jezebelseven

The only places I tip that aren't sit down restraunts (Or bars or buffets, or things like ordering pizza... basically the obvious places you know tipping is the norm) are Dunkin Donuts and Coffee Places if they have a tip jar. I realize it's not nessessary at Dunkin Donuts but I'd always dump my change left in the jar and it paid off well for me, after doing it about 3 times the guy who worked there at night would always give us an extra dozen or so donuts for no reason. The first time he did it we thought he heard us wrong when we'd say '2 of those' and he'd grab 4, '5 of those' and he'd grab 8, things like that, but when it kept happening we realized what he was doing. We continued tipping, we continued to get free donuts.

I was confused using my debit card at arby's though because it did have a thing for tip there. No way in hell I'm tipping at a drive-thru.

I typically do 20% tips. 15% if they do everything they're supposed to, less if they're not getting me what I need, or keep forgetting when I'm asking for something, or act like I'm bothering them by eating where I am. I know 15% is the norm, but by doing more in tips, not only am I helping people who I know don't really make much money (And I know how that is!), I think a lot of places recognise this and I get people fighting to serve me. We already know from our local Papa Johns that they argue at the office who gets to run our pizza to us because they know they're getting a stellar tip from us, and on occasion we'll get a extra cheesesticks or something by "accident".

Was anyone else in london the day of the attacks last year?

I took my first ever trip to london on that day. I arrived about 30 minutes after the first subway exploded.

Thankfully, my fiance was here visiting me... otherwise we very likely could've been in London when it was happening, because he lives nearby. It was a very stressful day for us, trying to get ahold of his family to make sure they were okay.

I'm just mostly upset about the contact lens solution. I had it packed in my carry on for tomorrow because it's the one thing I would really have a hard time finding down in Mexico. Like even in Guadalajara, which is a big city, in one of their 24 hour superstores, they didn't have any. So I'm worried about that. Mostly everything else liquid-wise is replacable. Unfortunately, I've got this mindset that is counting on my luggage being lost so I had everything separated into "must arrive" and "can get lost" categories, so it's going to be a stressful trip for me tomorrow, no doubt, for more reasons than one. Couldn't be easy though, because then it wouldn't be me.

Medicines are allowed. I'd say contact lens solution counts as medicine. Just don't bring a big bottle and they'll probably allow it.

From my understanding, only perscription medicenes are allowed, and the name on the bottle must match the name on your passport. I could be wrong.

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say We're glad you got there safe, Devilette!

What I heard on the news regarding this case is the guy is suspected to have a mental defect or something. If so, bad timing on his part to go a little more nutty than normal.

I think that sometimes the imperfections make the relationships perfect. My baby is perfect for me...yet she doesnt feel she is perfect, and she may not be for anyone else...but for me she is...

This is what my fiance and I say. Puzzle pieces aren't perfect squares, but when you put them together the right way, they make a perfect square picture.

Well they are saying here in airport security that the overall end-effect big deal is going to be no liquids on planes. I for one am dreading a plane ride with no eye drops or contact solution, not being able to bring my own hair products, not being able to bring my own beverages (seriously, I need more water than what any airline is willing to give me) and not being able to bring liquid products down to Brazil as gifts.

I can understand...

1. Contact solution .. hmm don't know cause dont need it but I understand its important.

2. Hair products?? DO you do your hair on the plane?

3. Duty Free Shopping

I don't do my hair on the plane but I do do it once I get to my destination! I have rather unruly locks.

But as to duty free, they're not sure if any liquid products will be sold past security check-in (where duty-free shops are). I hope so! The shop owners are going crazy trying to comply with new regulations.

From what I've heard (obviously things are changing every minute, but...), they'll still sell liquids past security points, but before you board the plane you will be checked again and all liquid items must again be removed. So that's helpful for drinkable items but not much else.

These clear plastic bags aren't going to make security checkpoints any faster than people with huge bags, so don't get your hopes up if you're traveling. Lines are obviously longer than standard now because of all the random changes.

What I've heard is that the bombs were something involving a contact lens case and a casio watch timer type thing. At least, that's what I caught on msnbc a moment ago. Not sure if that was just an example of what it could be or actual speculation of what it was.

Kabigon,

How about a squiggly line? Avoids the potential for a word such as 'none' to be mistaken for a name and also makes clear that the item was not overlooked.

Yodrak

I have no middle name (strange as it seems). I was thinking putting "None" for the middle name in the forms, but would they mistake you as (for ex.) "John None Doe?" as "None" in actually your middle name? Hmm....

This is what I would suggest as well, for the exact same reason, None being your middle name. I'd just put a ---- in the box or something, that seems to cover all bases to me.

Ok, breathe. You are overthinking this. It's perfectly reasonable to be wearing an engagement ring. You're engaged, for crying out loud.

Get that packet in the mail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen

I'm just really paranoid by nature. I was just worried because it's part of a wedding band set, so I was thinking it could be mistaken as a wedding band, and on and on. So yes. Overthinking it. Exactly.

Again worry more about filling out the forms right and getting the right documents included.

