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Topic: Greg and Tre's advice thread  (Read 15818 times)

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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2019, 04:18:38 PM »
Hey larrabee, thanks for the reply

When you say 'application physically in the US', do you mean the machine it is submitted from needs to be in the US ie have a US IP address?
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #16 on: February 20, 2019, 04:21:45 PM »
Hey larrabee, thanks for the reply

When you say 'application physically in the US', do you mean the machine it is submitted from needs to be in the US ie have a US IP address?

Sorry, fixed my typo! I mean that the applicant needs to be physically present in the US when they submit and pay for the online application.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #17 on: February 20, 2019, 04:32:39 PM »
Hi all

Tre's been over for two months and we are now engaged :)

We're planning to get married in August.  We're going to do it in the US for the obvious reasons.  I don't think any of my family will come over due to cost and circumstances, but I have a friend living in the US who will attend. Is there a requirement for there to be someone from 'my' side? Does that person have to be family?

The rough plan is to marry in the US and spend time with Tre's family, and also come over to Europe for some time with my friends and family.  We could either get married there, and then both fly back here for some time with my family before Tre flies back home and submits the application.  The downside with that is that we'd like to do the application together.  Is it possible to effectively save a completed application so that all Tre would need to do is hit 'submit' once he got back to the US?

Alternatively he could come to Europe first and see my people, then we both go to the US to marry and then submit the application, and I'll send off my stuff once I get home.

Any thoughts from forummites on what approach makes the most sense gratefully received.  If there's some important detail we've overlooked it would be great to know as we're trying to get a chunk of planning done before Tre goes back to the US on Monday :)

I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly, but when you say you would send off your stuff once you get home, do you mean all of your supporting evidence?  And you mean when you get home to the UK?  Tre's application must be submitted from outside the UK, and he must submit his passport and the supporting evidence with it.  So he should have the supporting documents with him in the US when he applies, ready to send off as soon as he completes biometrics.  If he's going to scan them himself, that's fine, but he should have the documents in his possession and ready to go at the time that he clicks "submit" on the application.  If you keep them in the UK and he submits the application, but for whatever reason you don't get home in time or they don't reach Tre, he could end up stuck, unable to send them in within the time frame (it's within 5 or 10 days of biometrics).
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #18 on: February 20, 2019, 04:38:32 PM »
Sorry for the lack of clarity.  I live in Manchester and that is where we would live together.  I said Europe because we'd been talking about having some kind of honeymoon in mainland Europe.
Also, yes the border people have been a bit twitchy the last couple of times he came over!  We're planning that I visit him for a week in April and in May, then he's coming here for a week in June, and then whatever we decide to do in August. Then I'll visit him obviously until the visa is processed.

Sorry, I was under the impression that he fills in an online form to apply and I have to send off my documents as sponsor. Am I wrong? I need to give him my sponsor documents?
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #19 on: February 20, 2019, 04:42:41 PM »
Sorry for the lack of clarity.  I live in Manchester and that is where we would live together.  I said Europe because we'd been talking about having some kind of honeymoon in mainland Europe.
Also, yes the border people have been a bit twitchy the last couple of times he came over!  We're planning that I visit him for a week in April and in May, then he's coming here for a week in June, and then whatever we decide to do in August. Then I'll visit him obviously until the visa is processed.

Sorry, I was under the impression that he fills in an online form to apply and I have to send off my documents as sponsor. Am I wrong? I need to give him my sponsor documents?

Yeah, he (or the two of you together) fill in the online form.  Then he prints the generated application and some receipts and other documents.  Then he gathers everything, including your payslips and bank statements, tenancy agreement, etc., and submits the whole shebang, along with his passport.  So, yes, you need to give him your sponsor documents, so it's all one big package.

EDITED TO ADD:  In between clicking "submit" and sending the package off, Tre will also book and attend an appointment to submit his biometrics (have his photo taken and give fingerprints).
« Last Edit: February 20, 2019, 04:47:29 PM by jfkimberly »
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #20 on: February 20, 2019, 04:45:59 PM »
Sorry, I was under the impression that he fills in an online form to apply and I have to send off my documents as sponsor. Am I wrong? I need to give him my sponsor documents?

No, for applications made in the US, the applicant is responsible for submitting all the documents together along with their passport and application.

So he will need to have all the documents in his hands in the US and ready to go before he submits the online application.

The options for submitting the documents are:
- he mails copies of all the documents in the same package as his passport and application forms to New York, where they will be scanned and transmitted to Sheffield
Or
- he uploads the documents online to the VFS website after submitting his online application, then he mails his passport and application forms to New York
Or
- he pays $1900 extra for a Settlement Premium appointment (not recommended as it’s a waste of money) and then he takes all of his documents, plus his passport and application forms to one of the 10 Premium Centres in major US cities and he hands over all the documents in person. They will then scan the documents for him and transmit them to Sheffield for processing.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #21 on: February 20, 2019, 05:01:28 PM »
Thanks peeps

It seems easiest just to mail everything rather than upload some stuff and still have to mail other docs?

How long after submitting the application will Tre have his biometrics appointment?

Do we need to be married before completing and printing the online form?

Thanks everyone, we're learning much!
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #22 on: February 20, 2019, 05:06:28 PM »
Thanks peeps

It seems easiest just to mail everything rather than upload some stuff and still have to mail other docs?

How long after submitting the application will Tre have his biometrics appointment?

Do we need to be married before completing and printing the online form?

Thanks everyone, we're learning much!

Usually within a few days to a week. You will have to be married and have your wedding certificate in hand before you submit.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #23 on: February 20, 2019, 06:01:40 PM »
Thanks peeps

It seems easiest just to mail everything rather than upload some stuff and still have to mail other docs?

