Linababe

Im still around and popping my head in from time to time - infact I am still here in the UK!! Desperately trying to sell my house as I need to do this for me to move! I finally have a buyer but the solicitors are taking their time or there is some communication problems - I was expecting to complete on 5th November but that aint happening as the buyers solicitors were doing the searches and now I am told today that some of the searches have come thru but they are waiting on 2 other searches - this totally confused me I mean how many searches does the buyers solicitor do???

Anyways I guess I have to wait till next wednesday to find out what the situation is and when will we have an exchange/complete date so I can get my money and pay fro my tickets and the cats and the shipping and make my last minute eye tests - new glasses - docs appointments for meds etc ya know all the usual stuff lol

My visa expires on 27 December so I am really stressing out right now!!! I do know I can apply for an extension but only if i cant use it in time because of circumstances beyond my control I guess if the sale dont go thru then that is beyond my control (fingers crossed)

really stressed out Lina

Look up the fees on USCIS for I-129F ($455), I-485 ($1010), then add in cost of medical ($???), cost of police reports ($??), cost of vaccinations($???), cost of vaccination supplement($20--$100), cost of visa at the Embassy or consulate ($100), cost of travel ($???), this is not a cheap undertaking.

Only thing needing notarization is the I-134, and most notaries in the USA notarize for FREE.

I will try to fill in the ??? on the list above:

medical (£200), cost of police records (£10), Cost of vaccinations (AT your own GP FREE - this is what I had done) PLUS I would say cost of posting and photocopying varies depending on how you mail everything. OH dont forget your trips to London embassy - once for your medical and once for your interview unless you try to organise it like I did - I had the medical the day before my interview which meant one trip to london but I had to pay for bed and breakfast but I went with a girl friend of mine so we made a girly trip of it:) - NOTE: It isnt cheap in London I think I ended spending around £200 for the bed and breakfast and food for the evening and tubes/train

Then you have the cost of shipping your goods if you have any items you wish to take with you - that varies too depending on which company you use and whether the cost is per weight or per volumn this may be anything between £1000 - £5000

Hope this helps for you to tally everything up:)

Lina

(UK Citizen)

Yes I am also using Excess baggage - I am still packing etc and they do provide alot of boxes and bubble wrap etc - I am just abit concerned with the paperwork - or is that just me?? lol I cant seem to work out what value in price I am supposed to give my items - I do have lots of books and Cds but I have ornaments which are totally irreplaceable in my eyes as they have alot of sentimental value to me (given to me as presents from my sister that has passed away now) how the hell am i to price these things???

Lina

If you are not a a big rush to get the visa and move then you could always try to schedule the medical the day before your interview and stay over nite. I did that and well my visa was a little delayed but that was mainly as the medical doctor wanted more information but they seem to be good and returning the reports in to the American Embassy for the visas. This will help on the making of 2 trips and the expense but then again staying overnight in London isnt that cheap either:)

Lina

I used to download it religiously, but it got to the stage where I never had time to watch it! Maybe I will start again.

Just out of interest, what has been happening recently?

Where did you go to download it??

Lina

ok a bit confused - i am currently in the UK but i want to e able to watch eastenders or atleast catch up on whats happening when i finally move to usa (Ohio) how would this work - i wont have a place here in the uk to set it up on? no popint asking family cuz they are not happy about me moving to states as it is - so no support there:(

Lina

Thank you all for your comments - yes i did check with the embassy and I quoted the email reply I got from them in my original post.

I would love to just let a new estate agents deal with it all and just jump on that plane over but unfortunately I cant do that as I dont have the money to get myself and my 3 cats shipped over, all the money I have is tied to the house and I need it to sell before I can arrange to get the cats to have blood work done - 2 of the cats are 14/15 years old and I was told by an airline they may need the bloodwork done to prove that they are healthy before they can fly - as well as getting a health cert from the vets 10 days prior to the flight. Plus I have boxes to ship over and the tickets need to be bought which I need the money from sale to do all this:(

My family are very non supportive so its not they will rally together to get me the funds to move first and then let me pay them back laters when the house is sold

