Yardies, at home and a farrin' (Part 4)

[rhondapayter 0]

Jamie, I know you haven't been on lately but Thank you for reminding me that the fees were going up on July 30, 2007. I just sent out I-751 package to remove conditions and it cost us $275. After July 30, the price will go up to $545 I just can't believe how they're ripping everybody off. Here's some of the other new fees that will go into effect:

I 129F

Fianceé Petition

General fiancée petition:

$ 455

I 485

Adjust status and become a permanent resident while in the U.S.

All others: filing + biometric=

$ 1,010

I 131

Reentry permit, refugee travel document or advance parole

Reentry permit or refugee travel document

$ 305

I 765

Employment Authorization /Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

$ 340

[Jengles 0]

the only time I got checked was when I went down for my wedding. then I covienced the customs officer that all my guests were coming down from the states. I told her I knew no one in JA. I find it helps if u put a resort on the slip and say that is where u are staying.

Be careful on that. My friends who are immigration officer sometimes can tell if you are lying. They told me sometimes they ask for proof if you are suspicious. I did that last time cause I had a couple days confirmed in Kingston but the girl asked my guy friends if I was cool . So this is just a warning.

She only questioned me so extensively because I look like a Jamaican. I had the wedding dress bag and all that and was with my grandmother who isn't from JA and my suitcases was full of favors and wedding stuff, I've seen a lot of couples and brides at the airport and they didn't get questioned like me, she tried but like I said there was nothing she could really do but try and trip me up. She kept on asking where I was getting married, it was at a hotel and I had proof, my wedding program was on a fan and she ended up asking if she could have one because she never seen that before.

I lose my reservation slips all the time and when they ask, I'm born in england and give my father's island as to where both my parents are from. They can only go so far in their questioning.

[Jengles 0]

Does anyone have an approximate cost to ship a large box to JA? What would be the best way to do it? I am thinking that I am going to send my guests wedding favors down a month early so that we don't have to bring all that stuff on the plane. I'm just trying to figure out how much it may cost me. I'm ordering them next month...On a side note, I wanted to put 2gether a little welcome bag for my guests coming from the states...any ideas as to what I should put in them? I'm not thinking anything too expensive, maybe 3 or 4 small items?

That can be a bit pricey. Is anyone from the states coming to your wedding? We had our guest bring the party favors. They could bring one of their own suitcases and then they had to bring a suitcase down with wedding supplies.

agreed, I sent bags to my family and had them bring them down, a lot cheaper...I did gift bags, I did tolietries within a small cosmetic bag, and put stuff like trial size lotion, razors, toothpaste. they liked it because some of my guests forgot stuff, they even ended up trading.

[Jengles 0]

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

the embassy had my paperwork since 4/4, I sent an e-mail and got no response, and then called them, they told me that the ds-230 was missing and without that they couldn't give an interview date. luckily I was going down to Ja the next week, u can find the form and this site. I took it down, he filled it out and sent it my courier to the embassy. I called them yesterday and they had a date....now lets see if he gets the paperwork this time. If he doesn't get it by friday, he'll be making an appt and going to the embassy to pick it up...is this considered packet 3 or 4?

[shrewdgal 0]

All this questioning talk stresses me out!

I am heading to JA for six weeks in a couple of days and we are just staying at his house and I was already worried about that (questioning me for staying so long)

any pointers?

the only time I got checked was when I went down for my wedding. then I covienced the customs officer that all my guests were coming down from the states. I told her I knew no one in JA. I find it helps if u put a resort on the slip and say that is where u are staying.

Be careful on that. My friends who are immigration officer sometimes can tell if you are lying. They told me sometimes they ask for proof if you are suspicious. I did that last time cause I had a couple days confirmed in Kingston but the girl asked my guy friends if I was cool . So this is just a warning.

She only questioned me so extensively because I look like a Jamaican. I had the wedding dress bag and all that and was with my grandmother who isn't from JA and my suitcases was full of favors and wedding stuff, I've seen a lot of couples and brides at the airport and they didn't get questioned like me, she tried but like I said there was nothing she could really do but try and trip me up. She kept on asking where I was getting married, it was at a hotel and I had proof, my wedding program was on a fan and she ended up asking if she could have one because she never seen that before.

I lose my reservation slips all the time and when they ask, I'm born in england and give my father's island as to where both my parents are from. They can only go so far in their questioning.

