New member -
#46
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by ladylisa
So Wintersong if you dont have an SS number does that also mean you cant get a bank account and your name on the mortgage?
Our bank would allow my husband an account while he was waiting for his SS number but they said definately not to me so I spent the first period here having to go to the ATM whenever I wanted anything...right paid in the rear end.
Our bank would allow my husband an account while he was waiting for his SS number but they said definately not to me so I spent the first period here having to go to the ATM whenever I wanted anything...right paid in the rear end.
#47
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by krizzy
We never had to have an Embassy interview for hubbys H1B.....
Is this a new thing.....or have I missed the point and we've left the subject of H1Bs.....
Is this a new thing.....or have I missed the point and we've left the subject of H1Bs.....
#48
Re: New member -
They didn't do interviews when we first got ours either, back in Dec 2001. They must have made it mandatory sometime after that. We had to go back for interviews for the renewals though
We have joint everything too, except the mortgage, which the other half took on all by himself. I'm on the ownership titles though, so he's screwed if I ever leave him
I had a medical assistant at the docs office ask for my ssn last week. When I told them I don't have one, someone else said "oh yeah, that's right, you have to be here 5 years to get one" It's amazing the bullshit you hear sometimes.
We have joint everything too, except the mortgage, which the other half took on all by himself. I'm on the ownership titles though, so he's screwed if I ever leave him
I had a medical assistant at the docs office ask for my ssn last week. When I told them I don't have one, someone else said "oh yeah, that's right, you have to be here 5 years to get one" It's amazing the bullshit you hear sometimes.
#49
Re vera, potas bene.
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Cape Cod MA..Davenport FL
Posts: 2,405
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by Wintersong
My husband already had his H1 when we got married. I had an embassy interview for my H4. I don't know whether the rules have changed since you got yours, or whether it's just because we got married while he was on H1.
#50
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by ladyofthelake
They didn't do interviews when we first got ours either, back in Dec 2001. They must have made it mandatory sometime after that. We had to go back for interviews for the renewals though
We have joint everything too, except the mortgage, which the other half took on all by himself. I'm on the ownership titles though, so he's screwed if I ever leave him
I had a medical assistant at the docs office ask for my ssn last week. When I told them I don't have one, someone else said "oh yeah, that's right, you have to be here 5 years to get one" It's amazing the bullshit you hear sometimes.
We have joint everything too, except the mortgage, which the other half took on all by himself. I'm on the ownership titles though, so he's screwed if I ever leave him
I had a medical assistant at the docs office ask for my ssn last week. When I told them I don't have one, someone else said "oh yeah, that's right, you have to be here 5 years to get one" It's amazing the bullshit you hear sometimes.
#51
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by Wintersong
Forget about your own business until you have the Green Card (although if you're returning to the UK in 3 years, why even bother applying? If you do, by some miracle, get it within that time you'll only lose it when you go back to the UK anyway).
The embassy interview is dead easy. All you have to do is show proof of marriage. Mine was a total breeze. I was all geared up to be asked loads of questions about my relationship with my husband and his job etc. but all they asked me was when we got married and how long I'd spent in the US during the previous year. It's a flipping long wait though, so take a book.
The embassy interview is dead easy. All you have to do is show proof of marriage. Mine was a total breeze. I was all geared up to be asked loads of questions about my relationship with my husband and his job etc. but all they asked me was when we got married and how long I'd spent in the US during the previous year. It's a flipping long wait though, so take a book.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to people, I haven't been feeling too well but am ok today. Re the GC: we thought we should start the ball rolling anyway in case we decide to stay forever!
OMG, I hadn't thought about having to prove we are married! The paper work/guidance stuff doesn't say we need to, but will take the certificate just in case then. And how funny about taking a book - a friend who has been there said it can take a long time, so the note for the 12th says "take a book" !!
#52
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by elfman
I believe Englishmum lives in Short Hills - right in the area you're looking at.
Schools in the Short Hills area are apparently excellent - so much so that someone my Mrs works with recently moved house from Maplewood to Short Hills (and took out an interest-only mortgage in the process) just because the kids are approaching school age. Not that there's anything bad about Maplewood schools.
Schools in the Short Hills area are apparently excellent - so much so that someone my Mrs works with recently moved house from Maplewood to Short Hills (and took out an interest-only mortgage in the process) just because the kids are approaching school age. Not that there's anything bad about Maplewood schools.
However, it is part of the township of Millburn in the County of Essex (Short Hills has a different zipcode - 07078 - as it has its own Post Office and train station). There are very nice houses in Millburn too which are definitely more affordable - zipcode 07041 and a number of British expat families with investment bank Merrill Lynch have recently moved to Millburn.
Elfman is correct about the Millburn township schools being excellent....the High School has the best SAT scores in the State. We had some English friends who moved from Singapore to Santa Clara, California (silicon valley) before we moved to the States and I asked her what her opinion was about the local public school system there. She said she knew that the schools were excellent as when they went to look around, there were many Chinese pupils there. It really is a good marker as to finding out about good local schools.....most Asian families are very high achievers who revere education and the children are basically never disruptive in class.
Needless to say, our local schools have a high number of Chinese pupils attending them and they do get very high SAT scores. Also in our area there is a high number of Jewish families and similar to the Chinese, they're high achievers too....I've noticed that they mostly will go into the professional sphere and become doctors/surgeons, lawyers, dentists, bankers, CEOs etc.
My son is at school with some kids whose parents live in what I would call mansions. In the UK these kids would *never* be attending the local state/public school. However the mentality is different over here as parents want to get the best return for their 'tax dollars' and at the local level, are prepared to pay for high standards in the local public schools.
