PelagijaP

Hi. I arrived last night to the US on my K1 and I also damaged mine the day before my flight. I was also putting it into a plastic paper folder to make it more secure..irony..when it tore. Nobody at POE said anything at all. I don't know, if your tear is not big enough to look as if somebody could have been tampering with papers then you should be fine. I am sorry, I know how stressful it is. 

Hi. I was born in former Yugoslavia and my birth certificate is transfered to Serbia where I grew up, but at the interview they asked for original birth certificate from the country I was born in. Both countries were part of Yugoslavia once. I don't know if that is related to your situation. I didn't have to translate anything because same language is spoken in both.

21 minutes ago, celie&joseph said:

Yeah, I was reading about it just now. That's a pretty great system for mothers! My honest guess is since you'll be on pending status and you won't have legal status here until your green card, you can't be held accountable for collecting the checks. Is it like the 1000000% most ethical thing to do? lol Probably not. But hey, I'm not a mother however I can understand one looking out for their baby if the opportunity is given so no judgment here. Just make sure you let them know when the time comes so at least you leave on right footing.

 

Best of luck with your baby!!! 👣

That is what I was thinking, I would continue to be a resident of my country since I don't know how fast things move once in the US. And anyway double citizenship is allowed for both countries as far as I know. My fiance is dual UK and USA citizen. First thought I had once we got pregnant was to leave work before going to the US and that is what I told HR couple of months ago-that I probably won't be using maternity leave because I might be moving away. Btw, to that I was told that first couple of months of maternity are mandatory and that I have to use them lol. But it was back then when I was hoping to get my K1 earlier than February. Now I still don't have visa and on Monday maternity leave should start. If by our law I can get it then I don't mind getting it, my only concern was if it will be fine by U.S. immigration system if they see I am receiving money from my 'old' country.

Thank you for good wishes, our baby girl (woohoo, a girl!) is getting very big so now with my small frame I look like a wheel barrow. Her dad is not helping me, as if he buys sweets on purpose just to see me struggle ☺️

12 minutes ago, celie&joseph said:

I was under the impression an employer in the USA CAN fire you under maternity leave, just not for the reason that you are pregnant or on parental leave. They can still use any other reason to fire you while on leave and (if in her country similar rules apply) moving to a different country and not being readily accessible to work could be a reason for that.

 

Just a spin on the same coin.

Here you are completely protected from getting fired if on pregnancy or maternity leave. 

It is government that is paying you- work place is only obliged to take you back to work once you are to return- which you don't have to do if you want to stay home with your baby-in that case you quit after maternity is over. 

4 hours ago, Randyandyuni said:

regardless, congrats on your upcoming baby and move to the US! Sounds like a good year, enjoy it!!

Thank you! Future dad and I cannot be happier, this is first child for both of us. I say first of many, he says first of two

21 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

You should get a doctors note for that because it will be up to the airline and they might say differently considering you'll be crossing a fairly large ocean. 

Yup, I will need doctor's note saying I am fit to travel, but not older than 7 days before the flight. If I don't feel good or if I am at the slightest worried about the flight then I won't travel until she is born. It is fine for both me and my fiance if it happens she is born here, as long as all goes well with her. 

My fiance and I have been to the solicitor this evening. He said it is perfectly all right if I receive it because it is my right as a citizen. And once baby is close to a year old I can inform my work place I am not coming back to work. Even if I stayed to live here and had a baby here I wouldn't come back to work because a year old baby is too young for me to go back to work and I would have every right to quit my job after a year passes.

I don't have my visa yet and on Monday my pregnancy leave should be changed to maternity. I don't have any desire to 'milk the system' as somebody put it, but if it is all right by law then I don't have objections to receiving it. 

This solicitor also phoned his colleague and he also agreed that as long as I am a citizen and I start my maternity leave before I leave the country, I am entitled to it because as far as state is concerned I might want to come back in a week or in 8 months time. 

Anyway, as I have said it is not a big deal and I don't want any hastle over little bit more than 400$.

I was just wondering is it ok regarding immigration (  somebody said yes) if I continue to get some money into my bank account. 

1 hour ago, adil-rafa said:

33 weeks pregnant you may not be allowed on the plane

need to check that part out

you may have to have the  baby there 

not married yet you may have to prove it is the baby of the USC to bring him/her here

have you taken care of that issue?

Yes, it is all all right regarding that. Even if she is born here ( which we are still taking into consideration) he would come here, sort out her documents and we would fly back together. 

Usual rule is no flying after 36th week. My doctor said I am perfectly healthy and travel should be fine. 

