Scandi

Oh wow, the price went up more than the double since 2016 (and that doesn't even include the x-rays nowadays? Wow, just wow). I guess that's what happens when there's only one clinic in each country, people don't have much of a choice, they will pay whatever amount to get it done and the clinics know it. Those are all crazy numbers, especially Gbg. Imagine what the cost will be another 10 years from now.

Do you mind me asking how much the medical is these days? Good to hear the clinic in Goteborg is still doing visa exams, I was under the impression it was only Sthlm left these days. I remember choosing between the two back in 2016 and Gbg was 2800:- (for everything including the x-rays) and Sthlm wanted 3500:- (for the medical only, I think you paid extra for the x-rays). It was quite a big difference, and Gbg was a lot closer to Skane as well. Congratulations! Hold on to it for dear life! 😆

Nobody can answer this. Usually the timeline has nothing to do with the visa, but all about how many planes are landing at the same time, ie how long the lines are. The actual "CBP processing" takes 5 minutes tops. They ask like 2-3 questions, takes your photo/fingerprints and stamp your passport.

Opposite for me. The actual test is only verbal - no text. So it was much easier for me to hear the questions asked out loud by someone, verbally, just like the actual test. So Youtube was by far superior to any flashcards or questions on paper. I got the leaflet with all the questions when I went for my biometrics and it didn't help much. The pace of the youtube videos is super great, because there are videos in all paces, so pick and choose one that fits you. I started out with slower ones where they repeated the question twice, then moved on to faster ones. At the end, I managed to answer all the questions with the video that was called something like "100 questions in 1 minute", where they only ask questions and don't give the answers. It was super fast.

Youtube is the best, tons of different videos, different speeds etc. Start with a slow one. Most of the Youtube videos is how the interview actually is - ie someone asks you a questions and you answer - you don't see anything in writing, it's all just verbal, and you don't get multiple choice answers.

That's great news! What a relief it must be.

Doesn't sound like a loss to me. Time to move on. Also, you cannot get a K-1 visa when you're already married, so that was probably why your visa was denied.

Yes I always get so nervous waiting too. Nervous over everything really. But you have plenty of time, it should be fine. The negative thing with Sweden (maybe Scandinavia in general?) is summer vacation time during all of July every single year, it's the worst month to try to get anything done because everything is closed. I hope that's not the case for the embassy. Now that I've lived in the US for many years I hate going to Sweden in summer because nothing's open, lol. It used to be so normal to me, now it's just a nuisance. 😂

Oh I listened alright, it was super interesting. 😆 I knew which date the embassy received my medical because I received my own copy of the entire medical the same day, and the date on CEAC updated too (and went from AP to Ready). That happened on a Thursday and my visa was issued the following Tuesday. So pretty quick. I know it's different for Norway but I got my passport back in the mail the day after it was issued, so they ship them out very quickly too. Weird how it took the clinic that long to send your medical, but at least you know it's on the way now and you don't need to do anything else. Just a short waiting period before the status changes to issued.

I remember what a relief it was to be done with the medical and interview, I got a refusal for my medical as well. Glad that everything went great, the officers handling the immigrants visas really are professional and quite friendly at the embassy in Sthlm. I have to say though, one officer was very harsh and rude to a family next to me, and as you said, you can hear EVERYTHING that's being said at the windows next to you. They were flat out denied tourist visas and the officer was not nice about it, lol. And yes, you go in the immigrant line when you're there for a K-1 visa, there's usually just 2 or 3 people in that line. Not a huge deal I bet, but they have signs showing which line to go in (one for K-1, CR/IR-1, citizens etc - and another line for all temporary visas like J/F/O etc, the latter is normally super long but since the embassies aren't processing J or F visas now, it was probably a lot shorter than normal).

The only thing that was partially accurate for me was for the N-400 and it was the estimate in the regular my USCIS account. The estimate started out at 10 months, after that it kept changing back and forth, in the end it did take 10 months from filing to oath. All other estimates weren't even close to accurate.

Of course you can, but nobody can answer whether it's worth it or not. If money isn't an issue, then you don't have anything to lose by trying. Personally, I'd rather spend that money on something else, for me it'd be too late to file now, not worth it (again, to me).

You can absolutely print the one in your online account (it IS official), make sure you print the form and fill it out as well. It's the exact same as they send in the mail. I got my oath letter and form in hand at my interview, but ended up bringing the one I printed from my online account instead since I made a mistake on the first one.

The usual, someone lying about their marital status to try to get a tourist visa:

If you never filed an application online before, you don't have an online account number. You are assigned a number by USCIS once you file an application online. So if this is your first online application, you will find your online account number on your receipt notice AFTER you have filed.

Not a big deal, when I moved here on a K-1 I waited for like a year or so before I changed my name with SSA (had my maiden name on my first SSC). You can go back when you have your greencard in hand, for instance. Or your EAD, whichever happens first. When I became a citizen I changed my name again, and that time I waited 8 months to change my name with SSA. Also not an issue.

My bad, for some reason my brain wants me to believe we're still in May. Still normal. Many offices prefer to gather as many approved applicants as possible before holding a gigantic oath ceremony for hundreds of people. Which can take a while if there aren't a ton of applicants each month in your area. But yeah, if you feel forgotten you can always message them and ask.

Many wait for months, you haven't even waited 3 weeks. You can always send a message through your online account inbox. If you had a name change the oath scheduling can take even longer than normal.

Sounds like a normal process. The second her i-485 was denied, she was deportable. Since you filed a new one, likely the immigration judge will let her stay until there's a decision on the second one. You seriously need to NOT do anymore mistakes though, those mistakes were pretty huge. She needs to go in front of the judge and plead her case. At least she wasn't deported without getting to see a judge first. Just being married to a US citizen doesn't grant her any stay in the US. The i-485 does that.

So happy to see that one of all world leaders is finally taking the genocide in South Africa seriously. It's been going on for far too long, and they have never received any kind of help from anywhere in the world before.

With the ESTA (NOT a visa) you get the full 90 days or nothing at all. Only with visas do CBP decide how long you actually get to stay.

Copies of the credit cards showing that both you and your spouse's cards have the same number (ie you're sharing the account).

Many people travel abroad with their greencards AND foreign passports, even if they're not in the same last name. Have her bring her marriage certificate as proof of her name change. So yes, IF her AOS is approved AND she receives her greencard before your trip, she can travel with you. She needs her foreign passport and greencard (and marriage certificate just in case). She still has a few years until she can get a US passport, as a passport requires citizenship, not just legal permanent residency.

Count on it taking 2 months, be happy if it comes faster. You don't need that letter for now, all you need to know is that your case has been received and accepted. You now have a long wait ahead where nothing much will happen at all.

It was surprisingly easy to sell the condo, the car and get rid of everything else. In fact, it was the best feeling, I felt so free not having a bunch of stuff anymore, I only brought what I could fit in 3 suitcases and got rid of everything else (I had no reason to store anything, I wasn't going to move back). Felt absolutely amazing.