Emigration process from one's home country....

[Bruce n Jen 0]

My fiancee has had her visa approval since Feb 20 and is busily wrapping up things at home so she can leave for the US by mid April.

I've read of so many others here wherein their fiance(e) got the visa and within a week or two was on a plane bound for the US.

My fiancee's first "obstacle" was her employer's requirement for 30 days notice of resignation. But since that was done she's been faced with closing out a retirement fund and handling the bank to closeout and transfer the proceeds. She has a condo which needs to be rented out and more paperwork with a bank. And lastly there's the tax clearance process from the South African revenue department.

Some of this red tape has been as bad if not worse than the forthcoming SSN process, and this K-1 visa process.

What have others experienced? or have some just ignored these requirements of their home country?

[jlivings99 0]

My husband's interview is April 18 and he will leave no more than 1 week later (assuming everything goes well). We have been anticipating this for months and did not want to wait any longer than necessary after receiving the visa. My husband sold his house in November and has been renting since then. He worked his notice and left work in early February (after selling his house he could afford it). He sold his car this week. By the time of his interview, he will be staying with friends & family, driving a rental car, and our dog will be in boarding waiting to be shipped. I guess it is just a matter of how much you are able to do before the visa is received.

[Otto 83]

You/She are not alone - although our situation (as many) is different, we too have been making similar arrangements as we progress toward the interview date (we feel it might be in early April - but who knows).

Karin,

Reducing household items to a manageable level - selling many things, making arrangements for those to be picked up close to her moving date. Making banking arrangements - gathering needed papers such as university degree etc. In fact I (petitioner) moved recently to be closer to my family (as a support system) in anticipation of her coming.

Most done in stages - as best we can with all the unknowns. But as the clock ticks down - she'll be pretty much ready to leave within 30 days of the interview (assuming all goes well).

It's odd that it's not talked about as much - am sure most are doing the same - some are younger and don't have as much, but I did a poll recently on age, and the age seems to be pretty varied. Maybe it's more in the regional discussion or in the moving discussion areas.

[SoL. 0]

My fiancés visa was approved on January and he is comming in May. There are lots of things he needs to do and we were waiting for the approval to be sure that he could start to take care of business and move here when everything was done. He sill needs to quit his job too... Cannot burn that bridge, he has been there for many years.

Since I have been with him on a LDR since 2003, a few months is not thaaaaat bad.

Good luck!

[Otto 83]

By the way...I loved the Christmas tree art display at the Van Gogh museum this year(if you saw it).... pretty neat.. Seeing your timeline reminded me of that. I know you met there in 2003... and may not have been there since..but just made me think of it.. another Karin/Otto moment..(we were there in January '07).

~Otto

[flutter95 4]

I wsa one of those people that got the visa and ran!

I had a hold up at the embassy and so my visa came about a week and a half after the interview.

I recieved my visa at about 1pm on the friday and had a flight booked at 3pm for sunday....tried for saturday but it was booked

But for me though, I had been preparing for ages. I didn't have alot to do. I was living at home with my parents - not rental agreements, house sales or furniture to deal with.

I didn't have a car, so didn't have to worry about that.

No job holding me down, I had already given notice!

I had no pensions or ANYTHING like that to have to deal with, so I guess thats why I could do that.

[Anna C. 4]

I married while I was working in the US (we met wary before though in Europe). Since I intended to work no longer than a year in NYC I canceled my lease and stored all my stuff at my parent's house. Furniture, books, kitchen gadgets, tv - my parent's basement is full. When I married I told them to give the furniture and electrical equipment away to whoever wants it within the family. My other stuff sits now in moving boxes and waits for delivery. I have quite a library and don't wanna renounce on it

I just found out that I can either have the German government have me pay out all the retirement money I already accumulated or I keep it that way in case I come back. But I can only do that after 3 years of residing outside of Germany. I guess most European countries have similar regulations.

I'm still canceling all types of things I still had: just got rid of the cell phone plan, had several insurances going on, and and and. It's not so much fun to cancel everything from here, but it works too (plus a little financial loss).