kins

Well jumping in pretty late here but yes I find food in America very sweet too... it seems that a lot of stuff is labelled 'low fat' but it just has sugar or corn syrup in there instead.

Happy birthday despite everything!

I used to live near Hampstead Heath - really brings back memories when people talk about it.

Good luck! I will look out for you at the interview.

I am nervous as hell too...

I'm filling in my DS-230 part II ready for my interview this Thurs.

Where it says 29 'Name and address of petitioner' I assume I put my US citizen husband's name and address, not my own?

God I'll be glad when all of this is over!

Congratulations and I LOVED the photos!

6 weeks is average in the UK if everyone does what they should do when they should do!!

Six weeks from offer to exchange yes, if all goes well.

Personally I like a few weeks between exchange and completion to give me time to book removals, sort a load of stuff out, that sort of thing.

We will be testing this over the next few weeks - we have keen buyers and I am certainly a keen seller!

Me and my husband lived in the US from 1999 to 2000, then he decided to retrain as a teacher, so we came back to the UK. Instead of paying to train over 18 months in the US he was paid £6000 to train in 10 months in the UK.

Since then he's worked as a teacher and I've had three babies. I'm happy we had them in the UK - I prefer the way the medical system in the UK approaches birth, and it's cheaper than giving birth in the US. Also we've been on a low family income for the last few years, and we've been given a lot of support through the various benefits offered in the UK.

But now we're ready for a lot of things the US offers. Open space, beautiful woods, beaches, cheaper housing, higher standard of living in many ways, a lot fewer crowds. I live in north-west England and it is SO beautiful here but it is getting increasingly crowded and expensive and I am struggling with that.

Also right now the exchange rate is so good, and we have made a killing on the rising UK property market, and it feels like the right time to sell up here, take our money to the US, and get much more for it.

I hope the US will be a happy place for my children to grow up. We have chosen carefully where we are going to live, looked for good schools, lots of activities for children.

I love the friendliness of US citizens and I am so looking forward to that again. I subscribed to an email list for the area I am moving to, and already three people have sent me their phone numbers and said to get in touch when I arrive.

I know there are many things I will miss about the UK (I have lived in the US twice before), and it really hurts to leave family behind. But I married an American and our family will always have to struggle with being separated by oceans...

One point to bear in mind with UK immigration. The immigration officer does not have to prove you are in breech of your visa conditions it is only necessary that they think you are. On that alone the Chief Immigration Officer on duty in the terminal has the authority to refuse you entry and stamp and mark your passport with a permanent record of the refusal.

The immigration officer can also stamp your passport with a tourist stamp totally by accident... which is what happened to my husband years ago. It took him months to get his ILR back, during which time he couldn't work or claim any benefits. It was a total nightmare.

He has since got himself a UK passport, and although that wasn't the most fun process it was much easier than this whole green card shebang. He did make sure not to send his US passport off to the Home Office though - they had a reputation at that point for keeping hold of foreign passports for much longer than needed. He told them he'd lost it, and they accepted some other documents instead.

Congratulations - that's what 6 weeks from offer to completion? That is great! I'd kill for a sale that quick right now! (Although I'd stick to killing things that it's generally okay to kill of course...)

I am moving to the US on 30th June if all goes as planned, so I can really feel those 'oh my god I have to pack' vibes.

Congratulations!

Don't do what I did last time I got a green card (immediately move back to the UK for 7 years then have to start all over again!)

Anyone who is planning to sell a house in the UK (plus wad) is taking a heck of an exchange risk right now. When we got married in November 05, the dollar was about 12%higher from now. On a house plus wad of even say £350k, you could lose 35k easily if there was a movement...

Of course I hear people say that isn't going to happen .. what do we know ? ... a lot of things can swing an exchange rate 10% and a things could occur which would drop the exchange rate a heck of lot more than any 10%

That would cost some pending VJ immigrants a big piece of change

Don't....

I am selling a house in the UK and will have just under £200k to take to the US. The buyer pulled out a few weeks ago, I have another buyer just appeared today, I just want it SOLD and the money in the bank ready to move. But there's not much I can do to speed it up

All I can say is don't believe anyone (including me) as far as future house prices and exchange rates are concerned. I think 2.00 USD to a £ is very good and I will take that. If it goes to 2.10 I will have a wry smile but if it goes to 1.70 I will stamp my feet - so I am going to take 2.00

My pal says UK house prices will come off 10% in the next year - its possible as its more than 10 years since the last 10 yearly slump - but there are new forces at work such as immigration, divorce, and even 'white flight' (yes it exists)... so it depends on what kind of house you are trying to sell and what is the typical buyer - the overall average market is one thing but your specific kind of house in your specific kind of area, plus some good luck, is what will sell your house - no matter what the market is like.