Oh well lets all pray that the private buyer I have now get his surverys around this week and hope that the report is all good so he gets his mortgage:)

Thank you all

Lina

Ok I will be 6 months on 27 December 2007 on my k1 visa and I am still here in the UK. I really cant go over to the states till I sell my damn house - my estate agents really messed me about for 3 months and basically wasted my time - I wrote to the embassy askign what would happen if I am unable to use my visa in time? this is the reply:

If you are unable to travel during the validity date of the visa, you may return the unused visa to the Embassy. If it is determined that you were unable to travel due to circumstances beyond your control, a new visa will be issued at the cost of $100.00. Please note that the medical examination is valid for 12 months and must be valid on entry into the United States.

Sincerely

Consular Information Unit

Right now I have a private buyer but he is waiting for his mortgage company to send in the surveyers some time this week or next week - if the survey doesnt go thru then he wont get his mortgage and I will have to look for yet another buyer (this time I am going with yet another estate agents that I know really do have real investors who are interested in houses in my area). If it all goes thru then we are looking at hopefully completing within the next 4- 6 weeks which should be fine and I can travel before the expiration date. IF not would you say me not selling my house is circumstances beyond my control? I think i did mention that on my original email to them.

Thanking in advance

Lina

OK I got a question - I am still here in the UK and waiting to sell my damn house and im gettign so close to my 6 months on the visa anyways - I am gonna miss Eastender so much - I know they used to run it on BBC America but the old episodes - how are you all watching it now? I will be moving to ohio.

Lina

Luckily I am getting viewings - but my house is on the market for an investor only so i am limited- the buyer that went on holiday well he is a hard one to get a hold of - he assured my estate agent that he does not need a mortgage - and my estate agents have contacted him and even wrote to him saying he has to come into the office with his financial records so the estate agents knows that he is serious and as yet he still hasnt got intouch so I am so bummed of with that deal as he offered the most so far and I would like to sell to him but he isnt playing his part

I had another offer of £121,000 which is the next best offer I have had and that man is sending his valuation people tomorrow so we shall see how that goes - I am so upset as I am running out of time and the fact that the currency is going down its now $1.68 i think to the £ which is ok still good but compared to the $2.08 to the £ i am still loosing alot:(

My estate agents now tells me that by next week we will have a buyer and by the end of 4 weeks I will have sold and get my money - which is not what he originally told me - he told me originally that it would take 6 - 8 weeks to complete so thats 2 months how all of a sudden he can complete in 1 month? I want to be in Ohio by end october /early november although my visa is valid till 27 december but I dont want to get caught out in the snow if they have a bad winter:(

Wait and see I guess - stress stress stress ... Lina

I put my UK house up for sale in May and I have reduced it twice (3% each time) and still only had one viewer..

The estate agent is the biggest operator on the estate

Nice house - 12 years old and detached in a nice position by the marina

Mine is not selling and nobody else's is either..

The market has stopped. So anyone who has sold can think themselves lucky.

I see a 3 year housing recession and I will have to rent it out so it is kept warm in winter and the property taxes are paid and the lawns are cut - all at someone elses expense.. That is IF I can find a tenant. They are drying up because everyone is having to rent out

alan

We asked our agent about if it was possible for us to sell the house while we were aboard. He said it is no problem and we can fedex documents back and forth. People must do it all the time. So in our case, we would come over as planned and if we havent sold the house, we will just sell it from here.

I wish i could do this but unfortunately i need the money from sale for the costs of shipping stuff and tickets and taking cats over:( So there is no question i have to sell no matter what:( even if it means loosing thousands on a buy house for cash deal - which really sucks: ohhh please pray someone buys the damn house lol

Lina

I already set something similar but originally it was set up for all those filing at nebraska - but it can be edited for everyone too - a few ppl added themselves on my map - see if this is helpful or not - I had mine set as the non_usc pinpointing themselves as either blue(male) or Red (female) and then the final couple destination would be pinmarked as white.

the link is in my signature

Lina

Yeah well I found out last week that the dude that placed an offer on my house has gone off on holiday for a week So my agent is now telling me that he will talk to other investers to see if they are inmterested he assures me he can sell my house by the end of august I dont feel that confident now with him. I asked if he thought the other person was messing around and he told me no he does want to buy the house as he knows him well as an invester but he is just away at the moment - I dont know what to believe right now:( and my visa is only valid till december so I have to sell:( - anyone know what happens if we cant use our k1 visa by the date it expires? There is no option of me renting the house out as it is in need of total decorating and i dont have t he money for that hence selling at a low price.

