Just a quick question for the experienced or knowledgable regulars here. The sister of my girlfriend and her husband are threatening to contact the embassy with some assorted fabrications in an attempt to hijack her B2 application. Because I am American, they assume I must be rich so they are demanding monies from my girl, who has none to give.

I have contemplating contacting the embassy directly to warn them of any possible interference but is this something I should simply dismiss...to trust my embassy to examine her application on its own merits? I can't believe they would accept any undocumented letter as "factual" but I don't want the effort to even have a 10-second shelf life without at least attempting to contact my embassy beforehand.

Has anyone ever heard of families doing this in the Philippines? I can't fathom how someone could do such a thing, though I suppose I'm being naive.

Thanks for any input.

i think this would be better answered in another forum, so i'm going to move it there so you can get some good advice by the mermaid.

Thanks Charles!

I don't want to sound harsh, but how well do you know your girl? I have heard of these scams in the past, but the fiance is in on it. Hopefully this isn't your situation, but I don't think I would contact the consulate. I am sure they have heard of these scams as well, and this might cause you problems at the interview. I guess if it was me I would call their bluff. I really don't think they will follow through, and since it is her family it really is her responsibility to straighten them out.

her sister??? Nice family!!

It would be most dificult for her to get a B2 in the first place if its to visit her boyfriend, and if she is young, and cant meet all the visa requirements.

Tell her to tll the sister to take a flying leap.

i THINK ITS BETTER if you have to talk to your Gf first and confirm if this situation is really true. I am doubtful but I can't judge anyone because i do not know what's really true.

Very few people in the Philippines have enuf money or assets to qualify for a B2.
Somethings not right if your GF has enuf to qualify and has a sister doing what you said.
Red FLAG is flying high!!

So your girl friend has a B2 visa here in USA? Which US company sponsored her to get the visa?

Just seems strange to me.

Personally, I can not see how your girlfriends can wreck havoc on B2 visa. Even if she is in a relationship with you.

I say, something is very strange here.

Be careful!!!

Thanks for the responses....a brief history. I know the girl VERY well. She runs a high-end boutique in the metro-Manila area and also has ownership in two other small business'. I paid significant money many moons ago and EVERYTHING checked out. Her sister and her sister's husband have a history of "trouble with the law" so I'll just leave it at that. My girl has an established residence in the area, a six-year-old son enrolled in school and a decent amount of money in the bank. These two extortionists have been....what is the word....cast from the family (which is rare on the islands) so remove any thoughts in your mind about this being a family scam, there is too much criminal history with those two to support her legit worries. In addition, I've got friends in the area who have verified ALL of my questions. This is a valid concern on my part but I'm wondering if I will only cause more harm to get directly involved or shall I put my confidence in the embassy that they will see any effort as silliness and simply weigh the B2 application on its own merits.

Red flags have all been attended to at this point folks and she really is the real deal...an accomplished woman (25) with a degree and a strong head on her shoulders but she really is worried that despite all she has done, it might not be enough to get the Visa and worse, not at all if they receive such correspondence and simply write her off with a "why even bother with an interview?" scenario.

Yo Russ!
What happened to Jan 2008 pinay with the 2 year old? Keep on trolling!!!
I'm only going to be there about three weeks. We've discussed it ad naseum...the possibility of her not getting a B2. We originally wanted her to come here for visit BEFORE we marry but it appears with all that I've read, getting a B2 might be terribly difficult for someone who owns no property or is not a business owner...even if her visit is only for three weeks and does not include marriage plans. That is why we felt marriage in Philippines was probably going to be the most logical route, followed by K3 process. However, I don't want to cut it so close that our civil ceremony literally is on the tarmac while my plane is taxing on the runway en route back to Manila and the states. I could of chosen to pursue a Filipina with a college degree or business owner with more ties to her country than one could shake a stick at but I fell in love with a girl who supports her entire family (father is deceased) by working at a fish market and truth be told, I wouldn't change one thing. I can hear this woman's footsteps from the other side of the world, that's how much I love my girl. It's going to make it more difficult for us to be together based on the sparsity of her ownings but given enough time, even the most stubborn mulberry leaf turns to silk.

