Wow. That really sucks! But even if you drove there, they don't know where it is! Ugh. Hopefully she checks in with them soon and reveals the top secret location of your passport. Good luck!

Thanks. I'm feeling pretty hopeless right now.

don't give up; it will work out

don't know why things've got to be crappy sometimes though... you did NOT need this right now

it will, at least, be a great story to tell after it's all safely over...

Ok, they have now found my passport. Again. I know I'm probably being a little irrational, but I'm just going to go and get it. What is 8 hours of my day, compared to finding out it has gone AWOL again, and having to deal with that. Hmmm.... How to get about getting back to New York...? At least I have my new Tom Tom to help

STP - I have sworn Marty to secrecy about this whole thing. I feel like such an idiot. It's nice that I can come here and worry about it though!

@ you driving to New York

Rather you than me..... Would it not be better to wait till tomorrow? Can they not overnight it tonight?

Don't worry, gonna get the coach. I know it's a bit over the top, but I can't deal with the worry.

Good luck. I hope you get it all sorted out quickly.

Ok, the coach. That's better.

No, it's not silly... I can understand the worry. I would be panicking too!!

y'know, I'd just go and get it too

as you say, this is REALLY a case of a passport in the hand being worth two in the hotel
or whatever

and you may have sworn him to secrecy now, but that's because it's still a bit raw... give it even a week or two and I bet you'll feel differently about it

Same here. You want something done right, you've gotta do it yourself.
This way you won't have to stress about any possibility of it getting lost in the mail or anything.
I hope your trip is quick & easy.

among the many reasons why i love living in new york, there is this:

http://bam.org/film/series.aspx?id=182







yea, im replying to myself and there is nothing you guys can do about it

I can - I can - I can raise my monobrow at you!!

*does so*

*runs away frantically*

Now I know I'm normally a lurker in this particular thread, but I have a quick announcment for the Uk Thread Hijackers:


This thread is back, and the OP's not finished talking about his Special Delivery reccomendation. Can anyone think of any good hijacks?? StP, you must immediatley start MESSING WITH HIS LIFFFFEEEE!!!!!!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...40&start=40

oh, I just saw that

I was considering just quoting him verbatim in my 'UK Equivalents' thread which is now hopelessly off topic, but I thought the people in there might think I was serious

@ the comment made regarding them letting ANYONE in (the serious comment, not the sarcastic one )...some people

tee hee hee

poiteen's reply over there is farking hilarious

any reply I made just detracted from it, so in the end I just quoted it, which is probably mystifying some people even as we speak

cuz you NEVER quote

hey all. Been thinking about the AOS stuff recently. Mainly panic about the finances again as Nick doesn't make enough to be my sponsor.

It's kinda like you realise the light at the end of the k-1 tunnel is just a huge freight train called AOS heading straight for you. I keep thinking that because Nick doesn't make enough that I'll be refused and sent back to Scotland.

Can you get a co-sponsor again? If you can I can't see it being a problem for you, you'll be fine.

Gillian

same friend of the family that we were going to use for K-1 but never actually needed has said he's more than happy to co-sponsor. I just know they are more strict at this stage.

Try not to worry. I've been hanging out in the AOS forum for a while now and loads of people have co-sponsors and have done just fine. I think that a lot of people who have one for the K1 also need one for AOS so there's a lot of people out there in the same boat. Start perusing some of the threads in there and you'll see what I mean, and it may help to put your mind at rest. Please try not to worry, there are a lot of us here who will do everything we can to help you.

Gillian

debz, they are NOT going to come after you and deport you for having a co-sponsor! everything else aside, if you read some of the hair-raising stories about people who have found that their partner was using them for a green card, sometimes there are still questions over whether the non-USC will be deported... if they don't get all of THOSE, they are most certainly not going to get YOU

Ok, passport is back in my possesion! It took 9 hrs and $80, but it was so worth it. And I got to experience something new Marty thinks I am crazy for getting the coach, and worries that I don't understand the safety implications of travelling on an Intercity coach via Baltimore. Am I naive, or is he being a little dramatic? I know Baltimore is not a very safe city, but public transport is something I'm not really happy to give up.

Unless she is using him for a green card

You aren´t naive if you carry a gun in your pocket
Public transport in this country can be scary sometimes I am not sure I´d be allowed to take the bus on my own...

three cheers for lisalu!

...or since, as in space, on the internet no one can hear you scream (or cheer), three dancing dudes:

Don´t worry about the AOS Debz Having a co-sponsor is fine

Yay for Lisa

I think he was probably being a little over dramatic... I mean you made it there and back in one piece! Obviously you have to be a little more careful but I can't see Baltimore being THAT much more dangerous than some parts of London...

The thing is that in London just about everybody uses public transport (well most people do)....compared to USA where everybody mostly drives their cars. Therefore whoever takes a long distance bus seems to be suspicious. I have seen some people waiting for a long distance buses and they seemed like normal people to me so I don´t know. Maybe it´s just some prejudice....I´m just saying what I was told. Some of our friends took a bus like that in the past and they said they were searched for guns and stuff. So I guess it might be common that people who travel by buses like that carry guns and/or drugs or something... So I guess just something to be aware of

Thanks for the cheers! Maybe I should be a little more cautious... Although with my driving skills, I am probably safer chancing the terrors that public transport may bring I am off to run errands now, but I'm doing everything possible to avoid getting in the car. I've driven by myself here before, but I am still nervous, especially as I need to find a new place today. Ah well, gotta be brave! See ya

ive taken the greyhound bus from florida to nyc a few times (i was poor and couldnt afford the flight)...some of the people can be a bit shady (ie: drunk old guy who puked in the back of the bus - - - the bus driver kicked him off in the middle of nowhere!!), but for the most part they just keep to themselves...you will definitely get an occassional stoner who didnt want to go through airport security with his weed stash, but that is the exception

Oh that sounds blissful - how long have you got now?! I am soo excited... but Jeremy isn't up yet and I wanted to book the cheap flights we found I will kill him if we lose them!!! GRR!!!



