Rito

Just found out it's gonna cost 1000 plus dollars to fly my cat home. Don't think there's any way we can afford that so we're gonna have to get rid of him. I'm so tired of things not working out the way we want them to. I can't stop crying. This is all so stressful. I'm so tired...

God Jessica, that's horrible... would it change your situation if someone in Belfast could care for your cat for a few weeks, or a month maybe? I know some people in the area, maybe someone could take your cat in while you raise funds. I'd just hate to see you lose a pet over money.

Thanks for the link, Claire and Tony. On the right of that page it says "The vaccinations may also be performed by the Embassy's physician on the day of your medical examination if you so wish." When you click it, it gives a list of prices for the vaccines! These appear to be added costs, on top of the already exorbitant £180 fee for the medical. If that's the case, perhaps my fiance's GP prices might be cheaper for these.

...However (sorry, this forum doesn't let me edit a post anymore, because I don't have "permission(?)," according to your list's yeses and nos, the only shots required for an adult under 65 are:

1. Td/Tdap

2. MMR

3. Influenza

Can someone verify that these are the only three shots required?

Congrats on getting your NOA2!

I would advise your fiance to check this website and make note of what vaccinations are needed, then make an appointment to see your local GP or Nurse to have them done before your Medical exam in London. Make sure you get them to print your records of having them done

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/...ccinechart.html

Thanks for the link, Claire and Tony. On the right of that page it says "The vaccinations may also be performed by the Embassy's physician on the day of your medical examination if you so wish." When you click it, it gives a list of prices for the vaccines! These appear to be added costs, on top of the already exorbitant £180 fee for the medical. If that's the case, perhaps my fiance's GP prices might be cheaper for these.

We've gotten NOA2 and have the medical appointment ahead in London, and are compiling material for Packet 3.

I'm wondering what I should have my fiance do medical-wise before the appointment. The guides say "Part of this interview will require that previous vaccinations are documented and potentially additional required vaccinations performed." Does that mean my fiance should get some sort or record from his GP? Can he save any money if he gets additional vaccinations before the London medical? I know some jabs have two courses that need to be done at separate times, and I'd hate to be turned away at the medical exam stage...

Got the email now! Thank goodness it says approved, because I just realized on the USCIS website that "post-decision activity" can mean the decision was to reject the petition.

Sorry Beth & John - I didn't mean to reply to you, but was so excited I pressed Reply on your post accidentally.

Woo hoo! Congrats!

WE GOT NOA2! And before I left the UK and my fiance too! We've been hugging and celebrating with wine on this end.

I haven't gotten an email, but my status on the USCIS site moved to Post-Decision Activity. I'm so amazingly thrilled right now!

Did you click on your WAC number? I did and that's where it showed up with the approval. If you signed up for e-mail and text message alerts, it will be sent there to. The text message doesn't say that you've been approved but that your case has been updated. Here's to hoping every October filed gets approved throughout January

I'm still on Initial Review and haven't gotten an email. I won't get a text since I'm in Britain with my phone off. Maybe it'll happen tomorrow, or the next business day, like in your case! It would be so nice to get approved before I fly away from my fiance for the last time, on January 10.

Woo! I haven't gotten my NOA2, and I don't think I've gotten an official touch, but my status page on the USCIS website just went from saying its "Last Updated" date was 10/19/09 to 1/08/09! Nothing else seems to have changed. I wonder if that means the NOA2 will be soon! Aaaaah!

Fair disclosure, I don't have my K1 yet and my fiance has only been coming out on 3-month Visa Waiver Programme stints. In those, what really helped my fiance feel a part of what will be his new home is meeting his own set of friends - ones he could hang out with even when I wasn't there. When you're moving so far from all your friends and family, nothing makes a world seem isolating like only knowing one person. Of course, my fiance and I go out lots so it was easier than in your case. Maybe your husband could find communities online that are interested in things he's interested in. Joining up with a British expat group could help, as he could share his frustrations and get advice on how to move forward from those that have done it. Meetup.org seems to have British communities in most cities, and the chaps are always wonderful.

