rhirhi

It will be Monday, as they close on Saturdays. I have found if you email them on a Friday night/Saturday Morning, they normally respond by about 10am the Monday they open, so that might be an idea, if you are stuck in work, plus it also gives you a chance to maybe verbalize what you want to say a little bit more clearly and thought out, as sometimes you may tend to forget of things to say on the phone (god knows I do )

Do you have the email address to hand? I can't find it, only their phone number.

Nich-nick, that's exactly what I'll do. Thanks!

That is basically poor service and some incorrect info unless you didn't understand what she was saying.

You will have to pay a civil surgeon in the US to complete a new sheet before AOS.

Btw--They have never marked the results as "complete" but incomplete should have "may be eligible for blanket waiver" also ticked. That is the norm, even for those who got all the required shots for an adult and need nothing further for AOS.

Grr, that's really frustrating. I made a point of going to my GP to ensure I had all required vaccinations beforehand to avoid having to pay when in the US. All the other rows have ticks and dates etc in them but varicella has nothing.

Actually, as I've had chicken pox, would I just have to get the US civil surgeon to complete a new sheet saying I have varicella history? Or would I need the shot as well?

I thought I remembered reading somewhere on here about them never marking the results as complete, but the lady made a BIG deal out of saying "this is what we've been told to start doing now, because of flu jabs and tetanus, so don't worry you're fine." I assumed that meant it was a recent change.

Medical is all over and done with. Took an hour and a half from the time I entered the building til the time I left. I had the really friendly female Australian doctor.

Few strange bits- I saw the guy for my X-ray, I saw the Dr, but not a nurse. The lady at reception had to explain the vaccinations form to me. Apparently they now mark everyone's as "vaccination history incomplete" due to what she explained as "flu and tetanus". Whatever that means

Because I didn't see the nurse, there is nothing at all in the varicella row (no ticks, no varicella history indicated, nothing) but apparently that's just what they've started doing now. Hm.

Not sure if this is standard now too as I was expecting to hear longer times, but I was told if I don't hear from them within two working days (Tuesday) then everything is fine, and the results will be with the embassy by Wednesday.

Just in case anyone has the same date- I have my medical on Friday 31st Jan

Haven't experienced it myself on a K1 but I have the same plan as you so I looked in these two places:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php?poe=Dublin&dfilter=0

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php?poe=Dublin%2C+Ireland&dfilter=0

Seems like it's just the same as a POE within the US just make sure you have enough of a layover in case immigration takes a bit longer than usual whilst they process the K1 stuff.

Good to know that they are doing it again Dublin airport website still says no. In the end to avoid the line in Boston Immigration I ended up paying the $100 for global entry which is so much faster.

Ugh those lines can be hideous. I started flying with Aer Lingus before they restarted preclearance, the last time I had to clear immigration in Boston it was the end of May, boiling hot and it took 3 hours to get through. Horrible! I've done immigration in boston twice once I walked straight up to the officer, the last time there was a bit of a queue but apart from "is this your bag?" I was asked no questions at all so I breezed through.

I should state that if anyone was thinking of using avios etc on aer lingus you have to ring up BA to book the flights. It's 25000 return I believe from Dublin to Boston plus about £70 in taxes which is amazing. Only downside is I've never been able to book the Cardiff-dublin segment using airmiles so I've had to book that on a different ticket. Sometimes the airport check in staff check you and your bags through to Boston, sometimes they don't, so it's a case of weighing up whether you'd have a long enough layover to check in again in Dublin if the worst came to the worst. I've always made it through ok

I had the same problem with being sick of the journey to Heathrow. I now only fly Aer Lingus Cardiff-Dublin-Boston. It's easy to transfer onto your next flight, your luggage is checked through as are you. They DID stop preclearence at Dublin for the Boston flights but restarted it in October. I've been through twice and it's an absolute breeze because people go through it in their own time rather than like when a plane lands in Boston, every single person on that plane has to go through immigration in one go so it takes ages. It's also great getting off the plane, grabbing your luggage and leaving the airport rather than fussing with immigration once you get to your destination.

