Help anyone?
Mar 14th 2004, 9:30 am
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Millington, TN
Posts: 533
Help anyone?
Hi everyone, I'm new to here, but hope that someone may be able to answer a couple of questions I have.
I secured a paid internship with a law firm in TN and have used CIEE's PCT USA programme as my sponsor. They've accepted the training programme and it's now in Boston for final approval before they issue the form I need to apply for the J1 and get my embassy interview which hopefully will be begining April.
The timescale is very tight as the job is only open until April 19th. Anyways, I wondered what to expect from the embassy interview and have a couple of specific questions.
1. I have 3 points on my drivers licence for speeding in a 30 zone which was last year - do I need to declare this as a crime/conviction (apparently if you declare anything under this section it can delay application up to 12 weeks?)
2. I am divorced and they have asked for my former spouse's details. He is now bankrupt from what I hear and we did have problems with debts in the past (and a CCJ) which I am now dealing with and have a mortgage etc and am OK now. Just wondering if they run credit checks - I am sure someone said they definitely dont but just wondered if anyone knew about this.
Do I have it right that you can't basically even book your flight until you get your passport back (which is like 7 days after your interview) and you could still get refused up to this point?
I am so stressed out with the whole thing because I have a house to rent out, car to sell and a job to resign from but I don't know whether to start doing this now or wait. But time is not on my side.
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Lesley
I secured a paid internship with a law firm in TN and have used CIEE's PCT USA programme as my sponsor. They've accepted the training programme and it's now in Boston for final approval before they issue the form I need to apply for the J1 and get my embassy interview which hopefully will be begining April.
The timescale is very tight as the job is only open until April 19th. Anyways, I wondered what to expect from the embassy interview and have a couple of specific questions.
1. I have 3 points on my drivers licence for speeding in a 30 zone which was last year - do I need to declare this as a crime/conviction (apparently if you declare anything under this section it can delay application up to 12 weeks?)
2. I am divorced and they have asked for my former spouse's details. He is now bankrupt from what I hear and we did have problems with debts in the past (and a CCJ) which I am now dealing with and have a mortgage etc and am OK now. Just wondering if they run credit checks - I am sure someone said they definitely dont but just wondered if anyone knew about this.
Do I have it right that you can't basically even book your flight until you get your passport back (which is like 7 days after your interview) and you could still get refused up to this point?
I am so stressed out with the whole thing because I have a house to rent out, car to sell and a job to resign from but I don't know whether to start doing this now or wait. But time is not on my side.
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Lesley
Mar 15th 2004, 1:00 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 202
I can't really help you with either of those questions, I'm afraid. I've never heard of immigration running a credit check, though!
They recommend not booking your flight until you have your passport back because, yes, until the interview, you can still be refused, and also they can't be held responsible for any delay in returning your passport that may cause you to miss the flight. My passport with h1 visa was returned in a couple of working days, but they say to allow 10 days. You can always gamble and book your flight in advance, but then you'll have the extra stress of hoping the passport is returned in time.
You'll just have to hang in there.. I know it's a stressful time! We had to start selling / donating all the personal belongings and furniture that we weren't going to take with us even before the visa application had been approved. We just wouldn't have had time if we'd waited until everything was definitely definite! If it had all gone wrong, we'd have just had to live with being out-of-pocket having to replace the stuff we'd got rid of.
Good luck!
They recommend not booking your flight until you have your passport back because, yes, until the interview, you can still be refused, and also they can't be held responsible for any delay in returning your passport that may cause you to miss the flight. My passport with h1 visa was returned in a couple of working days, but they say to allow 10 days. You can always gamble and book your flight in advance, but then you'll have the extra stress of hoping the passport is returned in time.
You'll just have to hang in there.. I know it's a stressful time! We had to start selling / donating all the personal belongings and furniture that we weren't going to take with us even before the visa application had been approved. We just wouldn't have had time if we'd waited until everything was definitely definite! If it had all gone wrong, we'd have just had to live with being out-of-pocket having to replace the stuff we'd got rid of.
Good luck!
