TerriandEric

Ugh yeah it's a tad frustrating when you are dealing with people in power and you know more about the process than they do!

I am hearing you on that one. The Police Station at Campbelltown had NO IDEA what I needed to do. I was telling them, ok I need my fingerprints taken, yes tick that box, yes it is for a visa purpose...my mother sat there laughing.

I do agree that it sucks that there is no uniformity in the pricings from state to state. Also some blood tests or jabs we need if you do through your GP you may be lucky to have them bulk billed -- others not so lucky. I guess it all balances out in the wash especially considering that some of us have to book flights & accommodation to travel to Sydney for interview.

I am still sitting where we have been for the last 5 days on Igor's list, waiting for someone somewhere to pick up our file & rubber stamp it....instead of having inter office soccer matches LOL

I guess I was being a little mean there. Just got word that we've been approved (literally the email came in 5 minutes ago)! It wasn't just a desk move! I'm so happy and excited and now I need to do more than just stare at the forms. And Yuri will be here at Easter. We didn't have a single touch on our case these whole 3 months so I thought it was just buried.

Good luck to all the rest of the December filers. I look forward to seeing your updates on the rest of the process.

CONGRATS Emma!!! I keep logging in and not seeing any movement on it is driving me nuts LOL

Eric mailed the package to me a couple of days ago and we have our medicals on Tuesday (Aussie time) so I am still hopeful for an April reunion for my birthday.

Astrid the photos are absolutely stunning!!!!

Hi guys an update from me ...

I got my blood results back today! It showed immunity to MMR and chicken pox, so I should be good be all set at the medical and if not, oh well lol. I got printouts of the Boostrix I had last week and these current immunity blood results.

I booked an appointment at the Melbourne Consulate for my baby's CRBA stuff, for March 31st. Still waiting on the other half to finish the paperwork and post it over, but I've given him a deadline as I just want to get this part out the way and paid for etc.

I have been working on putting our K1 together. I have done our cover letter, intent letters and my G-325A. I plan on having it ALL done, before I leave for the States in June (apart from the evidence of meeting and us signing each document and etc). I have dated everything July 1st, so we will be July filers ... I cannot wait!! We would file in June but we thought having a few weeks together first, to get a good collection of photos, atm receipts etc, would be better. We will only have to get a photocopy of his birth certificate (he has no passport) and our pics and we should be good to go! Oh and I'm going to make 3 or 4 copies of our petition, just to be on the safe side!

Can you tell I'm very excited? lol ... I can't wait to be with him permanently with no more trying to catch each other online because of work and stupid time differences lol.

YAY it will be here before you know it hunny! I am sure I am not the only one to totally relate with the catching each other online between schedules -- it truly sucks trying to organise it all but we all do what we can for the one we love. I am lucky with Eric's work schedule being work rom home 2 nights a week & in the office 2 nights....which means he goes to bed whenI do at night & we get our days (well his nights) on web cam talking & getting stuff done. It also makes a HUGE chunk of evidence for the interview with a tonne of chat logs.

Eric mailed the I134 to me this morning and weighed it before hand -- 11lbs! HOLY #######! I guess it isnt too bad considering it has my copy of the I129F in it as well. I should have it all here by Friday our time...fingers crossed!

Congrats to all the filers who've been approved. Does anybody who filed early in the month feel like the newer ones got dumped on top of ours and we're now at the bottom of a pile?

That is exactly how I am feeling

Absolutely Gorgeous photo Astrid!

$700 instead of $300? I have no clue where you got those numbers. The only USCIS/DOS expenses for the K1 visa are the petition and the interview fees. The initial K1/I129F petition was $455. The interview fee has been $131, and sometime this year, it will become $350 (though it seems to be consulate dependent between now and the official notice, as the State Department has not officially increased the cost, and from the Brazilian IV consulate has told me, $131 is still valid for my interview date). Even if once it increases by $350, that's a $219 increase, not $400. So even if you were paying $300 between medical and the interview, it'd be $519 instead of $300, not $700.

The reason I said $700 is I was including my daughters visa fee as well as mine -- hence if the increase comes into effect it is in fact $700 for our visa fee!

Congrats Kainen & Kanpoko

Ok so I am going out of my mind here! It says estimated NOA2 -- Feb 25 - March 9 ..... I am patiently waiting CSC ...PLEASE APPROVE OUR BLOODY PETITION ALREADY!

Vanessa is a legend!

Oh most definately!! I would have been totally lost without all the info she has dug up throughout her process & shared with us all.

It was the expensive one -- soooo happy that Vanessa found that info!

I am the bearer of good news and you will love me eternally...

