RUSSandRACHEL

Duplicate post:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...edding+planning

If you look, that was me that started that post too. But that was right at the beginning of our visa journey and was more directed towards the financial side of our problems. Thats why I started this one - more general and we've come along way since then. Thanks anyway minnew

Have you seen this thread? http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...123420&st=0

Yes, I have seen that! I couldn't find what I was looking for on there. I was looking, really, for specific reviews on specific companies. As its such a big responsibilty to place in their hands (well it is to me anyway) I really want to make sure I choose a company with a great reputation. Thanks anyway imaisha

ive been told several times that you do not need the vaccine until AOS..

if you are to be 27.. you could wait a few days after and then apply for AOS.. that way, you will not need the vaccine as you are 27

Thank you! Yay! I just saved myself money! At the medical, do they try and insist you have the vaccine there and then though? Just for information...

I check on my timeline every day and since early July it has said Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between December 9, 2009 and December 19, 2009 or thereabouts. Sometimes earlier... Has everyone found this estimate spot on or a very rough guide to to how it turned out for them?? Pretty close usually - they do tend to fluctuate at first but stabilize as you get closer to the actual/potential timeframe.

Also, what I would like to ask is, in your opinions, and judging by some of you with your vast experience on this site, do you think the chances of us making the wedding for the date of June 27th 2010 next year are good?

Ahh a June wedding...

In my opinion, I'd say you have a very good chance of making that June 2010 date a reality. HOWEVER - things can come up so be cautious if you're planning a big ceremony and/or having people fly in from around the globe. I'd hold off on the invitations until you have your interview scheduled (if it were me that is).

Thank you Otto und Karin. Thanks for your input and opinions. You're always so helpful on here! I know with anything, there is always the chance of things coming up but I just wanted a general opinion from everyone about whether we would make our date or not, based on their experiences. You have to keep positive, eh? People will be flying in I'm afraid but only very close friends and we know them so well that I'm sure they'd be understanding if anything, god forbid, got cancelled. We be devastated too. I'm thinking we're gonna send out our invites after christmas. Hopefully we'll have our NOA2 by then. But Im keeping everyone in the loop in the meantime anyway

Just a quick aside: you should consider the date printed on your NOA1 as the NOA1 Date, not the date it came in the mail. You may wish to adjust your timeline accordingly.

Ahhh thank you!!! Wow! That should hopefully get us closer by a few days at least! Lol Thank you!

Oh and I forgot to ask, how are you all getting on with wedding plans? We've set our date for June 27th 2010! I'm hoping to fly out with my labrador and Russ at the end of April at the latest. Get settled, and then have the wedding two months later.

The ceremony site, reception venue, photographers, flowers and officiant are all booked. Oh and I have my dress as well! I know people say wait for the NOA2 before you make plans, but thats just not possible for us. Nothing would be available! So we're thinking positive and keeping our fingers crossed! Whats everyone else doing?

Let's get this thread rolling.

We sent our I-129F and documents on June 26th, and had the check cashed on the 2nd of July. Just waiting for the NOA1 in the mail now.

Hopefully we're all in for a smooth ride...but no doubt there will be alot of impatience and stress ahead. So let's stick together and ride it out as one!

July is the 7th month... that's our lucky number as well

Yay! 7 is our lucky number too! We also filed our I-129F on July 7th (my birthday) and we recieved our NOA1 on the 16th of July (even though the date on it was the 10th). I just wanted to share my support and find other people in the same boat. Good luck everyone

Very good. Good luck! The only thing I would say is to mention the exact names of your husbands sister and your husbands mother. I just think it shows you have built up a relationship with them and also should they want to, they could contact them to verify this as well. I think it sounds more personal. Just trying to think along the lines of how USCIS thinks...

Very good though!

Hi everyone!

My fiance (USC) and I filed the I-129F back in July and we recieved our NOA1 on July 16th (although date on it is 10th July).

