JNEKG

Yes, August 2017. The plan is actually for her just to stay for 6months and attend school for the experience and then return to her mother. I'm considering this path in case she changes her mind and wants to stay permanently. Perhaps a student visa or a nonimmigrant visa is a better option? She will have a return ticket and the duration of her stay is planned to be Aug 30 2017 to Jan 28 2018.

NLR thanks for your response - we certainly aren't trying to do anything wrong hence the question. I did find this information online:

What is a “lawful admission” and “lawful status” for purposes of the CCA? (Child Citizenship Act)

To qualify for US citizenship upon application, you child must have been lawfully admitted to the United States, in any nonimmigrant classification, and your child must have maintained such status until your application for certificate of citizenship is approved and the oath of allegiance is administered.

here is the site: http://www.shihabimmigrationfirm.com/us-citizenship-for-children-born-outside-the-us-part-2.html

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I have been on this site as I moved here in Oct 2012. I am married to a US Citizen (was a citizen through birth but didn't reside in the US for more than a year prior to our arrival in 2012). He has a daughter to his first marriage that wants to now come and live with us full time (full custody) and we are wanting to make sure we complete the correct paperwork.

From my understanding we need to file form I30 - is that correct?

She is eligible (if she arrives here) to complete form N-600 with the EXCEPTION of the point that states 'must have entered the USA as a legally permanent resident which I am assuming means she can't come here (from Australia) on the visa waiver program and then we just apply for certificate of citizenship?

Is there anyway she can come on a visa waiver program and then we just adjust status (I-485?) when she is here?

All help and advice is greatly appreciated.

She is due to come in August for the start of school in Sept. She is 14 years old and her parents were married at her birth.

Thanks again

Natalie

There are other "new immigrant" options. You can google new immigrant health insurance. The one we found and will likely go with in the short term is Patriot America. It is essentially travel insurance for those who are leaving their 'home' country. its worth looking at for your situation though.

UPS Freight. Sounds crazy, but I am getting quoted around $170AUD per moving box to the US.

You can use Interparcel.com.au for easy quotation rather than going via the UPS Freight website.

We used freight net in Victoria. Cost $1030 for 8 normal sized moving boxes 250kg in total via air freight. Got here at the same time we did!

Good luck

Hi All

We arrived in Seattle last Saturday and are settling in nicely. I was told at POE that I should go into the SS office in the next few days to apply for a SSN. I did tick the box on the ds230 form but because I changed my address at the Poe, I thought it might be a different process. I went into the SSA office and they told me to wait for 21 days (business days) and then come back in if I haven't recieved it. Is that normal? Right? Should I wait or call someone? If so. Who?

Also, the officer changed my address at Poe, but do I need to call and confirm that with USCIS that my address has changed? If so, how do I do that?

Any advice/help/experience would be appreciated.

Thanks

Nat

My USC husband lives in OZ with me and we went through the whole process in four months. We did recieve and emailnto tell is the case was closed but that was only in response to an email inquiry we sent. Otherwise most people don't get them. I called to check my case status also.

All the best.

Nat

Thanks for the reply. I wonder how I came to the conclusion it was an AFP check. I've read too many pieces of conflicting information.

I guess the NSW police check is the right now then. Thanks.

I am not sure about codes but in know you need a federal police check for the IR1/CR1 category.

Okay all NVC Filers, need some help here

We called the NVC & got our case # on 24 July and E-mailed DS 3032 same day.... the answer from the rep who answered the called was ''we have too many e-mails, we will check your e-mail according to datewise..

Now my Question is what should we do, sud we wait to be invoiced...or how do we pay directly without NVC confirming receipt of DS 3032...Confused n tired waiting

Your AOS invoice will be issued shortly. Your DS230 invoice will only be issued once you DS3032 has been accepted. Did you. Give the operator both email addresses? Petitioner and beneficiary?

Unfortunately at this point, you just have to wait. Get your packets ready to send. Check everything three times over.

All the best

Thought my detailed time line might help here.

I rescheduled my interview in the end. If you keep hounding them they will reschedule eventually.

All the best.

