Thoughts on process

[chris mcintosh 0]

Okay, so i am kind of unique in that I am a web developer and can do my job anywhere in the world as long as I have a steady connection to the internet. Even sometimes when it is spotty, i can do work locally on my laptop then upload it into the server online. So, the question is if it is better to stay in the states during my fiancees visa request, or if it would be okay to stay in her country during the process(Philippines). The other question is how long can I stay there legally with out a visa from her country.

Another slightly off topic question is, does anyone know a good place to get cheap tickets to the philippines. I did my first trip through travelocity, but think there probably is better places out there. Also, anyone that has come across this. How do you go about getting tickets for her return to the US. If i get a round trip ticket, then later when i get there purchase here round trip, how can I make sure that we are on the same flights/ seated together. Anyone who has experience with this please let me know as it is confusing me.

Maybe over thinking it a bit. Also when we get married, can we get refunded for the return ticket that we wont need? we have been in a relationship for 2 years so there is not a thought that things will not work out right.

[FawkThisSite 13]

I want to know about the tickets as well... I will be buying a round trip-ticket myself when the time comes and a one-way ticket for her, and want to ensure that we will be on the same return flight.

[Barbara J 115]

Okay, so i am kind of unique in that I am a web developer and can do my job anywhere in the world as long as I have a steady connection to the internet. Even sometimes when it is spotty, i can do work locally on my laptop then upload it into the server online. So, the question is if it is better to stay in the states during my fiancees visa request, or if it would be okay to stay in her country during the process(Philippines). The other question is how long can I stay there legally with out a visa from her country.

Another slightly off topic question is, does anyone know a good place to get cheap tickets to the philippines. I did my first trip through travelocity, but think there probably is better places out there. Also, anyone that has come across this. How do you go about getting tickets for her return to the US. If i get a round trip ticket, then later when i get there purchase here round trip, how can I make sure that we are on the same flights/ seated together. Anyone who has experience with this please let me know as it is confusing me.

Maybe over thinking it a bit. Also when we get married, can we get refunded for the return ticket that we wont need? we have been in a relationship for 2 years so there is not a thought that things will not work out right.

To find the cheapest flights I Googled a lot and just searched and compared a lot till I found what I wanted. But I ended up using Delta as they were the cheapest for me. If you have petitioned for her then while you are witing yes you can visit and so can she visit you here . Not sure on Phillipines if they come under VWP or nt but that allows her to visit you here for 90 days as long as she shows strong ties of a return home in her country. As far as you going there you would have to look that up as to how long you can stay through US travel. gov I think it is.

I hope this helps maybe so,one from Phillipines can help better.

Edited October 20, 2010 by barbarajlw

[Zen Den 18]

Okay, so i am kind of unique in that I am a web developer and can do my job anywhere in the world as long as I have a steady connection to the internet. Even sometimes when it is spotty, i can do work locally on my laptop then upload it into the server online. So, the question is if it is better to stay in the states during my fiancees visa request, or if it would be okay to stay in her country during the process(Philippines). The other question is how long can I stay there legally with out a visa from her country.

Another slightly off topic question is, does anyone know a good place to get cheap tickets to the philippines. I did my first trip through travelocity, but think there probably is better places out there. Also, anyone that has come across this. How do you go about getting tickets for her return to the US. If i get a round trip ticket, then later when i get there purchase here round trip, how can I make sure that we are on the same flights/ seated together. Anyone who has experience with this please let me know as it is confusing me.

Maybe over thinking it a bit. Also when we get married, can we get refunded for the return ticket that we wont need? we have been in a relationship for 2 years so there is not a thought that things will not work out right.

it depends on a lot of things. for instnace, if you're confident that your fiancee can go through it w/out your help/moral support by being there, then you dont really need to be there. other factors are time and money if you have issues here.

as for visa, you can go visit her for 21 days w/out it\

as for her tickets, people here on vj will tell you it's always best to awit til she has her us visa on hand, just in case things happen and she doesn't get it on the date you plan on flying together. it will be a matter of timing/luck difficukt to book her on the same flight as you if you book your return way ahead depending on whether you book off/on season also prices of tickets, as dec. nears, prices increase, but are cheap during the rain months.

and you only need a one-way ticket if she gets her visa. good luck and god bles =)

[thelastpetitioner 218]

refundable tickets are amazing

[Amyyduck 20]

If you're interested in staying more than 21 days, you can stay up to 59 days with a tourist visa which can apparently be applied for ahead of time or while in the country.

See here: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwha006.html#Tourist

[ScottRusselle 0]

My fiancé used to stay here in Manila. He's in IT, and he worked remotely half of the time from our home; finished tickets, joined conferences, and had meetings from here. From November until May, he lived with me in our condo and went back to California every 3 weeks or so. His deal with his employer was that he had to report to their headquarters every now and then. On his last trip here, though, he stayed from the first week of June until the 3rd week of August. That was definitely more than 21 days. We had read somewhere that a USC had to get a tourist visa if he was planning to stay more than 21 days, and we had planned to take care of that and go to the DFA to get him a tourist visa, but we eventually forgot about it since we were often out on trips to beaches and mountains. At the airport, while he was checking in for his return flight to California, they fined him 4000 pesos for overstaying. That was it. Customs didn't give him any trouble after he paid the fee. I imagine the fee will be higher the longer you stay here without a visa. It's too bad that his new employer (he got a new contract) doesn't allow remote work, which means that the next time I see him will be in December. This is the longest we have ever been apart (2 months now). Remote work is not all that common, and you and your girl are lucky that your work allows you that freedom. I suggest you stay with her while waiting for the visa. You will learn a lot about each other when you live together. You will learn what you love about her and what you don't love about her. You'll fight over something as trivial as where and how to hang the towels. And you will learn how to adjust, or whether or not to adjust at all. In my opinion, the fact that we were living together for several months has better equipped us for marriage.

As for the plane tickets, just buy online at PAL's website: www.philippineairlines.com

Good luck!

Edited October 20, 2010 by ScottRusselle

[chris mcintosh 0]

Lots of good suggestions there. Luckily I am self-employed so things are easy as far as the boss okaying things, but there are other concerns with my team here locally. However I could make things work just about anywhere. If she does choose to come to visit me, what happens if here k1 visa is approved when she is here? Does she then go back and to the interview to just to come back here again or can she perform the interview somewhere in the states? Im located in South Indiana, if that helps on narrowing a location down.

[daredra 2]

The Philippines is not in the Visa Waiver Program, she cant visit you, only if she applies for a visitor visa that most probably she wouldn't get if it turns out she has a USC fiancé.

As for the plane tickets, return flights are generally cheaper, you can book a return flight for her too, it doesnt matter that she will never use the other sector. To ensure that u will be both on the same flight, call the airline, they will help.

[ScottRusselle 0]

Lots of good suggestions there. Luckily I am self-employed so things are easy as far as the boss okaying things, but there are other concerns with my team here locally. However I could make things work just about anywhere. If she does choose to come to visit me, what happens if here k1 visa is approved when she is here? Does she then go back and to the interview to just to come back here again or can she perform the interview somewhere in the states? I'm located in South Indiana, if that helps on narrowing a location down.

I believe she has to come back to have the interview at the Manila consulate, but I'm not sure. You should ask one of the expert VJ members. They seem to know a lot about the visa process.

Daredra is right. The Philippines is not part of the Visa Waiver Program (otherwise, the Philippines wouldn't be a high fraud country), and if your fiancée doesn't already have a tourist visa, she's going to have a hard time getting one. That doesn't mean it's impossible though, and she can always try.