Yeah, I've gone over them about 10 times every night just in case, and I'm sure I'll go over them about 100 times more before I get the nerve to pop it in the mail

I'm probably worrying about nothing, but a few recent topics here have me slightly worried, and I just thought I'd run it past a few of you to see if I'm really just being paranoid or if it's actually something to be concerned about.

Going over my packet of things to get copies of and send out tomorrow, I looked at the 5 pictures I selected to send with my packet. We picked out one in particular because it clearly shows the engagement ring I am wearing on my left ring finger. We thought it would be good proof to show we're truely engaged, not just friends or whatever the other case may be.

However, I have read several topics where people mention you don't want to give the person reviewing your case the wrong idea in case they will think you already got married.

Should I omit the pic where my ring is visible, or am I overcomplicating things? I have others I can put in from this time (Including one of us kissing but I'm really shy about that and it almost feels like I'd be 'trying too hard' to prove my case with that one, so I chose to leave it out previously) if I have to. If I have to replace it, should I include kissing pic or just yet another one of us smiling together?

If it makes a difference, neither of us are dressed up or anything it in so it doesn't look like a wedding. He's wearing a green tshirt and me a black sweater and cat ears, and we both look quite sad in it (he was leaving for the airport).

If you are planning on using that co-sponsor for your AOS I-864, that does make them legally responsible. It is only the I-134 that is not legally binding.

I wasn't planning on using the same cosponsor (Unless I have to, I hadn't read that far into it) My mother is in a bad spot now but should be back on her feet by then, and I'm trying to check every route I can, backups, and whatnot. So far we're looking into her as a cosponsor, as well as my fiance self-sponsoring. Aside from that, I'm talking to my brother and sister, but they're too scared to even talk about it. Showing them this will allow me to be able to actually sit down and *explain* it to them, versus being ignored at my first question.

Mew: Thanks! Should've thought of that

From USCIS.......

Such affidavits, although helpful in judging financial ability, are not legally binding.

From a lawyers site....

Effect on the sponsor: The Affidavit of support form I-134 is not legally binding on the sponsor. This means that neither the sponsored immigrant nor the government can sue the sponsor to recover the cost of public benefits paid to the sponsored immigrant.

Aussiewench-

Out of curiousity, what lawyers site was that, if you still have the link? I've been trying to explain how its not a legally binding form for my possible cosponsors, they keep writing me off thinking it means they "Have to give us money and buy us a house". I'm hoping maybe if I show them that lawyers site, they'll believe me and be more open to the idea of being my cosponsor. I'll look on the USCIS site for the same wording as well, but if you happen to know exactly where it said that it'd be helpful as well.

Thanks!

A week apart on Thursday for us (Why my ticker disagrees I'm not sure, I think it's trying to make me even more miserable...), and chances are we won't be back together until the visa is done and dusted.

I dont get it.... the G325A form consists of 4 pages ...that ask the same exact information... and it asks for alien number and things like that... so isnt that for the beneficiary only then?

does the benificiary have to fill out those 4 pages and sign.. and the USC has to fill out his own 4 pages and sign...so that makes the total of 8 pages?

Correct. If you fill them out online here ( http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/g-325a.htm ) it'll fill it in on all 4 pages for you, so all you and your USC have to do is sign the pages and date them. Be sure to print all 4 pages-- Although the info is the same on all 4, if you look at the bottom of each page, there are different boxes on each for different people in the agency. Don't print out 4 copies of the first page.

It will be a total of 8 pages. 4 for you and 4 for the USC.

Look at the example forms here on visajourney (located here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples ) if you're confused about things like alien number-- For most people, that part will say 'None' as you aren't assigned one yet but I'm not sure if that's correct as you appearntly sent in your first forms already.

no they asked for 2 pictures of us together in the last 2 years with dates on them...

so do I just make up approxiamte dates?

If the pics of you together are located on your computer chances are you can find out when they were originally taken-- Click on the picture and get the file info on it (Mine was in the details tab, but I imagine this depends on your operating system and hwo you have your windows set up). All my digital camera photos told me exact dates of when they were taken. If you don't have the exact dates I would personally either just put the Month and year, or make a guess closest to which date it was taken.

According to this page, the London Embassy does allow the Fiance or Spouce to attend the interview.

I'd also suggest checking out the links on the page to reviews of the London Embassy to see what you're looking foward to.

My fiance is from Orpington, Kent, so there's another not too far from Bromley He also spent a year at the uni of kent in canterbury.

I hear ya', my friend. But hang in there. We're all in this together. Based on what I just read, I'm now expecting to see an RFE, too...I should have known that Laurent's desire to be creative with his signature would catch up with us on this little bureaucratic journey...ARGH!

I really hope we're wrong about this, too, my fingers are crossed for you! My mother (who had to go through a visa process with her ex husband) has said that I was stupid to think a first initial was enough (Nevermind that she doesn't typically sign her full name either!!) but to me it seems almost suspicious to sign differently than we do on our passports, IDs, cheques, and everything else, so I'm really not sure what to think!

