Hello,

I'm specifically asking for information about how to find out if our packet has gotten to the Manila consulate yet. I tried 011/63 25286300 that another poster responded in a previous post with as a telephone, but for some reason my cell phone will not allow me to connect to this number. I know I have wide open service, and I can receive calls from my fiancée. I can't even call her number. Anyway, I know there is an 888 number where you can connect to the Manila consulate office and pay a service charge for each call, but I was wondering if there is a number in the USA that is toll free or even long distance (like the NVC #) or an email address I could write to to inquire as to whether or not our packet has been received. I tried the interview appointments web site and it's obviously still too early for our interview to have been put into the system yet. We just left the NVC on June 26. Anybody have any pointers for the Manila Embassy?

PS- I only have my cell phone. No landline at home. International calls are HIGHLY discouraged at my work...so dunno what to do from here. I don't want to have to pay a service fee for an 888 number where I run the risk of being told that the petition isn't even there yet. Looking at some timelines online, it looks like it could have arrived by now. Thoughts anyone? Thanks-

Also, anyone who did the K1/K3 route and your fiancee is about to come here to USA or is already here...do you have any pointers or suggestions that might help with easing the pain of my fiancee having to leave her family and living in a new and yes, strange place with a strange person like me? As you well know, the Filipino culture is much more family centered than here in USA, and it's obviously very tough for someone to have to leave their family and friends for one person. Anything that might help us, especially my fiancee, in this very difficult and real situation, please post or PM me and I will pass along your messages to Jacki. Jacki has already tried to reach out to Filipinos on here, specifically those speaking her native Visayan, in NC or at least nearby, and she hasn't gotten a lot of responses. We would greatly appreciate any and all help/advice in these matters. Thank you.

thats 001-63-2528-6300 press 7 for extn. to Lorraine 5185 or to sandy 5184.if ur in manila phils. just dial 2528-6300 then press 7 for dial extn# ...if ur outside in manila like ur cebu just dial 02 2528 6300 then press 7 for u to dial the extn line. if u cant ahold just pess 0. try to be patient by calling!!!!!!!!! good luck
jarl

The lady at 5184 was just wonderful! Good luck

I have the telephone 011 63, etc. number given in the posts...however, as I said, my call to the Phils number was unable to be completed and I need a way of calling a number in the US that might could give me a status. I am unable to call outside the USA for some very odd reason. I can text my fiancee all day long, but the 011 or 001 stuff isn't working for the telephone call. It wasn't a line busy message that I got. It was from my cell service provider. Anybody have any other ideas???

Call your cell phone provider and have them turn on international calling.

Stateside callers are much happier calling Dept. of State visa information line at 202.663.1225 menu 1-0-0

hey u must dial 001.. OKAY u stated 011 thats wrong
please follow the this number in order not pain for ya!!!
001-63-28-25-6300 then follow the extn line .....
i hope its clear for ya!! i am sure u can ahold ...

just same# if u are here in the philippines doesnt matter!!!!!! maybe ur phone something wrong....
if ur globe and smart , PLDT provider U CAN AHOLD WITH USEM AGENT...
TRY TO DO AGAIN!!!!!BE SURE UR PHONE IS UNLOCK,,,

I used to call (632) 528-6300 and then do extension 5184 or 5185.

Thanks pushbrk for the US # and jarl for the 001 info. I got home too late today to talk to the USA # before 5pm, so will do it on Monday, I guess. Regarding the 001/011 number, I tried it both ways (just to test...I know they're closed at this hour/day) and got the same message I got before about international calls. I've got to go see my cell phone provider about another problem tomorrow anyway, so I'll speak with them about it then. But it's a little silly (in my opinion) to get international calling service at presumably a higher service charge just for a few phone calls to see if our Visa petition has arrived in Manila yet. I wish I had SMART service, coz Jacki is on SMART cell phone there in Phils and it would be very nice to be able to talk to her and even transfer load to her from my phone when she needs it. Oh well. Thanks again for all your help. Still wondering if anyone out there could help to give us pointers on how to best adjust to this new environment, especially confronting the being physically away from family aspect. If I didn't care about how Jacki felt, I wouldn't be asking such a question, but even if you're not from the Phils and you had trouble adjusting to life away from your family, I would love to hear how you coped or how you helped your foreign fiance or wife (who's leaving or has left everything they hold dear to them just to be with you) adjust and cope with this big change in their lives. Granted, I'm not going to prevent her from conversing with them and such, but with AP and all that crap and not being able to go home immediately to visit, it could get very difficult for her and us, too. Her concerns and worries become my worries and concerns, and we need to work them out together. I've never been engaged or married before, unlike some others out there. Any advice would be great. Thanks.

The international callin issue with cell phones isn't an item they charge for except the actual calls. They just don't turn on the ability to make international calls unless you request it.

Call the Department of State for FREE, I got my information from there inquiring if our petition has arrived the US embassy in Manila

Department of State | (202) 663-1225, press 1, press 0, press 0 . get ready with your case number . Goodluck!!

use a calling card like http://www.alosmart.com, you call an 800 no. enter a pin then dial the no. 01163...