I would like to ask people how they are getting on with wedding planning - thats if you want the full shebang, not just to get married at City Hall or the equivalent. I know people will say, wait for the NOA2 before making wedding plans but that just not possible for us. Nothing would be available!

So, we have gone ahead anyway and have booked almost everything for the wedding so far and luckily, every vendor we have met is willing to be flexible should by ny chance, anything come up with our K1 application. Fingers crossed it won't.

I check on my timeline every day and since early July it has said Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between December 9, 2009 and December 19, 2009 or thereabouts. Sometimes earlier... Has everyone found this estimate spot on or a very rough guide to to how it turned out for them??

Also, what I would like to ask is, in your opinions, and judging by some of you with your vast experience on this site, do you think the chances of us making the wedding for the date of June 27th 2010 next year are good?

Wow! Congratulations and in only three months! Well done. Good luck to the next step of your journey!!

Hi everyone, my fiance and I have had our NOA1 back in July but are still waiting on the NOA2. We are making plans for the wedding for the end of June next year. My 27th birthday will be on July 7th. Does anyone know if I will need the HPV vaccine or not? I estimate my medical will be around February time or so...? If the vaccine is needed for AOS, can't we just file for AOS on 7th July instead of the day after the wedding? If I can get out of it, I'd be happy!

My fiance and I will be moving our beloved labrador over to the USA next year once we get the K1 visa. I need to make plans now to do this and before I take the plunge and put a deposit down with a Pet Shipping Company. So, I would love to hear of any reviews for any of these companies:

Pet Air UK,

Airpets or

Animal Airlines.

I think I'm ok now, after much research, on the proceedure I have to follow to get our doggy over to the States. But, if anyone can offer their experiences of how they found dealing with any of these (or other) companies and any recommendations, it would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thank you

Usually it is recommended to submit the last three if submitting them will BENEFIT and SUPPORT your financial status. But if they don't, like in your case, you say if you submit the last 3 years he did not meet the poverty guidelines, then it is best NOT to include the previous 3 years' returns. Just the most recent one (where he made above the poverty guideline is enough) with the rest of the supporting do (W-2s, employer letter, pay stubs, etc).

Ok thanks alot! That makes alot of sense! My fiance has only started his new job in June (we've only just recieved our NOA1 so we have plenty of time before the interview) and he will have maybe 6 months or so worth of pay stubs by that time. As he now meets the poverty requirements (he earns $32,000 per year) but he will have only worked half a year by the time of the interview will we qualify? I mean, does he have to have earnt the required amount in the last year (- ie January to December) or do they just base it on his monthly salary x 12? He wont have earnt his current salary in the last 12 months yet. Does that matter?

Thank you to everyone for their reply! So do I need my fiancees most recent tax return or the last three? Arent you supposed to give three if youre self employed? We dont have three to give... And for the last three years, he doesn't meet the poverty line guidelines at all. But his income now exceeds it and he is employed by a company.

I'm just wondering what documents to compile in time for my K1 Visa Interview in relation to the Affadavit of Support (we're still waiting on our NOA2) and I just wanted to hear what has been commonly asked for (and what they asked to see in your experience). Not the whole list really, just what was asked from you... Thank you!!!

Great help thanks to both of you! I have been nagging him to file his tax return for AGES! If we have it all ready, even if its not asked for, you're right, it'll avoid delays! Thank you!

Have you considered having Honey fly out ahead of you? You are going to be dealing with an awful lot yourself upon your arrival. You will have to go through Immigration and have your Visa validated. This can take some time dependant upon the airport/staff.

You can send her ahead and have your fiance collect her on the other end. I did this in reverse when I moved to the UK. I sent my cat via BA Cargo a few days before I came over. I didn't use a shipping company (this was in 2005) and I filled out the paperwork when I took her to BA's Cargo office at the airport. On the forms I put my (then) fiance's information so that he was authorized to collect them for me. The BA office gave me the stickers to put on her crate. I then said goodbye to her and they took her away to be put in their Kennel until departure a couple of hours later.

Then when I arrived in the UK (and had to stand in line at Immigration) I knew she was already safely at his house. I was already stressed enough and appreciated not having to deal with everything on one day.

