TerriandEric

I didnt ship anything either...but I got quotes from a few places and OSS were by far the best & a few other people I know have used them without issue either.

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! :dance: YAY not long now til you are back together where you belong :dance:

I only every filled out part 1 -- that is all they ask you to fill in

I have my fingers crossed for him. You must be bouncing out of your skin excited!! I know I was when I was on the countdown to see Eric again...it wont be long hunny til you are with your man for good. In regards to the other drop kick...karma will get him good & hard!! It always does

Me three!! i saw an "Amazing Race" episode where they were in Australia and they had SUBTITLES!! I was like.. ummm what?!!

Make that Me 4!!!! I always just look blankly at the screen & wonder if the producers seriously think the general population are dense.

CONGRATS!!!! I hope that visa lands in his hands quickly so you can be reunited

Ok so maybe I am still int he cheery happy stage but I am not finding much about where I am that I dont like. Sure driving on the wrong side of the road is bizarre but overall its been a great adjustment phase. Do I miss much from Aus? Sure MY KIDS! I ache like crazy for my 3 children who are still in AUS but you know what...my boys chose not to come and wanted to stay there...one for schooling & medical reasons the other for his girlfriend. Bek has adjusted better then any of us had any right to expect. She has had to adjust to whole new way of schooling and has jumped in boots & all with it. She has made friends, learning to socialize in different environments that were not available to her in AUS. Me -- I have not a single complaint.

Yeah I was going absolutely insane not being able to drive myself ANYWHERE!!! Eric works nights which is a whole new set of box & dice to deal with. He gets home as Bek leaves for school..I cook breakfast & he sleeps...I tiptoe downstairs..when not driving it meant waiting until he woke to run to the store for anything we need....now I can take myself...THANK GOD FOR GPS!! LOL The traditions we have discussed & as Bacon said we are going to meld the two cultures for that to make our own family traditions.

Would I want to move back to AUS...NOPE! Here in America we can have a lifestyle that I could only dream of in AUS. The cost of living is so much more affordable here in America as opposed to AUS. We have an amazing house on a large property that we can do whatever the heck we like too (well within township guidleines dang it!) We are building a deck onto the back of our house that in AUS would have crippled us for a while to afford...here it is a small project that is easily affordable. The foods are different to get used too but we are managing...a bit at a time. The bread is different that is for sure but nothing that can not be gotten around -- if anything I am eating less carbs so losing weight YAY!

I guess it could be that it is all so new still for us but we are happy & contented with our life here. I have no desire to live back in AUS anytime soon...life here is all we dreamed it would be.

Ahhh huh right. Wonder if they ever catch a few with it. Thanks again Terri and I hope you and your daughter are still on that happy high we will all get from the excitement of our new surroundings and being where we have wanted to be for so long... with the one we love

Cheers

Thanks Candice -- we are still on our high & not likely to come down from it anytime soon LOL. We are loving our life here not just because we are with Eric but because life here is just so amazing to us. I mean who would have thought this city girl would ever live in the actual country AND love it so much!!!! I spent my day today out on the tractor mowing the back paddock then came inside to spend my afternoon baking choc fudge brownies, biscuits for supper (scones) AND Cherry Pie with my MIL & daughter....nothing beats home made goodies!!

I am now waiting to see my youngest daughter on web cam (hoping they will log in) before crawling into bed as tomorrow we are off to a place called Niles to pick up Bek's bridesmaid dress for our wedding in 4 weeks!! ((OMGOSH that is coming around quickly.)

Ok so... For those who need to have a blood test to show they have had vaccinations in the past make sure you ask for them to test for just the things you need and be specific. I knew I needed evidence of measles, mumps, rebella and that I would need a Tdap (Tetanus, diptheria, and whooping cough) Vaccination because I don't ever remember having one before and knew it couldn't hurt to get one anyway. For some reason my GP only asked for my blood to be tested for Rebella and Chicken pox (which I didn't really need evidence of but was nice anyway).

In NSW it is free to get the blood test and have the Tdap. If you wait until the medical it will cost you extra.

I got the results back and it shows I have immunity to rebella and chicken pox. Grrr if only I got them all done oh well too late now.