If you've been saving up airmailed with BA/AA etc you can enter your BA/AA loyalty number during the booking with Aer Lingus and collect some airmiles. You can also use BA/AA airmiles on Aer Lingus flights which is handy if you HAVE to visit but are a bit strapped for cash.

I really enjoyed this. The bit about when you're apologising was spot on, I can always sense a shift in a grumpy/bored operator whenever I've spoken to someone Stateside (airlines, DoS etc) when they're faced with a bumbling and apologetic Brit.

Whenever I visit Boston I tend to just get goggled at by waiters/cashiers etc when they hear me speak but that's about it. Once a McDonalds cashier asked me where I was from, and once I told him he said "I gotcha, I understand, I've seen BBC America."

My absolute favourite was when I travelled across the States a few years ago. A guy working at a hostel I was staying in in DC asked where I was from and then promptly said "good morning" to me in Welsh

For future reference, this was my very blunt reply:

"If you are not a US Citizen you must present a valid and current passport and any supporting documents, such as I-94."

"Many thanks for your reply. I understand that I will need to present my I-94, however could you please tell me whether my MA ID would expire when my I-94 expires?"

"No"

I'm hoping that's a no for the expiration of the ID as opposed to a no in reply to the "could you please tell me..." bit

Ah! I tell a lie. Check out the last post in this thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/474841-what-to-ask-for-from-medical/

One more question, I am going to be having my medical in February, however I won't be moving to the US until May/June, do I need to get the flu jab?

My medical is at the end of the month and I won't be moving over til July so I'm in the same boat. As I understand it, if you've had all the required shots before the medical (or during it), at the end of your medical you're given a form certifying that you've had the required vaccinations. This form is then used for the AOS process (as long as AOS is filed for within a year of the medical), meaning you won't need to go to the trouble and expense of having a medical with a civil surgeon in the USA.

Even though it won't be flu season when you arrive and apply for AOS, you'll have had the flu jab for the season before you arrived so technically you'll be immunised against that year's flu virus.

Again, that's the situation as I understand it, I might be wrong!

It isn't the visa really because it is void once you enter at POE. It is having no passport at all for maybe 6 weeks time when you are in a foreign country doing immigration processes that is a worry to me. That is assuming you don't make any mistakes in the application. You know how dealing with a government agency can be.

I don't think you can likely get a state ID until you have something to show legal presence like an EAD card. If you were able to get one on your I-94, it would expire when the I -94 expires (90 days after POE.) Then you have no proof of legal presence until you get the EAD which shows one year of legal presence. Most don't get a state ID or license until they have an EAD card.

You are better off finishing your first round of immigration...greencard in hand...before you send your passport to the UK. Then you would have a state ID and a greencard and be fine for most everything until they return the old and new passports. It will cost around £148 for the new passport.

Aaah, that does make a lot of sense. I guess I was just thinking of the visa as proof of...I don't know, being allowed to be there I suppose! Silly when I think about it now.

I thought that too but my fiancé brought up the issue the other day as in MA they have two options- the state ID or a liquor ID. I looked into it to see which one I should get and ended up looking at the application process. It looks like to prove residency they'll accept marriage certificate, signed lease etc. They DO ask for a passport and an I-94 but they don't make it clear whether you get the ID based on your proof of residency or on the I-94. Have emailed them for clarification and will post back for anyone curious/in the same situation in the future. Likely you're correct but I remember when my fiancé moved to MA he had to get a state ID ASAP as apparently they're funny about that in MA.

From yours and Nobbie's comments it does seem to make the most sense to wait until the whole process is over to renew it. Might have to put up with the terrible photo for a few years more then!

Nobbie, that's the other thought running through my head, the fact that I still have 2 years left on it so it'll be a bit of a waste. I think I'm just a bit of a completionist, having an officially document with my married name on will satisfy that sad little part of me! It's just a case of weighing up how much hassle it will be and whether that hassle will be worth it.

That is exactly why I am asking whether I will need my current passport, with the visa in it, or if I could use the new passport without the visa in it. I'm still months away from POE so I haven't thoroughly researched the AOS/SSN/etc processes but I'm trying to get a vague idea of how to progress through this next year of paperwork seems like it's a case of doing all these little things in the right order so you don't mess up another application down the line.

