gretchen_darren

I figure the children are young enough to make it in time. The older ones are way over 21.

I figure the youngest one has plenty of time. The oldest has 6 years, 5 years from next year, which means about 2 years leeway give or take.

Jsut trying to figure the best way to approach the plans.

I figure one parent will be here by December 2015, if things go well. Citizenship in August 2015, petition for parent. petition should be approved and done by october to december 2015. So figure spouse petition by January to Februday 2016, which means around February 2018. Again this all depends on her passing.

If it wasn't for the kids, it would be easy....

Her N400 proces will start next year on April 19, 2015. (you can apply 90 days prior to the 3 year anniversary date) 3 years married with GC or 5 years. Parents would have to wiat 5 years (90 days before 5 year anniversary), to get USA citizenship status.

There are 2 children under 18 with my wife parents, and 2 over 21. So we are trying to figure out exactly what is the best course of action. The concern is leaving the younger children while coming over themselves. Sometimes life is not easy making choices.

Harpa, I think the assumtion already made without stating is that this is for my wife and her family.

1) she is working to become a US citizen

2) she will be petitioning her family

3) Her family wil be living with us for a while.

Any questions?

A man takes care of his family and his wife's family.... in the Philipipnes, a man learns being a man also menas accepting responsibility for his wife's family.

I am trying to help and be supportive of my wife and her family.... if there are problems with that, don't bother posting... just move on.

thanks,

How long does it take from aplication for the first parent to come over?

now if the one parent comes over, they have green card immediately?

they can file the petition for the other spouse, derivitives, and other other older children?

The spouse then can go back to spend time with the family while waiting? (of couse with an AP voucher for extended stays.)

Are there expedites on these applications?

so you would file for one parent to come over, then that parent would file for hteir spouse and derivitives to come over? (I imagine those over 21 would still be filed for seperately?)

How long does this process take, this way?

ok..... hope y'all are getting along great... I know how much you were anxiously awaiting her to get here.

Hank... where'd Amy go? she have her own account now????

Just thinking about a "knife" in that area is "cringe" worthy..... The "bobbit" thing keeps on coming to miind over and over..... Maybe something to do, but wife is still young yet. She is saying no more children, but we want to be sure before making the final cut.... Give her another 10 years to be fully sure.... some things just aren't easy to reverse once done.

wife is on facebook.... just find me and you can find her. Not that hard I think.

Birth control: implanon. Insurance FULLY covered it. How sweet is that?

vasectomy.... cringe.... maybe down the road. But not yet.....

All, just hang in there.... I know it is a long process and wait.... But once you are together it is worth it.

Hope all is going ok. THe CFO is hassle but worth while. they may be seeing her visa date and knowing she was under 21 at the time of issue or filing so they are asking for parental consent versus parental advice. Sometimes it is best to have one parent attend with your betrothed in order to process any issues right there on the spot. Normally, you take everything you submitted to the Embassy to the CFO. (this at least gives you al lthe paperwork) Take a parent, and be prepated for any "gotchas" along the way. Some go through quick. You "lag" time between the visa issueance and the CFO probably raised questions with them. Jsut be patient.

You visa can be renewed at the US Embassy as long as you are both free to marry. Just callthem to set an appointment and explain why the delay took so long. The US Embassy may or may not charge you a fee for renewing the visa. But you do not have to re-file everything. Just call the US Embassy to renew her visa.

Best of luck, be patient, You are on the last of the hurdles besides POE. My hats off to you and her for being patient for her to finish schooling. She is sure blessed to have you. Just hang in htere.

not much you can do to get a better date. These dates are subject to holidays as well. As they suggested keep calling and asking, but not much else can be done. Best of luck, use the time to prepare and have your friends drill you on the questions in English.

No parent advice needed ath the US Embassy. Just need to be 18 and over. If 18, the US Embassy may ask to tlak with your parents, but doubtful. Parent advice or parent permission is ONLY required by the Philipines and CFO.

