Yay! I got my visa! (Do NOT open if you hate ME or self-congratulatory threads)

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Yay for me! FINALLY, after more than a year of waiting it is done. I am an honorary (see what I did there, with the spelling????) American. I have spent the entire morning being interviewed, processed, "controlled", x-rayed, felt up (yes!) by doctors, blood tested, and sat in many many identical and soulless waiting rooms. but now...I have it! Just a bit of paper, but WHAT a piece of paper, in it's almost cosmically immeasurable symbolic weight. I now have free reign to sell all of my stuff on ebay, book flights, and cultivate an accent, perhaps South Carolina? EXcellent.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.immigrantsforamerica.com/images/proud%20to%20be%20an%20american.jpg

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.av8rstuff.com/gifs/oefcolors.JPG

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

heh "colors"

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

How much did this whole process cost, Nord? (I may be having to go through the same thing in a year or so...)

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

"Gee", thanks, JBR. errr "Awesome", "tubular" etc.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Gettin hitched, Jerry? Or moving by other means?

Well, it isn't cheap, and it takes a loooong time. But worth it, of course. ;)

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Actual visa cost me $350, but medical costs about £200, plus getting all materials (birth certificates, police records, references, tax details, etc) ready and notarized is expensive and time-consuming.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Possibly hitched, yes.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Does anyone want to buy a green card? I won't be needing it... uuhhh, it might help if you were female and blonde haired and green eyed and 5'8" and errmmm... have the same fingerprints as me!

I was thinking of going to the US Embassy next time there is a protest and handing it back to them, saying "Actually, I've changed my mind, I don't want to be part of yer country..."

But congratulations, Nordicskillz, them citizenship tests are HARD!

― kate, Friday, 4 April 2003 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Well done, my fellow American!

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

congrats!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Errr, thanks Kate? :)

Without wanting to be cheesy (god help me), I'm doing it for luv...

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Just like Bryan Adams!

― Nicole (Nicole), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

But NOT Meatloaf, he has limits.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:48 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.jfp.co.uk/JFPHOTO/BRYAN%20ADAMS%20EXPERIENCE%2018.JPG
Just for shits and giggles

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, but what about the places that don't take Visa? What'll you do then?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

My credit's good the world over. I have a tab behind the pan-global bar. I need only to nod to the maitre'd in the restaurant of life, and I will be eating at the chef's table.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

mumble mumble mumble. Sorry, excited, and lots of caffeine. Not making sense.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Congratulations!

And Kate keep that Green Card for touring or something.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:06 (twenty-two years ago)

That "something" should be smuggling game hens.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

or gamey hams.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Or signing up to fight the evil Republican Guard.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Welcome, Nordicskillz, to AMERICA! Enjoy your freedom of speech, religion, protest, etc, etc. while we still got it!

And remember, it's called soccer over here. ;-)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks nickalicious-there is absolutely NO way I will be using THAT word, though. AND I'll have to watch Euro 2004 at like, six in the morning. Damn.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Hurrah for Nordicskillz! Now here's hoping Nichole can get her own visa problem settled!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 4 April 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

What's up, Nicole?

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Just be prepared for the culture-shock with American football fans. BTW, I generally call it football too, considering it's a game where the BALL is manipulated with the FEET, unlike the vast majority of the time in the American spin-off (save field goals & kickoffs).

But culture shock, imho, is always a VERY GOOD THING.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

(Well, so long as violence doesn't ensue.)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I like ice hockey! But then that's "Canadian", isn't it? My uncle took me to see the Miami tigers (?) when I was a kid. Any good teams in the Bay Area?-Sorry, woefully offtopic.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Jerry the Nipper is going to become one of us? Do tell.

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 4 April 2003 15:17 (twenty-two years ago)

how long does a visa last? like, if I ever went to the USA I'd go for a while, coz I'm taking the boat you see.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 4 April 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

and I thought this thread was going to be about Visa cards, I still only have a poxy Electron, I must stop only using cash money.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 4 April 2003 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.winnebagoind.com/images/recVehicles/recIndex/ulTb.jpg

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 4 April 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

did you show them your proof of RV ownership?

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 4 April 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I must have more of these Yankee accoutrements.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.3dflags.com/assets/XV21AE/gif/2/u/3dflagsdotcom_usa_2fawl.gif

Congrats!

― luna (luna.c), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Nordic, did you get married? It took over a year? Sheesh.

