Flying Fiance to the US

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

1 hour ago, Commish10 said:

My wife is from Toledo City. Last name Carrozo

Feel free to join up with our Texas Filipinas Facebook group. I'm sure my fiancé would love to have another friend from the area.

[top_secret 2,059]

15 hours ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

Shipment is supposed to be going to an LBC Office in Toledo City...no idea what is going on with all of that above. 

 

Our recent package went through similar steps.  From "Shipment is en route to local delivery team" to actual delivery was overnight for us so maybe there is hope.

 

What number are you using to track it with or how did you get the tracking number?  I think you are the first to report tracking the passport/visa since the switch from 2Go to LBC so it would be good others to know how it actually works for LBC.

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

1 hour ago, top_secret said:

What number are you using to track it with or how did you get the tracking number?

 

In our situation, we originally had it set up to be delivered to her home address. Unfortunately we were contacted via email from a representative at LBC that her home was outside of LBC's delivery area so they requested that she provide them with the nearest LBC office that she could pick up her package from. He made sure to indicate that they would still be collecting the 440 pesos for premium delivery when she picks up the package. About a day later he responded with a tracking number that we could use to track the package. I'm not sure how we would have gotten the information otherwise, but I believe another person who had their interview on the same day as ours was also contacted by LBC with her tracking number in the email.

 

We have the slightest bit of hope right now as I was unaware that the CFO office does not work on Fridays....so she needs to get her visa today by roughly noon in order to take the 3 hour bus ride into Cebu to get to the CFO office before it closes at 6 pm. I've also emailed the CFO directly to see if they can shed some light on what is the requirement since the new program was implemented on May 1st with digital certificates in lieu of stickers. My fiancé's friend who is on a CR1 visa went to the CFO last week & had a sticker put on her visa. Her counselor (prior to May 1st) indicated that she would need to bring her visa & her paper CFO certificate to get a sticker put on her visa. We've reached out to her several weeks ago about the May 1st change, but her counselor has not responded. I've had some people indicate that she only needs to bring the visa, her passport & the paper CFO certificate (no sticker needed). We've got another 6 hours or so of hoping that her visa will show up....

[top_secret 2,059]

52 minutes ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

We have the slightest bit of hope right now as I was unaware that the CFO office does not work on Fridays....so she needs to get her visa today by roughly noon in order to take the 3 hour bus ride into Cebu to get to the CFO office before it closes at 6 pm. I've also emailed the CFO directly to see if they can shed some light on what is the requirement since the new program was implemented on May 1st with digital certificates in lieu of stickers. My fiancé's friend who is on a CR1 visa went to the CFO last week & had a sticker put on her visa. Her counselor (prior to May 1st) indicated that she would need to bring her visa & her paper CFO certificate to get a sticker put on her visa. We've reached out to her several weeks ago about the May 1st change, but her counselor has not responded. I've had some people indicate that she only needs to bring the visa, her passport & the paper CFO certificate (no sticker needed). We've got another 6 hours or so of hoping that her visa will show up....

 

As you can tell they tend to change all the rules for everything like every other week in the Philippines.  But when my wife went through CFO, her counselor issued the QR Code online certificate almost in real time during an e-mail exchange.  There was never any paper anything and the sticker never materialized and was never needed.  I would guess whatever certificate worked for your wife last time should still work just as well now.  There is also an online process for e-certificate reissuance since the first ones had expiration dates but not 100% certain it can still get it done in a day. https://manila.cfo.gov.ph/Certificate_ReIssuance_And_Sticker_Request/

Edited May 10, 2023 by top_secret

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

We checked her CFO certificate & there was no expiration date on it. Her counselor indicated to her at the time of issuance (2021) that it had no expiration for the country & the person that the certificate was issued for. So it would always be valid for me if she came to the US. If she ended up with someone else in the US or another country, then she would have to re-do the CFO process with that guy. And I guess if we decided to live outside of the US...then she would have needed a new CFO certificate for me & that country.

[top_secret 2,059]

1 minute ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

And I guess if we decided to live outside of the US...then she would have needed a new CFO certificate for me & that country.

 I suspect what she has will work just fine.  Once she has a US Green Card the entire CFO issue becomes moot.  A US Permanent Resident does not require CFO.

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

She’s on her way. The visa was never delivered to the local branch office so my fiancé was able to contact someone who agreed to hold if for her at the LBC office in Cebu. She picked it up Friday morning…albeit after a long search as they initially couldn’t find it. Then she went on to the airport where she was allowed to board her flight with just the visa, her passport and her original CFO certificate. We were unsure if she would be allowed to board without the discontinued sticker or the new digital certificate but they let her go anyways. They did ask a few questions about our relationship before letting her go. She should be on her way to Taiwan right now and should be leaving in the morning for Houston. 

