CLE

I thought about buying something here and sending it via Fedex

I had mixed experiences sending stuff via FedEx. Sending books and documents was no problem but the retroactively-billed-to-my-credit-card 100% tariff/import fee on a digital camera was a shocking and unexpected lesson learned. Not FedEx's fault; that's just how it works when sending stuff there.

As for sending gifts, I searched online and found a florist/gift shop in my then-fiancee's town who was more than happy to take internet orders to deliver (in person) things like flowers and chocolate. The first time I worried that the web site might be fake but they ended up doing a great job.

2) I have been requested to bring chocolate. [...] The question is how much do I bring? Will it be a problem if I stuff part/half of a suitcase with chocolate?

4) Any tips on carrying more then 7kg carry-on onboard PAL?

This is probably too late to be of use to brian8024, but I'll post it anyway for posterity. :-)

#2: I schlepped a roller bag chock-full of nothing but chocolate. I said two words when the NAIA customs guy asked what was in the bag: "pasalubong ... chocolate". He smiled and waved me through.

#4: During PAL check-in, I once wore a light jacket and stuffed its zippered pockets with a couple of the heavier items from the carry-on. Once the lightened bag cleared the weigh-in, the jacket and it's pocketed contents went back into the bag. Unless they're now weighing persons at check-in, too, I don't know why it should make any difference to the airplane or the airline if a few items stay in one's pockets for the whole flight or go back into the carry-on once the weigh-in is done.

Added CLE. (I realize this entry is too late to be of any use to the January 2015 batch of applicants, but I thought it might provide some useful data for any future forum searchers who, like me, went back through past "Filers" threads in search of any clues about the processing timelines associated with the SLC, UT office.)

