Manila Embassy Interview

[sunandmoon 450]

All filipinos leaving the PI for overseas work or marrying a foreigner are required to attend the CFO seminar. Do a search in this thread for CFO requirements, it has been discussed many times. Ken

Hi, I have a question: My fiancee works for the city government. Does she need some type of authorization to fly out of the country? I have read of others who were delayed because they didn't have it. Thanks.

Thanks, I mean in addittion to the CFO sticker.

Yazi worked for the city of Davao and she didn't need anything like that.

[Wes and Shiela 2]

Sorry to take so long with my update, but the Bayview Park Hotel doesn’t have in-room internet access, and the business center downstairs charges outrageous rates.

Shiela and I had our interview on 03/20, and it actually went very good, but we are on AR, which we knew would happen even before the interview.

Shiela waited until her given SLEC appointment date of 03/13, and when she went back on 03/14 to pick up her x-ray, they instead returned her passport to her, and told her to come back to SLEC on 03/21 for an additional test!

When she told me that, I panicked, because I wondered how it would affect our interview schedule, So I called St. Luke from home in Los Angeles on 03/15, to try to find out what was going on. The lady I spoke to was very nice, and told me that the doctor wanted to do one more test, but that we should go ahead to the interview because the test would not affect the interview.

So, I flew into Manila on Monday 03/19, and Shiela and I went to the interview on 03/20. The interview experience was relatively painless, and very positive.

The hardest part is waiting for your number to appear. But then, as you see other numbers close to yours pop up on the queue board, you actually begin hoping your number WON’T pop up!

Of course it does. So off to the pre-screener we went. Shiela was so nervous I thought she was going to pass out. But the pre-screener was very nice, and when she saw that I was there, and she saw how nervous Shiela was, she started to direct most of her questions to me:

How did you meet?

How many times have you come here to visit your fiancee?

She may have had a couple of follow-up questions to my answers, but nothing much more than clarification. She took notes as we “chatted”.

Then she asked for the I-134F, and “my most recent” tax return and W2.. I gave her my 2005 ITR. I also gave her a copy of my 2006 W2, and told her I had not done the 2006 ITR yet. I got the impression that she really would have been satisfied with just the 2005 ITR and W2.

She requested Shiela’s NBI clearance, and birth certificate. Then she asked for photos of the two of us together, and our snail mail cards and letters. Then she told us to go sit back down and wait for the Consul interview.

The Consul interviewer, was also very nice and “chatty”. His questions were:

How did we meet?

Are we both single?

Have we either ever been married?

Did either of us have any kids?

Since neither Shiela or I have ever been married, nor have kids, there weren’t any followup questions to that. Some of you may have more questions asked of you. I could overhear the K3 applicant before us, talking with our Consul interviewer, and she had to answer a lot of questions about her kids, her husband, and the marriage.

Anyway back to Shiela and I. He then examined our photos and snail mail letters. He asked us about some of the photos: when were they taken, where were they taken, who were some of the other people in the photos... it was all very casual. Then he complimented us on how organized everything was.

Then before I could ask if we were approved, he said everything looked good, and he would push everything through so we could get the visa. Then, kinda as an afterthought, he asked about the medical results from St. Luke. We then showed him Shiela’s receipt and told him how she had to go back tomorrow. He said no problem, we’d be on AR until they get the results from St. Lukes, but that shouldn’t take more than a few days, and after that the visa would be sent out.

He was very nice and informative. As I said, everything went very smoothly.

So Shiela went back to SLEC yesterday, had her test, and they told her to come back on Friday for her vaccinations, and that the medical results would then be released to the Embassy.

A few lessons learned, to help you guys who haven’t done it yet:

I don’t think there is a need to show up more than an hour before your scheduled interview appointment time. Once you get through the crowd and make it inside, they try to process all the applicants with the earlier times first. I’ve heard and read of people getting there at 3:00AM for a 7:00AM appointment. That’s not necessary. Even though we arrived for our 7:00AM appointment before some of the 6:30AM appointment applicants, they were processed first, since there appointment time was earlier.

