AFQuaid

Do you have to be divorced in order to file the waiver/by yourself to remove conditions or can you just be seperated with a divorce/annulment to follow?

Hey,

So I'm renewing my British passport from here in the States and after the whole palava of gettin' somebody to sign an official British Document I now have another problem. The doctor has wrote 'I certify this is a true likeness of *enter name here*' on both of the photos I intended to send with the application to Washington. I have read that one passport photo must be totally blank on the reverse side. I am already cutting in fine in submitting my application as is and now am I going to have to get my photos retaken because of this mess up or can I send both photos with that statement, signed and dated in and just put in a note explaining? I tried calling the place I got the photos taken at to see if I can order another print but they did not save them. ARG! What are my options here? If I have to get the photos retaken I'll have to wait for the doctor to write the statement, sign and date all over again!

HELP!

Fiona

Thank you

I was worried it'd be a red flag on my file or something of the sorts if homeland security/related found out I'd be without any valid passport for a few days or however long it took me.

I mailed the application to the doctor who is willing today

Thanks again you two really destressed me.

Fiona

Hey Everyone,

Long time no see. Don't get online much anymore. Married life is financially tough with the struggling US economy as many of you are aware.

Anyway here is my situation. I have my two year conditional greencard which will be up this coming September. My UK Passport expires March 23th and I'm going to be cutting it fine turning in the renewal papers for it. I've been reading and reading online that it is strongly advised that you submit your UK Passport Renewal application 4-6 weeks in advance yet some sites say it may only take 10 days. The reason I'm cutting it close turning the papers in is I couldn't find somebody who I knew who met the damn qualifications according to the application who has known me for approx 2 years. It has been a nightmare! Now that I have FINALLY convinced my doctor that he won't get into trouble for signing (it's the countersignature I need) an 'official BRITISH document'. Say the word BRITISH document every offical in this city seems to run a mile! Anyway the fastest way I'm able to get this particular doctor to sign it is to mail it to them which by the time it gets there, gets on his desk and gets sent back I say at least a week before it gets back to me and thats with me phoning making sure it's made it every step of the way.

IF by chance, which is very likely to happen that I do not recieve my renewed passport by March 23rd is anything legally going to happen to me despite the fact I do have a two year conditional green card in hand that does not expire until September? I have no idea if not having a passport for even one day will affect me immigration wise. No I have not begun to file the lifting of conditions yet, I plan to do that exactly 3 months before that expires per advise of the visajourney guide.

HELP!

Fiona

How can I do it over the internet? I'm aware there are typible forms on vj for change of address that I plan to print off and send in the mail but if I can log in on USCIS website and do it through there or something that'd be much easier.

Hey,

I'm on what vj calls the immigration paper work break. The part where you have your 2 year conditional green card and before removing conditions. My question is do I still need to file a change of address as I have recently moved or do I just wait till I start removing conditions and put the new address on that?

Help me fellow vjers

Fiona

Hiya,

My British passport is up in March 2009, I'm a permenant resident of the US now just on my lil break from paperwork till I have to apply to lift conditions. This thread was very helpful but I just wondered how much in advance you'd recommend I apply to renew my passport before it expires? I apply to lift conditions around May 09.

Thanks,

Fiona

Great idea for a thread.

What I DON'T miss about North-West England

- "Alright?" being the common Greeting

- Going around 4-6 round abouts to get even near the center of a town nevermind the city center

- Smoky transport stops and waiting areas

- NHS. So you have to *work* at it to get medical care in the US at least when you get it it's excellent. Just my opinion...

- Small cinema screens

- Living right next to a farm haha..sure don't miss that muck spreading.

- Paying outragious prices for a small portion of food at a restersaunt

- Flooding

- Duvets

- Orange or Blackcurrant being your standard soft drinks

- Having the front room cleared out every 2 months for the chimney sweep guy to come fix it.

- Criss cross double glazing on windows

- Ice on the roads/pavements

Thats all I can think of for now.