Ooh, and just saw cristy's reply, and I'm hopeful that works out for us as well!!

(Hate double posting but I can't seem to edit my last post)

Does this include middle names as well, or just first name and last? Cause if I have to include middle as well, I'll have to redo all of mine as well... not as big of a deal, but I wanted to be sure... I always use my middle initial in my signature, same one on my passport and ID.

Just a note of advice.

When you sign your signature ensure you sign with your full name.

Do not use any abbreviation or else you can get an RFE for your signature.

Good luck

#######. Has anyone gotten through with no RFE with an abbreviated signature? My fiance always signs with just his first letter and last name, and we didn't think twice about it, but reading this makes me worried. Dunno if I should send him copies again and have his proper signature on it, or risk getting an RFE.

I just now checked my copy in a panic, but all is well. My PDF fillable form did what it was supposed to do. I'm wondering if there's an issue depending on what browser you're using. Maybe we should do some research about that possibility. At various points I did drafts of the form on Safari, Firefox, Netscape, and IE for Mac--just to see what was working the best for me. I don't think I had a problem with any of them, really.

Anyone else...?

Same here, mine looks fine. I did one in Firefox (mine) and one in Adobe Reader 7.0, both look like they worked as they were meant to.

Damn, I wish I had that much evidence on hand!! And I lived with my SO, for 3 years, on two different continents!!!

Thanks! It's one of the few times in my life I've felt proud to be a packrat!

One more question while I'm thinking of it-- On the forms, I don't have to send out the like 9 pages of 'instructions' on how to fill them out, do I? Just the form parts after that? I've been assuming I don't have to, but I'd feel like an idiot if I sent it and found out I did the wrong thing after putting everything else right.

Just wanted to get a few people's opinions on this. I'm sorting through all the boarding passes I still have from my fiance's flights and mine. I've sorted and clipped them all together so I can make copies of them for the evidence pages.

My first question is about his last trip here. He was meant to fly out on June 19, and he got as far as boarding the plane and everything, then they sat there because there was a problem with something on the plane (I'm thinking he said the brakes, I forget). They sat waiting for a replacement part or plane (again I can't remember) for hours before finally just cancelling the flight and rescheduling people as nessessary. Adam was put up in a hilton at the airport overnight, and flew out the next day (June 20).

I have both boarding passes from both days, as well as a voucher for the hotel, and an itnerary from expedia which shows the date of the 19th. Should I include all four of these, including the cancelled flight, or should I just omit the information about the flight being cancelled and just include the one boarding pass from the day he ACTUALLY flew out, leaving out the itinerary and hotel voucher and original boarding pass? I don't want to confuse the people at CSC, or get RFE'd because of it, but I don't know if this is really important info for them.

Secondly, I have a lot of proof I want to use. I've grouped them into the 6 visits we've had in the last 2 years, so they're easier to see how they go together. Various boarding passes, 1 photo from each visit, a few train and underground passes from London with dates on them. Would it be okay if when I photocopy these, I put them all on one page together per date (with each photo attached by paperclip to the correct date) for easier navigation (And less paper to mail)? Like rather than 1 page for each boarding pass, I can fit 2 train tickets and 4 boarding passes, and one page of a passport scan, all on one or two papers?

My name's Angela (or Angie), I'm the USC, and I am 22. My fiance, Adam, is 20, and is from the UK (Great Britain to be exact). We'll be going through Nebraska because I'm from Ohio (And I'm guessing we'll get moved to California like everyone else). We've got the paperwork pretty much done and dusted (just need to date it, really), and have most of our evidence together, it just needs to be sorted out and copied and made to look neater, right now it's just in a bunch of binder folders to keep it in one place.

I plan on getting it in the mail within about 2 weeks.

I too am looking to get a job soon, but we have a cosponsor so that's not as much of an issue. Hope you can find something suitable for you, Angilla!

More often than not, lawyers delay cases more than help.

If I had went with the lawyer I saw months ago, this would've been true in my case as well, I'm certain. I only saw her for a first visit to see if she might be able to help me so thankfully I only lost like $60 for a conference fee, but during it she basically told us to just 'sneak him in the country and get married (ie enter with intent to stay)' and she'd 'take care of the rest'. Thank god I knew about visajourney because I was able to find out that she was about as far from correct as possible before I did something that could've ruined things for us.

Now that my fiance and I have sat down and done the papers and are getting ready to mail off the first bit, we've gained the confidence on our own that this is a lot easier than we were convinced. That's not to say some people won't have problems but our case is fairly straightforward, the only problem we might bump into is with a cosponsor.

Try this awesome website www.***removed*** will help you out with all your questions!

No offense, not trying to be ungrateful here, but erm, it seems to have the exact same info as visajourney, just harder to find. Even their example forms were identically worded. Doesn't exactly answer my question . I was looking more for something that clarified whether they should be originally worded (As the INSTRUCTIONS on I-129F, Rule 7B says), or whether they can be identical form letters that we filled in.

Edit: Thanks again mew! We were worried, he leaves tomorrow evening to go home so we wanted to be sure!