Timing Medical & Interview Appointment

[beckyo 0]

Hi all! We have received our Manila case number and are looking to schedule my fiance's medical and interview, but need advise on the timing. My fiance lives in Bacolod, so he will need to fly up to Manila for the medical and interview. I know that the medical results are forwarded to the embassy, so we were wondering how many days does it take? Would it be possible, for example, for him to do both the medical and the interview on one trip to Manila? Fly up on Sunday, do the medical stuff on Monday and schedule the interview that same week? Or will he need to fly up twice several weeks apart? Also, how many days should the medical take? Only one or do you have to come back one or two days later to read a skin test or something? Thank you!

[kristinebelle 3]

yes he can do that and hey im from bacolod too will be leaving PH tom. remember your fiance needs to attend counseling too its called CFO it is a requirement...

uhm the medical took me 2 days but he can do it in onde day..i arrived in SLMC 12 noon and got done around 4 pm then went back there the next morning 8 am and got done like 11 am

[StraightShooter 62]

How long it takes to complete the medical and get the file over to the US embassy is variable.

I've read many threads here on VJ where it only took a couple of days. And I've read others where it took a couple weeks. There just doesn't seem to be any consistency.

I think I read somewhere that a beneficiary "walked" the file over to the embassy, but that doesn't sound correct to me.

[Leatherneck 693]

OP, there have been beneficiaries that completed the medical where there was not enough time for SLMCEC to get the medical file over to USEM, in those cases, the medical was given to the beneficiaries to hand carry and deliver to USEM.

Yes, you can get it all done in the same week -- been done plenty of times before. As already mentioned, do not forget the required CFO counseling.

[StraightShooter 62]

OP, there have been beneficiaries that completed the medical where there was not enough time for SLMCEC to get the medical file over to USEM, in those cases, the medical was given to the beneficiaries to hand carry and deliver to USEM.

Yes, you can get it all done in the same week -- been done plenty of times before. As already mentioned, do not forget the required CFO counseling.

Hey, that's really good to know! It will help us a lot once we get our NOA2, which should be in about 3 more weeks. Rather than staying in Manila for an extended time, we might just be able to keep it to a month or possibly less, including visa pickup and flight scheduling. Good news, that!

[Hank_ 9,173]

My fiancee did her medical and interview within 9 days of each other without issue.

After NOA2 AND YOU HAVE YOUR MNL #

(open all of these links then save them to your bookmarks so you have them for easy access)

Embassy:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction%20Packet%20_3__rtf2_003.pdf

The DS-156 can be difficult to complete sometimes, if you have issues try a different web browser. I had problems getting it to print with IE8, Chrome, Firefox, finally got it to print using Safari.

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/

When scheduling online with the embassy you need to include the "XX" at the beginning of the passport number.

Make sure to print two copies of the interview confirmation page as you will need one for St. Luke's and the other for the embassy.

St. Luke's:

http://www.slec.ph/us-visa-applicants.shtml#required-docs

http://www.slec.ph/us/registration/

Have copies of passport bio page, confirmation page from scheduling interview online at embassy, and of course the 2X2 photos.

CFO:

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140#ThirdA

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: copies of; CENOMAR, certified birth certificate, bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together, from USC - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

[beckyo 0]

Is CFO done before or after the interview, or does it matter? Is it offered in Bacolod or only in Manila? Is there an associated fee? How many days is it? I had not heard of it before, so sorry for all the questions.

So you all think my fiance will be okay to fly up to Manila for, say, one week to do his medical and interview? Then he'll go home to Bacolod to wait for his passport, wrap up stray ends, and have his despedida before flying back to Manila and out to the US.

[kristinebelle 3]

@beckyo he can have his CFO seminar here in manila and i suggest to go to PRISM coz theyre not that strict there,,i know CFO was not mentioned but it is a requirement of PH government..i was with this girl yesterday and she suppose to leave sunday but the immigration hold her and did not let her in... he can have his cfo and if he doesnt have his visa yet he can inform the officer in CFO that he will just get his sticker at the airport..cfo cost 650 in total..250 for counseling and 400 for the sticker,if he decided to go to prism he will undergo counseling first and get the sticker in different location which is the CFO office..PM me if you have questions ill be glad to help you

[Leatherneck 693]

@beckyo he can have his CFO seminar here in manila and i suggest to go to PRISM coz theyre not that strict there,,i know CFO was not mentioned but it is a requirement of PH government..i was with this girl yesterday and she suppose to leave sunday but the immigration hold her and did not let her in... he can have his cfo and if he doesnt have his visa yet he can inform the officer in CFO that he will just get his sticker at the airport..cfo cost 650 in total..250 for counseling and 400 for the sticker,if he decided to go to prism he will undergo counseling first and get the sticker in different location which is the CFO office..PM me if you have questions ill be glad to help you

I know you're flying soon, have a safe flight!

[Leatherneck 693]

Is CFO done before or after the interview, or does it matter? Is it offered in Bacolod or only in Manila? Is there an associated fee? How many days is it? I had not heard of it before, so sorry for all the questions.

So you all think my fiance will be okay to fly up to Manila for, say, one week to do his medical and interview? Then he'll go home to Bacolod to wait for his passport, wrap up stray ends, and have his despedida before flying back to Manila and out to the US.

Read this or ask more questions. Yes, the required CFO counseling can be done before or after the visa is issued.

[Leatherneck 693]

Hey, that's really good to know! It will help us a lot once we get our NOA2, which should be in about 3 more weeks. Rather than staying in Manila for an extended time, we might just be able to keep it to a month or possibly less, including visa pickup and flight scheduling. Good news, that!

You should be able to get all three items completed within a 5-7 day period.

[Hank_ 9,173]

Ya know the embassy actually does tell visa holders to attend the CFO seminar. Ya know that WARNING letter that included with the visa? If you read it all the last page is about the CFO with detailed info even. Of course I didn't pull that letter out of the plastic bag until two days after we were here in the states!

[Leatherneck 693]

Ya know the embassy actually does tell visa holders to attend the CFO seminar. Ya know that WARNING letter that included with the visa? If you read it all the last page is about the CFO with detailed info even. Of course I didn't pull that letter out of the plastic bag until two days after we were here in the states!

You mean the letter that some beneficiaries seem to not read, that letter? How else would one show up to the airport without the sticker?

Glad you and Amy made it home safely!

[Hank_ 9,173]

You mean the letter that some beneficiaries seem to not read, that letter? How else would one show up to the airport without the sticker?

Glad you and Amy made it home safely!

Yes THAT letter, the one the USC didn't bother to read either!!

Yup we be home, got a ride in Sunday, nothing to long ... yet! Waiting for Fox Creek to send her jacket and gloves, then we will look serious at a ride to Tombstone.

Right now she is burning up the electrons using the OBI setup, I left with her family, talking on the phone.