Justine, great to hear you made it safe and sound and thanks for posting a pic.

Welcome to Lux, it's exciting to see our little community here growing. Kim I'm feeling like approval for you and Russ must be just around the corner now!

My latest news is I have my visa safe in and hand and I have a signed offer in on my house, it's conditional on a couple of things which hopefully will not be an issue. I'll know in 10 days time if this will go ahead or not. So far looking good, yippee.

Oh my goodness Kel!!! Congratulations!!! Well you've had a good week haven't you?

Two days till the visa was ready or did you just have it sent?

I had the visa sent out to me via courier package, however it was very fast. I sent my sons birth certificate via courier on the 8th of July. The visa was stamped as approved on the 9th of July and I received it back via the courier on the 11th of July (it was sent to my parents so I could be sure someone would be home to receive it and apparently they woke them up at 8am!).

So, looks like it took only a day for the actual processing of it all.

Thanks Kel!

Michelle, sorry I missed your first question. Rob will need to send the I-134 (affidavit of support) and supporting documents as well as your joint sponsor. You should be all set as long as they do not think you will become a public charge.

I am self employed and my income is well beyond the 125% but the Consulate recommended that Russ bring his own CV/Resume along to the interview so perhaps that is an option for you as well. I don't think you'll have a problem.

Here's to getting that nice shiny new lung!

Thanks for that Kim, I know I'm freaking out a bit and missing the stuff that's in the guide, it's weird, I read it and read it and still manage to miss whole parts of it

I know what you mean... I still go over my forms when someone gets an RFE to make sure I didn't do the same thing! Even though I went over it many times.

go over the list item by item.... i'll be happy to look at what you've done when you're ready if you wish.

Welcome along Lux.

Congrats Ruby - must be great to finally be there.

No further news our end, we are just hanging out waiting for my interview in Aug (well Brook is hanging out, I'm working like mad to make sure I have my current projects wrapped up so I can leave with a clean slate), and starting to put together a plan of the logisitcs of the whole pick up the family and move them across the world thing (especially when our kids will only be 20 months and 5 months old at the time). I have also basically finished my CV/Resume and will start the great job hunt soon.

Hope everyone else is making progress, no matter how slow and tedious it may seem to be. It has occured to me how tough it must be for those of you who aren't physically together through all of this, it must be very very hard, and our thoughts are with you (we were talking about this the other night).

Cheers

Grant

Oh yeah - congrats Kelzm on getting through the interview etc, and for the review of the consulate. I'm always glad, when reading the Auckland Consulate reviews, that this is where the interview takes place, the seem to go out of their way to help.

Cheers

Grant

Ok i know this is a really dumb question but going over my forms again i'm worried that i can't fit everything into the little boxes, addresses for one. I've tried looking for some sort of preference that says to wrap the text in the box, like in excel but i can't find anything. Any ideas?

Michelle

Hey all!

Nice to see all the Kiwi/American couples posting! When I joined this site last year there weren't many around so I didn't really get into posting.

I moved to Auckland in June of 2006 so we could live together for a while before applying for a fiancee visa for my partner Chris. But after thinking about it we decided to just get married here and do DCF since there was no huge reason we needed to get married in the States. Of course, after getting new passports sorted out (we both changed our names) the Consulates were not accepting DCF due to the Adam Walsh Law. So we dealt with NZ immigration to try and extend my visitor's permit in hopes that the Consulates would be accepting DCF relatively soon. Well, they did, but because I was on a visitor's permit they decided that wasn't enough, so we had to file with USCIS instead.

Trying to handle all that paperwork while not actually being present in the US has been an adventure, dealing with NZ immigration on top of that has been even more fun! But, it doesn't matter really because we've been able to stay together here. We really feel for all of you that are processing while living apart. We met online and so spent time apart until I was able to move here, but I'll never forget the feeling of being separated like that.

