jellyfish

sorry, meant to say they expect to keep in touch with a UK doc.

It is a warning to go armed.

Hi,

I looked hard at medical stuff because my daughter and I had issues. It is my understanding that, beyond the very clearly flagged things, the decision is made at the consulate re medicals and their impact. Your medical doc was still implying that they would be in touch with a non-UK doc though...

So... I took along insurance info to medical examination, but it is not their concern. It is the consulate. It seems clear that the doctor has flagged something up to the consulate, so you need to go armed so to speak. You will know if there is a previous problem in medical notes, or not..... If you have something flagged there, and in medical, you have an issue. I did go to my doctor and got a letter which said I was on no medication and had never been due to my condition. Only "treatment". (Sounds bizarre, but they got it. It cost though.) Also letter from the hospital saying the same thing. I was put on my husband's medical insurance a year before.

All of this stuff was taken to interview.

My daughter had major scores through her medical notes and stuff photocopied.

I would gather every single thing I could for the interview, but they asked for none of it at the interview.... I have a high BMI but abnormally low blood pressure.

There is a lot you can gather in the meantime. Look over your docs notes. (I got results for every test, cos they were negitive). Request things from the hospital. In the end if you need to gather more info, or see a specialist you will need it anyway. Your new doc in the US will also be grateful. (I even signed on with a doc in the US for treatment and had evidence of that. ) None of the effort will be wasted.

I had a pile of info in my bag that did not go up to the window in the interview marked "medical" in my bag. I am glad I had it though. Males over 45 with anythgn that might affect their hearts is a big thing in the US. My husband just hit his 45th, and he has had masses of tests. Best echo in his doc's. Cycles a lot. I want to get my BMI down to have 10 more years with him.

I called and booked the appointment before filling that part in. You just need the case number to book a medical. I had to travel some distance to London and wanted cheap rail tickets booked in advance etc. Booked it for two weeks ahead from getting the form. One less thing to figure out nearer the time.

Yup, I hear you....

but there is nothing filed to show a link of relationship beyond the marriage. No financial support. No evidence of relationship filed. (They asked for nothing, I had it photos etc but they saw nothing.) Also on the papers you write that the child is to immigrate with the mother. The papers were actually clipped and filed together at the interview. I have also not given any consent for her to go live with her stepfather on her own. (Her father is dead.) Surely they would want a letter saying that I consent to her leaving the country after I have stated she is leaving with me ? (I have also stated on my papers she is to leave with me.) Marriage is jsut over a year old.

I get they are seperate petitions, but from the process I really cannot see how they could have approved hers without mine to go live with someone she has never lived with before without my consent ? Does not make sense, but I guess lots of things could be like that.

I can't see a situation where they would not approve my visa, but approve my daughter to go live with her step father.

Hers is derived from mine surely ?

I will go read and check.

Hi,

Feeling a bit stressed here...

I had my interview on 5th October. Myself a CR1 and my daughter age 11 a DCF CR2. At the interview we were told we were approved. Congratulations. Paid for our envelope and the guy their said it would be around 5 days to get the passports delivered back to me.

So 5 days goes by and I call and they say, don't worry, it is just being processed no way of checking on it.

Call again today and find out that my daughter's visa was done on the 14th. (Must mean mine was fine, since hers was dependant on mine. Stepchild of the petitioner.)

So.. how come the courier does not have it yet ? Must be hanging around to meet up with mine ?? I am really not getting this... Worried mine has gone astray and I will have to get another passport. Big delay. Has this happened to anyone and if so how did the embassy handle it ?

Anyone else have things run so slow ? It is just bad when you are trying to work out what should happen with school after the October break and stuff. Hard on an 11 year old wondering endlessly when we are going although she is being pretty good about it. Pain being in every day up till 12 waiting on post just in case. We live out the back of beyond.

Anyways, I am moaning, I know I am. But also trying to think what will happen if mine has gone AWOL.

