philippines Is US Embassy Manila requiring ELIGIBILITY letter now before being admitted into the Embassy

[Mark & Angelina 14]

Hello, My fiancee has her interview scheduled for this coming October 12th 2018. We have been told that as of september 11 2018 that the embassy is requiring a letter of Eligibility before they are allowed to enter the building.. I have spoke with many people.. some say they got inside without being asked, only had their appt letter, their passport and screenshot of the NVC case Ready status. But then i spoke with other people.. not any of them first hand, meaning they heard from someone that heard that someone said that they were not given passage without the letter..( i think they call this gossip ). Im just looking for real answers from the people that have experienced interview within the last month in Manila...thx

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

51 minutes ago, Mark & Angelina said:

Hello, My fiancee has her interview scheduled for this coming October 12th 2018. We have been told that as of september 11 2018 that the embassy is requiring a letter of Eligibility before they are allowed to enter the building.. I have spoke with many people.. some say they got inside without being asked, only had their appt letter, their passport and screenshot of the NVC case Ready status. But then i spoke with other people.. not any of them first hand, meaning they heard from someone that heard that someone said that they were not given passage without the letter..( i think they call this gossip ). Im just looking for real answers from the people that have experienced interview within the last month in Manila...thx

Yeah that would be the appointment letter not a "letter of eligibility". This is nothing new at all so don't worry. 

 

What you are hearing first is gossip and it is VERY COMMON in the Philippines. It's always something like "I heard about this going on from my brother's sister 's friend". This is very common with Filipinos and nothing new. 

[ms.bluemargarita 13]

NVC should send you a list of documents that she needs to bring.

Edited October 6, 2018 by Ms.Claustrophobic

[geowrian 22,335]

15 minutes ago, Ms.Claustrophobic said:

NVC should send you a list of documents that she needs to bring.

NVC doesn't do anything for a K-1 except assign a number and forward it to the designated embassy.

[ms.bluemargarita 13]

6 minutes ago, geowrian said:

NVC doesn't do anything for a K-1 except assign a number and forward it to the designated embassy.

Well I did receive the list.

[geowrian 22,335]

1 minute ago, Ms.Claustrophobic said:

Well I did receive the list.

Did you do a K-1? If so, the list (packet 4 really) comes from the embassy. For Manila, they will send it via email or you can view it online.

[JL2017 39]

I also read about this from Facebook groups that they were asked to reschedule because they couldnt present this letter. I wonder if this is only for a certain type of visa. Keep us posted @Mark & Angelina

[Hank_ 9,171]

9 hours ago, Mark & Angelina said:

Hello, My fiancee has her interview scheduled for this coming October 12th 2018. We have been told that as of september 11 2018 that the embassy is requiring a letter of Eligibility before they are allowed to enter the building.. I have spoke with many people.. some say they got inside without being asked, only had their appt letter, their passport and screenshot of the NVC case Ready status. But then i spoke with other people.. not any of them first hand, meaning they heard from someone that heard that someone said that they were not given passage without the letter..( i think they call this gossip ). Im just looking for real answers from the people that have experienced interview within the last month in Manila...thx

The required documents are listed in STEP 5 of the below link.   And the eligibility letter is not listed.   There has been some chatter regarding the eligibility letter and scheduling the interview but that is all that has come back to us.

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/fiancee-visa/the-interview/

 

 

With scheduling the interview the word has been to not do this until your status on CEAC shows READY or until after you receive your eligibility letter .. this has only come as feedback, nothing official in writing.     This came about because some were scheduling their interview too soon, then showing up for the interview and the case file had not reached the embassy yet so they were turned away.     Best suggestion is -  watch your status on the CEAC website and don't schedule the interview until you see READY status.

 

The Eligibility Letter is sent as an email now (no longer mailed)  so do check your SPAM folder also.   There is a copy of it in the link below, along with details for completing the visa application process.

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/k-1-visa-application.html

 

[Hank_ 9,171]

6 hours ago, ms.bluemargarita said:

Well I did receive the list.

You must be an immigrant visa, with those NVC does send you a list, but it is not complete for what the embassy requires.  

 

Here is a link to the embassy checklist for the immigrant visa (STEP 5 )   https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/family-based-immigration/the-interview/

[Scott Br 164]

Fiance just completed interview this morning, Manila time.  We scheduled interview on 9/25 for 10/11, being pretty confident that NVC would send to the embassy on 10/2.  Medical was completed 10/3 and 10/4.  We still did not receive email with P3 instructions and eligibility letter as of today, but she and the kids were still able to conduct the interview.  Did not ask for the letter.  Decision was an approval (finally).  

 

One note on the interview.  CO asked her a question related to her previous applications for a tourist visa (specifically the first application of which both requests were denied).  I found that odd, since I have not seen anyone else relate such a question around in the forums.  I'm guessing they were looking for consistency and truthfulness in those interviews and how she responded today.  Nonetheless, her answer seemed to satisfy the CO.

Edited October 11, 2018 by Scott Br

[Hank_ 9,171]

Thanks for the update.

 

Congrats on the approval!!