Lina

You need to be a bit careful here. Sounds like your agent is trying to get a bit of gazumping going on. Personally if I have accepted an offer, I won't go back on it even if someone tries to offer more, because I would hate it if someone did that to me. This is partly why we have a completion date and no interview date! We agreed to sell, agreed a price and so we will go through with it even if we have to go into rented.

The second thing is a buyer getting a formal valuation or survey is one thing. I always get very nervous if a buyer starts to say he wants to bring a builder round. My answer is normally, if you want a formal survey, arrange one in the proper course. If you want to get a builder to give you quotes, do so after exchange of contracts before completion.

The other thing is to get a quote from the solicitor and to make sure you are happy with him and that you feel he is acting for you. Ask around friends or other locals for what other people in the area usually charge or speak to a couple of solicitors.

Only my opinion though.

Finally, packing up anything is stressful. Don't worry about it and don't forget to take time to laugh as well. The best bit is still to come.... Good luck.

Thank you all for your help, it's great to have all this advice.

I am doing what you did, Lina.......ordered a new certificate, just in case. Probably won't need it, but I'd be happier knowing I have it anyway.

Yep better to be safe than sorry:) its a few more £'s going out but its best to spend that now than to wait another few weeks to get the visa

Good luck

Lina

I went through the K1 route and i had previously been married and divorced - I was able to get a copy of my marriage certificate from the courts here in Leicester, UK where I was married to my first husband - I took that along with my divorce decree at the interview - and well they didnt even ask for it all they wanted was the decree absolute - which is what I also sent a copy of when starting the petition originally. ( I thought it was best to have it with me at the interview just incase they wanted to see the paper trial of name changes and from a post I read here sometime ago saying they wanted to see the marriage certificate too. - my solicitor took the original when we did the divorce)

Lina (UKC)

Hey Dave its good to hear that you have managed to work things out!! I am so happy for you - me and my Dave also had a few issues which halted our visa process but we are also on track now and I now have my visa - just sorting stuff out to move and trying to sell my house!! I would love to keep intouch with you so email me soon it would be nice to have another friendly face in Ohio!!!

Good luck

Lina

Oh yes I know Mags took her cats over already I was wandering if anyone else did - I know Mags took her two cats in the cabin with her - unfortunately I have 3 cats and yes David will be comig over to the UK to pick me up and we both go back together but that only means 2 of the 3 cats can come in the cabin with us:( I dont like the idea of the youngest one siting in the hold all by herself:(

Oh btw Mags - what happened when the cats wanted to use the bathroom lol - how did ya manage that were you allowed to take them out of their carriers and sit them on your lap etc? and if you took them has hand luggage did you not have any other hand luggage with ya? or were they like an extra hand luggage?

As far as I can find out is that my 3 cats have their regular boosters every year and I think i rang the CDC and they said no requirements for cats - its just the airline that needs to see the health cert etc. So I guess I dont have to have the rabies injections here in the UK as long as I get them done there in the states with a local vet. David is gonna call the local vets to find out more:)

I just wanted to hear others experiences of their cats being travelling in the hold etc and if they were ok when collected etc, and are they picked up at a seperate location or do they just come thru with the luggage etc? things like that worry me because of a post i read about someone worrying that their suitcase will be going round and round on that carousol while they are held back for the immigration stuff - I cant bear to think that my 3 cats will be going thru that while the officer deals with my immigration paperwork.

umm am I worrying needlessly?

Lina

WOW was that quick or what? am I missing something - according to your timeline you entered USA in june and you already have your green card? umm is that what one gets after filing AOS?

Well congratulations if it is:)

Lina (UKC)

We just got our permanent resident card in the mail...this is the green card, right? I don't know why but i was expecting some huge green card that you could staple to you shirt or something. This one is barely green at all!?