N-400: January 2015 Applicants

======================================
USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
======================================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|YellowLtr|Int ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
JoRu16...........|11/11/07|01/02|01/09|01/17|02/12/15|02/12/15.|01/26/15.|03/23/15.|04/22/15.|--/--/--.|Miami, FL (Early FP 02/11)
♥john♥julie♥.....|07/14/10|01/02|01/08|01/12|01/30/15|02/03/15.|01/24/15.|02/28.15.|04/02/15.|04/13/15.|Philadelphia,PA
bkboy77..........|--/--/--|01/02|--/--|--/--|01/28/15|01/30/15.|--/--/--.|03/28/15.|04/28/15.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
luisleonv........|03/30/09|01/05|01/09|01/17|02/10/15|02/12/15.|01/29/15.|03/23/15.|04/22/15.|--/--/--.|Miami, FL
Sashi Bells......|03/27/12|01/05|01/14|01/20|02/04/15|02/27/15.|01/29/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
Welldone.........|11/20/07|01/05|01/15|01/23|02/05/15|02/09/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
Qasha............|05/11/11|01/05|01/09|01/10|02/01/15|02/04/15.|01/22/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Dallas, TX
ExPatty..........|09/--/05|01/05|01/12|01/16|02/04/15|02/05/15.|01/26/15.|02/12/15.|03/17/15.|--/--/--.|Buffalo, NY
ExPatty[Wife]....|07/13/05|01/05|01/13|01/16|02/03/15|02/09/15.|01/26/15.|02/12/15.|03/18/15.|--/--/--.|Buffalo, NY
Multivitaminico..|06/26/10|01/06|MoOrd|01/28|02/03/15|02/06/15.|--/--/--.|03/09/15.|04/09/15.|--/--/--.|Oakland Park, FL
g_s..............|03/29/10|01/06|--/--|01/12|02/04/15|03/02/15.|02/20/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
jdmpozos.........|01/09/12|01/07|01/15|01/20|02/06/15|02/06/15.|01/29/15.|03/--/15.|04/23/15.|--/--/--.|San Antonio, TX
TJMax............|04/11/12|01/12|--/--|--/--|02/13/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Jacksonville, FL
simaexpress......|04/12/12|01/13|01/22|01/26|02/10/15|03/12/15.|--/--/--.|04/03/15.|05/07/15.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ
isopropano.......|04/11/10|01/13|MoOrd|01/30|02/12/15|03/11/15.|--/--/--.|03/21/15.|04/20/15.|--/--/--.|Providence, RI
TimeTravel.......|04/02/12|01/14|01/21|01/24|02/12/15|03/02/15.|--/--/--.|03/09/15.|04/13/15.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL
abooh9...........|12/11/11|01/15|01/26|01/29|02/23/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Atlanta, GA
Scott-Leonor.....|10/08/09|01/15|01/21|01/21|02/10/15|02/13/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Atlanta, GA
HHBSailing.......|05/24/91|01/16|01/26|02/02|02/18/15|02/20/15.|--/--/--.|02/28/15.|04/06/15.|--/--/--.|Philadelphia, PA
Richie Rich......|11/17/11|01/17|01/26|02/02|02/18/15|02/20/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Jacksonville, FL
SaltUponWounds...|04/20/10|01/20|01/28|02/02|02/25/15|03/20/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Oklahoma City,OK
Rho16............|06/??/09|01/22|02/04|02/12|02/27/15|03/03/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
mohdirfan08787...|04/20/10|01/22|02/04|02/07|02/25/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Louisville, KY
haffu4u..........|--/--/--|01/25|01/29|02/06|02/25/15|02/27/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX
Shakyl...........|08/25/00|01/26|02/02|02/10|02/26/15|03/02/15.|--/--/--.|03/23/15.|04/23/15.|--/--/--.|Pittsburgh, PA
dimcherney.......|04/27/12|01/28|02/09|02/14|03/03/15|03/27/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York City, NY
marcmsj..........|--/--/91|01/28|02/04|02/09|02/25/15|03/05/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL
A_at_J...........|11/30/11|01/28|02/04|02/07|03/06/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Dallas, TX
mimine...........|12/21/11|01/28|01/30|02/06|02/27/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Boston, MA
icarolina........|01/24/12|01/29|02/09|02/12|03/03/15|03/06/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Atlanta, GA
KanD.............|07/31/09|01/30|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Louisville, KY


================================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
================================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|YellowLtr|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
Kia779...........|03/14/12|12/29|01/05|01/09|01/30/15|02/03/15.|01/30/15.|04/02/15.|05/05/15.|--/--/--.|Detroit, MI
Dr.Sam77.........|10/10/09|12/31|01/08|01/13|01/28/15|--/--/--.|01/30/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Los Angeles, CA

CLE..............|11/22/11|01/03|--/--|01/12|01/28/15|--/--/--.|01/2?/15.|02/13/15.|03/18/15.|04/03/15.|Salt Lake City, UT
Sirdaniel42......|04/02/12|01/06|01/16|01/17|02/05/15|03/02/15.|01/30/15.|03/21/15.|04/22/15.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
ladyg............|10/??/11|01/06|--/--|01/15|02/02/15|02/05/15.|01/27/15.|03/20/15.|04/20/15.|--/--/--.|Los Angeles,CA
chimpooooo.......|02/15/12|01/08|01/13|01/15|02/13/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
tobeUScitizen....|--/--/--|01/08|--/--|--/--|02/05/15|02/09/15.|01/29/15.|03/21/15.|04/22/15.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
kennydee.........|04/11/12|01/09|01/15|01/20|02/24/15|03/11/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO
jjjdddlll........|02/01/12|01/09|01/22|01/24|02/11/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL
Jot18............|10/05/07|01/11|waive|02/02|02/20/15|02/25/15.|--/--/--.|03/02/15.|04/03/15.|04/15/15.|Sacramento, CA
Leenie...........|01/11/11|01/12|01/20|01/22|02/09/15|02/11/15.|--/--/--.|03/28/15.|04/29/15.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL
Corinthians......|12/09/09|01/12|01/20|01/24|02/13/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|02/25/15.|03/26/15.|05/01/15.|Spokane, WA
tain112294.......|04/14/10|01/16|01/22|01/26|02/20/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Spokane, WA
rugratguy........|03/26/06|01/16|--/--|01/30|02/17/15|02/23/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Los Angeles,CA(Early Bio 2/11/15)
cca..............|12/31/09|01/16|--/--|01/26|02/20/15|03/12/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|??,??(FP rescheduled to 03/10/15)
rahulv...........|11/05/09|01/16|--/--|01/27|02/18/15|02/20/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|San Jose, CA
dooger...........|02/--/85|01/20|01/27|01/31|02/18/15|02/23/15.|--/--/--.|04/04/15.|05/06/15.|--/--/--.|San Francisco, CA
PDNK.............|04/18/12|01/20|01/27|01/30|02/17/15|03/18/15.|--/--/--.|03/24/15.|04/22/15.|--/--/--.|Honolulu, HI
Imatos1978.......|02/26/02|01/21|01/28|01/31|02/20/15|02/24/15.|--/--/--.|03/06/15.|04/21/15.|--/--/--.|Kansas City, MO
Kashei...........|10/15/10|01/24|01/29|01/30|02/24/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Indianapolis, IN

