Ugly_American

i'm in love. Honestly, I know I'm blessed with my timeline, but a day apart from her is a day. We all know what it means. As long as there is nothing I can do, then I will wait. When my paperwork was in California I just waited. I knew my actions were useless, but if there is a chance this thing is lodged in a cog and that I can do something to move it, then I will. I've never made a nuicance of myself to the politicians I financially support every year via taxes. So if they can actually do something for me, then I will seek assistance. I expect everyone here would always do the same thing. I understand why they might delay it, if they think we've only known each other for three months, but I included AMPLE evidence of a relationship: money transfers, skpye logs, email correspondences, texts, and even screen captures of her and I chatting on skype.

Is there a chance they would require an updated set of proof of relationship? It's no problem if they do as we are sending 10-30 emails, 20+ texts, and using skype every day, but it does bother me if they would require more evidence as if they want to see it's lasted another month.

If this post bothers people who have seen much longer delays and experienced more frustrations, then forgive me. I'm not usually a lucky guy and have always had to earn things the hard way. I was lucky to meet my fiancee and lucky my case was randomly expedited. It's just how I'm wired. Even if I'm in the rapids, I'll keep paddling. Wouldn't you?

It's very irritating. I have so little patience. I'm not going to let this last 4 weeks and then call my senator. I want to call my senator now, but I'll wait one week, then I'm phoning my Senator and Congressman and the NVC everyday, even if they just tell me the same thing. I'll be on the radar everyday. And I'll make sure each phone call lasts over 10 minutes even if we only speak about what we ate for breakfast.

I phoned the NVC to try to discover the date they might be forwarding the case onto the foreign embassy. The agent on the phone said that my case is undergoing "additional processes" at NVC. I imagine someone here has also been told this before and I'm wondering what type of delay I might expect as a result. Thanks!

damn.... "Platinum Member"? I wish i could be one some day....

i emailed the nvc the scan of her main profile page of her passport. Perhaps it doesn't matter. i just fear bureaucratic nightmares.

15 year age diff is nothing. i know a married couple where the man is pushing 68 and the girl is 20.

Just want to share our story too. Me and my hubby has 16 hours time difference. And yes, Skype-video chat really helps. We almost spend 24/7 through ways of technology. He would wake up 3am and i would stay up late so we can talk before him going to work and me going to bed..we keep it on while sleeping. we also have skype on our iphones. On weekends, we do stuffs together through Skype. Now he is in CA, we have 18 hours difference. Its really a test for all the couples being apart. And we wished for an hour difference like with you and your other half. They are right, you got a lot of things to do while waiting for the NOA2.. enough time to prepare for the wedding... good luck to us

Yup, that's us too. 16 hour diff and numerous times i've set alarm for 2-3-4am to wake and chat, even on weeknights while working full time. I hate long distance. We just do our best and yes skype is the only thing we use. Well, chikka also and email. It's tough. I can;t complain too loudly with my timeline. I'd say just keeping busy and trying to have hobbies here. I've played guitar to her and now i'm reading a book to her. We just try and hang out online.

I've been calling and emailing the NVC every few days. I'd already been issued a new case number, however I've been trying to keep on top of when they mail it out.

The first and only email I received (this morning) had a misspelling of her first name. I know for sure it was an input error on their part. So I phoned them to have them make the correction. The agent said I needed to email them a copy of her passport. I complained that all my forms were proper, with out the mistake and that they simply needed to re-examine my application to discover their error, but she said the procedure requires me to submit her passport. Of course now we're going to scramble to get it to them asap, however I do fear that if they have her improperly listed in the system, and pass it along that way to the foreign embassy, that it may bounce back to the US and get delayed or lost.

It's already such a frustrating process, but when they make a mistake it's unfair that they require us to supply documents they never initially required.

Has anyone else ever had them make a spelling error, and what were the consequences? It's extremely lucky that I sent them an email otherwise I never would have discovered the mistake.

Well i phoned my congresswoman. If there's one thing I've learned from this site it's to be persistent and verging on outright annoying. The call got me nowhere as the aid asked a few no-brainer questions and exposed my my flaccid complaint for turgid impatience, and the utterly absurd request for them to get involved already, however if it takes a day over 7 days, I'm going to call them back and make an a$$ of myself as if it was the end of the world. It's how I roll.

Would it help expedite it if I call my congressman a day after the NVC gets my documents? What exactly would I say? Maybe something polite like, "Would you please expedite my case? It's stuck at the NVC. Thanks!"

I've no problems making a request from a politician. I'm a VERY low maintenance tax-payer...

Awesome, Thanks so much. The NVC only recd my package yesterday. They say it takes like a week before they send it.

I just did research and came up with an estimate that we're (conservatively) still 49 days away from holding the visa. For some reason i was thinking it would only be 330-35 days..... oh well.

30-35 days i meant

Does their process involve doing a criminal background check? I wonder if a name is common, like John smith, that perhaps they consider it more difficult to research a background, whereas if someone has a kind of unique name then it is considered "easier"? My name is unique in the US and my i-129f was approved in 16 days. I'm as clueless as anyone about why it was approved so quickly. No complaints from me, but it does seem unfair and without any transparency.