Thank you for your inputs guys. I am ambivalent and would like to do what is all right by the law. I will still be a citizen of my country, so that is what bugged me if it is right or not to keep maternity money. As I said it is not much. If you want I will let you know what I learn from the solicitor because it is an interesting subjects 

23 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

I don't think that's the case. Say, vacation is a benefit. If I take 2 weeks vacation and decide to resign right after I finish my vacation, that is my right. There is nothing to force me to go back to work on that job. Forced labor equals to indentured servitude.

 

I agree, she needs to tell them she resigns AFTER her maternity leave. And that is the whole point, she is ON maternity leave, and they CANNOT fire her. They can fire her after she finishes her maternity leave (but not if she resigns first ^_^)

You are right, by law I cannot get fired as long as I am on pregnancy and maternity leave and it is government that is giving me my salary. Has to do with low number of babies born here, that is why we get all sort of benefits. I don't mean to commit a fraud, it would only be 400 dollars a month but since it is time for state to open my maternity leave and I still don't have visa in my hand, I don't know what to do. That would be little bit of money to help with some bills. I know that my aunt quit her job after maternity ended. I did stop by to a solicitor couple of minutes ago but they will open their office again at 18h(2 hours time).

Just now, Khallaf said:

I would have to agree with other post, if you are leaving to move to another country you are thus leaving your job, so you would not be able to get those benefits as you will no longer be employed by them  

Oh but my thing was that I thought I don't have to leave my job. I thought of leaving it t after baby is a year old because that is when maternity leave stops. It is state that is giving me salary, my company is just obliged by law to keep my position for me after I am back from maternity. It is fine if it is not doable, once in the US that money is not so much. I will stop to a solicitor to ask, on my way to the downtown anyway.

Hello. My K1 visa should be ready any time now. I had my interview, got 221g for additional document and now status changed to Issued on CEAC. 

I am 33 weeks pregnant and I am on a pregnancy leave. In my country by law I am to receive my full salary during both pregnancy and maternity leave since I am still employed.

I am wondering will it be ok if I continue to receive my maternity leave salary from my state onto my bank account after I go to the US? 

36 minutes ago, Boki & Nem said:

Čestitam!!!

I think that you should expect a letter with your passport in it. Hopefully by Friday.

Hvala! Cannot wait to see it in my passport! Your interview is coming so soon. I will send you a PM tonight  with everything they asked of me and how it all looked like. 

Hello all. On CEAC website my visa status changed to Application Received  yesterday (was in Ready all this time), then this morning I saw it in Administrative Processing  and half an hour later to Issued!

is this it then, should I expect a phone call or an email from the embassy any day now? Or today 🤗?

Rob has to go back to work and is leaving on Saturday, so I hope to follow him in couple of days.

7 minutes ago, Rina Ocampo said:

Please share your experience for those who received a 22ig form. I would like to know more about it, because I received one after my interview because I was not able to get a Cenomar. Is it normal for them to ask bring back your passport with the 22ig form? Am kinda concerned. Tyia for those who will share their experiences 

I received 221g because birth certificate from my birth country was missing. Was told to send it by DHL, postal service or bring it in person(would have to make an appointment though) together with my passport. I traveled to the birth country the next day and sent it to embassy this Wednesday. It hasnt been delivered yet. This is how it worked for me here. 

13 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

You don't want to be in front of a CO fumbling for papers. It usually doesn't end well. Just saying.

Was messy but we managed!

All went good, we are approved but I just need to bring back Birth certificate from my birth country. I was under the impression it was ‘transefered’ here because I would always get it from my home town so that was the only one I had. Anyway, Rob and I will travel tomorrow to get it and do some sight seeing at the same time.

They returned me my passport and told me once I bring  it back with birth certificate visa will be issued in couple of days. CO was lovely, she commented on my belly and she said she remembers me from last time when I got tourist visa to see Rob. 

I couldnt have been more nervous, luckily Rob was able to follow me to each counter. We were both asked how did we meet, how many times, when did he get divorced and how he obtained his naturalization (he is from the UK orriginaly).  I will go for a nap now because I am knackered and he is watching Top Gear 🚗

Thank you all and good luck to you guys who are waiting! I will let you know what happened afer I get my document. 

Oh, forgot to say that we do have lots of pictures that I packed to take with us. Us with my grandparents, dad and sister,  pictures of us from both here and from when we went to the UK and from when I went to see him in Portland. I dont have pictures with his mam and sisters because we forgot to take them but I did meet them in September 2017. 

