Cazwik

Just got home from leave , and wanted to tell all VJers Happy Holidays. My Fiance goes to Manila on the 12th to get her CFO and medical started , and her interview is the 20th. Keep your fingers crossed were so nervous about it !!!

happy 2012 Everyone!!

~Chad

That is funny..sadly most of the Pinays I meet where I am at are but arrogant (I am ashamed of that) on my first year here, I have not meet any Pinays around but when I came across one, I meet dozens of them...I wonder where they were hiding all these time??? anyway, we became friends and they started going to my house on a regular basis after a while they would tell me how bad my house looks or how my car is not the latest model etc... which makes me feel bad as well I am working full time and so is my husband, but we tried to lived within our means, we dont own anything fancy or drive a fancy car or go to fancy places all the time like casinos or five star hotels so I guess it does not par with most Pinays who lived in my area for more than 20+ years so I back off it is shocking to know that despite the distance, we stil brought our crab mentality here...I actually became closer to some I meet here in VJ than the ones I meet in person isnt that weird? when there are dozens of Pinay around where I live...I bumb to some at Oriental Stores and I just smile and say kamusta...

Thats really odd, considering where some Philippines come from. When I went to Davao to visit my fiance I was amazed how content they were with the little they had. They really changed the way I looked at things back home. I always joke with my fiance that I am going to send her back if she starts to get the least bit americanized lol. I remember walking down the road and buying one of those big rc bottles from one of the little stand and I would give it to the kids playing on the road , I have never seen a happier kid in my life with a bottle of rc . My fiance knows shes not coming to a life of luxery, she is just happy knowing there is a Oriental store that sells philippine groceries near by :-P

I scheduled my fiance for jan 20th , but it said something about a CEAC letter ... Any idea what this is ?

Instructions

Arrive at the Embassy 15 minutes before the time listed on your appointment Letter. Bring the following document with you at the Embassy for your Interview: Appointment Letter. Valid Passport. CEAC Confirmation Letter. 2” x 2” color photo in white background For the safety and security of all applicants and employees, visa applicants are NOT PERMITTED to bring any kind of electronic and battery-operated devices (cellular phone, digital camera, laptop, music player, portable game consoles such as PSP, etc.) into the U.S. Embassy. Applicants who bring such devices will be denied entry. Please check the website www.ustraveldocs.com/ph for the security policy which includes a list of additional prohibited items. Subject to conditions at www.ustraveldocs.com/ph

It works Alot of days to choose from! Does anyone know if ST Lukes is closed on MLK holiday too as far as walk in medicals go ?

Thanks!

I just did this last week and the passport number works, her interview is tomorrow. It took ours about six hours before we could register online.

Thanks How long ahead was a interview date available? Are you able to choose the dates?

So I put the pass port number in the receipt slot ? How long before it will go through ?

My dear little Philippine fiance went to BPI and paid the fee for the Interview, we went to try and set up a interview and she is telling me there is no receipt number. and when she called BPI they told her there is no receipt number. we tried all the numbers on the paper to get it to work for online scheduling but no avail , What is going on here?

thats rough man ! Sorry to hear that. Upsets me when I know so many are trying to get here legit to be with their loved ones , then there are people like that who just take advantage of people. Hope she gets what she deserves.

The visa fee is $350 for K-1ers. However, you pay for it in local currency, so the amount in Philippine Pesos will fluctuate with BPI's exchange rate. I don't think they take checks. However, you have the option of paying for it online.

My link.

Or do what I did and send the cash via Western Union to your loved one and she can go to BPI and pay for it and get the receipt number right there

For goodness sakes...don't use the U.S. Postal Service to send your interview documents...or you will be sorry...very sorry!

FedEx three-day express never failed me...even to the province. Just get out your wallet and do it.

I just sent it Via DHL express, 1.2 pds of paper costed me a good 70 bucks because they had to round it off to 2 pounds. Whew , just a few more steps and hopefully shes here.

Warning: Don't send anything but papers. If you send anything of value, like a pair of $80 flip flops, this is what happened to me.

First, they notice it is worth more than $ 5.00 so they pull the item aside. Then it goes through customs (delayed 7 days)... they tax the shipment and they will open it to inspect it if they want to. My $ 80.00 pair of flip flops/sandals for a birthday gift was taxed $ 65.00 and it was held one additional week. Yes, it is corruption but that is how they work. I dont know the formula but they charge based on the cost to ship plus the item inside. My cost to ship was $ 120 and the item inside was $ 80 value so I'm guessing the $ 65.00 tax must be 32 percent !!!!

Only send papers. I have used only Fed Ex and sending papers cost about $ 65.00. I will try DHL next time though. I have heard good things about them.

