I was wondering if anyone had comments, ideas, or tips if I decided to go to the Philippines and get married to my love and stay with her until we could return to the US, together?

Things like average time for approval, pros/cons, would a DCF be better.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

How do you qualify to sponsor your fiancee? Where is you fiancee located? I wouldn't mind spending a few months in Cebu, Dumaguete and Cagayan.

I think there are rules when it comes to filing for DCF. Check the Guides. If you can match the 125% poverty guidelines with money on your bank accounts or have a willing co-sponsor to comply with US embassy requirements then you can wait for like 7-9 months here in the Philippines if you are going to pursue K3. Assuming that you didnt get RFEs that is. My husband and I got married May 18, 2007. He has to go back for his job and be separated cause we need his recent pay stubs, cert. of employment and tax returns for my interview. Check my timeline so that you can see what you are up to. Right now we are waiting for our petition to reach NVC and get our MNL case number so that I can look it up in the US embassy website for my medical and interview schedule. There are lots of factors to consider too like after the interview, what if you're spouse's papers were put into administrative review. That may take another 1 or 2 months or longer.

I'm not sure DCF is available in Manila, maybe only IR

I was thinking of going to visit and if I can find a job there maybe stay. My job here would be ok with me gone for awhile.
I have a lot of vacation time stored and can use it for awhile. Being a sponsor for her would not be a real problem. She is in QC and I am in NC. We both work in computers.

Aquilyn, I am doing exactly that, except we are here in the Philippines awaiting the K1 visa approval and then TinTin and I will travel back to the USA together after she has her visa in hand.

As far as working here locally, that would be a virtual impossibility, IMO. Technically, it would be extremely difficult to get legal permission to work in the Phillipines. Practically speaking, you wouldn't want to bother. 4 year degree holding Engineers here make like 20,000 pesos - MAYBE 25,000 pesos. That's about $500 PER MONTH!!!! A High School treacher here might make 10,000 - 13,000 pesos a month. Department store sales people make about 5000 peos per month (125USD) - and because there is so much unemployment here, most "western style" department stores wont give those jobs to anyone without a 4 year degree!!!

As far as working illegally, sure, lots of people do it, but the bribe money you would have to spend to keep the local authorities off your back would easily amount to way more than you could hope to earn.

If you can do work over the internet (ie programming, etc) with clients/companies back home , that is the only real practical possibility. Of course, for that you would need to be in a populated city where you can get a broadband connection. I pay 2000 pesos a month for a 384K broadband connection. (but it's a cable based solution that rarely has download speeds higher than 128K). QC would be no problem to find a broadband connection.

Another possibility would be to get a more decent paying job in Singapore or Hong Kong with a MNC. Your fiance would be able to visit you there (about 2-3 hours by plane) without any hassles. And you could make a reasonable wage.

You mentioned your gal is in Quezon City (which is basically Manila). So living costs there will be higher. Also, it is quite poluted and dirty there (most buildings are black from smog and the noise pollution can be significant). Coming from the fresh air and green space in NC may be a bit of a shock to your system...

You mentioned your gal works in computers as well. I dont know what kind of work she does, but if it is for a company and if she plans to keep working while you are here, you may want to be aware that most filipino employees rarely get days off, most work 6 days per week as a standard work week and the concept of Part Time employment is virtually non existant here.

Anyway, its been a choice that TinTin and I are happy we made. I wish you guys success and happiness in whatever decision you make.

Warm Regards,
Samby

Just wondered if you have met her in person yet or been to the Philippines?

It is very difficult to work there and the pay isn't much, only a few dollars a day.

There is no problem with you vacationing in the Philippines, but I do not suggest to temporarily live and work here until your spouse or fiance(e) gets the visa . I would use the term "vacationing" since it is more approrpiate in your case, since I understand you wanted to used the days you have banked working in your company here in the US. Since it has been mentioned previously, I do not think Manila consulate do DCF, have not heard of such from anyone here in VJ. Petitioning someone in the Philippines would require having a current stable salary to show that you can support the beneficiary and to meet the 125% guidelines. A petitioner must show his/her current paystubs to show as proof not just the most recent ITR. The petitioner would also have to show that he/ she is domiciled in the US when petitioning the beneficiary.

The process does not take that long anymore. In my case, it took 9 months including interview date for CR1/IR1 route. I also did not use any lawyer or co-sponsor to petition my husband. As for K3, it's pretty much about the same time.

Good luck! I hope that it enlightens you and provide you with better choice.

If you go to the Philippines to get married, the process is complicated enough that by the time you have your authenticated marriage certificate in your hands you would likely have qualified for direct consular filing for a CR visa. Direct consular filing is much faster. I guess this means you are retired if you can stay in the Philippines for such a long time? You might need to apply for a visa yourself, however, to stay in the Philippines for so long.

Just for clarification:

1. You can get a certified xerox copy of your marriage certificate from the Local Civil Registry in two to three weeks after the marriage. This copy will suffice for the USCIS process. You will need the authenticated NSO copy for the Manila US Embassy (MUSE).

2. Direct consular filing (DCF) is not listed on the immigration pages of the MUSE website and the consensus here on VJ is DCF is not available. I would suggest calling MUSE to verify.

Yeah Jas! DCF can be done at the USEM. I just helped a buddy do one. They were IR. Can't see why CRs would be able to do DCF also.
Took about 4 months from start to finish.
They didn't have any problems at all. CO at the interview told him USEM is encouraging Americans to leave Mindanao because of the increasing problems there with the muslims and Abu sayyah.

The key factor not yet mentioned is the actual residency requirement to qualify to file DCF. Usually, it is six months of "residence" which is not the same as six months visiting on a visitor visa.

Good point! You do have to establish "residency" in the Philippines
How you go about that I don't have any idea.
My buddy had lived there for 12 years.
His problems were establishing domicile in the US and no ITRs.

Suggest you spock this link out!

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/inde...&cty=Manila

Bit old as they haven't increased the medical fees yet.
Says somewhere the USEM website they don't allow co sponsors but they have excepted 1000s and still doing so.
Can't always believe on what you Google up!
As I said I just helped a buddy do a DCF at the USEM. He's here in the US now.

Thanks to everyone for your insight. It gives us something to think about.

I haven't been to the Philippines yet. I hope to soon enough though. Soon we will be looking for a job here. Maybe with her background and training, she can find a business to sponsor her. A company that builds computers here, once did that for several people, while I was there.

Thanks.