hamtaro

I got my visa with no issues. I went through hell though in the run up to it. I received much conflicting information about whether I would be eligible. I had lots of people online doubt I was eligible. I went through extreme panic. I had the embassy helpline itself (the expensive one) tell me I needed a freaking hardship waiver. None of this was true.
I am diagnosed with a lifelong mental health issue which is caused by a brain disorder. I was raised by abusive parents (father's abuse, mother's fear of it causing her to turn a blind eye) who couldn't deal with it. I left home to marry an abusive and alcoholic man who couldn't deal with it. The doctors throughout my life didn't listen to me, they listened to my parents and ex husband. It's like I wasn't there. My medical records were therefore terrible, full of complaints of erractic, aggressive behaviour on my part. No mention at all of provocation or abuse. I left my ex-husband and since getting involved with my American husband I have had no outbursts of anger, no depression, no self harming. I have held down a steady job for 2 years.
It was my express intention to avoid USCIS seeing my medical records because a large bulk of it was hearsay from other people and the behaviours were in fact a result of abuse. I was convinced of this because having removed said people from my life the behaviours ceased 100%.
I have seen a visa lawyer and a private psych and if you feel you need similar help please PM me and I will pass on the details of those professionals who helped me.
This is a guide for others in a similar bad situation so they stop worrying. I didn't have any such thing. I said I would write about such a thing if I got through this. I got through this with flying colours.
First off if you have a mental disorder and you do not harm yourself or cause harm to others and you went to USA in the past and ticked "no" on visa waiver and ESTA you did NOT COMMIT MISREPRESENTATION. The guidelines for ESTA (and you can find them on the site) specifically state to only tick yes to this question if there is CURRENT harmful behaviour. So even though the question states simply "Do you have a mental disorder" and you ticked no, RELAX. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH MISREP IN THE PAST WHEN YOU DO YOUR FINAL VISA INTERVIEW.
Second off, on the question forms you send in at NVC there is a question which asks "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which causes or may cause harm to self or others." It's confusing and can trip people. The correct way of interpreting this question is "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which may cause harm in the future." In fact if you check the newer online application form used by Canada and other countries they have actually reworded this question to be explicit as to this fact. So RELAX. If you have had a condition which caused yourself to harm in the past, and you are confident you are stable now and will stay stable, relax. You can tick no.
If you have a medical history which is bad for reasons such of lack of diagnosis, poor treatment, wrong medication adminitered whatever and you feel it reflects terribly on you, here's how to avoid disclosing as much of it as possible. I'm not telling you to lie. Only tell the truth, but don't disclose anything you aren't asked. I have seen a lawyer about this. I came armed with my full history. The lawyer advised me that because a lot of the history was third party accounts that I could likely persuade my doctor of this and I could get help from them. Yep, the history looked bad. Here's what I did.
I got good character references from my boss and acquaintances. I gave them to my doctor. Still experiencing a little resistance I persuaded my mother to come see my GP and admit the past abuse in childhood. It was updated to my file. My doctor then became a lot more ameniable. They wrote me a great account for the visa medical. They mentioned my diagnoses, but not the hearsay and not the guesswork (what psychs had guessed I had pre final diagnosis. Some of it was bad. Some of it (personality disorders) would have meant ineligibility.)
I paid to see a private psych, I gave them my full history, I gave them details of my recovery having left my ex. I got them very much on my side. I got a SPARKLING good account from them to give to the doctors at the visa medical.
When I attended said medical I brought the GP's letter (It also said I had never been treated in inpatient psych care, voluntarily or otherwise - important if you can claim this too), the psych's letter, and the good character references from my boss and superiors, as well as tax returns for 2 years showing stable employmemt.
I was told at the medical they required no more information, that what I gave them was very helpful in their decision and that they were passing the results to the embassy.
At the embassy I was told I had been passed as "class B" - a managed mental disorder. I passed my interview and got my visa with no issues.
This is definitely what you need to hear if you are going through the terror I went through in the lead-up to getting this visa.

I got my visa with no issues. I went through hell though in the run up to it. I received much conflicting information about whether I would be eligible. I had lots of people online doubt I was eligible. I went through extreme panic. I had the embassy helpline itself (the expensive one) tell me I needed a freaking hardship waiver. None of this was true.
I am diagnosed with a lifelong mental health issue which is caused by a brain disorder. I was raised by abusive parents (father's abuse, mother's fear of it causing her to turn a blind eye) who couldn't deal with it. I left home to marry an abusive and alcoholic man who couldn't deal with it. The doctors throughout my life didn't listen to me, they listened to my parents and ex husband. It's like I wasn't there. My medical records were therefore terrible, full of complaints of erractic, aggressive behaviour on my part. No mention at all of provocation or abuse. I left my ex-husband and since getting involved with my American husband I have had no outbursts of anger, no depression, no self harming. I have held down a steady job for 2 years.
