James&Candice

Thanks everyone for your responses, its great to know its normal. I wonder what we would all be doing if this site didn't exist. Running around like a headless chickens I suspect

Cheers and Happy traveling.

Ok so MY conundrum is as follows:

Oddly my USCIS case status has change for EAD from "Card/Document Production" Back to "Post Decision Activity". It has Literally gone backwards. I'm thinking its the usual 1 step forward 2 steps back. Who knows I think its just odd.

I received emails too.

I posted this somewhere else. Thought I'd post it here too.

Anybody have any thoughts?

Its not really the messages, But the order they came in. My USCIS case status has change from "Card/Document Production" Back to "Post Decision Activity". It has Literally gone backwards. I'm thinking its the usual 1 step forward 2 steps back. Who knows I think its just odd.

I am in the AOS EAD and AP Pending stage.

Ok so MY conundrum is as follows:

I received the following emails in this order.

"Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On May 26, 2011, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed...". I'm thinking ok cool it will be here soon, finally some action, maybe my green-card want be far behind.

Then I get this...

"Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On June 1, 2011, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed ".

OOOOOkay I guess they are just making sure, that's fine. But today I get this

"Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On June 2, 2011, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I765 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION..."

Going backwards? Odd huh?

Has anyone anyone else received similar emails? Or an I just going mental

Is this normal?

Oh man that is freaky. I have seen this before its almost mesmerizing.

Jane Seymour from Dr Quinn has the same thing

http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-100713-eyes-celebs/ss-100713-eyes-Jane-Seymour.grid-3x2.jpg

I can't remember if there was a half and half option on the form there was probably the "OTHER" to choose from. Man I was in there and out so fast I hardly remembered to write my name. I got this thing lately, I feel like I have to rush all the time. Usually I take my time with things. I think its James actually, he rushes everything. He must be starting to rub off on me

I had my Biometrics appointment today at Tampa FL. Wasn't until 3pm but we arrived early in the morning they didn't care and the whole thing is pretty much an in and out process. I think I was probably in there no longer then 15min. It was all in one big room straight off the street, had plenty of parking. The guy at the front desk was the friendliest, everyone else were like drones they pretty much ignored me which is odd because they hand out a card to fill in at the end asking how well they did, I'm guessing the answers don't count for much.

Did anyone else notice the "I don't know" option to the Eye colour question? ... How could you not know?

Thanx Vanessa

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'll be fine.

Congrats on being here

First, head on over to the AOS thread mentioned in my signature. That will help with required forms

To answer your qns though:

1. put unknown and unknown. There is no issue with this because of the exact reason you mentioned, emergencies. Some people actually have trips planned, and the form's also used for re-entry permits etc so writing Unknown for both is fine (got mine no issue)

2. the DS-3025 is the vaccination copy that you got from your panel physician in Australia. If at the bottom of the form it says "complete" you don't need to see a CS (civil surgeon) but if it says incomplete (which mine did) then you will need to see a CS who will complete form I-693. They will not complete it all though (have a read of the instructions, it explains it in the FAQs on the form about a K1 not needing a new medical). You will only need to complete Part 1 (about you), Part 2 (Vaccination table only) and Part 5 (their signature). That's it. Some CS's don't know this though so if you have to call one ask for the cost of "vaccination transcription" and hopefully they know what it means. Should not cost more than $50 for it and you DO NOT need a TB skin test. The price doesn't include any shots that you might require though. Sometimes they have the forms in their office so make sure you ask whether you need to bring the form in, or if they have the most recent copy.

3. No. You have to go to the SSA yourself and apply. You can find the form SS-5 on their website and you can complete that, take it and your passport with K1 in it and you're good to go. If you're married you can TRY and get it in your married name but a lot of people have had issues with that so first you should get it in your maiden name because it matches on their system. Then when you get your EAD you can go and get it changed. For AOS purposes you don't NEED a SSN, and if you have one in your maiden name but complete the AOS forms in your married name it's not a problem (mine is still in my maiden name because we just haven't had a chance to get down to the SSA).

I'm doing AOS as well and My DS-3025 is ticked "Vaccine History Incomplete" (courtesy of DR Millar in SYD) but is also ticked "Applicant my be eligible for blanket waiver..." I didn't go to see a Civil Surgeon and I have not received an RFE as yet although there is still time I guess, my case was just been transferred to California CSC so I'm hoping this is a good sign and that we wont even need to do the interview stage. So we will find out in a few weeks if having an "INCOMPLETE" DS-3025 like mine is OK or needs to be transcribed by a CS.

