els

Thanks for the good luck!

Don't feel sorry for us though, we're really excited about it! Plus had a good time here in the US. What can I say, it's just too sunny! (even though it's just been hailing outside believe it or not!)

So yes, we've realised the US isn't for us (classical musicians clash with the culture here) and have booked our return one way tickets to London (via Dublin for just $200 each including tax!) we're going on the 15th november! We're both really excited about it and looking forward to it. Will have to get hubby a settlement visa for the UK but unlike the US procedure, he can just walk into the embassy in LA and pick it up on the day! And that visa is good for work and travel in the UK so no seperate advanced parole/ead malarky!

Some will think us mad, but each to their own hey guys!

Wish us luck!

Els

Thanks guys,

I'm back in good olde England now and eventually decided to renew passport in the US after the people at Virgin could not guarantee that they'd let me on the plane at check in! Didn't think it was worth the risk so will go the greencard with marriage cert route, hopefully will be fine.

Els

Well I'm going back to England on Sunday for a week and just have a question about the maiden - married name change thing. My passport is still in my maiden name so I booked the flight tickets in my maiden name as I thought they had to match the name on the passport. I've got an appointment in London to renew my passport with married name on it when I'm there (mine expires end of March) but I'm a bit worried that they might not let me on my flight back to the US if the ticket's in another name (my maiden name). Do you think I'll be OK if I show our marriage certificate and my driving license (which show maiden name?) at the check-in?. If I don't change my name on the passport when I'm in England, then my greencard is in my married name! So is my EAD and my SSN. Will they let me back into the USA if I show them my marriage certificate with the greencard/EAD/SSN etc? Even though my passport would still be in maiden name?!?!? Any ideas anyone?

Cheers,

Els

Mine came today aswell! Yay for us!!

Mine came today too, yay!

OK, so I've had my AOS interview, received welcome to america letter in mail, still no greencard. I need to go to the UK in 2 weeks, should I wait and hope the card comes, or should I get infopass and try get a stamp in my passport? How do I even know if our office (San Bernardino) even issues these stamps?

Thanks guys,

Els

Just found out today that I've got a job interview for a position in Aberdeen!! They're willing to try set up video conferencing for it. I've used CUWorld.com for chatting with my parents but it cuts out after every 10 minutes as it's free and they're trying to get you to pay to use it, it's also not very reliable. Anyone know of any other sites I could try?

Thanks guys,

Els

I hadn't thought of the fact that some Brits would want to just get on with their lives and pretend like England doesn't really exist! We're really attached still to England, watch lots of British TV, listen to British radio etc etc but then that's probably because we're hoping to move back there permanently. Our personalities clash with the culture of america (we're both classical musicians) and we miss the BBC proms etc plus we talk more to my parents back home then my husband's 5 miles down the road!

Thanks for the insight, I'll try not to judge others so harshly in future and certainly not take it personally!

Els

Mine was EXACTLY the same! I had my AOS interview on the 16th Feb, then my case disapeared off the system until 16th Feb when i got the 'You've been approved, a card will be sent when ready' then the welcome to america letter arrived on the 18th Feb, then I got another 3 emails from them on the 22nd saying I'd been approved and my card has been ordered!! Craziness I know! I just hope the card comes soon. Our immigration officer couldn't be bothered to see if I'd had my FBI checks done on the day so I didn't get the stamp :-(

Please let me know when you get your greencard, we should be getting ours around the same time by the sounds of it!

Els

I wish they did play 'brit pop' in the Brit pubs! Whenever I've been in one they are playing country music which doesn't seem quite right! I know what you mean about the chips here. They're no where near as good as the chippie round the corner back home. I think the longer I've been out of the UK the better they taste, maybe as I'm forgetting the great flavour of the ones back home which is a real shame!

OOOh, I've just remembered that we've got a Heinz tinned golden syrup pud in the cupboard, should be a good munch when watching Idol tonight!

I love the puds at the pub in Santa Monica though, it must be said, not the same without the custard ofcourse!

Els

Wow! Didn't realise cheese could be more expensive in Canada! I still miss my Wensleydale and Cheshire! I might get my parents to smuggle some over here in a cold bag when they come!

I've never been to the pub in Santa Ana, is the atmosphere nicer then the one in Fullerton? They're so clickey in there if you know what I mean! Well I saw on the other site that there's a meet up going on in the Santa Ana Pub in March, but I'm scared they might all be unfriendly! I'm also rather shy which doesn't help!

Els

Yes the Olde Ship in Fullerton is the one where I encountered the moody Manc! I teach literally next door at the music academy. Also the King's Head in Santa Monica was a bit grotty too. In their favour though they did us a cheese plate which wasn't on the menu for just $4 so major props for that! My husband really misses English cheese! I can't believe how expensive cheese is over here! The nicest pub we found and the one with the best chips is in San Diego called 'Shakespeares' at least they were friendly enough to help find us a table! Oh yer and there was another one in Riverside which I didn't know existed and the guy in there had a go at me for asking if they were gonna show the English footie match!