 

[geowrian 22,335]

3 hours ago, Scott Br said:

One note on the interview.  CO asked her a question related to her previous applications for a tourist visa (specifically the first application of which both requests were denied).  I found that odd, since I have not seen anyone else relate such a question around in the forums.  I'm guessing they were looking for consistency and truthfulness in those interviews and how she responded today.  Nonetheless, her answer seemed to satisfy the CO.

Congrats as well!

 

That's not an uncommon question. My now-wife was asked the same. She just said it was denied (as was noted on the DS-160) and that was it. They want to verify records, check for consistency, and such is all.

Edited October 11, 2018 by geowrian

[Mark & Angelina 14]

Ok. so after all that.. She flipped out 3 days before the interview.. all scared thinking she wasnt gonna be admitted. I already in past contacted my senator Cortez in Nevada asking for help, in which they helped me get our RFE, and then they helped us get our NOA2 after we sent the response for the  RFE. The senators office sent the Embassy of Manila a expedite email asking them to rush the letter of Eligibility. We received the email on October 10th, 1 day after the US Embassy of Manila got the case number from the NVC. Her interview was set already for October 12th. So she was real confident she had everything... NBI, Cenomar, Parent Consent, CFO, I134, pay stubs, 2017 ITR, pictures, Letter of intent from both of us, The DS160 Confirmation with barcode, The appt letter with bar code, Medical from SLEC, Her passport, Passport pictures, chat logs, video logs.. etc you name it we brought what ever can think of..Even the letter of Eligibility.

So her appt was for 6:40am Friday. she said she arrived about 5:00 to 5:10.. She said when the guard and the embassy official scanned her barcodes that they never asked for the letter of eligibility.. In fact they didnt even want it..... All that anxiety.. All the members in her groups chats.. she even said many of them rescheduled their appts.. All was not necessary.. 

 

It just goes to prove that there is much gossip in these groups and you can not rely on what she told him, then what him to her..etc.. I am true believer i never agree with 3rd person gossip.. it has to come from the person it happened to.. I hope this post helps someone...

 

Oh btw, she Got her Visa Approved..YAY...

[Hank_ 9,171]

15 minutes ago, Mark & Angelina said:

Ok. so after all that.. She flipped out 3 days before the interview.. all scared thinking she wasnt gonna be admitted. I already in past contacted my senator Cortez in Nevada asking for help, in which they helped me get our RFE, and then they helped us get our NOA2 after we sent the response for the  RFE. The senators office sent the Embassy of Manila a expedite email asking them to rush the letter of Eligibility. We received the email on October 10th, 1 day after the US Embassy of Manila got the case number from the NVC (Visa-Versus  NVC gets the number from the Embassy   ). Her interview was set already for October 12th. So she was real confident she had everything... NBI, Cenomar, Parent Consent, CFO, I134, pay stubs, 2017 ITR, pictures, Letter of intent from both of us, The DS160 Confirmation with barcode, The appt letter with bar code, Medical from SLEC, Her passport, Passport pictures, chat logs, video logs.. etc you name it we brought what ever can think of..Even the letter of Eligibility.

So her appt was for 6:40am Friday. she said she arrived about 5:00 to 5:10.. She said when the guard and the embassy official scanned her barcodes that they never asked for the letter of eligibility.. In fact they didnt even want it..... All that anxiety.. All the members in her groups chats.. she even said many of them rescheduled their appts.. All was not necessary.. 

 

It just goes to prove that there is much gossip in these groups and you can not rely on what she told him, then what him to her..etc.. I am true believer i never agree with 3rd person gossip.. it has to come from the person it happened to.. I hope this post helps someone...

 

Oh btw, she Got her Visa Approved..YAY...

Congrats on the approval!    

 

I have not heard of anyone being asked for the eligibility letter at the interview (it is not listed as a required document on the Checklist) .. just a couple that had issues because they scheduled their appts. too soon.

[Mark & Angelina 14]

Idk.. think we got really lucky.. the USCIS screwed up.. they sent us NOA2 on Spetember 5th.. then some odd reason sent us again NOA2 on September 17th.. We didnt know which one meant to call NVC. so just kept calling them 2 to 3 times a day.. On september 24th they said they received from USCIS so i had my girl print up a mrv and goto BPI to pay the visa fees, had her use her passport number in place of the NVC case number, On september 25th the NVC issued us a case number, very simple. when into UStraveldocs.. wa able to schedule appt for october 12th.. everything fell in place.. Got really lucky.. I guess the NVC does not ship cases out everyday anymore, they do it in Bulk on the 2nd nd 18th of every month.. The NVC held on to our case from September 24th to October 2nd in which they sent it to the Embassy. I had my girl fly to Manila October 7, On October 8 to 9 she did the SLEC medical, then on the 10th she did CFO, she rested on the 11th, then october 12th was interview...She passed.. 

Everything fell in place.. think we got really lucky.. A friend of mine actually is a admin for a FB group he started and he told me all these things that didnt turn out to be true..he said NVC ships everyday..which is not true.. then he said that you must schedule your interview at least 7 days in between the medical or you will get a 221g. So i had all these in my head but still kept the arrangements with my Fiancee..I dont know if it has been luck that everything seems to be falling in place now or if the system is really doing what they are suppose to do.. but either way she will be here soon...