Hi,

I had problems with a nutty relative making BAD threats, and hanging around my driveway with a chain saw.... He is mentally ill, and had stopped taking his medication. He was carted off to hospital. Anyways, point is I consulted with the police how to handle this when he got out, as I did not want him coming round here again. Police said I could get a court order, but it would cost, and not achieve much. I got a similar result simply but getting a solicitor to write an official letter. Make sure she gets it. Sign for it. Keep a copy. Then get the police numbers programmed into your mobiles. Keep letter in a known place at home. If she shows up call the police, and wave the papers at them saying this person is not welcome on your property. No papers it just becomes a family row. Papers let the police act. Just draft that she is not welcome since her behaviour on last visit and put the dates.

Makes it very clear for everyone. In the UK showing up after that easily gets a breach of the peace. Police threatening it is enough to get rid.

Congrats ! We know the printer isn't bust now :-)

Did you get a text from the courier folk and when did it show up on tracking ?

Great news.

Nothing from me. (interview 5th Oct)

Nothing showing up on website for delivery service either....

I used Crown Worldwide. They have a base in Aberdeen. I used them before for a shipment to Singapore. They pack everything for you. I sent 180 cubic feet as a part shipment. They hang onto it and put it in with something else. 100 cubic feet is a sort of minimum price, and more than that is not much more. Very helpful folk. Mine will have taken two and a half months when it gets there. The price was half what I thought it would be. Most of my stuff was books and there is no penalty for weight. Insurance was by volume which worked out fine for me as there was nothing individually very valuable in it. (There were other insurance options though.)

Brilliant !

Glad it worked out.

Hi,

I submitted my own divorce decree (Stonehaven sheriff court, Scotland) It is one page, says Form of extract decree of divorce, extract decree of divorce. Has date of marriage date of divorce. I got a certifed copy from the court house, showed up and paid for it there. Mailed out the next day. It just has a red stamp thing and a signature from the sheriff clerk. My husband's decree is pages long. It still just has a stamp on the last page, and we were warned by the court in California we got it from that it was only valid if all pages were kept stapled together.

I have never had any trouble with my divorce decree. Not a drop. Or with my husband's. I think the scottish one is if anything clearer. Maybe you send a letter from the court explaining this IS the final divorce decree.

I had my interview the day before you. Still no visa either. Called the embassy today and they thought the time scale was fine. I did also call the courier and they said the tracking only shows up once they have it in hand, day before delivery normally.

Glad I am not the only one.

Following on from the above comment, do check what is up there. I had mine and my daughters interviews recently though. I have a chronic medical condition, and she has had psychiatric counselling in the past. (11yrs old, then age 7). It is very much worthwhile collecting information together from your doctor etc. Anything you have prior to the interview. Hospital reports saying you are a good patient, etc. It all really helps. We got through the medical fine. Without the extra effort I am sure we would have both needed further info though. I brought a fair bit. Negitive test results etc. It was all looked at, and a fair bit photocopied for the embassy.

Hi, mine was 5th Oct. (Not got my visa back yet though) I put a pretty detailed review in. There are others there too. Go up to the reviews bit on the tool bar.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews

select United Kingdom from the drop down menu.

I think if you are organised it will go fine. They were as nice as they could possibly be to me.

When my kids were smaller they used to travel to London to see their Dad. Plane flight. (We are in Scotland.) To put them on the plane I needed to sign a form with my details, where they were going. Who was meeting them at the other end of the flight. Contact details for them. Plus the reverse information for them coming back. As part of our divorce agreement there was a clause preventing him from taking them out of the country without my permission in writing. I did not ask for that, so if it is standard it might well be in his divorce agreement too.

You could do something similar as I filled in for their mother to sign. She is confirming they are coming back, and that you are accompanying them. That their father is to be responsible for them, and his contact info, your added below. Should cover it. You might want to add a letter from their Dad in your pocket saying you are doing this on his behalf.

