Girona40

Does anyone knows?

how many ceremonies a year are held in Pennsylvania?

Not sure about the whole state of PA, but last year in Pittsburgh I was offered either July or November. So, I am guessing that in Pittsburgh they hold them 3 times a year, or thereabouts.

Hope this helps.

Hi There! It has been a while since I posted on VJ - I just got back from the UK where I was taking care of my father who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.

Anyway, I was sorry to hear about this recent K-2 AOS denial. This is one of at least half a dozen now. My son is now in removal proceedings and we are awaiting a date for the hearing. Yes, that is exactly what happens - the applicant files for AOS at the age of 20 and because the USCIS don't get round to dealing with it until the applicant has turned 21 they are "booted out of the country". My son has been here in the US for 4 years and they want to send him back to England. His mother and sister, who came at approximately the same time, are now US citizens!

I understand that my husband has been in contact with this latest denial and will explain a few options open to the OP. Unfortunately, the USCIS are now denying people in California, Texas, West Virginia, and other states - it is not just the Washington DC office now.

There needs to be either a legislative fix or a memo that confirms the situation. The AAO has agreed, in our case, with the District Director in DC, but they are part of the same Service. It needs to get out of the USCIS' hands for someone to look at it objectively, i.e. an Immigration Judge or the BIA.

I have a lot going on at the moment, so won't be posting very often, but if anyone else finds themselves in this situation, please feel free to e-mail me.

G.

We are trying to raise awareness of this issue in Washington, DC and have a legislative proposal to fix it. This isn't a problem that affects millions of people though, so we are looking for people going through it who can speak as constituents and ask their Senators and Congressmen for help.

Please sign up here if you are interested:

http://americanfamiliesunited.org/index.ph...;task=registers

Linky no worky Curtis

we have seen 3 and they don't even know what she can do

Hi, Girona40's husband here (sorry posting under her name) She is still back in the UK looking after her father.

Did she ever file an I-485? Did she ever attend an interview with the USCIS?

Bump, sorry just trying to get the word out

We are in the same situation. I just filed a week ago. My wife's daughter is 20 now and will be 21 in May. I have called USCIS and they have assured me that if the application for AOS is received before the 21st birthday, the AOS will not be denied because the AOS is not completed by her 21st birthday.

I have read of other's who have had their dependent denied because the AOS was not completed before the 21st birthday. There may be other reasons besides age, but I don't know. I am in a wait-and-see mode at the present. They have not cashed the checks yet and they received our packages last Tuesday morning.

I would love to find a copy of the USCIS regulations which address this subject about K-2's. I understand they are others that are not K-2's that can be denied because of age. It seems to me it is the person adjudicating the files is the one who is calling the shots according to their understanding of the regulations/law.

Yes, I would like to get in on the conference call.

Have a great day.

John

Hi G's husband here please PM me with your email so i can get you on the list.

The current policy/procedure/manual is missing the pages on the K-1/K-2 process, has been for some time. We have asked for them but the request falls on deaf ears. See Linky section 37.1 - 37.3

all of these recent cases of the K-2's being denied are only becasue they had a Birthday before the USCIS completed the adjudication of the K-2's I-485 application. That's it. In every case I know the K-1 parent got thier application aproved, where the K-2 did not. It's all been about the age.

bump

Hi All,

This is actually Girona40’s husband posting this, she is back over in the UK looking after her parents at the moment.

I would like to get into contact with any families that are in the process of either coming to the US or have filed their adjustment applications whom have a K-2 child nearing or over the age of 21. Currently we know of several families (ours included) that have had their K-2 dependents denied their Green Cards due to the fact that the K-2 dependent had attained the age of 21, prior to the USCIS completing the process. I’m sure many here are aware of our story, jo&johns as well. What we would like to do is get anyone facing this situation, or who maybe likely to face this situation, together on conference call to discuss what we can do about it. It maybe possible by pooling our efforts to get a legislative fix, if one is not forth coming from the courts. We maybe able to get an amendment to Senator Kennedy’s comprehensive immigration reform bill that is in the works now.

So if anyone would like to be included please send me a PM and include your regular email address so we can put something together ASAP.

Kind regrads

G's Hubby

I have lived in a country with a National Healthcare System and one without and I know what I would choose! The NHS is a Godsend, in my opinion, and the fact that some people are kept waiting is fine with me when those that have life-threatening conditions are treated promptly. Unfortunately, some cannot see that a minor injury doesn't take precedence over someone with a life-threatening ailment. Emergency rooms are just that - for emergencies - and I can't tell you how many times I have seen people complain about their having to wait for treatment, when a child is rushed in after a car accident, and complain that they "jumped the queue"! It makes me sick!