Hey Candice - sorry, only just coming up for air. Hubby flew back to Florida today ... Were you the blonde lady in black? I wasn't one of the two women with the baby but I saw them. I was with my daughter - she was in all black and I forget what I was wearing but I have long hair

Congrats on your visa ... I had a chat to Sassy while I was there. She finished before me and I teared up when she told she was approved because I was so nervous by then!!!

Hi Deb,

No I wasn't the blonde lady. I have brown hair and I had on jeans and a suit jacket. When I first got there I sat in the middle, 1 row back, 3 seats across from the door. I have no recollection of seeing a women with a daughter.

I am pretty sure I saw Sassy though. She had a pile of evidence and even her X-ray?

How old is your daugher? Because there were some kids there I would leave behind if I was their parents. A family of 5 and a mother and her 2 little girls. The only reason I noticed them was because they were being so loud and naughty.

If your daughter is young, she was very well behaved because I didn't notice her

Ok remind me where you are in Florida again? because I will be on the west coast, Sarasota to be exact about an 1hr south of Tampa. I know we have talked about this b4 but I have a terrible memory

Re the blood test to check immunitys....I went to my doctor to ask for this test and she had no idea what I was talking about....she kept saying she needs to request what to test for etc...I had no idea...mind you I found he accent difficult to understand and she just spoke english....any ideas what to tell her?

Yes ...tell her you need a blood test to test for:

• Measles, mumps and rebella (MMR)
  
• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Whooping cough)(DTaP or Tdap)
  
• and chicken pox
  

she has to write it all up separately so it will be easier to say them as such.

If you like you can just say you have had chicken pox to the panel doctor when you see him but you might as well get them to test the blood for it while they are there. (Free in NSW)

I had my blood tested for MMR and chicken pox but had a booster shot for TDap and got my doctor to print saying so.

There is a slight variation on what is required by children and older people. I hope this helps.

If I missed something hopefully someone will pick up on it

Fantastic News Terri. CONGRATULATIONS

I have good news too. I got my visa delivered today

My visa was approved TOO . I saw you there Deb, well I think it was you. Were you there with another woman and a baby? and if that wasn't you did you see the 2 women and a baby ?

Took an 1hr and a half to get through the process. Was almost late because mum and I were playing around with the cameras at breakie central at channel 7 sunrise, then I left my bag with all my forms in it on a bench and had to run back for it

When I finally made it to security just before 10am I was flustered and it was stuffy and hot waiting in line, dropping everything everywhere.

The actually process itself was not bad it was the people waiting and the stuffy room that made it a bit of a headache. All done now just waiting to fly away now ... I also found it amusing how many people took their x-rays with them

Vanessa, I am glad you are out of that house, I bet you are too. BIG HUGS

I paid the fee at he post office just down the street, now I'm set . A big sigh of relief . It feels so good when everything goes smoothly. You don't know that your feeling good and cruising along until something happens and then the stress goes up ten fold, but i tell ya what ...it feels bloody good again when your back to cruising along

Oooo I hate to say it but.. you can't give them anything except what they request :S they'll reject the amount otherwise... I would send them ANOTHER email attaching the other ones, mark the email urgent, then make the subject "URGENT - INTERVIEW JUNE 1ST" and then again state that you need to new amount and need it ASAP as your interview is Tuesday.

ANOTHER idea is if they don't get back to you in time, you might be able to locate a post office new the interview place. THEN, when at the interview they ask for the visa fee you can show them printouts of your MANY emails about it, and they can tell you the amount then and there. You can leave, pay the amount, and return to continue the interview. Worst case scenario that's what I'd do. You have proof you've tried to contact them.

GOOD LUCK!

Sounds like a good plan Vanessa. I'll do that. Thanks

The second email I sent yesterday had Urgent in the title. They have been good with responding to my emails... oh wait i just got am email from them .....its $157.20

BIG HUG

Any news yet?

No go dam it . If I don't here from them today then I will have to make a reasonable assuption and use the exchange rate they used for the $420. I will just add a few more $$ to it to make sure I cover the $131us . I even sent them another email yesterday similar to the one you posted here. I will give them a few more hours. They don't work on monday so it is a waste to wait till then.

Sarasota not far from Tampa at all about an hour . James will be picking me up from Tampa airport. We will be based at James's house in Sarasota for awhile until we buy another house in South Carolina.

Guess I'll see you and Sassy in Syd Ded. Hopefully we can calm each others nerves and share the joy.

OH MAN ..I JUST SENT THEM THE EMAIL. Yours sounds so much better too. #######. Oh well I'll see what happens

Cheers big ears

I have other news.

When I sent my p3 back I sent a letter with it, requesting that they delay my interview until the 22nd or 29th of June because I was going to be moving to my parents house in Sydney during the time I thought the interview would be set (made sense to do the interview after I got to syd).