Nat

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice.

Hi All

We are moving to Seattle in the coming months and need some help and advice in terms of securing a home when we move. Preferably before we move. My issue is that we are both in Australia and will be moving together with our family. I have secured a job in the Us but my husband has not (yet).

My questions are:

1. Are we going to be able to rent an apartment without a credit rating?

2. Can I as the LPR be the one to secure it(as I am the one with income) ?

3. Would it be possible to arrange a house from Australia?

4. Will it be difficult as we have not been renters for more than a decade in Australia (home owners) and have no reference?

5. Would a reference from my bank saying we have never missed a loan payment be beneficial?

6. We could pay 3-6 months rent up front, would that help?

Any tips, advice, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, does anyone know of any temporary/executive housing we could rent while we are exploring areas to move to?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

We have finally been approved and are now starting to put the wheels in motion to make presumably the biggest move of our lives ( Australia to USA).

I need to know more about health insurance in the US, particularly Seattle, WA. I have secured a job with an Australian based company who want me to start their us operation however I will be paid in us dollars and need to get health Insurance/ medical insurance for my whole family (employer will pay).

My questions are:

Who is the best provider in that area?

Generally what is the annual cost for a family of five (3 depend ants under 15)

Can we buy health insurance if I am not a us citizen?

Do I need my Ssn before we get insurance?

What did you do ( as a new immigrant) when you first got to the US in terms of insurance?

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

Hi all

Just wanted to provide a little update on my end. I have written up a interview review ( can't figure out how to add the link to it here - sorry) for those who asked. Also, had my interview on Tuesday, received the passports and yellow packets back in the mail on Thursday. The Sydney consulate is very efficient. And then, Friday I secured one of the two job offers I had. I start working in their Australian office and will be responsible for setting up their US operation. Am so thrilled. It's nice when it all falls into place. Now the hardwork begins - packing up a family of five and moving us all to a new country

Great advice, and he has now done this. Thanks for the suggestion! He did manage to get a corrected form into the mail to me yesterday, so I will send it all in hopefully next week. One stupid typo causes so much trouble and angst!

I am worrying about the AOS packet, though. They've had it over a week now and they still haven't reviewed it. I just talked to the most helpful NVC operator ever (she checked on a whole bunch of info about police certificates for me, she was really nice) and she assured me it hasn't been touched yet. I am seriously wondering what's up. If I end up getting another RFE for the AOS packet next week after sending in this one, I am honestly going to *scream*!

Anyway, best of luck to everyone waiting, and congrats to those who have received good news

Hang in there Vilya. I know it feels all consuming and the end of the world, but your are just days from the end of this torture, even with RFE's. It's a minor set back in the bigger scheme of things. I know that doesn't really help when I got an RFE for a document I DID provide it made me crazy. I actully cried during this process which seems absurd.

Get the response to the checklist in and I am sure within a few days you will get your case closed.

All the best.

Hi all,

Well I took the chance of maybe bumping up an earlier interview date for my wife in Colombia but FAILED!

The Embassy replied:

Thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately, we do not have any earlier appointments available.

I e-mailed the request Thursday night like 7:30PM and the above e-mail reply appeared in my inbox hours later at 4AM (I thought that was kind of strange). Maybe I should have sent it on Monday during business hours, I feel like Friday the 13th cursed me!

This happened to me also. The Sydney consulate told me four times they had no earlier interviews and then with a weeks notice gave me an earlier interview date. Keep trying again and again. Persistence pays. Good luck.

Congratulations on your visa! How amazing! I will hopefully be following you to Sydney in a few months for our interview. How did it go?

I did call, and the fellow (very nice btw) said they were waiting on my AOS packet. Which was delivered last week. I am now starting to panic a little. Hopefully it just means they are still processing it? Maybe I will call back later to try a different operator. This is freaking me out. I hope they didn't lose it!

Thanks. I will post a review soon. It was easy and straight forward.

I wouldn't worry about your AOS package. They kept telling me they didn't have mine even though I knew it was delivered. It just means they are reviewing it.

Call again. You will get your case closed soon.

