redvines

Myself and my wife had a courthouse wedding, only guest was our photographer. Wearing nice but not overly 'wedding' attire. Then filed for CR-1. A small knot ring only as a wedding/engagement ring. Same sex couple through an embassy considered low fraud. No issues.

The big party wedding is planned for more than 3 years after the courthouse one, a chance to bring together friends/family from both countries when we can afford it after all the moving countries cost haha.

I don't imagine it would be a problem.

Firstly, I don't think Australia is as strict as some embassies but you will need assets or a joint sponsor unless your husband's income will continue when he moves to the USA.

My wife and I went through on assets, we were only a bit above the amount needed, but our lawyer prepared this package explaining I'd been the primary provider, I had a good job in Aus/already started interviewing in USA etc. No clue if it made a difference, but I was not asked any financial questions and we did not end up needing the joint sponsor packet we had prepped and ready to go.

3) I assume this would mean publications in academic journals/texts etc if that is relevant to your career. Could you have been reading about E-3 visa which is a specialty occupation visa only for Australian nationals? 

4 hours ago, Mike E said:

If you have a CR1 why would you get an AB60 license or ID? You qualify for REAL ID/DL.  

I am not going for AB60 - I was just pointing out that waits at DMV for a practical test are super long in some parts of CA, that you can register a car without having a license and what I used for ID. I suspected (and later saw confirmed by the OP) that the wait to get a practical test for a temporary licence may be longer than waiting for more permanent paperwork (or close too).

I verified my ID and passed the theory test for REAL-ID MDL at the DMV, just waiting the 3+ months between when I went in and when I was able to get an appointment for the driving test that did not mean missing too much work for me or my wife.

3 hours ago, missileman said:

So, it's a shorter wait for the non AB-60 test?

I quoted the wait time one DMV in the Bay Area (Nor Cal) it varies from DMV to DMV so is probably 6 months at the OP's DMV. When I go online to book a test the only specification I see is motorcycle or car licence, so don't think it varies by type.

I am from Australia and kind of going through this (I am going through this with a SSN and green card as I came here on CR1) .

First, figure out if you are going to have to take the exam and a practical test to get your AB60 licence, if you have to take a practical test you can do it by appointment only - at my local appointment centre the current wait time is about 3 months out and multiple centres near me have no appointments available at all. Plus you need to have a licenced california driver at your test, so you also need to find a time that fits in with two work schedules etc.

Second, in California you can legally drive on a foreign licence as long as it is valid. They say you must get a California licence within 10 days on their website if you are a California resident, but that is physically impossible given it takes months to get an appointment https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/ca_dl

I was able to register my car, for insurance reasons though I put it in both my and my wife's name and she added the car and me as an additional driver to her policy. I was able to use my car registration documents as proof of address, as well as a phone bill and a health insurance bill. 

6 hours ago, mogiftney said:

It wasn’t a university, it was a community college and she was actually approved for the semester that starts in late August 2019. They didn’t release applications until March 2019, which was when she applied.

 

My mother and I have both looked into the process of receiving disability benefits and for my specific disability, you need to be below a certain amount of money in savings to qualify. 

Just to let you know, if you (as in you specifically, not your family etc) have sufficient savings you may not need a joint sponsor. I also think it may be useful to be filing taxes based on the interest earned from accounts/CDs etc in your own name - if you are not already. 

I contacted the embassy in Sydney (for a CR-1) and they said if you've had a different name at any time it's probably safer to get fingerprints, which I did.

I got the flu shot for free from work before moving to USA and took that paperwork in, they didn't even look at it during my medical!

Saying that though, I actually contracted a strain of influenza covered by the vaccine (confirmed by blood test) after receiving the shot but was only bed bound for 2 days instead of a more severe reaction. So with all the planes/travel coming up I would consider getting the shot anyway, especially since it's so cheap and can be free through work/community clinics etc.

This page outlines the requirements for UC colleges:

https://www.ucop.edu/residency/residency-requirements.html

You'll eventually be eligible but you need to have been a resident in California for 366 days immediately prior to applying.

I went into the local Social Security office today, it's been over 3 weeks since I arrived in the US, no SSN has arrived in the post. The person helping me couldn't find my name in the system/a record of an application, so was unable to give me a print out of my number and then told me I needed a physical green card before I could apply. I politely advised that the visa in my passport was sufficient and could I please have a social security number application if I had no application in the system, she went to check and agreed the passport visa was sufficient but then I was told that:

-USCIS may take up to 8 weeks after entry to put the request in the system and I can not apply until 8 weeks have passed from arrival in the US.

-I cannot apply for a social security number before then as 'I could end up with dual social security numbers which would cause nightmares for me'

So do I go back/go to a different office and hope to get someone with a different answer or is the person I spoke with correct?