I went for the Medical in Syd on the thur 29th Apr. I'm lucky my parents live in Penrith so it was just an hour train ride to Syd, Martin place to be specific. Went to the Sunrise set first

as I was early. I saw Mark Baretta walking along the street, waved Hi to him and he waved back. After the medical I saw Ann Sanders doing the news. I also saw another guy I recogised but I don't remember his name doing Sky news and later saw him eating later at a cafe.

After the little excitement at being at Sunrise I went and had cup of tea right outside where I had to go in. The building is called "Park House" which can be seen using google street view and right outside on the left is a cafe. Dr Millar is on the 3rd Floor of 187 Macquarie street.

When you step off the lift on level 3 Dr Millars office is just to the left. The office is smaller then I had imagined just enough chairs for about 5 people to sit down.

You should get there a little early so you can do a few things for Pat (The receptionist) who Terri said in her earlier review, was lovely and she was. You have to sign the back of your 3 photos there infront of her, so don't do it before hand. Then she will give you a specimen jar and right outside to the left of the door you walked in is the ladies toilets. I used the tissues Pat gave me to hide the jar on the way back. When Pat has finished making up your file and filling stuff in ( I didn't fill anything in) she will give it to Dr Millar and he will call you in.

The fee to see the Doc was $209 I paid using eftpos. Dr Millar is older then I had expected. I wanted to ask how long he had been a doctor but didn't. He start of asking alot of medical questions that I answered no to like "have you been in Hospital before. Do I have diabetes" and so on. Then we went into an adjoining room where I changed into a dark blue gown. Dr millar left the room while I get changed and come in when I said I was ready.

He comes in and first off was, getting weighed, I don't like his scales they're wrong the height 155cm the height thingy was also wrong I am not 155cm

Then he does the bend this way and that, then I read the eye chart then up on the table to listen to my chest and I got a bit distracted then cause he asked me about James but he lifted my legs one at a time to test its motion I guess and checked all my glands even the ones under my armpits and I said "ewe don't go under there i'm all sweaty". then I got my blood pressure taken while i was still babbling on about James That was pretty much it. He signs a form which you also need to get signed by the X ray person and the person who takes your blood.

Pat gave me directions. I knew what I was doing because of Terri's prior review, I felt like saying yeah I know but held my tounge. Ok so first of was to level 1 for the X-ray. You walk off the lifts and straight into reception which is big compared to everthing else. The fee is $65. I waited a little while and then was taken to a little cubical, had to take off my shirt and bra and necklace (made sure to keep that safe, James gave it to me), you leave your clothes there but take you bagwith you. I went into room B. Its all pretty straight forward, but I bet you think at the end of the X-ray that you mucked it up. I thought I did and I remember reading someone else thought they did too.

The lady will tell you to wait where you got changed while she checks the X-ray to see if it is ok, then she will tell you to get dressed then you can then proceed to level 2 to get your blood taken. Off the lifts and turn left its straight ahead of you. Small office, thought she was going to be a cranky lady because she told me to sit down she was busy atm taking a mans DNA. She turned out to be nice. I got my blood tested for measles and mumps as well as what ever they were testing for while I was there. Might as kill two birds with one stone.

Can the next person ask what they are testing for?

Saids on my receipt... US visa + 2 antibodies total = $60.20 I think the antibodies test was $33 (thats what I was quoted on the phone).

Oh just a tip ...make sure you have your passport handy both X-ray and blood person will want to check it.

Ok so after I had the blood taken I went back down to level 1 to pick up the X-ray, I had to wait awhile as it wasn't ready. Then back up to Pat who will take out the copy of the report and give you back your X-ray.

Another handy hint ...the X-ray is big and not something you want to carry in your hand, have a big bag or backpack with you so you can roll it up a bit and carry it in the bag...

I think that was it. I went in at 10:15am and the time on the receipt from pathology saids 11:20. so it took just over an 1hr all up

cost for me was ...

medical = $209

x-ray = $65

blood = $60.20

total = $334.20

I used eftpos to pay all the fees.

Got home the next day and that night James had received Packet 3 via email

I am so glad you had such a wonderful experience there too. What they are testing for in the blood test is Syphillis...they dont test for HIV anymore as they stopped that in January 2010 but they still test for Syphillis. I asked the pathologist as she was taking my blood what they were looking for lol.

