today and to be honest I feel awful,I'm so angry with this whole process,that we have to live apart for goodness knows how long whilst the CR1 is completed,I know you all must have felt or feel the same way:-(

Aaaaanyway,I have a question, we recieved a few cheques as wedding gifts in our married name,yet we haven't got a joint bank account yet seeing as he's in the US and I'm in the UK........is there anyway we can open one whilst being so far apart? Or will I have to get the kind folks that sent us the cheques to redo them just in my name?

Also any tips in coping on having your spouse on the other side of the world would be greatly appreciated

yes skype is a wonderful thing.... we to have skype dates but its better than nothing we do dinner and a movie together and we even leave skype on when we go to sleep and he likes to watch me sleep..lol it helps with the waiting... yes be creative plus its a god way to talk with his family also.

[lynndy38 64]

You guys are awesome, Im so tearful right now. I feel like one half of me is missing, I know you all understand that feeling. It helps knowing we're not alone in this,although Im sorry we have to go through it.

I guess the best bet is to contact my bank, I'm starting to inform all my bill providers etc tomorrow about my change of name,so Im thinking when I've informed the bank I'll ask if they'll accept the joint cheque.

Eric and I Skype for hours, we read the daily newspapers and put the world to rights, I think I'm ok with our communication together its more about how to cope alone......here in the UK without him.

I keep looking down at my wedding ring,and at our gifts and cards.......the wedding balloons are sat deflating now. It's just so lonely without him here.

I'm looking into visiting for a while during the proccess but afraid it will effect my chances of being approved. Im always given such a hard time at RDU POE even though Ive never overstayed and am a model citizen whilst in the US (and of course here!!!! )

I'm going to get my passport photo's done tomorrow and get them in the post so he can file the I-130,I sent him back with copies of my birth certificate and other various papers he may need. I can't believe I was 34 when I met him,and I'll be nearly 40 by the time this whole process is completed,its been a long haul and a rollercoaster ride but I wouldn't change meeting him for one second.

I may however be a bit loopy at the end of it all!!!!

[cathy2904 97]

At the moment you are feeling particularly low after the excitement of recent days. You will feel calmer in time.

[dwheels76 5,469]

You guys are awesome, Im so tearful right now. I feel like one half of me is missing, I know you all understand that feeling. It helps knowing we're not alone in this,although Im sorry we have to go through it.

I guess the best bet is to contact my bank, I'm starting to inform all my bill providers etc tomorrow about my change of name,so Im thinking when I've informed the bank I'll ask if they'll accept the joint cheque.

Eric and I Skype for hours, we read the daily newspapers and put the world to rights, I think I'm ok with our communication together its more about how to cope alone......here in the UK without him.

I keep looking down at my wedding ring,and at our gifts and cards.......the wedding balloons are sat deflating now. It's just so lonely without him here.

I'm looking into visiting for a while during the proccess but afraid it will effect my chances of being approved. Im always given such a hard time at RDU POE even though Ive never overstayed and am a model citizen whilst in the US (and of course here!!!! )

I'm going to get my passport photo's done tomorrow and get them in the post so he can file the I-130,I sent him back with copies of my birth certificate and other various papers he may need. I can't believe I was 34 when I met him,and I'll be nearly 40 by the time this whole process is completed,its been a long haul and a rollercoaster ride but I wouldn't change meeting him for one second.

I may however be a bit loopy at the end of it all!!!!

Trust me once you file you will feel so much better and relieved because your journey will be really starting. Than you can be a VJ addict like us all. Wacko I think is a requisite of being here. But here at least we all understand, rants, raves, states of panic (I sure had one last week). We all understand even when friends and family don't. So don't be afraid to post your questions, thoughts, congrats to others. it keeps us all encouraged and moving on to the main goal, Our hunnies here in our arms forever.

[cathy2904 97]

Trust me once you file you will feel so much better and relieved because your journey will be really starting. Than you can be a VJ addict like us all. Wacko I think is a requisite of being here. But here at least we all understand, rants, raves, states of panic (I sure had one last week). We all understand even when friends and family don't. So don't be afraid to post your questions, thoughts, congrats to others. it keeps us all encouraged and moving on to the main goal, Our hunnies here in our arms forever.

:thumbs:

[habibi11 16]

You guys are awesome, Im so tearful right now. I feel like one half of me is missing, I know you all understand that feeling. It helps knowing we're not alone in this,although Im sorry we have to go through it.

I guess the best bet is to contact my bank, I'm starting to inform all my bill providers etc tomorrow about my change of name,so Im thinking when I've informed the bank I'll ask if they'll accept the joint cheque.

Eric and I Skype for hours, we read the daily newspapers and put the world to rights, I think I'm ok with our communication together its more about how to cope alone......here in the UK without him.

I keep looking down at my wedding ring,and at our gifts and cards.......the wedding balloons are sat deflating now. It's just so lonely without him here.