It was my express intention to avoid USCIS seeing my medical records because a large bulk of it was hearsay from other people and the behaviours were in fact a result of abuse. I was convinced of this because having removed said people from my life the behaviours ceased 100%.
I have seen a visa lawyer and a private psych and if you feel you need similar help please PM me and I will pass on the details of those professionals who helped me.
This is a guide for others in a similar bad situation so they stop worrying. I didn't have any such thing. I said I would write about such a thing if I got through this. I got through this with flying colours.
First off if you have a mental disorder and you do not harm yourself or cause harm to others and you went to USA in the past and ticked "no" on visa waiver and ESTA you did NOT COMMIT MISREPRESENTATION. The guidelines for ESTA (and you can find them on the site) specifically state to only tick yes to this question if there is CURRENT harmful behaviour. So even though the question states simply "Do you have a mental disorder" and you ticked no, RELAX. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH MISREP IN THE PAST WHEN YOU DO YOUR FINAL VISA INTERVIEW.
Second off, on the question forms you send in at NVC there is a question which asks "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which causes or may cause harm to self or others." It's confusing and can trip people. The correct way of interpreting this question is "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which may cause harm in the future." In fact if you check the newer online application form used by Canada and other countries they have actually reworded this question to be explicit as to this fact. So RELAX. If you have had a condition which caused yourself to harm in the past, and you are confident you are stable now and will stay stable, relax. You can tick no.
If you have a medical history which is bad for reasons such of lack of diagnosis, poor treatment, wrong medication adminitered whatever and you feel it reflects terribly on you, here's how to avoid disclosing as much of it as possible. I'm not telling you to lie. Only tell the truth, but don't disclose anything you aren't asked. I have seen a lawyer about this. I came armed with my full history. The lawyer advised me that because a lot of the history was third party accounts that I could likely persuade my doctor of this and I could get help from them. Yep, the history looked bad. Here's what I did.
I got good character references from my boss and acquaintances. I gave them to my doctor. Still experiencing a little resistance I persuaded my mother to come see my GP and admit the past abuse in childhood. It was updated to my file. My doctor then became a lot more ameniable. They wrote me a great account for the visa medical. They mentioned my diagnoses, but not the hearsay and not the guesswork (what psychs had guessed I had pre final diagnosis. Some of it was bad. Some of it (personality disorders) would have meant ineligibility.)
I paid to see a private psych, I gave them my full history, I gave them details of my recovery having left my ex. I got them very much on my side. I got a SPARKLING good account from them to give to the doctors at the visa medical.
When I attended said medical I brought the GP's letter (It also said I had never been treated in inpatient psych care, voluntarily or otherwise - important if you can claim this too), the psych's letter, and the good character references from my boss and superiors, as well as tax returns for 2 years showing stable employmemt.
I was told at the medical they required no more information, that what I gave them was very helpful in their decision and that they were passing the results to the embassy.
At the embassy I was told I had been passed as "class B" - a managed mental disorder. I passed my interview and got my visa with no issues.
This is definitely what you need to hear if you are going through the terror I went through in the lead-up to getting this visa.

I got my visa with no issues. I went through hell though in the run up to it. I received much conflicting information about whether I would be eligible. I had lots of people online doubt I was eligible. I went through extreme panic. I had the embassy helpline itself (the expensive one) tell me I needed a freaking hardship waiver. None of this was true.
I am diagnosed with a lifelong mental health issue which is caused by a brain disorder. I was raised by abusive parents (father's abuse, mother's fear of it causing her to turn a blind eye) who couldn't deal with it. I left home to marry an abusive and alcoholic man who couldn't deal with it. The doctors throughout my life didn't listen to me, they listened to my parents and ex husband. It's like I wasn't there. My medical records were therefore terrible, full of complaints of erractic, aggressive behaviour on my part. No mention at all of provocation or abuse. I left my ex-husband and since getting involved with my American husband I have had no outbursts of anger, no depression, no self harming. I have held down a steady job for 2 years.
It was my express intention to avoid USCIS seeing my medical records because a large bulk of it was hearsay from other people and the behaviours were in fact a result of abuse. I was convinced of this because having removed said people from my life the behaviours ceased 100%.
I have seen a visa lawyer and a private psych and if you feel you need similar help please PM me and I will pass on the details of those professionals who helped me.
This is a guide for others in a similar bad situation so they stop worrying. I didn't have any such thing. I said I would write about such a thing if I got through this. I got through this with flying colours.
First off if you have a mental disorder and you do not harm yourself or cause harm to others and you went to USA in the past and ticked "no" on visa waiver and ESTA you did NOT COMMIT MISREPRESENTATION. The guidelines for ESTA (and you can find them on the site) specifically state to only tick yes to this question if there is CURRENT harmful behaviour. So even though the question states simply "Do you have a mental disorder" and you ticked no, RELAX. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH MISREP IN THE PAST WHEN YOU DO YOUR FINAL VISA INTERVIEW.