Thank you I will check that site out - but I was wandering if anyone can retell their experience of actually transporting their pet over:)

Lina

Ok first of all sorry if this post is in the wrong place I didnt know where to place it.

I would love to hear from anyone out there that has taken their cats from UK to OHIO - either flying into Cincinatti or Cleveland. I would like to know what experiences they went through as one of those airports will be where I will be travelling to with my 3 cats. Is there a special pick up point for the cats after you go through immigration? Will they be ok while we are being dealt with by the Immigration Officer etc.

Just a bit anxious and concerned for the welfare of my 3 babies:)

Lina

That is so cute - this song is mine and David's special song - well should i say mine to him - as he has been so confused during our time together with lots of ups and downs cuz of the distance etc and all I keep saying is that I will always be here waiting for YOU! However long it takes A very special song to us:)

Lina

Ok I dont have a solicitor but the estate agents told me i can use the one they have as a contact but they will put me in touch with them. I did speak to the agents today and well he said he actually had someone else who wanted to view my property he said he will arrange for them to come tomorrow. (umm this sounds strange when he was pesturing me to give him in writing that I accept the offer from this one guy) The buyer at present has also informed the agents that he would like a builder to come round to give estimates of what work needs doing - this to me sounds strange - I hope he doesnt start going down in price.

This is all wierd to me - and I have no idea what the hell is happening right now - I have told my agents I want to move quick if you feel this guy is messing about then let me know because I had a private sale offer which would mean I would take the house off the market and just sell to the other guy privately whereas the agents wont get any commission. umm was I too harsh? LOL

I am also currently starting to pack things up and boy is that stressfull - I get so emotional about the stuff I have and I know I have to cut things down drastically but it is so hard:( So currently my living room has boxes half full of things and other stuff laying around in piles marked - Throw away - Car boot/sell - take - indecisive lol OHHH I wish I had help with this, but family are bloody useless:(

I am getting real anxious about the whole thing - I love David to bits but you know it has all just sunk in ! I GOT MY VISA! AND I AM MOVING!!! I am biginning to miss UK already (Leicester anyways lol), family, friends too. David says Im panicking for no reason and I can only do things one day at a time but time flies quickly and I just wonder if I have enough time to get things done. Oh well sorry for venting I better get off the puter and sort a few more stuff out.

Lina

Congratulations and hope it all goes smoothly too for ya - I am geting a bit anxious - ok i accepted my offer last friday and its only Thursday morning now but I havent heard anythign back from my estate agents - I have never sold a house before so I dont know if this is to be expected, I am not sure what happens next and how long it will take. My estate agents told me to normally takes 6 - 8 weeks for completiong but I should have heard something by now, shouldn't I?

Please keep me informed in what stages you are on your house sale

Thank you Lina

Thanks everyone. So I have confirmed with Conrad - We have accepted at £125 (thanks LisaD - though I still prefer it to just be on the keyboard). Hopefully it will move quickly!

Lina - good luck with your house - keep us posted!!

Well I accepted the £123,000 offer on friday so I guess we shall now be doing all the necessary stuff to complete - Just pray the buyer doesnt back out!! This is £11,000 less than what it is up for (£134,000) but then again I decided I would go as low as £120,00 so it is £3000 more than i would take so I am happy! Just pray it goes smoothly, wquickly with no hickups - I want to leave this place and be with my hubby to be as soon as possible:)

Lina

if you are a US citizen you have to enter and leave the country on your US passport - I think technically you are not supposed to serve in another country's army (though lots of Americans seem to serve in the Israeli army).

OK well let me confirm this - I was told that if I maintained both US and UK passports - when travelling back and forth for visiting family etc - is it true that I can use the us passport to leave the usa but on entering the Uk i show my UK passport? and when leaving the UK again show my UK passport and when arriving in the us i show my us passport? I know this is a silly question but this is what I have been told to do by a friend who travels alo I was just clarifying to see if anyoen else can confirm this for me?

Then what would happen say for example we go for a vacation in europe say Paris - would i still us my UK passport on entering paris?

Just thinking very well ahead of times LOL

Lina (UKC)