six7one

Hi VJers. I'm flying to the Phils in a couple of weeks and will meet my Fiancee's parents and family in her Province for the first time. What should I expect and what are some things I should do to earn their trust and respect. I understand most of the culture and I'm not too worried. Just want to cover all bases. My Fiancee's interview is in April so it is nearing the time where my Fiancee and her daughter will leave their home. Her family knows our intentions and plans but I would just like to know how to address their concerns (if any). Thanks in advance.

She will be given a number to call when the 2 month period ends. She can go back to her province, then if it's negative she will have to return for the vaccine before the interview.

Appreciate your feedback. One last question if I may. SLEC will cancel her Interview but we will be responsible to reschedule correct?

Based on your timeline I see you are waiting for the results. Good luck and hoping all will be well with your journey. Thanks again.

The next step is a 3 day sputum test then a 2 month culture which she does not have to stay in Manila. But if the culture comes back positive, somewhere during the 2 months, she will have to remain in Manila for 6 months of treatment.

So 3 consecutive days for the sputum tests at SLEC, then she can go back to her province and wait for the 2 month culture results. Does she need to go back to Manila for the results or will she be notified?

My Fiancee has not taken the examination yet, but has had a suggestive PTB spot in an xray from several weeks ago (she's currently under medication). I have been searching here and have spoken with a friend with a similar experience and I'm a little confused with some mixed information. What happens if during the Examination at St.Luke's the spot is still seen in the XRay? What are the next steps that SLEC will do? Would she would have to remain in Manila for 2 months and why? Appreciate any feedback as I am trying to determine how to approach this. If all goes well at SLEC in mid-April, her interview will be the following week. Thanks in advance.

Six! thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. Good luck!

No problem at all. If I remember correctly you will be going through a K1 and K2 process soon. Good luck to you with your Journey also.

One thing I forgot to mention. If you give them the same address for the K1 and K2 to send the Appointments, note that you will only be able to see/reschedule the K1 online. They will explain that to you if/when they setup your online account.

For most doing it online is quite simple and free. I understand having a K-1 & K-2 is more involved.

Embassy:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction%20Packet%20_3__rtf2_003.pdf

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/

Agree its is probably pretty simple to do online. However, I couldn't chance messing anything up in regard to my beautiful future step-daughter. How do you explain to a mother on the day of her Interview that her daughter is not scheduled? I could only imagine the emotion of the moment and decided, nope I don't want to live through that. Peace of mind and assurance is the reason for my call and easily worth the $6 is spent on LD charges. I'm sure I'm not the only to have this cross their mind. Glad and Relieved that's behind me now because I was stressing about it since receiving the NOA2.

Forgot one thing...

If you call the Manila numbers, select "Non-Immigrant" and Just choose YES when prompted if you've completed a DS-160. I didn't do a DS-160 because it is not required for a K1/K2 and I was never asked about it by the Agent.

Because we are doing a K1 and K2 Visa, we decided the best way to do this was for me (the Petitioner) to call the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Would have been too expensive for her to call using her mobile phone. We just felt better about doing it via phone rather than online. If you choose to call, here are some things you should know (not in any particular order)...

1. If you call the numbers listed here under Embassy Info, you will get their Call Center in Manila. I called 011-63-2982-5555. If you are in the U.S. you can call 1-888-877-9888 but you will pay $18 via credit card for 3 calls. It was actually cheaper for me to call Manila Internationally than pay the $18. I just bought a $10 calling card and used about $6 for a 27 minute call to set 2 Interviews.

2. Have your Case Number ready. They will ask for it up front.

3. Before you call, be sure to contact the NVC to find out when your packet was sent to Manila. They will ask you if you received notification from the Embassy that the packet was received. We didn't receive any notification. I told the agent that the NVC sent it to Manila the previous week (which the NVC did). I suppose the agent looked it up and saw that it was on system.

4. Have your payment information ready...

• How it was paid (in my case BPI)
  
• Amount in Pesos
  
• Time it was paid
  

TIP: I had my fiancee take a picture of the receipts and had her email the pic to me so that I could see them.