shadlom..........|03/13/10|01/26|01/28|02/02|02/26/15|03/02/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Phoenix, AZ
Dave and Kinnari.|12/16/11|01/28|02/05|02/11|03/02/15|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Columbus, OH
inzango..........|02/07/10|01/29|--/--|--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL


===========================================================================
USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)
===========================================================================
UserName.........|GC-Date.|Sent.|Cashd|NOA..|Fprints.|In Line..|YellowLtr|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|Field Office
jayjaym..........|05/28/14|01/20|02/10|02/13|Embassy.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Vairfax, Va
mari0711.........|12/03/10|01/21|01/30|02/05|02/25/15|02/27/15.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|03/13/15.|03/19/15.|Kansas City, MO

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Legend:

GC-Date: The 'Resident Since' Date located on your first green card
Sent: Date N-400 was mailed to USCIS
Cashd: Date your check was cashed by USCIS
NOA: Date you received the official I-797 notification in the mail about case acceptance
Fprints: Date assigned for fingerprinting
In Line: Date you received e-notification about your interview date
YellowLtr: Date you received the yellow letter in the mail. This is not your interview letter!
Int Ltr: Date you received the official letter in the mail regarding interview
Intview: Date of your interview
Oath: Date Oath taken
Field Office: Your local USCIS office where you would be doing the N-400 interview
2015 US Passport Application Tracker List

My fiancee is arriving in America on a K1 visa in less that two weeks but our wedding is in mid-April. I have health and dental insurance through my employer but in order for her to be added to my employment-based insurance plans, we need to be married. That means, there will be a period of about 2 months she is not covered by health or dental insurance. How are others addressing this situation as it must be a common issue among K1 visa arrivals?

This was about three years ago, but I bought a short-term "inbound immigrant" policy (for my then-fiancee) from a website called Seven Corners. I think it was a three month term, which was more than enough time to add coverage under my employer's plan. Thankfully we didn't need to use the coverage, so I can't offer any opinion on whether I bought anything other than a little peace of mind.

Given the vast quantity of personal and financial data that seems to be expected for I-751 filings, I'm wondering if I'm the only one feeling a bit queasy about submitting all those documents "in the clear" with account numbers, SS numbers, etc.

Questions for those who have already filed:

Did you redact your evidentiary documentation in any way to avoid exposing the keys to your financial kingdoms?

Are personally-identifiable things like account numbers necessary to establish "happy marriage" bona fides?

Do you trust the government to keep your personal information safe?

Did you ever lose any sleep worrying about identify theft?

Many thanks for your thoughts.