Also, if you can, go to St. Luke’s as soon as possible after you receive your appointment letter. That way you can be sure to have completed any unexpected tests, and have everything done by the time of your interview.

If a complication arises with your medical, DO NOT cancel the interview. They really are two separate things, and if there are problems with the medical, you can still get the interview process out of the way, and they will place you on AR until the medical results are in. If you cancel your interview appointment, it may be months before you can reschedule it, and there is no point.

I'll be sure to post, as soon as we are off AR, and the visa is on it's way.

Thank you all for your support, and help.

[Pinay Wife 47]

Hi, I have a question: My fiancee works for the city government. Does she need some type of authorization to fly out of the country? I have read of others who were delayed because they didn't have it. Thanks.

If your fiancee is travelling on a regular passport (green passport), she does not need any type of authorization. However, if she is travelling on an official passport (red passport) for purposes other than "official business", she will be required to present additional documents like approved leave from the government agency where she works.

[sunandmoon 450]

wes, it's good to hear your AR should be a short one.

[sunandmoon 450]

All filipinos leaving the PI for overseas work or marrying a foreigner are required to attend the CFO seminar. Do a search in this thread for CFO requirements, it has been discussed many times. Ken

Hi, I have a question: My fiancee works for the city government. Does she need some type of authorization to fly out of the country? I have read of others who were delayed because they didn't have it. Thanks.

Thanks, I mean in addittion to the CFO sticker.

Yazi worked for the city of Davao and she didn't need anything like that.

Yazi has a regular (green) passport.

[JelloShotGirl 0]

uling! congrats on the AOS interview!

[kismet 0]

Congratulations to Sheriff & Mrs. Uling on the successful AOS interview!

Hey PW, so nice to see you're back! and i'm sure you're re-invigorated and ready for another bout with the consul soon in April. this time to get the visa! Happy reunion soon.. yay for PW! Thanks to you too and to Roy for the good wishes. And Roy, I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your Dad, I hope he recovers soon. My fiance's dad is not in a very good condition himself, and for us to visit him in Chapala, Mexico seems not at all feasible in the near future. That makes it all the more difficult.

Congratulations too to Wes and Shiela! Here's to a very short AR and visa in hand soon. I also advocate early medical. To those in line, please please take this advice, you couldn't go wrong. Except maybe for those coming from the provinces which would mean an extra trip to Manila ... still one can't discount the benefit of not stressing over time issues in case something comes up in the xray or other tests, and breathing easy with time enough to concentrate on the interview.

Well. today has been a very exciting day to say the least

Aside from the questions asked by the consul to clarify/verify what's on the documents submitted... the consul asked me if anybody ever told me that I look like Martha Stewart! and then asked if i can cook! double !!

Nice chit chat. Even put my paranoid, nervous wreck of a daughter at ease and had her smiling throughout the interview! His last words to me (without my asking) were, "I am satisfied with your documents, and I'm approving your visa application... I wish you luck and happiness." That felt good.

Now if only they will release the visa soon, huh?

Next! .... nervously check delbros website ........

Happy but still with bated breathe,

Gen

[kismet 0]

oh. and I have to add... heed the Sheriff's post about the new regulation regarding cellphones!

There was a girl who also had her appointment at the embassy today. She had her cellphone with her, and sure enough, the guards called her attention even before she could enter the building. She said she has no one with her and thus nobody to hold her cellphone while inside the embassy premises. She asked the guard if he could hold her phone for her (for some cash), the guard said, "are you insulting me?" She was directed to vacate the embassy premises immediately and come back without the cellphone. I didn't see her come back though. Well, I was a little pissed off when she cut me on the queue to enter the embassy (small thing really), but I truly felt sorry for her.

I also saw a guy who had to go BPI in TM Kalaw. He hasn't paid the visa fee yet.

VJ is truly a big help. Can't give thanks enough.

Gen

[Mike_Marivic 0]

oh. and I have to add... heed the Sheriff's post about the new regulation regarding cellphones!

