Interviews in Australia set to be reduced with some cancelled

[ECCK 211]

1 minute ago, stech786 said:

did you expedite your visa? I thought K-1 was ban? Is Australia back in business?

You should read through this thread - a few people have been able to get an emergency interview for the K1 visa. The consulates are still closed for routine interviews though. 

[Rosie_Emma91 38]

2 hours ago, Cilllah said:

Awesome! What did you bring and did you drive in or catch the train? I am trying to work out what to do.

I had to bring my passport and six Australian passport photos. It was actually took a lot longer than I thought -  but I also needed to get three vaccinations done so my arm is really sore today  

First you go to the medical centre for the examination, then another place to get a blood test and finally to QScan to get a chest x-ray. I was tired by the afternoon 😄

 

I parked in the Sofitel Hotel car park and the medical centre can validate your ticket for $11 parking.

 

Good luck  

 

 

 

[Entheos 95]

1 hour ago, stech786 said:

did you expedite your visa? I thought K-1 was ban? Is Australia back in business?

K-1 isn't currently banned.  Australia has been operating on skeleton staff for a coupe of months now... Some people have been able to get 'emergency interviews'... but that also depends on having had your paperwork actually sent from the NVC... that has to be 'expedited' as well I understand...  mine's on it's way from USCIS to the NVC at the moment...with the Australian guidelines for phases 1, 2 and 3, and the proposed NSW general idea on the implementation to these phases I suspect that the Sydney consulate will be back to semi normal... more staff.. sometime June/July is my best guess...I'm hoping that I'll be at least shipped from the NVC to the Consulate by then....  I have spoken to the medical centre I'll likely use and they have given me some idea on how quickly they can get me in but they also said they can be very accomodating if the situation changes.  I do not have a date for interview yet.

[Entheos 95]

6 minutes ago, Rosie_Emma91 said:

I had to bring my passport and six Australian passport photos. It was actually took a lot longer than I thought -  but I also needed to get three vaccinations done so my arm is really sore today  

First you go to the medical centre for the examination, then another place to get a blood test and finally to QScan to get a chest x-ray. I was tired by the afternoon 😄

 

I parked in the Sofitel Hotel car park and the medical centre can validate your ticket for $11 parking.

 

Good luck  

 

 

 

Oh... I feel your pain... Although I've started my injections now... and I suspect I'll have about 1.5-2 months before my medical and interview.  I'm just working through the list... some of mine are boosters... others are first time... but there was one that I confirmed is 100% not applicable.  I know it's probably overkill, but for me, I'm just working my way through each immunization and making sure that by the time I get to the Medial I have an Australian Medical Certificate that says Ive had these injections and when... one from last March, and the rest from now till the medical...  I know they'll still run their own blood tests, but I'd rather them not have any question of if I'm vaccinated against their list....  I'll be interested to see if they add COVID-19 to the list if/when there is a vaccine.

 

Glad you've had that done... your arm will be sore for a couple of days... but it'll subside.  Promise...

 

Hope everything goes well with the trip here to have the interview and back again!!  And then of course the final move!!!

[stech786 236]

4 hours ago, ECCK said:

You should read through this thread - a few people have been able to get an emergency interview for the K1 visa. The consulates are still closed for routine interviews though. 

No, thanks. I don’t need to read the thread of 12 pages as you answered it, thanks, but no thanks 

 

 

[ECCK 211]

@KittyKat3072 @Rosie_Emma91 How are you guys going finding an airline to take your pets? there's a facebook group working together to get a charter plane just for pets. It's called 'Americans stuck in Australia with pets' if you guys are interested  

[Rosie_Emma91 38]

53 minutes ago, ECCK said:

@KittyKat3072 @Rosie_Emma91 How are you guys going finding an airline to take your pets? there's a facebook group working together to get a charter plane just for pets. It's called 'Americans stuck in Australia with pets' if you guys are interested  

Thanks so much - I just joined the group!

