British Expatriate Network

Finally the big day is looming, almost 12 months, (they said it should only have been 8 )and 6 months after finger printing.

I am a marriage based applicant with 2 kids (one born since filing). I am presuming that this will be a formality - unless any of you know differently

Paul



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by Austin Powers on 2002-11-03 0441 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by Austin Powers on 2002-11-08 0252 ]</font>

The baby should make things a lot easier.

Just make sure you bring all the stuff they ask for. People do get sent away because they don't bring what they need to prove they have a valid marriage, so don't fall into this category.

The other potentially tricky area is the I-864. If this is borderline, they might ask you to jump through a few hoops.

Good luck!

Good luck, try not to act nervous!

Don't sweat it. Our guy just asked "so where d'you guys meet?" as he started stamping the various approvals and we were done in about 3 minutes.

You'll be fine, I was in the same situation as you, married based applicant with a child. I was so nervous but had nothing at all to be worried about as the lady had made up her mind before we had even got in there. She didn't even ask us any questions, she just wanted the paper work she needed and that was it.
Just make sure you take your kids birth certificates, a friend of mine was in the same situation and the immigration officer just asked to see the certificates and said that was enough proof for him as no one would have two kids together just for the sake of getting a green card!
Good Luck

Appointment was 8-30, called at 9-30 with a group of other applicants and taken from our seated waiting area into a corridor to wait, most of us standing for another hour.

The interview lasted about 5 mins. Key questions were - Am I a communist? was my wife still employed? and did I have my Son's birth certificate?

Thanks to the posters in this thread for their words of encouragement.

Paul

you still haven't said if it was successful. i hope to god it was, why is the american immigration so difficult for british people when the british immigration is so riduculously easy for americans.

if we are supposed to be the right hand of america give us the benefits that go with the lingo and the responsibility of being it!!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by Luked on 2002-11-08 0615 ]</font>

Errrr – “the british immigration is so riduculously easy for Americans.” Are you serious??? I was married to an American who joined me in the UK – IT WAS HELL. WHOLE DAYS SPENT WAITING IN A NON-AIR CONDITIONED HOME OFFICE *$#!--HOLE IN CROYDON, south London.

You are kidding – right? My American fiancée was pulled out of a line at Heathrow airport for a full medical WITHOUT ANY WARNING. Apparently this is ALWAYS DONE. I was left waiting at Heathrow for hours not knowing why she had not got through customs. At least with us Brits we got the medical before we left for the USA and by appointment.

Then there is the INSANE issue why at Heathrow the UK immigration insist that my wife and I join different lines – when I entered the USA with her, we were allowed to join the same line – IN FACT WE WERE TOLD TO!

Illegal immigration is such a big problem for a lot of countries that I suppose they have to make you all jump through hoops to 'get in'.

By the way AP what person in his right mind is going to answer yes to the communist question!!!

sorry UK_Meets_USA, let me be more clear, the actual part of applying for the immigration itself was simple, the hard part and i also experienced this was the fukking customs officials, at Gatwick, i hope they all die!! they sent my wife back to the states without any warning even though some somalians who illigally enter the country were allowed to stay, so yes i agree customs are ****e, but the actual immigration for me was easy.

What does customs have to do with anything?

UK,

Your experience with the UK side of things is totally different from ours. No medical in the airport and we both went through the foreigner's line (this is fine for British passport holders too), as it is normal for families to stick together.

At Loony House, we queued up for a while (around an hour) and handed over the paperwork. They then gave us a number and told us to return at a certain time, so we went out to lunch and a tour of the lovely Croydon eek . When we returned, we only had to wait a short time before the final interview. From arrival time to getting the PR stamp was about 5 hours total.

The immigration processes for the two countries are very similar, IMO. The actual detailed methods differ, but they are still checking out the same stuff (no medical risk, no criminal risk, valid marriage, enough money).

ameriscot where are you living now?

I've got a green card.

Actually it is easier for British or most European applicants than for those of some other nations - although I agree it only took 6 hours for the processing of the visa for my wife to come to the UK and only one year to have the restrictions removed

I would use harder/easier to compare the two systems. They are both about the same in their degree of difficulty.

Faster/slower is how they differ.