Second off, on the question forms you send in at NVC there is a question which asks "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which causes or may cause harm to self or others." It's confusing and can trip people. The correct way of interpreting this question is "Do you have or have you had a mental disorder which may cause harm in the future." In fact if you check the newer online application form used by Canada and other countries they have actually reworded this question to be explicit as to this fact. So RELAX. If you have had a condition which caused yourself to harm in the past, and you are confident you are stable now and will stay stable, relax. You can tick no.
If you have a medical history which is bad for reasons such of lack of diagnosis, poor treatment, wrong medication adminitered whatever and you feel it reflects terribly on you, here's how to avoid disclosing as much of it as possible. I'm not telling you to lie. Only tell the truth, but don't disclose anything you aren't asked. I have seen a lawyer about this. I came armed with my full history. The lawyer advised me that because a lot of the history was third party accounts that I could likely persuade my doctor of this and I could get help from them. Yep, the history looked bad. Here's what I did.
I got good character references from my boss and acquaintances. I gave them to my doctor. Still experiencing a little resistance I persuaded my mother to come see my GP and admit the past abuse in childhood. It was updated to my file. My doctor then became a lot more ameniable. They wrote me a great account for the visa medical. They mentioned my diagnoses, but not the hearsay and not the guesswork (what psychs had guessed I had pre final diagnosis. Some of it was bad. Some of it (personality disorders) would have meant ineligibility.)
I paid to see a private psych, I gave them my full history, I gave them details of my recovery having left my ex. I got them very much on my side. I got a SPARKLING good account from them to give to the doctors at the visa medical.
When I attended said medical I brought the GP's letter (It also said I had never been treated in inpatient psych care, voluntarily or otherwise - important if you can claim this too), the psych's letter, and the good character references from my boss and superiors, as well as tax returns for 2 years showing stable employmemt.
I was told at the medical they required no more information, that what I gave them was very helpful in their decision and that they were passing the results to the embassy.
At the embassy I was told I had been passed as "class B" - a managed mental disorder. I passed my interview and got my visa with no issues.
This is definitely what you need to hear if you are going through the terror I went through in the lead-up to getting this visa.

Continental don't allow pets in the cabin from Manchester, I can tell you that as lacking any straight answers I went to the airport and asked them directly.
I had to take my cat to Heathrow on a Virgin train, but they do cheap deals from Manchester.
I can honestly say that while United Airlines were my only option for the price, if you can afford it don't fly with them because they really did not care when my second flight was cancelled and they did not want to prioritise me for the good of the animal - made me stand in a queue for rebooking that took 2 hours to get to the front of - by that point of course there were no flights left and they really did not give a damn. The only reason I was last in the awful 2 hour queue for rebooking was because of their screw-up, they let people on our flight then of course would not let us off until finally confirming it was cancelled - by that point the entire airport was queued at the rescheduling desk, I was last in line because I waited patiently for everyone to leave the plane before getting off with the bulky cat carrier.
Plenty of seats in first class - did they care to upgrade me? No. Did they care to have a hotel available during emergency situations, despite freak weather being common in the USA in summer? No. All fully booked. Fully booked BEFORE the flight cancellations. If flight cancellations are so common, why the hell don't they have a hotel available for United travellers? I'd gladly pay the extra fee for the emergency.
Then I missed my rescheduled flight with Delta that United set up because United did not care to tell Delta I had a cat despite me insisting they check with Delta. The process of rebooking the cat took too long, I missed the plane - Delta were rude to me, United were just as rude when I went to the desk to reschedule AGAIN. Saying it was not their fault that I missed the plane etc. Fortunately a seat had opened up on the next United flight. Or rather, 4 seats opened up. It was only when I got to the departure lounge that I realised they had not assigned me a seat and they had given about 30 other people a theoretical seat on the plane. I only got on it because I stood at the desk as SOON as I realised, 5 minutes after that the lady called for everyone with an unconfirmed seat to come queue for allocation. I was first in line. My question is, if there are 4 seats why give a theoretical seat to 30 odd people and why not prioritise animals, when they certainly prioritise kids - kids can eat in airport restaurants, use the toilets and aren't packed in a tiny carrier.
I honestly think if it had been an extra day I'd have been in serious trouble, the cat was panting severely when we got out at Miami and passing out on my knee on the way home without waking when his name was called - seriously scary. Easily fixed with food and water but he hadn't wanted to eat until the point I could finally let him out of the carrier. Be warned that United do not care at all about your pet. If you can get a direct flight, get a direct flight, if you can not get a direct flight, arrange on the web with a pet friendly person who can put you up if anything like this nightmare scenario happens. United will not bump you in the queue for rescheduling, they will not provide food for the pet, they will not provide a hotel if you get stuck.