My Filipina wife would like to visit Los Angeles to see me while we wait for CR1 process. Advice

[jhonster 23]

Good morning all =))

I was wondering if I could get my Filipine wife and her 3 year old daughter to come & visit me in Los Angeles while we wait for our CR1 application to get processed.

I filed my i130 recently (7/25/12) and just recently got back the 1st NOA1. Still waiting on the one for my step daughter.

How hard is it to get a tourist Visa from the Philippine govt to visit the USA? Is it costly? And whats the time frame for such a thing. Both my wife and step daughter have their Philippine passports and my wife had worked abroad in the middle east and in Singapore as well.

I only have two weeks vacation time on the books, and I'd like to save it for when they finally get their green cards to permanently come to the USA. I was going to take a couple of weeks off work so I could spend time with them once they get here. Plus, I'll be flying back just for her interview....when we get to that point. But we miss each other so much, and it would be nice to have them here for a couple of months while we're waiting for the processing time to happen.

Anybody have any experience with this in regards to the Philippine govt and the U.S.?

Thanks in advance.

[Pitaya 2,577]

Good question. Here is a pinned thread from the K-1 Process forum that may be of use to you, Yes You Can Visit:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/67796-yes-you-can-visit/

Good luck.

[Boiler 45,032]

They can certainly apply, not expensive, see the Consulate web site.

[Caryh 5,206]

Chance is slim and none you can get them here. She's already showing intent to immigrate. Her current ties are to you, and less so to the Philippines. Everyone would love their wife or fiancee to get the chance to visit while the process is going on, unless they're from a VWP country, it doesn't happen.

First step is to convince the embassy, no easy task as few Filipinos qualify for for visitor visas to the USA.

Second step is convincing border patrol that she doesn't intend to stay. When you're married to an American, and already applying to move to the USA, that's going to be darn hard.

[Tahoma 2,292]

I haven't noticed any Filipino fiancee's or spouses who got a U.S. visitors visa. Maybe one who did will chime in.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I haven't noticed any Filipino fiancee's or spouses who got a U.S. visitors visa. Maybe one who did will chime in.

I saw one report here of an approval.

[iawait 9]

Slim to impossible - the chance of getting an NIV with family petition pending for high risk countries. And, The Phillipines is a "high risk" country as is India (where I am from). The only way it is possible is if there is a medical emergency. You end up paying the fees and then get denied (no refunds). I already tried and got denied.

[Tahoma 2,292]

I saw one report here of an approval.

Did they get it after the I-129F/I-130 was filed?

If so, that would be rare.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Did they get it after the I-129F/I-130 was filed?

If so, that would be rare.

From what I remember, and I remember it because I thought it was interesting, it was for a wife and was after the I-130 was sent. But the visa was only issued for two weeks, because the woman said she just wanted to visit for a week so that's what she got.

I remember it because I thought the 2 weeks validity was interesting. I just tried to find the post, no avail. It was years ago.

[Tim/Mav 305]

Not to be Negative. I did look and it has been done. And Hammered at check points the majority of the time.

Don't put her through this. Do you remember when you as the USC went there. ? Do you remember always being asked to pull out your Passport, take your shoes off at Airports and your the USC. What do you think she would go through. A USC gets away easily and we complain about TSA. She will be asked for constantly for paperwork and what if someone is in a bad mood. Whats worse is the Passport will show a Denial of Entry.

John I know you miss them. You appear to be a firefighter. Don't start a fire. Be Patient.

Somethings are worth waiting for and this is not one but two.

I have No experience on what I'm saying here but Members try and help members.

Whatever your decision, god bless

[Tahoma 2,292]

From what I remember, and I remember it because I thought it was interesting, it was for a wife and was after the I-130 was sent. But the visa was only issued for two weeks, because the woman said she just wanted to visit for a week so that's what she got.

I remember it because I thought the 2 weeks validity was interesting. I just tried to find the post, no avail. It was years ago.

Yes, the two-week validity is interesting. I haven't seen that before. Maybe she had connections.

For some people, anything is possible in the Philippines. A Filipino friend of mine here in the U.S. was originally petitioned by his mother, who was here in the U.S. At the time he was petitioned, his Filipino father was well-connected in the Philippines. One of his father's co-workers went to my friend's home (in the Philippines) in the morning, picked up my friend's passport, took it to the U.S. Embassy Manila, and returned his passport the same afternoon...with the visa in it.

However, my friend's father was upset when he found out that my friend's wife had to wait 24 hours for her visa.

[jhonster 23]

"Maybe she had connections. For some people, anything is possible in the Philippines."

I'll second that!

When we honeymooned in Puerto Galera, we met up with 3 couples. The men were all Australian, and their wives were Filipina's. The elder fellow of the bunch had been there for quite a number of years, so he was seasoned in the way things work in the Philippines. We were talking mostly about purchasing land & building properties. He was on his 4th house being built after building 3 & selling 2 of them. He pretty much told me there's a price for anything you want there. Much of what he needed in the acquisition of materials and "favors" regarding paperwork was usually just some sort of "expedite fee". We almost ended up being victim to that when we filed for our wedding at Manila City hall where they have signs all over the place warning about "fixers". If it weren't for the nice lady whom we took our pre-marriage counselling with, we would have been victims to the tune of 4000 pesos for one of those "processing fees".

A buddy of mine who lives in Seattle is married to a Filipina now for severals years now. They just had their 1st baby. I was complaining the other day how it took the NSO 3 months to get us our certified copy of our marriage certificate. He mentioned he got it in 2 weeks. I asked, "how did you do that". He said we had a guy that we paid a fee to that got us everything we needed (in record time). Just goes to show you that corruption is rampant in the Philippines.

I figure since it's so early in the CR1 process, that maybe she might be able to slide by and get a Visa to visit. At least for a while. And especially because she's worked abroad and come back faithfully in the past. Supposedly her cousin has been to the USA on vacation a couple of times. She's worked abroad all over the place. Supposedly she's been to several other countries like England, France, Italy etc on vacation as well.

When applying for a Visa. Is that done at the U.S. Embassy and the Philippine Embassy? Or just one or the other?

[jhonster 23]

John I know you miss them. You appear to be a firefighter. Don't start a fire. Be Patient.

Thank you for your input. And I understand what you're saying. I'm either going to go back and stay for a little while when she goes for her interview, or...if it's plausable....have her come here to visit for a few weeks or whatever they'll allow.

I'm not a Fire Fighter. I'm a Heavy Equipment Mechanic for the Fire Dept. You couldn't pay me enough to walk on the roof of a burning building. Lol! =))

[Tahoma 2,292]

She would apply at the U.S Embassy Manila.

By the way, my friend's father didn't use a fixer nor did he pay anyone. He worked for the Philippines government.

[Tim/Mav 305]

She would apply at the U.S Embassy Manila.

By the way, my friend's father didn't use a fixer nor did he pay anyone. He worked for the Philippines government.

I totally lost faith in the Philippine Goverment when this happened. Upon my Departure in Manila I approach a long line of people. A guard immediatly stopped me. I had a ciggarette in hand.I was far away from everyone. He said: Passport please. OK. I put out my Cig and put the butt in my back pocket. Then he said: This is a long line. want to be first through the door?

I said to myself. OH WHAT IS THIS. He's a guard wearing a gun. He says something like 400 pesos. I said: Heres $3.00 USD. He said I'd rather have Pesos. I said then I'll get in line. He signals his other guard friend to let me pass. This does happen. This is my analysis of the Philippines Goverment and what it left me with to remember.