Melancholic Mage

@OldUser Ah. Sadly I have pretty much nothing. I'm a clean slate here: I'm living with him and his parents for now until I can get my feet on the ground. Car, job, house, etc. I have no utility bills, no bank accounts (yet). All I have is my passport, my visa, hopefully the USCIS letter including my SSN and my green card, whichever comes first, and that's that. It's looking like I'll have to try and get a joint account to start getting anywhere. Or take out a phone contract or some kind of bill from a provider here while I get my US phone number sorted out. Then I can use it as a possible utility bill of sorts...

Illinois. I've been digging into their requirements but some sources say they stopped issuing temporary visitor driving licenses since July this year, that undocumented immigrants can apply for a license (what the-), and even one that says you need to have been a resident for one full year before you can get a drivers license. It all seems very strange so my digging continues. Thank you, that's helpful. Fingers crossed I'll be one of those who don't need to chase the SSN. I love the library card idea but I know none of those bar the bank account would be accepted. And even then I know it's statements only, not any kind of basic acceptance letter. Surely I need proof of address to open said account so... back to square one? Thank you, glad yours came quickly! Hope mine does too. I was planning to add my name/open a joint account with my husband. Would this solve the address issue without further barriers? Thank you for all your input so far everyone! It's very reassuring.

Thank you all! Must have got wires crossed thinking I had to pay for the SSN and that the visa was only valid for one year. I re-checked my visa and indeed it does state validation for two years, but the officer scratched pen over the text so I had to squint through the ink to see it in my slight defense. Thank you for all the advice. To help others, I managed to find the USCIS page with a calculator to help when filing the I-751. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/when-to-file-your-petition-to-remove-conditions If I input it correctly, earliest I can file is July 3rd 26. So think I'll do it on 4th July 26 for it to be memorable and just to be safe. I'm looking to start my life here by nabbing a state driving license ASAP - would you in your experience recommend waiting for the green card and SSN (figured the letter would help with proof of address too) or just go for it as soon as possible? Thanks once again. Helps knowing I'm not alone figuring things out.

I've finally entered the USA today, October 1st, and I wanted to ask those more experienced about my next moves and to clarify the removal of conditions. I've read the I-751 guide here on the forum but to absolutely clarify, I must file the form 90 days before the end of my CR-1 visa? So this end date would be October 1st 2025 as I entered today, and the earliest I can file is July 1st, yes? And is this file online on USCIS or is this a paper form I need to download, print, then post? The border officer mentioned my Green Card should come in the mail in two weeks, but also said it can take up to two months. If I haven't received it by then I need to chase it up with USCIS. They also mentioned that my visa acted as a temp Green Card, and I can apply for my SSN with it. This confuses me in hindsight as I'm pretty sure I ticked a box during the DS-260 forms asking for a SSN and paid additional. I'm now unsure how to check this. Do I need to apply for one, or should I wait and see if one turns up? And if not, where do I go to chase this up? I didn't have time to ask the officer much due to rushing to catch my connecting flight to the States. Any help would be appreciated, as well as basic advice to settling in. Thanks.

Hello @Patrick P, if it helps I never added any kind of additional relationship evidence to my I-130 when I filed it last year. I simply gave what was asked for and no more. I felt the less documents the better. I brought relationship pictures to my embassy interview in London a few weeks ago but I was never asked for further evidence at any point. Better safe than sorry, so be as prepared as possible, but personally I wouldn't worry about adding pictures at this stage. Not with the I-130 or the DS-260. Hope this helps.

If you re-read your first post you didn't say that, so you can't say 'like I said'. While I have little to no experience with EB1A visas, when I was approved for my own visa at the London Embassy a few weeks ago I asked directly about receiving a packet. The officer told me I wouldn't receive one because I filed my information online. When I go to enter the country in a few days, they can pull up all my information on the system. No packet. I do know K1 visas receive one however. Perhaps EB1A's are also an online-only packet? Either way, never heard of officers confiscating passports. The most they do is send you on the next return flight if they deny entry. Besides that, you certainly have a case if your employer tries for dismissal for events outside your control - and on an EB1A at that? What is your profession? I agree with the others. This doesn't add up.

