U.K. folks in LA? Want friends!

[Mpere 11]

2 hours ago, Morgan5698 said:

Sorry I only just saw this! I'll PM you my number. I was approved Monday and my visa status on CEAC today changes to Issued so should hopefully receive it soon! 

 

In a nutshell A W2 is what an employer gives an employee to submit their taxes with. It has details of earnings. Also yes - PM Gaz1a he's setting up the Whatsapp group!   

Thx for the information! Do we need to submit W2 as a supporting document for I-864? I have tax returns, my husband’s new job offer letter, his payslips, renting insurance which has our new address in the US. I don’t know if I need more to bring to the interview? 

[Morgan5698 58]

11 minutes ago, Mpere said:

Thx for the information! Do we need to submit W2 as a supporting document for I-864? I have tax returns, my husband’s new job offer letter, his payslips, renting insurance which has our new address in the US. I don’t know if I need more to bring to the interview? 

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-864instr-pc.pdf - Go to page 8 second half. It says that if you are providing a copy of the tax return then you need all supporting W-2 and form 1099's etc that relate to the sponsors tax return. If you have a tax transcript then there is no need for the w2's and 1099's unless you the sponsor filed jointly and is using only their own income to qualify. 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

I live in LA (I'm in the SC valley though, up north). 

 

There's a 'Brits in LA' Facebook group that you can join, to meet other Brits when covid lifts. Our governor (Gavin Newsom) has just released new reopening measures, so life may start to go back to normal at some point (though I'm high risk, so I'll be living like a hermit until next year 😩).

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

On 8/26/2020 at 5:42 AM, Gaz1a said:

That would be great! It's sooo confusing... but I've been following these steps - https://www.aceable.com/blog/how-to-get-your-license-when-youre-new-to-california/ - as I don't have a Social Security number yet, Ic can't really progress can I? 

 

@laylalex what's the best way to book an appointment? Is that an appointment for just the theory test or do you mean the actual driving test? I'm sooo confused. Do I need a social security number to book an appointment?

You don't need a social security number to book a test (you need to provide it if you have one though)...but you do need to have documentation that shows you're legally authorized to be in the US...unless you were going for an AB60, which it makes nooo sense, as you'll be a legal resident. So I imagine you may need to wait until you're here to book, as guessing you won't have those documents yet?

 

This is based off what I've read BTW...I've been here since November, but didn't get my EAD until June...by which point covid was in full swing - so I probably won't be taking my test until next year now 😩.

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

@laylalex, I meant to check in with you - how's SM looking nowadays? Have most of the looted shops reopened? 

 

We went to socially distanced garden hang out at a friend's in South Central at the weekend and I realized it was the first time we've driven through downtown since March 😯😯 - and then, whilst I was still reeling from that, I then realised we haven't been further south than the valley since March either 😯.

 

So weird, we generally did hundreds of miles every week, cause our friends are scattered about...and now driving to Burbank or Studio City (with minimal traffic) feels like a long journey for us 🤯.

[Morgan5698 58]

57 minutes ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

There's a 'Brits in LA' Facebook group that you can join, to meet other Brits when covid lifts. Our governor (Gavin Newsom) has just released new reopening measures, so life may start to go back to normal at some point (though I'm high risk, so I'll be living like a hermit until next year 😩

Hello! Thanks for the info! Will look at that when I move over. Yes I saw the new system of Tiers and noted that Orange County (where I'm going!) is borderline so hopefully things may start opening soon. Although sorry to hear you'll be hermitting until next year! 

Thanks for the Info on the Drivers test! I am just going to wait until I move then deal with it when I'm there I think. Useful to know an SSN isn't needed. Might speed things up A bit when there. 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

36 minutes ago, Morgan5698 said:

Hello! Thanks for the info! Will look at that when I move over. Yes I saw the new system of Tiers and noted that Orange County (where I'm going!) is borderline so hopefully things may start opening soon. Although sorry to hear you'll be hermitting until next year! 

Thanks for the Info on the Drivers test! I am just going to wait until I move then deal with it when I'm there I think. Useful to know an SSN isn't needed. Might speed things up A bit when there. 

Not sure where you're going in OC - I think I saw Long Beach mentioned about, but I may be misremembering... 

 

But yeah, avoid Huntington Beach - it's beautiful there, but it's probably the most entitled, white, Trump-supporter filled place in So-Cal. My friend's office is down there and she got out her car wearing a mask (which is what everyone wears everywhere in LA County)...people were staring and pointing at her 🤯. The place was just full of people not socially distancing or wearing masks...and waving Trump flags more often than not.

