PumpkinPie

$$$ and make sure to write the check from your USA bank account.

Uh oh, I don't have any checks from my US bank account, it's been inactive since I moved almost 3 years ago. Could my mom in the US possibly write the check and send it to me to send with the form?

They want $$$!

Can it be cash? I'm just not sure where I can get a money order in US$ here in Dublin? Anyone from Dublin/Ireland that can help please?

Hi there everyone, just filling out and getting all my stuff together, about to send the I130 in this week hopefully (soooooooooo pumped!!!!!!!!! )... I'm currently residing in Dublin, Ireland however the fees say it's $410. Does it matter if it's a money order in Euro for the exact amount exchanged from dollars? It might be an obvious answer I just don't want to prolong this if possible, thank you!

Wow thanks guys. I didn't realize there was more than one option! Can someone explain the difference between the 2 applications/visas?

Also, I emailed London's USCIS and they replied (very quickly so I'm very impressed) even though they have jurisdiction over ROI, I still have to send the application to Chicago but the interview will be in Dublin. That saves me some stress and some much needed $$$$$$

Hi all, I've posted a while back regarding being from the US but living in Ireland with my husband of almost 3 years. I have wanted to petition my husband (who's Irish) to live/work in the US with me since we got married, but we just didn't have the savings to feel comfortable moving, especially how the economy has been the last couple of years. Well the last year we've been saving like crazy as I've finally been able to find a permanent job after being out of work for a while here! We intend on continuing to save up until Spring 2012, then apply for his visa, as we'll be a bit more financially secure to move and while we look for work in the US.

However I'm a little worried as I just logged on to research a little more and I see since 15th August 2011, any countries who do not have an USCIS office in their country, (which Ireland does not), now all I-130 applications will have to be sent to Chicago and the Embassies will no longer be dealing with them. I've copied this from travel.state.gov for you to have a look at, maybe I'm understanding it wrong???

Countries without USCIS Offices

I-130 Petitions

Notice: Effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing outside the United States will no longer be able to routinely file Forms I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with U.S. embassies and consulates. Petitioners residing overseas in countries where USCIS does not have a public counter presence will be required to file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox. As part of this change, U.S. embassies and consulates will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances.

Petitions properly filed at an embassy or consulate prior to August 15 will not be affected by this change.

If I read it correctly, will this affect the visa processing time? My mother who lives in the US will also be a joint petitioner as our income will not be enough, so not sure how that changes anything either. I've just heard that Dublin American Embassy usually gets through applications fairly quickly and now I'm worried this will set us back even longer next year. Also, will his interview still be in Dublin or will we have to fly to Chicago for it? Any advice or information is greatly appreciated!

Well you do sound like a very supportive and patient husband! She's very lucky!

I can totally relate to your wife. I know it's not the exact same scenario but I'm from the US and moved to Ireland when I married my husband who is Irish. I've been here almost 2 years and speak the same language here and I STILL get homesick. Although everyone speaks English over here and it's just right across the pond, it is still a very different culture at the end of the day. It was hard making new friends, most of them were through my husband until I started working and socializing in that way.

No one gets the silly things we do in America unless you grew up there and it just may come across as moronic lol. Like why we have to have a gallon of milk instead of 2 liters; Why we drive on the other side of the road (the right side ); why we celebrate weird holidays like Thanksgiving and always say 'Dude' or 'Duh'. However, I also found Ireland odd too because couldn't understand the Irish accent for the first few months living here, I constantly had to ask people to slow down. The food isn't the same, I really missed variety and selection I had at grocery stores back home. And I also had to relearn everything, such as how the banks here work, how the taxes work, the government, how you have to pay for grocery bags and bag your own groceries, etc. She may find it a bit weird compared to how things work in China. (It's ok if she prefers how things are in China to America, keep that in mind.)

Also, I still get excited when I meet other Americans over here, but if they're here as a student, I can see where she's coming from. When she says that foreign exchange students are 'egocentric' it may be her way of not being able to relate because although they are both from the same background, they came to the US for 2 very different reasons. As for watching TV in Chinese subtitles, again it's not the same but when I watch American shows, it makes me feel like I'm back home (thank god for Youtube ) So maybe it's her way of receiving communication in her native language because she misses it? I've met a few people from other countries that like to use their native language frequently so they don't forget it. My friend from Czech has that issue sometimes.

Anyway, just be very supportive of her and try to talk about China often so she doesn't feel like you're forgetting where she came from. America is a melting pot full of different cultures and her contribution to it may just be what will help her adjust. And remember, liking western culture without living here is not always the same when you actually move here. Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side and perhaps it's not where she wants to be forever. Living the 'American dream' isn't for everyone and I'm sad if that's the case for you and her. Hope it all works out, good luck!

Thanks!

Click on settings under your username, click on profile then click on change signature..enter your timeline, etc and save changes.

Hi I'm new to this forum and I want to put in an anniversary Daisy Path timeline but every time I put it in my signature, it just comes out as the html text! Can you help? Thanks!

Hi guys,

Thanks a million for all of the information, you don't know how much it means to me! Will definitely read up on the forum here for more details and when the time comes, I can't wait to share my process with the rest of you!

Hi Guys, I'm new to this site and I really appreciate all your help in advance! I have a couple questions about getting my husband a green card to move to America. A little bit about us:

I'm American, he's Irish. We've been together for a little over 3 years and we'll be married for 2 years in March 2011 (go us! lol) I have a Stamp 4 visa allowing me to live here for 5 years from marrying him, no questions asked. However there is no work here and I'm finding it hard to find a job here. He works full time, has held down his job since college (4 years now) no criminal history on either of us and both in good health and we do not have children as of yet. Our only problem is sponsorship...

1) Since I am not working and I have no income, would money in the bank help show we can support ourselves? If so, how much?

2) We do not have children yet, if we were to have a child before we receive the visa (that is if we don't apply right away), would the amount required go up for sponsorship? If so, by how much?

3) If my mom co-sponsors, do we have to move in with her or to her state (my home state) because we really want to move to California, this is where my husband would get a job the quickest because of his industry (events/music)?

4) Is there any other pointers you can give us for the process?

(Oh and by the way, please please please don't suggest I move back home without him, get a job and sponsor him myself. I've been separated from him before and I hated being away from him, I don't think I could do it again. Plus the waiting time would double for the visa from what I've heard.)

Again thanks in advance and don't hesitate to pry for anything I may have missed!