That said, I do understand that you might want to know she is on the same plane with you. Just a thought.

As a side note, I do need to interject that the 3-year rabies vaccine is available and widely used over here. The 1 year vaccine is in fact not that common in most states anymore. You should not have an issue with keeping jabs current on the pet passport. We have had no issue.

This is the link to the USDA website.

Good luck!

Hi again Rebster! Yes I did think of that and thank you for your advice but there's two reasons why I dont think I can send her alone.

1 - I feel really anxious about sending my dog overseas (she has mild insulinoma which is controlled and she hasnt had any problems recently) but still, I feel I really need to be there on the plane with her for the journey just in case.

and 2 - I wont see my fiance for possibly 4 months by the time I get my interview date (we have spent only a few weeks apart since meeting 20 months ago )so I really want him to fly over and say goodbye to my family -I dont think they'll be attending the wedding- before we fly off to get married. Also, I get really stressed in situations like this at the best of times so I'd really appreciate his support being there with me when I do fly over. But saying that, he could go on ahead of me (whilst Im having my visa validated) to collect her so save her being crated up for any longer.

Oh and thanks for the rabies info. Very interesting!! Thanks also for all your advice! You've been a great help! Its really good to hear from people who've been through the same experiences. Talking to an anirline for info, is just not the same!

My fiance and I have sent off our I-129F and are waiting for the NOA2 (should be a long while yet - we only sent it mid July) and I was just wondering about some fiancial details of ours that might be a problem... My fiance has been self employed (hes the US citizen) for the last 20+ years and unforunately didnt earn enough to meet the poverty guidelines so in June he got a new employed job - He now meets the requirements, he enjoys it and anticipated staying there for the next few years. By the time our interview comes around we should be more than fine to show plenty of pay stubs and employments letters etc... And his current situation is that he meets the financial requirements so Im not worried about that.

However, when he was working, as self employed, so far this year (before June) he hasnt filed his tax return for 2008-9. Will this be a problem for us? Will we need it during the interview and does anyone know if he has any outstanding unpaid taxes from the past, will that present a problem for us obtaining the visa?? Just want to get a heads up to sort this out now while we have time. (My fiance his a bit unorganised and has just let it snowball). Any advise??

Hi again!

Thanks again for your reply! Its a great help.

The reason why I said I didn't really want her to be boarded overnight is because pet shipping companies I've obtained a quote from in the past have all wanted to do that. I have no problem hiring the services of a pet shipping company though. Money is not the issue. We're by no means rich, but we're well prepared for the costs. My fiancee and I have been discussing this seriously for well over a year. Its not as if the price is really negotiable is it? Lol! We just have to do it! But I've heard on here from people who have shipped their pet (with cargo) themselves without using such company. Hmmm... I don't understand how that works then...

Anyway, I've had a look at Animal Airlines. I did a search and they can arrange flights from Birmingham. Its really important that we travel from Birmingham Airport. We have limited help getting to the airport and travelling down to London is not an option, besides I dont want to put my dog through that aswell. I believe most pet shipping companies in the UK send pets out from the larger airports instead. Have you ever heard of them?

It seems to me that getting into the USA with a pet is a million times easier than returning to the UK!

Well thanks for answering all of my questions. I have requested an quote from Animal Airlines and we'll get the rabies vaccine done when I return home.

hello...

it is HELL!!