I bought my fiancee a dell laptop. Brought it there. She just plugs it in without anything. I don't believe I've ever needed to convert and I've traveled allover the islands, provinces to large cities.

Thanks again. I think We'll just try and see.Even if it's a 5% chance of success it's worth the shot. Our fallback plan is a second wedding in Phil next year. Actually we'd planed it also, but the first would be great to have them here.

Question, does a second wedding there involve all sorts of paperwork and forms, or should it also just be a faux Wedding? Once married here or anywhere it would seem another wedding is just like having seconds at a buffet.

Ugh, depressing. It sounds so unlikely. We'll still try for it and just maybe get someone in a good mood. Having her parents here would be really special.

Thanks. They have a 14yo daughter and possibly a son who is still a minor. Her mother also acts as the mother to a 3yo grand-daughter, but I don't know how they would prove that relationship. They do own property, but the title is in some sort of dispute at the moment. They don't have a lot of (any?) money in the bank, but I was hoping a letter/statement of support from me would improve this aspect. It's a long shot. I'm hoping this works. It'd be a shame for them to miss the wedding. I can cover all expenses. If there is anything anyone can think of to assist or improve the odds, please let me know. Would borrowing money from friends to temporarily balloon their bank acct help?

I'm trying to figure out how best to have success in obtaining a B2 visa from the Manila embassy for the parents of my fiancee. We have a wedding date in mind, but also the timing is tight-ish.

1. Is it best to have her visa approved prior to their b2 interview? That way it's a solid evidence that a wedding will be happening.

2. Can she also attend the b2 interview or do they only permit the actual applicants (her parents)?

3. Would it benefit having her present at that interview (assuming she is permitted)?

4. Would it help to have airline tickets and a complete trip itinerary (dates and places) already in their possession or might the consulate be insulted at the presumptuousness of such a move?

I know the key to success isn't proving that they want to come to the US, that they are more concerned with knowing the parents have enough ties to Phil not to remain illegally in the US, however the wedding of their eldest daughter seems a reasonably important event and one which is worthy of a visa.

Thanks for any help and also thanks for any other advice.

Congratulations! Brad Pitt is a lucky man.

sounds more like stupid form creator. i dont know answer. but it would be obvious to them its for k1

thx. sorry. my bad didn't know about that section of the site.

Thanks for all the help. This is a great forum. Here is a list of what's in the interview packet i'm sending to my fiancee. Many thing are unnecessary. I'm erring on the side of abundance. If anyone sees anything missing please let me know. Thanks. (I know i'm missing letter from bank. Maybe I'll get it tomorrow, but it seems such unnecessary))

• Interview package contents list

General (yellow tabs):

• I-129F Package as sent to USCIS (two copies)

• Originals (receipts, etc) of Submitted Proof for the I-129F (originals only)

• I-797C, Notice of Action form (NOA1) (original and two copies)

• NOA2 - not included, i'll email her a copy later.

• Birth Certificate of Petitioner (two copies)

Financial (pink tabs):

• I-134, Affidavit of Support (three originals and two copies)

• Letter from Employer (original and two copies)

• Verification of Employment (two copies)

• Job Earnings Statements, January 2010 to present (two copies)

• 2009 Tax Return (two copies)

• Past three year’s W-2 forms (two copies)

• Bank Statement (current; two copies)

• Bank deposits of salary over past year (two copies)

• Retirement Savings Account Statement (two copies)

• Medical Benefits (she will have same health benefits upon marriage; Two copies)

• Assessed Value of property as per Property Tax Statement (two copies)

• Mortgage statement for first loan (original and two copies)

• Statement for second loan (original and two copies)

• Photos of my house; Where we will live (one copy)

Proof of Ongoing Relationship (blue tabs):

• Letter of Intent to Marry (2 originals)

• Evidence of Financial Support, Western Union money transfers (two copies)

• Skype Records, January 25 to present (two copies)

• Screen captures of recent Skype conversations on February 20, 2011 (two copies)

• Recent email correspondences (two copies)

• Recent text messages (two copies)

I'm probably going to skip the letter from the bank as part of the interview packet for my fiancee. I have multiple printouts from my bank's web site, about salary deposits, balances, etc. The amount of money in the accounts isn't going to be a factor anyhow. I suppose it's only really an important letter if someone with a low-ish salary claims to have 100k in the bank.

On second thought I'll just send the package to her. I don't think they require the original NOA2. When it arrives I'll just scan it and generate a PDF to email her. Then she can print it there.

OK, thanks. Working on package all day and up until 1am now, but I guess I'll wait for the NOA2. It might still take a week to arrive. I'm so impatient...

I'm frantically trying to assemble everything for my fiancee: tax returns, earnings, statements, etc. Before I send it to her do I need to wait for my own NOA2 to arrive? If she needs a copy of it then I will hold off sending the packet to her, however if the consulates don't require my NOA2 then I can send it to her now. Thanks for the help in advance.