In theory, maybe, but a couple of things to consider:

- it’ll be a lot cheaper to mail just the few essential documents (passport, forms etc.) than to mail everything together... you could save $60-70 in shipping costs by uploading the documents (you’re looking at the VFS round trip shipping labels being about $80 for a package weighing up to 2lbs, but $140 for a package weighing up to 5lbs)

- New York have been making mistakes with scanning the documents to Sheffield recently, meaning that Sheffield don’t receive them all, or even don’t receive any of them. Which then means Sheffield have to contact the applicant to ask them to upload and email everything to them again (which can then delay the processing time)... but if you upload the documents yourself, hopefully this will reduce the risk of New York making scanning mistakes.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2019, 03:31:38 PM »
Awesome, thanks
Next question, regarding the biometrics appointment, is that triggered automatically once you submit the form online? Does it take you to a page where you select an appointment? Or do you just get a random appointment in the post shortly after?
G&T
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #25 on: February 23, 2019, 03:53:10 PM »
Awesome, thanks
Next question, regarding the biometrics appointment, is that triggered automatically once you submit the form online? Does it take you to a page where you select an appointment? Or do you just get a random appointment in the post shortly after?
G&T

When you submit your online application, you will be prompted to book your biometrics appointment at one of the 129 USCIS Application Support Centres across the US (do not book one at a Premium Centre as that is only for Premium Service applications).

Then you print out your appointment confirmation sheet and take it to the appointment along with your passport.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2019, 10:23:07 AM »
Hi again
Couple more questions (we're trying to put together a timeline for the fortnight in August to include a party with my family in the UK, then flying to the US with my parents, getting married, submitting the application and docs, spending a few days with my folks in Texas while we await biometrics, then completing biometrics and my folks flying home, and finally Tre and I having some time together to chill!):

How soon after the wedding will we have a certificate? Is it immediate or would we have to await for it to arrive in the post?

Current rough plan is:

Thu 1 August - Tre flies to UK, some time with me in Manchester and my family in Stoke

Sun - possible party for my family and friends in Stoke

Tue 6th fly with my parents to Texas

Wed 7th, get married

Thu 8 submit application online and book biometrics appointment for next week (there's a USCIS application support centre in San Antonio according to google maps)

Thu8-Mon12th inclusive - do various trips from San Antonio to eg Austin, Dallas, Fredericksburg, Lubbock (my Dad's a Buddy Holly fan and Lubbock is Buddy Holly's birthplace :)) - this means we can hire a car and book my parents into one hotel in San Antonio for the week so they can settle a bit

Tues13/Wed14 - in SA for biometrics, post everything off, and my folks fly home

Thu 15-Mon19 Tre and I will spend some time together before I fly home (the date I fly home will depend on if I can get an extra day or two off work)

If anyone can spot any logistical flaws that we need to iron out then please let us know :) any general advice to refine this would also greatly be appreciated.

G&T
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #27 on: March 03, 2019, 12:03:13 PM »
How soon after the wedding will we have a certificate? Is it immediate or would we have to await for it to arrive in the post?

It depends on the state/county where you are getting married. In some states you get it same-day, in others to have to wait a week or two for it to be mailed.

So, you’ll need to check with the county where you are getting married to find out what their procedures are.

You should not submit the online application until you have the marriage certificate and all your other documents in your hands and ready to mail, so that could affect your timeline a bit.


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #28 on: March 03, 2019, 01:06:42 PM »
Ah. Lubbock.  There is a statue of Buddy Holley. (Correct spelling of his name.)  They've named a street after him, I believe. The city fathers bulldozed the area of town his family lived in (the family lived on 6th street, now renamed after a basketball coach?) to move the riff-raff out. Most of that area is still vacant lots, the last I'd heard, although the stretch along University Avenue has been developed into rather bland condos and apartments.

J&M BBQ (34th street) should be on your list of "to do" things, if you like BBQ.

Not a lot else there, and it's a several-hour drive from anywhere else. We're talking maybe 8 hours at highway speed from San Antonio to Lubbock.  (It's a really big state.)  Be sure to observe the speed limits in the little towns, they are well-known for having most of the city budgets funded by speeding tickets.

If you are arriving in Lubbock the Spring, you will meet cotton-planting season, when the fields are plowed and a goodly proportion of the soil is then carried on the wind to make the residents' lives miserable. Take nasal spray, take antihistimines, and, perhaps, a particulate mask with you when you go. You might want to make a swing over to New Mexico and go to Carlsbad Caverns. Avoid El Paso.

Once away from the larger cities/towns, do not let your gas tank drop below 1/4 full. If you actually end up going in May or later, be sure to take plenty of spare water with you.

Happy Trails!


« Last Edit: March 03, 2019, 01:15:59 PM by Nan D. »


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Re: Greg and Tre's advice thread
« Reply #29 on: March 03, 2019, 03:21:19 PM »
Thanks ksand and nan :)

We're actually just discussing name change options. Neither of us has strong thoughts but we need to make a decision because if one of us wants to change we should do it before the wedding I believe?

Anyway, one option is that we just continue as Mr Frain and Mr Thompson throughout the spouse visa, FLR, ILR etc. Are there any obvious drawbacks to this that we need to bear in mind?

Other ideas we've had are:
One of us takes the other's name
Switching surnames
Picking a new surname for us both to use

I was wondering if any of these four options is the best for us, or if any are clearly a terrible idea from the point of future visa applications etc?
Thanks all
Met online: April 2017 | Met in person: March 2018 | Entered relationship: October 2018 | Engaged: Feb 2019 | Wedding: August 2019
Application package sent: 14 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd in New York: 16 Aug 2019 | Package rec'd email: 20 Aug 2019
Decision made email: 19 Sept 2019 (23WD) | Passport received (approval!) 23 Sept (25WD)


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