We just got notification of our interview date, August 19th! A friend of ours in the States is handling Chris' side of things but she didn't receive any medical forms and we probably won't see my set of forms from NVC for another 3 weeks. I'm debating on whether we need to contact the Consulate for the information on the medical check since we don't have any of those forms and mail between here and the NVC has been anywhere from 3-5 weeks for some odd reason. I've heard some Consulate horror stories but from the reviews I've read of the Auckland one the people there seem to be pretty efficient and helpful for the most part. I hope that's our experience too! *crosses fingers*

Hope everyone is staying warm, or cool, depending on which side of the equator you're reading this from!

Cheers!
Tiara

Michelle, your best bet is to write those answers in. There is no way to reformat the form it just adds the + sign. They should really fix that.

Hi Tiara, good to meet you. Congratulations on your interview. Our dealings with the Consulate have been very positive.

It is very hard being apart. I'm sure I don't have to explain to you the euphoria we will feel when we are finally together for good. We should be close now... approval in a week or two and hopefuly an interview within a month. Some have had luck trying to expedite the interview. After 10 months apart we're hoping we're able to move it along as fast as we can.

Michelle- We filled them out by hand after I ended up yelling at the program for a bit. We ended up filling them out several times until everything fit nicely and legibly, sent them the originals, and kept a photocopied set for ourselves.

Kim- Good to meet you too! I can only imagine what you must be feeling. I hope your approval comes fast and you guys can push up the interview date. It's amazing how much trouble people have to go through to be with the ones they love. No one I know had any clue what all goes into trying to be together when you've fallen in love with someone half a world away. They all assumed as soon as we got married we'd be on the next flight to the US. *snort*

I'm glad I've gotten the chance to live here though (even if we live in constant limbo). NZ is a beautiful country and I think that experiencing leaving everything to come here has made me more aware of just how much Chris will go through moving to the US. I've already found sources in the US for Kiwi food. LOL We'll move back here at some point, just not to Auckland (it reminds me of LA).

I noticed you're an east coast girl, so am I! Although not Boston (really want to visit up there though), I'm from Maryland. My dad was in the military though so I moved like every 3 years. Still want to be back on the east coast, but right now I'll take anywhere Chris finds a good job (since I'll be going to school), so odds are it'll be more like Seattle or San Fransisco area (all the IT jobs).

-Tiara

thanks again guys

and welcome yankiwi, finding this website for me was a godsend, you'll find lots of help here

Hi There

Our interview for me is August 19th as well.

8.30am for me.

Cheers

Grant

Hi Grant!

9 am for us! We're sure to run into each other since I hear sometimes the process can take a few hours (or at least their notice said so). Since I'm here in NZ we'll both be at the interview. How exciting! I'm biting my nails already...

You did DCF, right? I'm assuming you went in person to file, how was the Consulate? Does getting through security take very long?

Cheers!
Tiara

I'm born and raised in Leominster, MA. It's about an hour (40 miles) north west of Boston. I own the home my mom grew up in and my family all live within miles. We spend a lot of time together ...which is why Russell is moving here. Of course, we've known each other for 10 years and Russell has always been aware that I wouldn't want to leave here... right now anyway. I do agree tho, NZ is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Especially where he is... (opotiki)... his parents own some seaside maori land in whangarua bay as well. We'll be back as often as possible. Just a shame it's so far away. I'm actually in the IT field too but I work for myself. Small world.

How neat you guys will meet up. Gee if we're approved this week perhaps we can get that Aug 19th date too! Let them know we're coming!

Hi Tiara

Cool - we will run into each other definately. You can listen to all my interview answers at the Consulate (the interviews don't appear to be the most private thing in the world). My wife (the USC) may not be there, as we have a young baby (Clay), and it may be easier if we do not bring him (less stress and all that). Although we are umm'ing and ahh'ing whether she comes. The lady in the Consulate said there was no need for her to be there if it was easier for her to stay home and look after Clay.

Yes - we went the DCF route. We are pretty experienced with the Consulate now, as we have been there a few times to register our two kids as US Citizens, get them passports etc. We filed in person for my immigration Visa (just showed up with the paperwork, and the Consulate staff were brilliant).