I was thinking maybe I should ship to a 2go address.... Would this be more safe?

Sorry about your flip flops , We mailed her some chocloate one time and it took over a month to get there!

~chad

There was a little flooding going on in Mindano this week.... I recommend Fed Ex, if you absolutely, positively have to have it there on time....

DHL has planes and trucks too , why would they be able to get it there anymore than FEdex?

I also used DHL several times to Mindanao, I like the fact that they hand deliver right to the person. Others probably do that too, but i never had a problem with DHL so i stick with them.

sounds good! Thanks Guys!

I used DHL and it got to Cotabato city in Mindanao in 4 days. Other people have used LBC and as well as FEDEX. Either way, you will spend north of $50 to send documents. Check LBC as i think they are a bit less expensive than DHL or FEDEX. I will never use USPS sending documents to the Philippines. This is one of those situations where you just have to fork the $$$ to get the documents to your fiance(e) safely.

Thanks , there is no LBC near me , there is a DHL they look a little cheaper then FEDEX

Are you mailing it from the US? USPS goes fairly quickly in my experience as long as its domestic.

Are you mailing it from the US? USPS goes fairly quickly in my experience as long as its domestic.

yes from the us , but to the philippines.

I heard others say USPS sometimes gets lost in Philippine mail.

Hi, I got everything togather to mail to my fiance, but she told me not to mail via us mail because it takes so long even express. Fedex charges a arm and a leg and she said someone told her U+. I have no idea what this is , but I need to get it there fast as i can so we can scedule the interview.....

any help is apreciated... thanks!

Hi I´m in your very same situation, my interview is on monday, I think you are good to go, what I have read is that they take more importance to the pics, attach pics of you two also with family or/and friends.

Good luck!

So I should put more pics of my trip there before? Ok! thanks!

Hard to put that together when you use the words "And Such!" What that may mean to you and how we look it has no answer. So, we will guess and you will have to decide what you think you might have missed that applies to your question.

A New Letter of Intent would be nice.

Medical Completed, Cemonar Completed before the Interview. (These all require Passport Style Photos of the beneficiary)

Just a start.

I have all the documents, My question was based for the evidence.

the g-24 , ds 156,ds 156k ,ds 157,and i 134, original divorce degree,The noterized intent letter, tax returns and w 2s for last 3 years , letter or employment, 3 months of bank statements , divorce degree, pass port photos , Cenomar, NBI clearence ,copy of passports is already in the packet. The Medical was going to be done before she went to the interview so she didnt have to fly twice to manila.

I got all the financial papers and stuff togather along with the divorce degree and such....

Kinda hard to put in further evidence when the packet only took 22 days... so here is what I got

All Western Union reciepts I sent her...

3 chat logs with spanded dates from skype and FB

Skype Call Export Log

FB photo page with all our pictures showing....

Receipt of the engagement ring

Its all i could really round up with such a short ammount of time to prove

should this do it ?

I neglected to say this in my response but you should include this also.

This Lawyer sounds crummy... Who was it ? I hired a paralegal , the money wasn't that much , and my NOA2 only took 22 days . Lawerence R Holmes

For airlines, I would recommend something which flies into Dulles. I would also suggest looking at Philippine Airlines as well (no terminal transfers in manila), Fly into Dulles then taking a connector to BWI (if needed). I know how anxious this must be with her already expecting a child.

Please keep in mind the stay in manila. 1) st. lukes medical will take two days. 2) embassy interview one day. 3) CFO in manila or Cebu (there is no CFO in Davao). The CFO is one full day. She can get the CFO done while in manila for the embassy interview (I highly recommend Good Shepard Convent in Manila (one stop for all of CFO plus they serve lunch there for a reasonable price), then get stamp at airport when leaving. (Terminal 2 is always manned during the day for the CFO sticker. The other terminals are hit and miss.)

Maybe your fiancee can join you at your post abroad, then fly back with you when you return to the states? Dulles has international flights to Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing. http://www.mwaa.com/image/Air_Service_IAD_International.JPG

Wish you the best in all.

Thanks guys , Your a big help. I am already back in the states . I got back from Korea in September. So we can plan her trip to Manila for a week and get the medical right before she gets her interview? We are setting up our financial packet and adding evidence now. What is the CFO .... Never heard of it T___T More money !

Hi,

We were just wondering if some could share their interview experiences, what to look out for , and what to expect. Could some of you give us some advice of what to and what not to do ?

~Thanks

thanks for the input vj friends...we will wait for 2 weeks before we call nvc?god bless us all...

I think it differs , I got my case number only a week after the NOA2.

Thank you , that helps . Seems I have everything on that list already I guess its just getting her the money and getting things set up