Some Questions before I Leave

[ChibiBeckyG 21]

Hi all - got about a month to go, basically drawn out the time till I go as wedding is due in August and trying to make sure we're safely in the 90 day mark (don't worry, got till September)

1) Just to double check, do I need an ESTA active along with my K1 visa? Should I do it anyway just to be on safe side?

2) Mobile contracts! - I will move onto my Husbands plan eventually but does anyone have experience with doing something like asking their UK providers just to run an extra month or so? 

3) I have the Knightsbridge Medical results and we intend to apply for AOS asap. Will we still need to see a GP stateside? Partners got medical insurance but hasn't really seeked out a GP yet. I gather that in the US it tends to be more that you only see a doc if you absolutely must due to the costs. 

4) Has anyone else had trouble with family coming to their stateside wedding? We're planning a get together next year. But family have said "don't have a second ceremony, just have us over" - I'm a little bummed that basically nobody from my side will be attending. Husband-to-be's family have been great about it to their credit, but any tips from people who have already been there and done that?

Sorry for all the questions, but appreciate any answers!

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

24 minutes ago, ChibiBeckyG said:

Hi all - got about a month to go, basically drawn out the time till I go as wedding is due in August and trying to make sure we're safely in the 90 day mark (don't worry, got till September)

1) Just to double check, do I need an ESTA active along with my K1 visa? Should I do it anyway just to be on safe side? No. And no.

2) Mobile contracts! - I will move onto my Husbands plan eventually but does anyone have experience with doing something like asking their UK providers just to run an extra month or so? I think most, if not all, UK contracts are rolling - once you’re outside of your original agreed contract period (12-24 months normally), your contract will continue at that price, without you doing anything. You just need to give a month’s notice to cancel. 

3) I have the Knightsbridge Medical results and we intend to apply for AOS asap. Will we still need to see a GP stateside? Partners got medical insurance but hasn't really seeked out a GP yet. I gather that in the US it tends to be more that you only see a doc if you absolutely must due to the costs. I don’t believe you’ll need to see a GP, if all your vaccinations are up to date, but haven’t gone through AOS, so can’t confidently answer that one.

4) Has anyone else had trouble with family coming to their stateside wedding? We're planning a get together next year. But family have said "don't have a second ceremony, just have us over" - I'm a little bummed that basically nobody from my side will be attending. Husband-to-be's family have been great about it to their credit, but any tips from people who have already been there and done that? Can’t answer this one I’m afraid. 

Sorry for all the questions, but appreciate any answers!

 

Edited May 27, 2019 by Zoeeeeeee

[JFH 12,190]

1. No. Not required.

2. I was on 3 network in the UK that allows use in the USA at no charge but it’s only for visitors. I used it for my first month here but not beyond as the Ts and Cs stated anything beyond a month was not considered a holiday and would be charged at international roaming. After the month I didn’t use it for a month and then cancelled the account. 

3. You should register with a doctor here just as you would register with a doctor if you moved to another part of the UK. Americans are very big on annual check ups. Never had one in the UK but here it seems everyone has one. Seems “prevention is better than cure” is the motto with many here. 

4. What sort of trouble are you anticipating? 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1. No ESTA which is when traveling on visa waiver. You are traveling on a visa.
2. Some people get their phones unlocked and purchase a US SIM card. 
3. For AOS, you do not need another medical exam. Your visa exam counts. If you got your DS-3025 Immunization sheet marked as meeting requirements for AOS, meaning all shots received or waived, then you need no doctor for immigration. If you decided to finish shots in the US instead of by the time of your visa medical, then you need to see a designated civil surgeon to sign off on shots. You can wait until closer to your interview to submit that instead of putting in your application package. Immigration exams or shot verification are not typically covered by medical insurance. Aside from immigration, find a family doctor that accepts your insurance. A yearly checkup is covered at no cost as a benefit of the Affordable Care Act. I believe mammograms are also free.  If you go in for a sick visit, you will have a copay cost. And insurance typically has a deductible meaning you pay all the cost of a sick visit or related tests until you meet the deductible figure for your policy. 
4. I discouraged my family from coming. (Actually said "No, you can't come.") We married the first week I arrived and I didn't want to spend my "honeymoon" time entertaining house guests. I had just left them and didn't need them as immediate visitors. Once we settled in, they came over at various times and we happily kept them, fed them, and drove them around to see all the sights. The wedding was a simple little gathering on a Sunday afternoon of about a 10 friends I had come to know on visits. We wanted to file for AOS immediately.  You might be happier to have a big party in the UK on your first trip back so lots of your friends and family can be there. 

 

Edited May 27, 2019 by Wuozopo