I'm looking into visiting for a while during the proccess but afraid it will effect my chances of being approved. Im always given such a hard time at RDU POE even though Ive never overstayed and am a model citizen whilst in the US (and of course here!!!! )

I'm going to get my passport photo's done tomorrow and get them in the post so he can file the I-130,I sent him back with copies of my birth certificate and other various papers he may need. I can't believe I was 34 when I met him,and I'll be nearly 40 by the time this whole process is completed,its been a long haul and a rollercoaster ride but I wouldn't change meeting him for one second.

I may however be a bit loopy at the end of it all!!!!

Just know and keep it in mind that you will be together soon and then u have the rest of your lives of happiness

[Que Saudade 284]

Stay busy. Don't let yourself have a lot of down time. That was the worst for us. Stay active, if you don't exercise, now is a good time to start.!!!!

[dwheels76 5,469]

Also really try and enjoy yourself away from Skype, email, IM and texting. You have friends and family you will be leaving. It's okay to have a life. I have talked to so many friends who went through this and once their hunni's got home they realized how much on hold they put their life. We walk everywhere with our phones. Everything we do we feel we need to document it record it. Goodness we have become our own paparazzi.

What you can do is fun stuff go to Shutterfly.com make yourself a photobook. Get all those pictures together for your interview. Fun stuff make some cool memories. I made an album of missing you and all the things my husband missed in this 3 year relationship. It's been cool cuz I am not a picture kind of person.

[Ivy. 113]

I was looking into opening a joint bank account, too. We do not have that in my country and I was trying to figure something out with either giving him the power of attorney or giving it to my mother in law, but it didnt work out.

We decided we will just keep the monetary wedding presents in our savings account, how much goes into which account depends on the currency. We took a note of what is "ours" and hopefully one day it will become a car or part of a downpaymet for a home.

I know the joint account is used as proof of real marriage so I will see if something can be done the next time I am in the US, but if not, no biggie. I am pretty sure nobody will hold it against us if we explain why we do not have one.

[Moomin 292]

I guess the best bet is to contact my bank, I'm starting to inform all my bill providers etc tomorrow about my change of name,so Im thinking when I've informed the bank I'll ask if they'll accept the joint cheque.

I keep looking down at my wedding ring,and at our gifts and cards.......the wedding balloons are sat deflating now. It's just so lonely without him here.

I'm looking into visiting for a while during the proccess but afraid it will effect my chances of being approved. Im always given such a hard time at RDU POE even though Ive never overstayed and am a model citizen whilst in the US (and of course here!!!! )

Aww, please don't look at the balloons too much as negative factors. I painted my toenails when visiting my then fiance, and when it started to wear off after returning home, I got all sad and couldn't really whine about it to anyone and get any empathy. Kinda akward. Hehe.

Yeah, call your bank, or ask them in person when going there. Otherwise it won't hurt to ask other banks in your area.

Being refused entry on VWP won't have any bearing on getting your petition/visa approved. However, you can't travel on VWP again if you're refused entry. Personally I'd take the chance and just bring proof of returning. Proof or returning(or even a NOA1 from filing a petition) won't guarentee entry but it's worth a shot, right?

Edited July 30, 2012 by moomin

[HelenBradley 28]

Hi guys,

My darling Eric and I got married in Edinburgh on the 25th,I dropped him at Manchester airport today and to be honest I feel awful,I'm so angry with this whole process,that we have to live apart for goodness knows how long whilst the CR1 is completed,I know you all must have felt or feel the same way:-(

Aaaaanyway,I have a question, we recieved a few cheques as wedding gifts in our married name,yet we haven't got a joint bank account yet seeing as he's in the US and I'm in the UK........is there anyway we can open one whilst being so far apart? Or will I have to get the kind folks that sent us the cheques to redo them just in my name?

Also any tips in coping on having your spouse on the other side of the world would be greatly appreciated

I agree with several other posts here. Stay busy! Skype. Write letters. Exercise, see family. I used to email a picture of something I was doing each day. We weren't able to spend a whole lot of time chatting each day since he started a pretty intense new job when he moved back over after being in Scotland for 3 years, and I was working too. I recommend spending time seeing all the family you can before you leave, I'm so glad I did that. I saw great aunts, uncles, second cousins twice removed, everyone who would see me! Now I have lots of connections that I may have lost. Most of the people hadn't seen me since I was a child.

We didn't have a lot of time apart, but we didn't know it would be so quick when we did it. (and I 'visited' for 89 days right after we filed our K1.) Our situation was different since we'd been living in the UK for a while. But It's the same for you. Expect a long time, but be prepared. And by that I mean make sure you know what you need for the next stage of the process, VJ will help a lot with that!

Best of luck! Congratulations on your wedding! This will be a distant memory soon. Even though it doesn't feel like it now.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Helen Louise