Oh Vanessa -- I am so sorry to hear about the MIL giving you so much grief!! I can relate as my last MIL was a walking talking nightmare!! Eric's mom is wonderful & after 2 horrors I think I deserve a good one LOL! Vent all you like here as we all need somewhere to vent or we will all go mad!

I missed Easter here -- but Eric's parents got Bek a basket, a hand made rabbit (really cute) and some chocolates....so she was happy..but apparently I was warned that they don't do Easter like we all did...which kinda sucks!

As for me -- no complaints thus far -- not driving is sending me loopy!!! We have kept our food choices fairly simple as there is so much that we are not familiar with or we simply do not know what it is lol. I detest not being able to drive anywhere atm especially as Eric works nights...so through the day when he is sleeping there are things I would like to do but I have to wait until he wakes up so I can run to the store (we live a couple of miles out of town) I am hoping to sit my drivers test tomorrow, I wanted to today but we are currently sitting around waiting on the building inspector to check the post holes we have dug for our deck to be built....more red tape. We ran into a snag with our wedding plans -- the officiant we had been speaking with since January told me via email early this week that she was in fact double booked for the time slot we wanted...so I happily pulled the time forward 4 hours -- only to be told 'oh i have a meeting in Columbus at 9am -- I 'SHOULD' be back in time for 1pm' I about came unglued when I read that...Columbus is 3 hour drive away!! I was not willing to risk her arriving just on 1pm for the ceremony...so we are officiant shopping again with only 5 weeks to go...most are booked out & as one woman politely informed me...she has been booked out for a good 6 months I should have booked earlier....*rolling eyes*

Anyway, I am off to find something to do while we wait LOL...I am so not patient at all.

GREEN CARD APPROVED!!!!

I'm in shock.....but it's so freaking amazing. Job hunting, here I come!!

WOOOOHHHOOOOOO CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So freaking happy for you!!!

Do you guys speak English? Do you know Crocodile Dundee? Do you eat shrimp?

Such funny questions they ask...its like we lived on Mars not on Earth lol

HAHAHA thats a classic!! So good to hear though that she is settling in so quickly and already popular!!

I know!! It still makes me laugh that a guy wanted to go out with her & she has no clue who he is!

She is the only Aussie they have had at the school that anyone can remember...so she has been asked so much about Aus...important things like do we have yoghurt there? do the kids ride roos to school? you know important must know stuff LOL

hey guys, arrived in the usa on sunday night. It was all very smooth, the customs guy just asked when the wedding is, and do i know i have 90 days and then congratulations! i have spend the first week in bed sick as i caught a cold of matt, which sux, but other than that all is well

CONGRATS on being home now I am so sorry to hear you have been ill that really sucks....but at least you are with your man now....good luck with all the wedding stuff

Astrid -- Bek has had a blast in her first week at school here in the USA. She is the student EVERYONE wants to know...she is always telling us that random people say hi to her, ask her to sit at their lunch table, sit next to them on the bus etc etc etc...makes me laugh. She had her first afternoon at a friends house on Thursday & didnt get home until almost 9pm -- had dinner there & all. All in all she is adjusting better then we had any right to dream...oh she was already asked out by a guy & she said no because as she put it ' I had no idea who he was!!' we laughed for a while over that one!

SSN arrived in the post today..not bad 3 business days and its in my hand.

SSN update -- We went to get our SSN's last Thursday to get Bek enrolled for school. For those who are doing the process with a child -- the child does NOT get an SSN on the K2 visa. They are not eligible for one until adjustment of status. We applied for mine and it will be delivered within 2 weeks.

BTW Terri, how did you present all your documentation for the consulate.

I have all relavent docs in a folder atm.

Not sure if i can leave them that way or need to "staple" them .

I will at least leave the originals/copies in the folder and take with me just in case.

Cheers and thank you

Ok in regards to seeing if you had been touched -- go to the USCIS website & sign up for updates..when you log in you can see the date your case was last touched.