I am not having much luck with finding a flight but I am interested to see what happens with Air NZ

[Entheos 95]

I feel for you guys trying to get animals abroad.... I did it when flights were plenty.... and it's still not fun....  When I originally moved back from Virginia to Sydney I had to fly the pup to LAX on the same plane as me... then I had to take him from the United Terminal to Qantas Freight... which was NOT an enjoyable experience.... then I had to somehow get him back in the crate... and into the hands of Qantas to take him from LAX directly to MEL for Quarantine while I went to SYD... I think including all the lead up appointments with the Vet and then the flights (which he was as expensive on the IAD to LAX flight as me and actually MORE expensive for LAX to MEL that I was to SYD....) he was about $5000USD all up to Sydney....  Felt insane considering the entire 20ft container was only $7500 to ship....  But the things we do for our companions!!!  I do hope that you all get it sorted.... I'm sure that the transport of animals is a whole extra stress to be dealing with right now...

[Cilllah 482]

4 hours ago, Rosie_Emma91 said:

I had to bring my passport and six Australian passport photos. It was actually took a lot longer than I thought -  but I also needed to get three vaccinations done so my arm is really sore today  

First you go to the medical centre for the examination, then another place to get a blood test and finally to QScan to get a chest x-ray. I was tired by the afternoon 😄

 

I parked in the Sofitel Hotel car park and the medical centre can validate your ticket for $11 parking.

 

Good luck  

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice. My three-year-old is coming too and I am worried about carting her around. She likes trains but I might drive in just to make it a bit faster.
I am a bit concerned about the passport photos. They told me two over the phone and it says two on the document list they emailed to me but I had always heard six and you just said it too so now I am not sure. Also they said my daughter won't need any!

[Rosie_Emma91 38]

9 minutes ago, Cilllah said:

Thanks for the advice. My three-year-old is coming too and I am worried about carting her around. She likes trains but I might drive in just to make it a bit faster.
I am a bit concerned about the passport photos. They told me two over the phone and it says two on the document list they emailed to me but I had always heard six and you just said it too so now I am not sure. Also they said my daughter won't need any!

You're welcome !

 

I think they told me two photos over the phone but on the instructions I saw they needed six so I thought it would be safe to bring six. 

 

The sofitel parking was super close to the medical centre - basically down two escalators and a set of stairs. 

 

The staff were wonderful and I had a really nice experience! 

 

All the best! 

[ECCK 211]

41 minutes ago, Cilllah said:

Thanks for the advice. My three-year-old is coming too and I am worried about carting her around. She likes trains but I might drive in just to make it a bit faster.
I am a bit concerned about the passport photos. They told me two over the phone and it says two on the document list they emailed to me but I had always heard six and you just said it too so now I am not sure. Also they said my daughter won't need any!

I went to a different medical center but the one down here in Melbourne asked for 6 photos. I would say get 6 just in case!

[Cilllah 482]

9 hours ago, ECCK said:

I went to a different medical center but the one down here in Melbourne asked for 6 photos. I would say get 6 just in case!

I’ll call and check again but I think I will to be safe. Maybe for my daughter too as you never know! I’ll get my US ones done at the same time!

 

if my interview is approved anyway.

[Chad&Thalia 49]

So...the case arrived on Tuesday and yesterday at the end of the day she received the interview request for the this morning.  She just finished and was approved!  Very thankful to all of the advice from the folks around here.  I am beyond words that my girl will soon be with me.  Now we have to find a flight.  If anyone has any suggestions for shipping a few boxes, it would be greatly appreciated!  Best of luck to all!!!!

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by Chad&Thalia

[ECCK 211]

2 minutes ago, Chad&Thalia said:

So...the case arrived on Tuesday and yesterday at the end of the day she received the interview request for the this morning.  She just finished and was approved!  Very thankful to all of the advise from the folks around here.  I am beyond words that my girl will soon be with me.  Now we have to find a flight.  If anyone has any suggestions for shipping a few boxes, it would be greatly appreciated!  Best of luck to all!!!!

 

Congratulations! So glad they could turn it around so quickly for you guys. I’m currently using Seven Seas to ship a few boxes after a few friends recommended them too. So far they’ve been pretty good and the quote was decent for shipping by sea. I’m shipping 6 boxes for around $900. 

[Chad&Thalia 49]

Thank you!  I will check into them, I've tried my work accounts and a few others but it's pretty pricey.