Hahaha - sounds like the OT forum



I did my duty!! And StP was right - I did have to scrutinise carefully to see if she added anything to that quoted post



Hey hun I'm all for worrying (do a pretty good job of it myself) but you'll never enjoy life if you *always* worry Sit back and chill out a bit while you have the chance - before you know it you'll be back in the rat race again You *will* be fine - why would they refuse your co-sponsor when it is the same person they approved your K-1 with?!



Yay!! At least the fiasco is over now!!!

Jerlay, what site did you find your cheap flight on? I am booking mine on Friday (slack, I know....) and I have found a one way flight from Heathrow to Dulles for £246... Just wondering if you know of any cheaper?

*gulp*

about... twelve days

Well it was found through Kayak and it was with Air France... but now it is $500 more because the ones we had our eye on were all sold out



OMG!! You must be so nervous and excited!! I am a mix of emotions at the moment - I think I will feel happier when I have got more things sorted out... of course the finality of it might just make me more nervous...

Eeek at 12 days... I have 14 Chris still hasn't found anywhere to live I haven't booked my flight yet

I've booked my flights... and booked my removalists... finished up at work... got all manner of odds and ends to tie up, but I THINK I'll make it

and after months of agonising over leaving my beloved London, I am finally mainly just excited

Tash, it's getting close! I'm sure you'll feel better once you're here.

Social Security Card Update - The information on visajourney says to wait two weeks, to ensure you were in the SAVE-ASVI system, because if you are not, SSA would have to manually apply to DHS to check you were ok.

Well, I was too impatient for that (I am sorry to those who gave me that advice), and went yesterday, 5 days after entering the USA. I was lucky, I only waited five minutes. I explained to the lady that I wanted to check I was in the system, but she didn't know anything about SAVE-ASVI. She went ahead and processed my application, although I had asked her not to enter me in manually. She said she would not enter me in manually. Then she did, but I think it was because I hadn't checked exactly what was involved. I thought it would be fairly simple to say "Can you check if I am in the system please?" But it is not. Then she told me it would take 4-8 weeks to receive my SS card! I asked if they would know my number before I received the card, but she said no. Since then, I found this...

[i]Status of the verification process that SSA completes before it issues SSN to a non-citizen



Under current SSA regulations issued post 9/11, SSA will not issue SSNs to non US citizens without independent verification from DHS of the alien's status. SSA participates in the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) program in order to obtain DHS status verification. The SAVE process allows SSA to make the following verification queries:

(1) Electronic query by SSA into ASVI (Alien Status Verification Index)
(2) For refugees or asylees: fax query to RAPS (Refugee, Asylum and Parole System) if not in ASVI
(3) Manual query by SSA to DHS via G-845 if not in ASVI or RAPS - effective 1/5/2004 for F, M, J, SSA faxes G-845 to Los Angeles status verification office (CIS) for status verification via SEVIS, for all others G-845 is mailed to a district status verification office (CIS).
[/i]

Now, I know she didn't fill out a paper form, so I am just hoping she didn't need to fill out a G-845 on her computer, although she didn't know what that was either. She just told me not to believe everything I hear, and to leave it to the professionals! She did say I WAS in the system, but I don't know what one... I wish I understood it all more. The annoying thing is that SSA gave me a letter saying I could work while I was waiting for my SS number, but my job can't enter me into the system until I have my number!!!! Ah well, I have plenty of time on my hands now to get on with wedding planning!

AHHHHHHH!!!!!! What a nightmare!! I feel a bit better now - we don't have a place to live yet either BUT!!! I have my ticket booked!!! YIPPEE!!! And I called Air France and they said it was fine to take my cat with me and some nice French dude explained everything (plus he had a cool accent) and I feel sooooooo much happier now!! (Even if he couldn't find my ticket at first )

Now I just have to book Jeremy's but once again I am waiting for him to get out of bed...

AND!!!!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

I GOT THE TEXT MESSAGE!!!

I can safely say now that I do not have AIDS or VD and my visa is due to be delivered to work tomorrow So as I have to be there at 8am I decided to leave early today I love my job

Oh Lisalu So she did enter you manually? I don´t know if I understand it right. In any case it sounds like she told you to wait for your card longer than what is usual ...Hope it goes faster than that

Oh no....where´s Chris living at now?

It´s gonna be great STP for you to see your home country again and all your family and friends and having Dave there with you makes it even so much better I´m so happy for you
Now ofcourse it means we won´t hear from you for quite some time I guess but we will unselfishly wait for you to come back to us with arms open wide and a huge smile on our faces

Well done Aly

Am I just talking here to myself? Where did all my frieeeends go?

Has anyone seen Julez´s wedding pics? I don´t remember seeing them... Where can I find them Julez?

We went to see our friends last night and so I made them a cheesecake. I made two actually and the other one stayed in our fridge. It´s soooooooooooooooo delicious. If someone wants to talk to me I might as well offer them some

*goes to prepare the bribes*

Just stop over to dinner and I will bore you to death looking at my wedding pics!

I never posted any here. Maybe someday



Will show wedding pics for cheesecake!

Oh I see

*eats the cheesecake all alone*



Haha OK I´ll come (not sure if they let the cheesecake on the plane with me)