I presented all my stuff in a ring binder folder....not the big lever arch one though. I had everything in those plastic sleeves so it was protected...when I sent the original documentation in with packet 3 (birth certificates,divorce decrees,police check etc) that way they were not mixed with stuff they needed to keep in the file. I lugged it all to interview & they didn't even look at it but without it they would have wanted to see it.

Congrats to everyone who's had good news in the last couple of weeks. Here's hoping that soon all Dec filers will be processed. Good luck with packet 3 and interviews. Anyone else going through London? It seems to be the slowest consulate in the world. Almost 3 weeks and I still haven't got an interview date. Their average time for allocation seems to be 60 days after packet 3 and then interviews at least 30 days after that! It's not fair

Oh Emma I am so sorry I can not believe that it will & is taking that long to get to interview!!! Fingers crossed & prayers sent that you get interview sooner rather then later xxx

I was just notified that they sent packet 3 to me!

I have almost all of the needed documents to send it right back!

So now I will be anxiously checking my mailbox

GRATS Meggy!!

Hi All

Tell me if I should be getting worried. I know Vermont is taking longer to process K1 NOA2 than California but I am seeing were some couples are receiving their NOA2 and they submitted their application to Vermont after us. I have been checking if our application has been touched and it was only once on the 17th Jan 2010.

We received our NOA1 on the 13th Jan 2010.

Hope someone could put my mind to rest. Kathy

Kathy I understand & know how frustrating it is to see others receiving the NOA2's before you get yours especially when or if they filed after you. We waited for what seemed an eternity but eventually it did show up. I had noticed Vermont was processing slower the California and I do not understand the rhyme or reason or behind it. Have faith --it will not be much longer I am sure *hugs*

WE GOT OUR NOA2 TODAY!!!

CONGRATS!!!!

Vanessa is right -- it goes so fast from here!!!

APPROVED!!! 111 days...

Just got an email for updated status.

CONGRATS!!!

Hey all -- I arrived in Ohio on Saturday 10th April....I am still pinching myself that I am actually here with my man. It made me giggle to wake up yesterday morning to him uttering 'You are real..this isn't a dream' We are settling into a routine and getting everyone settled into the house and a wonderful life together. We have been exploring a little, taken heaps of photos and basically just enjoyed being together as a family. Nothing could be better then this. We now settle into preparing for our wedding in June.

I will post an in depth post about our trip over & POE (already did the review whilst sitting in LA airport whilst waiting for the flight to Charlotte LMAO!

Today it is raining here and only 38F (HOLY #######) Eric thinks its funny that I am wrapped in a sweater and sweat pants all the time ... but I feel the cold so heaven help me come winter with that white stuff!! Time to unpack the rest of my stuff & sort the wardrobe so I can put stuff away.

Hey all -- I arrived in Ohio on Saturday 10th April....I am still pinching myself that I am actually here with my man. It made me giggle to wake up yesterday morning to him uttering 'You are real..this isn't a dream' We are settling into a routine and getting everyone settled into the house and a wonderful life together. We have been exploring a little, taken heaps of photos and basically just enjoyed being together as a family. Nothing could be better then this. We now settle into preparing for our wedding in June.

Hey all -- I arrived in Ohio on Saturday 10th April....I am still pinching myself that I am actually here with my man. It made me giggle to wake up yesterday morning to him uttering 'You are real..this isn't a dream' We are settling into a routine and getting everyone settled into the house and a wonderful life together. We have been exploring a little, taken heaps of photos and basically just enjoyed being together as a family. Nothing could be better then this. We now settle into preparing for our wedding in June.

Gypsy CONGRATS on the new Grandbaby waiting to be born..such a beautiful gift too.

Well I am here!! I arrived in Canton/Akron airport at 11:30pm Saturday night EST -- Sunday afternoon roughly 3pm in Sydney. We barely slept on the flight over too excited...hit LA absolutely exhausted, lay over there for 4 hours then on to Charlotte NC where we had another layover for 3 hours which gave me the chance to buy my man a shirt from the Harley Davidson Store in the airport.

We didnt sleep much because of the new surrounds (will take a few nights for me to sleep properly)all three of us were awake at 6am so we went out for Breakfast & then grocery shopping. Time to now chill out as my in laws are coming over YAY!! :dance: :dance:

Updated timeline for the POE as well.