My lot flew as UM's from quite young, and if you can get a direct flight it might be easier to organise with the mother. My kids loved it as the ladies had to keep them amused :-) Mother also has to sign the papers then to put them on the plane.

She is being pretty generous to let you have them over for a seven week stretch, so keep that in mind.

Stepmothers have pretty much no legal rights per se. If there was an accident are you able to sign in hospital for example ? Stuff happens.

Get the paperwork for next time.

Good topic.

I can remember saying to my other half not long ago that "*you* can plan things for next month, meetings at work, what to do on the weekend. I can't plan anything. Immigration has sucked my life away" I had withdrawn from final year of uni, and feeling a lot of pressure. My kids were sort of arm flapping to visitors "Don't mention immigration" when they came in the house.... Everyone is fine about it, but I just could not really bear to discuss it. Very few folk understand. Hubby also said it was like being with a pregnant woman, cranky, moody etc, but he understood because doing this is rough. He has been consistent and sweet with me whatever. Including flying over for just two days for the interview. It was such a special day for us however it went. There have been a few really rotten times along the way, but they always picked up when we pulled together.

Anyways, a few days after approval I can say my brain has not rotted. I can read books still, and can even laugh at comedy movies. This stuff is really really hard. Very much underestimated. I feel like we can face anything together after having been through this. There is a real home waiting for me, and I can't wait to get there.

I just hope I never ever forget what that time felt like.

We got through it together.

We applied for the second daughter, or rather misapplied for her in the same way we did the youngest.... She was all set to go to De Anza college in any case, heart set on it. So when we discovered the mistake it was relatively easy to organise an F1 visa for her. It runs for 3 years of study. I imagine we could welll file for her soon too.(lady in the embassy said to so it straight away. She was 16 when we married.) She is already wanting to work etc. She is a child from my first marriage, and her Dad lives in London. She has a brother and sister still in the UK, and lots of auntie's, uncles, Granny, Nana, etc etc. She wants to study in the UK, architecture. Doing an associate degree in Graphic design at De Anza.

We will sit and have a think when I arrive. It might affect UK university funding or something. No pressure now. It is also allowing her to try things out for a while. After Christmas she might have a better idea.

Certainly the climate is so much better for her there. Being able to swim so much, plus public transport is so much better. We also have a nice medical policy and have tried the NHS..... Support services are not great there. As she gets older her foot will degenerate and walking will become more painful. Things as I mentioned help a lot.

Her Dad is an old school friend of my husband, and he is heading out to visit us in California in March. Daughter having Christmas with her Dad, and coming back with her brother and sister for New Year and they are staying for a holiday. (I have known my wonderful husband since I was 13/14, I am now 45. He was born in the UK, went to the US for work after uni.)

Things are complicated, but we are working it all out and family have been wonderfully supportive.

I know things are not all done with paperwork, but it feels great right now.

Very peaceful inside.

We married last July 31st. On VWP. We had planned to marry, but not then. It was a great day though, and I would not change it one bit. Filed beginning of November.

Filing was a complicated time for us... We filed for a CR1/CR2 initially last year, or so we thought. Turns out we should have filed a separate I-130 for my 11 year old daughter. Did not realise this until after I-130 was approved. So we have a compassionate filing for my daughter, DCF, alongside my CR1. Mr Cooke was very kind in our case.

At this point we were in bits. Realising that my papers might be approved, and I would be unable to use them within six months. Last time we went over for a visit I had to go through secondary security and that was NOT funny. Hugely unsettling for a little girl that had already been through a lot. She is 11. Her Dad died in a car crash when she was 7. Her sister, (who by now was in the US on an F1 visa studying and living with my husband) was left with a broken neck, multiple frames on her, and a wheelchair. 4 other kids as well. So the youngest had a hard time. Just not enough of me to go round. We got counselling, and my daughter needed psychiatric support, which could have caused problems as self harming was discussed although she never took it that far. My new husband has taken things slowly and carefully with her, and they are very close now. They are both keen on her being adopted by him, and I can only agree. A stupid error with paperwork was running the risk of destroying everything, and causing immense distress to my youngest daughter. Losing her "Dad" all over again.