i have a biggish dog. she is not much bigger than a labby, but the crate i had to get for her was custom made because no one could decide which of the varikennels was the right one, the giagantic one is too big and the next size down is too small, it has to be fitted with food and waterbowl, attached to the crate, extra food can be attached in a bag to the crate, (the whole thing gets xrayed, dog and all) you can throw in a t shirt or towel but no toys. someone has already sent you a link to continental (which is the airline i used both times) this tells you the dimensions of the crate you need and how to measure your dog...get your crate well before your journey and get your dog accustomed to it, dont force her...just throw a treat in now and again and leave the door open. depending where you are flying to your dog is in the crate for longer than 8 hours...i dont care what the airlines say about the length of time in a crate...it is bull...the trip out she was crated for 17 hours and the return trip she was crated for 19 hours. we went from glasgow to newark outbound and newark to manchester inbound. do not put your dog in the crate until you are absolutly ready to leave her...you only need 2 hours for yourself to check in and board...and as long as you give yourself enough time to do the doggy paperwork you will be ok to catch your flight in plenty of time, i have heard people arriving 6- 8 hours before the flight and booking the dog in 6 hours prior to the flight just adds to your dogs stress...booking in isnt that hard...everything else is! its the other side that takes time!!

injections are needed, you need to keep her updated with her yearly injections and get a rabies injection about 1 and half months before your flight, the rabies injection has to be done AT LEAST 30 days anyway, because she will need a blood test (serology test) after 30 days to make sure she has enough of the vaccine (this you need to get intouch with USDA - APHIS on the usa side, that is the usa version of DEFRA, i called a guy called Rocky in NJ...each state has different rules on rabies and importing pets. he can advise you for NJ but i doubt any other state, but he can at least point you in the right direction!)

this is where it gets fun...the uk rabies injection is valid for 3 years (verbac) but, the usa rabies injection is one year...so if you are considering leaving the usa to return to the uk...you will be faced with even more hell trying to get your dog out! look at it like...dog stays there whatever happens.

she needs to be microchiped, you need a usa reconised microchip or have the equipment to read it attached to the crate...most vets use nationally reconised microchips. make sure the vet reads it every time she visits the vet...they tend to move...and make sure that the export company at the departing airport also read it prior to you leaving her with them.

make sure ALL your paperwork is correct, dated, signed etc...important that the rabies injection has a date on it! (if just for future)

most uk vets dont really know what to do...but, it is a good idea to do some research into vets, calling and asking them if they have experience of exporting to the usa...although everyone has to start somewhere it is a lot easier having a vet who at least has some insight into this.

on the usa side, there are lots of vets who are 'international vets'

she will also need a health check 10 days prior to flight, if you do this about a week before your flight it will give you a few days to cover accidents, missing the flight, missinformation, or just the weather, the certificate is provided and has to co-inside with your flight, most airports have a summer and winter embargo...as in, to hot and to cold, best to check that with the airline, they wont fly pets if it is too hot on either the uk (LMAO) side or the usa side and the same for too cold.

you dog has to be on the same flight as you...you cant send your dog on her own and your partner collect her...thought i cant see how this makes a difference...as if i never asked about my dog...no one else would bother to ask me!

DEFRA (who thought my dog was a snake!) do not really have a clue about american regulations, and on the other side USDA - APHIS dont really have a clue on UK regulations! but...all the airlines stick to the rules and the rules cover all of them. (im not sure of the links i found helpful...ill dig them out later)

you have to use an export company for your dog, this is since 9/11...i used 'pets on jets' to leave the uk...and 'airborne animals' to return (sally has a lot of info!) though both times was in excess of $2000 not to mention all the vet bills and stress for myself and my dog. (if you had a yorkie she could sit on your knee! lol) book in advance...they only carry 2 dogs in cargo on any one flight apparently.

once on the usa side, you will have to pay about $50 to get her out of customs...then you are both FREE!!! but, you need to get her registered with the township, youll get a little disc and it cost me about $11 for a year.

if you can think of anything i have missed or have any more questions, i can try an help...everyones process is different.