Security is easy and quick. They just make sure you are there for legitimate reasons, xray your bags etc, take your keys and cellphones off you, and let you in. There is sometimes a queue, but you won't wait longer than a few minutes even then. 9 am is probably the busiest time, so you may want to get there 15 minutes early.

Cheers

Grant

How cool you guys will be able to meet up at the interview. Good luck to you both! I hope it's a breeze!

Hey everyone! Wow, lots of news and updates for everyone.

Kim and Russ, I hope you guys hear soon. Kel, how'd everything go for you with the house? For those about to be interviewed, GOOD LUCK! We are very lucky in NZ. Our Consulate people are awesome!

For my part, I'm wandering around my house trying to figure out how to fit everything in 2 suitcases. I have to figure it out quick, cos we're flying out August 10th! I don't know who's more excited ... me, Jeremy or the kids! LOL.

Wow Tracey, how exciting for your family!!! Good luck trying to fit everything! I'll never forget moving Russell here with all his things in 2006... we had already been in AUS for a couple months and were on our way to NZ for a while. We had the kids with us as well and about 10 suitcases/duffle bags just full of stuff. A few bags were over in weight and we had one too many so we were in the middle of the airport re-arranging everything and weighing each one right up to the ounce. Happened to us again on our way out of NZ ...we decided to just pay all the extra fees that time!

August 10th! That's not far away at all, congrats, it's finally happening for you. Good luck for the trip and don't forget to post after you've arrived.

On my last visit over I took a suitcase filled with clothes I knew I wouldn't be needing, I'm thinking that I'm going to have too much for two suitcases still though. Erk. Kim - do you have any info on the extra baggage charges? I'd read somewhere they charged per suitcase, do you know if that's true?

I'll second that about the consulate, I think we're very lucky in NZ compared to a lot of other countries. I wasn't even asked to show any of the evidence that I brought in and the interview was pretty painless as I stood at the counter. They really are there to help us through the process.

My update - house still under conditional contract, 5 more working days till it's uncondiitional (dependant on a builders report).

Hi all,

Just thought I would touch base to let you know that I went and had my biometrics taken a couple of days ago. All went well. Now just waiting for my Work Authorization to come through and for the AOS process to roll on.

Hope all your journeys are going along fine.

Cheers,

Mark

Kel.. I think they charge you over the first 2 allowed at a certain kg. Each airline is different. Here's some links Russell got for me last night...

Qantas

Air NZ

Mark, nice to see you checking in. Congratulations on getting the AOS going. Do keep us posted.

Hey Grant,

Ah yes, I've read that interviews are just done at a window, so that should be interesting. Thankfully in NZ we don't have to deal with some of the problems I've read about at other Consulates in regards to styles of questions that are asked.

If we had a baby I'd be inclined to stay home as well, but would probably feel torn about it. I'm sure you'll both make the right decision when the day comes, sometimes these things are best decided in the spur of the moment!

I'm glad to hear security isn't too much hassle. We live over on the North Shore so we'll have to head across the bridge before morning traffic (6:30-7am...meh) so we'll find a cafe to chill at for a bit and then head to the Consulate. Plus, I'm all too familiar with the odd things that tend to spring up when you've got an important appointment to make, so we'll be there early. LOL

Cheers,
Tiara

Awww...when I was growing up I always wished we'd just live in one place with all our family around us! If things were that way I would have had a much harder time coming here. But, with growing up here, there, and everywhere, and having crazy family estranged from each other on both sides (seriously, my parents families are like soap operas) I've never been settled in one place.

Problem is I get attached to the places I'm in at the moment, and every time I leave one I'm miserable for a while. I'm already moping about leaving NZ! We're plotting a few places to try and go before leaving since I won't be able to come into the country for over 2 years (since that's how long I've been here). *sighs* Why can't NZ be closer to the US?? My bank account would surely appreciate it MUCH more!

It's incredible you've known each other for so long! And soon you'll be together...we'll keep hoping that August 19th interview date for him too!!