Just had our interviews this morning! APPROVED!!! Thanks to everyone here for your help, especially to master Saylin!!!

Huge congrats to you. We have had a similar timeline from the start and now we crossed the finish line at the same time. Best of luck to you and your family.

Wow, congratulations, Mr. Borkstrom! How exciting!

And congrats to everyone else who got case numbers, case completes, and other fabulous news. It makes me feel good to see that things are moving along for people. Gives me hope!

Just awaiting case complete here, hoping for no RFEs. I'll probably give the NVC a call in a couple of days to check.

It looks like you sent your last packet a week ago. I would be calling today. Case complete's don't take long and they've had a week now.

Good luck

I had my visa interview today APPROVED!!!

:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Relief is the word I use to describe it.

Saylin and others - THANK YOU.

Good luck everyone else

Mr bjorkstrom - congrats on case complete.

Had my interview at the Sydney consulate today (we rescheduled). All approved!!! :dance:

Sugarz, I was worried about questions about my first marriage too as he was also a USC but it was no issue for us. U will be fine.

Visa stamp and passports will be returned to us within the next five days. I have a final interview for a job on Friday and then we start the moving process. Wears excited and I cannot wait to resign fro my existing job.

Best of luck to all who have their interviews this week. You will be fine.

Don't worry. You have one year to submit your documents to NVC at each stage. What I mean is, if there is no activity on your file for one year it will become void. After your case is complete, the NVC will schedule you an interview at the Sydney consulate. From what I understand there is no timing restrictions on that because you have to attend when they tell you to unless you reschedule.

You can get through this process quickly or slowly, it's really up to you.

All the best.

Congrats on approvals.

Do you need to take more passport sized photos to the interview?

Hi everyone,

Saylin, I am preparing for my interview next Tuesday and want to make sure I have everything. Here is what I am taking:

Interview (P4) letter for myself and son

Email stating that interview has been rescheduled

Express post envelope (for return of visa and docs - australia only)

Original marriage cert and divorce cert as requested on P4 letter

Copy of I130, I864 and DS230 packets for both myself and my son

Passports for both

Evidence (not really sure what to take here. We have lived together for the past 9 years and have been married for 7 and have a 4 yr old son together. Also my hubby will be with me at the interview. What more do I need to prove a Bona fide relationship? Will photos do anything?)

Also, do I need two passport sized photos of me and my son?

Please let me know if there is anything I have missed.

Forget to add medical packet for both myself and my son

Thanks in advance

If you have submitted all documentation it will take roughly7-10 days to close your case. After that, they will assign you an interview date. This largely depends on the consulate and how busy they are. You can look at my timeline to see how long it took me. Roughly from cased closed to interview date was 2 months.

Hi everyone,

Saylin, I am preparing for my interview next Tuesday and want to make sure I have everything. Here is what I am taking:

Interview (P4) letter for myself and son

Email stating that interview has been rescheduled

Express post envelope (for return of visa and docs - australia only)

Original marriage cert and divorce cert as requested on P4 letter

Copy of I130, I864 and DS230 packets for both myself and my son

Passports for both

Evidence (not really sure what to take here. We have lived together for the past 9 years and have been married for 7 and have a 4 yr old son together. Also my hubby will be with me at the interview. What more do I need to prove a Bona fide relationship? Will photos do anything?)

Also, do I need two passport sized photos of me and my son?

Please let me know if there is anything I have missed.

Thanks in advance

Hi all

Sorry haven't been around much. It's funny that once your case closes, your focus turns to the interview. I have managed to reschedule mine to next week - July 10. I am so thrilled

It means that the whole process has taken us 4 months from the time UsCIS received the petition to interview date. I wonder is that is some kind of a record?

To those of you waiting for case numbers, invoice numbers, packages delivered or reviewed, case closed and interview dates, hang in there. It feels torturous while you are in the midst of it but the NVC process really does fly by. My advice, if you are feeling stressed, take a days break from it all. It really will do you a world of good. And stop comparing your timeline with others. It all happens for a reason.

All the best to everyone waiting and to Darnell and Saylin - THANK YOU!