kevz900

I opened a Bank of America checking acc in Las Vegas with no probs before I moved to the States. I applied in person at the branch. They needed to see my passport and UK driving license. SSN not required as they used my UK address, but used my wife's US address as the mailing address.

When I moved to the US it was easy to change my address from the UK once I had the SSN. Also applied for one of their pre-paid credit cards and within 9 months had my money returned and was moved to a normal CC with a credit score of over 600, so I recommend B of A highly.

I was in production in the UK and when I got to the US I wanted to do something different too. I found it to be quite a big difference to change career path.

My employer in the UK did not issue 'to whom it concerns' references, which potential US employers don't seem to want the hassle of calling the UK, so if possible get all the written references you can.

There is no 'paper trail' of places lived in the US so that can be a problem as is no credit score. Online application forms are difficult because everything is set up for US addresses and phone numbers, so filling out previous job and address sections are a pain.

A good cover letter/CV explaining your recent immigration is essential.

Also do you need medical cover with your new job or not. I had more success with smaller companies than the large ones but with most smaller companies come less benefits.

I have no real qualifications apart from a UK GED but here in Vegas there seems to be a high turnover of jobs so if you start at the bottom there are good possibilities of quick advancement.

I found Indeed.com and the local Craigs list to be the best source of jobs, also there are local 'job fairs' every so often here, so you can meet potential employers face to face which is much better imo.

Hope this helps a bit, good luck.

When you pick up your bags at Manchester head for the green "nothing to declare" channel at customs. (unless you have a suitcase full of booze and cigs!) My wife on her first visit to the UK didn't know this and wandered down the red channel and promptly got shooed out when the customs officers realized she didn't know what the red and green channels meant. Not sure if it's changed now but it used to be from the US to UK 200 cigs, 1 bottle of spirits, and 2 bottles of wine = nothing to declare, green channel. Perhaps someone could correct this if it's wrong.

Good luck for your first trip to the UK.

The problem is that in the UK we all know that in general a lot of the Scots hate the English. Same with the Welsh, some dislike the English too. The English dislike everyone, including European countries. The English northerners dislike the southern softies, even the country folk hate the townies... the list goes on. BUT in the UK and most of Europe, if you voice these opinions you are immediately classed as a racist. So the answer? We have to pretend to like everyone.

There is good and bad in every race and culture it's just that the Americans haven't had to pretend like we from the UK do.... not yet anyway, it's happening here for sure.

So, you aren't gonna change peoples opinions, it's their right to air their opinion as is your right to your opinion so why fight it? Live and let live, you won't make the US into a Europe. Enjoy all that the US has to offer which in my opinion is a lot more than the UK. Seems to me you need to ditch your job and travel with your husband on his tours, after all that's why you came to the US to be with him? Just do it, I'm sure that would make your time here a lot better and happier and be around the sort of folk you want to be around.

This is my personal opinion. Been there as a tourist a few years back. We were told not to leave the hotel campus unless it was on an organised trip but even then we were hassled and harassed. I didn't feel safe even in a group of tourists. They seemed to thrive on using any tactics to extract money from you, legal or otherwise.

Now, before anyone starts to shout me down, I know this goes on in many countries not just Morocco... but as a male I was very nervous there... a lone female? gotta be concerned about that.

You say you "are no fool" but you need to research and then research some more about where you are going to stay and with whom.

The 30 Brits that were murdered on the beach in Tunisia probably thought they'd be safe too. Is anywhere 'safe' in the world today? Probably not but you have to minimize the risk by doing lots of research.

I totally agree with this. I get somewhat confused when people on here keep going on about what they miss or have lost from the UK when they move to the US. Think of all the things you gain!

Being with your loved ones is a given so apart from that I personally will gain year round sunshine, In and Out burgers (the best burger and fries in the world!) air con in the home, great cinema experiences, smooth roads with no potholes, Slurpees, fantastic National and State parks with BBQ's already set up for use, (they would get vandalised in no time in the UK) cheap petrol... the list just goes on.

So anyway, the US is where I want to be and that will be my home.

As far as I'm aware the CEAC is the only place to check the status, up until you get the courier email. When is your wedding?