The HPV vaccine, as of Dec 14, 2009 is NO LONGER REQUIRED for visa purposes. Just in case you're scared to believe me here's some links to have you jumping for joy

It's okay, you can thank me later :D

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Oh Vanessa I could just kiss you LMAO! My daughter is as we speak jumping for joy! :dance: :dance:

Oh that is #######!! IMHO they should let people that have filed, up until March 1st, pay the $131 or whatever it currently is! I knew I'd have to pay double, I'm just glad my baby is USC so that will be one less to pay for luckily!

It all adds up doesn't it ... I'm not complaining but everything little thing seems to be big chunks of cash, not a little bit here and there lol.

How much did your medicals cost Tez? Was Bek's a little cheaper than yours? Just wondering because as you know, I will be forking out double for that like you also lol.

Bek's medical is going to cost us $209..where as mine is $310 so hers is a little cheaper.

I agree it isn't just little bits of money there is just chunks of cash every time we turn around. On top of this process there is then AOS & a wedding to pay for....none of it is cheap but it is so worth every single cent, every tear we shed over missing our fiance's so darn much....its worth it all -- does not mean we can not whinge when there are processes a government department does that annoy us royally.

Hiya Candice and welcome

Tez my Boostrix was free I guess because I've just had a baby. Does your arm have a very tender lump on it? Mine does and yesterday I felt quite achey through my body and just didn't feel 100% ... side effects I guess! Once I get my blood immunity results back next week and if I require anymore jabs, I'll be making them use the other arm lol.

That is a crazy amount for the cervical cancer vacc!! I bet you near fainted .

The price took my breath away for sure...I just looked at the pharmacist & said 'ummm not today thanks' I will ring the US doctor and speak to the receptionist and find out if my daughter NEEDS to have that particular injection prior to leaving Australia.

/rant on/ On top of everything else we read last night that the K1 fees have gone up and apparently they come into effect as of March 1 -- which totally sucks because we are days away from NOA2 and now we need to find another $400 just to pay the visa fee for both of us. I was livid when I read it last night and ranted at Eric about it -- I mean to my way of thinking (and a few others as well) it is nothing short of extortion for those of us who have already filed & in the middle of the process...surely they would grandfather the fees for those of us...but being a government department -- not likely!!! /end rant/

So from what I have read the new visa fee we would pay prior to interview is now going to be $350...so now it will costs my fiance & myself $700 as opposed to $300. Talk about a huge price increase!!

I was lucky regarding the Cervical Cancer injections I was turning 27 during the process of having them and I still got them for free (the cut of was 26). I think my Dr was just trying to get as many young women to have them as possible to protect them.

Lime green will definately stand out. I bought rainbow coloured straps to go around mine to help identify them.

Terri, is the Tetanus Boostrix the TDap or TP, was just wondering? id guess by the name its TP.

Candice

It was the TDap we had done.

The Cervical Cancer shot was a good thing but I was well past the age for it lol...geez talk about sounding like an old woman LOL.

Ok I have just spent the morning at my GP getting the Tetanus Boostrix which is required...take note this is all specific to NSW.

I had to pay for the injection -- it is not covered under medicare or under any form of concession card. It cost $41.95 whilst it is not a great deal in the grand scheme of the process but it is still another cost to add to the total. The Boostrix is free if you have just had a baby apparently, but it has been some time since that has happened for me lol so I didnt qualify. My 12 year old daughter needed the 3rd dose of the Cervical Cancer injections and let me say this I near had a heart attack. As it is no longer on the government subsidy it costs a whopping $240 and she HAS to have it. PAINFUL! Bek is now a very sore little girl at present...raiding the dvd shelf for the afternoon lol.

I hope everyone else is having a great weekend -- I am enjoying some peace & quiet for today & then into packing my luggage which arrived the other morning....a 5 piece luggage set that I got on Ebay for $95 including shipping & insurance. LIME GREEN as well -- so we wont miss that on the carousels lol.

Hi all excuse my butting in. I've been lurking for awhile and decide to add myself to the fray.

So I decided to make the appointment with my local GP and get the vaccines I need (MMR/TDap). Was still tossing up weather I need the titre test but decided against it. I will just get the shots and get what evidence he has and worry about the rest later. Are prior vaccines like polio and such relevant? Do they need to know I had them? I think probably not

Has anyone thought about their pill? And how much they will take with them?

Oh um I know you weren't talking to me but I will be based in Sarasota FL.

hmmm why do I feel like I am butting in on a converstation.

good luck and wishes to all

Candice

Hi Candice

You are never butting in here. I got a full immunity count from my GP so that I will also have evidence of my immunities for when I an stateside. I need to get my tetanus booster tomorrow considering I stepped on a bloody nail a little while ago & my foot hurts now lol If you ring the doctor you are going to see for you medical and they should be able to tell you what you need. In Sydney Dr Miller's receptionist is a fount of information as to what is required by the US Government.

I can't help with the pill question as I can not take it at all but I am sure there is someone who can help in our wonderful group here.