For the biometrics appointment if it's just photographic ID they need then I thought the MA state ID would suffice, if I did decide to renew my passport and it isn't back in time.

Great...so aside from the photocopy for the AOS packet, I can use my new passport with my married name in it for the other things as it seems the passport is just a form of ID in the other cases.

I will probably use my existing passport for the SSN as I'll get that done before the wedding...will I need a passport as a form of ID when I go back after the wedding to change my SSN into my married name?

This is a question for those who have moved from the UK, married and begun AOS proceedings.

I intend to renew my passport once I am married, to change my surname on the passport and to get a new photo. My current one is from 8 years ago now and usually gets a few suspicious glances whenever I use it as 16-year-old me looks very...different

Is there ANYTHING that I will need my current passport for once I have moved out there? Will I need the K1 visa in it for AOS, AP etc? Or can I go ahead and get a new passport?

I did Google this beforehand but couldn't find anything helpful so thought some first-hand experience would be best

When I've sent big boxes of presents, candy etc to my USC fiancé, I've always just gone onto the parcelmonkey website and seen who is the cheapest. I've had good results with both UPS and FedEx. My mum sent a box of presents without asking me first and used Royal Mail. It cost her £40 and it got lost twice and took about 3-4 weeks, whereas whenever I've used the other parcel companies it's been there (Boston) within days and cost around £20.

Do you have your visa yet? If not, if you visit any time before moving day and now (or if your fiancé visits you) use your baggage allowance to take stuff over. That's what I've done for the last few trips for things like books, artwork etc.

Hopefully when I move, the suitcase I take out with me will be full of nothing but clothes

British chocolates and sweets. I'm yet to find a US candy that I could get addicted to...although that's probably not a bad thing

I'm lucky in terms of 'proper' bacon, sausages, Heinz beans etc. My fiancé works in an Irish butcher's/café/deli type place so he can get hold of a lot of things that I could potentially miss. My main concern (as sad as this sounds) was squash...I just think there's something weird about using powder to make a drink! We've found this weird frozen stuff in a plastic tub that you mix with water to make squash which is OK, though his new job does stock Ribena etc which is a relief for little old creature-of-habit me

I've been wondering the same thing. I've been wondering whether it will be OK if I buy a US power cord for my laptop, a US mains plug for my ipad/ipod, a US mains plug for my phone etc...can't figure out if that will work or if I'll have to use an adapter for everything.

For things like straighteners, hair dryer etc I've just bought US ones over there and leave them at my fiancé's place to use every time I visit. Those type of appliances don't heat up enough with an adapter and I've been told hair dryers can break/blow up etc if used with an adapter plug.

I suppose we'll just have to make a decision!

Just wondering, where did you find the visa wait time?

All I can find is this :

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4788.html?post=London&x=77&y=15

but it doesn't include K visas!

I don't have any official info on wait times, I've just read people's experiences with London recently on this forum. As Feb approaches you might want to do the same, might help you make that decision!

You could submit your readiness form in Feb, sure. But by then, waiting times might have changed drastically...they could be much shorter or even much longer. AFAIK you can ask for the interview date to be changed once but I've not really looked into it. To be honest I think you're going to have to make this call, there isn't really an answer I can give you

I'm not sure about the dates on letters etc, I've been wondering the same thing myself.

So essentially, once I receive the packet I don't have to do anything, or contact them in any way until next March (even though that will be after the expiry date). I can have my medical next January and start submitting documents next March and there won't be problems, I will just bring a notarized letter to the interview? Is this right? Although I should submit my DS-160 soon?

Do you have any idea roughly how long the wait is for interview appointments? Because obviously if there is a two month wait I want to submit my documents before March! Also, is there any information anywhere for how long it takes for the visa to be granted after the interview?

Thanks so much for all your help!!

Yes, once you have the packet 3 you will then also have your LND number. With that LND number you should then fill out and submit the online form DS160 soonish just to let them know you're still moving along in the process.

