Forts17

As far as I know, I need a DS-230 Part 1 and Part 2, which will be sent
to me by the Sydney Consulate (and I know I should use their forms even
though I got these right off the State Dept. Webpage - the consulate
uses a blooming 900 number!), as well as an I-130 (which I know I can
get and have gotten from the internet) and the G-325 biographic sheets
for the both of us 2 copies.each I believe.

We need to fly to Sydney to get this done, we are in Brisbane (and
Sydney IS our consulate office) and it is about 600 miles away. We want
to get this done in one trip for obvious reasons.

What will the cost be, and am I forgetting health/police checks
perchance? (They don't seem required for marriage visas unless I am
missing something.) Also, my wife (the applicant) has had a 3-year ban
for overstaying more than 100-whatever days but less than one year in
which she left voluntarily without any charges brought against her
whatsoever. Is that going to throw in a monkey wrench that would
require extra forms/pay? Amazingly in the wording of the DS-230 she
doesn't have to disclose it (unless it was still active) - it will be
discovered in the biographic data though, and do not have any intent
whatsoever of lying to consular officials.

Noorah101

As for the cost of the visa itself, I believe it runs around $100 USD. Yes, the applicant will need to get a medical done by an approved physician, and also a police report. The instructions for those should be in her visa application package which comes from the consulate.

If the 3 years is over now, there shouldn't be any problem. If the 3 years isn't over yet, it could be a problem.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Forts17

Again, my questions are:

1) How much does the *ENTIRE* DCF cost not including police and medical
checks, assuming that we are on our own to get the health checks,
unless those are done (and paid for) after she enters the USA, if
that's the case it isn't important right now.

2) How does the system work for DCF (i.e. how many trips to the
consulate and waiting time etc.) and is it possible to do in one trip
to Sydney, which is over 600 miles away from where we live and work.

To elaborate:

I need to know exactly how much the entire DCF costs i.e. from the
consulate - the 2 DS-230s and the I-130 (far from $100 I can say with
fair certainty! That is perhaps the visa issuance fee,) and what the
health exam requires and thus how much I can expect it to cost (I
needed a psych evaluation pushing the cost through the roof.) The
police checks are under $50 here. They were under $50 in the USA too,
and she's going to need one from there as she was there over one
year...or does she? I assume (probably correctly) that she does.

I also want to get this done quickly (get a head-start) and do it in
one trip to the consulate's city as it is 600 miles away and haven't
gotten any advice on how that works yet.

As I said, the ban is *over*, and was the short (3-year) one (assuming
the systems caught it, but we have no intention of lying), and she
departed of her own will without any preceedings against her. As such,
none of the red-flag loaded questions on the DS-230s are "yes". It will
only show up on her biographic data.

Does anyone know where I can get these forms for health and police
checks (I have already gotten one for myself from the Australian
Federal Police so I could apply here and it was not difficult or
lengthy; the health checks on the other hand were a pain in the ass,
the medical system, while giving free for everyone health coverage via
medicare, leaves much to be desired.)

Noorah101

Perhaps this link will help answer some of your questions: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/lo...x.php/t64.html

Rene

Rete

Then go to the US Consulate's website in Sydney and look it up. We are not your personal researchers. Take some responsibility please.

meauxna

Forts:
You'll find that the Sydney Consulate has an instructions document that answers many of your questions. Pay attention to the 'walk in' dates option there. I believe it is still possible to do the petition and visa application in one day, if you have everything prepared.
Note that the process changed in Australia this summer, so don't read outdated reports or guides.

The 'entire DCF' could mean 1) just the I-130 filing or include many other things. There is no bottom line $$ amount to give you.

You can look up the current cost for any form at uscis.gov--they are the most up to date forms and fees--the ones in the WEBPAGE INSTRUCTIONS that is. The forms often have incorrect fee or mailing information printed--check the 'special instructions' section of the download pages.

Other costs I factored into my case:
Divorce Decree
Police Record UK
Police Record Greece
Military Record (no charge)
photocopies + binder materials 7/22
Photos (both) I-130
Petition I-130
FedEx Corrections RFE marriage cert
Photocopies 4/15
NEW Greek Police Cert (requirement changed midcase)
Medical Exam
IV photos
Immigrant Visa Application DS-230

I've taken out the ticket and travel expenses for the FOUR cross country trips we had to make for our case (count your blessings).

You need to search for experience posts for YOUR local doctor visit--costs vary, even from clinic to clinic and must be done by a panel doc designated by the Embassy. Details at their website.

A US police certificate is not required.
Australian police checks for the US Embassy are detailed again in experience posts, the Embassy info at visajourney or the Sydney Consular website.

2 DS-230s?
"Need" a psych eval?
Regarding the DS-230 questions, read carefully, and note that some of that information is requested throughout the form, not just in the 'red flag' question area.