Opening a Joint Account in PI

[travis1983 0]

So my immigration adviser has suggested that my wife and I open a joint account in the Philippines together to help show mingled finances. We are  applying for a spousal visa next year to the usa.

Currently we live in China. I will leave my job in China and my wife will return th the Philippines next July. 

I have read where I must have an ARC card to open an account, even a joint one.

 

I also see where the ARC card is issued for those at the 59 day mark.

I do not really have 2 months I can burn in the Philippines.

I normally go in on a Balikbayan, but am willing to do the visa if needed in JUly.

 

Question: If I need the ARC card is there any way to get the card faster? In say 2 weeks?

Or must I wait a full 59 days before I can apply?

 

Although the ARC card is not govt policy, many banks require it and I have found none that will issue a bank account without. And emails to the banks they say "which branch?"...so

they have no uniformed policy, its branch by branch.

[Hank_ 9,173]

19 minutes ago, travis1983 said:

So my immigration adviser has suggested that my wife and I open a joint account in the Philippines together to help show mingled finances. We are  applying for a spousal visa next year to the usa.

Currently we live in China. I will leave my job in China and my wife will return th the Philippines next July. 

I have read where I must have an ARC card to open an account, even a joint one.

 

I also see where the ARC card is issued for those at the 59 day mark.

I do not really have 2 months I can burn in the Philippines.

I normally go in on a Balikbayan, but am willing to do the visa if needed in JUly.

 

Question: If I need the ARC card is there any way to get the card faster? In say 2 weeks?

Or must I wait a full 59 days before I can apply?

 

Although the ARC card is not govt policy, many banks require it and I have found none that will issue a bank account without. And emails to the banks they say "which branch?"...so

they have no uniformed policy, its branch by branch.

 

Every bank I have heard of wants to see the ACR card, I know BDO where we bank wants to see one.    You could do a voluntary application for an I-ACR card,   http://www.immigration.gov.ph/services/alien-registration/voluntary-application-for-acr-i-card     

 

With that said, you do not need to have a joint bank account in the Philippines for the visa process, if that were necessary ... THOUSANDS of couples would not have received their visa.     Just saying.

 

Here is what the embassy instructions letter states:

 

PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP: We strongly suggest all applicants bring extensive documentary evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and the primary beneficiary and between the primary beneficiary and any derivative beneficiaries. Failure to do so may greatly delay your application. Some examples of such evidence are family and other photographs (old and recent) showing the parties together, letters, cards, correspondence, and telephone records

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/2016/08/IV-Applicant-Interview-Preparation-Instructions-08112016-English-365KB.pdf

 

You have been together in China for how long... you should have a variety of evidence already.  Plus once back in the Philippines you will be sending remittance to your wife?   There ya are.

 

Co-mingling of funds and such is more of a Removal of Conditions requirement (you been married over two years?)  

 

Here is a link to the various steps from petition to visa application at the  embassy.  https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/petition.html

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/i-130-petition-process.html

Edited October 23, 2017 by Hank_

[travis1983 0]

Oh yeah I am aware for sure I need more evidence. We have tickets/boarding passes to various countries we went to, photos, and here in China I have 3 years of rental agreements (in Mandarin) signed with our names, and 4 rental records with fee paid to the landlord. In China, utilities are prepaid on a plastic card, so no utility records. We have our resident visas. etc here. No kids.

 

I was not aware I could do a voluntary ARC Card. Thank you. I am  trying to beat the clock because once in the USA I will have a US based job/income for only about 5 months (sept-dec 2018) and the total income would be only about 12,000 USD gross. That is short of the 21,000 I need, so I will use my savings account in the US to make up the shortfall. 

 

But yes, he has suggested the PH account to simply show evidence. Here in China the account (set up by my employer) is in my name only.

[Hank_ 9,173]

1 hour ago, travis1983 said:

Oh yeah I am aware for sure I need more evidence. We have tickets/boarding passes to various countries we went to, photos, and here in China I have 3 years of rental agreements (in Mandarin) signed with our names, and 4 rental records with fee paid to the landlord. In China, utilities are prepaid on a plastic card, so no utility records. We have our resident visas. etc here. No kids.