Hello, I can help give you input as a UK citizen who married a US Spouse and was recently visa approved this month. 1.) I saw others stating the same thing about including relationship evidence, but not once did I include anything on my I-130, DS-260, and not even at my embassy interview in London was I asked for any relationship evidence. I was simply asked basic questions such as how did we meet, where did we first meet, my partner's job, where we got married... I had an envelope of pictures of us together and not once was I asked for it. Myself and my partner actually lived together for 4.5 years in a flat/apartment, and I had evidence as such to this but other than verbally offering it, again, they didn't ask for any physical proof whatsoever. This includes financial where we didn't have shared accounts as my OH was temporarily over in the UK studying on a student visa, so we had no proof of shared income or anything. (I paid our rent and bills from my UK bank account only.) I was still approved. I hope this helps put you at ease, but also remember each case is different. 2.) I can't answer this one in detail but I believe if you have a marriage certificate to include on the I-130, that's about as much proof as I needed and perhaps that will be the same for you. Still, better safe than sorry - some pictures can't hurt. Be as prepared as possible. I wasn't asked for any physical evidence apart from uploading what the forms asked of me. My interview was all verbal affirmations. Nothing additional in terms of photos, shared financial records etc was asked. I hope this helps, and good luck!

Can I come with? I identify as a short, gregarious U.S. Citizen visa Hobbit (pronouns approve/approval/approved) whose exaggerated white sponsor swagger will be sure to bring all the consular officers to the yard! It means nothing that every other embassy that anyone has ever attended refuses US spouses to join in at visa interviews! Forget domestic violence and marital coersion! We can just break out into song and enchant animals with our Disney-esque ideals to get in! The officers in Manila are sure to welcome us as one big happy family and I'd LOVE a vacation!

So you've had your interview in April but you haven't received your visa yet? Is that right? The medical is only valid for 6 months from the date it was performed. You will have to do it again if it's been over 6 months as it would have expired. Starting all over again I mean as in if you don't enter the USA with your visa before it expires, as well as the medical being expired as well, you'll have to do what's in the link I posted above and request that your visa be re-issued. If the consular officer decides you didn't have a valid reason for not travelling when your visa was valid, you may have to start the whole process all over again starting with the I-130. But I would wait for a more experienced member than myself to confirm that.

I don't believe USCIS would inform you that your medical has expired. Your medical must be within 6 months valid not only the day of your visa interview but also for when you enter the United States. If you still haven't entered the USA you'll have to re-book the medical exam. Was your visa approved? You only have so long to enter the States on it and it will have an expiry date within your passport. Hopefully you can just re-book a medical then enter so long as your visa is still valid. If it's not though and your visa has expired, you will have to do as instructed in this link. https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visa-faqs/medical-examination-2/

@Cranberry_anon I really feel for you. I recently got my visa approved and myself and my partner submitted all of our documents solo, from our I-130 to our DS-260 (CR-1 visa). We never had any issues. We just combed through the instructions carefully and did what was asked. I didn't find out about this forum until we documentarily qualified and I looked up embassy wait times while waiting for an appointment. I really wish I had! I've had ups and downs on here but 90% of the time the users are very friendly and the advice is invaluable. Knowing someone else is tearing their hair out and swearing at the immigration process actually helps. Makes you feel less alone and trust me, the stress and sheer frustration I went through echoes yours very closely. Have faith. Get rid of Boundless (they should add 'Fees' to the end of their name...) and take the forms by the horns! You can do alone if we did. No matter how bad it gets, just remind yourself other people have managed with much less. My partner would remind me of this and it would help pick me up to keep going. Take care and ask other experienced users if you ever get stuck.

