thanks kath. i forgot that part, i start on 7th august.

matt

Looks like the good news just keeps rolling in for you Matt!! Congrats! I know it will be good - especially with a little one on the way! A little extra money is good!!

The good news never stops in this thread, does it?

hey karo

what can i say but ..were good mate lol

kath

Hi Guys,
We are both here in Oz and were just approved for Visa.
We are now waiting on the packet from Sydney.
I am asking for your thoughts on the following:
My fiance is on a study visa for Australia. She has not filed a US tax return for the last 5 years as she has had zero income.
She does however have over $150,000 USD in assets through shares and managed funds that have been set up in the last 12 months.
I have assets in excess of $200,000USD.
Do we need a financial supporter or do you think that the assets will suffice as enough?
Should we consider having her parents sign as support?
Thanks,
FF.

I would post this question in the K1 forum FF...might get more responses there

Silliest of silly questions. In question 9 on the DS-230 about marital status. I believe this would be my marital status after I marry the USC, correct?

So even though I'm single now, because by the time we get around to the embassy for interview/petition we would be married so I should put married, correct?

Secondly, for question 14, address of spouse, I can use her US address without any prejudice directed at our relationship yes? I ask this because I believe putting her US address makes it look better for domicile, and also because its the truth.

AussieDude

hi ya aussie dude

here is a link to example forms..it lets ya know how to fill them in hope it helps..
form examples

oh by the way i got my ssn finally...yeeeeeeeeeehar....

hope all is going well with everyone an the weather is delightful for you all...

take care
kath

if you're doing DCF you HAVE to be married So yes, married.

Yes, sorry, I forgot to put a context to my filling out the DS-230 as part of my DCF process. Thanks Karo

AussieDude

i am making meat pies tonight

gudonya karo....do u have a sunbeam pie maker...if ya dont get one when u go to oz they are a great idea mate...

i got my boy to send me some chocy over cos he was sending me a parcel lol i do miss the cadbury chocy....

hope they turn out nice ....
take care
kath

I do want a pie maker. My in laws are coming in three weeks - maybe I'll make a request!! They did turn out well though!!

Hey Kath and Rob congratulations on your wedding and thanks for the pics your look so happy and geting your ssn so easily must have been a relief to

Matt well done on your job

KARO if possible and not to much trouble could you possibly email or post your receipe for meat pies for me i have tried them but they keep failing i dont know if its the pastry or what lol and being an aussie that loves meat pies thats not good lol

thanks

angela

Im interested in that too What Im finding is many things I cook dont quiet turn out the same as back in Oz because even when what seems like the same product, isnt quite the same

hi there all

remember that site matt posted of another aussie in america site...i have printed quite a few recipes from there...i also brought with me a few boxes of gravox and i use that with my recipe for the meat pies..i have also found finally puff pastry sheets ..i thought it was quite expensive but they turned out really well with it..

also in that site there are equivlant to what u would use in oz too...

well nowt much more to report just livin an enjoyin married life lol .. robbie is having to go through more changes than me he hasnt had a wife in years an years so he has to get use to me being around ...but he wouldnt have it any other way..im very lucky to of found him....
an on that note im outta here till next time

take care u lot
kath

hi there
found that recipe from that site...

you can also download the recipe book they created also...

cooking aussie recipies in america


hope ya enjoy
take care
kath

This is the one I use....


- 1 oz butter
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 2 Tbs flour
- 2 1/2 cups beef boullion or stock
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- I add worseceschire (sp?) sauce bc I love it
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 pcks puff pastry
----------------------------------
- Parchment paper
- uncooked rice
* Melt butter in saucepan and add onions. Fry over moderate heat until onions soften.
* Add beef and fry, pressing down with fork until beef is frowned.
* Drain and sprinkle with flour continue cooking for 2 more mins
* Remove pan from heat
* Gradually add stock
* Return pan to heat and stire constantly until mixture boils and thickens
* Add all reminaing ingrediants except egg and pa stry
* Cover pan and simmer over low heat for 30 mins.
* Line muffin tin (I use texas muffin tins...they are big) with pastry...this takes a bit of work...
* Prick the base several times, cut excess
* Cover each muffin hole with parchment or wax paper, and fill with uncooked rice. Put it in the oven @ 400 degrees for about 10-15 mins. This allows the bottom bit to cook...REMEMBER The rice AND the paper or else the pastry will "puff"
* Spoon filling into pies
* Top with pastry...use beaten egg as "glue" on edges of pastry.
* Brush top with egg, bake 400 degrees for 25 mins.