I received my passport 6 days after my interview, with 1 of those days being a public holiday for the embassy (Thanksgiving).

2 minutes ago, Gj & Cathy said:

Is it on its way?  have you received an email just like Natalie?

No. 

When mine is posted it should still be next day (I'm in Perth metro area so express post has it within the range of next day guaranteed).  You can also track parcels that are express posted online with their tracking number.

I'm sure it will be fine but I'm really hoping it's soon so I can be back with my wife before our anniversary in early December, just waiting on the passport so I can book a flight out as soon as I have it.

1 hour ago, NatalieC136 said:

I got my visa in the mail today. I live in Melbourne though. I'd say Perth or FNQ would take longer

Mine hasn't been posted yet  

Did you get an email that it was posted on Wednesday?

On the post page I only filled in the address I wanted it posted to, even if you take a blank one they will tell you what to fill.

I don't think you 'have' to dress any particular way - but I dressed professionally, wearing an outfit I would wear to work which seemed fitting for the seriousness of the occasion. 

Everyone I heard was a spouse, but I only heard like three interviews, so that isn't a great sample of what happened that day. 

I posted a review which has my questions, I didn't remember them so well but found that a lot of other people who've reviewed the embassy recently were able to list the exact questions they were asked.

I also had my interview yesterday, I was super stressed because we were using assets instead of income with no joint sponsor and had heard that could be a problem - but in the end it was not an issue. 

They definitely ask for an express post bag for CR1/IR1 visas, if you don’t have one with you they will make you go get one before they let you upstairs.

My interview time was 0800, I was there about 0740 and the people queuing were allowed in shortly before 8. I was out of there at about 0910.

Read the embassy reviews on here, I found them very helpful in knowing the process etc for when I got there.

My wife an I entered after filing I-130 but before it was approved. I took documentation showing my ties to Australia (job, mortgage etc) and advised the officer I had an I-130 pending, he was nice didn't ask to see any further documentation and wished me luck in hearing back soon.

Our attorney advised that once you submit your DS 260 during the NVC process entering the US on ESTA becomes a bit more challenging - we were advised not to attempt it. I'm sure I've seen mention of others entering the US after that point though.

The message back in September we got from NVC said documentarily qualified and that case status tracker changes too.

Fingers crossed for you - this last part has really dragged and caused us quite a bit of stress. 

The message back in September we got from NVC said documentarily qualified and that case status tracker changes too.

Fingers crossed for you - this last part has really dragged and caused us quite a bit of stress. 

Me and my wife are applying on assets only, we are a decent amount above the 3x amount for IR1/CR1 in liquid assets. We's still mildly concerned, my wife is studying and I'm the one who has been working/will be working during her studies. I don't know if it's different for you because you have already submitted incomplete paperwork but there are people who are approved on assets. 

I've also made a packet of evidence of my employability (work/study history, documentation of a job interview process I'm currently in with a company in the US, screenshots of other contact from recruiter's I've had passively), showing them that we don't intend to use the assets as I'll be getting work once I arrive.

Because of our concern we have joint sponsor paperwork ready to go in case they reject the assets, unfortunately we didn't have the required tax documents in time to submit during the NVC process but we have it all now. We used Fed-Ex priority shipping to transport secure documents across the world - they have always arrived very quickly and it's very clear that they have not been tampered with in transit.

My interview is in a couple of weeks, and obviously it's country dependant but I'll update you how it goes.

Here are my recent times:

09/19/18 - Case Complete at NVC 

10/16/18 - Advised interview date over the phone (+27 days)

10/18/18 -  Interview appointment letter received (+28 days)

11/20/18 - Appointment  (+33 days)

I believe they send out all the letters at the same time, so the people who interviewed in October found out like a day before my case was complete. So I think my wait time is close to the maximum you can get - they usually send out letter interviews for the next month mid month so hopefully you should hear soon about your December interview date.

I have researched this - you are able to work as soon as your arrive on an IR1/CR1 HOWEVER your employer will likely not pay your wages until you provide a SSN.

Page 2 of Social Security Administration document verifies this: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10107.pdf

I'm assuming the cover sheet is for all visas, i.e the 'job offer' parts seem to be relevant to an employment based visa. Only include things that are applicable/relevant - i.e not everyone has a name change or a divorce etc

1 hour ago, NatalieC136 said:

I called back and pressed option 5. This time the guy told me the date. Interview date 20th November! 😁😁

Mine changed overnight to in transit too! 23 days I've been waiting since CC, going to call first thing NVC opens to try get that date.

As others have said, a doctor has a duty of care and can't let you walk out of the office with a communicable disease without offering some sort of treatment.