I think it took several miracles that my daughter's papers were considered at the same interview as me. I had to hand in her I-864 things and submit documents, as well as going over my things. Daughter was only told she could be at the interview at 3pm on Friday. I had sooooo much paperwork with me.

So ! We had train tickets, and accomodation booked for both of us. My husband was coming over for the interview, so I knew she could be with him if she was not to be interviewed. (It counted as a separate case, so the below 14 rule did not apply. (Medical for her was added to mine cos I asked, a lot of begging along the way.) Anyways, appointment was for 9am. We arrived about 8.20. Queues not too long, but it does look daunting going in. I thought I had taken everything out of my bag, but I had a USB key by mistake, and it went in the bin. Went in, sat down in a cross between airport lounge, doctors office/argos. Screens not working, and I could not concentrate to read. Our number was called and we went to the window. The nice lady could not find our files, someone was usig them. (I still had little idea of daughter's case status at this point.) We waited, then had to go sit down. Waited half an hour then was called to the desk. Our papers were just in a heap. Mess. Nothing clipped. The lady was nice though, and as she was putting the papers together she asked various questions in a "chatty" way. How did we meet ? Did he have children ? How my daughter had coped with her father's death was mentioned. It was relaxed enough. Took about 30 minutes I think. I was happy when she said I had to pay for daughter's I-864. Meant we had a chance of getting this done today. Paid it. Gladly ! Gave receipt from cashier to lady, and put the other bit in a safe place. I had a speeding offence, and had given them Disclosure Scotland certificates which were passed, but she asked for court records. Thankfully I had got those after the Disclosure Scotland certificated were approved. Wanted everything nailed down. I also needed a second death certificate for my daughter. Copies of these documents as well. Handed it all over. Was so glad I had indexed things. Hands were shakey. Got a pink slip to fill in and left the window.

Then we sat down and waited for over an hour. Nearer two prob. Feeling rather sick. They had snack things for sale and my daughter was perfectly happy watching the comings and goings. She had a word search thing as well.

Second interview. The happy looking guy said this bit would be quick. (Was this good or bad news ?) He asked how my husband had met his first wife ? (not seen that question coming, but I knew.) He asked where he worked, and how we had met. He then said it all was looking fine. He was astonished at the I-864 forms. First time he had ever encountered someone submitting two of those correct the first time. My daughter's filing going through straight with no further requests was a first for her type of case. He asked my daughter what her step father's job was, and if she liked where she was to live. We were sworn in at some point in the chat, he explained to my daughter what the oath meant, that she must tell the truth, and then we signed the papers. I signed for my daughter. Then we were told to go pay for the courier ! I expected fireworks or something, but I think I was in shock it was finally done.

This process was one of the hardest things I have ever done, realising how hard it would be to go back to see my husband and daughter if anything went wrong really spurred me on the have EVERYTHING in order. Back ups for back ups.

I have been reading the forum, and learnt masses. Wish I had started reading before we had filed, or at least appreciated more how tricky this thing was.

Anyways, we are delighted. Very happy, and very grateful to the consulate.

I am so happy my hubby has children. Two boys, 10 and 14. They have done a great job expanding his heart, and preparing him for his "alien" daughter. :-) This is the second time I have become a step parent, and I have found the key to success is communication between both of you. If you can have some sort of framework to hang things around it helps. Eg he normally calls this time, this is a general plan for Sat/Sun, but you can have a date night Friday.

Just keep talking, and have time to yourselves around it. Children grow up very very fast. Always give more than they get.

A lot of lip biting may be needed at time re ex, but just learn to respect her as their mother. It can happen that if you expect good things, people grow to meet those expectation.