Moving To California, Tips/Advice?
Discussion
Polarbert said:
Does anyone here think its necessary to hire a lawyer to do this k1 visa? I've looked through it and I don't see what having a lawyer would add in terms of value.
The friend I mentioned earlier didn't. But I'm not sure if I would be confident in myself to confirm I had everything squared away. USCIS are notoriously picky.ETA - I think I'd probably pay someone qualified a one-off to look over everything once I had it collated. If only for peace of mind.
Edited by Famous Graham on Sunday 19th August 15:34
Famous Graham said:
Polarbert said:
Does anyone here think its necessary to hire a lawyer to do this k1 visa? I've looked through it and I don't see what having a lawyer would add in terms of value.
The friend I mentioned earlier didn't. But I'm not sure if I would be confident in myself to confirm I had everything squared away. USCIS are notoriously picky.ETA - I think I'd probably pay someone qualified a one-off to look over everything once I had it collated. If only for peace of mind.
Edited by Famous Graham on Sunday 19th August 15:34
Polarbert said:
Another question. If I get this visa, will I be able to travel to America using the VWP? Or will I have to travel on the K1?
I'm planning a trip to go and see my fiancee at the start of next year, and then going over in June time for the wedding.
It depends when it is issued and the time limit that it has.I'm planning a trip to go and see my fiancee at the start of next year, and then going over in June time for the wedding.
You may want to just go and get married "now" and have the big wedding for the benefit of relatives at some other time. You need to check into how many entries are allowed on a K1 too.
GavinPearson said:
It depends when it is issued and the time limit that it has.
You may want to just go and get married "now" and have the big wedding for the benefit of relatives at some other time. You need to check into how many entries are allowed on a K1 too.
I know a couple of couples who went the K1 route - they both ended up getting married quietly, then having the big event later, as it simplified matters.You may want to just go and get married "now" and have the big wedding for the benefit of relatives at some other time. You need to check into how many entries are allowed on a K1 too.
I think thats the idea behind our situation, I just wasn't sure about going over earlier, as it would be right in the middle of the application process and I wasn't sure how long I had to hand in my passport for, or whether I could travel using it to America, but not use the K1 visa.
I'm having real trouble trying to get my head around the shipping options. I can't seem to find anywhere that states how much it is without emailing. I have emailed a few but not gotten a reply yet. I'll be likely taking a mountain bike, a surround sound system, and some odds and ends like books, nothing major. I literally have no idea how much it is going to cost.
I'm having real trouble trying to get my head around the shipping options. I can't seem to find anywhere that states how much it is without emailing. I have emailed a few but not gotten a reply yet. I'll be likely taking a mountain bike, a surround sound system, and some odds and ends like books, nothing major. I literally have no idea how much it is going to cost.
The only thing about getting married quietly on the basis that you will do the "big wedding" later is that once you are married, you may find that you always find something better to do with the money for a big wedding. I know from experience! But if it makes K1 easier, no doubt you should do it. And there is more to life than big weddings!
For shipping, you just need to work out what sort of volume of stuff you have (cu. ft.) and call around a few international shipping agencies. You can book space in part full containers. I moved here 6 years ago and a 40ft container was about 8k GBP from Reading - Houston. We only half filled it. I assume that the other half might have been sub-let to someone else and the shipper was quids in. A 20ft container was about 5k GBP at the time. Weight of stuff is largely irrelevant for sea freight, for personal effects, as far as I know. Bear in mind that your surround system will need a transformer to work over here.
For shipping, you just need to work out what sort of volume of stuff you have (cu. ft.) and call around a few international shipping agencies. You can book space in part full containers. I moved here 6 years ago and a 40ft container was about 8k GBP from Reading - Houston. We only half filled it. I assume that the other half might have been sub-let to someone else and the shipper was quids in. A 20ft container was about 5k GBP at the time. Weight of stuff is largely irrelevant for sea freight, for personal effects, as far as I know. Bear in mind that your surround system will need a transformer to work over here.
Shippers don't 'part-out' containerized shipments of personal effects, as it then becomes difficult from a customs inspection perspective. I think you should consider having a shipper palletise and wrap your small shipment - or even send it via UPS or FedEx.
When I moved here I filled a 20' container (furniture mainly - I didn't bother with anything electrical - flogged it or gave it away before I left and started over when I arrived here).
I was lucky, but one of my colleagues' container was subject to a customs hold, where they pulled EVERYTHING out (and broke some of it) and delayed his delivery by 8 weeks - during which time we (the company) had to pay the additional storage fees - and the inspection fee and several other bullsh!t charges. You can minimize the risk of an inspection by using a conventional parcel carrier like UPS, who are incentivized to ensure that their shipments are properly screened.
When I moved here I filled a 20' container (furniture mainly - I didn't bother with anything electrical - flogged it or gave it away before I left and started over when I arrived here).
I was lucky, but one of my colleagues' container was subject to a customs hold, where they pulled EVERYTHING out (and broke some of it) and delayed his delivery by 8 weeks - during which time we (the company) had to pay the additional storage fees - and the inspection fee and several other bullsh!t charges. You can minimize the risk of an inspection by using a conventional parcel carrier like UPS, who are incentivized to ensure that their shipments are properly screened.
Some years ago I wanted to ship a number of boxes roughly 21"x21"x19" from the UK to USA, in the end I just used Fedex - there simply wasn't enough freight to justify palletisation with a shipping company or use of a 20' container.
If you have friendly family members who can store items in their loft then it may be best to bring over the freight as airline excess baggage, you are limited to the number of excess bags but paying the charges is far less than any freight company will ever charge you. We often use cardboard boxes instead of suitcases to bring presents to the UK and don't have issues with them. Store whatever you don't need immediately and bring on your next trip back.