This was a couple of years ago, but I bought for my then-fiancee a short duration "inbound immigrant" medical policy from sevencorners.com. The coverage period started on the day we traveled from Phils. to USA and ended a couple of months after that. Not knowing how long it'd take to get things all squared away with my employer's insurance, I probably overspent on a too-long coverage period. I had guessed that it might take a month or two to get things settled, but it turned out to be a lot quicker than that. Anyway, the sevencorners policy worked out fine. It was easy to buy online, provided the desired peace of mind, and we were glad not to have needed to use it.

In August 2011 I booked tickets online (from USA) and then flew as follows:

1. One-way for me only: Las Vegas to Manila via Vancouver (cheap fare on PAL).

2. One-way for me & my fiancee: Manila to Salt Lake City via Tokyo Narita (Delta airlines).

We had no trouble at all with either the booking or flying with e-tickets purchased online. There was one odd thing about the online booking of the flights from MNL to SLC: my credit card company charged a foreign transaction fee because Delta apparently "originated" the booking in Manila. I thought this was strange, but didn't bother to find out exactly why it was done that way.

(POE in SLC was easy as could be. Whole process was probably less than a minute. Too bad Delta no longer flies direct from Narita to SLC--we got lucky.)

I was wondering if a keychain light would be (or not be) allowed to the US embassy interview?

I always carry an LED keychain light in my pocket and it wasn't a problem for me when I attended my fiancee's USEM interview. Upon entry into the embassy I didn't even have to empty my pockets. The guard just asked me pointedly (and smilingly) if I was carrying any cell phone, ipod, or other electronic gadgets, to which I calmly and repeatedly replied "no", and that was the end of it.

PLEASE tell me how long did it take from the interview to having the visa in-hand?

Interview: August 5.

Visa received: August 15.

(FWIW, 2go eTrace never had any information; the visa's arrival was a complete surprise.)

Unfortunately, the CFO facebook information may not be as accurate as we'd all like.

Having read the quoted CFO facebook stuff before going to Manila for my finacee's interview, I looked up the CFO desk in NAIA T3 while I there awaiting her plane (this was on July 30, 2011). The CFO desk was empty. No one anywhere in sight. I walked around a bit and went back to the CFO desk again. It was still unoccupied.

On Wednesday, August 3, 2011, we went to the CFO office on Quirino Avenue (after the PRISM counseling session) to get the CFO completion certificate so we could, in theory, get a CFO sticker at NAIA after she receives her visa. When we asked the CFO office personnel about the CFO desks at NAIA, we were informed that it is hit and miss at the airport because there is *one* staff member who handles the CFO desks in all three terminals. In other words, depending on when you go there, you might find someone at the CFO desk in any given terminal, or you might find the desk to be rather empty, like I did.

Armed with this feet-on-the-ground surveillance data, we are no longer counting on sticker availability at the CFO desk at NAIA. We'll check the NAIA CFO desk when we arrive there enroute to the USA, but we're also planning plenty of time in our schedule to allow a round-trip to the more heavily staffed Quirino Avenue CFO office.

re: picking up CFO stickers at NAIA after obtaining the counseling certificate and visa

My resourceful fiance sent an inquiry to the CFO staff on their facebook page. They replied quickly as follows:

When u complete the counseling at PRISM, u need to go to the CFO office afterwards to get ur certificate. If u don't have ur visa yet by that time, u can register (and get ur sticker) at our NAIA extension desk (all 3 terminals). They are open Sunday to Saturday from 5:00am to 12:00 midnight. You can also call the CFO-NAIA at 8795685.

Here's a permalink to the facebook thread in case you want to read it yourself:

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=232606243428137&id=1807818678

Good thing when I filed for my NBI clearance last month, the NBI agent advised me to get 3 original copies if I'd be using it to travel to the US.

Please forgive my ignorance, but for what purpose(s) does one need multiple original copies of the NBI clearance?

Thanks!