K-1 expedite request

[DanTes 21]

Question: has anyone ever asked the Embassy for help in expediting a K-1 application from the start? My finace is in the Philippines, in a very poor purok, nowhere near an urban section or town. To get to her village, you have to cross a river on a raft. I emailed the embassy requesting help while I am finishing my paperwork to file this week. I am in hte process of writing the cover letter now requesting expedition based on humanitarian, and extreme emergent situations. I am also planning on contacting my senators/state representatives requesting assistance. I thought I knew poverty until I saw the village. The village made a campground look good. It was very much off the beaten path for anyone but pinoys.

Cheers,

Darren

TRY IT! Nothing ventured; nothing gained. I think the chances though are slim and none, and slim's out of town.

[nikolacolada 21]

Well I'm not telling you to not try or to try. I think that is your decision but I think you are trying to reach for a reason to expedite the process and I can't say I blame you. I wanted to look for a reason to expedite as well when I started this process but there was none. As far as the reasons you give for her extreme hardship I think there are A LOT of people in very similar situations.

Sounds like they are poor but you are making sure they don't starve, you are making sure they have adequate housing, you are paying for family members to better themselves which is all great but still does not justify an expedite. As for the travel advisory, my (and many others) fiance is in Mexico.. wanna talk about a travel advisory now? And we don't get expedites. In fact they make us travel to the most dangerous city in Mexico for the interview/visa. So judging from that they don't really care whether or not the person is in an area that has a travel advisory.

I truly think it's up to you to do whatever you feel is the right thing but as others have said just don't get your hopes you. You don't need to convince us it's the right thing to do. After all it is your life ! And who knows, it might work. Hope for the best but expect the worst

[nikolacolada 21]

Well I'm not telling you to not try or to try. I think that is your decision but I think you are trying to reach for a reason to expedite the process and I can't say I blame you. I wanted to look for a reason to expedite as well when I started this process but there was none. As far as the reasons you give for her extreme hardship I think there are A LOT of people in very similar situations.

Sounds like they are poor but you are making sure they don't starve, you are making sure they have adequate housing, you are paying for family members to better themselves which is all great but still does not justify an expedite, neither does the fact that they've never been outside the region or had never eaten at a Mcdonalds before they met you. As for the travel advisory, my (and many others) fiance is in Mexico.. which is under travel advisory and we don't get expedites. In fact they make us travel to the most dangerous city in Mexico for the interview/visa. So judging from that they don't really care whether or not the person is in an area that has a travel advisory.

I truly think it's up to you to do whatever you feel is the right thing but as others have said just don't get your hopes you. You don't need to convince us it's the right thing to do. After all it is your life ! And who knows, it might work. Hope for the best but expect the worst

[Sergi9 110]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, I do not know of the expedite will be approved or not. However, her situation HAS changed since meeting me. 1) she lives in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. there is a US Embassy travel advisory for this area. (northern end, but still part of the more fractured part of the Philippines. 2) I was the only American to visit the village in the last 2 years. 3) she does not cross the river to talk to people, it just so happens one of the mothers from the village lives here in town with me. We net online due to relatives living close by me. 4) I provided her a laptop, cell phone, and passport already to provide means to communicate with her, and provide support for her and her family. 5) as for gumming up the works, well, let's just say that is america. there are always exceptions to rules not rules with out exceptions as in many other countries. 6) As for sitting untouched or in a separate batch, etc. It is your responsibility to follow up, not their responsibility to let you know. 7) I have provided food for her and her family since we have started dating. Her dad insists she talks with me each and every day. They did not have separate rooms in the house until I provided money to them. The whole village, as well as those along the route (jeepney and bus) now know her and I are engaged to be married. It was a common conversation every day when going back and forth. 8) I bought her the first dress she ever owned 9apart from school uniform) 9) the engagment party was 37,000php.

So far you have not said anything that meets the criteria for an expedite.There are very limited situations in which the USCIS may deem it appropriate to expedite a petition. Any such request must fit within the criteria, and needs to be supported by appropriate documentation. Other than ripping off a sheet from the DOS website on the travel advisory which someone else mentioned is quite common, look at Egypt and Barains sites for examples, she is relatively poor which is common to most beneficiarys.