I am leaving the US to travel to the UK in a few hours to go visit my father who was diagnosed with colon cancer only a few days ago. He was scheduled for a surgery to remove his thyroid and the doctor ordered a full-body CT scan to get a clear picture of what was going on. He had his routine screening colonoscopy, which showed a black area. Biospy taken, malignancy confirmed, appointment with the consultant made, surgery scheduled, all within a week.

The surgeon feels that his recovery from the bowel surgery will be far better if the thyroid is removed at the same time.

After a week in hospital he will be returned to his home and community nurses will attend the house. My mother will receive a "care allowance" and "attendance allowance" for simply being there and saving the NHS the cost of having him in the hospital where he will make a slower recovery - most people prefer to be in their own homes after surgery. I know I was two weeks ago when I had surgery here in the US.

When the "chips are down" when it comes to your health, I would certainly prefer to live in the UK where they have a NHS than here in the US where you have to weigh up whether you want to risk losing your home or your health. At least in the UK you don't have to ever worry about that.

There are so many other things that the NHS provides, that so many forget about. Pre and Post Natal Care, childbirth costs, dental treatment, braces for your kids teeth (I could hardly believe it when I saw adults here with braces because they could only now afford to pay for them!!!), care in the community, nurses attending your home after surgery/childbirth, clinics for just about every kind of illness, free vaccinations, tests, surgery, post-operative care, there are a million and one things that the NHS provide.

Oh, and if you are waiting for any time for a "non life-threatening procedure" you are obviously on the waiting list of a very busy hospital. You can request treatment at ANY hospital in the UK, in some cases they will even send you to other countries for treatment. You merely have to request it. My mother had surgery at a hospital further away from her home because their waiting list was only a few weeks, as opposed to a few months if she had it closer to home. The NHS even paid for her travel expenses!

My husband just pointed out that it is knowing the right questions to ask that is the key. Well, no it isn't. The UK Government fund a bureau specifically to deal with ANY questions any one has on anything, from how to sue a builder to how to file forms to claim government grants or assistance. The Citizens Advice Bureau is in every town. I am sure there are those that will say "but it's paid for by the taxpayer!" Well, I don't see any such service being offered in the town where I live in the US and I pay more tax here than I ever did in the UK!

Sorry, but this is a particularly sensitive subject to me at the moment and I can't sing the praises of the NHS enough.

Will be gone for a couple of months, at least, not really interested in any responses to this post - just wanted to get that off my chest!

Zyrtec - a pill that helps with allergies. Sounds crazy, I know, but my doctor prescribed them for me when I was having hot flashes, particularly at night. They helped me a lot. Not only did the sweats diminish considerably, but I slept like a baby!

That is one hurdle you guys are over - I hope it works out for your other daughter.

I am heading off to the UK tomorrow, but will be thinking and praying for a happy outcome for your family, Jo.

Warm Regards

G.

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

I am not denying the reality, I remember a report that stated that 40% of NHS London Budget was consumed by Medical Tourists, but there is no such thing as being paid up for NI.

NI is a tax, thats all, all goes into the general fund. Think of it if you need to as car insurance, the fact that you paid last years is completely irrelevant once it has expired.

Actually, it doesn't quite work like that. If you have paid in for 40 years, I think it is, you are not expected to pay any further into it.

My aunt, who is Lithuanian, had lived in the UK and paid her NI all her working life. She retired at 60, but for various reasons (lying about her age during WWII) she was only registered as being 58 years old. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they were only interested in the two years prior to her retirement. If she paid full stamp for that two years, giving her the required amount of "stamps" she was entitled to a full state pension. We simply paid up the outstanding amount and she got her retirement pension and full NHS benefits for the rest of her life.

I don't think things have changed since then, but I know that my father is now entitled to various benefits ONLY because he has paid into the NI system for the full required 40 years.

National Insurance is not a tax in the same way as income tax, or road tax, or poll tax, it is a National Insurance and there is a maximum you are required to pay into it, in order to receive benefits. Once you reach retirement age you are not required to pay the Insurance any longer and you are entitled to full-coverage benefits.

My father is certainly reaping the benefits of the NHS now and I thank God he didn't get sick here!

By the way I am not saying that anyone living outside the UK is entitled to the benefits of the NHS. From what I understand they are clamping down on that pretty hard. However, I am not saying that people don't get it either. The reality is often different to the rules.

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

I am not denying the reality, I remember a report that stated that 40% of NHS London Budget was consumed by Medical Tourists, but there is no such thing as being paid up for NI.

