AussieDude

All they really asked was how we met, when we met, How long we knew each other. When and where did we get married. Did Mick like the states. Oh and... did we have any photo's of us, I sez... well no it was'nt on the list of thing's to bring, he sez no problem. and that was basically it. Then he sez approved, stamped the form and said seeya Monday for the final interview.

Trish & Mick

That is awesome! Best of luck for Monday! Let us know how it goes.

AussieDude

Hi people

Well all went good at the lodging of the I-130 on the 10th Aug. We were in the consulate for about 1 hour the interview was like 5 minutes with no drama's. I-130 APPROVED !!! All we got now is lodging the I-864 and Mick's interview on the 14th Aug.

Trish and Mick.

That's excellent news, congratulations! I hope our interviews go just as painless. Any things to watch out for? What kind of evidence of relationship were they looking for?

AussieDude

The I-864 filing is curious, which is why I wasn't sure that it was the case for everyone -- but I guess it is!

by way of explanation....

The I-864 has always been a part of the visa application part of the game. It's normal for it to be submitted with/at the time of a visa application (DS-230), not with an I-130. Sydney's just starting to conform with the rest of the world.

The only reason I considered it curious was, previously it needed notarization and since the USC does not have to be present at the visa application, it would have made it difficult for the visa applicant. And this is probably why, I assume, they removed the notarization bit, because the I-864 should be part of the visa application, not petition.

AussieDude

Just a heads up that I've put up information about the new process on the pinned DCF thread.

I've posted this there, but there have been a few extra changes we just found about about. Basically, everyone now has the option of doing a walk-in on Thursdays in Sydney to file the I-130, not just those who live in NSW, ACT and QLD. So, for example, if you live in Melbourne, you can either make an appointment to file through Melbourne, OR do a walk-in in Sydney.

I'm attaching the new document they sent us outlining these changes.

We also got some more information about filing in Melbourne. Apparently, they only set aside one day a month to file the I-130s. We wanted to file in early October, but they are only accepting petitions on 25 October. So looks like we'll be doing a Sydney walk-in instead!

Chris

I_130SpouseCoverSheet_ToSendByEmail.doc

Hi Lunamel,

Looks like you and I are in the same boat. My partner and I picked up all the documentation about 6 months ago when they were still giving them out before the marriage. I sent in my DS-230 recently and received the same email as you. Luckily, because I've got the forms, I did my police check a month or two ago and I will be doing the medical check next week. My spouse and I are going to try to file the petition in next week, and I might even give them the DS-2001 at the same time.

One thing that is curious though is that the I-864 is taken in by the Aussie, and not put together with the I-130 petition. I would have thought that the USC would file this with the petition despite the fact that it needs no notarization anymore.

Anyway, looks like its all going well for those of us caught in the middle, I'll post any info that might help.

AussieDude

Hello all, I'm here downunder. Our interview is tomarrow for the I-130. Wish us all the best. Will get back to you all on how it went. Thanks again for all your help. Mick and Trish

Good luck! By the way, since they're still allowing you to go on the old system, I believe they would have let you file the I-130 at the same time as your husband's interview. Under the new system, although you have to file the I-130 first, the old system allowed the Aussie to do everything, and if the I-130 wasn't lodged yet, they'd make you both turn up to the interview to do both.

Anyway, all done now, good luck again!

AussieDude

I'm going to contradict myself. I sent in my DS-230 recently, and I just received an email from the US consulate informing me that my spouse has to file the I-130 before my interview. I'm not going to complain as this process is still very much quicker than any other method.

AussieDude

Hello all, I'm here downunder. Our interview is tomarrow for the I-130. Wish us all the best. Will get back to you all on how it went. Thanks again for all your help. Mick and Trish

Good luck! By the way, since they're still allowing you to go on the old system, I believe they would have let you file the I-130 at the same time as your husband's interview. Under the new system, although you have to file the I-130 first, the old system allowed the Aussie to do everything, and if the I-130 wasn't lodged yet, they'd make you both turn up to the interview to do both.

Anyway, all done now, good luck again!

AussieDude

if you're doing DCF you HAVE to be married So yes, married.

Yes, sorry, I forgot to put a context to my filling out the DS-230 as part of my DCF process. Thanks Karo

AussieDude

Silliest of silly questions. In question 9 on the DS-230 about marital status. I believe this would be my marital status after I marry the USC, correct?

So even though I'm single now, because by the time we get around to the embassy for interview/petition we would be married so I should put married, correct?

Secondly, for question 14, address of spouse, I can use her US address without any prejudice directed at our relationship yes? I ask this because I believe putting her US address makes it look better for domicile, and also because its the truth.