And it seems like things have slowed down.

Ack! Going more than a little crazy over here! Must stop checking USCIS. Must stop checking USCIS.

I understand the benefits of having citizenship in both countries but I know for a fact that once we move back to the UK there is no way Kris will ever come back to the States. Which I have no issues with. He will have stayed here for nearly 10years to begin with.

If you don't mind my asking, why is that? Just wasn't a good culture fit?

My own fiance is quite happy visiting America, but I know that living somewhere so far away from everything you've known (and all your family and friends) is always a huge adjustment. I'm trying to gather people's experiences so I'll know how to best help him integrate and make sure he feels a part of his new neighborhood.

Lennie, Are you guys on Igor's list?

She's "Ashley and James"

Just so we don't confuse terms, Canadians dont' travel on the Visa Waiver and the duration of stay is up to the Border Patrol at the time of entrance.

Ah right, forgot it's a bit different for Canadians - thanks canadian_wife!

So i date an american citizen and live in canada. What would happen if we took off to vegas and got married?!?! Could i move to the US right after and work?!?

You could stay in America for the duration of your Visa Waiver, which is 6 months, and then return to Canada and file a K3 marriage visa. You could not work in the US during that time, and this process would not be faster than getting a fiance visa. If you just stayed in the US, you would be there illegally and thus would have trouble finding work or returning to the US if you ever left.

Moly, I know that immigration is very confusing, but you've started a number of topics now with very general questions. Please consider reading the very helpful guides before you make another topic, and then feel free to come back here if you need help understanding what you learn there.

We're not engaged yet but planning on being in the next couple months.... I'm wanting to move there asap is this possible to do before we get engaged? Or what's the best way to go about it?

You can't move to the US until you have a visa, and there's a long process to get one. You can visit your boyfriend in the US under the Visa Waiver Programme, but you must return to Canada within 6 months and you must not have an intention to get married in the US or to move there on that trip.

What you should do now is file a I-129F to get your process started. You can read more about this in the K1 Process Flowchart.

WE JUST GOT OUR NOA2~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm shaking!!!!!!!!!!

WOAH! Congrats guys! I was going crazy waiting for another data point! This is awesome... I'm so excited for this to start happening. I'd love to get the NOA2 email before I leave the UK on January 10! :star:

You do know if your a US citizen you pay tax to the US FOREVER?

####! Looks like there's no way to ever avoid that, since I'm an American citizen and renouncing citizenship isn't easy (or necessarily a good idea). Goddamn America.

I'm a canadian girl who's been dating an american for 8 months now. Our plan is to get engaged within 4-5 months and marry by the end of the year. I'm wanting to move to the US and work before we get married. Is this possible to do? What do i have to do to work and live in the US before marrrying. Please help this is so frustrating...

I recommend not trying to get a work visa before getting a fiance visa.

Getting a US visa through marriage is much easier than trying to get one for employment. The visa you'd need to work is called an H-1B, but they are hard to come by. The recruiter at my company said they cost a company $15,000 in total - it requires the company, among other things, to argue that you have skills so specific that an American could not fulfill the job requirements. Especially in this economy, they're very difficult to get.

If you're sure you want to be married, I recommend working in Canada and visiting your boyfriend while you apply for the K1 Fiance visa. With the visa waiver programme, you can visit him for six months at a time. It takes about six months to go through the process of obtaining the K1 visa prior to marriage, and at the end you'll be able to apply for work authorization easily.

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful! I didn't realize you didn't renounce your citizenship of the US or UK when you get the other country's citizenship. It also sounds like there's no negative side of both people getting both countries' citizenship, and this is the best thing to do since it makes working and traveling easier. Nice!

Haha, there's no such thing as a "half-US" citizen. You either are one or you aren't. You don't lose UK citizenship just because you become a US citizen.