NI is a tax, thats all, all goes into the general fund. Think of it if you need to as car insurance, the fact that you paid last years is completely irrelevant once it has expired.

Actually, it doesn't quite work like that. If you have paid in for 40 years, I think it is, you are not expected to pay any further into it.

My aunt, who is Lithuanian, had lived in the UK and paid her NI all her working life. She retired at 60, but for various reasons (lying about her age during WWII) she was only registered as being 58 years old. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they were only interested in the two years prior to her retirement. If she paid full stamp for that two years, giving her the required amount of "stamps" she was entitled to a full state pension. We simply paid up the outstanding amount and she got her retirement pension and full NHS benefits for the rest of her life.

I don't think things have changed since then, but I know that my father is now entitled to various benefits ONLY because he has paid into the NI system for the full required 40 years.

National Insurance is not a tax in the same way as income tax, or road tax, or poll tax, it is a National Insurance and there is a maximum you are required to pay into it, in order to receive benefits. Once you reach retirement age you are not required to pay the Insurance any longer and you are entitled to full-coverage benefits.

My father is certainly reaping the benefits of the NHS now and I thank God he didn't get sick here!

The NHS are so mis-managed they have no clue who to charge for what and who not to! When I worked for the US Navy in the UK, a Senior Chief filled several prescriptions that he had a local doctor write for him. He wasn't charged a cent. I have been to see a doctor in the UK, where my parents live, and merely registered as a "visiting patient" and have never been charged - they merely asked me for my National Insurance Number and I never heard any more.

Millions of immigrants flock to the UK for free NHS treatment. My parents live in Dover and see it all the time when they are in their local surgery or at the hospital. None of these people pay a penny for treatment under the NHS and many have not even had their status in the UK confirmed - have no NI numbers, nothing.

I know of several people that live outside the UK that fly back to the UK every three months to claim benefits, get a check up with the doctor, go to the dentist, and pick up their state pensions. It happens all the time.

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

When I lived in VA, I was told by the DMV in Manassas that I could use me UK license (Didn't have an International License) for up to 6 months before I had to apply for a US one.

Hope that helps.

G.

Oh My Lord! I am so sorry to hear this Jo.

Typically, the USCIS are telling your congressional representative things that simply are not true or applicable in your case!

I have sent you a PM. Give me a call.

Warm Hugs

Glenys

x x x

In my case, if I have it, there is nothing any doctor can do to prevent development of the disease or even to treat it when it develops.

In my situation, would you get the test? The one thing I could do is get scanned for AVMs in the lungs and brain which are a result of this disorder.

There are forms of treatment for AVM's themselves, once they are diagnosed.

Are we by any chance talking about HHT? If we are, then I would want to be tested, but that is just the kind of person I am. However, I would suggest anyone that has a possible genetic link to HHT should get genetic counseling.

Yes it is HHT and my dad suffers from it and probably my brother does too.

In that case I would take what Mags has said above as excellent advice. I would also want to know so that I could get AVM's in certain areas treated so they don't bleed. I am not an expert, by any means, but there are a certain amount of precautions you could take.

I am sure you are very frightened, but you will have seen how your Dad has coped with the problem for years, so you will have some idea of the kind of life you will have and how you would need to manage it, if indeed you have it. But, like Mags says, if you are tested and the test comes back negative for HHT, it would mean that you need never worry about it again. Have you spoken to your Dad about your concerns? Perhaps he could give you some guidance on whether or not to be tested. There may have been instances where he is glad that he knew, even where knowing what the problem is has saved his life.

Not an easy situation, or decision, for you. But I truly hope that whichever one you make it is the right one for you.

My "dream" house has never been a large house. I like cozy! I think the location of my house would be more important than the number of rooms.

Let's see, I would like a detached stone cottage, L-shaped living/dining room with slate floors and a stone fireplace, a small kitchen with a door to the outside kitchen garden area. Upstairs, I would like to have three bedrooms, one to turn into an office. The other bedrooms should have fitted wardrobes and en-suite bathrooms. The windows should all be large Georgian-style bay windows that give you a beautiful view of the ocean at the front of the house and rolling green fields out the back.

Oh, hang on, I've just described what I left to come here - what was I thinking?

In my case, if I have it, there is nothing any doctor can do to prevent development of the disease or even to treat it when it develops.

In my situation, would you get the test? The one thing I could do is get scanned for AVMs in the lungs and brain which are a result of this disorder.

There are forms of treatment for AVM's themselves, once they are diagnosed.

Are we by any chance talking about HHT? If we are, then I would want to be tested, but that is just the kind of person I am. However, I would suggest anyone that has a possible genetic link to HHT should get genetic counseling.