oh yes...tick and tape treatment 48 hours prior to depature carried out by the vet...tick carries lymes disease...google it...its nasty

a little story -

i returned to the uk with my pooch, paid out over $2000 to get her home, in boarding my flight in newark, i asked a steward if my dog was on the flight, he went to check and came back and told me she was still on the runway waiting until the doors on the plane were shut to be loaded into cargo (for some reason this effects air conditioning in cargo) i never heard no more, i sat the entire flight not knowing if my dog was loaded or not...the steward couldnt tell me anything else once the doors were closed! so 7.5hours later i get off the plane in manchester expecting to see my dog sitting on the runway, already off loaded...nothing...i go through the airport and head for information, ive no idea where to collect her...im told eventually to go somewhere off the M56 and they will help, so eventually we find 'pets on jets' in manchester and the girl there has no idea that a dog was coming in...im getting all worked up now, thinking my dog was still in newark...she sends me to servisair (who are something to do with customs and imports) and i ask where my dog is...they have no idea neither...time is passing and my dog is no where to be seen...still sitting in a crate somewhere...i stand in the reception listening to a member of staff tell others about his conquest the night before and f'ing and blin'ing while i am in tears because it is now 5 hours since i got off the plane...my dog still no where to be seen...occasionaly someone comes to the window saying sorry,...sorry...frikin sorry doesnt help me or my dog!! then a guy comes through and he has found my dog...sitting on the runway...she was loaded off the plane and left there...the plane i arrived on had since loaded and left...i was fuming...my dog might be a toughy type dog...but she is a real softy and was probably petrified at all these planes reving up and taking off...

i had to fill in more paperwork and go back to pets on jets(they are the importers) the woman there explained to me that no one had filled the paperwork in on the usa side...for frikin $2000+ you would have thought that someone did their job properly! she let my girl through who tried so hard to jump the counter to get to me...knocking me on my backside and licking me to death...

didnt stop me from being p***ed about her being left on manchester runway though.

i hope your journey is less stressful than mine was...both times.

Hi backeast09,

Thank you so much for your input! Great to hear your sorry and I'm sorry it was so traumatic! My god! I have to say I felt a little dispondant after reading your story. How awful, your doggy was left on the tarmac with planes arriving and taking off. My poor Honey wouldnt know what to do. But thanks again for all your advice! Its a real help to hear your info! I have contacted USDA APHIS for any requirements specific to NJ - no reply. So I have contacted them again! As far as the requirements that a Vet needs to take care of that won't be a problem. I have even found a pet whos familar with applying for Pet Passports (within the EU though, not really worldwide).

The good news is, I cant see any reason why we would be travelling back to the UK. To be honest I feel terrible putting my dog through the trauma of enduring an 8 hour plus flight, but this is something we HAVE to do. My fiance and I both love her to death and we want her to be with us. I just want to apply for the Pet Passport (even though I dont have to) to cover every eventuality, plus I like the fact that every base is covered.

As far as leaving my dog at the last minute possible, dont you have to drop your dog off at the airports cargo department? That isnt close to the departure terminal where we'll be flying from so we'll try to leave it as late as possible but we just want to plan it out well, to avoid being stressed to the max.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind me asking a few other questions...

How does it work with the paperwork? Does the airline send you the labels for your pet's crate or do they do it for you when you arrive at Cargo?

What do they actually ask for when your pet is taken away from you?

Also, as you said you flew with Continental. Did your dog fly with 'Quickpak?' (http://cargo.cocargo.com/cargo/products/quickpak/)

And how did you find collecting your dog from Newark?

How do you know where to go for collection? (is it true customs have to wait for a vet to check your dog over before she can be released?)

Can your dog be collected by your fiance? - As I presume I'm going to be interviewed in secondary passport control on arrival as I'll be travelling in on my K1 Visa), I'd really like my fiance to be responsible for collecting this to her to avoid her waiting even longer.

And, I did read one story about how a flight attendant brought part of the crates live animal label (I dont know if it was perforated or something??) to the passenger who the pet belonged to on the plane, so she knew her pet was on board? Did this not happen to you on the way there?

How did you exactly go about booking your dog as cargo? I know you said it's the simplest step, but I just can't figure out who to ring in advance of booking, to get a price etc. The continental website doesnt allow you to book online when you are booking your seat and getting through to Continental for any queries is turning out to be near impossible.

Did you book via the QuickPak Cargo dept and not through Continental directly?

