Thank you T7 members for all your guidance. My husband is going to complete his PhD in few days and he would probably (99% contract still not in hand) getting a post doc position in USA – Houston, Texas (J1 visa). I have too many questions in my head which my small brain cannot handle. Please give me some head up.

Apart from this list what all should I do before I leave Germany?

1. Terminate- Ovag Energy, Heating system, GEZ, Phone & Internet contracts, Cable operator. We have already informed our Land Lord and they are flexible.
2. My husband Social Insurance (2.5years) is transferred to USA (since Germany and USA have a tie up) and we are availing this option rather than applying for the money back hoping we would get green card soon if we do so. Please correct us if we are wrong.
I am working from November 2008 and planning to terminate by Aug 31st 2009. So regarding my social insurance the officer said I
can apply for Nov and Dec 2008 now and for the remaining 8 months I can get
some paper from TK and then apply. But can it be done only after Aug 31st. What
is the minimum notice period to quit a job? I am going to India for 3 weeks in
August but apart from this leave I have four days leave available. But I have
contract till December 2009. If I leave my job by Aug 31st will they cut my salary a
bit since naturally my leave will also be reduced.
My company knows that if my husband contract doesn’t extend then I am also not eligible to stay here.
3. Will I be able to file my taxes for these 10 months and get some tax return? I already had a look on this link http://www.trust7.com/en/foren/gcs_in_your_neighborhood/income_tax_return/(offset)/0
regarding what all I could file. But just wanted to know how I could file before the end of the year.
4. Is it better for us to apply for the J1 US visa from here or from India? Oneway cost from here to USA are very costly.
5. Do you know any cheap shipment companies to USA? have a very new Desktop to be shipped? Think as a post doc he wouldn’t get any relocation package. Do you know the approximate price of 50Kg shipment. I don’t mind even if the shipment reaches late.
6. Anyone of you know good US forums like Trust7?


Thanks a lot for all your help.

Padmaja

>>1. We have already informed our Land Lord and they are flexible.

Please do it in writing and get a confirmation.

>>2. My husband Social Insurance (2.5years) is transferred to USA (since Germany and USA have a tie up) and we are availing this option rather than applying for the money back hoping we would get green card soon if we do so.

Transferring Social Insurance can be done later. How do u plan to get Greencard. I heard it is difficult even for H1 Visa holders and take a long time.

>>I am working from November 2008 and planning to terminate by Aug 31st 2009. So regarding my social insurance the officer said I
can apply for Nov and Dec 2008 now and for the remaining 8 months I can get
some paper from TK and then apply. But can it be done only after Aug 31st.

I dont understand what you are talking about here!

>>What is the minimum notice period to quit a job?

Normally 3 months unless specified otherwise in your contract

>>I am going to India for 3 weeks in
August but apart from this leave I have four days leave available. But I have
contract till December 2009. If I leave my job by Aug 31st will they cut my salary a
bit since naturally my leave will also be reduced.
My company knows that if my husband contract doesn’t extend then I am also not eligible to stay here.

So where is the problem?

>>3. Will I be able to file my taxes for these 10 months and get some tax return? I already had a look on this link http://www.trust7....tax_return/(offset)/0
regarding what all I could file. But just wanted to know how I could file before the end of the year.

You cannot file it before the year end, but you can find some Steuerberater for you. Give the bank account of a friend for the Tax Department to transfer the money. Your friend can then transfer it to you.

>>4. Is it better for us to apply for the J1 US visa from here or from India?

Better from here as you are still a resident here and submit papers relevant to germany.

>>Oneway cost from here to USA are very costly.

Maybe, but if it is cheaper to get a return ticket than a one way ticket, go for it and dont use the return leg.

>>5. Do you know any cheap shipment companies to USA? have a very new Desktop to be shipped? Think as a post doc he wouldn’t get any relocation package. Do you know the approximate price of 50Kg shipment. I don’t mind even if the shipment reaches late.