[Morgan5698 58]

5 minutes ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

Not sure where you're going in OC - I think I saw Long Beach mentioned about, but I may be misremembering... 

 

But yeah, avoid Huntington Beach - it's beautiful there, but it's probably the most entitled, white, Trump-supporter filled place in So-Cal. My friend's office is down there and she got out her car wearing a mask (which is what everyone wears everywhere in LA County)...people were staring and pointing at her 🤯. The place was just full of people not socially distancing or wearing masks...and waving Trump flags more often than not.

We are actually considering Long Beach (Belmont Shores area), Seal Beach, Newport or Costa Mesa. We're initially staying with friends in Whittier but I'll be working in Orange so we'll find a place once we are there. We specifically skipped HB as my wife said no as too many "bro's" she said. Judging by your comments that's pretty scary how it's gotten. I've been there a few times but pre-Covid. I saw something on the news recently all these people protesting about their rights etc. regaring wearing masks, but I didn't realise it had gotten that extreme. 

[Gaz1a 22]

@Zoeeeeeee Thanks, useful information indeed. How come it took so long to get your EAD? That's annoying!

[Sweetdreaming 397]

On 8/26/2020 at 8:42 AM, Gaz1a said:

That would be great! It's sooo confusing... but I've been following these steps - https://www.aceable.com/blog/how-to-get-your-license-when-youre-new-to-california/ - as I don't have a Social Security number yet, Ic can't really progress can I? 

 

@laylalex what's the best way to book an appointment? Is that an appointment for just the theory test or do you mean the actual driving test? I'm sooo confused. Do I need a social security number to book an appointment?

California doesnt require an SSN, you probably just need to take along your i-797 notice of action that you are have a pending AOS application and they can give you a drivers permit then license valid up to 1 year.

 

Just gone through the process here in Florida, and the standards for passing here are very low. The theory took a little practise to learn, but theres nothing shocking there and you should be able to pass it especially if youve had driving experience, the actual driving test here is pathetically easy, I dont know why they even bother apart to stop the people who are actually blind from getting a DL !! 

I would note when booking the test there wasnt any availability to book until about a month in advance, it was bookable online, may be different in CA of course.

 

https://www.stilt.com/blog/2019/12/driver-license-without-social-security-number/#:~:text=Some%20states%20grant%20a%20driver's,driver%20licenses%20to%20undocumented%20immigrants.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Sweetdreaming

[laylalex 7,300]

16 hours ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

@laylalex, I meant to check in with you - how's SM looking nowadays? Have most of the looted shops reopened? 

 

We went to socially distanced garden hang out at a friend's in South Central at the weekend and I realized it was the first time we've driven through downtown since March 😯😯 - and then, whilst I was still reeling from that, I then realised we haven't been further south than the valley since March either 😯.

 

So weird, we generally did hundreds of miles every week, cause our friends are scattered about...and now driving to Burbank or Studio City (with minimal traffic) feels like a long journey for us 🤯.

Hey! Everything is okay here now -- all the stores have their boarding down, even the ones that haven't reopened. Glass all replaced, everything looking normal(ish) including all our usual resident vagrants....  

 

I did a socially distanced hang in Culver City last week with a friend visiting from just north of Berkeley, where I was living before I came down here. She's trying to buy a house in the Valley at the moment, because she's at the writing stage of her dissertation and she basically just wants to be down here with family/friends if she doesn't have to be there to teach anything this year in person, which she doesn't. So she's driving back and forth between the Bay Area and Burbank (where her mom is) about once a week to look at things. Brutal drive but she enjoys it???? I wouldn't. 

 

I think the furthest I have been from Santa Monica since the middle of March was Pasadena, which blows my mind. I have been to see my sister in Studio City a few times at a distance. And I drove to Redondo a few times to go to Total Wine because it is an alcoholic wonderland.  But next week I am going alone (!) to Big Bear because honestly, I cannot deal with being here anymore. I feel cooped up and anxious, and my fiance has far lower a risk appetite to stay in an Airbnb right now than I do. This is the guy who only about 6 weeks ago was talking about flying to the UK to go to his daughter's birthday party, and what's a little quarantine over there AND in Mexico before coming back to SM?? Turns out he was just feeling massive guilt which made him feel daring, and then when he thought about it, he was like: ummmm, maybe not. That led to: I cannot stay in a cabin in the middle of the woods in splendid near-isolation if it requires being in a space that others may have even thought about COVID19 in.  