It's very hard to get employment in the UK if you're not a UKC or part of the EU. We'd have to get special permits and the like. Of course, above $80k, we'd be double-taxed in the US and UK...

So... if my fiance comes to the US and becomes a US citizen, he's still a UK citizen? And if I go to the UK and become a UK citizen, I'm still a US citizen? Sorry for all the question... just really unsure how this works.

The U.S. doesn't recognize dual citizenship, but that doesn't mean that one can't retain UK citizenship as long as the UK is okay with it (which they are).

So if you're a duel citizen, does the US consider you a full US citizen or not one at all? From what you said it sounds like the US considers you a full US citizen, and the UK considers you a duel citizen that is still good for residency. That sounds good, but if you're married to a full UK citizen, what would the need be to get UK citizenship yourself?

If you want your kids to go to the UK for university, they have to live there for something like 3 years in order to qualify if they're UK citizens, which you can as long as you register their births.

This is true, but it's still an ability they wouldn't have if my fiance were a US citizen.

What's an investment visa?

I was thinking of the E2 visa, that "allows an individual to enter and work inside of the United States based on an investment he or she will be controlling, while inside the United States." (via Wikipedia)

Hello Jolly Brits -

I've been reading on this topic but am frankly confused, and was wondering if you'd help me out. I'm engaged to a fine England-born/Northern Ireland resident, and we want certain things. Namely:

1. The ability to move to the UK and all EU states at any point in the future

2. For our potential kids to have the option of going to UK (and EU?) universities at resident rates

My understanding is for 1 & 2 to happen, my fiance should always remain just a permanent resident of the US and never become a US citizen or be naturalized, etc (Am I right so far?). Well, his parents have just told me they might consider moving to the US for a couple years. That would be awesome! I know if my fiance went through the naturalization process he could pull them in, but then we'd lose 1 and 2 above. Would him being some kind of duel citizen help? Or, since his father is a business owner, should we tell him to try the investment visa option instead?

Thanks so much, and enjoy the snow!

- Rito

Hi all, I am a newbie here to VJ. I was pleased to see the support in the forums and decided to join. It is such a relief to see that there are others out there who are going through the same process! We received our NOA1 on 10/29/09...looking forward for an NOA2 this month...good luck to you all!

Welcome, kristik! We're so close to our NOA2's now - I think it's hardest right at the end! We'll get there though, and hopefully soon.

The initial I-129f petition can only be submitted stateside to a USC service center... the consulate interview can only happen after the petition has been approved... so whether it is UAE or PI really does not matter much but is more an issue of logistics and convienience

Just to clarify - the initial I-129f petition petition indeed needs to be submitted to your USC service center (either California or Vermont, depending on the residence of the petitioner), but it can be mailed from any country.

Okay, well that confirms my suspicions. Carl's gonna freak when I tell him. Hopefully he'll be all for the getting it done the same day idea. We had a very long talk today with much tears on my side, and we're thinking that we might wait to file our packet after we get our noa2 because it's going faster than we'd planned, and we're afraid that he won't be ready to come over when he has to, even if he waits the 6 months that he's allowed after the visa is filed. This is all so stressful. We pretty much canceled out wedding ceremony too because we just can't afford to save for the wedding and a place of our own. I haven't been this depressed about this whole situation in a really long time. Ugh. My eyes hurt from crying

Really sorry to hear that things are getting complicated. : Maybe it would help to do what we're doing - see K1 and moving as a "first step," but not do all the formal ceremony and added hassle that comes with a big wedding. My fiance and I don't have the money for things like that now either, so this process we're seeing as "just for us." We're going to get married quietly, with a few friends, and down the road perhaps have a bigger ceremony with lots of family. Getting a visa is way too stressful to also worry about a gigantic party for every Tom, #######, and Sally in your bloodline. Also, Carl can come to the States on a K1, get married, and come right back to England to settle unfinished business if he needs to.