tsunami93

My situation was different but similar. There was no COVID when I arrived, I haven’t had to adjust to motherhood and I was able to work from the very beginning. But I went through similar emotions of feeling “lost” and that I would never settle here. It was almost like a grief for my old life. And I’d visited over 40 times before I moved! Case in point that no amount of visits can prepare you for living here. 
 
Anyway, here’s what I did. It may or may not work for you. Stop comparing things to back home. Accept that things are different here and the life you had in Europe has gone for good. Mourn the loss of it, for sure. But convince yourself to start to see things as “different”, not “wrong”. I’m in a group on Facebook for British ex pats and I see posts from people who’ve been here a decade of more still lamenting that they can’t find custard powder or fairy liquid here. Some of them even resort to importing things at huge expense from Europe. Don’t. Just find a new way to make custard or wash your dishes. Find a new way of doing things. I can’t stand the bread here. I grew up in a bakery that my family had owned for generations. Until I went to university I’d never eaten bread that wasn’t made in our own kitchen. The stuff they sell here and call bread, it’s an abomination. Yes, I know they sell so-called artisan stuff here. Still not good enough for me. Much too sweet. So I make my own now. And I actually enjoy it rather than seeing it as the twice-weekly chore that it was throughout my childhood. And much better than ordering from British food suppliers online. It’s my connection to my past and brings fond memories. Allow yourself the memories but don’t be angry that those days are gone. 
 
I’m finding that I’m less and less saying “we don’t do it like that at home” and more and more “that’s different. But it obviously works here”. Some things don’t change, and that’s OK. You will still be you. And your homeland will still be your homeland. But start to see it as a favorite vacation destination now, and look forward to going back again, rather than seeing it as a the home you been pulled away from. Carve out a new you. Keep some bits of the old you but accept that some bits are gone for good. When my mum comes to visit all I hear is “well we don’t do/say/have that in the UK”. My response? Well, this isn’t the UK. Things are not “wrong”, just “different”.
 
Last month I became a US citizen. People I work with were thrilled and sent messages of congratulations like I’d run a marathon. To me it was just paperwork. I’m still me. Someone said “how does it feel that you’re now an American?” And I really don’t know. I’m still me. Still can’t understand the rules of baseball. Still need to use a knife and fork to eat and will never be able to cut food with the side of a fork. Still expect “chicken salad” to be a garden salad with slices of grilled chicken rather than chopped chicken in mayonnaise. Still say “Aubergine” and not “eggplant”. But that’s ok. Not everything has to change. But not everything will stay the same either. 

It’s an adventure to be enjoyed. 

Thank you so much 😄😄😄

Thank you so much 😄😄😄

We just got our RFIE (filed in late december) saying that we did not meet the income requirements and that we have to submit a joint sponsor. The thing is my husband (petitioner) makes 74,000 annually and we are a hosehold of two. I dont understand why we got this rfie and I am very confused. Please advise.

We just got our RFIE (filed in late december) saying that we did not meet the income requirements and that we have to submit a joint sponsor. The thing is my husband (petitioner) makes 74,000 annually and we are a hosehold of two. I dont understand why we got this rfie and I am very confused. Please advise.

@Sarge2155 @fluffykim @Waynedefinitely going to send a trabscript with w2 and a cover letter just to be safe. And be done with it.

@Sarge2155 @fluffykim @Waynedefinitely going to send a trabscript with w2 and a cover letter just to be safe. And be done with it.

Yes that's  makes a difference if you sent only the 1040 without w2s etc. Do yourself a favor get a tax transcript and send that. They prefer a transcript any way!

we just got ours and same.  My friend is an immigration attorney and said clerically they did not look close enough at the papers...it happens.  He is writing me a cover letter, printing out the income chart from their site and RE attaching my last 3 year tax returns which clearly show i make over the poverty line also (100k+).  perhaps do the same

Happy New Year everyone! May we all receive more blessing this year! 

I had my interview today and my visa is approved!!
 
 

@Lizelle EspayosI used Pivot medical and they asked for the letter in packet 3 when I tried to scheduele.

In transit🤗

In transit🤗

In transit🤗

In transit🤗

Hi there, to any fellow Singaporean K1 Beneficiaries.
 