I dont know what you want to ship to USA. As far as i know everything is cheap over there and electrical and electronic things are not compatible. See if it worth to spend a few hundred euros which you can save and buy stuffs for a 1000 Dollars :-)

6. Anyone of you know good US forums like Trust7?

You will find one when you reach there as you found Trust7. But why do u need a forum, you are bound to meet lots of people of your nationality and everyone speaks english in US and lot easy than it is here oder??

Thanks a lot for all your help.

If your husband finds a good offer here then go for it and keep US as the last choice.It was easy earlier to get a Greencard but now there is no time period like here one gets PR after 5years whereas in US even H1 holders living for 10years still did not get a Greencard.
US is no more a dream destination

Hi,

I guess for Post docs its a better situation to get greencard than any other category. So no worries there.

For shipment try searching in www.toytowngermany.com , there you should find more information on that.

vamsi.

www.r2iclubforums.com

www.murthy.com

www.immigrationforum.com

First website, can answer all your general questions.

after going there, let us know how do you feel about life compare to germany.

All the best!!

To Wander:

Thanks for the sites. The first two are great and seem to be very active. The last one http://www.immigrationforum.com/ doesnt function when I click on the menu tabs. Will definitely keep updated about the life in USA.

To Vamsi:

Thanks I did the search in toytown and got the information I wanted. Cannot leave my desktop its really new with a big flat screen 2TB hard disk 8GB ram, grafic card is really the latest to play my fav games. My PC is my second husband. Ler your words become true reg green card.

To Raj2001:

B4 going to inlaws place some people will really scare you like you cant behave like this there etc etc like that I also have non stop warnings reg USA so I go there without any expectations and would be able to handle the good and bad situations equally.

To Raj:
Land Lord : OK

Social Insurance Transfer: Its just a hope. Posted this info here so that others may benefit (who shift to USA/UK etc).

TK: I was talking of techniker krankenkasse (TK) here. The rentenversicherung officer told I can also apply for the insurance money back which would be credited after two years. For that I need to get some paper from TK after I leave my job. Anyway will call the TK and verify. hope my office wont get this info via TK.

So where is the problem?

Sometimes when I discuss in the forum and get some feedback, I go and talk confidently even If the opposite tries to argue. I have won certain deal with confident talk. Facing HR is really tough and tricky.

Tax:

Thats a good idea thanks will follow.

return ticket:
have anyone done it though their purpose is oneway?

Shipment:
Do you mean my PC woudnt be compatible ? I here some people buy cheap things here live Oven PC etc and completely send it to India. But these are all just gossips while we meet friends I have not seen anyone personally doing. Not only these kind of gossips, lot more like some come here in student visa but dont study at all immediately find job etc etc like survival of the fittest.
If someone has some personal exp reg shipment it would be fine.

Forum:
I found about toytown after 3months and trust7 after 4months and got a job after 7months. But in USA want to join immediately. I am not hearing any words like its peak recession in USA etc etc hee hee hee

Paddy

Dont worry about PC im also a hardcore gammer .The worse thing can be is ,u have to change the PSU.
but i dont see even remotely any chance for that.

But its true PC Hardware are really really cheap in USA.
+ there will be a risk of breaking hardware while shipping+ shipment charges.

What you can do is you can sell ur PC here and buy new one in USA.
Anyhow if its good(tell configuration) I can perhaps take a look in ur offer:-)

well... u can buy ticket 2-way and just use it for flying to USA. I did this myself and nobody really cares if u r not using the return ticket. I saw delta for 400€ at the end of august for 2-way ticket.

The problem with PC could be the voltage difference. In USA its 110V and since PC has direct AC voltage u cant directly plug it in and use. U have to buy voltage stepup transformer for that.

India and Germany have same 220V and thats the reason u can use electric appliances from Germany in India and vice versa.

vamsi.