Good question but my two cents is c'est la vie. Riots could happen in a week. A surprise war could break out in a month's time. You could win the lottery then be run down in the street tomorrow. All unpleasant thoughts, but my point is that you shouldn't let life stop you from doing what you want to do. We simply don't know how things will play out. Things happen that are outside our control. Sure, things could develop that you can definitely forecast and try to weather, but I'm confident no matter what the election result you'll be fine. Besides, stopping illegal immigration is a massive plus in my books, and I hope in others too. Good luck @n.samuraibear!

Thank you for that, you mentioned as such in a different thread I believe. I looked into it as a result and my phone doesn't support eSIMs being a Samsung Galaxy S10+. I'll have to look into getting a new phone in the States then porting my UK number to an eSIM to resolve my mobile woes. First thing's first though: getting a State license, a car, then a job to pay for such. Then a home. Then... I don't know. It never ends. Plus side is I have a Starling account and I admit I'm tempted to consolidate my accounts to keep it and only it. Starling are great and good reminder about the text codes not being there. I'm just waiting out my bonus interest with NatWest at the start of the month from my savings account before I consider closing it. That and any outstanding fees I owe from car loans, insurance, etc.

In honesty there's been a tad bit of pressure from my other half's side but it's warranted. My interview was on September 11th and I didn't start making any finalisations or moves until I had my visa in hand on the 16th. So it's short a month by a week or so if you count from my embassy date. Our circumstances are unique however. We don't have any real places of comfort in the UK and hotel costs stack up. We've been somewhat effectively homeless since we received a no-fault eviction notice from our UK flat over a year ago. (Landlord wanted to sell - we couldn't dispute it. The laws do little to protect honest tenants.) My spouse's family have room to accommodate us in the US. Here? It's two adults sharing a single bed when we're not in a hotel. Hence more urgency to get things tied up.

Old enough to know better but young enough that I'm unfamiliar. I invested into pensions in whatever work I picked up from an early age and saved very hard too. I do believe with my last job and with transferring my pensions all into one place as much as I could over a few years, there may be 10k+ in there now. I was planning to move it to a ROPS in America I believe it's called, but I'll keep an eye on the tax forms once I'm in the States. Thanks. Looks like this is a topic for a new thread. It's not the cost (although admittedly I hate paying for anything I simply don't use, however minor) it's the faff on. Having to remember to switch sim cards and make a small transactional message or call every three months is annoying. Then I have to top it up every few years and convert USD to GBP - it's just another niggly irritating sprinkle on top of the immigration shiz sundae. With my flight leaving so soon I don't want to risk switching mobile providers to one that gives me more time between sim card deactivation - however desired. I checked. You have to be in the UK to activate the sim, so if it doesn't port fast enough I lose my UK number. Not worth the risk. I just have to grin and bear it until I can close my accounts and get my UK number transferred to my US one for certain on all my log ins. Just something that takes time while I acclimate to my new life. I'm doing my absolute best to play it safe within the boundaries of my circumstances.

Thanks for that, all makes sense. Do pension amounts above £10k need filing as well? I plan to empty two of my accounts but given this I'm wondering if it's best to close them now to avoid the paperwork. I'll never keep £10k in them let alone more than that, however. It's all meant to be spare chump change incase I need it in future back in Blighty. I do have over £10k but that is all going to be transferred to my husband: probably once I land in the US. I imagine at that point it's fine since it's in a monitored US account. His family don't use accountants and manage to file their finances without issue so I'm sure I can too, immigrant or no. We got through the mess of immigration forms and filing alone so confident we'll be okay. Just when I think I have things prepared in my head though I hear things I didn't at all consider. Thank you for all the info.