― Mandee, Friday, 4 April 2003 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

No, Mandee, I'm engaged. But it took over a year to apply for and get my visa - the wedding's in the states.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Yay, now you can wear one of these scary pins!
http://static.zoovy.com/img/uspins/-/r194_350

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I've pointed out before that a much more apt name for that dull game the Americans call football (or for rugby) would be 'handoval'. It seems not to be catching on yet.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't Sope Handoval sing lead in Mazzy Star?

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

No, he's on the front line for the Tigers. The, errrrr, Wichita Tigers.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't Sope Handoval sing lead in Mazzy Star?

Soaping Hope Sandoval = a vast number of ILXors' secret fantasy.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

No, he's on the front line for the Tigers. The, errrrr, Wichita Tigers.

How do we know he's *not* Mel Torme?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.military-graphics.com/LOVEITLEAVEIT.png

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

http://fp.collectiblestoday.com/images/product/280/0912316001.jpg

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

And only hours after the elation, reality sets in.

Thump.

I went into my room, looked around at all my worldly possessions - books, probably a couple thousand cds, mac stuff, all of it has to be moved across the ocean (water, mortal enemy to the collector of THINGS), into my future in-laws basement in Chicago, and then much later, all the way over to the West Coast. The logistics, quite frankly, are terrifying.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Soaping Hope Sandoval = a vast number of ILXors' secret fantasy.

Nothing "secret" about it whatsoevah...I wear my Hope Sandoval fetishization like a badge of hetero-honor.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Me too.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, my pic was a little offtopic. Congratulations Nordicskillz! Your move will give you the chance to streamline your stuff collection. It's a good feeling when you're done.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

NOO! Spencer, Must. Keep. Stuff.

"From my cold dead hand!"

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The only thing you need to take to the USA is your Hummel collection. You DO have one, right?

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 4 April 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

JODY I KISS YOU!!!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Hope Sandoval goes good with incense.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Friday, 4 April 2003 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

What makes her go bad? ;-)

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 4 April 2003 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought that same thing...I mean, Hope Sandoval could be standing in a 3 foot tall pile of rancid cat poop singing the Sesame Street theme and still be the sexiest thing since sex itself.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 4 April 2003 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmm... Cat poop... Not sexy.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 4 April 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmmmm. how many american flags on one post is too many?

― thuddd (thuddd), Saturday, 5 April 2003 10:49 (twenty-two years ago)

None. Suck it up!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Saturday, 5 April 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

eight months pass...

The other day, a girl asked me if I was from Rhode Island. How's that for assimilation?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 11 December 2003 19:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Put the gun down, it's not worth it, nobody really feels that way about you.

― TOMBOT, Thursday, 11 December 2003 19:53 (twenty-one years ago)

You are aware of how fucked-up people from Rhode Island talk, right?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 11 December 2003 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

it's the haircut

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 11 December 2003 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

http://collections2.eeb.uconn.edu/collections/insects/ribf/siteimages/ribftitlepg.jpg

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 11 December 2003 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

it's the haircut

You're just obsessed with my hair, aren't you?

Maybe I'll move to Providence to be with my people.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 11 December 2003 20:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Providence is closed on Sundays. Downtown Providence on a Sunday afternoon was the most closed I've ever seen a city be. Even the McDonald's were closed!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 11 December 2003 20:42 (twenty-one years ago)

what ever happened to jon williams?

― kephm, Thursday, 11 December 2003 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

gygax ate him.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 11 December 2003 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

must of been geek love.

― kephm, Thursday, 11 December 2003 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

four weeks pass...

haha, belated congrats NS@!

JW went back to school. he is so dreamy.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 8 January 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

So, today I saw a Hummer parked on Shattuck and thought "yes, that is a good idea".

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 11 April 2004 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

You are now a real American.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 11 April 2004 01:09 (twenty-one years ago)

*sniff*

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 11 April 2004 01:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Shopping in sandals also seems perfectly natural to me now.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 11 April 2004 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm practically Richard fucking Gere!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 11 April 2004 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.petoffice.co.jp/mbl/ph/zukan/mini300jpg/gerbil.jpg

"Just be careful in there"

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 11 April 2004 02:45 (twenty-one years ago)

welcome to the most hated demographic in the world. enjoy your stay.