Having just discovered that there is a possible genetic link to colon cancer in my family, I absolutely would want to be tested to see if I carry the gene. Not only do I now need to ensure that I am tested, but also that my children are also tested.

The purpose is not always to know that you are going to die from something, but to know that you can be treated PRIOR to being told you are terminal.

If my children carry this gene that predisposes them to colon cancer then I want them to have the test so that they can ensure colonoscopies are carried out as regularly as required and colon polyps removed before they turn malignant.

Absolutely, knowledge is power.

Yes, I understand that the links you sent were from amazon.co.uk, but I had a look at the German Amazon site and there are a few more there, ironically one was called "The White Cliffs of Dover", which is where my father lives. The songs are English, but sung in German. Typically, the CD is no longer available.

Never mind. I have ordered a Marlene Deitrich CD, in which she sings various songs in German and another one which is called "Songs that got us throgh WW2", which is in English but some songs he'll like.

Thanks for trying for me though.

The links are for the UK website!

And wouldn't all or most (German) songs from the 40s and 50s directly relate to the war?

Yes, that does help. I never thought to look on a the German site for Amazon. I can do that.

He was quite specific that the CD was of songs from the War. I am guessing he heard about it from a radio programme or something. I wanted to surprise him when I got there next week.

Thanks again.

Maybe you should concentrate on the era, not so much about the fact that it was WWII...

There's a lot of music you can find from the fourties. Or thirties. Or fifties.

Let me see...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schlager-40er-Jahr...TF8&s=music

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schlager-Stars-Die...TF8&s=music

There's plenty on amazon.co.uk if you put in "40er" as a search term.

You can look up what exactly is on the CDs on the German amazon site.

Does that help?

There are WWII songs? Never heard of it or even if...I have never noticed that they are about WWII. Sorry.

What are the song titles in English?

By WWII songs, I mean songs that everybody listened to during WWII. Lili Marlene is the only one that I have found recorded in German.

Others like, "When the lights go on, all over the world", "The White Cliffs of Dover", etc. apparently are recorded in German on a CD. Sounds strange, I know, but he is certain it is available in the US. I'm damned if I can find it!

One CD entitled "Songs that got us through WWII" is a compelation of WWII songs, but they are all in English. I sent him a Marlene Deitrich cd - it's German, but I'm not sure it is really what he is looking for.

Oh well, if I can't, I can't. But I will keep trying.

Thanks.

Yes, that does help. I never thought to look on a the German site for Amazon. I can do that.

He was quite specific that the CD was of songs from the War. I am guessing he heard about it from a radio programme or something. I wanted to surprise him when I got there next week.

Thanks again.

Maybe you should concentrate on the era, not so much about the fact that it was WWII...

There's a lot of music you can find from the fourties. Or thirties. Or fifties.

Let me see...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schlager-40er-Jahr...TF8&s=music

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schlager-Stars-Die...TF8&s=music

There's plenty on amazon.co.uk if you put in "40er" as a search term.

You can look up what exactly is on the CDs on the German amazon site.

Does that help?

There are WWII songs? Never heard of it or even if...I have never noticed that they are about WWII. Sorry.

What are the song titles in English?

By WWII songs, I mean songs that everybody listened to during WWII. Lili Marlene is the only one that I have found recorded in German.

Others like, "When the lights go on, all over the world", "The White Cliffs of Dover", etc. apparently are recorded in German on a CD. Sounds strange, I know, but he is certain it is available in the US. I'm damned if I can find it!

One CD entitled "Songs that got us through WWII" is a compelation of WWII songs, but they are all in English. I sent him a Marlene Deitrich cd - it's German, but I'm not sure it is really what he is looking for.

Oh well, if I can't, I can't. But I will keep trying.

Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili_Marlene

A start.

US Immigration still ask if you were a member of the Nazi party, so may have limited interest here.

You certainly didn't have to be a member of the Nazi party to listen to music during the war, either in German or English.

There are WWII songs? Never heard of it or even if...I have never noticed that they are about WWII. Sorry.

What are the song titles in English?

By WWII songs, I mean songs that everybody listened to during WWII. Lili Marlene is the only one that I have found recorded in German.

Others like, "When the lights go on, all over the world", "The White Cliffs of Dover", etc. apparently are recorded in German on a CD. Sounds strange, I know, but he is certain it is available in the US. I'm damned if I can find it!

One CD entitled "Songs that got us through WWII" is a compelation of WWII songs, but they are all in English. I sent him a Marlene Deitrich cd - it's German, but I'm not sure it is really what he is looking for.

Oh well, if I can't, I can't. But I will keep trying.

Thanks.

No-one out there with German family members that listen to this kind of stuff?