Call them up next month to schedule your medical for January. Once you have had your medical they will send the results to the embassy, so the embassy WILL sort of hear from you before March, again letting them know that you're still moving along with the process.

All documents such as the notarised letter, the I-134, the financial details (tax returns, payslips etc) from the USC will be taken to and shown at interview, you don't send them in advance. Once you have all of these documents ready you need to submit this form to let them know you're ready for interview: http://london.usembassy.gov/iv/notification_of_applicant_readiness_form.html

Once the embassy have the medical results, the DS160, the readiness form and the original I-129F packet (sent to them by USCIS/NVC) they will then schedule an interview date for you. At the moment there's about a 2 month wait but that could all change by the time your medical is done. You could always delay sending in the readiness form until after your trip.

So to summarise, if I were you I would be tempted to do this in the following order:

1. Send your DS160 once you have received your packet 3 letter.
2. Next month, call up to schedule your medical.
3. Start collecting all the required documents for the interview. You will need some of these from the USC so give yourself time if these will need to be mailed.
4. In January, have your medical.
5. When you are ready for the interview (after any trips have been completed, once you have all the documents etc) send the readiness form in.

Ooh...have you had the police check done? You'll need that for the medical. That's something you can sort out in the meantime

I'm not concerned, everything I have read and all the advice I have been given regarding London states that they are happy to revalidate the petition when given a new, notarised letter of intent from the USC. In addition, I used the email form on their website to ask their advice. This was their reply:

Thank you for your email.

You have until October 21^st 2014 to take action in your case. If you do not do so by that date, steps will be taken to terminate your application.

If it is not possible to schedule an appointment before the expiration date of your Notice of Action, you will be required to present a letter of intent from your fiancé, confirming that you still intend to marry, both remain legally free to do so and that you will marry within 90 days of your initial entry to the United States. You can either present the letter at the time of your interview, or your fiancé can submit it by mail directly to the Immigrant Visa Unit by mail.

In other words, if they don't hear a peep from me by Oct 21st 2014 then they'll cancel the application. I intend to have my visa in-hand by Easter and married in August so that's not a problem.

Read Nich-Nick's post above and check out the link. It will tell you exactly what to do from now on. You can schedule the medical up to one month in advance, so if you're shooting for a early June move then schedule the medical in December to take place in January. Just be really clear on the fact that once the medical is done, you only have 6 months from that date to move.

As I said, you can visit him right up until your interview date, but once you have that visa in your hand the next time you fly out will be to stay for good. I don't see why you can't do your spring trip and then have the interview in May. If that's the route you want to go down, be extra cautious and don't send in your "readiness for interview" online form until you really are ready for interview, i.e back in the country after your trip in spring (or a week or so away from flying home).

I have the exact same problem! I'm a teacher so I can't leave til school finishes next July. We applied last July when processing times were 6+ months...got our NOA2 in Sept. Nice to have a 'yes' so quick but a bit of a pain in the butt!

The way we're getting round it is just drawing everything out on our end now. You have 6 months from the day of your medical to use the visa. I won't book a medical appointment to be held before late January 2014. This means I'll have 6 months from late Jan to move out there, giving me until late July. If you are planning to move over next June, don't schedule your medical appointment to be held earlier than mid December.

You shouldn't have any problems visiting whilst all this is going on. I always take proof of my job and my MA course to show that I still have ties to the UK incase it's needed, but it never has been. The only thing is, once you have had your interview and received your passport back with the visa in it, remember that the visa is a single use visa, so the next time you fly out it will have to be to move permanently. We expect to get our visa next spring so after my December visit I won't be going out again. The way we're getting round that is he's coming to visit here over the Easter holidays

I'd complete the DS160 as soon as you are able. I was given this advice from someone in this forum because as I'm dragging out the rest of the process, completing this form shows them that we still intend to go ahead with the process. When the interview date is nearing you'll need a notarised letter of intent from the USC stating their continued intent to marry. Taking this to the interview will allow them to extend the expiration date.

Hope this all makes sense, and hope this helps!

EDIT: Ah, Nich-Nick beat me to it!