This one works well - for the base recipe. I sometimes do a google search for other ingrediants to add. I go rogue with the worsechestire sauce and you can really add anything you want

Texas muffin tins work REALLY well. Then it makes six little pies

Let me know how it goes

Hi All,
Haven't been very well, bad flu ffor nearly 4 weeks. On penicillan now, should be better soon.

Big congrates to you Matt baby and a job

I applied for my Social Security number a week and a half ago and got it in less than 5 working days. There is a job going in the local supermarket but just need to check up on this having to stop working after we are married etc. Andrew reckons that sounds too ridiculous to be true. Will phone as soon as my nose stops dripping long enough to speak. Been treated a little like I'm from outa-space 'round here, want to sound as normal as I can. We have been having a lot of unexpected expenses etc so any money extra will help.

Anyways,happy but neither of us have been well.
Stella.

Oops tried to put photo of me up on the avatar so you could getan idea what I look like. Too many pixies it seems. It's a few years old now, but it was the first one Andrew saw of me. Oh and I got red hair now.

Nice Pic Stella! Sorry you've been feeling badly

We went to a rugby match last week! So fun! We found a place called the walkabout cafe. It's run and operated by a lady from Perth and her American hubby. Cool place but not too much stuff....just some really pricey cadbury and vegemite.

Stew's parents get here on Thurs (week from) night next week. I am so excited. They ar egoing to meet my parents for the first time : )

hope all is well.

thanks stella.

well, today i have been in the US for a year. time goes quickly cause it doesn't feel like it's been that long.

start the job next monday so i'm off to play golf today.

matt

I posted this topic separately on this forum but I was wondering... if my fiance and I are getting married in Las Vegas, do the Australia courts recognize it? I mean, if she was applying for a US visa... and of course the US courts recongize Las Vegas marriage certificates, I don't see a conflict.

as far as i know they do...i would imagine that it is the same as getting married in any other state in the US. you have a marriage certificate and the person marrying you was licensed to do so, so it shouldn't be a problem.

matt

nope -no conflict

I was sent this from another list, and thought some Aussies here may be interested

"One Million More – Census of Australians Abroad, is an independent online questionnaire that in part mirrors the questions in the Census in Australia, as well as including specific questions that relate to the experiences of Australian expatriates and members of the Australian Diaspora. This is our way of ensuring that you and the one million Australians living outside of our country can also participate."

www.onemillionmore.com

cheers

Thanks FLossie,. I'll share that with Stewart.

Why is this thread so quiet these days? Too many approvals I guess (No such thing).

Not much news out of Florida. Our "reception" is on Sat. night this week. His parents fly in from Oz on Fri night. His brother is also coming in, but from London, on Friday day. I am excited to have his family come visit him and I know he is really happy.

We bought some Australian wine to give as favors at our reception so I liked that Aussie touch. Mom wanted to do a Kangaroo Groom's cake but I was not going to let that happen! HA.

Other than that we are still waiting to hear if we got tickets to the Aus/South Africa cricket match in March. I really hope we do. I am waiting to hear from STewart's job if he gets the holiday leave over xmas so I can go ahead and buy my tix to Oz. I hope it's soon because I hate to leave that unresolved.

Hope everyone is well.

Caroline

hi ya caroline

it is quite we will have to do some recruiting to keep the thread going lol...

last friday i went to get my ohio state id card...looked up all the info on their website what to take etc...went there waited in line..filled out the form and it printed me one out for a week or so...the lady thought somethings not right here should of been longer than that so she rang her head office...they turned round and told her that i couldnt have one because i havent done my AOS as yet...

i said to the lady what is the use of that by the time that comes in it will be my damm id for myself...i need it now...the bank wont open an account for me without one an what if im in an accident they will identify me wrongly...as u can see im still annoyed at it..felt like i was an illegal immigrant instead of a legal one...if iwas an illegal immigrant i wouldnt have a damm ssn or a immigration visa in my passport along with an I-94...

so there u have it it seems to be worse in the states than dealing with them from oz...arrrh well i will live an get over it...in true aussie style lol

take care
kath
p.s. sorry for venting but twice now i have dealt with the system here an twice it let me down...

Karo said>> SNIP>Not much news out of Florida. Our "reception" is on Sat. night this week. His parents fly in from Oz on Fri night. His brother is also coming in, but from London, on Friday day. I am excited to have his family come visit him and I know he is really happy.

We bought some Australian wine to give as favors at our reception so I liked that Aussie touch. Mom wanted to do a Kangaroo Groom's cake but I was not going to let that happen! HA.