― sdafas, Sunday, 11 April 2004 03:33 (twenty-one years ago)

DB I kiss you

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 11 April 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

Can any ilx0rs give me some basic info on working in the US? I am a Britisher married to another Britisher. There's a small possibility my husband will be offered a job with a new company in the US. If we go, am I allowed to work, and how long for? What do I need to apply for? Is it expensive?
And are you meant to tip in the US, or what? (Ignore that bit)

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 21:52 (sixteen years ago)

i've just webmailed you :)

― just1n3, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:10 (sixteen years ago)

Ooh, thanks! I've been finding it particularly hard to find stuff online that you don't already need to know stuff to understand :)

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:21 (sixteen years ago)

it's a slow process, getting to understand all the forms/processes/visa-types/jargon. basically, my only advice is to READ READ READ. i just browse through visa forums and websites, and i've slowly been absorbing info for the last year.

i think my email address appears as part of the webmail, so feel free to email me anytime if you have questions about anything. i don't know much about work visas, but i may be able to point you in the right direction.

― just1n3, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:26 (sixteen years ago)

you need to know what visa your husband is coming in on, because there are too many places for you to look if you don't. that will help determine whether you can work.

― straight b*tch (harbl), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:33 (sixteen years ago)

(pedantic note: your email doesn't show up as part of the ILX webmail, so if you are trying to contact and get a reply using the ilx mailrobot, put your email somewhere in the message. ok, carry on.)

― From Rax to Rich's (jjjusten), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:37 (sixteen years ago)

by that i mean like there are certain visas he could be using that would allow you to work, and others where you couldn't. i think if he has H-1B you can't unless you have way of getting your own visa independent of being his wife. xp

― straight b*tch (harbl), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:37 (sixteen years ago)

He thinks it would be H-1B so looks like just being a dependent on an H4 means I'm not allowed to work. I guess it's possible I could seek work over there with a company that's prepared to get me a visa(!) but I know that most jobs I've seen advertised here say you need a work permit to apply - so I would imagine it would be similar over there.

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 22:41 (sixteen years ago)

xxxpost yeah i already mentioned a site that will help her figure that out

is the email a new thing? im sure user emails used to show up if you webmailed someone

― just1n3, Thursday, 12 February 2009 00:03 (sixteen years ago)

Hey - this might be the site Justine's already pointed you in the direction of but just in case:

http://visajourney.com/forums/index.php?act=home

This was very helpful for us when we were trying to figure out my husband's visa stuff.

Justine - what's your status now? I can't remember if you came in on a K-1 or not. Will you have to go back to NZ for a while after the wedding?

― Too Into Dancing to Argue (ENBB), Thursday, 12 February 2009 00:08 (sixteen years ago)

any way your husband could finesse his potential employers into making his visa one that is work-friendly for you? like, make it part of his hiring package?

― gangsa paradise (tehresa), Thursday, 12 February 2009 00:16 (sixteen years ago)

erica: still here on a J-1 visa, haven't decided what path we're going down yet... may get legally married in the next couple of months so we adjust status while i remain in the US, or we may go K-1 (which will mean about 6 months apart ;_;)

― just1n3, Thursday, 12 February 2009 01:01 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

Do we have any visa experts on ILX?
I am on an H-4, cannot do paid work, fine.
Have been looking into what unpaid work I can do - apart from soup kitchens etc. It seems pretty clear than I can't do any unpaid internship at a for-profit company - as these are normally paid and I would be taking a paid internship away from a proper American. OK.

But what about unpaid internships at non-profits? I assumed this would get classed as voluntary work but looking at some googled forums
(e.g. http://murthyforum.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1024039761&f=4234032861&m=6101067881 )

it's not too clear. I have approached a NPO to do unpaid work experience/internship and they are keen but it seems the difference between voluntary work and unpaid internship is a big deal.

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:10 (fifteen years ago)

three years pass...

got my j-1 interview tomorrow. no usb sticks in the consulate!

― caek, Sunday, 28 April 2013 23:11 (twelve years ago)

http://i.minus.com/ir2L7ItGHI4KA.png

say what you like about me but

― caek, Monday, 29 April 2013 06:28 (twelve years ago)

ha, an interim denial pending further processing. the "family emergency" of the state department.

― caek, Tuesday, 30 April 2013 23:12 (twelve years ago)

one month passes...

"could you tell me the status of my visa application, which was selected for further administrative processing?"

"it was selected for further administrative processing."

"thanks."

― caek, Friday, 31 May 2013 09:24 (twelve years ago)

three weeks pass...

i got my visa!

good luck usa

― caek, Saturday, 22 June 2013 10:25 (eleven years ago)

one month passes...

would like to note here that after all that visa deep background check stuff i have now been selected for tsa pre✓

are the tsa and immigration run by the same people who run the banks here?

― caek, Monday, 29 July 2013 21:51 (eleven years ago)

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