[*JG* 2]

Just pick the name of a hotel and tell them that. After my second trip, I never stayed at a hotel. It's really none of their business.

All this questioning talk stresses me out!

I am heading to JA for six weeks in a couple of days and we are just staying at his house and I was already worried about that (questioning me for staying so long)

any pointers?

the only time I got checked was when I went down for my wedding. then I covienced the customs officer that all my guests were coming down from the states. I told her I knew no one in JA. I find it helps if u put a resort on the slip and say that is where u are staying.

Be careful on that. My friends who are immigration officer sometimes can tell if you are lying. They told me sometimes they ask for proof if you are suspicious. I did that last time cause I had a couple days confirmed in Kingston but the girl asked my guy friends if I was cool . So this is just a warning.

She only questioned me so extensively because I look like a Jamaican. I had the wedding dress bag and all that and was with my grandmother who isn't from JA and my suitcases was full of favors and wedding stuff, I've seen a lot of couples and brides at the airport and they didn't get questioned like me, she tried but like I said there was nothing she could really do but try and trip me up. She kept on asking where I was getting married, it was at a hotel and I had proof, my wedding program was on a fan and she ended up asking if she could have one because she never seen that before.

I lose my reservation slips all the time and when they ask, I'm born in england and give my father's island as to where both my parents are from. They can only go so far in their questioning.

[Jengles 0]

I'm thinking at this point due to the whole interview delay, it might be better for me to pursue the I-90 in JA as opposed to adjusting status here, since he will definatly get here after July 30th. It looks like the AOS and EAD will cost $1300.00 after July 30th as opposed to the $540.00 or see I need to pay to continue with the I-90. My question is does will he need to file for advance parole to go to JA seeing that the K-3 in a re-entry visa?

I'm also thinking that this whole delay thing in JA has to do with the new fees coming into effect.

What is a I-90? Do you mean I-130? If so then you will need to pay $200 for the I-824 to have it forwarded to the consulate and that whole process will cost you another $650. For $50 more you can get him here faster.

Yes if he comes up on a K3 visa he will not need the AP.

so all together the process will cost $850. if I proceed with the I-130 at this point?

For the entire I-130 (w/129f filed) it will be $840 in your case since the I-129f was forwarded and not the I-130. However, if you just filed the CR-1 (w/o the I-129f) it would have been $640. You said eariler the fees were going up to $1300 for the AOS. Is that correct? If so then for $650 you can finish out the CR-1 then he will recv his green card & SS card when he arrive OR you can pay the $1300 for his AOS after he comes and on top of that pay add'l $100 for the interview. Also remember if you were to apply for the I-824 (Action for Approved Petition) it may take a while for that to be approved. You might want to do a search to see how long others have took for that to get approved as well.

It will be $1000+ for the AOS and 300+ for the EAD as of 7/30 since his date is 7/17 and they have a way of holding on to visa's. I think just going for the Cr-1 will be a better and cheaper option since I don't have to pay for advance parole.

[Jengles 0]

Just pick the name of a hotel and tell them that. After my second trip, I never stayed at a hotel. It's really none of their business.

All this questioning talk stresses me out!

I am heading to JA for six weeks in a couple of days and we are just staying at his house and I was already worried about that (questioning me for staying so long)

any pointers?

the only time I got checked was when I went down for my wedding. then I covienced the customs officer that all my guests were coming down from the states. I told her I knew no one in JA. I find it helps if u put a resort on the slip and say that is where u are staying.

Be careful on that. My friends who are immigration officer sometimes can tell if you are lying. They told me sometimes they ask for proof if you are suspicious. I did that last time cause I had a couple days confirmed in Kingston but the girl asked my guy friends if I was cool . So this is just a warning.

She only questioned me so extensively because I look like a Jamaican. I had the wedding dress bag and all that and was with my grandmother who isn't from JA and my suitcases was full of favors and wedding stuff, I've seen a lot of couples and brides at the airport and they didn't get questioned like me, she tried but like I said there was nothing she could really do but try and trip me up. She kept on asking where I was getting married, it was at a hotel and I had proof, my wedding program was on a fan and she ended up asking if she could have one because she never seen that before.