I've often wondered if people in the IT industry have a higher rate of online romances than the general population. I don't work in IT, but all these couples have got me thinking that once I have my psych degrees and such sorted out online couple's therapy might be the way to go...and I married the perfect person to help me sort out the technical side of it!

Cheers!
Tiara

Tiara, that is so funny... I went to school for psych but learned soon after that those instructing me seemed to need those services more than anyone else I knew. Needless to say, I never got that degree. It's still a great passion of mine and I often find myself in 'the counselor' role. I dont mind though as i've always been that way and it's who I was meant to be. Perhaps some day i'll go back to it.

I stayed home with my children (now 16 & 13) for 15 years. Not being the typical SAHM ..every chance I got I self taught myself how to fix computers and then networking, html, php, perl, sql, css, dreamweaver, photoshop...etc, etc...with every spare moment I had. Once my ex husband and I separated that was just the logical choice to make some money. Now I host my own server and control many websites but really I do anything related to helping small businesses in the area jump into this century and work more effeciently without getting screwed by the big name places. It's fun.. I do what I want, when I want which still leaves me time to be with my kids and to travel when I can.

When my children were very small and the internet pretty new to most, we had this one place where all of my friends with small children chatted daily after the kids went to sleep. Russell just happened in there one night. We were really great friends for a long time... great way to start our relationship. He was in University (Chistchurch) and I was merely playing with computers at the time. I think IT people just have more time online and more in common perhaps.

I can understand your feelings about moving to the US. If I didn't have the family and friends I do here I would certainly be in NZ more often although, i'm not sure how much Russell could put his Geology degree to work in Opotiki. It's just so far away from everything else. He has two siblings still living on his parents farm, a sister in Dunedin and a sister in AUS. They're pretty spead out as well. How come you can't travel back to NZ for two years? We probably wont be back before then either. Russell's family is flying to the US in the spring to see us 'married' and we plan on having a child together and then there will be work... NZ isn't really the place you can spend just a week in after 20+ hours of travel!

I hope you'll love living in the US and that you'll find the family and friends here that make you never want to leave!

Just checking in..still here..still waiting

Not much happening out of Vermont just lately ..or is it just me?

Nice to see a few more from Auckland!

Wow..Opotiki, it's a lovely area ..my ex mother-in-law is there

Hi cdneh! What part of Auckland are you from? I reside in Bucklands Beach

Hey guys, we changed our username on here to more accurately represent ourselves, so I'm no longer Lux. I just paid for my tickets to go and see Evan in September! Hope the immigration officer lets me in!

oh hey guys, i'm in titirangi

hey guys,

good to hear everyone's immigration processes are moving along nicely.

well, i've been here a week and a half now, and i'm loving it! jordan is everything i knew he would be, and more. no homesickness yet - not sure if i will get homesick. i didn't leave much behind: i was working two crappy jobs, in a shared living situation that was making me miserable, most of my friends had moved way, was spending all my time at home or at work, and had no life outside of that. i'm super stressed about job-hunting here, but if i'd stayed in nz i would have stayed at the same crappy jobs anyway. and i really, really love this area - the bay area is so gorgeous, and so full of character. and the weather is great - i was totally petrified about the heat, but it's been really temperate. at night, while jordan is throwing off the blankets and blasting a fan in his face, i'm wrapped up in two layers of blankets, with my feet curled under his legs to keep warm!

now for the technical stuff: the whole customs thing was very, very strange! first of all, leaving nz, the customs dude was completely confused by my DS-2019 form (it accompanies my J-1 visa, and MUST remain stapled into my passport), i tried explaining that it is proof i'm allowed to work, but he still didnt' know what i was talking about, and actually PULLED it out of my passport :/

so i arrived at SF airport (after spending the last hour of my flight in a near-panic attack state of anxiety, when it finally hit me what i was actually doing), stood in a huge line for what felt like years, panicked, dehydrated and incredibly overheated. i felt really ill, and the more ill i felt the more panicky i got. so i get the customs dude, show him my passport/visa... and there's a problem! the n-number on my DS form isn't on my visa, and it's supposed to be. so he keeps me standing there for ages while he gets on the phone. then he tells me i need to go to the secondary clearance office... so i go sit in a little office with a huge scary dude, and i'm sweating, and can't catch my breath properly, because i'm doing everything i can to not have a full-fledged panic attack. he gives me a 'look' and asks me if i'm 'feeling a little warm', i guess i must look totally dodgy! so he keeps me there awhile and gets my visa sorted out.

