LAND DOWNUNDER

[kaffy 2]

Sorry, just another question about the interview - will it be a problem if my husband (USC) doesnt attend the interview with me? It was always our intention for him to accompany me (like how I went to the I-130 appt with him) but we are having trouble with flights right now and at this stage it looks like he'll have to fly out of Oz a few days before my interview

[HednJimmy 0]

hey everyone! haven't posted in a while so i don't know if this has been discussed, so sorry if this is repetitive. my aussie and i are hoping to get our NOA2 soon and we'd like to get a jump on whatever we can start doing now, to reduce the wait time from this point forth. I have a rough idea of what's in packet 3, but i don't know if it's different for each country, so if anyone can tell me exactly what the embassy in sydney asks for and what we can start gathering now, that would be great. like, does he have to wait to get the police certificate, or can he get it now, or is it just a form he has to get filled out? and the AOS from me (from my employer, i'm assuming), can i get that now, or do i need to wait until he gets his instructions so that it's dated after our NOA2?

thanks guys!

Possum, you asked my question Thanks!

Hope everyone is doing well! Two weeks until I get to go to the wonderful land of Oz to visit my fiance. It has been four months since we last saw eachother, and the days are inching by....we will be staying in Townsville/Magnetic Island before heading off to "The Bush" ha ha!

One quick question for the Sydney K1 people who have already been approved: From the time you were approved for the NOA2, how long from that day did it take for the interview/visa? I know that everyone's will be different due to the Packet 3 times being sent out. Jimmy just recieved his Police Cert from the QLD police, and they did say it was valid for one year. I am also gathering the new documents needed for the Packet, getting a letter from my boss saying that I work there, pictures, etc...I am still also a little confused about the medical, if you can get it before you have your appointment scheduled or not. The police dept. said that the certificate is going to be mailed directly to Jimmy, is that correct, or should it have been forwarded directly to the Consulate?

Possum, your NOA2 is right around the corner, seeing all these March approvals! Grats in advance! (Hopefully one more month for this April filer! What a great b-day present if so!)

Heather

[jennybeni 0]

Buying a home...

Hi everyone! My now-husband Steve moved over here from Aus in Feb. and we really want to buy a home next year. Does anyone have information about the possibilities of getting a mortgage together, as he'll obviously have a limited credit history? I think my credit history should be pretty good. Any info and/or personal experiences would be a GREAT help!!!

Thanks!!

Jen

[Liam and Sam 2]

hey everyone! haven't posted in a while so i don't know if this has been discussed, so sorry if this is repetitive. my aussie and i are hoping to get our NOA2 soon and we'd like to get a jump on whatever we can start doing now, to reduce the wait time from this point forth. I have a rough idea of what's in packet 3, but i don't know if it's different for each country, so if anyone can tell me exactly what the embassy in sydney asks for and what we can start gathering now, that would be great. like, does he have to wait to get the police certificate, or can he get it now, or is it just a form he has to get filled out? and the AOS from me (from my employer, i'm assuming), can i get that now, or do i need to wait until he gets his instructions so that it's dated after our NOA2?

thanks guys!

Possum, you asked my question Thanks!

Hope everyone is doing well! Two weeks until I get to go to the wonderful land of Oz to visit my fiance. It has been four months since we last saw eachother, and the days are inching by....we will be staying in Townsville/Magnetic Island before heading off to "The Bush" ha ha!

One quick question for the Sydney K1 people who have already been approved: From the time you were approved for the NOA2, how long from that day did it take for the interview/visa? I know that everyone's will be different due to the Packet 3 times being sent out. Jimmy just recieved his Police Cert from the QLD police, and they did say it was valid for one year. I am also gathering the new documents needed for the Packet, getting a letter from my boss saying that I work there, pictures, etc...I am still also a little confused about the medical, if you can get it before you have your appointment scheduled or not. The police dept. said that the certificate is going to be mailed directly to Jimmy, is that correct, or should it have been forwarded directly to the Consulate?

Possum, your NOA2 is right around the corner, seeing all these March approvals! Grats in advance! (Hopefully one more month for this April filer! What a great b-day present if so!)