 

So alone it will be, me and the hot tub and the 50F overnight lows. We're going to have an absolutely miserably hot weekend coming up, 90s even here at the beach. Yuck. 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

On 9/1/2020 at 3:04 AM, Morgan5698 said:

We are actually considering Long Beach (Belmont Shores area), Seal Beach, Newport or Costa Mesa. We're initially staying with friends in Whittier but I'll be working in Orange so we'll find a place once we are there. We specifically skipped HB as my wife said no as too many "bro's" she said. Judging by your comments that's pretty scary how it's gotten. I've been there a few times but pre-Covid. I saw something on the news recently all these people protesting about their rights etc. regaring wearing masks, but I didn't realise it had gotten that extreme. 

Oh yeah, there are many dude bros there 😂.

 

On 9/1/2020 at 3:52 AM, Gaz1a said:

@Zoeeeeeee Thanks, useful information indeed. How come it took so long to get your EAD? That's annoying!

It actually took about the normal time (sorry if you were expecting it quicker 😯)...

 

You apply for it when you send off your AOS, so after moving here you need to get your marriage license, get married and get your marriage certificate back, all before you can apply (which all takes a few weeks, especially if you marry in LA county...OC is quicker - around two weeks for the certificate after the wedding)...

 

And then it takes 5-7 months on average after applying for you to get your EAD...and that was the pre-covid timescale. So June was actually pretty good!

 

10 hours ago, laylalex said:

Hey! Everything is okay here now -- all the stores have their boarding down, even the ones that haven't reopened. Glass all replaced, everything looking normal(ish) including all our usual resident vagrants....  

 

I did a socially distanced hang in Culver City last week with a friend visiting from just north of Berkeley, where I was living before I came down here. She's trying to buy a house in the Valley at the moment, because she's at the writing stage of her dissertation and she basically just wants to be down here with family/friends if she doesn't have to be there to teach anything this year in person, which she doesn't. So she's driving back and forth between the Bay Area and Burbank (where her mom is) about once a week to look at things. Brutal drive but she enjoys it???? I wouldn't. 

 

I think the furthest I have been from Santa Monica since the middle of March was Pasadena, which blows my mind. I have been to see my sister in Studio City a few times at a distance. And I drove to Redondo a few times to go to Total Wine because it is an alcoholic wonderland.  But next week I am going alone (!) to Big Bear because honestly, I cannot deal with being here anymore. I feel cooped up and anxious, and my fiance has far lower a risk appetite to stay in an Airbnb right now than I do. This is the guy who only about 6 weeks ago was talking about flying to the UK to go to his daughter's birthday party, and what's a little quarantine over there AND in Mexico before coming back to SM?? Turns out he was just feeling massive guilt which made him feel daring, and then when he thought about it, he was like: ummmm, maybe not. That led to: I cannot stay in a cabin in the middle of the woods in splendid near-isolation if it requires being in a space that others may have even thought about COVID19 in.  

 

So alone it will be, me and the hot tub and the 50F overnight lows. We're going to have an absolutely miserably hot weekend coming up, 90s even here at the beach. Yuck. 

Ohhhh man, Big Bear sounds AMAZING - though I totally get his anxiety - I can definitely relate. Having said that, I need to get away soon. My husband is in major crunch right now (he's working on the Miles Morales game, which comes out this year), so he's working 18-20 hours a day, 7 days a week - so I spend a lot of time staring into space and watching Cobra Kai 😂.

 

I'm using some of the time effectively though - call banking, text banking and letter writing to get the Orange Dictator voted out in November! I can't vote, but I can campaign! 🙌

 

Trust me, I know alllll about the weekend forecast - will be around 110 up here (yes, we picked the second hottest valley in CA to live in, yes, it's generally on fire too, yes, perhaps the schools, parks and suburbs weren't worth it 😂😂😂).

 

As soon as this game ships, we're going to go on some sort of mini-break/roadtrip, away from everyone and civilization.

[BGjiffy2021 1]

My husband is moving from the UK later this year (we're targeting November/December). I'm normally in NYC and we'll be settling there long term, but we're planning to spend the winter in LA (I'll be working remotely, he'll be looking for jobs, and we both hate the cold -- so it works out!). Very far in advance but would be great to grab a socially distance beer with VJ folks when we get there in January!