Your best bet at getting her here as quickly as possible is not to try to reinvent the wheel but focus on all points the process you can control and file a well documented approvable petition with good supporting evidence.

Hopefully it will go quickly and painlessly for you. Goodluck

[JimVaPhuong 4,865]

the family has never been outside of the area they are in. 1) they never have been to mcdonalds or jollibee until I took them. 2) going shopping is a rarity to them. 3) there is nowhere to send while waiting, all of the family pretty much lives in the village from what I know. 4) the furthest I know of them going is butuan or cagayan de oro. 5) I am having her get her vaccinations now, I will be paying for all of these. 6) I also paid for her cousin to take her exams for graduation.

You took her family to Jollibee??? I thought you loved her!

Just kidding! A lot of the Filipinos around here used to eat at Jollibee in the PI, but now they consider it cruel and unusual punishment. It reminds them of home, but not in a good way.

[John+Lourdelie 28]

You took her family to Jollibee??? I thought you loved her!

Just kidding! A lot of the Filipinos around here used to eat at Jollibee in the PI, but now they consider it cruel and unusual punishment. It reminds them of home, but not in a good way.

:rofl:

Yes, Jollibee is definitely low rent but that's the burger franchise in PI so that's what you get. Will be glad to introduce my fiancée to one of my grilled burgers when she gets here.

John

[gretchen_darren 67]

Thanks again for the replies. I want to state i am not trying to invent something or make something up to just get in line or expedite the process. The travel advisory warning issued by the US embassy, states no government offical can go into the area without US Embassy approvals (in effect the area is off limits). From the embassy website: U.S. Government employees must seek special permission for travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. Travelers to these areas should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas. Some foreigners who reside in or visit Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago hire their own security.

I understand how everyone else is feeling, there are many many dangerous places in the world today. But when you see children just flocking around you waiting for food, wanting just a morsel of what you do not eat. Always hungry. How can it not move you to tears? I saw so many children, so many adults, who just wish for a good meal every day. And the talent in that village was greater then most talent I have seen of people across the world. And yet I konw many of them will never get a chance to even utilize their talents. Poverty is poverty no matter where you are. The poverty, the lack of food, then the debt people are having to incur to survive, jsut survive, is terrible. Imagine having no food, no money, and having to buy rice, buy food on credit. Hoping another catach will come in, so you can purchase food. There are no refrigerators or freezers there, no milk that I saw, things are stored in containers in the open, unrefrigerated. In order to even drink water, they have to buy distilled water or boil water. they cannot even cool water after boiling it. some places have no electricity at all, or jsut one outlet for a while house. Many houses there are 15 feet by 15 feet for 7 people or more. YEs. there are places where people live in pverty all over the world. But when was the last time you heard of an area where a bus boming killed 10 people, all of the people in a village slept on the floor, many houses had dirt floors, people woke up and went to bed hungry, food was sold on credit, bathing is done out in the open under your clothes, hot water does not exist, refrigeration is non existent except for in a store, no one in the village has gone to college or can afford to,

[gretchen_darren 67]

yes, I love her. Taking her to jollibee was the best I could do for american food besides pizza hut and mcdonalds in butuan. I was staying in gingoog city since it was the closest to her village. I was extremely happy to get home to "american" food again. She stayed with me at the hotel. this was a chance to expose her to "western" civilization and see if her and i could live as a couple. How we got along. Plus spending time with her family for all of us to get to know each other. I did not like Jollibee, but in comparison to other coices, it was probably one of the safer options in the city to eat at.

when the embassy interview comes up, I am taking her and her parents via airplane (a taste of flying for her, see if she gets airsick) to manila to expose her more to my way of life. to show how she will be living. Manila is more another major step up from where I was staying near her village. My motel room was larger then her family's house. There will be much refinement to teach her over time, including knives are for cutting up food, not spoons. But the biggest thing is, I felt so spoiled by her when I was there. I was never, ever far out of her sight. being loved like that after being unloved for years, you can't help but wish for some blessing from above for managarap angel ko (angel without wings).