Thank you! Admittedly I don't understand half of the abbreviations you just slung at me there. I know the IRS but have zero familiarity with all the other forms you mentioned. Could you explain a bit more? Every little helps, Tesco! Agreed, I'll definitely always have one account but I was going to keep them pretty minimal in funds. I did consider leaving maybe £500/£1k in my NatWest savings account to just let it sit there and grow, but my biggest concern is possibly causing problems with IRS and also getting locked out of my banking. (2FA being on my UK number and I'm having a nightmare trying to figure out a better way of keeping it active other than paying 50p every three months to send just one text to keep it alive.)

I'm following up my Visa Medical thread with a full account of my experience at the USA Embassy in London. You can find my review here but this is supplemental for anyone who wants more information and wants to ask questions in future. Travel and Hotel: I booked around four days at Vauxhall Travelodge and travelled by train to London Kings Cross station. I walked all the way to the hotel which is around a 1 hour 20 minute walk, so not for those who aren't as physically fit or able. From Kings Cross however there's plenty of bus connections and an Underground connection to Vauxhall. These go directly outside the hotel which is ideal, and considering the hotel is only ten minutes from the Embassy if that, it's a great choice. I personally walked to save some money and avoid the crowds of the Underground. It's also a great way to take in some sights and maybe slip in for a coffee somewhere for a nice pre-embassy-jitters drink. The hotel is directly attached to a Waitrose, a Starbucks around the corner, and a Sainsbury's across the road should you need any necessities. I settled into the hotel quickly (the hotel has a small buzzer to allow entry into its reception on the left-hand side which may catch some people out - you cannot push the doors open), dumped my stuff into my cozy room, then scoped out the Embassy the day before my appointment. The hotel itself has some mixed reviews but personally if you keep your expectations in line, it's a cozy stay. The bed and pillows were perfect so no sleep complaints, and considering the traffic outside the room is sealed very well against noise. There were a few old stains here and there but you could tell the carpets had been cleaned and these were old permanent marks. Didn't bother me but worth noting for those more squeamish. The breakfast at the hotel was adequate, like the building itself. Nothing to write home about but does the job just fine. Outer Embassy: The Embassy is a very brisk walk across two or three crosswalks before you curl around some skyscrapers and into a park area to find it. Google Maps should see you there but if not it's very easy to locate via directions should you ask anyone. The USA flag is a big giveaway let alone the distinct almost 'kite' like diamonds that decorate the outer building. The Embassy is surrounded by restaurants and café's which most I would advise avoiding unless you want to pay premium. Outside I was met with an incredulously long line of people when I went to investigate the day before my timeslot. Most people I could see held poly-pockets with their documents while I brought a hardcase filo to protect mine from any adverse weather. There were some signs asking people to brandish DS-160's which didn't apply to me (after a moment of panic I realized I had a DS-260.) Still, to be safe I actually went back to the hotel and asked if they could print my confirmation page of my DS-260 all the same. The receptionists were happy to oblige at no extra charge, so extra points there if you find you're missing a document last minute. There's armed guards at the door who answered questions to any who approached, and at one point an embassy worker who flitted down the line directing people and responding to queries. The embassy worker wasn't there the day of my appointment so unsure if they're always around or perhaps my timing was good the day before to see them. Needless to say however, there's a few people around who you can ask general questions to. On the day of my appointment, I left an hour and a half early to walk to the embassy and wait in line. (One interesting thing to note was that on my appointment day of 9/11 I noticed the flag was lowered to half-mast to pay respects no doubt. Nice to see.) It took me around 40 minutes to reach the front. This is manned by two people behind a podium. I was asked for my interview letter and passport. I was asked my appointment time in which I stated I was early but they seemed unconcerned. They scribbled something on my letter then told me to head inside. Security: Past the podium was a guard who allowed people in and out of the front part of the building. I showed him my interview letter with the chicken scratch on it then he asked me to pull out my phone and turn it on and unlock the