Also, I didint quite understand whether you hired a pet shipping company or not. I ask because the ones Ive contacted say they can provide the crate for me? I was thinking of doing the whole process (to go to the US) ourselves. All of the veterinary requirements and paperwork will be done ourselves, so why should I pay someone who wants to board my dog overnight and then put her on the plane (which is unnecessary anyway)?

Sorry for the million questions! Hope you're having a great day and thanks for helping us out!

ps - any links for more info would be great!

Yes, the pet passport (PETS Scheme) is only if you intend to bring your dog back to the UK (or another EU country.) If you are leaving forever and have no intention of going back, then you do not need to have it completed. However, I would strongly suggest you do. You never know what can happen and how you will feel in a years time.

DEFRA requires you to 1st) microchip your dog, 2nd) get the rabies jab, 3rd) have a titre drawn to check immunity to rabies, 4th) have a physical with worming/tick treatment just prior to departure. Any veterinarian office should be familiar with the process and have no issue completing the paperwork. They have the forms so you don't need to obtain them yourself. All of these steps are to ensure you can bring your dog back into the country without having to put Honey into quarantine.

By contrast, all the USDA needs is proof of rabies jab (they don't care when it was given as long as it is still current) and a certification by a vet that the animal is healthy enough to travel. The carrier will also require the worming/tick treatment just prior to departure.

Have a look at the links above to the two agencies.

Also, make sure you have checked out the airline's policy regarding the crate you use for Honey. They have requirements for size (to prevent the animal being in too small of a crate) and materials (it must be sturdy/stackable.) And I noticed you said you thought that you had to be on the same flight - that is not true. I shipped my cat via BA a few days before I flew over.

It's a lot to sort through but lots of us have done it. So ask away and I'm sure everyone else will chime in with their experiences.

Thank you so much for your reply! You have no idea how much your info has helped our situation!!! I have just emailed my vets with all of the information you gave me and I also found out all the requirements actually on the DEFRA website, just to double check. I don't know why I didn't find them before. But thank you so much!

I didnt get the two links you asked me to look at, though. Could you send them again, if you don't mind?

So, I travel home on September 22nd (I'm with my fiance in the US at the moment) and when I get home I'll have an appointment to start the application for the Pet Passport - I'm going with your recommendation of getting one to be on the safe side - and Honey will have her annual booster done at the same time. We also need to get looking into crates too. Oh and I also managed to obtain the cargo phone number at Birmingham Airport for more information! The ball is finally rolling... Just waiting on our NOA2 now...

Today is such a good day... I had my wedding dress delivered this morning (its beautiful!) our gazebo for the ceremony by the beach is provisionally reserved (just in case we need to change the wedding date because of USCIS) and I finally feel like Im getting somewhere with transporting our Honey! Yay!

Thanks again!!! You're a star!

Rachel xx

Actually you should NOT sedate your animal. Most carriers will not transport an animal that has been sedated.

As for paperwork, if you have completed the PETS Scheme you will be more than prepared. You'll have to have the worming/tick treatment done just prior to departure but everything else will be already completed. The USDA is the authority over animal transport here and they are not nearly as strict as DEFRA. Rabies jab and certification of health is all they require. (Microchipping is not required by USDA, that is a DEFRA requirement)

When we brought our dogs & cat to the US there was a USDA rep there to verify everything was in order but it was a simple process. The only thing they asked about was if their food contained meat (I guess that's a no-no) but as it was dry kibble they let us through without any issue.

We didn't fly them (we came over on the Queen Mary) but I had flown my cat to the UK a couple of years earlier. I put food in her crate as well as freezing some water in her dish (so it could melt during the trip and not be spilt during the loading.) I had started to use a transport company but ended up doing it myself through BA Cargo. The company I almost used (AirAnimal) has a great website with lots of information. Also check the airlines websites as they will give you specifics regarding required crate sizes.

Good luck and feel free to PM for more info!

Thank you so much for your helpful answer. So, in order, what are the steps I need to take next? My vet wants to 'get sorted with the pet passport'. What does that mean? Is that the PETS travel scheme for the UK? Isn't that only for travel back into the UK?

