Finally legal here in the states

galwaydude

I got an email from immigration yesterday stating that a welcome notice has been mailed, meaning i will get my permanent residence greencard in the next week.

Finally after 7 months of going through immigration hell we can relax and start our lives in the states. Last month i started a new job in boston so all is going well now. If anyone has any questions regarding moving to the states fire away.

Gandhi

Congratulations!!! Now that you have it you will probably decide that you want to move back home....

Ruu_Old

Good stuff galwaydude, glad you got it sorted out and well deserved. Moving into our new gaff on December 1st, things are beginning to pick up at last.

galwaydude

Gandhi wrote:

Congratulations!!! Now that you have it you will probably decide that you want to move back home....

HAHA i dont think so. Things are picking up here. Its alot easier when you have two wage packets coming in instead of one for the past 6 months. Things are lot cheaper here than in ireland apart from health insurance of course.

We are moving into a 2 bedroom condo in 2 weeks and have the option of buying in 4 months so it doesnt make sense to move back to ireland in the near future.

Congrats Ruu things are certainly moving in the right direction now for both of us. You are heading home soon for a week arent you? Hope you have a great time back.

Ruu_Old

Cheers, yep November 11th, not far away now. The calm before the storm really, going to be a hectic few months ahead but worth it.

galwaydude

Buying a house/apartment is alway like that but its a good investment. The prices here in ma are low at the moment in some places. I just checked the ticket prices for when we are going home and now they are 1100 dollars each return:eek:

Ruu_Old

I reckon we got a bit of a steal with ours, 4 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, massive back yard. Its a pretty big house, quiet neighbourhood just outside of town, in great condition throughout (has been inspected) for $88,000.:eek:

galwaydude

:eek: :eek: bloody hell. Thats a bargain price ruu.
Well done

eiretamicha

Congrats, GalwayDude! My Aidan also passed his interview last week and got his welcome notice in the mail a few days ago. Hopefully having his greencard will speed things along for him in regards to getting a job so we can save some cash and move back!

And Ruu...omg...I can't believe you got that kind of a deal on such an awesome-sounding house. Congratulations!! That's less than what my mom paid for her 2 bedroom/2 bathroom house over five years ago! Her house is worth about $200,000 now. In Florida, barely surviving in an itty bitty rental house is proving almost impossible...I couldn't imagine actually having the resources to be able to afford a house here.

Ajos

Ruu wrote:

I reckon we got a bit of a steal with ours, 4 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, massive back yard. Its a pretty big house, quiet neighbourhood just outside of town, in great condition throughout (has been inspected) for $88,000.:eek:

Wow! I'm thinking about laying down $270,000 for a one bedroom apartment in a Co-op in Brooklyn!

New York, New York - so good they charged for it three or four times.

Ruu_Old

Thanks guys, was very lucky with this one. Even the real estate agents believe we got a great deal and even if we wanted to move out in a few years, its great market value because of the size of the property. Similar prices around town I have to say. Don't fancy paying circa $270,000, phew.

Tall Tom

Congratulations on getting your card.

ugly

well done man on the green card - what route did you go to get it

ruu thats a great price for a house that size - where abouts are you?

Random

How'd you go about getting your green card? Marraige or ?

(forgive me if I'm only just catching up on an old story here ..)

Ruu_Old

ugly wrote:

well done man on the green card - what route did you go to get it

ruu thats a great price for a house that size - where abouts are you?

Central Illinois, prices aren't that far off the one we got around the area.:)

ciaranfo, there are a few ways but very difficult to get it. Marriage is one, the DV lottery is another or get a company to sponsor you.

joebhoy1916

galwaydude wrote:

Finally after 7 months of going through immigration hell we can relax and start our lives in the states. Last month i started a new job in boston so all is going well now. If anyone has any questions regarding moving to the states fire away.

I was talki8ng to mate who was thinking about going just for a few months see what its like he was saying he can get return ticket there is some place in Boston that the irish go too and they get them work is that true?