I lose my reservation slips all the time and when they ask, I'm born in england and give my father's island as to where both my parents are from. They can only go so far in their questioning.

six weeks - pick the name of a cheap hotel, and then ask them if its nice

[*JG* 2]

Honestly, I don't know if you can anymore. Last year (or back in the day, as I like to call it---HA!) once I got the NOA2, I UPS'd the original to Andre. He took that original and used it to gain access to the Embassy. He picked up his packet, dropped off the DS-230 we had downloaded, paid his $100, and they gave him an appointment for 3 weeks later. While in Kingston, he picked up his police record. He then went home and called to make the medical appointment. After having made the medical appointment, he went to the clinic with his shot record, told the nurse he was getting a visa medical, and took the shots she recommended he still needed. Saved money.

Since you cannot get into the Embassy without an appointment (and someone told me they just called for an appointment to drop off the DS-230 and they got a July 3rd date), I'm not sure you can speed things along anymore.

My advice would be anything you can download and/or use a courier for would be helpful. Waiting for the mail in JA was useless in our case. Andre didn't even get the first packet they had mailed out until after he had already left JA.

What are some of the things I need to be doing now to speed up our appointment date? I know that having the DS-230 part 1 ready to turn in when packet 3 is picked up will save a few days. Thank you Jomo's girl for staying back to help.

[MyDestinyAwaits 0]

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

U should try emailing again b/c i also emailed about 1wk go..and then again today and they replied to the one today...Just keep emailing...both email addresses. I was hoping to get an earlier date but i is what it is..at least we got one I guess

I always called them. I asked if they knew at least what month my interview would be in and they told me. I also asked when they would know my exact date. They said in 2 weeks so I called back and they had the date. I know calling suxs cause it takes for ever to get anyone.

thanks ladies. i think i will go ahead and call them this afternoon and make an appointment for my fiance to drop off the ds-230. he's had it filled out and ready to go since april. we were just waiting for the i-129f to get approved.

this whole fee increase has me anxious. that's a lot of money to put on top of our wedding expense. needless to say i'm looking for a summer job. unfortunately i live in a small city and the job market is very fickle. i tried a few years ago to get a summer job and no one wanted to hire a temporary worker...i even went to a few temp. agencies and even they wouldn't give me a job assignment. i'm saying a prayer and getting started on the job search today!

[Jengles 0]

Jomo's girl

they are going to wait a month to drop off the ds-230. I would courier it in, they could have an interview date by 7/3

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

U should try emailing again b/c i also emailed about 1wk go..and then again today and they replied to the one today...Just keep emailing...both email addresses. I was hoping to get an earlier date but i is what it is..at least we got one I guess

I always called them. I asked if they knew at least what month my interview would be in and they told me. I also asked when they would know my exact date. They said in 2 weeks so I called back and they had the date. I know calling suxs cause it takes for ever to get anyone.

thanks ladies. i think i will go ahead and call them this afternoon and make an appointment for my fiance to drop off the ds-230. he's had it filled out and ready to go since april. we were just waiting for the i-129f to get approved.

this whole fee increase has me anxious. that's a lot of money to put on top of our wedding expense. needless to say i'm looking for a summer job. unfortunately i live in a small city and the job market is very fickle. i tried a few years ago to get a summer job and no one wanted to hire a temporary worker...i even went to a few temp. agencies and even they wouldn't give me a job assignment. i'm saying a prayer and getting started on the job search today!

does the embassy have his case?

[MyDestinyAwaits 0]

Jomo's girl

they are going to wait a month to drop off the ds-230. I would courier it in, they could have an interview date by 7/3

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

U should try emailing again b/c i also emailed about 1wk go..and then again today and they replied to the one today...Just keep emailing...both email addresses. I was hoping to get an earlier date but i is what it is..at least we got one I guess

I always called them. I asked if they knew at least what month my interview would be in and they told me. I also asked when they would know my exact date. They said in 2 weeks so I called back and they had the date. I know calling suxs cause it takes for ever to get anyone.

thanks ladies. i think i will go ahead and call them this afternoon and make an appointment for my fiance to drop off the ds-230. he's had it filled out and ready to go since april. we were just waiting for the i-129f to get approved.

this whole fee increase has me anxious. that's a lot of money to put on top of our wedding expense. needless to say i'm looking for a summer job. unfortunately i live in a small city and the job market is very fickle. i tried a few years ago to get a summer job and no one wanted to hire a temporary worker...i even went to a few temp. agencies and even they wouldn't give me a job assignment. i'm saying a prayer and getting started on the job search today!

does the embassy have his case?

yes the embassy ought to have our case by now. it should have arrived last week.

so you think that things can move faster if we get a courier to drop off the ds-230?