The other thing that changes apart from the email is on the courier website. The status changes from 'check ds260' to 'Courier Shipping Number xxxxx' so that is another way you can check if the visa has been issued and is at the couriers.

I have just filled in the same form (P85) and as far as I can gather if you don't have an income from the UK then that's the only form you need.

The exception is a pension, which I will have but that is covered in the P85 form and not taxable. As I am retiring from my company the pension plan keeps the P45 so I can't fill in and return that but there is an exception box on the form for that too.

I would say to call and check but apparently they aren't good at answering their phones.... good luck!

Check your return train ticket, mostly they are open return times so you can catch a train back to Newcastle at any time that day. If you have to do a refund on the tickets it's pretty painless and quick and usually just costs a tenner admin charge. Check out the site where you bought your tickets for more info on this.

I would suggest keeping the outward journey and hotel as it is so you can get to the Embassy early and wait/queue up to get in at the front of the line. I was out of there by 1:30 pm for my 1pm appointment (second in the queue) so it's well worth getting there early and hanging around a while.

You dont have to be US citizen or Permanet resident in order to get driving License, If have student visa, Refugee or Asylee, Permanent resident, or have a word permit you can obtain a Driving license .

Been living in Louisville,KY for 5 years.

Yes, maybe you have but that doesn't change the fact that in the OP's first post he stated that you,(meaning everyone, he didn't mention K1 visa holders) can drive up to a year on a foreign license. I know that as soon as I enter and live in Nevada with my CR1 visa, that makes me a permanent resident, therefore I have 30 days of driving on my UK license then I must apply for a Nevada license.

As for other visa holders (and States) I really don't know BUT it seems to me that you MUST have an address that you call home in the State that you apply for a license ie be a resident of that State no matter what visa you have, and you have to prove that to the DMV.

Is it really worth the risk? Will your insurance try to wriggle out of any claims if they can find a loophole? The OP has done his research for his visa and State and is happy...all I'm saying is do your own research for YOUR visa and State to avoid this... "Yes officer but I read it on a message board so it must be true..."

OK fair enough I can see where you're coming from. I guess it all boils down to whether you think you are a permanent resident of the US or on a work visa or visiting or anything else. My understanding was that as soon as you immigrated you were a permanent resident. My bad.

But, as someone who is applying for AOS I am not a permanent resident. Not legally anyway (I am applying to become a permanent resident- presumably if my AOS would be denied, god forbid, I would have to leave the US) and I would not be able to prove a legal immigration status without an EAD/AP card at the very least.

When I receive my EAD I may well go and apply for a KY drivers licence as I would need to anyway and best to get it out the way but I was very explicit about my situation- married and living here, applying for a green card- and told by two officers that I was able to drive.

I don't believe your above quote was taken from the page relating solely to non-us residents, which is where I got my quote from. You can actually apply for a drivers licence without being a permeant resident and even as a Non- US citizen- which is why they have a specific page for non-US citizens. This covers those here on a student visa etc. and where it states that you can drive for a year on your home license.

Don't believe me then but here is the link. As I stated I said it's a grey area if you are considered a permanent resident or not.

http://transportation.ky.gov/Driver-Licensing/Pages/Driver-License-ID-Card-General-Information.aspx

You will find the quote under the Out-of-State Drivers Transferring to Kentucky heading 3/4 of the way down the page.

That is very wrong.

Why is it wrong? It was taken from the Kentucky DMV site. Or was it what I wrote? Perhaps you can give an explanation to me so I can understand why it's 'wrong'?

If you have immigrated and are living in Kentucky then I would guess that makes you a permanent resident. Tough one to explain to the local police when/if you get pulled over. It's certainly a grey area but this was taken from the same site...

• Persons moving into Kentucky have 30 days to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
• To obtain a Kentucky Driver License you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of this country.

I know that in Nevada, once you become a resident, you only have 30 days to get your Nevada driving license.

I haven't used the two companies that you mentioned but I have used Moneycorp to transfer from the UK to the US. It's nice and easy to set up an account with them and the rates are good, plus they don't use a third party bank.

Every time I have been to the States at immigration they have taken my picture and fingerprints so surely if they had any doubt USCIS can check these records? They would prove beyond doubt that you traveled when your itineraries said you did.