SOFA Card received! (US Military)

[A&M-Forever 0]

Greetings all

Earlier today I received my SOFA (Status of Forces) card for my wife. I filed her I-130 via DCF at Frankfurt (Germany) approximately 2 months ago. It took right at 60 days for the petition to be approved and once the embassy/consulate in Frankfurt let me know that it was approved - I was able to get her SOFA paperwork completed and approved as well. I picked up the SOFA card and Fed Ex'ed it (along with her Passport) today as well. My wife should have everything by this coming Wednesday. As soon as she gets it - we will book her flight to Germany.

For those of you wondering what a SOFA is....it is just an agreement between one country (in this case Germany) and the US Govt. Basically it says that since I am stationed and living in Germany....my wife can be here. No Visa needed...just has to be SOFA verified. We'll then start processing the Visa when she gets here.

I think we have pretty much everything planned out as best we can at this point...I'm a tad bit concerned on the CFO stamp/sticker though. Since she will not be traveling her eon a VISA...I have read that the CFO stamp/sticker is not needed. I have even talked to a couple Filipinas who live in my area here who said that they didn't have the CFO sticker/stamp - and that it was no problem when they came here (since they didn't have Visa's either...they came on SOFA cards). My wife did go to the seminar back in June when I was there (a couple weeks before our wedding) and she has the seminar certificate...

Can anyone out there ease my mind a bit and tell me that she'll be OK without the CFO stamp/sticker...and that she won't have any issues going through immigration/customs? It says plain as day right on the front of her SOFA card that it (the SOFA card) and her passport are all she needs for unlimited entry and exit to and from Germany.

I also wanted to ask if anyone had any experiences or thoughts on Etihad or Qatar Airlines? Those seem to be the most affordable and direct flights right now from MNL to FRA.

Thoughts?

Thanks a bunch everyone...

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Well for me I would have her do the CFO...but technically she is not on a immigrant visa right now so.... I would want to be sure that there is nothing that could at last minute cause a delay when getting on the plane. Yeah the CFO is BS, but it is only a couple of hours to do it. As far as Etihad airlines...my buddy flew them from frankfurt to manila when he came down for my wedding. He said it was a decent flight. On the way back he was delayed one night but I think it was because of the weather by the PI...cant remember why he didnt get out the day he was supposed to. The airline put him up in a hotel because of it.

Congrats on getting the SOFA card! Not much longer and you will be together....the best part is you will be together for the visa process for the US....and it can get expedited if it is taking too long...but you have a couple of years left there in germany anyway and DCF is A LOT quicker.

[Chad&Jennylyn 0]

quick question on her passport.. what name was on her passport.. maiden or married name.. thanks.

chad

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

Don't know if you noticed this or not - but this thread is from 2010.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Reviving the dead!!! Great way to end the year!!

[Tahoma 2,292]

@Chad...Both Michael & April and Scott& Mhay are still active VJ members. I hope they see this thread and respond to it. If not, you might want to send them a personal message.

[Lenchick 133]

Greetings all

Earlier today I received my SOFA (Status of Forces) card for my wife. I filed her I-130 via DCF at Frankfurt (Germany) approximately 2 months ago. It took right at 60 days for the petition to be approved and once the embassy/consulate in Frankfurt let me know that it was approved - I was able to get her SOFA paperwork completed and approved as well. I picked up the SOFA card and Fed Ex'ed it (along with her Passport) today as well. My wife should have everything by this coming Wednesday. As soon as she gets it - we will book her flight to Germany.

For those of you wondering what a SOFA is....it is just an agreement between one country (in this case Germany) and the US Govt. Basically it says that since I am stationed and living in Germany....my wife can be here. No Visa needed...just has to be SOFA verified. We'll then start processing the Visa when she gets here.

I think we have pretty much everything planned out as best we can at this point...I'm a tad bit concerned on the CFO stamp/sticker though. Since she will not be traveling her eon a VISA...I have read that the CFO stamp/sticker is not needed. I have even talked to a couple Filipinas who live in my area here who said that they didn't have the CFO sticker/stamp - and that it was no problem when they came here (since they didn't have Visa's either...they came on SOFA cards). My wife did go to the seminar back in June when I was there (a couple weeks before our wedding) and she has the seminar certificate...

Can anyone out there ease my mind a bit and tell me that she'll be OK without the CFO stamp/sticker...and that she won't have any issues going through immigration/customs? It says plain as day right on the front of her SOFA card that it (the SOFA card) and her passport are all she needs for unlimited entry and exit to and from Germany.

I also wanted to ask if anyone had any experiences or thoughts on Etihad or Qatar Airlines? Those seem to be the most affordable and direct flights right now from MNL to FRA.

Thoughts?

Thanks a bunch everyone...