[Jengles 0]

Jomo's girl

they are going to wait a month to drop off the ds-230. I would courier it in, they could have an interview date by 7/3

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

U should try emailing again b/c i also emailed about 1wk go..and then again today and they replied to the one today...Just keep emailing...both email addresses. I was hoping to get an earlier date but i is what it is..at least we got one I guess

I always called them. I asked if they knew at least what month my interview would be in and they told me. I also asked when they would know my exact date. They said in 2 weeks so I called back and they had the date. I know calling suxs cause it takes for ever to get anyone.

thanks ladies. i think i will go ahead and call them this afternoon and make an appointment for my fiance to drop off the ds-230. he's had it filled out and ready to go since april. we were just waiting for the i-129f to get approved.

this whole fee increase has me anxious. that's a lot of money to put on top of our wedding expense. needless to say i'm looking for a summer job. unfortunately i live in a small city and the job market is very fickle. i tried a few years ago to get a summer job and no one wanted to hire a temporary worker...i even went to a few temp. agencies and even they wouldn't give me a job assignment. i'm saying a prayer and getting started on the job search today!

does the embassy have his case?

yes the embassy ought to have our case by now. it should have arrived last week.

so you think that things can move faster if we get a courier to drop off the ds-230?

yes, its your preferance, hubby is a 2 hour drive from kingston, so he preferred to use courier

[MyDestinyAwaits 0]

Jomo's girl

they are going to wait a month to drop off the ds-230. I would courier it in, they could have an interview date by 7/3

kimmy & jengles

oh i'm so glad you two finally have your interview dates! please tell me exactly what you all did in order to get it. did you call the embassy? did the embassy notify the beneficiary? i emailed the embassy a week ago and still no response. i need an interview date no later than early august!

thanks

U should try emailing again b/c i also emailed about 1wk go..and then again today and they replied to the one today...Just keep emailing...both email addresses. I was hoping to get an earlier date but i is what it is..at least we got one I guess

I always called them. I asked if they knew at least what month my interview would be in and they told me. I also asked when they would know my exact date. They said in 2 weeks so I called back and they had the date. I know calling suxs cause it takes for ever to get anyone.

thanks ladies. i think i will go ahead and call them this afternoon and make an appointment for my fiance to drop off the ds-230. he's had it filled out and ready to go since april. we were just waiting for the i-129f to get approved.

this whole fee increase has me anxious. that's a lot of money to put on top of our wedding expense. needless to say i'm looking for a summer job. unfortunately i live in a small city and the job market is very fickle. i tried a few years ago to get a summer job and no one wanted to hire a temporary worker...i even went to a few temp. agencies and even they wouldn't give me a job assignment. i'm saying a prayer and getting started on the job search today!

does the embassy have his case?

yes the embassy ought to have our case by now. it should have arrived last week.

so you think that things can move faster if we get a courier to drop off the ds-230?

yes, its your preferance, hubby is a 2 hour drive from kingston, so he preferred to use courier

that's an option my fiance and i should explore then. kingston is several hours away for him too. at this point i'm willing to try it if it'll give us a earlier interview date. the first day of school for me is august 14th, i'm cutting it pretty close right now. thanks for the tip jengles.

[luvtravlin 0]

Does anyone have an approximate cost to ship a large box to JA? What would be the best way to do it? I am thinking that I am going to send my guests wedding favors down a month early so that we don't have to bring all that stuff on the plane. I'm just trying to figure out how much it may cost me. I'm ordering them next month...On a side note, I wanted to put 2gether a little welcome bag for my guests coming from the states...any ideas as to what I should put in them? I'm not thinking anything too expensive, maybe 3 or 4 small items?

Just an FYI, one of my clients did not take my advice and the Beaches Resort's wedding coordinators advice NOT to ship wedding favors ahead of time. I flew with the bride and groom, took her almost 3 hours to get her stuff and they wanted to charger her $400 US ...I was able to get them to charge only $20. It's because they consider it importing and exporting and you have to pay taxes both ways.

I told her to ask a few wedding people (and myself) to take items down in their luggage before....we were there 5 days before the wedding.