Heather

Our stuff arrived in Sydney in early April and our interview was May. So about a month and a half.

I faxed the Consulate a provisional file request and they sent Liam packet 3 straight away (had I known I could do that earlier then I would have faxed it over the day I got the NOA2). I attached a copy of the NOA2 as proof of our approval. This way we could see what exactly was in packet 3 and get our things in to them faster rather than waiting around for them. I mailed supporting documents (I-134 stuff, pictures, etc) to Liam before receiving packet 3 so he would just have to turn around and send it back as soon as possible.

Liam put the Consulate's address on the Police Certificate request. So they mailed it directly to the Consulate. Though if Jimmy receives it he can just include it when he mails his things in with packet 3. Liam hadn't had his Medical yet when we sent in Packet 3 so we just put a note in saying his appointment date and that results would be brought with us to the interview.

Hope this helps!

[SharynY 2]

i need to ask a very important question to those that may of already gone thru this...

i am filing my final tax return with the ATO .... my cousin is doing it for me .... and he is sending me the cheque ...

can anyone tell me where i can cash this cheque? i live in california - in barstow more specifically ...... since its a international cheque some banks may be real buggers about it .....

thanks in advance!!!!

oh and jenni!!

i am having real issues getting credit anywhere because i have no history ..... i've been told to get a credit card so at least i'll be in the system ..... so i'm in the middle of looking for one with low interest and no annual fee ......

Edited August 1, 2008 by sharyna

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

Just wanted to share that I found heaps of Fat Pizza episodes on Veoh TV, an online player you can download for free!! SBS never released them on DVD, a real shame. I am going to spend all day watching Fat Pizza now.

[Kath 0]

hiya all

just thought i would let ya know i have sent in my removal of conditions pettition today..so the waiting game yet again starts over for me...

sharyna..

the only thing i can think of is if you have an account in australia still open to get it directly deposited into there..or

get your cousin to send you the cheque you sign it over to him/her and post it back that way it can be cashed over there and the money wired back over to you by western union maybe..

you could google cashing international cheques to find out what the process is mate..they might charge a large fee to do it also and not be able to touch the money for awhile until it cleared..

hope everyone else is going well..not much other news here just working gardening and all the normal stuff like ya did in oz lol just living life..

take care

kath

[SharynY 2]

thanks Kath, i was thinking of doing that .. . endorsing it so that my mom could cash it for me and then change it to US dollars for when she comes in November to stay with us for holidays

[Kath 0]

hiya sharyna

there go...that would work for you...hows the waiting for the new arrival going...hope all is well for you..

have you heard anything about your green card lately?

kath

[SharynY 2]

oh i rang USCIS .. and they said "we are processing October 2007" .... i did get a RFE which we dealt with quickly .... so that must of stuck me at the bottom of the pile again ..... i asked the girl if they needed anything else from me because the website said they were "processing and case has been resumed after recieving the RFE they requested" and she said all was fine and that it could take up to less then a year for my green card to get thru ....

as for our new arrival .... we are having a girl! ..... im nearly in my 6th month ...... and getting more tired by the day lol .....

[Kath 0]

CONGRATS TO YOU KAFFY ON YOUR APPROVAL IN SYDNEY...WAY TO GO GIRL..HAVE A SAFE TRIP OVER HERE...

was there any changes or new hints for the ones going for their interview mate..im sure they would appreciate it...

awwwwwwww sharyna a baby girl...dont forget to post some photo's of her when she arrives mate..

as for your aos i know the waiting is gruelling as was the visa but at least your over here with your hubby and to me the wait was much better being with robbie than being apart...

good luck to you and hope you hear something soon..

take care

kath

[kaffy 2]

thanks Kath! Here's my review copy & pasted over from the Aussie thread in the DCF forum