I know it is an old thread but maybe someone who got through the same process will answer. I have just found out that my petition got approved. My husband filed to DCF in Frankfurt. He works on a military base in Germany and has SOFA status. Is approved i-130 petition enough to be eligible for SOFA status if I am on restricted country passport list? I just want to make sure not to get excited before time. I have just looked at the SOFA checklist and it says

PROVIDE ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING (Applicants must have entry ability to the USA)

[ ] PERMANENT RESIDENCE CARD

[ ] COPY OF ENTRY APPROVAL DOCUMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES

[ ] COPY OF VISA FOR ENTRY TO THE UNITED STATES

[ ] COPY OF FORM I-171H or I-797C (Approval of Action)

I thought that I-797C is NOA2 for i-130 approval? How can I have entry ability to the USA after i-130 approval then? I have always thought that all we need just to get NOA2 and we can apply for SOFA but someone got me confused that Frankfurt DCFd oesn't send anything looking like I-797C.

[A&M-Forever 0]

Hello!

I received an email from the Frankfurt office saying "I am pleased to inform you that your I-130 petition was approved yesterday. The Immigrant Visa Unit is now able to process step 2." (I had emailed them 1 day prior asking for an update).

Within a couple days after that, I received FORM I-171 (Notice of Aproval of Relative Immigrant Visa Petition) to my home mailing address in Germany. This is what I used to get the SOFA cards from the main office that handled SOFA issuance (near Stuttgart, Germany). I could have gone through my POC at Ramstein AB and probably was supposed to do so - but I had emailed the main office directly and they told me I could bring it all (SOFA application, I-171, and my wifes original passport) directly to them. I did just that and had the SOFA cards in-hand in less than 1 hour. If I had gone with my POC at Ramstein AB, this probably would have taken 2-3 weeks to process (through the mail in Germany).

I then Fed Ex'd the SOFA card and passport to my wife in the Philippines and my wife was in Germany about a week later.

I do not know what countries are on the restricted list for Germany, but I'm sure the Philippines are most likely on it. It was no problem for my wife arriving on a flight from Manila, Philippines to Frankfurt, Germany with the following documents: Philippine Passport, SOFA card, copy of my military orders.

So, I believe that the I-171 form should be on its way to your husband and this is what he will need to apply for the SOFA cards. Perhaps try calling or emailing Frankfurt DCF for an update...they were great providing me info via email, back in 2010 anyway.

To go on to the USA is a who other ball of wax. You will have more filing to do at the Consulate in Frankfurt in order to get the US Visa (valid for 6 months). When you enter the USA on this visa you will become a LPR. We did this and it was pretty easy and approval came pretty quick if I remember correctly. there was an interview in Germany that lasted less than 5 minutes. We had a HUUUUUGGGGGGEEEEEEEE snafu with my wife and step-daughters passports when we amiled them to Frankfurt (the military post office from ramstein somehow sent them to CHINA and the whereabouts were unknown for ~2 months before they miraculously arrived at the customs office in Frankfurt, Germany...but that was our fault for using the military post office). My advice is to make appointments in Frankfurt for everyhting and send nothing through the mail, even if they tell you its ok. That ordeal almost killed me! We barely made a trip we had planned (received the visas less than 1 week prior to departure)....

Hope some of this helped....

[A&M-Forever 0]

quick question on her passport.. what name was on her passport.. maiden or married name.. thanks.

chad

Haha...I know I'm 2 years late on the reply...but it was in her maiden name (in case this helps anyone else out there). After she became a LPR we traveled to the Philippine consulate in Chicago and had a new passport with her married name, took about 5 weeks to get that back if I remember correctly. Her maiden name was also on her Social Security Card we had gotten after she became a LPR, we have since updated that as well.

[Lenchick 133]

Hello!

I received an email from the Frankfurt office saying "I am pleased to inform you that your I-130 petition was approved yesterday. The Immigrant Visa Unit is now able to process step 2." (I had emailed them 1 day prior asking for an update).

Within a couple days after that, I received FORM I-171 (Notice of Aproval of Relative Immigrant Visa Petition) to my home mailing address in Germany. This is what I used to get the SOFA cards from the main office that handled SOFA issuance (near Stuttgart, Germany). I could have gone through my POC at Ramstein AB and probably was supposed to do so - but I had emailed the main office directly and they told me I could bring it all (SOFA application, I-171, and my wifes original passport) directly to them. I did just that and had the SOFA cards in-hand in less than 1 hour. If I had gone with my POC at Ramstein AB, this probably would have taken 2-3 weeks to process (through the mail in Germany).

I then Fed Ex'd the SOFA card and passport to my wife in the Philippines and my wife was in Germany about a week later.

I do not know what countries are on the restricted list for Germany, but I'm sure the Philippines are most likely on it. It was no problem for my wife arriving on a flight from Manila, Philippines to Frankfurt, Germany with the following documents: Philippine Passport, SOFA card, copy of my military orders.

So, I believe that the I-171 form should be on its way to your husband and this is what he will need to apply for the SOFA cards. Perhaps try calling or emailing Frankfurt DCF for an update...they were great providing me info via email, back in 2010 anyway.