Els

So I must admit I like going to the odd English pub and having some overpriced fish and chips and the odd pint but why are the other brits in there always so unfriendly?! You'd think they'd be like 'hey, a new brit, how you doing?' seeing as we're like 6000 miles away from home soil! But no! Just today I was told off by some moody Mancunian about a Ploughmans as she told me insistently that a Ploughmans was just bread and cheese! And they wanted $15 for it! And it wasn't even British cheese! Where's the joie de corps etc? You know if it were the Yanks in Britain they'd be slapping each other on the back saying 'hey', where's the harm in that? I think it would be nice as I personally don't know many people here still and it'd be fun! Is Socal just full of moody styley brit pubs? Anyone know of any friendly ones?! The nicest people I've met are on this site!

Els

The banks over here charge a load to transfer money back to UK. The best I found was $30 with HSBC. Anyone know any cheaper rates at any other banks? The average seems to be about $45!

Cheers guys,

Els

flight centre (or center!) often has good deals...They have branches all over and they're online too.

You could go back to the office and find out what's going on. Mine took 3 weeks and that was after they initially told me I wasn't on the SAVE system yet.

The immigration officer for our interview said that he has to judge each case on a case by case basis, that each case is different and needs to be judged individually. I think they look for obvious differences such as the husband and wife not being able to communicate in the same language. I'm not sure that they necessarily have a 'blacklist' of 'high risk' countries but you never know with the current state of paranoia in US politics these days.

UK is a fab country and we're planning to move back this year. My husband can pick his visa up on the day he applies at the embassy and will straight away be able to work and travel freely in the UK/Europe for up to 2 years. No 'Visa Journey' for the UK. More over america has really poor international politics, their immigration system just can't cope, and it all just pretty much sucks. But lets not blame each other pointlessly as when it comes down to it, it's kinda out of our hands. We're all on this site to support and help each other!

Els

Oh I hope so. I guess after this long of waiting the last few days shouldn't be a problem, but I'm finding it difficult to keep being patient now we're this close!!!

Thanks guys,

Els

Had our AOS interview last Friday and since then our case can no longer be found on the system. How long should I wait before getting worried or should I be worried now?! Any pearls of wisdom you guys can offer would be great....

Happy Valentines!!!

Els

When you go to the SSA office with your EAD and completed application form(and passport) they'll see if you're on their system. If you are then you get the card around 2 weeks later. I wasn't on the system and it took around 3 weeks to get the card. I think you might be able to work with just the number whilst you wait for the actual card.

Els

It took 1 month until we got our license and we got married on the 87th day after entering the country. Took 2.5 months after K-1 expired till they got our forms for various reasons and we had interview today and not a word was said about it. You dont need to have the forms sent in before the end of the 90 days

Els

Just checked my case after having our interview today and now it says 'case could not be found' any ideas if this good be a good or bad thing?! If they're waiting for your FBI checks, would it say so online on your case status?

Cheers guys,

Els

I'd bring it with you, and then bring it into the conversation if and when...

Els

We had our interview in San Bernardino, CA today. Typical INS wanted $2 per half an hour in the car park, but for those of you interviewing in San Bernardino there is a free carpark across the street by the shops. We ended up saving around $6 there! :-)

Went through metal detector, went upstairs, appointment letter in tray etc etc. Finally called I think around 11.30am. Didn't start off too well when he swore us is afterwards he said he didn't hear me say 'Yes' so I said 'well do you want to do it again then?' which looking back on it was actually pretty cheeky but he didn't bother!! he turned out to be a really nice guy actually! he even apologised for running late but said the cases before ours were rather difficult cases. Turned out he's a bass guitarist and my husband is a guitarist so they were chatting about performing and types of guitars and stuff. He asked me some of the offical formal questions, after he asked me if I was a terroist afterwards he said 'you didn't ask me why I asked you that' which I thought was rather random, my husband answered for me and said 'Because it's your job!' :-)

We didn't have pay stubs as my husband works as a musician so no formal monthly paycheck. We showed him our bank statements and was happy that we had money already in the bank even though we've been married less then half a year, that it was a bit less then standard, but that he thought he could 'make it fly'!?

He explained about the removal of conditions in 2 years etc. He liked how organised my paperwork was and said it was the most organised he'd seen in a while (that was thanks to you guys on VJ and your great advice, I put everything neatly in a folder in little plastic paperholder thingies) and had all of the photocopies needed.

Then he said that he'll see later when he puts me on the computer whether my FBI checks are done and that I could expect my card in as little as 2 weeks or as much as 3 months! He gave me a paper saying that I can make an infopass appointment in 30 days to see how things are going. I thought most people were told at the interview whether or not their checks were done or not, but our guy didn't even seem to know.

So I think it went well, he didn't ask for any more paperwork, hopefully I'll get an email with good news soon! At the worst I guess we'll make an infopass in 30 days.

Thanks to all of you guys for your advise, I've learnt so much from this site and wish I'd discovered you earlier!

Els