Paul and Haidee

thank you everyone for the quick replies. I told her it shouldn't be a problem, but as I was just thinking about it, it started to freak out a bit as she id due to land in Detriot in 3 hours. I am so excited to see her that I am starting to get a little nervous that something will go wrong. Thanks again

Paul

When Haidee got her visa, it only had my first and last name on it. whereas the petition has my first name, middle, last name, and Jr. on it. By the time we got the visa, it was too late to get it corrected. Does anyone think this is going to be a problem when she gets to immigration in the US?

Thanks,

Paul

well there is a stop in japan for an hour but she stays on the same plane so it doesn't show as a stop when i booked it on priceline.

A direct flight from Manila to US??? I have never heard of any airline that flies directly from philippines to USA

Thanks everyone,. It was within 24 houyrs of buying the ticket so we just rebooked it for her to come directly to the US

We booked a flight to the US from Manila but there is an overnight layover in Japan. I called the Japan consul in Atlanta and they said that she needs to get a transient visa in order to stay at the hotel in Japan. I asked my fiancee to call the Japan embassy in Manila but she won't call. She said she doesn't want to get a transient visa because she is afraid it would mess up her US visa. She said that she is afraid that when she gets to the US, immigration will see that she was in Japan, and send her back to the Philippines. Any thoughts on this?

We finally got approved! Just a question though. My fiancee is having trouble with her stomach and she is going to the doctor to get an ultrasound. Her medical exam expires July 10th. What happened if she doesn't leave before July 10th? Would she be able to get another medical or some type of an extension?

Thanks for the help.

What courier does everyone use to send documents to the Philippines the fastest way?

From Happy Ladies, or some other site of Filipina women on facebook

Thanks for all the advice. and I am sorry "she" is my fiancee

I am starting a new job next week that earns commissions on what I sell. She is saying that the commissions I would earn from working would not count toward the 125%. She said it needs to be a fixed income and commissions do not matter. Is this true? I find it hard to believe.

She is saying that the commissions I would earn from working would not count toward the 125%. She said it needs to be a fixed income and commissions do not matter. Is this true? I find it hard to believe.

My fiancee and I are having a disagreement. I am understanding that as long as I make 125% of the poverty line, then we are good to go, whether I am working full time or part time, in schiool or not. She thinks that even though I am making 125% of the poverty line, because its part time and I am in school, we still need a cosponsor. Is she right, or am I right?

Thanks.

She is saying that a lot of people are getting a 221g. What is a 221g?

My fiancee says she read that the US Embassy filled their quota for fiancee visas for this year. Is it true there is a quota?

Haidee and I are still working at it. She got the results back frmo the medical finally and everything is ok. We are having a debate though. She insists that I need to work full time in order to make the embassy happy, but I am under the impression that I can work part time as long as I make 125% of the poverty line. The way I see it is that I can work 30 hours a week at $10 an hour plus 1% commission on sales (my quota is $200 in sales an hour) and 5% commission on warranties, and still make enough to cover the 125%. So do I HAVE to work full time, or is part time ok as long as its 125% of the poverty line.

Thanks for the replies.

Paul and Haidee

if i work full time and go to school part time it would add another year, but thats only if i go to school full time in my last year. otherwise it would add 2 more years. I have already been going for one year. I did a co-op pretty much all this year but was not able to save much money due to things that have come up and paying for all the paperwork. I want to go work full time and go to school part time but its hard to find a job thats flexible, and pays enough to reach the 125%. Also I would lose all my financial aid for this year. Maybe I will just have to work full time and not attend school for this year, but thats if we know for sure that she will be able to find a job after at the most one year of being here. I don't want to be stuck so that I cannot finish my degree.

how long before you would be done if you go full time?

oh sorry I don't think I actually answered your question. If I continue to go to school full time, I will graduate in May 2014, so about 2 1/2 years.

if i work full time and go to school part time it would add another year, but thats only if i go to school full time in my last year. otherwise it would add 2 more years. I have already been going for one year. I did a co-op pretty much all this year but was not able to save much money due to things that have come up and paying for all the paperwork. I want to go work full time and go to school part time but its hard to find a job thats flexible, and pays enough to reach the 125%. Also I would lose all my financial aid for this year. Maybe I will just have to work full time and not attend school for this year, but thats if we know for sure that she will be able to find a job after at the most one year of being here. I don't want to be stuck so that I cannot finish my degree.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I read all the threads and did not take any offense to them. I am glad people told me exactly what they thought of the situation insread of sugar coating it. I don't live with my family. MY entire family is in CT and I am in AL. I am currently looking for a full time job that hopefully will suffice for the affadavit of support. I want to continue going to school at least part time. DOes anyone have any ideas for jobs that don't require much experience that don't pay minumum wage. I have sales and customer service experience so I am looking at applying as a car salesman, as suggested by my sister in law.

Thanks for the advice. I know she loves me and I know she will wait. I just hate being away. I need to come to some sort of compromise with Haidee that will make everyone happy.

I would really take the time to sit down and think things over before making any rash decisions. I would not settle down unless I am ready. I know you miss her, but will you be able to provide for her once she gets here, and can you handle all the expenses for immigration. Can you sponsor her even without your family's support? These are things you need to consider. How much longer do you have left for school? I would definitely finish school first, if that would mean a better future for you both. If she really loves you, she would be able to wait as long as it takes. This is how I see it anyway. Goodluck

yes that is very true. I want to make sure I am able to provide for Haidee without struggling, but that would definitely be hard if I am still in school.