Other than that we are still waiting to hear if we got tickets to the Aus/South Africa cricket match in March. I really hope we do. I am waiting to hear from STewart's job if he gets the holiday leave over xmas so I can go ahead and buy my tix to Oz. I hope it's soon because I hate to leave that unresolved.
<<SNIP>

Hi Karo, congrats on getting the family to make the trip, I d love to get some visitors! and we are also looking for tickets for ourselves for next year.

Id also like to get to the Cricket, where do you find out about it?

The Reception idea sounds great, we were planning to do something of the sort over there.. we'd like to have a ceremony of sorts on one of the Gold Coast beaches, with friends and family helping us celebrate after. The Vegas wedding was great, but I am looking to do something meaningful in Oz too, does anyone have any ideas whether its possible, and what things i need to prepare for?

Stella!!! is that really you? omg you are gorg!! I love your hair!!



I havent been around lately things have been hectic, my appointment is on the 18th so I'm freakin out...



Hope the US is treatin ya well...



In regards to stopping work after married what is with that? I haven't heard that before....

Have a great time at the reception Caroline! I've been really busy with work (hence my disappearance from this board for so long), so I'm only getting back to our wedding planning now -- 7 weeks to go, and so much to do!

hey everyone hope you are all well and doing ok.


i was wondering what the aussies in the usa were doing about their taxes and how you are going to get your returns. i was going to do mine on line and then get my return payed into my sisters account then she could send me the money.Does anyone know if this can be done ( payed into someone else account )
thanks


angela

angela,

i just did mine online and had a cheque sent to my mum's because i still maintain a bank account in australia. if you do then that is the best way to do it. if you don't then you have to have the cheque sent to you (after it gets to your sister's) endorse it to her then send it back to her to bank.

i don't think there is any other way around it. also, when you do your return don't tell them that it's your last one as the tax gets doubled and any return may just disappear. i said that it was not my last return...they don't ask you when your last return may be so if it's in 30 years time you haven't lied.

hope this helps.

matt

It was awesome you guys! His parents are still here I will post pics ASAP

just a quick baby update... the amnio results came back and everything is fine (no downs, autism, spina bifida etc) and we are having a boy!!

sorry it's short but i have to get to work.

matt

Hiya Peoples!!

Just letting yas all know I am still around. We just sent the AOS & EAD paperwork in last week so the waiting begins again. But this time, much better as we are together, yipee!!

My other daughter, who currently lives with her father, is already booked on a plane to come out at christmas to spend 6 weeks with us, I think she is just a little excited about the prospect. Will be great to see her after more than 6 months. My daughter here is planning on taking her to school with her for a couple of days so she can see how different it is from Australia.

On that point, I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge about her coming to stay, if that is what she decides to do after she has been here (she wanted to 'check it all out' first before she made a final decision).

We have looked at the INS websites but they are kinda vague as she wasn't done as a "to follow" when my K1 and K2 for my older daughter with me was done. Looking back now I should of just bitten the bullet and done her to follow, giving us that 12 month window, but she was pretty addament that she wasn't going to come as she didn't like the idea of such a huge change. From what I see we will need to do a I-130 for her, is this correct? If so it seems like the time line would be around 6 months, I am also wondering if she would need to go to an interview in Sydney (she will be 13yo in December)?

Anyways, congrats to everyone who has had approvals/marriages/babies/jobs and everything else great!!

hi kaffy

good to hear ya doing well and what a christie pressie your getting...dont forget the care package you want brought over of all u miss eating lol

i remember there is a forum which deals with the bringing over of family members.. take a look at this entry its is exactly what u asked in here mate..

bringing child to u.s.a.

you might find more in there also...i didnt read it all ...

all is well here im going to the library on sat to join ... im missing my reading an it will help with the boredom i am experiencing...

ok im outta here got dishes to do ...MATT congrats on the great results and a baby boy coming into your life..hope all is going well and work is well for you...

later all take care
kath

p.s. has anyone heard from our pirate ...

Hiya Kath,

I had a read through that topic, thanks for the link. My other daughter was on the 129F but was put as not coming with me or following. Soooooo, still a bit confused, looks like we will have to do the I-130 if she decides she wants to come to live. She didn't have any medical done back when my other daughter and I did, so she will have to still do that. Gawd knows if that useless piece of flesh kept and knows where all her immunisation paperwork is.

Luckily my mum is willing to help out with whatever needs to be done, she really wants my younger daughter to come over to the US, strange for a grandmother to say that she want's her granddaughter so far away, but she feels that it would be a much better situation for my daughter. My mum thinks the sun shines out of Mike's proverbial and so does my daughter, hell so do I - and it does too, I saw it!!