For those who are not aware, USA is being transformed into a totalitarian fascist police state, not unlike the former soviet union. The current economic crisis is intentionally engineered to wipe out the American middle class (doctors, professors, engineers, and other professions) and eventually usher in a fascist dictatorship

Also notice how the US dollar is collapsing and gradually losing its prominence. This is in preparation for the North American Union and a new currency called the AMERO (analogous to the EURO). Yes, USA, and indeed the whole world, is being taken over by a secret world government that will be communist(read socialism). Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the New World Order. This is neither a hoax nor a joke. Google NWO for more info. You will be surprised at how much you did not know. What will surprise you even more, is how much Americans are slumbering while this unimaginable evil slowly closes in on them.

And I bet you probably haven't heard about the secret FEMA death camps have you? If not, then please visit youtube to educate yourselves. Your blood will run cold. If you are conversant with the WWII Nazi death camps in Germany, then you will understand what am talking about. Tyrannical slavery is looming ahead for Americans. Yet they continue to party while the American titanic sinks

USA is drowning in vices directly linked to the West’s concept of human rights and liberties: abortion, homosexuality, dissolution of traditional marriage, pornography, slavery, prostitution, exploitation,... etc. Such American "values" are, in fact, vices which harm every human society as a collective. Western society has been homosexualized. And homosexuals are always pederasts i.e they prey on young boys (Google NAMBLA if you doubt). This means that in such a depraved society, children are marked targets and can never be safe. And that includes your kids.

Think well on it.

<caligula> You are an idiot and quite offensive.

I find your rant against gay people quite disturbing. I cannot believe you equate gay people with child abusers. You do not realize it but it is YOU who is a fascist that is trying to perpetuate your homophobia on the rest of us.

This is the most ignorant thing I have ever read on this site and that is saying a lot.

To deathinc:

Bought it exactly on 30.03.2009.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01662809&tmp_track_link=ot_faqs/top_issues/en_uk/c01662809/loc:3&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=uk&product=3890784

LG monitor W2252 TE

bought a hp laptop 3 years back in germany which had no problems at all. Thats why went for hp again.

If your interested analyse and bid. By that time I would know how much it would cost me to take it with me.

To vamsi:
Thanks for the info.

To caligula:

I have never heard about these. New info. But I have also seen there are anti terrorism groups who have openly supported the innocent Srilankan peoples and have saved few of their lives. The group is there in Orkut. I always believe in the end good will win. I even think without working on any fitness these tensions keep you fit. But anyway thanks for your warnings. In movies like Pretty women only I have seen that type of girls. But when I saw them personally in Frankfurt came to know the movie didnt exaggerate. Same way till now i have not seen Gay saw in the Mexico movie. may be I will stare at them for few days and steal their privacy.
If you have time see profiles of inidan prof in USA like Deepak Srivastava 151 publicaitons at a very young age


http://people.nas.nasa.gov/~deepak/deepak.html

but anyways if people are there with guns b4 me I will run away. Think can handle two men with my strong arms and legs but cant handle gun. hee hee hee

Paddy

This system is INSULT to a gammer.better sell it here and buy betterone in USA.

Deathinc:

Seems like you purposely buy the latest graphic card and add it to your computer. You tech people are really crazy about the latest updates. What graphic card do you have? Seriously I didnt have any idea to sell my PC. Lets see

Paddy

HD4850 but its one year old.

This year im planing to put breaks in buying PCs HW although my pay got increased this week:-)

my old addiction, i have spent almost 500 in bodybuilding supplements ha ha.

Deathinc:

Heard 4850 is a bit faster. But my GT130 is one generation ahead. Hee Hee Hee

Paddy

Hi All,
I have to move around 50Kgs of stuffs like clothes, books etc to UK. (I am relocating there and minimised the things I have to move over there by disposing off as many things as possible). What is the best way. Is there a company which can do door-to-door parcel of the boxes (I plan to make packed boxes of 10-15 Kgs each). Is it possible to send by Deutsche Post without customs headaches?
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. I have to ship the things before 20th July!!!!

Regards,
Anand

@Anand :

DHL is the best one.