#53
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: New member -
[QUOTE=Wintersong]Hi Francisco and welcome
Very amusing and well written first post. You should fit right in here with the "wolf pack"
and they said I was paranoid when I said theres a certain "clique' in this forum. Well if that ain't proof................finally been "outed" by one of your own!!
Very amusing and well written first post. You should fit right in here with the "wolf pack"
and they said I was paranoid when I said theres a certain "clique' in this forum. Well if that ain't proof................finally been "outed" by one of your own!!
#54
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by ladylisa
So Wintersong if you dont have an SS number does that also mean you cant get a bank account and your name on the mortgage?
Our bank would allow my husband an account while he was waiting for his SS number but they said definately not to me so I spent the first period here having to go to the ATM whenever I wanted anything...right paid in the rear end.
Our bank would allow my husband an account while he was waiting for his SS number but they said definately not to me so I spent the first period here having to go to the ATM whenever I wanted anything...right paid in the rear end.
You can go to the bank and ask to complete a "W8 Form" and use your passport as I.D and they can open an account for you then.
#55
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by Englishmum
My son is at school with some kids whose parents live in what I would call mansions. In the UK these kids would *never* be attending the local state/public school. However the mentality is different over here as parents want to get the best return for their 'tax dollars' and at the local level, are prepared to pay for high standards in the local public schools.
Our 7 yr old son is currently in private school in Reading, Berkshire, but although we have considered private education in the US we are hoping that the state schools will be fine in the areas we are looking at. It is interesting when you see the difference in property taxes across the different areas though, some are $6k per year, some are $18-25K!!
#56
Re: New member -
I have only just noticed this thread because when it was started I was having a great time back in England.
I live in central NJ and don't really know much about the area you will be moving to. I have to agree with Englishmum's comment though about Chinese and Jewish pupils being a guide as to how good a school area is.
One thing that did surprise me about NJ is the weather. Extremely cold and snowy winters, warm springs, long hot (sometimes too hot) summers and beautiful, colourful autumns. The only drawback in the summer is that it can get extremely humid.
By the way I usually only post if I think my post will help someone or if I need advice and I never get involved with the slanging matches that go on. I do visit BE several times a day and enjoy reading the majority of the posts.
I will probably start posting a bit more now the kids have gone back to their great schools in NJ.
I live in central NJ and don't really know much about the area you will be moving to. I have to agree with Englishmum's comment though about Chinese and Jewish pupils being a guide as to how good a school area is.
One thing that did surprise me about NJ is the weather. Extremely cold and snowy winters, warm springs, long hot (sometimes too hot) summers and beautiful, colourful autumns. The only drawback in the summer is that it can get extremely humid.
By the way I usually only post if I think my post will help someone or if I need advice and I never get involved with the slanging matches that go on. I do visit BE several times a day and enjoy reading the majority of the posts.
I will probably start posting a bit more now the kids have gone back to their great schools in NJ.
#57
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by mandpete
One thing that did surprise me about NJ is the weather. Extremely cold and snowy winters, warm springs, long hot (sometimes too hot) summers and beautiful, colourful autumns. The only drawback in the summer is that it can get extremely humid.
By the way I usually only post if I think my post will help someone or if I need advice and I never get involved with the slanging matches that go on. I do visit BE several times a day and enjoy reading the majority of the posts.
I will probably start posting a bit more now the kids have gone back to their great schools in NJ.
I don't always post but do read most things with interest, and sometimes amazement. I did read some the Aussie threads and that was a bit scary in places! Hope no-one dares to gloat about the Ashes........
#58
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by Francisco
Tried to reply to this yesterday but I had problems accessing the site.
Our 7 yr old son is currently in private school in Reading, Berkshire, but although we have considered private education in the US we are hoping that the state schools will be fine in the areas we are looking at. It is interesting when you see the difference in property taxes across the different areas though, some are $6k per year, some are $18-25K!!
Our 7 yr old son is currently in private school in Reading, Berkshire, but although we have considered private education in the US we are hoping that the state schools will be fine in the areas we are looking at. It is interesting when you see the difference in property taxes across the different areas though, some are $6k per year, some are $18-25K!!
The local private (non-Catholic) schools in the area served by the Mid-town Direct NJ trains are very expensive; starting at around $20,000 per year in tuition fees for kindergarten. One British family I know in our town has three boys who go to one of them, 'Far Brook' (dad works for a mainland European bank so the company picks up the tab.....).
If you're interested in sending your child to a private school, then you might want to check out these and they all have their own websites:
Far Brook
The Pingry School
Morristown-Beard School
Oak Knoll
Newark Academy
There is a Roman Catholic school a couple of blocks away from our house and the fees are much, much lower as it's subsidised by the Church (although you don't have to be Catholic to go there but must have some sort of Christian faith....most of the pupils do seem to come from other towns in the area but one neighbour who sent her daughter there says it's very good. Fees are slightly higher for non-parishioners:
http://www.stroseoflima.net/index.htm
PS> I sent you a PM....did you get it? I know that there have been problems with the Server..
#59
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by rushman
Originally Posted by Wintersong
Hi Francisco and welcome
Very amusing and well written first post. You should fit right in here with the "wolf pack"
Very amusing and well written first post. You should fit right in here with the "wolf pack"
You know, your style of posting is remarkably similar to his...
#60
Mr. Grumpy
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 3,100
Re: New member -
Originally Posted by Englishmum
Ha ha....some homes in Short Hills have taxes of $90,000 + per year!!!! :scared: Ours has gone up by $1000 per year for each year we've been here (currently a shade under $13k) but it's the same in neighbouring towns too - the local schools are funded almost entirely by local town taxes..
OK I will stop complaining about taxes here in nashville - 13k is absurd