Fiona

Ye I know what you mean. You wait for what seems like a lifetime apart, unable to plan or prepare your future then when ya finally get there ya do a headless chicken dance with the world on your shoulders trying to get everything set up. Suppost you need a few nightmares to get a really good dream.

It's good too edchels that you had that time already in America and such a decent amount to get a good feel of living here. When I visited it was for 3 weeks.

Jasman, thanks for sharing about the Olde Ship. That sounds awesome. Can you give us anymore details even if it's no long relievent?

I once heard on VJ (cannot for the life of me find the thread now) theres a pub in San Francisco that does *proper* fish and chips. Any idea folks?

Fiona

Hello,

I wanted to create a discussion thread specifically for Brits who now/or who are planning to reside in the state of California.

I'm from North-West England and moved to California via K1 Oct 10th 06.

What cultural/health/job/society/belief/diet etc challenges have you faced?

I'll start off by talking about the climate change. Being particularly pale skinned the California weather has been tough. Even baby sunscreen isn't strong enough. When I was here for a visit I thought it was a *nice* heat because it's not the same as the heat in Britain. But after being here for a whole summer I had to totally change my dress sense and worry if people notice how much I'm sweating buckets. I'm glad now it's over just about. I wore a *sweatshirt* for the first time last week since Feb. Plus have a nice BIG blanket back.ooh home comforts.

Fiona

Hi Guys,

Perhaps you can help me in my search for particular products from the UK I'd like to purchase online now I'm in America and craving some homeland comforts.

I'd had a look around the internet but cannot find an online store that cators for both English and Scottish foods. Here are the items I'm looking for;

English -

Vimto Cordial

Origional Weetabix

Milky Bar

After 8s

Jaffa Cakes (McVitties)

Yorkshire Pudding

Scottish -

Shortbread (the triangle ones)

Tablet

Highlander Crisps

Caramel Wafers

Also if anybody is aware of the US equivilent to any of the above it'd be great if you can pass on your knowledge.

Fiona & Andrew

Green Card was recieved yesterday in the mail. The welcome letter arrived a few days before.

Thanks to all at VJ who have helped us get this far in the process. Time to move over to the lifting of conditions forums Hope everybody here continues to have a smooth and wonderful journey.

See you all soon

Fiona & Andrew

:thumbsup: got the cover letter and co-sponcers birth certificate faxed out today. So looking forward to the break. It's been a long, hard road as we're all aware it's time to regain our sanity..at least for a little while.

Good Luck and well wishes to everybody else. Will post when GC arrvies.

Fiona & Andrew

Hi Everybody,

Just wanted to let our VJ friends know we were approved the green card pending faxing co-sponcers birth certificate in Sacramento today.

To read our experiance please visit www.myspace.com/fionasertich

Thanks to all of VisaJourney to helping us sail through immigration as smooth as possible.

Fiona & Andrew

Hmm

Liked from the start;

** Fritos**

**Green Beans**

**Roast**

**BLUE CHEESE DRESSING** Mmmm

**Mini Wheats**

**Steak**

**Fresh watermelon**

**Salads in general** so much more in them I particularly like those yellow crushy cube thingys but don't know their name

**Chicken Strips**

**Variety of Sodas**

**Rain and Berry Gatorade**

**Water** Here they have big water thingys in their houses and don't normally drink tapwater. It's much nicer.

**Store bought Milk** only saw one blob of creme once in a glass of milk in the near year I've been here! Woohoo!

**Jacket Potatoes with everything on it** Mmmmm

**Chili and cheese**

**Hamburger helper**

**Crystall Light**

**Asparagus**

Took time to get used to

**Sloppy Joes & Gumbo**

**Mashed Potatoes with Gravey**

**Ricaroni**

**Salsa**

Things I know I DO NOT enjoy lol

**Mexican food tacos/burritos places like Taco Bell but home made are good**

** Wendys**

**Most drinks**

**The fries at the Graduate**

**Those bread/salt pretzels**

**The majority of American candy**

Ah thank ya very much! Phew big relief.