[danmera 0]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, I do not know of the expedite will be approved or not. However, her situation HAS changed since meeting me. 1) she lives in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. there is a US Embassy travel advisory for this area. (northern end, but still part of the more fractured part of the Philippines. 2) I was the only American to visit the village in the last 2 years. 3) she does not cross the river to talk to people, it just so happens one of the mothers from the village lives here in town with me. We net online due to relatives living close by me. 4) I provided her a laptop, cell phone, and passport already to provide means to communicate with her, and provide support for her and her family. 5) as for gumming up the works, well, let's just say that is america. there are always exceptions to rules not rules with out exceptions as in many other countries. 6) As for sitting untouched or in a separate batch, etc. It is your responsibility to follow up, not their responsibility to let you know. 7) I have provided food for her and her family since we have started dating. Her dad insists she talks with me each and every day. They did not have separate rooms in the house until I provided money to them. The whole village, as well as those along the route (jeepney and bus) now know her and I are engaged to be married. It was a common conversation every day when going back and forth. 8) I bought her the first dress she ever owned 9apart from school uniform) 9) the engagment party was 37,000php.

Interesting and i thought my wifes parents were poor. Not even close compared to your situation. Anyway, I tried to "expedite" my wife because my father suddenly became ill last August. I got a note from the doctor and sent it to immigration. My father passed away on Sept 10th and i called the USCIS to expedite again. They did nothing. Immigration could care less about your situation or anybody who goes through this process. You're a number to be processed and that's it!

And my wife and i are still waiting thanks to my incompetent lawyer, it will be almost a year since we submitted. I hope you don't have wait as long as my wife have been waiting. Best of luck to you, i hope you have better luck than my wife and i have had.

[JunLei09 2]

the family has never been outside of the area they are in. 1) they never have been to mcdonalds or jollibee until I took them. 2) going shopping is a rarity to them. 3) there is nowhere to send while waiting, all of the family pretty much lives in the village from what I know. 4) the furthest I know of them going is butuan or cagayan de oro. 5) I am having her get her vaccinations now, I will be paying for all of these. 6) I also paid for her cousin to take her exams for graduation.

Why not! No harm in trying. Lately we have people getting their NOA2 approved within a month for no reason whatsoever, you might get lucky.

[joyjohn 18]

MMMMMM...jollibee.arf arf food, i miss it.. bags of beans is my new home in tagaytay....But I have to agree yes you may file anything you want this is america , and yes base upon what i read chances just arent in your favor, its unfortuated about her living conditions but your story is not uncommon specially for the philippines, but you are doing the right thing in supporting her and should all throu this process........btw my wife is from mindanao too.good luck in your journey

[Messybrownhair 251]

Make sure she gets records of her vaccinations so she will not need to repeat them for the medical..

Have you actually filed the k1 yet? Hurry up and do it, chances are it wont be expedited, so the sooner you send it in, the sooner she can be away from that situation.

[JunLei09 2]

Interesting and i thought my wifes parents were poor. Not even close compared to your situation. Anyway, I tried to "expedite" my wife because my father suddenly became ill last August. I got a note from the doctor and sent it to immigration. My father passed away on Sept 10th and i called the USCIS to expedite again. They did nothing. Immigration could care less about your situation or anybody who goes through this process. You're a number to be processed and that's it!

And my wife and i are still waiting thanks to my incompetent lawyer, it will be almost a year since we submitted. I hope you don't have wait as long as my wife have been waiting. Best of luck to you, i hope you have better luck than my wife and i have had.

Lawyers...there is a reason why they have lawyer jokes you know.

[v_crawford 0]

Hmm. I will be interested in to hear if anyone thinks you can get an expedite request for something like this. My first instinct is to say I doubt it. Lots of people live in extreme poverty, but it doesn't make it a humanitarian emergency. My fiance is living in one of the most violent cities in Mexico because of a the drug war and as far as I am concerned, his life could be at risk every time he steps out his door. But, I doubt the government would even consider that enough of a plight. If anyone thinks it's worth trying though, I would..

[On the Road Again 2]

“Exasperation is the mind's way of spinning its wheels until patience restores traction.”

Vermont Service Center