Careful of averages - if you have one foot in the fire and one foot in the fridge, then on average you are comfortable.

LOL thank you! I have sold the house today but I won't consider it properly 'sold' till we've exchanged contracts which will take another 4-5 weeks the way the UK market works. I've not had any problem selling my house - it is very sellable - the problem has been finding people who are ready to buy ie who have sold their own house. But I think we *may* be there (she says very gingerly)...

I agree, if the rate goes up to 2.10 I don't think I will care, I will just be grateful if I get 2.00.

Yes, the whole enchilada. If there was no documentation of the income then I suggest you get some transcripts faxed to you and use them instead. Anybody can gin up a fake tax return but the transcripts are what the IRS actually has on file as reported income. Nobody suspects anybody of overstating income and paying too much tax, just to qualify to sponsor a family member but I bet some have done it.

kins,

If submiting a photocopy of the tax return, rather than an IRS tax transcript, then one needs to provide the complete return as submitted to the IRS. If the return included a W-2 then the photocopy for immigration purposes must include the W-2. If the return did not include a W-2 then one cannot submit something that never existed.

What documentation of your husband's foreign-earned income did he submit with his US tax return? Whatever it was, include it with the photocopy of the tax return that is submitted for immigration purposes.

As pushbrk wrote, "the whole enchilada", whatever the filling.

Yodrak

Second, a tax return is not complete without the W2's and/or 1099's. They don't ask for 1040's. They ask for tax returns. That means the whole enchilada.

......

What if you've been working abroad and have no W-2 or 1099s? I don't even know what a 1099 is...

I have my husband's 1040 for 2006 but all his income was foreign earned...

He didn't have any equivalent of a W-2 to submit because our tax year hadn't ended yet. I have since received his P60 for the April to April tax year here - I will take that along anyway.

He's stating his US income as zero for the last three years and we're doing it all on assets, so I hope it won't matter too much.

Thanks for your replies.

Second, a tax return is not complete without the W2's and/or 1099's. They don't ask for 1040's. They ask for tax returns. That means the whole enchilada.

Nevertheless the transcripts are even better. They show what the IRS has on file, so there's no need for any part of the tax return including no need for the W2's. Tax transcripts ARE verification of income.

What if you've been working abroad and have no W-2 or 1099s? I don't even know what a 1099 is...

I have my husband's 1040 for 2006 but all his income was foreign earned...

I'm British. I'm going to apply for US citizenship as soon as I can, but I think I will always just be British.

I'm sorry but that is hypocritical. Why bother with US citizenship if you are 'British' by your own terms?

I am married to an American and I have three American cldren, yet each time I leave the US for any extended period they take away my Green Card and it causes me untold cost and hassle getting another one each time we move back to the US.

So I am applying for US citizenship to solve the problem.

I have no intentions of being American, I am doing it because otherwise the US system makes it so difficult for me to live with my husband and children in their country, and can throw me out so easily.

Come up with a better system and I will happily not bother applying for US citizenship... I have absolutely nothing against Americans (obviously!) but I don't feel any need to be anything other than British.

Anyone who is planning to sell a house in the UK (plus wad) is taking a heck of an exchange risk right now. When we got married in November 05, the dollar was about 12%higher from now. On a house plus wad of even say £350k, you could lose 35k easily if there was a movement...

Of course I hear people say that isn't going to happen .. what do we know ? ... a lot of things can swing an exchange rate 10% and a things could occur which would drop the exchange rate a heck of lot more than any 10%

That would cost some pending VJ immigrants a big piece of change

Don't....

I am selling a house in the UK and will have just under £200k to take to the US. The buyer pulled out a few weeks ago, I have another buyer just appeared today, I just want it SOLD and the money in the bank ready to move. But there's not much I can do to speed it up

Awwwwww have a great reunion...

Anyone who calls themselves "Anglo-American" should come over to my place and I'll give them a dead arm for the privilege.

What should someone who is both English and American call themselves then?

My husband has an English mother and American father. He went to both British and American schools, an American university, a British post-grad university, and since then he's divided his time between the UK and US.

So what is he?

(Just to confuse things he was born in Brazil )

I was born in a British forces hospital in Malta, grew up in British forces accommodation in England, Scotland, Malta and Germany, then finally my parents settled in England.

My mum is Scottish and my dad is English.

I'm British. I'm going to apply for US citizenship as soon as I can, but I think I will always just be British.

Good luck for your interview! Great to see so many interviews coming up...