screen. I did was asked and he moved aside to let me in. I was met with a very small airport-like security screening layout. I was told to place my items into a screening tray: documents, passport, coat, and told to empty my pockets. I did not need to take off my shoes which surprised me as most USA security I've underwent demands this. I pushed my tray of items through, walked through the metal detector, then was on the other side and told to collect my things. Painless. I actually had a roll-on deodorant and travel brush in my coat which I was told I could leave in, so my advice would be just to follow whatever the guards tell you but perhaps ask about certain items for ease. They seemed more lax than I expected. The final door into the embassy courtyard is pretty heavy and the security guard had to urge someone ahead of me to push harder to open it, so keep that in mind once you're through screening. There's a small paved incline surrounded by a small garden area which leads into the Embassy proper. There's no deviation and it's impossible to get lost. So from there I followed the path then entered the Embassy proper. Reception: Once inside you're met with a little maze of security poles with ribbons. Just follow them around to the front desk. This was manned by one lone officer which surprised me. They asked for my passport and interview letter once at the front, then directed me towards the lifts and told me to head to the second floor, turn left, then turn left again. Please note my visa is a CR-1 visa so you may be given different directions depending on your application visa type. They stuck the instructions on a small label onto my passport along with a ticket number which they then handed back to me so, again, impossible to get lost. I moved onwards towards the lifts (which are opposite a lovely engraved quote from R. F. Kennedy on the wall) and did as instructed. There's no stairs. Again, getting lost is impossible. The second floor held a throng of other applicants waiting in line opposite some interview windows, and the lifts open almost directly onto a kind of circular counter which holds lots of snacks and drinks should you need to pay for anything. I ignored this and turned left (bypassing all the other applicants glaring at me with glee for cutting ahead of them), left again, and after a little bit of walking found myself in a small waiting area. Waiting Area: This area is rather small and holds perhaps 32 pulldown seats similar to those you would find in a cinema. I took a seat and above them there were a few screens which read out your ticket number. To the side of the seats were little concaves with a glass window similar to those you would find in a bank. Above each of these was another screen telling you which ticket number the officer inside was currently seeing to and which number they were calling. The area was very clean and well-lit and helped put me at ease. Not much more to say about the waiting area. I took the time to take out my documents and shuffle through everything and just relaxed until my number was called. One thing to note was that there was no drinking water or bins of any kind, so if you had any rubbish or trash on you best keep it there. Another thing to note is there was no toilets and not once did I see a sign for any while I was in there, so best make sure you're prepared body, bladder, and soul. I was waiting around 20-25 minutes before my number was called. Interview Windows: Part I: I approached the interview window and was asked to show all of my documents: passport, interview letter, marriage certificate, police certificate, birth certificate, passport photos (they only need one when I brandished a few out of concern some may be an incorrect size) and my courier letter. You may or may not have the latter as I paid for expedited delivery of my passport and visa to my UK residence. This then needs a confirmation letter of the payment and courier service. I slipped all of my documents under the security window. The officer took time to look over my papers, then asked me to place my hands on a small scanner by the window to take my fingerprints. As I did, they asked me when I planned to travel to the United States. I stated early October but as soon as possible if allowed, and no further questions were asked. They confirmed my documents were in order and handed them back minus passport and one passport photo, then gave me a domestic abuse leaflet in which I was told to read carefully. I was then instructed to sit back down between a certain series of window numbers and wait for my number to be called once more. I ended up sitting in the space that seemed delegated for USA diplomats which was interesting. I entertained myself with peeking at their documents and seeing some Nigerian emblems among others before I was eventually called once again after perhaps 25-30 minutes. Part II: Making my way to the new window the officer inside greeted me. They asked me to hold up my right hand to take