AussieDude

As an addendum, for others without vaccination records, if you're sure you've had Chicken Pox (Varicella) and either had measles or the MMR shot, you can check for antibodies for those in a blood test. Then you only have to receive the Td shot.

I chose to do this because my vaccination records reside with a bunch of doctors in a million places. I actually asked my local doctor to do this blood test and asked them to check it for the HIV and Syphilis tests since they need to be done for the examination anyway.

One caveat, its best to check with the examining doctor by phoning ahead to make sure they'll accept a blood test for all of this. Our panel physician does, as long as whoever takes the blood signs in the appropriate place that they have sighted your passport and have verified its your blood they took.

AussieDude

Ah yes, I understand why you were concerned about showing some tie to the US. That issue of domicile is something that USCIS is going to have to decide on. On the one hand, some US consulates will not allow USCs to file for DCF unless they are a resident of that country, but on the other hand they require the USC to show that they have a residence in the US.

I'm a little confused though Laura. Since you indicate that your home town is South Bend, Indiana (home of one my favourite college teams, the Fighting Irish), aren't you the one that has to prove domicile rather than your husband?

AussieDude

Don't quote me on this, but I believe with the latest changes, you may not need to show proof of current employment. I believe the previous year's tax return is now sufficient.

HOWEVER, it never hurts to show more than you need, and indeed some consulates still insist on previous 3 year's tax returns as well as a letter from the employer. Also, I just realised that your husband is currently working in Canada and probably does his tax returns there, so he may need that letter after all (Sorry I keep going round in a circle!).

I've wrestled a little with this question myself because the nature of my fiancees work is such that everyone in her industry works as a freelancer. She makes decent money, but there is no permanent employer to speak of. In a way she is self-employed, and I believe self-employed people may be able to write a letter on their own behalf. I'm deliberately mentioning this as the contract work you are talking about with your husband may be considered self-employed and he may be able to write a letter on his own behalf.

Anyway, sorry about any confusion, post up your experience on the board when you find out.

AussieDude

Hi all,

I called Dr Millar's office and asked about whether getting a blood test to check for the following would be an exhaustive list:

*Td vaccination

*Varicella (chicken pox) vaccination/exposure

*MMR vaccination

*HIV

*Syphilis

They said that should be it, as long as whoever takes the blood sights my passport and signs the second page where it says laboratory technician.

I also asked about whether I needed a case number to come in for a medical check and I was told no, the case numbers only become apparent when an interview is booked. That seems a little puzzling, but since I can book the medical and get it done, and since the results are kept with me to take to the consulate, I can't see a problem with booking the medical anytime (as long as I have the forms).

For those of you wondering why I might be pointing this out, because of the recent changes, you can't get packet 3 anymore without having filed the I-130 first. Previously, you could just go and pick up the I-130 and packet 3 at the same time, thus saving some time. These days, you have to be married first, file the I-130 and then they send out packet 3 to you.

AussieDude

I am in Sydney and had my medical done with Dr Anthony Millar in the city. I had blood tests to check my immunity level prior to the medical including one for HIV. I didnt get anything signed and it was ok by the Doc. for me anyway, I am not sure whether it is always the case. If you are going through Dr Millar, perhaps call and ask the lady in the office. She is a real sweetie. They just called the pathology for the HIV and measles results as they hadnt come back yet. I had the syphilis one done at the medical. They called me to let me know I needed MMR as my immunity to measles was non existant and asked me to fax a letter from the doc to state that I had it done. Hope this helps.

Lorelle

Thanks for the info Lorelle,

I'm going to call Dr Millar's office today and ask, I'll put up their reply.

AussieDude

I got a question about assets and bank accounts. My fiance, who will eventually be my wife in September has money in her personal bank account in Australia from selling her car recently. We're trying to figure out the smartest/best way to transfer her funds over to US dollars.

Would it be best for her to just wait until we're married to open up a joint account and then transfer her funds over? If so, will those funds be charged transfer fees? We're talking about a couple thousand dollars here.

Or would it be best for her to just withdraw all of it and hand carry it with her when she comes here to the US on her Spouse Visa. I know you have to declare it upon entering right? And I told her that it might look suspicios to the POE guys. They might wonder if all that money will be used to pay me off, which of course is ridiculous. But POE guys can be quite ####### sometimes. I don't know... what should we do?

I transferred some money to the US a few months ago. Honestly, the transfer + exchange fee is only on the order $20-50, you're not going to lose that much on that (compared to how much money you're transferring).

The exchange rate would probably have a slightly higher impact, think $100 for every 1 cent change for $10000. (That is if she has around $10000, if the exchange rate is 0.73, then its worth US$7300 vs US$7400 if the rate is 0.74).