Even with all she's got going for her, I would put getting the B2 for a Filipina with a USC boyfriend at no better than 50/50 even without the threat of gumming up the works and even with leaving a six year old behind. It's a tough call but no, I wouldn't approach the visa unit about potential third party correspondence unless you were certain it occured and maybe not even then. I'd just have her address the situation during the interview, if it comes up.

if the sister has been cast from the family, how does she know whats going on?

Check out the OPs previous post!!

Looks like he's in a dream world.
Good author and writes well tho!

I guess it isn't just me trying to follow this story..

oh yeah the first post says she has no money and then later on she is owner of a high end botique and owner in two other small businesses....missed that...good catch.

I continually have to remind my Chinese wife and her daughter, that we use extra words in English to change the meaning of terms, particularly "absolute" terms. The phrases "none to give" and "no money" do not carry the same meaning and "a good amount in the bank" may or may not be available to or enough to satisfy the extortionist.

I prefer to take statements at face value and interpret literally when interpretation is needed. As such, I think the above two posts reflect "misinterpretation" of what the OP wrote.

With the odds of obtaining a B2 visa as low as they are, I see the result being both no visa and no extortion money paid. However, this same issue could come up again at the K1 visa interview where third party correspondence can cause significant delays or worse.

The sister who is trying to extort is the one cast from the family. The entire thread wouldn't have made any sense otherwise. Maybe the syntax was off.

Took the advice from some "livingincebu" members and hired a PI to check her out and thank God I did. I saved myself a lot of topics in this particular forum I believe. Troll? Not hardly...just someone trying to avoid some of the horror stories I've been reading in here since joining.

As a small business owner, I can say that just because one has a business does not mean one has money. In fact, it's meant we have less money!

And, instead of going through all the hassle of this B2 application, how about you visit your GF instead?? It'll take all the wind out of their sails, so to speak.

Thanks for your reasonable critique that perhaps the original wording was confusing to some but you understand the situation. I agree, and we have discussed, the inevitability that in all likelihood, she will not get her B2 approved and thus we've got a plan B well in place. I will be taking a K3 route if the relationship continues on its wonderful course between us. I'm certainly in no hurry; having closely avoided rushing into things back in January as another correctly noted. There is an instinctual thought that perhaps a subsequent attempt will be
made to try and get some money out of her if and when the K3 is begun following a potential marriage.

Appreciate the input, even from those who reminded me to always write clearly so as to not be misunderstood.

Edit: Lady Jane, definitely the "me going there" is our "Plan B" and all the reservations and accomodations have been planned. I intend to visit her several times but I figured we should at least "try" to see if she can secure a B2. The effort is certainly worth a few fees and some time. Certainly worth the effort as I told her....one never knows! Also, I agree, having a business is by no means a guarantee that she has money but she's done very well for herself and by all accounts, does have most of what is "suggested" for any attempt so we'll give it our best collegiate effort, so to speak.

Actually, if you go back to the post you refer to, I did not write, as you implied, she "has no money." I wrote she has "none to give." IOW, no desire to reward such contemptuous attempts. Also, on another matter, I wrote "These two extortionists have been....what is the word....cast from the family" so I can't fathom how anyone could imply my girl was cast from the family; that would have meant she was trying to extort herself. Just thought I'd clear these two issues up but Pushbrk I think, nailed it and thus I will pass on any correspondence with the embassy and will let things play out. In all likelihood, they are bluffing and if not, I'll let her explain things if it comes up during the interview.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Give embassy heads up, this is illegal activity. Let them know it as well. Dont let her them get any money!

The question is how can these two relatives ruin a B2 visa application? A B2 visa application is usually sponsored by a company in the US.