As far as using UK electronics in the USA goes, I bought a transformer and a UK power strip and have had no issues using even 50 Hz rated items in the USA. HiFi in the USA is expensive, in many cases it is cheaper to buy in the UK and ship, so I favour the "bring everything you can" approach.
If you have friendly family members who can store items in their loft then it may be best to bring over the freight as airline excess baggage, you are limited to the number of excess bags but paying the charges is far less than any freight company will ever charge you. We often use cardboard boxes instead of suitcases to bring presents to the UK and don't have issues with them. Store whatever you don't need immediately and bring on your next trip back.
As far as using UK electronics in the USA goes, I bought a transformer and a UK power strip and have had no issues using even 50 Hz rated items in the USA. HiFi in the USA is expensive, in many cases it is cheaper to buy in the UK and ship, so I favour the "bring everything you can" approach.
The latest is that I'm going to leave the surround system here, probably selling it, and my mountain bike too.
I got a quote from movecorp for £525 from Nottingham to San Diego, which was for a 40 cubic foot space. Shipping took 8-12 weeks. Does that seem like a reasonable price? I'm just trying to establish a price without the bike and the speakers.
I got a quote from movecorp for £525 from Nottingham to San Diego, which was for a 40 cubic foot space. Shipping took 8-12 weeks. Does that seem like a reasonable price? I'm just trying to establish a price without the bike and the speakers.
Polarbert said:
The latest is that I'm going to leave the surround system here, probably selling it, and my mountain bike too.
I got a quote from movecorp for £525 from Nottingham to San Diego, which was for a 40 cubic foot space. Shipping took 8-12 weeks. Does that seem like a reasonable price? I'm just trying to establish a price without the bike and the speakers.
Sounds reasonable to me.I got a quote from movecorp for £525 from Nottingham to San Diego, which was for a 40 cubic foot space. Shipping took 8-12 weeks. Does that seem like a reasonable price? I'm just trying to establish a price without the bike and the speakers.
But I wouldn't sell the surround system and I would take the mountain bike on the plane as luggage.
Depends on the system tbh. I bought an excellent Onkyo 7.1 set here for $400. Granted, top-end audio does seem to enjoy a competitive price in the UK, but for your common or garden 5/7:1 setup here, it ain't gonna break the bank.
TVs are wonderfully cheap for what would be considered large back home. Anything less than 50 inch and the yanks just don't want to know
As I mentioned earlier, I would sell, or get friends/family to store, everything you don't bring across. Avoid storage. You'll end up putting off the larger cost to get it shipped, then find yourself wondering 6 months later why you didn't do it as it would have worked out a lot cheaper.
Although it does make you realise what you really want to keep. There's only one box in my 50 gbp a month place that I really want. And, ironically, it'll be the hardest thing to bring over (deactivated Sterling machine gun, with a tank scope on the top and cut down mag - aka a Stormtrooper E11 Blaster from Empire Strikes Back)
TVs are wonderfully cheap for what would be considered large back home. Anything less than 50 inch and the yanks just don't want to know
As I mentioned earlier, I would sell, or get friends/family to store, everything you don't bring across. Avoid storage. You'll end up putting off the larger cost to get it shipped, then find yourself wondering 6 months later why you didn't do it as it would have worked out a lot cheaper.
Although it does make you realise what you really want to keep. There's only one box in my 50 gbp a month place that I really want. And, ironically, it'll be the hardest thing to bring over (deactivated Sterling machine gun, with a tank scope on the top and cut down mag - aka a Stormtrooper E11 Blaster from Empire Strikes Back)
Edited by Famous Graham on Friday 24th August 04:40
Not sure about other aspects of moving, as I was quite young at the time, but I moved to CA with my family and distinctly remember it taking 7 years to get my green card (permanent resident card). Not to mention almost $10,000 in lawyer fees, a trip to get my 'biometrics' re-taken every 6 months, and an eventual transfer from the Bay Area processing office to one somewhere in Nevada...
On the flip side though, it seems that once the applications are under way you don't need to worry about getting kicked back out due to expired visas etc. I seem to remember something about 'applied for permanent residency' status...
On the flip side though, it seems that once the applications are under way you don't need to worry about getting kicked back out due to expired visas etc. I seem to remember something about 'applied for permanent residency' status...
Its nothing too fancy, its a seperates system, featuring some £500 Wharfdale floorstanders, £80 Eltax surround speakers, and an £150 Aiwa AV amplifier.
I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
Polarbert said:
Its nothing too fancy, its a seperates system, featuring some £500 Wharfdale floorstanders, £80 Eltax surround speakers, and an £150 Aiwa AV amplifier.
I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
The speakers will still work in the US, but you're better off buying a new amp over here.I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
Polarbert said:
Its nothing too fancy, its a seperates system, featuring some £500 Wharfdale floorstanders, £80 Eltax surround speakers, and an £150 Aiwa AV amplifier.
I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
Go onto Craigslist and look at what it will take to find what you own, then figure out what it will take in terms of time and money to buy all that stuff secondhand not to mention the cost of travel.I'm thinking now that I just might sell as much as I can. And bring things over in an extra suitcase on my flight or something.
With regards to the visa the three issues in my mind are making sure that the application is filled out correctly, providing enough evidence of the relationship, and the affadavit of support, which I've found out I don't need to submit until I have the interview at the embassy.
My fiancee wants to get a lawyer, but I'm hoping that we'll just be able to pay one to look over the application. I don't see what value they could add besides advice for the other things as they wouldn't really have much control over them.
It really will be cheaper to box the lot up and bring it as excess baggage.
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