My appointment was scheduled for 9am and so I got to the Consulate at about 8.30am. There was a minor hiccup at the security check since my interview letter was in my married name and all my ID was in my maiden name. But in the end she let me in and I made my way up to level 59(?). I took a ticket (#11 and it was only 8.35 - busy day there), sat down and waited. It took about an hour before I was called (the other IV applicants there seemed to have some problems with their paperwork and so it was taking a while to process theirs). Anyway I eventually got called to Window 3- friendly lady. I handed over the documents that my Packet 4 asked me to bring (marriage cert, passport, one photograph, Japanese police check). She took them, and asked me to head over to window 8 to pay the fee. The Packet 4 letter said it was $AUD460 but when I got to the window the lady asked for just $440 so I happily paid that and walked away with an extra 20 bucks in my pocket. I returned to Window 3 and the lady returned some of my original documents to me and handed me a 4-page "Pre-Departure Notice for Conditional Permanent Residents" document which she asked me to read. She said it looks like everything is in order and asked me to sit down and wait to be fingerprinted. I sat back down and waited.. she spent about 10mins or so reviewing my documents and making sure everything was in order before passing my file onto Window 5. Lady in widow 5 was busy juggling IV fingerprinting and NIV applications so I had a 10 min or so wait before I was called. Fingerprint was easy and she asked me to sit down and wait for my interview. Another 10min or so wait, then I got called to Window 6. Friendly officer, he asked a few general questions.. if I can remember they were:

1. How long have you been married for? almost 2 yrs (haha I made a mistake.. it's actually 1.5yrs)

2. Where is your husband? flew back to the States on Sunday

3. Where are you intending on moving to? Seattle

Is your husband from Washington? yes, he was born in Port Angeles

4. Have you been to the US before? yes, twice

5. Did you study there? no

6. How long have you been in Australia? been back for less than a year

7. Where were you before that? Japan

8. Did you get married in Japan? yes

um.. I think that's it. I was all prepared with my supporting documents (which I brought for the second time to Sydney!) but he didnt ask to see anything. I even offered to show him my photos but he said no, he didn't need to see them because it sounds like we have a genuine relationship. Anyway I wasn't going to argue with him on that and he handed me the 'Instructions for Receiving Your Immigrant Visa' letter, congratulated me and said my visa will be issued in a few days (I heard 24-48working hours from the other Consular officers).

[Jon Anderson 0]

Being new here, thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Jon and a USC, my fiance is Danni and resides in NSW. We met several years ago via an online poetry site just as my marriage was coming undone. Shortly after finding each other, she nearly succumbed to an often fatal bone marrow disease. I would not let her give up, and over the 18+ months of her battle to recover, we became very close, pretty certain we had each found the real deal. She came to visit for 2 months in April of this year, and that cemented things but good.

We have been trying to figure out which route to go for her to immigrate to the US. Fiance visa was the first thought, but the AP requirement is a big issue. Though she is considered in the clear right now, should a relapse occur, there would be no choice but to fly her home for treatment. She also wants to get straight to work here and contribute, so it looks like the IR1/CR1 is our best bet.

She loves it here, but there's a really good chance that sometime after my kids graduate high school we will move back to NSW permanently. I've always loved Australia, it's the one country above all others that I've most wanted to visit. How fitting that I should find my soul mate there!

Right now we're looking into getting married in NSW so we can begin the process of immigration. I'm a total klutz at paperwork and the bureaucratic process, so will be following others situations and asking questions.

Thanks to Kath for answering a number of my questions and pointing me to this topic!

Jon

[kaffy 2]

Hi guys, just wondering how soon after your interview was your visa posted to you?

My interview was on Tuesday and the letter I got said it should leave their office within 2 business days of the interview.. meaning it should have been sent out Thursday.. and assuming the Express Post envelope is an overnight one, I should have received it by today

[Kath 0]

hi kaffy

hopefully your visa arrived on friday..this is why we stayed the weekend and picked my passport up on the monday..we didnt want to take the chance of extra stress of it not arriving on time for us to leave..

have you emailed the embassey..did you have some kind of tracking for the envelope..if you do see if you can find it on the australia post website..at least that way you know exactly where it is..

hi jon and welcome ..

not being good at paperwork is one thing will change for you by the visa journey end...when you are getting this all together dont forget to make a complete copy of what you send into them for your own records..there have been many people who have received RFE's and they swear it was included in the package..be overboard about it all..read..ask questions..and just learn..that is all the advice i have really for anyone starting this process..

you found the right place to help you out with it at least mate and thats a start..

good luck

kath