I know that there's another thread on Singapore K1 filers, but it's mostly targeted towards 2017-2018 filers. So for 2019 beneficiaries and onward, I think opening up a new thread would be the most convenient. I hope this intended thread is a valuable resource for Singapore-specific K1 filers
 
First of all, the stats:
 
NOA1: January 22nd, 2019
NOA2: April 10th, 2019
NVC left: May 14th, 2019
Embassy received: May 21st, 2019
Packet 3 received: June 12th, 2019
 
As of now (Jul 7, 2019) I think the Singapore Embassy is either going through a really high workload or just busy in general so the intervals between my received - Packet 3 dates and Packet 3 sent - Interview date issued dates are genuinely quite long compared to previous cases I think.
 
What did I was email the Embassy to enquire about both issues, and they seem to have sped up their process after informing them of how long it has been. So perhaps if you are waiting for a long time for your Packet 3 to arrive or for the Embassy to issue you an interview date I think doing as such would be of a tremendous ease to yourself if you worry a lot like I do.
 
Singapore-specific activities!
 
Obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate  
I decided to register for my police clearance certificate the day I received my Packet 3 (which was a day late because the Embassy actually uses speed delivery directly to your home to deliver the Packet 3, and I was sleeping while the ol chap of a mailman arrived. I had to go to Singpost to obtain my missed package lol.) and it's pretty straightforward. Go to https://eservices.police.gov.sg/content/policehubhome/homepage/certificate-of-clearance-hub.html and the instructions are all there. I'm Singaporean so all I needed to do was enter using my Singpass and et cetera. Also, there will be a specific letter requesting for the police certificate included in your packet 3 that has both your full name and case number on it. That will be your 'scanned documentary proof indicating that a COC is needed', not the checklist.
 
My approval for the COC was issued in about three days. I submitted my request on a Friday, (the wait presumably being due a weekend) and received the SMS notice to book an appointment on Monday at around 6pm. I then scheduled an appointment using the e-appointment portal afterwards. 
 
I headed over to the Police Cantonment Complex (which is pretty easy to access), traded my identity card for a visitor's pass, went up to the level at which the COC office was, and got a waiting number ticket. Then, as my ticket number was called, I proceeded to the fingerprinting room where a friendly police officer would be there to help you record your fingerprints. He was making conversation the whole time- yes, multitasking- while also doing my fingerprints. The process is not at all intimidating. (Also do not fret if you have dry fingers like me, they seem to handle the issue quite well). Afterwards, you wait outside for a while until your ticket number is called again and the person behind the counter issues you your police certificate. Be sure to closely check that the passport number and name printed on the certificate matches the one on your passport.
 
Scheduling a medical exam  
Oh, the dreaded medical exam. I've heard countless bad reviews of the main clinic used to conduct US visa medicals in Singapore (a clinic under Fullerton Healthcare) so I knew that was going to be a hassle. However with my packet 3, I had a letter attached for the medical exam that stated two clinics- one at Fullerton Healthcare, and another one under the name of Pivot Medical Clinic. I was relieved that there was an extra medical clinic for me to go to, instead of just the one that is just dreaded amongst everyone.
 
I decided to take a gambit and call up Fullerton Healthcare (Drs Horne and Chin if i'm not wrong) and boy oh boy was it a hilarious phonecall. Let me transcribe what happened. 
 
Me: *calls the exact number that was printed on the Embassy letter*
someone answers
Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic?
Person: Huh?
Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?
Person: Ah, I dunno 
line gets transferred to someone else
Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?
Person: AH? *gets surprised in Singaporean*
at this point i'm wondering if they just can't simply understand my accent, since I speak with a British one
Me: Can you hear me?
line gets transferred to someone else
Me: Is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?
Person: Uhhhh....
line gets transferred to someone else
Me: Hello? Is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?
Person: Wrong number.
 
Me, stares into my phone realising that I did type in the correct number.
 
So that's already an encounter of how unprofessional that particular clinic is. I would recommend anyone to avoid it at all costs.
 
I decide to email Pivot Medical Clinic to schedule a medical instead and to my surprise, they replied within 10 minutes. Very fast and super efficient. However I'm not sure if this is a thing specific to this clinic, but you can't schedule a medical until your interview date is set up. So please do not worry about scheduling the medical before your interview date is issued to you. I had to wait a few weeks until the date was issued and finally schedule an appointment. They set an appointment for me on the next day at 9:30am after I mailed them my completed form, Gmail copy of the interview email, and my scanned passport biometric page.
 
