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I've been a bit absent - it's hard to get a really clear internet
connection from cloud 9.... Yes you
still have to take your chest x-ray, yes marmite is essential to
civilised life, no I didn't do a thumb print or have a photo taken - I
think that comes later with K1s.... and the pirates were there - but
they were hiding - they're good at that. They paint their toenails red
and hide in the cherry trees.... So, onward...... Went down to the Catholic Charities office (same building as INS in
Dallas) for a $30 consultation re adjusting status. They are great
people but take terrible photos that make you look like an escaped con
with a learning disability - oh well - $10 dollars for 2 adit spec snaps
for anyone interested. Catholic Charities is an immigration counseling service based at 5415
Maple Avenue Suite 400, Dallas, Tx 75235. Phone - 214-634-7182. Fax - 214-634-2531. This is how it works. For your first consultation you queue early early (get there by 6.30 at latest) and get a ticket and wait for
consultation. Unless, of course, your gorgeous hubbie, who insists his
mission in life is to spoil you rotten, does the queueing for you while
you and your girls breakfast with his Papa. Hash bowns - argh
eurum slurp - I have tried 4 different sorts so
far and I like them all best! When you've eaten as much as you can, and chewed the fat with Papa, you
mosey on down to CC, where hubbie has been patiently waiting, and they
run through everything you need for AOS and use a red flag questionnaire - the questions show up anything that might cause you problems. Using
them is probably a luxury for Garth and myself as the woman we saw said
our case was completely straightforward - but if you have anything
unusual in your case they're well worth seeing if you can't afford or
find a good immigration lawyer. You can go away after the $30 consultation and file your own case if you
want - they tell you absolutely everything then anyway. They're not
making money - it's a charity - just doing what they can to help and
covering their costs. If you want to use them to file you pay more than
the initial $30 next time you go. Here's why we've chosen to do that: When they take your case they do all the form filling - on computer -
ordering of docs (easy enough, I agree) BUT they also keep tabs on your
case and if a problem comes up, or you slow right down, they fight your
corner and you don't have to pay again for the privilege. We see it as
an insurance policy. They know what they're doing - they do this all day
everyday. And they're right next door to the INS and seem to have very
good communication lines open. I mentioned the problems reported on the website about people not
getting their AOS stamps right away at interview. She said they had a
meeting with INS just two days earlier about that very thing and were
told the problem should be straightened out in the next week or two. I
like the fact they seem to have an 'in' with the INS and talk regularly
with them. Another interesting point. We may not have to wait too long for an
interview. I was expecting at least 18 months. This woman told me that,
though she couldn't give guarantees because you never know with INS,
based on the cases she's been working on recently we should get
conditional residency in between 3-6 months!! I didn't realise that K1s
don't just get their visas faster than K3s, they also get through AOS
much quicker, according to this woman. Catholic Charities file your case
on the computer so maybe their stuff moves faster that way - I don't
know... Watch this space... OK Here's the crunch - we have to pay $850 for this service - though
that's 500 more than a couple without children would pay. Broken down
that's 350 for my AOS and EAD and 250 each for AOS for the children. So - not a whole lot if you're just one person rather than 3. It's worth it
to us just not to have to worry, to let someone else do that, even
though money is tight. For us, it's money well spent. The full bill,
including INS fees for fingerprinting, EAD, and AOS for me and the two
girls, plus the Catholic Charities fee, comes to 5 dollars short of $1600, which seems a lot altogether but we have the CHristmas lights,
the bikes for the girls (thank you, mum!), a vast reservoir of red, red
wine and the price of a turkey and an orange to stick up its bottom so
we're going for it. (if you've never cooked a turkey with an orange up
its bottom you haven't lived - ner!) You only have to queue the first time you go down to CC. Once they've
opened a file for you you can ring for an appointment. We're hoping to
go down on MOnday 23 December to file and I'll post how it goes.... Meanwhile, back at the ranch.... bits and pieces for anyone dealing with
similar stuff just in case it helps.. Insurance - this looked like being difficult as we needed SSNs to get on
the policy but the insurance company has assigned us temporary SSNs till
we get the real thing - said they could do this because we're
dependants... I don't really understand what they're doing here but I
ain't about to look a gift horse in the mouth! The message they sent via
Human Resources was - we're doing this - but get proper SSNs to us as
soon as you can... School - talked to the girls' school today. To enrol they need:
enrollment form, immunisation certs, a copy of the lease to prove the
girls are resident in the right area (we just got on the lease
yesterday) and, of course, SSNs!!! I babbled a bit about that and they
said just get it to us when you can. The school nurse was lovely, fine
about the fact the girls have only had one MMR and two Hep Bs - said she
would look at their charts and send us a note when they were due for
their next jabs. I also got the girls' old schools to provide reports,
which they were grateful for. The girls are very bright and were both
working a year ahead of their school years in England and while that
might sound great, Garth's mum (teacher) was worried they would end up
in classes above their age groups and find that difficult. It wasn't a
problem in England because we were in small village schools where two
year groups were in the same classroom together so it wasn't too
noticeable - the girls, along with other bright kids, just worked with
the older children but in the same room. So everyone got to play
together. Of course I want my kids to do well but it's more important
that they're settled and happy and playing with their peers. Garth's mum
said if this issue comes up (it might not) we could request an
accelerated programme which, if I understand correctly, means they get
to work with their peers but just sometimes get different work to do.
That's got to be a better deal than being landed in a class of older
children... I don't even know whether it's going to come up but it
sounded a good suggestion for anyone facing that particular problem so I
thought I'd mention it... Mmmm what else, well for anyone shivering in England I'll just mention
the girls swam in the pool outside here today and we're enjoying the
Christmas sunshine - We went to see Santa and Lizzy said
he was definitely the REAL one because he knew all the Rudolph song
and sang it with them and most Santas ask you for money and give you
something daft. Also this one had big red cheeks and ho ho ho'd
exactly right. The pirates have very good disguises here in Dallas - you have to look
very closely to spot them..... My best friend told me to stop gushing - so I'm trying... I don't think
I've gushed muchly in this mail. Haven't droned on and on and on and on
about how disgustingly happy and blessed we all are and haven't started
singing Moody Blues song to yall, now have I? |
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...Howdy...Scarlett and family....what a great Christmas you will have!
And if y'all get tired of all that sunshine, just mosey on up to
Illinois we will give you some showers and perhaps a bit of snow..... |
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