Either way, if her funds are Aussie dollars, someone somewhere will charge a comission for changing to US$. For security sake, I recommend she does not carry that kind of cash on her.

As with Joel's post, ATM cards for major Aussie banks all work in US ATMs (look for the Cirrus symbol). There might be a charge of few dollars for every use + rate conversion fees so when she does withdraw its best for her to draw it out in large chunks. Ask her to talk to her bank, I'm sure they'll let her know.

AussieDude

hi ya

i will look up the one im talking about aussie dude...im about to go to bed its 3.26am here at the mo..but promise to look it up to get the precise page for you.. the page im talking about is the one that if u look on the back off down the bottom medical personell has to sign..if u have your package for the medical u will find it im sure.. but will look for u tomorrow

see ya

kath

Hey Kath,

Yeah no worries, please go to bed! Hope is all is well in the Buckeye state.

AussieDude

hi aussie dude

go to your local doc an get the blood test for the above things...now as them to see how your ammune system is for the above... also for your hiv an syphilis..ones.. you have to get the back of one of the pages signed by the person taking the blood sample and take that along with you to your medical...i did the above an it saved me heaps of money....

which state of oz u in..

if i have forgotten anything im sure someone else will add mate

take care

kath

Hey!

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I did forget to mention I'm in NSW (Sydney).

When you say sign back of one of the pages, do you mean the results from the blood test place or one of the pages in the medical check forms?

AussieDude

Hi all,

I just posted this on a post in the DCF thread, I thought I might get a better answer here. I'm about to book my medical check soon, and I'm trying to chase down the best way of getting all my blood test/immunisation stuff done in one go.

Lets say I'm a person between the ages of 18 and 64 who's moved around quite a lot in their lifetime (and there's probably others in a similar situation) and thus trying to chase down what immunisations I've had over the years is probably a difficult task and I would rather just get one blood test which indicates everything that the examining doctor might want to see, is the below list sufficient to cover everything?

* Td immunisation

* Varicella (Chicken pox) immunisation/evidence of previous exposure

* MMR immunisation

* Test for HIV

* Test for Syphilis

Is that list complete and if I have the blood test done external to the panel doctor will that be ok? (I know for immunisations it might be but I'm wondering about the HIV and syphilis tests)

Thanks

AussieDude

Hi all,

Thanks for the original post hampster, I'm about to start the medical procedure in Sydney. I have a quick question for anyone who has been through the medical check before.

Lets say I'm a person between the ages of 18 and 64 who's moved around quite a lot in their lifetime (and there's probably others in a similar situation) and thus trying to chase down what immunisations I've had over the years is probably a difficult task and I would rather just get one blood test which indicates everything that the examining doctor might want to see, is the below list sufficient to cover everything?

* Td immunisation

* Varicella (Chicken pox) immunisation/evidence of previous exposure

* MMR immunisation

* Test for HIV

* Test for Syphilis

Is that list complete and if I have the blood test done external to the panel doctor will that be ok? (I know for immunisations it might be but I'm wondering about the HIV and syphilis tests)

Thanks

AussieDude

Another update about the new DCF procedure for people who already have their hands on Packet 3...

We got another email from Sydney this morning, which replied in more detail to the email we sent last week. They told us that since we already have packet 3, we can send in the DS-230 parts 1 & 2 now, or at anytime before my US husband files the I-130. We can also send in the DS-2001 before he files the I-130, so Sydney have all the forms and they can schedule an interview for me as soon as they get the I-130 sent up from Melbourne. So for those of you wondering if you can get your medicals and info together beforehand, the answer is yes!

We told them we'll be filing the I-130 in early October, and they also told us to go ahead and try and schedule an appointment with Melbourne for that now, given we know the dates that suit my partner.

Hope that helps some of you. When I'm not so snowed under with work, I'll try to put all this together for the Aussie DCF thread.

Thanks for putting up this info lunamel, its going to help me quite a lot!

AussieDude

Perhaps this is what those of us in transition can do, just get everything done, and as soon as the petition is filed and approved, send in the DS-230 and DS-2001 indicating that we are ready for interview.

Comments anyone?

AussieDude

AD,

Without going back to check, that's how I read it anyway. The OzCit should get everything ready ahead anyway. Except maybe the medical. But anyone who is going to apply for a visa this year can get all of the other things ready now--why wait.

USC files the I-130. OzCit gets notice and returns in the next post. This is basically how a London DCF goes.

Just make sure your USC is working on that I-864

Yeah I've got her tax transcripts/returns for the last 3 years which luckily we don't need all of them anymore, but luckily we have them.