Pivot Medical Clinic is at the Shaw Centre, on the 17th floor. It is quite lush and actually quite a beautiful clinic with a nicely decorated waiting area. I gave them my passport and 4 Singapore-sized passport pictures, where the lady at the counter would require you to sign on the white space at the right-hand corner of the image. I was then told to sit and wait, and within 1-2 minutes they were ready to proceed with me.I was instructed to pee into a small container and then return, where a friendly nurse then asked me for my vaccination records, where she reviewed it and instructed another staff member to photocopy it, and then needed to draw blood from me.
 
If your veins are not easily seen like mine, you'll be required to squeeze a little rock toy in order for her to see your veins lol. It was a pretty quick process. After drawing blood, you will be sent to the next-door room for a quick eye test (colour-blindness and visual acuity) as well as a quick height and weight recording. It was genuinely fast. I was then escorted to another room, where the main doctor was to conduct the other segment of the test. He was quite astute and well-mannered as well. Blood pressure was taken, and a physical examination of the joints/cardiac system through stethoscope on two segments of your front chest and back as well/as well as visual inspection for hernia was done. Lastly it was the general health history questions I presume for the actual USCIS medical form, such as whether you have any underlying ailments or issues with your health. I then proceeded to the counter for payment.
 
Pivot Medical Clinic does not have its own X-ray room, so they give you a referral form to go an aesthetician clinic (?) on the 8th floor to do your x-ray. Once obtaining the referral form, I paid for all services (blood test, urine sample test and also the x ray) at Pivot itself then proceeded to the clinic (which is on the 8th floor of the same building.) So without the x-ray, the time taken for this took less than an hour actually. I then went to the second clinic where you'd have to register and generally wait for a while until your name is called, and then do standard procedures for an x-ray- remove your clothing and any other necklaces and bun up your hair. If you have textured hair like me and have your hair in a protective style, (on that day I had twists) be sure to bring along some hairties and extra barettes/hairpins. The doctor facilitating had to use a giant clip to really keep my hair out of my neck because my bun wasn't tight enough. You would then be instructed to take some deep breaths in and out, and you're done. All you have to do is to wait for your cd of the x ray to be generated and leave. Also please don't tamper with the cd, at this moment I believe it's for immigration officers? 
 
All in all, it took about 1hr 30 minutes or about 2 hours. It's not that long at all.
 
And finally, the interview! My interview is in 2 weeks and 3 days. I will be sure to keep you guys updated and provide a review of the Embassy afterwards. If you have any further questions, don't forget to ask!

It worked!! OMGee I made that all up just to fool you'll into thinking something like this would work and help you. 
 
Trust the process.

That didn't take long.  Create positive experiences in your life and you will have positive experiences.  

You do realize that in order to eligible for Obamacare, you have to have a full time job?  My husband is a doctor, I am a healthcare lawyer, I guarantee you I know more about how Obamacare works than your political talking heads know.  It isn't anything close to a disaster, very far from it, and take that from someone who treats patients all day long in a hospital.  Also, health insurance is far from a "few hundred bucks".  I own my own law firm and I can tell you what I pay for health insurance for my employees, it is a lot more than a few hundred dollars a month, try more like $600 a person per month.  
 
You are completely entitled to your opinion, but the fact of the matter is that people that receive Obamacare are working, and working hard at full time jobs.  These are exactly the people that we want to keep in this country, so I have to disagree with you that we would deny citizenship to these people.  

The problem is that the administration has changed the rules in the middle of the game.  It is like playing football and the referees decide you can play with only 10 players instead of 11.  Before yesterday, no one knew that accepting Obamacare subsidies for health insurance would disqualify them from permanent residency or citizenship.  The administration has the right to change the rules going forward, but to change the rules and apply them retroactively is unfair and un-American.
 
Frankly, if we want to discuss what is a bigger public cost and tax on the system, it would be the exact opposite from signing up for Obamacare: going uninsured and being unable to pay huge hospital bills.  Someone has to pay for uninsured people that show up at the hospital and the people that pay are everyone else with insurance.  Prospective immigrants are being punished for doing the responsible thing and insuring themselves and their families, that is what is wrong.

The first place that you will see an "A" Number is on your NOA2. If it were me I would use my WAC number (receipt number) found on the upper left corner of your NOA1. Use it instead of the "A" number. Also add the person's name with the number on the back of the photo. This should be acceptable. In your return letter I would outline your dilemma as I have done above. Good luck.

Wow Wow what a week it's been for ya'll are you all still dizzy from all the approvals? I sure am it was so many I could hardly keep track, but that's a GOOD thing, let's hope that this continues over into the next week congrats to all and stay up to all those waiting I'm sure you'll get picked up next week!!!!!! Good job January and nice haul!!!!!!!!!