Oh oh, I beat ya!! I got me a library card last saturday nah nah hehehehe

Still haven't got a ssn, but $hit happens.. Going to deal with that foopah once we get the NOA1 for the AOS & EAD, after we do the abcd and xyz hehehe sounds like we all talk in a special kinda code.

hi kaffy

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm how come ya havent got ya ssn number yet...i beat ya in that one woman P~~~~~~~~~~~

well at least you have alot of information to go through to figure out what ya need to do kaffy and i can understand your mums thoughts cos that is what she wanted for my son an not him live with his father...an one day when my kids come over who knows what might aspire huh...

you will figure it all out ...u got a good support group in here kaffy ...

talk to u soon
take care
kath

ANy name ideas yet Matt?

Hi Matt, Congratulations to you all, I know what a relief it is, knowing that your baby is fine, now there is that excitement about meeting the new little person, coming into your lives... after his birth don't forget to register him, so hes automatically an Aussie as well as American

Hope the rest of the pregnancy is calm and stress free, there is lots of info at http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au

best wishes

thank you everyone. the name will be conor jerren faith. jerren is a combination of jerry and warren...ours fathers names.

floss,

how do i go about registering him?

matt

Boo!! Ima still here, plodding along....trying to assimilate hahaha

Great to read everyones news and glad to hear all is well with everyone.

Karo....cant wait to see pics

Matt.....good to hear that baby is doing well

Kath.......

All the best to those with weddings coming up.

geez we're all boring, aren't we.

matt

hey matt

i suppose thats whats happens when we all get over here lol...

hope all is going well with ya mate and the new job is exciting....

take care
kath

p.s just had a thought that u might be able to answer for me matt...how many times did u have to go to cleveland...and what is the difference between bio interview and your interview dates....thanks

I feel like Im going to be pregnant FOREVER..... UUUGGHHH!!! lol

We are having a girl!! Her name will be Mia Grace. Her brother and sister are more than anxiously waiting for her, as are Scott and I!!

We moved into our bigger apartment, which is SO nice, but we found ourselves wondering how we had all the stuff that we have crammed into a two bedroom as we were trying to get it in a three bedroom! It was interesting!

Looking at going back to OZ for a visit next summer, which seems SO Far away, but that way the kids will be off school, Scott will be off work and the only one that will have to miss work or school will be me!

Its hard to imagine a year ago I was sitting around getting ticket because everyone else was getting NOA2s while I was still sitting there, and now Scott is here. We miss Australia TERRIBLY, but are just plodding through, and he is really enjoying it here in the states, which is a good thing!

Next up, he gets his drivers license.... EEKS!!!!!

Matt, congrats on the baby news!! I miss you all!

kath,

i think you might be right. i had to go to cleveland a few times...once for the EAD bio...once for the AOS bio...once cause i didn't get my EAD in the 90 days...and lastly for the AOS interview. the bio appointment is for the fingerprints and photo for the green card and/or EAD. the other interview should be for the AOS/green card. the job is going well so far...can't wait till i start making waves with security issues!!!

mellie,

glad to hear everything is settling down for you guys and that scott is adjusting well. the drivers licence is easy.

take care.

matt

OMG Mellie. I am so glad you stopped in to say hi!! Glad to hear all is well. We miss OZ also but have booked tix for xmas. I am leaving on the 20th of December and coming home on the 2nd of Jan. Not that long but he can't really take off work for that long.

We also got tickets to the World Cup cricket!!! Sooo....we are going to St Kitts in March to watch Australia beat South Africa We are relaly excited but worried about money a bit.

I am so happy for all those aussie-american babies on their way! That is so awesome. i can't wait!

Matt - we are indeed boring. I don't understand how the other regional forums can remain so active!! I mean, we have lots to say...right?

Stewart has to pay his fee in NC to unsuspend his lisence from his DUI last summer (whoops...) but once he does that, he is getting his new FL one soon.

That's all in this neck of the woods

don't worry about the money...just go and have a good time. sux about the licence but at least stewart will be able to get one in florida.

tomorrow is our first anniversary, so we are going to chanin's parents cabin in PA for the weekend...now i just have to get through 8 hours of work before we leave.

take care all.

matt

Have a wonderful time

Im sorry to have made you miss me!! What can I say, we got through it all and I felt the need for a sabbatical, away from all the paperwork and questions and lights and cameras... LOL. I might be around a bit more often now though, and especially once Im on maternity leave!!!