There was a girl who also had her appointment at the embassy today. She had her cellphone with her, and sure enough, the guards called her attention even before she could enter the building. She said she has no one with her and thus nobody to hold her cellphone while inside the embassy premises. She asked the guard if he could hold her phone for her (for some cash), the guard said, "are you insulting me?" She was directed to vacate the embassy premises immediately and come back without the cellphone. I didn't see her come back though. Well, I was a little pissed off when she cut me on the queue to enter the embassy (small thing really), but I truly felt sorry for her.

I also saw a guy who had to go BPI in TM Kalaw. He hasn't paid the visa fee yet.

VJ is truly a big help. Can't give thanks enough.

Gen

Too bad for her.

If i was her and no one to hold the cellphone for me i would throw the cellphone to the drainage or give it to some vendors outside and just get the sim card. Seriously. Rather than miss my interview or have it rescheduled, cant afford the same stress once again with my own simple blunder, i would just buy a new cheap cellphone after. I don't want the feeling of blaming myself endlessly, its hard. Hehehehe.

Edited March 22, 2007 by Mike_Marivic

[john_and_marlene 162]

I have the IRS Return Transcripts. Looking at the IRS website, a copy of 1040 direct from IRS is about $39 for each tax year. It also takes about 60 days since the day of request. I assume that Manila Embassy meant the IRS Return "Transcripts"? Maybe i'll just submit my own copy of 1040 (non-certified) in addition to the IRS Return Transcripts?

What do you or anyone think?

x x x Although not required, Consuls prefer 3 years of tax returns instead of just the most recent tax year di ba?

I hope Manila Embassy will accept IRS TAX RETURN /ACCOUNT "TRANSCRIPTS" instead of demanding certified copied of 1040s

Francel,

From my own experience and others after me, the embassy actually prefers a copy of your own non-certified 1040 and W2 and not the IRS transcripts. When I had my interview, I presented the 3-year transcripts but the pre-screener only took the latest W2 (non-certified). I suggest that you send your parents your copy of the 1040 and W2 via fax plus the 3-year tax transcripts (even if not really required just to be on the safe side and since it is available anyway).

Don't worry too much, ang wrinkles!!!

We submitted IRS transcripts and the W2s. They were accepted without incident.

[LuzyC 0]

His last words to me (without my asking) were, "I am satisfied with your documents, and I'm approving your visa application... I wish you luck and happiness." That felt good.

Happy but still with bated breathe,

Gen

Congratulation Gen!!

[gracy_byron 0]

Sorry to take so long with my update, but the Bayview Park Hotel doesn’t have in-room internet access, and the business center downstairs charges outrageous rates.

Shiela and I had our interview on 03/20, and it actually went very good, but we are on AR, which we knew would happen even before the interview.

Shiela waited until her given SLEC appointment date of 03/13, and when she went back on 03/14 to pick up her x-ray, they instead returned her passport to her, and told her to come back to SLEC on 03/21 for an additional test!

When she told me that, I panicked, because I wondered how it would affect our interview schedule, So I called St. Luke from home in Los Angeles on 03/15, to try to find out what was going on. The lady I spoke to was very nice, and told me that the doctor wanted to do one more test, but that we should go ahead to the interview because the test would not affect the interview.

So, I flew into Manila on Monday 03/19, and Shiela and I went to the interview on 03/20. The interview experience was relatively painless, and very positive.

The hardest part is waiting for your number to appear. But then, as you see other numbers close to yours pop up on the queue board, you actually begin hoping your number WON’T pop up!

Of course it does. So off to the pre-screener we went. Shiela was so nervous I thought she was going to pass out. But the pre-screener was very nice, and when she saw that I was there, and she saw how nervous Shiela was, she started to direct most of her questions to me:

How did you meet?

How many times have you come here to visit your fiancee?

She may have had a couple of follow-up questions to my answers, but nothing much more than clarification. She took notes as we “chatted”.

Then she asked for the I-134F, and “my most recent” tax return and W2.. I gave her my 2005 ITR. I also gave her a copy of my 2006 W2, and told her I had not done the 2006 ITR yet. I got the impression that she really would have been satisfied with just the 2005 ITR and W2.