Hope you stick around with us in here -- we really are a friendly bunch :thumbs:

Well, like we say in Spanish "Tanto nadar para morir en la orilla".

"All this swimming just to die on the shore"

My fiancé and I broke up so, I guess I'm going to let the process take it's course. See if something changes between now and then. If not then he can just abandon the process when the letter from the embassy arrives. C'est la Vie

Good luck with the interview tomorrow

I am so sorry to hear that..many hugs on the way

Went and got my one and only required injection today. Ouchie But it was free so that makes it all better... I have a sore arm to remind me though :-(

Im going to get mine tomorrow as well -- its going to hurt

Yeah skype webcam is what we use as well...and I also logg all skype chats and yahoo messenger chats as well....Im sure by the time of her interview we will have plenty, lol. Anyone know of a good way to contain all of the chat loggs? A binder would be to small..possibly some sort of document box or something Im assuming would work.

Matt

We use MSN and Skye when MSN is being a pain in the neck. We have saved all chat logs and I have printed 3 random ones from each month for the last 12 months as well as the Skype logs. Also printing out some of the emails from over the time as well. I have it all in a binder folder tabbed so that the Interviewer can see them easily.

CONGRATS Astrid & Alex I am glad to hear you had an amazing day.

You found them on FB? Maybe we can start harassing them to get their work done instead of playing football on our time :-)

For every goal they should approve 10 in the stacks on their desks :whistle:

Received passport with visa inside on Friday! Will book my flight this Thursday (payday)..aiming for departure in April sometime..was wondering what people think of having a small wedding first, then having a bigger celebration in say a years time. The thought of having a big wedding within 3 months of arriving freaks me out..i know my immediate family feel like they should come over..I just dont feel its enough time for my family to come over from NZ...it will cost between $8000-$1000 for the four of them to fly over not counting all other expensives...and travelling overseas for my parents is a big deal..certainly not something they would do on a whim. I would really like them to meet my fiances parents before we marry, just so they can not worry about me too much moving overseas! Im not interested in a extravagent wedding as its not my style, but I would like to have something to celebrate us. Thinking of a small ceremony somewhere in San diego somewhere and a bbq back at fiances parents house..maybe around 60 guests (mostly matts family, and mutual friends)...but then I start to think about it too much and completely overwhelm myself (given that im stressed enough with just moving country, etc etc) so I just think Id rather elope to Hawaii just Matt and I , and have a small ceremony there combined with a honeymoon...any maybe have a bbq with close friends and his family when we get back..im so indecisive. i guess my fear of having a courthouse wedding first and a bigger ceremony in a years time, I will not have the same affect as we will already be married..does anyone have the same issues...or am I doing my own head in too much? ha

Hi Rosa,

Everything you have said is justified and I can relate. I guess I am lucky that my parents have met Eric and spent copious amount of time with him & his parents on web cam. So my parents are comfortable with me going there.

The wedding stuff...totally relate to it all! We have after many discussions decided on a small wedding on the property where we will live (the blessings of 3 acres) with a web cast for my family back here to log in to view. My mother can not fly due to DVT so its not possible for them to be there...so this is the closest thing we could do. Even though we have made these choices there are still the ones of dress, flowers, cake etc. The only one I am going nuts over is a good photographer! They will be the things that last a lifetime so I want someone fantastic (without a fantastic price tag!!!)

On this page http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fees.html it says:

"K1, K2, K3 & K4 Applicants

The new fee is US $131.00 Applicants who paid the prior US $100 before January 1, 2008, will be processed only if they are scheduled and appear for a visa interview before January 31. Applicants who paid the prior US $100 application fee and appear for the visa interview after January 31, 2008 must pay the difference — US $31.00 before they can be interviewed."

So it looks like it's an "each" fee. Wait until you get P3 but if he send you too much it doesn't really matter too much I think. The reason I tell you to wait is because while the fee is US$131, it DOESN'T depend on the current currency exchange. Your letter will tell you exactly how much you need to pay and it's based on whenever they sent the letter.. but even then it's only updated monthly apparently so you won't know how much it is till the letter comes.

Good luck! Getting so close!

Thanks Vanessa you are truly a gem! He sent the money through on the chance it was for each as well as the medical money...so at least that is out of the way. I have had my blood test & got the results for my immunities so I am good to go. Police Check is done, luggage sorted, compiling of the evidence is done I just need to print off the forms & fill them out so when Packet 3 arrives I can go get it all sent back the same day.

At this stage we are on track for a April 18 reunion :dance:

That's a really good qn which I don't know the answer to sorry I believe it will be on your form though for P3 when it arrives.

Without going back to check, how old is your daughter? Maybe I can look it up if I know how old she is

I wasnt sure if anyone would know because everyone else has not done the child thing for immigration lol. She will be 13 in two weeks (EEEK!) We have been looking and I asked at the Post Office but they were not sure.