 

I was not aware I could do a voluntary ARC Card. Thank you. I am  trying to beat the clock because once in the USA I will have a US based job/income for only about 5 months (sept-dec 2018) and the total income would be only about 12,000 USD gross. That is short of the 21,000 I need, so I will use my savings account in the US to make up the shortfall. 

 

But yes, he has suggested the PH account to simply show evidence. Here in China the account (set up by my employer) is in my name only.

Limited pay should not be a major issue, get an employer letter stating annual pay, plus copies of your pay stubs for NVC and later USEM.   You should be OK having those items and a low tax return.

USEM does not accept assets, so savings won't help you there.  They do accept interest income from money in the bank     (yes I know you read elsewhere about using assets.. but that doesn't apply to USEM, they have their own rules.)

 

Phils bank account isn't necessary at all with the visa process, but if you plan to travel to the Phils having a bank account here makes things easier.   

 

From your list of documents, etc.  You have a very good evidence already.

[travis1983 0]

Really??? I always read that is my total income was under 21,000 I could use assets including savings account and it was 3x the amount short if for a family member. So 5,000 USD short I would need 15000 USd in savings. My goodness....this is news. 

 

So, if my 2018 return (as they do not count my chinese income) is below 21,000 I would need a cosponsor, or be able to show pay stubs for my job I will start once I return to the USA, from what I gather, as my 2018 return (the most recent once I present my financials in january/feb 2019 aprox) would show well below that amount, because of starting my US position mid year. 

 

Seems as if they should have a uniform policy

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

6 minutes ago, travis1983 said:

Really??? I always read that is my total income was under 21,000 I could use assets including savings account and it was 3x the amount short if for a family member. So 5,000 USD short I would need 15000 USd in savings. My goodness....this is news. 

 

So, if my 2018 return (as they do not count my chinese income) is below 21,000 I would need a cosponsor, or be able to show pay stubs for my job I will start once I return to the USA, from what I gather, as my 2018 return (the most recent once I present my financials in january/feb 2019 aprox) would show well below that amount, because of starting my US position mid year. 

 

Seems as if they should have a uniform policy

Uniform Policy? That's not gonna happen.  Each Embassy or consulate has their own rules.  

 

Your best bet is to ditch your "Immigration Advisor" and study and read up on what you need.  This place here will give you all the updated information you need.  The paperwork is easy and simple to do and the requirements are easily found. 

 

 

[RO_AH 1,615]

Having a joint bank account is not needed. I am sure embassy officials know the difficulties of an American having an account there. If she has an account there and you are sending funds to it, to me that is sufficient. I have never hears of anyone here who went through the lengthy process of setting up a joint account in the Philippines for immigration purposes. I would be worried about your "so called" advisor. Just ask here in these forums where there are 100's of people who have actually successfully gone through the process and are willing to help.

[Hank_ 9,173]

11 hours ago, travis1983 said:

Really??? I always read that is my total income was under 21,000 I could use assets including savings account and it was 3x the amount short if for a family member. So 5,000 USD short I would need 15000 USd in savings. My goodness....this is news. 

 

So, if my 2018 return (as they do not count my chinese income) is below 21,000 I would need a cosponsor, or be able to show pay stubs for my job I will start once I return to the USA, from what I gather, as my 2018 return (the most recent once I present my financials in january/feb 2019 aprox) would show well below that amount, because of starting my US position mid year. 

 

Seems as if they should have a uniform policy

Yes REALLY.  You can read on the Department of State website where assets are accepted, but that isn't a reality at USEM here in the Philippines.  I know of many couples that banged into this wall, some are friends of mine, had lots of cash in the bank, had been living here with his wife for 5 years, but the embassy wouldn't even consider his assets, in his case he had to get a co-sponsor.   You have a new job, your case is different in that respect and you should be able to jump over that hurdle with an employer letter and pay stubs that would project your yearly income.. a letter of explanation from you wouldn't hurt either, explaining you are relocating from your job in China ... yada, yada.

 

Not sure who your adviser is, but they are not "on top of things".