To go on to the USA is a who other ball of wax. You will have more filing to do at the Consulate in Frankfurt in order to get the US Visa (valid for 6 months). When you enter the USA on this visa you will become a LPR. We did this and it was pretty easy and approval came pretty quick if I remember correctly. there was an interview in Germany that lasted less than 5 minutes. We had a HUUUUUGGGGGGEEEEEEEE snafu with my wife and step-daughters passports when we amiled them to Frankfurt (the military post office from ramstein somehow sent them to CHINA and the whereabouts were unknown for ~2 months before they miraculously arrived at the customs office in Frankfurt, Germany...but that was our fault for using the military post office). My advice is to make appointments in Frankfurt for everyhting and send nothing through the mail, even if they tell you its ok. That ordeal almost killed me! We barely made a trip we had planned (received the visas less than 1 week prior to departure)....

Hope some of this helped....

Thank you very much for getting back to us!!! That's very useful information. I didn't know that there is the main SOFA office that can issue cards that fast. I thought we would have to wait for about 2-3 weeks. That's awesome!!! Where is it located? My husband works at Kelley Barracks.

We used APO address everywhere in our paperwork and that's probably why we are waiting for the Notice of Approval so long. My petition was approved on Jan 24.

[A&M-Forever 0]

I'm not exactly sure where the IMCOM Europe SOFA office is located currently. I know that over the past few years many units have been moved around in Germany. When I went in 2010, it was at an IMCOM office at Schwitzegen (near Heidleburg, Germany). I'm not sure where Kelley Barracks is (sorry).

This word document will have some phone numbers....I can't gurantee this is still valid, but I remember this document is what I used to call and email the main office. They were great to deal with back in 2010, they emailed me directions to their office and it went very smoothly. If I remember correctly, Frankfurt even faxed a copy of the approval notice to the IMCOM office and they used that as verification to issue the SOFA cards. I don't even think I had to bring in the actual approval letter (I-171).

http://www.imcom-europe.army.mil/webs/docs/europe_life/retiree/trifoldsofa.doc

I do know that I was VERY lucky to be able to go directly to the main office versus going through my base passport office at Ramstein AB. When I had to get my families SOFA cards updated (we extended an extra year in Germany -- so we needed new cards with my new DEROS date on them) they would not let me go directly there. I had to use the passport office on base and they mailed the SOFA cards to the main office who then issued new SOFA cards and sent them back to the Ramstein passport office. I think it took between 1-2 weeks (not too bad).

Good luck...almost there!

[Lenchick 133]

Thank you very much!

[Lenchick 133]

I'm not exactly sure where the IMCOM Europe SOFA office is located currently. I know that over the past few years many units have been moved around in Germany. When I went in 2010, it was at an IMCOM office at Schwitzegen (near Heidleburg, Germany). I'm not sure where Kelley Barracks is (sorry).

This word document will have some phone numbers....I can't gurantee this is still valid, but I remember this document is what I used to call and email the main office. They were great to deal with back in 2010, they emailed me directions to their office and it went very smoothly. If I remember correctly, Frankfurt even faxed a copy of the approval notice to the IMCOM office and they used that as verification to issue the SOFA cards. I don't even think I had to bring in the actual approval letter (I-171).

http://www.imcom-europe.army.mil/webs/docs/europe_life/retiree/trifoldsofa.doc

I do know that I was VERY lucky to be able to go directly to the main office versus going through my base passport office at Ramstein AB. When I had to get my families SOFA cards updated (we extended an extra year in Germany -- so we needed new cards with my new DEROS date on them) they would not let me go directly there. I had to use the passport office on base and they mailed the SOFA cards to the main office who then issued new SOFA cards and sent them back to the Ramstein passport office. I think it took between 1-2 weeks (not too bad).

Good luck...almost there!

Today when we have the Notice of Approval in hands and my husband can apply for my SOFA, I find out that no express post courier agrees to send original passports outside of the country. It is against the Ukrainian law. It is quite challenging for either of us to make extra trip just to bring my passport to Stuttgart. That sucks!!! Don't they accept notarized passport copies? I have wrote IMCOM to ask, hopefully they will answer tomorrow.

[oksanar 0]

you have decided to issue a passport, they took a copy or not?

[Lenchick 133]

you have decided to issue a passport, they took a copy or not?

yeah, they asked for an electronic copy, then got back to us and this time asked to send them notarized copy of an every passport page. They wanted to see signatures of stamps on every page, which could not happen because notaries notarize and seal the last page and just glue all the other pages together. So it didn't really make sense to go and get all my passport notarize as I sent it in electronic format anyway if you understand what I am talking about. But I did notirize it, scanned and send them the copy. Then my hubby sent them a politly angry e-mail due to the change of their requirements and absense of direct instructions that we could follow. They called him back and said the card was issed. The end of the story.