so then i go claim my luggage and head to federal inspection. i was expecting to take awhile there, since i had declared food on my customs form (3kg of nz lollies!!! jordan is addicted to snifters, jaffas, and whittaker's chocolate). but i got waved right through!! my bags didn't even go through the x-ray thing!! i walked straight through to jordan waiting for me!

so i didn't have to show proof of funds (even though i was told i had to have a minimum of US$2000 and proof of it to show customs) and i didn't have to show proof of ties to nz. it did take an incredibly long time to get through, but that was due to problem-people ahead of me, and the missing number on my visa.

it's been a strange experience... even though this is my first time meeting jordan in person, it didn't take long to feel like we've been living together forever... but at the same time it's totally weird, if that makes sense! i guess we're so used to each other, so used to spending tons of time together online, that it does feel normal.

enough of my rambling!

Justine, thank you for taking the time to write. I'm so happy that you are finally in Jordan's arms and I can completely understand what you mean by it just feeling normal. I first met Russell after knowing him for 5 years and it was as though we were together all the time. Here we are 5 years later and it's even better! I hope it stays that way for you too!

Thank you so much for that info Justine, I do think the more we know the less scarey it's going to be for us, it's a shame it took so long for you and you had such a hard time tho

this is only the beginning i'm on a one year work visa, then i'll have to return home and go through the whole K-1 process.

Any chance you can start the process before you head back here?

not too sure yet. all the rules/laws/regulations could change in 12 months!

Hopefully it will change for the easier

So nice to hear about you and jordan, it was the same for rob and me, straight away it just felt like we'd been together forever and everything was so comfortable and wonderful.

Justine, I think you would be fine adjusting from status at a later date this year considering this is your first meeting with Jordan and you didn't enter the US with the intention of marrying on this visit.

Oh my goodness..we are neighbours! I am in Blockhouse Bay!

I'm in Blockhouse Bay, and I work in Mt Wellington. Bucklands Beach is lovely!

I had leave booked for July, and was thinking about going over to VA then....but as we were meant to be filing in April, we decided to be sensible and wait it out. However, we struck a paperwork glitch and didn't get filed until a couple of months later....I so wish I had just gone ahead with our plans and visited. It's looking like next year now.

wow cdneh you are close

and i'm sorry guys i have some more questions

on the I-129F for the usc on question 10, rob was born in the us, do i need to put in his cert number, date and place it was issued?

and i've managed to print rob's G-325A but i've had to write out mine, can i just fill out the first page and photocopy it 3 times, i know i have to sign the four pages seperately, but i'm so nervous i keep making mistakes writing it out so i'm really hoping the photocopies will be ok


michelle

Heeey you're quite close! I work in Freemans Bay so it takes forever to get to work everyday :X Yeah it takes a while to save up days for time off doesn't it! BUT when we live in the US, it's going to take even LONGER! Evan only gets like 2 weeks off a year! We get about 4 weeks + 10 public holidays. We really have it great working in NZ. That is one thing I will miss

Michelle.S I don't think you need to do that as long as you check the box. I downloaded the example form on the VJ website and I think it was the same, just check the box Can anyone else clarify this?

Michelle,

On the I-129f Q.10... Check that he was born in the US and leave the field you are referring to blank. Here is the link to the Example Form to help you out.

The 4 pages of the G-325a look the same but they are not. When you fill out and/or print the form it will automatically fill the others and print all 4 pages. You need each of these pages for each of you. There is also an example form for this that you can use for reference.