THE CFO is for the government to track their citizens travelling abroad outside of the Philippines, and knowing HOW to get help in the country they are going to, should they need it. Trying to skip this makes me wonder if YOU really care about YOUR spouse. It is IMPORTANT for your spouse to attend for their SAFETY abroad. If you really and truly care, this is but a small pittance to pay for doing things properly.

Are you also going to wait until the drop dead "deadline" of 90 days before marriage as well?

Are you also going to wait years to pay the AOS or ROC, and maybe never go for citizenship for your spouse????

Wanting to skip something so cheap and so inexpensive which is so beneficial and required by Filipino Federal Law, makes me wonder how truly in love you are with your betrothed.

Hank, two daughters - Princess Rose (21 months) and Tiffany Tatiana (9 months), getting a van (6 in the family now) moving around, making sure wife is on good birth control, and basically just really enjoying life!

(Pinays and pills don't go well.)

(besides child support, contempt of court, medical bills, typooons, boys wanting the "nwest" video games, and vaccination schedules, and my family going nuts over the age of my wife plus the additional children.....more family emigrating from Philippines. Almost all of one family here now.)

Hank.... that is truely possible. You always hope for the best and prepare for the worst. The reality is you never know who the person is you run into when you go to leave. There is always the "mexican pinch". Better to have "t"'s crossed and "i"'s dotted in philippines, you just don't know HOW those in charge will re-act until they do. (Just like in CIS countries, you see Police, keep eyes down to ground and away from them. Looking them in the eye is seen as a challenge to authority.)

thos in Visa Journey NEVER advocate skipping, avoiding, or breaking laws of any country for the sake of emigration from one country to another.

please see this page for penalties: http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2013/ra_10364_2013.html

You could face anywhere from 6 years to 20 years in prison and anywhere from 500,000 php to 5,000,000 php in fines, not to mention other international issues. Plus you would never be allowed to file with USCIS for another foeign spouse for life. The few measly pesos and time is not worth risking this type of penalty in a foreign prison.

per cfo website:

For children 12 years old and below are exempted from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. The following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant.

1. Original and photocopy of one(1) of valid identification card with photograph of the proxy
2. Special Power of Attorney authenticated by Diplomatic Post if parent/s/ or guardian/s are based overseas; or a duly notarized authorization letter executed by parent/s or guardian/s while in the Philippines.
3. Other documents that may be required by the registration officers.

Hi all, haven't stopped by for a while... a friend suggested I should. Getting ready to file ROC soon!!!! Oh what a sweet life this BANA lives!!! :joy: :joy: :devil: :joy:

an Pinay (or Pinoy) CANNOT leave without a CFO stamp. No matter which destination they are going to. Since the Visa says K-1 and is for USA, there is no point EVEN attempting to get around this requirement. It is a LAW in the Philippines, just like the laws in the USA. Your son to be asawa is required to fulfill the requirements of her country of residence UNTIL the person becomes a citizen of another country with a valid passport from said country.

Trying to skip, or go around Philippine Law might work, but CFO is NOT something to try and skip out on. there are exceptions, but they are very very few and far between. It is so damn cheap, and a day or two at most.

Trying to skip out on it can prevent your pinay or pinoy from EVER leaving the country. Just because you have a visa from the USA (or some other country) does not guarantee admisison to the USA to ability to leave their country of residence. Skipping the CFO is a Federal crime in the Philippines. You could be held liable as much as they are for attempting it. The CFO would make an example of you if caught, and use your case for examples to other Pinoys/Pinays leaving the country.

It may be a rip-off, but it is the Philippine law. How many rip-offs do you tolerate in the USA on daily basis??? Just get gas in your car, or go buy groceries, or go get take out??? How much do people mark up items to make a profit, and just how many times are you taxed on your dollar?

thanks all. And congrats on the birthday of your 3 year old.

