UK VJers Progress Update Thread

[rob999 51]

I'm great with paying bills on time and I'm an excellent saver - it's a shame that savings aren't taken into consideration!! Plus paying my own rent/utility bills while I lived in Japan counts for nothing too...grrr. Ah well, it's just another fact of life.

Shana, I saved this link a while back as it had some good tips on the first 6 months in building up a credit rating, hope it helps!

http://expatriates.stackexchange.com/questions/118/how-to-build-credit-history-in-the-usa

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

VJ also has a forum on tax and finances. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/159-tax-finances-during-us-immigration/

It has a pinned thread on credit building.

[Allison_Simon2014 12]

Did you guys have any trouble with obtaining a marriage certificate? In San Francisco for some reason, you have to go pick it up at City Hall and they are saying that public marriage certificates could take up to 6 weeks! That seems insane. They won't mail them to you for some reason.

Were you able to file for AOS immediately after getting married or was there a delay waiting on the certificate? The 6 weeks sounds like a TON of time to be waiting before filing.

Everything else is ready to go...we just need that certified copy!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Did you guys have any trouble with obtaining a marriage certificate? In San Francisco for some reason, you have to go pick it up at City Hall and they are saying that public marriage certificates could take up to 6 weeks! That seems insane. They won't mail them to you for some reason.

Were you able to file for AOS immediately after getting married or was there a delay waiting on the certificate? The 6 weeks sounds like a TON of time to be waiting before filing.

Everything else is ready to go...we just need that certified copy!

Every place is different. We got ours the day after the ceremony.

Their website indicates you can get it by mail. They say enclose a self addressed envelope of ordering by mail. Wouldn't that be to mail it back to you? Kinda odd that the other ways of ordering don't say that. http://www.sfassessor.org/recorder-information/obtain-copies-recorded-documents/marriage-certificate

The FAQs tab on the same page sounds like they are pretty strict with their timeline of 2-4 weeks. They even say immigration is not a reason they will expedite.

[chrismorrison 96]

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing great! We have had a very productive past few days - apart from moving in, we have managed to get Kas set up with a social security card, a phone, added on to my gym membership, and applied for a marriage license this morning! We plan to get married at the courthouse in a couple weeks time so that my mom, dad and brother can attend and be witnesses. Very excited and anxious to get the AOS process rolling as Kas is itching to get back into the workforce.

Will check in a little later, still enjoying the rush of him being here! xo

[Allison_Simon2014 12]

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing great! We have had a very productive past few days - apart from moving in, we have managed to get Kas set up with a social security card, a phone, added on to my gym membership, and applied for a marriage license this morning! We plan to get married at the courthouse in a couple weeks time so that my mom, dad and brother can attend and be witnesses. Very excited and anxious to get the AOS process rolling as Kas is itching to get back into the workforce.

Will check in a little later, still enjoying the rush of him being here! xo

Hooray Chris!! That is so wonderful. So exciting about getting married in a few weeks!!

We did social security this morning and I was able to legally change my last name! Simon was able to pick up our certificate from City Hall yesterday so we are filing for AOS this weekend. Big job!!

Enjoy your time and weekend with Kas!!

[Pheebs1201 269]

We FINALLY got our RFE response sent off today so fingers crossed no more problems!

[yuna628 9,697]

We FINALLY got our RFE response sent off today so fingers crossed no more problems!

Good luck Pheebs. Was that the tax stuff? I'll be so nervous doing all that when he's finally here.

[bonzaigirl 13]

Oh wow Chris, that is so good to hear My tentative flight is June 14, and we are hoping to get a marriage license the day after we arrive, (fiance is picking me up), and then get married on the 20th of June. Hope everything will work out for the rest of us here in the UK

[Sunya and Tim 55]

It is nice to see all the awesome updates. Good luck Pheebes on your RFE. We are still waiting for NOA2. 58 days waiting at CSC seems a long time but we know it would be nothing for the folks at TSC. Have a great weekend everyone!

[Pheebs1201 269]

Good luck Pheebs. Was that the tax stuff? I'll be so nervous doing all that when he's finally here.

Thanks! I honestly am not sure how what we originally sent was incorrect but we've included a co-sponsor this time so hopefully that does the trick!

[ChasUno 101]

We are still waiting for NOA2. 58 days waiting at CSC seems a long time but we know it would be nothing for the folks at TSC. Have a great weekend everyone!

That does seem a long time for approval compared with recent K1 applications dealt with by CSC. We went from NOA1 to NOA2 including an RFE, in less time than that. Have you checked your case status on the http://www.uscis.gov/ website?

Edited May 16, 2015 by ChasUno

[Sunya and Tim 55]

That does seem a long time for approval compared with recent K1 applications dealt with by CSC. We went from NOA1 to NOA2 including an RFE, in less time than that. Have you checked your case status on the http://www.uscis.gov/ website?

Yes, checked the website and called. No luck, other than yes they have our application, it is at CSC, all name/address/DOB confirmed and last touched was 3/23. No other details available and they cannot really help until the current processing time of 5 months is exceeded. I have to say the person I spoke to was very nice.

The only thing we can guess is that they are having to verify a 6 hour overstay that he had in May 2013. Since he could not longer travel with the ESTA, he applied and was given a 10 year B2 visa in June 2013 at the Embassy in Dublin Ireland and has been traveling to the U.S. just fine for 3 to 4 month visits with no issues ever since. We made sure to include information about this in our packet so it did not look like we were hiding anything. I guess they still need to confirm everything. And have mercy if they are trying to get something from Ireland it could take a bit. I love the country and the people and we are there often to spend time with my fiance's son but speedy they are not.

Tip of the day...don't book your flights out to the last days of the VWP. If the flight is delayed or you miss a connection and it causes you to overstay it still counts.

The sad thing is unless we get an RFE about it we will never know. I would like to know for myself because I am nosey and to help others if they had the same issue.

Monday is my fiance's birthday so he is hoping he gets a NOA2 as a gift. :-)

[gavw72 23]

Thought I'd touch base in here with it being the UK forum…. received our NOA2 on 5th May & NVC case number issued yesterday. While the next wait is happening I'm busy prepping everything for the next phases & further ahead for AOS!!

Really couldn't have managed the process so far without the help of VJ & those knowledgable folk who've been through the process or are a few stages ahead. Awesome

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The only thing we can guess is that they are having to verify a 6 hour overstay that he had in May 2013.

I don't think USCIS and the petition process is concerned with that at all.