When I found out that the fee was going up I wrote them an email asking them... if my interview would have been originaly set for the 1st of June could I please have that date instead.

I DID!! my interview is now set for next week.

I know someone else has their interview nxt week but can't remember who. Was wondering how much they told you the fee woudld be for the 1st. They havn't told me. Thought Id ask here before I email them.

cheers

Thanks Vanessa your a great help. If you were here id hug you.

I got my P4 today and it is more stream lined then yours Vanessa.

It just lists the 3 things I needed on one page. Which are PASSPORT, FEES ($420.20) AND THE 3KG EXPRESS POST ENVELOPE. Doesn't even tell me to take a ticket

Seeing how much the fee was really took the shine off getting P4. I am more pissed then happy. I'll get over it soon enough. I booked my flight for July 8th >people keep asking me if I am excited. I thought I would be more excited then I am. I am more numb then excited. Any body else feel this way or is the winter finally starting to get to me?

candice

oh i'm soooooooo not happy

Why does everything feel like its trying to keep me here, just as I get to the last hurdle 5 more pop up.

Booked my flight today online ...tells me to ring them. Their Australian Office is closed.

Mum gets sick

The Aussie dollar hits the floor

and now this ....

grrrr I so didn't want to be the one saying "if only I could have sent those freakin forms in just 2weeks earlier"

Seems alot like musical chairs... I lucked out

Oh man my post buggered up.

When you using the epassport website, to get the 2inch by 2inch pics needed for the visa choose USA instead of Austraila. The site will then automatically make the pics the right size. I used this program for my visa pics and wished I had found it for my passport ones as well.

You will need a digital camera (SD card)to upload a pic and to save the final product to so you can then take it to a place like Kmart and print them out for just cents is my post gunna work this time

personally I went here: http://www.epassportphoto.com/ and uploaded a pic of myself and then had it printed at a photo booth (for the AOS stage).

While in Australia I went to a PhotoMe booth (amazing pics) http://www.photo-me.com.au/home/default.asp (click on their booth locator). My issue with the photo booth was that I took a couple of times to get it right and it's $10 for 4 pics but honestly, they were GREAT photos (and I didn't know about the above site at the time.. that and I took ####### "normal" photos).

If you use the epassportphoto.com site the pics are FREE. You have someone take a pic of you on a white (or off-white) background, upload the pic to the site, tell it what country the pics are for and it will help you (using a "head here" and "chin here" guide) resize the pic to within requirements. They will then turn that photo into 5 photos on a standard 4"x6" photo which you can save to your USB stick and get printed at the local chemist or whatever, and then you cut the pics to size. Easy peasy.

Hope that helps. Good luck

sorry if this doesn't work. it's from tony's comp that doesn't have word (weird I know!)

here;

Thanks Vanessa

It worked perfectly.

James doesn't have MS office either I told him to download OpenOffice. It works exactly like MS offce but is completly free and is almost indistinguishable from MS office. He is extremely happy with it http://www.openoffice.org/

.... back for a visit down here and hopefully my family will be able to visit us as well i know my nieces are planning it next year when they save up their air fares lol.. they want to go outlet shopping with me in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and cant wait..

When you go to Gatlinburg with your neices don't go into the Ripley's believe it or not haunted house. It is just way too scarey. For fun though you could watch the poor people come out crying. James and I thought it would be fun, we laugh about it now and even a little then. But we will never do it again. Gatlinburg is like one big amusement park. Seemed very odd at the time. We coudln't stay long. I got a few pics of herbie the love bug and king king

James and I travelled up to Tennesse.

We camped at the Pisgah national forest in NC we went for a drive up into the Smoky Mountains had lunch at Cherokee. put one foot on the appalachian trail then went to Gatlinburg. We started off little adventure form Florida, more then 10hrs drive away. We were mainly there to see his mother who lives in Spartanburg SC.

If you do go into the haunted house and you see the tunnel lined with black airbags (think about a part of a womens anatomy) This is where everything went wrong, because James is claustrophobic! he panicked, left me(I was the leader of the group)and turned everyone else who was in there around, trying to get out.

I on the other hand had gotten out and was listening to everyone still in there yelling as James was going back the other way . He relised he left me in there and decided he had to go back to "rescue" me. So he re-entered the black ####### yelling my name to find me.

The people were still in there lost (we did the "marco - polo thing") he finally pops out of the black ####### and we run for it and leave the other people in there . We get back to our car after first stopping at the Bubba Gump shrimp store and drive past the haunted house and the family that was with us in the haunted house were just coming out. Needless to say they didn't have smiles on their faces. Now we know why there were children crying out the front as we walked past before we went in.

Oh we also went to chimney rock in Tennesse it looks a little more like a part from the male anatomy