4 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

Contacting the embassy to see if the USC is allowed in the embassy during your interview was a good idea. 250 pages. Whoaaaa. You are going to need a suitcase with wheels. Let me ask you. If you are in front of the CO and you will be there only 5 min. What do you think is the most important items to show that you and Rob still have a continuing relationship even if he is standing next to you at the window? I hope you see the BIG picture. The CO will never look through 250 pages.  Just have some pictures with family about 12 and Rob and you will do fine. Printing the pay slips when gets there is ok.

Thanks! I know, it is horrible, I will get all tangled in papers if they ask for something. I have two big plastic folders because it wouldnt fit into one and oh my they are heavy! I got all lost trying to semble it all together, had to have my sister involved to help me. 

Payslips we will do when he gets here, better to be safe, but other stupid thing that happened and that I *only* now noticed is that I-134 once printed out looks all messy, all typed letters are doubled and it cant be read. So we will have to fix that tomorrow. 

 I guess you are right, CO wont read emails and all other apps we used, but oh my what fun it was to read them all again!  I found evidence from two years ago that  he was the one who flirted first even though he claims it was me! 🧐  Cant wait to show it to him. 

I hope it will all go well and that we will go back home together because I cant wait to get into wife and mam full mode. Thanks for replying always!

Mornin’!  Our interview is on Monday, I informed the embassy that Rob will be coming with me. So if anybody asks, it is ok for petitioner to be present here,  just needs to inform the embassy so he woud be given access. I sent them an email and when nobody replied I got in panic mode and called them. 

Rob is on his way now, will be arriving tomorrow morning. All documents are ready- I printed out 250 pages in total-  documents, statements, emails, skype and viber screenshots. Even found ones from 2017.😍

@Greenbaum, my new concern is this: we have w2s, tax returns, letter from his employer and bank statement wiht his assets BUT we forgot to print out some payslips. He can print them out when he gets here, I found copy place that works 24/7, but is it much needed? What do you reckon?

p.s. He is also bringing his naturalization certificate and his original divorce documents. 

11 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

That's fine. Just make sure you're not trying to make a quick connection in LA (though there flights to Portland as late as 9:25 pm).

 

Lots of people make their POE at an airport that isn't their final destination (though in our case I'm just going to pick up Anastasia at LAX and drive back to San Diego from there). I think there was even someone who flew to Vancouver and then met their fiance(e) and drove to somewhere in northern Washington state from there.

Thanks! Layover in LA would be 3,5 hours. Moscow 7h!

7 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

Yes LA is fine. You can land at any US airport and that will be your POE.

 

BTW, I hope Mr. Rob hasn't purchase your ticket as you don't have any idea how long the process will take after approval and you don't know if the visa is correct. Lots of landmines ahead to delay you from leaving. I have seen happen many times. Just saying.

Cheers!

Oh no he didnt buy one for me, just for himself.  And if everything is ok with visa he would try to get same flights for me for the way back. 

On 1/18/2019 at 5:14 PM, Greenbaum said:

If there are no appointments then it wouldn't be prudent to call again. The embassies are much better with their processes then the bigger USCIS or NVC. Rest assure when it is your turn they will respond.

 

I don't have the P3 instructions for your Embassy. If and when you get a copy if you could share with me then I would be able to share with others who come behind you.

I know I know but I’m a pest  

P4 FINALLY arrived on the 28th, interview is scheduled for the 11th of February! 

It was a long wait from P3 to P4, almost lost my mind. 

Rob bought his plane ticket to come and be with me and hopefully we will go back home together.

It is not the most ideal flight, so if we get our visa we would fly from Belgrade-Moscow-LA-Portland. 

Is it ok for my POE to be LA and give them my embassy package there and then fly to Portland? Please @Greenbaum  😎

Hello all. It has been 3 weeks since the embassy received my P3 (28th of December) and I still didnt receive P4 with my interview date. I am getting beyond anxious and frustrated, especially because I saw few timelines where it took only couple of days from P3 to P4. Last week I called the embassy and was told they will send me P4 as soon as there are available appointments. Will it be of any good if Rob calls and asks today? 

51 minutes ago, AnAm said:

hello , I'm going to the medical examination, and I'm interesting what else examination they will do their , I got all vaccination.what else they do their?

Hello. I had mine recently and had to give blood and urine sample and to have chest xray. They also measured my blood pressure, weight and height and asked about my medical history (any chronical diseases, allergies, past surgeries etc.). 

I am still waiting for my P4 from the embassy where they will they will tell me the interview date. Called the embassy on Thursday to ask when I might expect it and they said as soon as there are available appointment dates..

While waiting for that I had my diplomas and my birth certificate translated into English. I will need original birth certificate and translated one when Rob and I get married, but I wonder if any of you know should I have appostile stamp added to it and to my diplomas? Rob can call the court house on Monday and ask, but I am just very curios about it now.