[seekingthetruth 1,218]

1 hour ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

She’s on her way. The visa was never delivered to the local branch office so my fiancé was able to contact someone who agreed to hold if for her at the LBC office in Cebu. She picked it up Friday morning…albeit after a long search as they initially couldn’t find it. Then she went on to the airport where she was allowed to board her flight with just the visa, her passport and her original CFO certificate. We were unsure if she would be allowed to board without the discontinued sticker or the new digital certificate but they let her go anyways. They did ask a few questions about our relationship before letting her go. She should be on her way to Taiwan right now and should be leaving in the morning for Houston. 

Wow, that is cutting it close!  Happy it worked out!

[Timona 3,931]

I land at IAH around same time. We should have a welcome party 🥳. Which airline should I look out for? 😂 @Kawika & Michelle

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

15 minutes ago, Timona said:

I land at IAH around same time. We should have a welcome party 🥳. Which airline should I look out for? 😂

 

She's coming in on EVA Air & should land at IAH around 11 pm CST.

[MarJhi 911]

4 minutes ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

 

She's coming in on EVA Air & should land at IAH around 11 pm CST.

Congrats.

 

By the way, flightaware is good to keep track of flights in the air. It's pretty good about telling you what gate also.

 

BR52 (EVA52) EVA Air Flight Tracking and History 12-May-2023 (TPE / RCTP-KIAH) - FlightAware

Edited May 12, 2023 by MarJhi

[Timona 3,931]

1 hour ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

 

She's coming in on EVA Air & should land at IAH around 11 pm CST.

 

I figured. I saw them last time I landed at 9pm. 

 

Hahaha I'll be landing 2 hours earlier. But will sure put a sign right at the airport exit to welcome her. Hahahahahaah.

 

I am not sure if you've been to IAH of late. I'm sure you know she'll be exiting at Terminal E. To avoid hustle, tell her to pick her bags, proceed outside, choose a column and Whatsapp you the column number, then you swoop by and pick her up. And FYI, you cant be parked there more than 2 mins. Personally, if I'm picking someone, as soon as they text me the column number, I take off from the Shell gas station that's a few minutes away from the airport. Parking at the airport and then having to hurl the bags back to C garage is just a hustle as explained below. 

 

Alternatively, you can park and wait for her outside at the exit door, but I see this as a huge hustle because you both have to walk all the way back to C parking garage. So, if it were me, I'd tell her to do the bolded.

 

Terminal E is under construction and horrendous. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by Timona

[Kawika & Michelle 108]

Ugghh...thanks for the suggestions on picking her up. I've never picked anyone up from the international terminal but am very familiar with having to walk to the next terminal to get to my parking lot pick up van. She hasn't traveled much, so I think she would be very confused & out of place trying to figure everything on her own. I'll just plan to park in Lot C (if that's the closest one) and just walk with her there. How long has Terminal E been hosed? It has been under repair at least since 2021. 

 

I've also been tracking the flight using FlightAware. Right now FlightAware has the flight arriving over 3 hours late. It left on time, so I'm not sure why the lengthy delay. EVA Air website indicates that it is about 20 minutes behind.

 

I'll have to look for some maps so I even know where to park & where to go.

[Timona 3,931]

Lot C is the closest but not close. You have to go under, take train or walk. Probably 20 mins, fastest. 

 

So, I'd suggest just pick her up at the E columns. You'll be 1 min walk from the columns if you park and pick her up. All she needs to do is pick her bag and follow exit signs. Outside the door, just choose a column. 

 

Ternimal E has been under construction since last year, if I remember correctly. 

 

Whatever option you choose to pick her, let us know. 

[top_secret 2,059]

ordi

43 minutes ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

I've also been tracking the flight using FlightAware. Right now FlightAware has the flight arriving over 3 hours late. It left on time, so I'm not sure why the lengthy delay. EVA Air website indicates that it is about 20 minutes behind.

Ordinarily I would consider flightaware as reliable but it looks like it is seriously at odds with several other usually reliable flight tracking sites which makes it suspect in this particular case. 

 

FlightStats has the actual air traffic control time updates and says that flight is early.

https://www.flightstats.com/v2/flight-details/BR/52?year=2023&month=5&date=12&flightId=1187865998 

 

flightradar24 has independently crowdsourced ADS-B data too and shows that one as early.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/br52#3042397f

 

I'd say just park wherever you need to park and walk or take whatever transportation you need to take to be waiting right there where she will come out.  Time she will spend in immigration could vary widely so it could be a while, her phone probably won't work and you couldn't be 100% confident she work out wifi.

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by top_secret