What I've been debating is, since she works as a freelancer, jobs in her industry don't last more than 3 months or so. I could get her to get a letter from a friend where she's working part time between jobs, or I guess she could write a letter on behalf of herself (ie being self employed). However, the new guidelines don't even need proof of current employment (that's how I understood them anyway). I know it would be smart to have it, so maybe I'll ask her to obtain a letter. Otherwise, her last tax return shows that she's way above the threshold so it shows earning capacity.

AussieDude

Don't know what the med.clinics do in Australia, but in New Zealand they mail the results directly to the Embassy.

Here in Sydney I was able to pick mine up or have it mailed out to me.

Hmm, thus I could actually still get all the things that take time out of the way. I believe that the police checks and medical checks are both valid for a year so having them done before the petition is filed should be ok. Once the petition is filed and the DS-230 is sent in, I can enter the case number onto the medical check documents I assume and all should be sweet.

Perhaps this is what those of us in transition can do, just get everything done, and as soon as the petition is filed and approved, send in the DS-230 and DS-2001 indicating that we are ready for interview.

Comments anyone?

AussieDude

I just finally read the new instruction pdf that sadie posted. I'm not sure what you all's concerns are. This 'new' process looks better, in the main, for most people.

This is what I took from a quick read through:

Petitioners can now file I-130 in person at the Consulate serving the Aussie's residence. (benefit to you: less travel to Sydney if you don't live near there)

USC can leave Australia immediately, if required.

Aussie spouse can complete DS-230 I & II anytime, and collect all documents--you all already know what those are). As soon as the I-130 is approved, Sydney will invite you to apply for an IV. You return the visa app and the checklist in the return post.

This sets you up for a place in the interview queue.

To me, this process sounds MUCH simpler! What have I missed?

I believe the only difference is the medical check. The police check anyone can instantiate at any time, however, for the medical check, you would need the forms in Packet 3. Being able to do this ahead of time would save a couple of weeks.

Otherwise, I believe that the new system was set up to actually make it easier for us. This way, there's no questions about how to fill out forms (eg can I put my wedding date from the future), can I send my DS-230 before getting married etc etc. From their perspective, I can see how having people send in paperwork for a relationship that does not exist yet may seem a little wrong.

If I knew someone at the consulate I would point out to them that perhaps if they published guidelines and allowed us to get checks and other paperwork completed before any application for a visa, everyone would be happy. This way we could get the things out of the way, and then file all the paperwork together, and they wouldn't have to keep track of visa applicants that aren't married to USCs yet.

By the way, since I had obtained my packet 3 before the new procedures, can someone point out to me what happens with the medical check forms? I assume we take in the medical check forms to the authorised doctor, he/she fills them out. Then what? Do I keep the completed medical forms or does he/she send them directly to the embassy. If I get to keep them, those of us in the transition phase can probably still get our medical checks done, we just won't be able to send in the DS-230 until after we are married and our USC partner files the I-130.

AussieDude

We sent an email to the Sydney consulate in mid-May requesting packet 3 and the I-130 form, AND telling them that we were planning to file through an appointment after our wedding on 23 September... We received the packet just fine, and no information about anything changing. Seems they might not be sure about what's going on either?

I wonder what would happen if I sent in the DS-230 now, given we've got the forms already, to open up our file?

I'm going to email them tomorrow and see if I can get some clearer answers. I'll let you know what I hear back!

Chris

Hi Chris,

Any feedback from the consulate yet?

AussieDude

Have y'all seen this? :

http://sydney.usconsulate.gov/consular/Pet...nstructions.pdf

Hmm, technically this means that we are not supposed to have a packet 3 in our hands before we get married (as it says that an I-130 cannot be put in until we are married and packet 3 will only be mailed out after the I-130 petition is put in). I guess they've streamlined the process which makes it easier to follow but longer to deal with. Oh well.

So I technically shouldn't have the packet 3 that I have now since I'm not getting married until August (we obtained it in December directly from the embassy).

I wonder if I should go ahead and do my medical check now anyway even though I'm not supposed to have these forms?

AussieDude

Hi everyone,

Good news. It looks like at Parramatta, at the Criminal Records Section they're a bit more cluey about what's going on. They called me up about some details missing from my form (This was the bit which was supposed to be filled out by someone at my local police station before being sent to the Criminal Records Section). Basically it was just receipt number and so forth.

I only put it in 4 days ago, and they're already processing it, so I'm happy about that.

In the future, those of you doing this in NSW, make sure they understand that it needs to be sent to Parramatta to the Criminal Records Section, and make sure they fill out the bottom thoroughly!

(And like BigAussieZee said, if you are able to do it somewhere other than Eastwood, go for it!)

AussieDude