Take a deep breath, perhaps a glass of wine ... go over the information on your forms.... print out the checklist in the Guides and cross each off as you add each item to your package.

Very cool that you folks are so close to each other!

Michelle - when we filed our documents at the Consulate they only took one copy of the G325a (even though we had all 4 of them all filled in). We asked if they wanted all 4, and the lady said, that 1 was enough.

However, in saying that I like to be prepared for everything, and would still fill in all 4 (and in my case will take the remaining 3 copies to the interview anyway).

Cheers

Grant

I've heard some rumors about them going to, or needing, only one page but we all know the problems rumors can start!

Because your fiance is filing with the uscis here in the States and the process is a bit different I'd still send all 4 pages (signed originals).

If you fill the first page it will repeat the information for you.

Don't do that! At the bottom of each copy in the PDF it has a name for who it is for. Page 1 has IDENT. Page 2 has REC.BR. Page 3 has C and page 4 has CONSULATE. So you need to fill out each individual form so that they know who to give each copy to I guess

thanks so much for that guys, and yes i know i'm starting to sound like i'm freaking out, prob cos i am, but i'll try and keep it in check



michelle

Michelle- Titirangi is beautiful! We drive through it every time we head to Piha (which is not nearly enough). It's my favorite beach here, probably because it's the first place Chris took me to after my plane landed in NZ. I have a thing about walking barefoot on the ground when I'm stressed, it helps me feel grounded, so I requested to be taken to a good walking beach so I could put my feet in the water, in June. It was cold! I guess it's no surprise I got married on a beach, barefoot.

Rubyred- When my partner and I met in person for the first time it was just like that. It took a few minutes to associate the person in front of me with the voice on the phone and in the emails, but within a hour or two I felt like we had always been together. It's so odd... Meeting online means that you get to know the person from the inside out, instead of from the outside in. I think that's why when you meet in person everything is so...right.

Oh, and about the K-1 thing. I also think that if you were to get married say 10 months from now you'd be able to adjust status. From what I read in the past messages in this thread, you didn't go over intending to marry and a lot can happen in 12 months. I came here and got engaged, figured we'd do the K-1 thing and enter the US to get married, but then we thought why bother? We knew what we wanted, we already felt married, and there was just no real reason to wait. So 6 months after arriving here we got married! I planned a wedding in less than 2 months.

Anyone else headed to the states to live- Are you shipping any of your belongings over to the states besides the 2 suitcases you're taking on the plane? We don't have enough to ship a whole crate, but Chris has a lot of books that I think we should take (I'm a book person myself and have missed mine immensely these 2 years). I priced just parcel shipping and it's wicked expensive. So I'm curious as to whether anyone has found some good solutions to that dilemma.

Kim- Hahaha! Yes, those that go into psych often need to see one too. I wouldn't be an exception to that either! I think some people are natural counselors. I've always been the peacemaker in my house growing up and the counselor to all my friends. When they have a terrible day they all hunt me down on IM to talk them off the ledge (since they can't call me for cheap anymore!). Doing all the schooling to be a licensed psychologist though is daunting, so I've thought about doing the 4 year degree and then a certification program to be a Life Coach, and working on the rest of the schooling gradually.

Working for yourself is the greatest thing IMO. It's a lot of responsibility, but if you're good at following through with your plans and paying attention to detail it sure beats having a boss outside of yourself to answer to every day! I don't have much patience with computers at the moment, but Chris is hoping I'll learn programming by osmosis one day.

That's so neat how you and Russell met! Chris and I met on a mailing list for our Myers Briggs type and struck up an conversation about something off list at one point and the rest is history. I had no clue when I joined that list I'd meet my match, it wasn't a dating list at all!

I think Russell's Geology degree will have a better market in the US for sure! NZ is so small when it comes to some things. I was reading yesterday how if you want to be a Meteorologist just about the only place to work is MetService and all I could think of was "What if you don't work well there, you're screwed!".