FatherTed

Congrats to galwaydude on getting your paperwork sorted out. I'm sure it's a load off your ming.

And Ruu, well done on your purchase. You can't really go wrong with that. I wish prices were that low around here.

ugly

joebhoy1916 wrote:

I was talki8ng to mate who was thinking about going just for a few months see what its like he was saying he can get return ticket there is some place in Boston that the irish go too and they get them work is that true?

it really is all about who you know and who they know - well thats the construction biz in new york from what I've seen

ugly

Ruu wrote:

Central Illinois, prices aren't that far off the one we got around the area.:)

ciaranfo, there are a few ways but very difficult to get it. Marriage is one, the DV lottery is another or get a company to sponsor you.

wow great price best of luck -so wher abouts in the royal county are ye from?

Ruu_Old

Oldcastle, "that feckin dump over the big mountain" or Auldcastle to the locals. Its a new home for many Dubs.

galwaydude

Not far from when you travel back to the homestead. We will be heading back on the 16th of dec, cant wait.

Fenster

Congratulations. Hopefully our paperwork won't be much longer.

ugly

Ruu wrote:

Oldcastle, "that feckin dump over the big mountain" or Auldcastle to the locals. Its a new home for many Dubs.

kells man meself but I did work in dromone for a few years thats pretty close to you oldcastle is also the only place me and me buddys would go out on sessions when we were sixteen -go on the tunnell

Ruu_Old

^ Ah the tunnel, memories. I was regular there and used to help out while, Steve Cooper was in there and in Shane O'Donoghues time there also.:)

MogwaiFearSatan

congrats on the GC. it'll take a while before you stop looking over you shoulder.

Abbey Lass

galwaydude wrote:

I got an email from immigration yesterday stating that a welcome notice has been mailed, meaning i will get my permanent residence greencard in the next week.

Finally after 7 months of going through immigration hell we can relax and start our lives in the states. Last month i started a new job in boston so all is going well now. If anyone has any questions regarding moving to the states fire away.

Congrats Dude on Green Card. I have just passed the 1 year mark and I am happy enough here in VA, miss home though especially at this time of the year. I wont be going home for a few more years though, to much on my plate here for now. Hubby is going back to college for the next 2 years and I am doing a realtor's course. I hope to god I can get on with one of the bigger companys so we can relocate out west. One thing can still be said for America, lots of opportunities if you take them.

Congrats Ruu on the new house, I hope it will be a lucky home for you.

Ruu_Old

Thanks Abbey Lass, closing the deal today, stress level at an all time high for Ruu.

SoBe

congrats galwaydude,just about to start the same process here myself,not looking forward to it at all,any tips or advice you have for me would be very much apreciated

Ruu_Old

What kind of visa you are going for, SoBe? I can try and help you if you wish. I went through the process before.

SoBe

hi ruu,ill be going over on the k visa for a fiance.looking around the net and its gona be a long process from what i see so any tips and advice is always gladly accepted

Ruu_Old

You are still living in Ireland right now I assume? Yeah it is a very long and expensive process but as long as you have the forms in order, the right stuff for your interview when you are called then you have nothing to worry about. Don't feel threatened by the staff in the embassy, it might make you feel a bit uneasy but they are just doing their job and have to do it right. Have you started the process yet? If you would rather discuss over PM let me know.

galwaydude

Your best bet is get married in ireland and then apply for the spouse visa through the US embassey in dublin. Once you get the visa you can work straight away once you land in the states. Thats of course if your fiance is in ireland or willing to get married there.

The K1 is a long, expensive and painfull process. Be prepared for 6 months of poverty whilst waiting for your EAD card to come through etc. I started the process in may and its only now that things are falling into place. All our wedding money and life savings were wiped out due to the financial strain of having only one person working. In saying that its the best feeling in the world once you can work and you get your GC.

Sorry for the downer, just the reality in moving over here but in saying that life is great now so it was worth it.