If nothing else, I want to reiterate M&S undies and OTC drugs. There have been times I would have quite literally killed for a Nurofen, and my good ol' Marks knickers are still going strong after 2 years of abuse in the US (and they weren't new when they came here!).

If you have a local British Goods store, you're lucky. We're starting to see the odd thing being carried up here if you look in the right places - Marmite is in the baking section of the supermarket, of all places - but the dedicated BGS we had in Freeport (home of LL Bean, huge tourist trap) burnt down.

Hey I just realised you are in Portland - that's where I'm moving to! My husband found Maltesers for sale for at $1 a packet somewhere there recently......

Kins, my thoughts to you is not something that you can bring with you. But to have fish and chips before you go. You'll miss them once you're here. I can't wait for my next UK visit so I can have some!

Good idea! We have a great chippy in town...

May 2007 Interviews

Name...........Visa…….P3Sent..MedDate.....P4Rec'd...IntDate/Time........Status

JamalNTam....K1........04/02....04/02........04/18......05/04....10:30....APPROVED

Oath/Leney....K3/K4...03/20....03/30........04/03......05/04....10.30....APPROVED

EdintheUK......K1......................................................05/11................

Tigersden......K1........03/01....02/20........03/23......05/11....10.30....APPROVED

Marina+Dave..K1....................................................05/18....08:30… APPROVED

Mark&Steph...K1........04/20....04/23........04/30.......05/24....10:00....

tonyeck........K1........................................................05/29....10:30...

AlienUKGirl ....K1........04/10....04/10.........05/01......05/30....08:00...

June 2007 Interviews

Name..................Visa…….P3Sent..MedDate.....P4Rec'd...IntDate/Time........Status

kins....................CR1...................................................06/07…10.00am

Linababe..............K1...................06/06.......................06/07…10.00am

TracyTN..............K1........04/16.....04/20........04/21......06/08....09:00...

FutureAmerican....CR1...................05/17.........05/02......06/12....09:30...

Justchillin.............K1…......05/01....05/11.........05/05......06/15.....08:00...

midicat................K1..........03/19....05/10.......................06/18....10:00...

elmcitymaven.......CR1.......04/26....05/08.........05/18…….06/19…08:30.

July 2007 Interviews

Name..............Visa…….P3Sent..MedDate.....P4Rec'd...IntDate/Time........Status

RGNSCOT......K1......................05/24...........................07/03...............

Waiting for Interview

Name...................Visa…….P3Sent..MedDate.....P4Rec'd...IntDate/Time........Status

Arwensun1965.......CR1..............................................

Dawny&Tommy.......K1............................................

Disco....................K1......05/02.....05/09..................

Wayne&Leigh.........K1......05/22....06/06...........................................................

Just updated it... I'm actually a CR1 not a K1...

Thanks guys... I just found https://www.transglobalexpress.co.uk/ which offers 1-2 day DHL service for £21.53, whereas DHL themselves seem to charge about £34 for the same service (rolls eyes).

God this whole process is expensive isn't it?

Thanks for all the replies!

I am shipping most of my household goods so I have duvet covers, duvets, cloths, all sorts of stuff like that, but it is good to know where to look for replacements. In fact my big duvet and cover came from Eddie Bauer in Seattle last time I lived in the US so it will be going home in a way ;-)

My hubby found a place in Portland that sells Maltesers for $1 :-)))) Need to check if they do Galaxies though...

I think a US king size bed is 6 feet wide and 6' 6" long if that's any help to anyone?

Good tip about Vermont Cheddar

I did just realise I should fill all the kids prescriptions in the UK before we go - our prescriptions in the US will be $30+ each, whereas they're free for the kids here.

My sister-in-law always used to get us to bring Zovirax over to the US for her - no idea why? Anyone?

I can't think of any more... I am looking forward to shopping for clothes and shoes in the US so much after the UK!

I'm getting ready for my visa interview now, and I keep seeing that it says you must show a copy of your tax transcript with the I-864. Does it have to be a transcript or can I submit the tax return itself (ie the 1040)?

I know when I did the fiance visa years ago I just showed the tax return itself.

Thanks....

You better step on it whatever you do; if you order transcripts from the IRS right now, you'll be cutting it fine. You shouldn't have indicated you were ready for the interview until you had all of this documentation.

Good luck.

Well I thought all they were asking for was the tax return, then I reread it and thought 'hang on which do they actually want'? You know... and had the usual minor panic lol...

They told my husband he had to schedule his own.

Yep they don't schedule the medical for you, they just give you the information that you need to schedule your medical for yourself - including your case number. When I scheduled mine I got one within a few days, it was no problem organising it. Getting there from up north then paying for it... now that was more trouble