Flaxen

Thanks for the suggestions. The school would be the school his grandfather attended! so we will go and make an appointment with them to see if they would consider. We are a rural county so not alot of international students come this way. And I will look into the F1 visa. 

Yes we would be willing to pay fees. The exchange students we had did not directly pay the school for fees but they sure paid the organisation they were with a heap of money. We the family didnt receive any funding and didnt mind. The girls I had for that year are now a significant part of my extended family. 

Thanks again.

I am a US citizen, came to the US 7 years ago on the K1 visa. My 14 year old grandson would like to come and live with us for a year like an exhange student and attend school etc. We had exchange students live with us 20 years ago but they were always through an agency.

My husband and I are in our 50's, both with good paying jobs. I miss my family a lot and love the idea of a year with a grandson in the house.

Any ideas how I would go about this?

if you look up http://www.naces.org/ they list members that offer the service that are state recognised. Specific professions and States would have their own process and places to give you direction. 

I wouldnt use ECE but have heard good things about WES

Good luck

I have a Bachelor of Counselling and an Advanced Diploma in Alcohol and Drug Studies. I gained CADC II (Certified Alcohol and drug Counsellor level 2). My work was clinical work with clients, more like a licensed social worker here. I'd like to do a Masters here in Supervision or in some form of Adult Training but need my degree recognised to get accepted. 

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

I also used ECE and found them very unsatisfactory. Trying to communicate with the organisation was not easy. I had to send the first results back as they had spelling errors and said I studied in a country I had never even visited! I'd not recommend using them at all.

I have a degree in counselling and addiction treatment. I had to apply for a sit an exam for accreditation and passed that. My degree, however, is not recognised here. I tried an evaluation agency and was not satisfied they do more than look at how long you studied. They certainly did not look at content.

Hi all I am wanting recommendations or guidance on where to get my New Zealand qualification evaluated for US equivalency. I used one agency and they appear to not have looked a the content of my study. In NZ a degree is achieved in 3 years whereas in the US it is 4 years. From what I have estimated the US content is varied in subject matter whereas my study was completely very topic specific. The place I used said I needed to do another year before I could be considered to have a degree. 

My employer is willing to fund another evaluation as they would support me doing a Masters here.

Froukje (Oregon)

Thank you.

Panic averted.. I thought I'd have to do the questions bit, but think that is a separate appointment. If I've read everything (again) correctly.

Phew

I filed for Naturalisation at the end of December. I have just received a letter asking me to go to the nearest office for another bio metrics!! 

Are they checking me out again? or is this just a really quick processing time? Will they ask me the questions at this appointment too?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Froukje

Hi fellow kiwi

I work within the Dept of Human services here in Oregon and had to go through two state back ground checks. My work is connected to young children and child protective services so pretty thorough. The first background check done by the state of Oregon usually takes a couple of weeks. The DHS background check has taken a couple of months for other staff though mine took from memory around a month. My background check for DHS involved fingerprinting for the upteenth time an FBI check.

If the job offer comes in writing and/or from a reputable organization I'd just be patient. Things work strangely here compared to what I was familiar with in NZ!

Good luck.

Monmouth is not too far away :-)

Great.. I'll figure out how to message you.

F

I am and have.. but thank you :-)

Hi

I've been living here in rural Albany for nearly 18 months. Making friends is hard. Lots of people are really friendly. I've invited people over for dinner and to meet for lunch... but no one seems interested in anything more. Am missing girl friends terribly. I'll put an ad in the paper soon!

Seriously... I have a great job (cant make friends at work as I'm the supervisor) and a wonderful husband.....

Lonely... and sad.. dont want this to become anything else.

Anyone in the wider area that would like a 53 year old friend out there? I garden, sew, love to hike....

I have my EAD and AP combo card... in my now married name (my maiden name hyphened with my husbands surname) .. .we married on July 4th .

We are booking a trip home to see my family... and... to book airline tickets I need to put the name in my passport. I dont have a new one in my married name.. but my re-entry to the US requires the AP card.. and that is in my married (hyphened name!

Will I have problems if my airline ticket is in a different name to the visa name?

I've delayed booking... anyone else had this experience your help is appreciated.. please

Got a combo EAD/AP card over the weekend....

Relieved.. as I started applying for work as soon as my status said it was approved!

I've applied for work in social services area... and at the interview I had some vague responses regarding the conditions. I asked about how many annual leave days... could I take leave without pay (as I'd like to annually visit family back home)...

Should I get this in writing?

I am apprehensive about not asking what I 'should'... and finding out later due to an issue!

I come from a country where employment was pretty much a Govt Act.. legislated.. with some good basics.

Any advice would be appreciated.

My EAD and AP are in production!!! Phew....

So I can start applying for work now? or do I wait until its in my actual hands? I'm figuring a couple of weeks wait...

You only use the CEAC site to check on the whereabouts of your immigrant visa stuff. For the AOS, EAD and AP you use the respective case numbers from your NOAs on the USCIS.gov site, the same place where you could look up the status of your petition during the K-1 process.

Thanks.. that is what I am doing... we followed the !-129 process this way but dont get anything more than that response (back in April)....

51 days since filing AOS so starting to get hopeful... had an RFE... guess we just keep waiting.

What number do you enter to check on the CEAC site please?

You need the EAD to legally work.

Normally, it takes 2-3 months to get the EAD after applying for it.

If you need your EAD immediately, then you can make an Infopass appointment and ask for an expedite.

Thanks ... I have no intention of working illegally hence wanting to know options.

But its good to know there is a possibility to expedite. The employer was also talking about supporting or sponsoring me.

I have my social security number already.

I am in the midst of painting the house during my 'wait time' ... not actually 100% available yet for work! Rather I am working AT home

Thanks for the input.

I am in the US on a K! visa. I submitted my AOS at the end of July. In my home country I worked for the Salvation army and I visited them here in the possiblity they may offer me work. Well they have...

Do I wait for the EAD process to get through the 90 days.. or follow another process?

Advice appreciated.

Thanks so much

Hi all.. currently wading my way through the AOS paperwork questions...

The nonimmigrant visa number.. this is the number in the top right of the K1 visa in my passport? or is it one of the other numbers we've had through this process?

And for my current occupation... I am of course not working... I am not permitted to. So unemployed? or the employment I used to do?

Sorry for silly questions...

Thank you in advance...

I'll be moving to Albany in two weeks. Would love to be part of a meet up.