A B2 is a tourist visa as so far as I know. Perhaps you're referring to the B1?

No it isn't, it's a tourist visa.

yap, B2 is tourist visa. I can guess the way they think they can sabotage a B2.

Since this sister and hubby are well known for their illegal activities, and they also know about this latest attempt, why not have several of the people that know this write a letter to the embassy. If the question comes up at the interview she can show them letter after letter. Also, is there a way to obtain a police report on this couple as well?

That she's visiting her US Citizen boyfriend/fiance is enough to kill her chances at a B2 visa. What would these letters say that would overcome the assumption of immigrant intent. No need to over-think this.

I understand the difficulty but with a child enrolled in school, a lease on a condo, three business' with one of them earning 50,000 per month profit; I think if the embassy is inclined to grant a B2 to a single Filipina, the case can be successfully made that she does indeed, have compelling reasons to return to her country. I'm not saying they will. In fact, we're both rather pessimistic based on historical results but I think it's worth a shot, especially since the duration of her stay is only three weeks. Whether or not that short a stay will help or hurt the decision-making process will be dependent on the duration of the interview and the direction it takes. I know it's not impossible Pushbck and I agree with your earlier assessment that the odds are probably no better than 50:50 but certainly those kind of odds are worth our effort; hence my initial reservations about her sister's extortion attempt. I do appreciate your honesty though and by and large, our Plan B seems to be gathering steam as a result of it.

The above is nothing new and doesn't address the question, which was, "What would these letters say that would overcome the assumption of immigrant intent?"

My suggestion was merely if they indeed decide to try for the B2. I was never arguing the fact that more than likely she can't get it. I was addressing the initial issue brought up, you are stuck on the other. Do you have problems with throwing around ideas? The final decision is theirs how to proceed.

My response was to Russ's answer to my direct question. I'm asking how he or anybody thinks these letters could overcome the problem and he didn't answer.

Pushbrk, you're assuming any attempt to file for the Visa isn't worthwhile because, as you say, "That she's visiting her US Citizen boyfriend/fiance is enough to kill her chances." I respectfully disagree and don't think the end result is as "cut and dry" as you claim. With that in mind, we return to the original premise of the thread which questioned the usefulness of writing a letter to the embassy asking them for their advice on how to proceed in manners of this nature. My effort here wasn't to qualify her through this website; rather to ask those who might have some knowledge of these type of shenanigans if it's something I should take seriously or brush it off as something the embassy pays no mind.

If indeed, she doesn't get her VISA, I want it to be for reasons not related to such extortion attempts. I would hate to do nothing and find out later she very well might have been approved had it not been for unsubstantiated accusations given consideration based on their submission alone.

Any letters by I or other family members will probably just draw unwanted attention to the process and I think, as another pointed out, it's best left to my girlfriend to explain the situation if the embassy feels it warrants a question or two.

And I'm trying to point out another critical reason why your decision not to send the letters is the correct one. They'll bring even more attention to the elephant in the room unless you have an answer to how they are going to make him invisible.

Agreed. Truth be told, as spotty as both their records are with Manila police, I suspect the last thing they want is to bring attention to themselves so I think they are hoping her desire to get her Visa outweighs her common sense to just simply ignore them. I'm trying to tell her that be that as it may, if she doesn't get her Visa, to relax...I look forward to meeting her family, who have embraced me warmly and are thankful that I am looking out for their daughter by addressing this madness. I do have to admit however, that I am much less optimistic about her getting the B2 than I was before I submitted this thread. I guess it depends on whom actually does the interview as I'm sure the decision to grant her the Visa is determined by that one individual. I suppose, truth be told, the applicant must "sell themselves" to the interviewer; otherwise the word "boyfriend" uttered during the process would end it right then and there.

Fingers crossed!

Yes, but she must also be extremely careful to tell the truth. She can't control what questions they'll ask, only the truthfulness of her answers.