an oath of truth and I did as instructed. (You do not need to recite any kind of verse, they just ask if you will take the oath and you then agree or disagree. Obviously I agreed.) They asked if I read and understood the domestic violence leaflet in which I said I had, and asked if I had any further questions regarding it. Once that was out of the way, they then began to ask me questions regarding my relationship with my spouse: how did we meet, where did we first meet, when was the last time we met (one hour ago because they were outside), what they did for a living, and that was pretty much it. I was honestly expecting a little more and had prepared as such, but disappointingly I was not asked what his favourite dessert was. (Brownie fudge sundae. Mmmm~) I did note that when I willingly offered up that we had lived together in the UK for near four and a half years in a flat together, his body language appeared to ease up and further questions ceased. Again, my experiences as this is an application for a CR-1 visa may differ from your own. You may be asked further questions. I was asked once more to have my fingerprints taken by the small scanner by the security window, then the officer told me he was going to approve my visa. (\o/) It was here I asked a few further questions, such as what will happen at the Port of Entry and if I will get any kind of document packet. The officer told me that because I had filed the majority of my case online I would not receive an envelope packet as border officials would be able to see all of my information via their systems. The officer did say this which I found interesting, in that their systems were apparently in some sort of 'hybrid' state and that my visa may take some time to process. This may explain the slowing down of applications we've seen on the forum as well as the volume of people they're seeing day in and day out. They told me they didn't believe that would be the case with me, but gave me some base awareness as well as USCIS possibly contacting me for more information. They stated this was routine however and there was no need to panic about it should it happen. They also informed me that I should get my passport back in about a week's time via the expedited delivery I paid for online. Done and dusted, I left without my passport back the way I came and back outside the building without any further issues. Final Result and Notes: Overall I left at 9:30 for my 11:00 appointment. I was back outside around 11:45. I was there for about an hour overall discounting waiting in line. Again, there was no toilet that I could so I would ensure you're prepared before you go inside, but I'm sure if you asked staff they would direct you to some. There wasn't any I could see however. Your embassy appointment email (or somewhere on official sources) states there's no vending machines on site, which I can confirm but there was a snacks and drinks stand on the second floor which appeared to be card only should anyone want to purchase anything on site. The embassy was easy to navigate and overall pleasant, so I would advise others not to worry. So long as you're documentarily prepared, you should find this process pretty simple to go through. An extra note is in the waiting room there's a message on the screens notifying you of free Wi-Fi inside the Embassy including the password to activate it. I had a quick check of this myself but it brings you to a splash page with plenty of T&C's about how your usage is monitored. I decided to stick to my poor data signal for privacy but it's there should anyone need to use it. The phone signal inside was poor for myself so you may want to pre-load pages or videos onto your phone if you're easily bored. Some people mention a café that can store your bags for £10+. Personally I would leave all bags at the hotel if you're staying there. The time you can spend there to relax and prepare before your appointment is absolutely invaluable, even if you stay for just one night. The café option however is always there if needed but personally I would just avoid taking in bags. In regards to my visa, I actually received it five days after my appointment. Considering this included the weekend, it only took three working days to process which was beyond a pleasant surprise considering the timescales of everything else. USCIS even updated my case status the day after my appointment to say my visa had been issued. So five gold stars for efficiency there. I actually took some sneaky snaps of my experience inside the Embassy and out in hopes it would help others. I didn't see a sign saying otherwise regarding photography but I was still careful not to be too obvious and avoided any kind of sensitive information/imagery. Please see images attached. If anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer them. Hope this helps a lot of people because this is exactly what I wished I had before I attended. Anyway, my one-way flight to the USA is on October 1st. Wish me luck!