She requested Shiela’s NBI clearance, and birth certificate. Then she asked for photos of the two of us together, and our snail mail cards and letters. Then she told us to go sit back down and wait for the Consul interview.

The Consul interviewer, was also very nice and “chatty”. His questions were:

How did we meet?

Are we both single?

Have we either ever been married?

Did either of us have any kids?

Since neither Shiela or I have ever been married, nor have kids, there weren’t any followup questions to that. Some of you may have more questions asked of you. I could overhear the K3 applicant before us, talking with our Consul interviewer, and she had to answer a lot of questions about her kids, her husband, and the marriage.

Anyway back to Shiela and I. He then examined our photos and snail mail letters. He asked us about some of the photos: when were they taken, where were they taken, who were some of the other people in the photos... it was all very casual. Then he complimented us on how organized everything was.

Then before I could ask if we were approved, he said everything looked good, and he would push everything through so we could get the visa. Then, kinda as an afterthought, he asked about the medical results from St. Luke. We then showed him Shiela’s receipt and told him how she had to go back tomorrow. He said no problem, we’d be on AR until they get the results from St. Lukes, but that shouldn’t take more than a few days, and after that the visa would be sent out.

He was very nice and informative. As I said, everything went very smoothly.

So Shiela went back to SLEC yesterday, had her test, and they told her to come back on Friday for her vaccinations, and that the medical results would then be released to the Embassy.

A few lessons learned, to help you guys who haven’t done it yet:

I don’t think there is a need to show up more than an hour before your scheduled interview appointment time. Once you get through the crowd and make it inside, they try to process all the applicants with the earlier times first. I’ve heard and read of people getting there at 3:00AM for a 7:00AM appointment. That’s not necessary. Even though we arrived for our 7:00AM appointment before some of the 6:30AM appointment applicants, they were processed first, since there appointment time was earlier.

Also, if you can, go to St. Luke’s as soon as possible after you receive your appointment letter. That way you can be sure to have completed any unexpected tests, and have everything done by the time of your interview.

If a complication arises with your medical, DO NOT cancel the interview. They really are two separate things, and if there are problems with the medical, you can still get the interview process out of the way, and they will place you on AR until the medical results are in. If you cancel your interview appointment, it may be months before you can reschedule it, and there is no point.

I'll be sure to post, as soon as we are off AR, and the visa is on it's way.

Thank you all for your support, and help.

That is really informative, thanks for posting it! Me and my son will be doing our medical early, no need for us to leave 3:00 AM then since our appointment is 7:00 AM. Hope you'll be out of AR soon, you'll be both included in our prayers.

[Mike_Marivic 0]

Sorry to take so long with my update, but the Bayview Park Hotel doesn’t have in-room internet access, and the business center downstairs charges outrageous rates.

Shiela and I had our interview on 03/20, and it actually went very good, but we are on AR, which we knew would happen even before the interview.....

Thank you all for your support, and help.

That is really informative, thanks for posting it! Me and my son will be doing our medical early, no need for us to leave 3:00 AM then since our appointment is 7:00 AM. Hope you'll be out of AR soon, you'll be both included in our prayers.

You can also go to St. Luke's in the afternoon, others were there as early as 8am and at 6pm they were still there and were next to me on the line when we had the PE/ME. Also don't forget to bring with you snacks, lots of it, since you will be with your son and you dont want to get hungry esp the baby ( other babies were throwing tantrums for waiting so long and others maybe were getting hungry and sleepy) you will need a total of 3 visa photos not passport photos.

[YnaYeBa0808 0]

PW, dont think we'll go that route. and besides gusto ko girl! im not sure how larry would fit a girls name....

di naman SR, Jr and so on... actually its Larry (for dad), Larry Brian, Larry Neil... and itll stop there. hahahah SANA!

hi to all, hope everyone will be reuniteed with their lovedones soon trust me, waiting with someone else beside you makes it somehow better and not as stressful...

[Francel 0]

Ok.....thanks Patiently waiting....I appreciate it......

This immigration process is stressful..........

Anyone here used the service of Atty Michael Gurfinkel? I don't think I could afford him.......

:-) :-)