From what you have mentioned so far is that you have mistakes so far in life and are considered a screw up. When you have finally been doing something where you seem to be on the right track then you are doing something to ruin that and appear to be screwing up again. Maybe it is you that needs to look inward and look at your own actions. Family and friends are there for you but will only do so much. They can't forever enable you to do as you please and support bad decisions. They are tired of being enablers.

No I am paying for it all myself.

are your parents paying for your school?

I tried to get them involved to talk to her but they have the same hesitations. I don't think my mother realizes that this IS reality and we actually do love each other. But no one wants to talk to her cuz its over the internet and Haidee is afraid to talk to them because the way they react to our relationship.

If your family members have anything to do with your affidavit of support or helping you out with school and generally being supportive maybe it's a good idea to at least listen a bit to them and finish school. Not to obey them but to appreciate their support in you getting your life back together again. But they also need to understand you're 34 and have learnt from your mistakes and you have a future wife willing you wait for you - their son, and it's not an imaginary fairy tale vacation you're on when visiting her, but reality.

I understand it's hard being away from your fiancee. I was overseas and I'd get frustrated and sad too if I was being put on hold(well, the visa part at least) but it's a process that has to be understood by both of you, the same with the waiting. It's not just "fill out some papers" and everything will be fine. Being in school is a legit reason for having a co-sponsor regarding the Philippines but if you were to get a job now and quit school you'd might still have to have a co-sponsor and later on joint sponsor.

I don't doubt for one second you love your fiancee. The only way I made my parents wake up and smell the overdose of love in the air was by them actually talking to Stephen through Skype and being involved. Before they though it was silly, and they still had some issues with it "being real" because they hadn't seen us together as a normal couple and couldn't relate to it at all. I got the "who's the dork taking my girl away" at first and I actually said I understood their reaction because they didn't have an honest change of meeting Stephen.

I can't win. My family tells me if I bring her over here now, they will never get another thing from me ever. I don't want to wait and I don't want to stop school, but I am tired of being away from her. Haidee doesn't want to wait either but my family wants me to finish school. Someone wants one thing and someone else wants another thing. I am stuck in the middle. Haidee gets mad when I say we need to wait. My family gets mad when I say I don't want to wait any longer. I can't decide between Haidee and school. I am at my wits end and going crazy with what to do. They ask me why can't I find someone here in the US? Maybe its because I am in love with Haidee and no one else, but do they even ask me about that? No. They say this because I am 34 years old, I made some wrong decisions in life, and now I am currently in school studying chemical engineering. I am trying to get my life back together and I hate being away from Haidee for so long. My mother even went as far to say that if I even go VISIT her, they will disown me. What the hell? Does anyone even care about what makes me happy? I am so frustrated and torn and losing my mind.

We are so excited. I cannot wait for us to be together again!

This is exactly what Haidee and I are doing. The plan is to get married on paper as soon she gets here, the once we have enough money we are going to have an official wedding, one here and one in the Philippines...so technically we are going to be married three times Should I propose each time? hehe

I got my NOA1 around the same time as you with a target date at july 6th but based on the timeline and the fact that some time is needed to make sure you wont lose deposits etc, we changed the date to late sept, better weather anyway if it happens to get approved faster, no prob, we will be getting married on paper before the big event so it will be within the 3 months officially. I would do the same personally, plus think of it this way, technically you can marry your fiancee twice :3

I called the DOS and spoke to a visa specialist. When I first explained to her the issue, she said that I didn't need to worry about it and the petition can be revalidated at the interview. However, after she looked into the file, she said that once it expires, it expires, unless we schedule the interview before the expiration date. I do not know which is correct now.

I called DOS and emailed the embassy and informed both that the approval was about to expire and they had not scheduled an interview yet. The scheduling process is different in Guangzhou. DOS explained that the approval may expire but since the case was still open and active there was nothing that needed to be done. If your case has been delayed for some other reason you may want to call DOS and talk to a specialist.

I hate the US Embassy. I think they all read from scripts. I called to ask them what to do since our application is expiring on Jan 1, and we still are waiting for the passport number, and in order for them to tell me what to do, they NEED the passport number. We have not had the interview, and we cannot schedule and interview until we get the passport number. I am at wits end and I just don't know what to do. I will try to email them tomorrow and call the DOS.

So we can pay the fee and apply for an interview before we get the passport number?

Agreed . And this is what you will get: A Automated e-mail from them stating extentions are usually granted if the 2 following are true:

1. Are you Free to Marry.

2. Are you going to Marry within 90 days of his/her arrival.

So, I suggest: Pay the Visa Fee at BPI if you have'nt already.

Thanks for the reply but we have not had the interview yet. We cannot even make the appointment for the interview because her passport is still on the way.

The case is automatically extended by the US embassy. You have already had the interview, the NOA2 means nothing. You are worrying over nothing.

yes we did. We love each other too much. I am still worried about having enough money though

So you've decided not to delay the process? I am glad you were able to work things out and come to a compromise.

Best of luck.

I have emailed them before and they responded but were not clear on if the validity was extended of not. When I call them, they won't even talk to me without her passport number. I don't know what to do.

No problem. Email the Embassy and ask them to extend the validity of your petition.

So what did you do?

Same thing happened to us. Don't worry about it.