We all so blessed sometimes with children, no matter how much they may irritate us in the end. Sometimes we learn more from them then we do on our own. The goal is to always improve upon what our parents taught us, focusing on the good, and never repeating the bad. Also, Break the cycle, when tempted to praise our children with blessings of healthy children, blessed, and beautiful children, and wise children then cursing them by saying "I hope you have a child just like you are to me when you grow up."

yes, it was one of those "miscalculations" which turned into a wonderful bundle of joy. Now we have "irish twins" --- two girls only 356 days apart. The oldest boy at 13 is ok with it. The youngest boy at 6 does not know what he is in for in 6 years when the younger girls gang up on him. He is just glad not to be the "youngest" or the "baby" anymore. The babies like his shows as well. the oldest girl, Princess, is just started to walk.... "here comes trouble"....

what I am most thankful for is having 2 girls with my wonderful asawa so we keep the competition down with my older boys not feeling like there is another boy competing with them in the house.

Tiffany Tatiana, born June 27, weight 8 pounds, 4 ounces, length 20 inches. Mom and baby are doing well..... we are extremely blessed with 2 healthy girls (besides my older boys). Hope to take them to Philippines soon to see their grandparents....

If you present just one part of the NBI certificate (top or bottom) without the whole thing with the perforated line in the middle, The embassy will submt a 221g asking for an updated NBI clearance. Also, keep an eye on the issue date of the clearance. It must be valid. The main NBI office is just on the north side of St. Lukes. If you have an NBI and just need an updated one, you can walk right in. (if you don't have an NBI, you have to wait in line to go in.)

You need 2 NBI's, one for the passport application. one for the Embassy Visa application. (The NBI portion my wife retained was also used for identification at CFO.)

It must be valid for a US Visa. (no stamp or markings, "not valid for travel abroad" or "not valid for passport") When applying make sure to mark NBI application for Visa purposes.

Here is a link to one:

NBI clearance photo

I stand corected. I looked at he CFO website. I see now only at the main office in Cebu or Manila. Glad to see they got rid of the "sub-sites" now.... but I really liked Good Sheperd location. It was nice area and had a "commissary" around the corner behind the building where you could purchse drinks and food. I hope things go well.

Yes, CR-1, K-3 visas do happen. I am NOT saying they do not happen. But the overall PERCENTAGES when looked at is quite small. I am having a hard time finding the actual numbers for current months. In the past, the K-1 visa was much larger then the K-3/CR-1 visa.

The CFO is the hardest part, because they want to make sure the "rose-colored" glasses are off. You know exactly what it is like, and have been made aware. CFO wants to know you are determined to go and make it work when you go to another country.

My wife is shy, but she also has a strong will. She went through the COF with her parents. She was "shy" but also determined. I was there with her to "help" reassure her, but I waited outside the building on the covered sitting area. I did not press her or them for anything. I just was there to let her know, I am willing to help her get through things both there, and when she came here. My wife has adjusted well. I end up taking time off or scheulding things around work to be with her for doctor's appointments and such. But I do it because I want her to know I am here for her. My wife is gaining more independance day by day. One day soon I hope she is driving on her own.

When going to the CFO, make sure you have everything you would have for the US Embassy, all of the same paperwork. also make sure she knows your mom's maiden name. Sometimes, it help to take a parent or relative along to the CFO. Being married, she can expect more questions. (There is no easy out like in a fiance visa.)

DO you know which CFO location she went to?

Is your wife catholic or another religion?

Getting married and filing K-3 (CR-1) visa is not plentiful or typical. (these are a very small percentage.)

Wish you the best, she may be able to get her attendance green check, but after walking out, she may have to redo the whole process, and expect many more questions.

If she went to PRISM, have her go to Good Shepard convent. (it is a little further but on the tram line.)

Darnell, Gretchen hates photos being taken of her right now.....Mainly face only.....Sometiems she will pose, but not often...and with 9 weeks to go. I just don't want to cause problems.