Fiona & Andrew

Hello Everyone,

This is my first time in this board. Some may know me from the K-1 forum from 05-06 and onwards to AOS 06-07.

I intend on applying for citizenship if everything goes A-OK with getting perminent residency and just wanted to get some general knowledge.

I've been practising since K-1 and teaching myself about American History so it's not too new to me but what I wondered was...

Is this going to be a written examination or spoken? I always assumed spoken interview where you're asked 10 or more questions related to America depending on how many you got correct etc. But a family member of my SO is telling me it's BOTH written and spoken and the written part is huge. She's never taken the exam as she's a born US Citizen but worked in the country I cam from for a while and came back to the US. I'm not sure what to believe is right.

Can anybody shed any light?

Fiona & Andrew

Hiya,

I brought up this issue in another thread I made which included multiple questions but didn't recieve an answer.

I cannot remember if the AOS interview price was included in the amount paid at applying. I know Biometrics was included but was the interview? Because we've looked over the Interview Notice several times and it doesn't mention anywhere how much it costs. I just don't want to end up there and them wanting the money which I'm unaware of. Ya know?

If anybody can shed any light on this please respond. It'd be greatly appresiated

Fiona & Andrew

Thanks for your help folks. Found the stories of interviews in Sac and it has relieved some of my concerns.

Fiona & Andrew

Hiya Everybody,

Our AOS interview date is September 27th and it's in Sacramento. I just wondered how many others here on VJ had/or are having theres done in Sacramento and what it is like compared to other offices in other cities.

I've read on here a few months ago that depending on what office your AOS interview takes place at will depend on if you and your partner will get seperated for questioning. It's not a problem for us we just want to be prepared for what to expect from Sacramento.

Thanks in advance,

Fiona & Andrew

Thanks everybody! Glad to hear confirmation about Lifting Conditions, just wanted to make sure I'd read the guide right.

Though I forgot to ask something else too.

Our interview letter didn't state the COST of it. Was the cost included in the application fee or should I be calling them and asking? I can't honestly remember if the fee for the application did include interview costs, I know it included Biometrics. Can anyone shed any light?

Fiona & Andrew

Hi Fellow VJers,

We got a surprise in the mail this morning. Our AOS Interview for September 27th, 8:45am! We weren't expecting it to be so fast, honestly I didn't expect to hear anything from immigration for months but oh boy this is exciting.

Quick Question:

Lifting of Conditions. I don't have to worry about that till just before the 2 year greencard expires right?

Fiona & Andrew

Hello,

I'm not sure which forum this question belongs in so I'm taking a lucky guess and hope I can get some answers.

I'm in touch with a couple male in NY USA with a fiancee in India. I cannot for the life of me find a B2 Visa application form for an applicant in India. Went to the USCIS website of India etc wasn't much help. Anybody know where on the internet it's at so I can pass it along? I was origionally going to suggest to them the Visa Waiver Programme but on researching that, India isn't a country thats under that scheme.

Help me help them lol

Fiona & Andrew

Dear VJers,

Quick question: Can you switch co.joint sponcers whilst in the middle of the AOS process? If so, what might/are the conseqences of doing this?

Fiona & Andrew

Rightio Update,

Today we got in contact with a Helpful USCIS phone operator who gave us the information we needed greatly, we explained Fiona's disability and our situation with our Transportation and that we had finished writing a cover-letter for our second rescheduling of the Biometrics Appt. we are facing right now. The Lady kindly proceeded to explain that cover-letters are extremely Important an that we did the right thing, further she advised us to wait for a response letter from USCIS at which point they will let us/Fiona know if either she can have her Biometrics taken at the Local Police Department or if they can provide Transportation to the Modesto USCIS Office for the next date we get scheduled for an Appointment. So with that reassurance we're sending the cover-letter an rescheduling off today in hopes of the best as always...

Thank's All whom follow us/our case and those whom don't that continue to Help in anyway possible, if it ever becomes needed we can do the same for others (have advised a good few couples about these Forum's whom are friends of ours but need guidance as we did in the process).

In The Kindest Regards,

Andrew & Fiona