Our general understanding of how NZ immigration works is that once you've passed the 12 month mark of being here on a visitors visa, once you leave the country, you have to remain gone for at least one year before coming back. The rules in their manual are a little difficult to interpret though, so it could be I have to stay out for the same amount of time that I spent here. I've been here almost 26 months. So either way, once I leave I'll have to stay gone for a while!

I didn't know that about visiting NZ... interesting. If I was divorced in 2005, I could have married Russell in NZ then. There was no Adam Walsh Act and therefore, DCF was as simple as a visit and a marriage. *sigh* After the Adam Walsh Act was enacted last year DCF kinda went away for a while and then came back with a 6 month rule. We contemplated getting visas and me coming to NZ and waiting the 6 months but I have two teenagers so taking them out of school to homeschool them at this point in their lives seemed a little too much trouble. So we are where we are... waiting. Hopefully we hear something by the end of the month.

Luckily, i've not needed a shrink just yet. May have to re-think that after this process! j/k .... I have been through an awful lot in my life... loss of a child, loss of my dad at just 51, i've had to lose 200 pounds, my brothers been missing for 5 years... there's a post somewhere in this thread with a link to that. But i've just always had the support I needed to pull me through it. I'm really the type that shrinks the shrink. I don't think I need anyone telling me how to feel..which is why I didn't do too good with the classes. I don't think that should be the job of a psychologist. My brother (who suffered from depression) lost his shrink (whom he loved and had faith in) not long after my father's death. It was very difficult for him. He found a new one at Stanford U and used to record his conversations with her then take them home and analyze them and talk to me about them. When I went to go meet her she noted I seemed very much the same in that I was analyzing her as much as anything. She was right. You're right in that it just comes naturally to some and I am surely one of those people. I'm always the shoulder...always the rock.. I tend to see clear when vision is clouded and i'm not afraid to say what I think. It's just always been so easy for me. Russell's sister has her phd in psychology and her and I get along famously. She thinks I should be one too. Too much schooling and too much pill pushing! Perhaps i'll find someone I will enjoy taking the lead from someday.... I wish you a lot of luck with it. The world needs good people to talk to.

Michelle, you'll be fine. Use the guides like I said...and use the example forms for reference. One thing at a time. I think many of us felt this sense of worry while putting the package together. Especially me since I had everything stored on my hard drive and ready for printing...and my hard drive failed the day before we were to file. I know! Sucked! I had to put it all together again on one of my laptops... was not fun. Here's a picture of our packet. What a nice feeling to get it sent out though!

Hi Everyone

I have been away from the computer for a wee while and man did I have some catching up to do! It is good to see that everything is going smoothly for some.

As for New Zealand Residency it is pretty easy in comparison. My husband and I had been together for just over two years when we applied. I sent in a huge packet with pictures and e-mails that we had written while apart. Plus we had documents saying we shared a bank account and all. The hugest issue was timing to police report with the medical but once we sent in the one package it was a waiting game. I think it took 5 months and I sent in my passport and could work and continue on with life. At the time of filing for my NZed residency I had been working here for a year though and had a company willing to keep me on.

As for our progress with USCIS we have hit a wall it feels like. We called the consulate in Auckland to see what we could do about speeding up the porcess. Now we are all sorts of confused. They sent us the medical packet along with the police check release. Now we have no idea if we need to conitnue with NVC. They said we didn't but the lady seemed cranky and distracted. So the question of the moment is do we need to continue with NVC or do we bring the I-864 and the rest of the info to the interview. We also spoke to a lawyer and that confused us as well.

To add to the fun I had an accountant sorting out my tax returns for while I have been working overseas and after three weeks of us stressing he sent back the incorrect info and kept saying that if I haven't worked in the US then I have nothing to worry about. WRONG ANSWER!!! So there was lots of crying and it was a bad day yesterday. So now I am freaking out that we will get an interview date and not have the correct tax information.

Wow that was a giant vent! Anyone have any advice? We are going to call the American Consulate in Auckland on Monday to try and get some answers so we don't mess these next few steps up!

Amy