Thanks @tunaqueen25, he'll definitely be okay with the one Hepatitis jab. I expected them to be more strict, which they are in a way given the requirements, but the nurse was lovely and put me very much at ease. The fact she takes if you had Chickenpox or not as a child by your word is relief alone. They're very much willing to help if you miss anything and she told me it's near routine for people to attend their medical without an up to date Covid shot/booster. They send a lot of people around to Boots to get the jab then have them come back the same day. It would be better if USCIS updated their information online though because as I'm sure you know it's about as clear as mud sometimes. It answers one question then leaves a further ten unanswered. Or worse, makes more questions. My one-way flight is currently booked for October 1st. I'm ever so slightly bricking it. But more so in trying to get my accounts in order in the UK. It's honestly not the smooth sailing I thought it would be.

Thanks for all the tips. As it stands my one-way flight is booked for October 1st. It's coming up fast! I have one online bank account with Starling, then two accounts with NatWest which I've had since I was young. I mulled over all options and ultimately something @OldUser said in another thread resonated with me. 'Don't burn any bridges.' I've downgraded my accounts to ensure they're fee free but ultimately I've decided I'm going to let them sit there. Most of my transactions should I need to make them will be with Starling, and my NatWest accounts which hold the majority of my life's savings will be used to finalize any outstanding payments. Then I'm going to move over all my money to Wise, then from Wise, to my husband. It's a tad messy and in the future I may close the accounts for good if the banks don't wise up and do it themselves, but it's good to have them as options for now. I appreciate all the advice though and admit I was tempted to just shut down shop entirely with everything in the UK. But it's proving more a headache than I thought so... When I transfer via Wise I'll let you all know how that goes. Right now though I'm stuck in financial limbo.

I received my passport with my visa inside five days after my interview. Considering that includes a weekend, it was three working days which was incredible and not what I expected. I did pay extra for expedited delivery to my chosen address however. I absolutely agree with OldUser. I wouldn't even think about booking flights until you have your passport and visa in hand. I didn't start any kind of process of finalising my accounts in the UK until the day I had my visa in hand.

Transaction rates are apparently high with most known UK bank accounts, hence the third party transfer options like SL2024 said. I'm still trying to get my accounts in order and I'm finding it a struggle - I thought tying up loose ends in the UK would be one of the easier parts but as it turns out it's definitely not.

For anyone's interest, I made a quick chat with Lebara. Like with everything these days, getting answers was like pulling teeth. But. The sim card stays active for 90 days (with Lebara at least). You need to make a chargeable transaction within to keep that card active (top-up, make a SMS, or take out a plan). Should this fail, the sim deactivates and you need a 'voucher' to reactivate the card. This voucher is apparently physical so it will go to whichever UK address is on file which is concerning. (I don't have much family and I have been a victim of Domestic Violence so I'd rather not have anything go to UK addresses.) I tried pushing to find out exactly what happens to the UK number if the sim card isn't re-activated but all I could get was the number is kept for a further 90 days on their systems. After that, I imagine the number gets wiped. I can't say for other providers but the 90 days sounds like a standard timescale.

Thank you everyone. I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. (I tend to buy older models for frugal reasons and only upgrade when there's a real issue with my mobile, should anyone be shocked by this haha.) Regardless, I'm new to eSims and just looked it up: sadly my phone doesn't support them. It was a good idea though! I was planning to upgrade my phone at some point once I got myself settled into a job in America. My husband wants to add me onto his phone provider, so that might also limit my options once I'm there but I would rather trust his guidance in the new world. I'm currently with Lebara in the UK. I'm aware that UK numbers can 'expire' with certain providers if you don't use them, so I'm pretty anxious to try and figure this all out before I leave. Question appleblossom, when I'm in the USA, do you think it's possible to switch my UK number to an eSim should I get a phone that supports them? I'm very new to them so apologies if this is basic. Also, if I switch my WhatsApp to my US number, does it port over all chats that I had on my UK number without a problem?

Does anyone have experience with SIM only cards? I plan to keep my UK number and only activate UK PAYG plans when needed, but will this make the number 'expire' if I don't use it often enough? Also, does anyone have a good way of using UK and USA sims together in a dual-sim phone? My current phone supports this but I have to remove my SD card to enable it and as I'm sure most will agree it's not very convenient to say the least. Just trying to navigate how to access both my UK and new USA number the easiest. My current provider in the UK actually appears to allow me to add other numbers for access on their app, but skeptical if this will work on US numbers let alone numbers from different providers. Kinda lost.