And how far ahead do her rabies vaccinations need to be carried out?

Also, I didnt know about the flea and worming treatment!! How far ahead does that need to be done and soes it have to be verified with paperwork from a vet?

Sorry for all the questions, its just I'm really interested to hear from someone who has been through the same experience! Thanks!!

Rachel

We have this sticky at the top of the page http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=123420

I haven't read it myself so I'm not sure how useful it will be to you but I thought I'd point it out.

Thank you English Muffin, thats a really helpful topic, but I still couldnt find what I wanted to know on there, so I though it best to start a new topic just for dogs where people can share info. Thank you though!!

Oh I just thought Id shre this with anyone whos interested. My fiance works for Petco here and he found this for us:

http://www.petco.com/product/6140/Lixit-Do...at=OnSiteSearch

Its a water bottle for dogs! I dont think you can get that kind of thing in the UK.

Also, I happened to come across this:

http://www.vetgb.com/vetgb_shop_3.php?cate...;product_id=all

A DAP Hormone that mothers naturally release to their puppies to reassure them to eliminate stress. I thought this was a great idea to spray on the crate!

Hi everyone, this website is fab and thank you to everyone for their input, because without it, we woulld all be quite a bit closer to being cluless on this whole process.

So, anyway, my fiancee and I are currently in the US together (I flew over on the VWP on June 28th and I'm returning home on Sept 22nd) and whilst I'm here we sent off the I-129F petition and we've just had back our NOA1! Yay! I know we're just at the beginning but we've been talking about marriage, getting enagaged and the whole process of obtaining the K1 visa for at least 8 months now, so we're just so relieved that we're finally on our way now.

My main question however, is about travelling with dogs - particuarly large dogs. I have a labrador, called Honey, and as she is our pride and joy we have to bring her over with us. We're making loose plans for the wedding for the end of June next year but I'm hoping as soon as I have my visa in hand, I'll travel over to the US to get settled before the wedding. So hopefully, fingers crossed, all going well we should be travelling from the UK to the US April-ish time?? So it wont be too hot. We want to fly from Birmingham to Newark as travelling to London will be far too stressful with a dog that is very nervous and anxious anyway. Kennelling overnight is not an option either.

The reason I've made a new topic is because I looked on here and couldn't seem to find the info I really need. I have contacted my vet about moving Honey to the States and they dont seem to know anything. So I contacted a different vet, she told me the same, only to get in touch with DEFRA and get back to them with what the requirements are for Honey to enter the States. I have contacted DEFRA and the Kennel Club, and have had no such luck. They don't return phone calls or emails, so I just have to take matters into my own hands and find out what requirements she needs, elsewhere.

I would love to hear from someone the steps I need to take in order to get her ready for flying.

Info Ive managed to gather so far includes-

She has to have a rabbies vaccination and a blood test to prove the shot is effective.

I've also heard she needs to be microchipped - we aldready did this when she was a puppy.

Fit to fly certificate - within 10 days of flying.

Ok, so to me, this info leaves lots of gaps:

Can anyone tell me whether they recommend going with a pet travel company or organising it all myself?

How shall I book the flight? Well in advance? By phone or online? - I've heard she needs to be booked on the flight also...

Should I think about buying a container now to get her acustomed to it well in advance?

Is dog food permitted during travel?

How much water is permitted to drink during travel?

What other documentation do I need for her travel?

We are flying from Birmingham to Newark - does anyone have any experiences of travelling with pets within these two airports?

How far in advance do I need to get her rabies vaccine done?

Has anyone experienced travelling with their pets and Continental Airlines?

Are there any other steps I can take to be really prepared?

Overall, I'd love to start this thread to help people prepare for travelling with their pet (particuarly large dogs). Its stressful enough, this huge transisiton into a new life for us. But its a whole other issue, transporting our beloved pet too. So I was hoping everyone can pull together and help each other out.

Thanks to all of you!!

xx

Heres our baby:

hope the pic shows up