The Agent only asked for one reference of payment even though we paid for a K1 and a K2. I suppose she looked it up on system also.

5. Have the K1/K2 Passport Information Ready. Here are the things they will ask...

• Full Name on Passports
  
• Passport Numbers (also the BPI Receipt Numbers)
  
• Date Passports Issued
  
• Date Passports Expire
  
• Place Passports Were Issued (DFA Location)
  
• Holder's Nationality and Residency
  

6. Have your K1's and K2's Information Ready. They will ask for...

• Dates of Birth
  
• Phone Numbers
  
• Addresses
  
• Email Addresses
  

The email address you provide is for the Embassy to email the Appointment Letter.

7. The Agent will tell you the next available date. If you have a preference, be ready to let the agent know. I want to be there for the interviews so I had a date in mind so that I can fly to Manila.

If you are setting appointments for a K1 and a K2, be very clear to them you are setting 2 appointments. Since my fiancee's daughter is 3 I set Interviews for the same date and time. Chances are their interviews will be combined although I can't confirm this here and now.

You will also be asked if the Visa(s) will be delivered or picked up. We chose delivery so be sure to double check the Address you give them letter by letter if it brings peace to mind. Same goes with the email address for the Appointment Letter.

Finally, you will have the option to create the online account regardless if you set the interviews via telephone. I chose to do so in the event we want to change the schedules. The Agent will setup the online account for you and email you the link and credentials. Setting up the online account is entirely up to you. Note that after the 3rd change of schedule you will have to pay the fee again or something like that. They'll read the script to you so just pay attention.

Overall, calling and setting the Interviews was very easy. My biggest advice if you call is to have your information readily available when they ask for it. Time = $ on an International Call. Hope the information helps anyone who needs it.

That's a serious dilemma, what would really suck is to go through 2 months of treatment with your physician only to have St. Luke's want to put your fiancee through their protocol or a partial of it.

Maybe a doctor type will chime in here.

Since we are still at a loss on what to do here, my fiancee will has will just continue her doctor's prescription until. If St. Luke's puts her on another 2 month watch then that's what we'll have to face.

Recently we received our MNL Case Number. We have not paid nor scheduled for the interview just yet. As such, we have not done the Medical at SLEC either.

Just a few days ago I asked my Fiancee and her daughter to go and get checkups and for my Fiancee to go ahead and get a chest x-ray. Well, her results show minor suggestive PTB. Her doctor has recommended and prescribed medication for 2 months with a follow up exam when the medication is completed. This puts the date at the end of April.

At this point we don't know what we should do. Should we continue the medication for the full 2 months with her doctor? Should we do the exam at St. Luke's as soon as possible and have SLEC prescribe the treatment? If anyone has a similar experience, please let me know what you suggest or how your dealt with the situation.

Although we are disappointed that this may delay things a bit, we are both in agreement that her health is more important now. Just need some guidance on what to do. Thanks in advance fellow VJers.

Thanks all. I will have the letters addressed to the United States Embassy Manila.

Who should my bank and employer address the letters to? Should they address their letters to the USCIS or should they address the letters to the US Embassy in Manila?

Thanks for the feedback. I guess the ideal thing to do is call for them on their behalf which I plan on doing this week. Will just post my update in the Philippines Portal. Thanks again.

Its just about time for my Fiancee to schedule interview appointments for her and her daughter (3 years old). I've been searching VJ and the net on how exactly to go about doing this without much luck. Does anyone have a step by step guide on how to use the online system to schedule BOTH appointments in one shot? Would calling US Embassy be a better choice (albeit costlier for the call) or should I do it for them using the online system? Thanks in advance.

My fiancee's mailing address is not the same as her physical address. Which one should I list on her G-325A? Thanks!

The G-325A asks for Residences for the last 5 years so you should indicate her physical address. On the I-129F you can put her mailing address on question 15 and use a continuation sheet to explain. My physical address differs from my mailing address and this is what I did for myself. Should not be an issue.

Congratulations! Just got our MNL number today so we'll be on a similar path soon.

dhl.com

call nvc and find out what date they say it left for the embassy

If they say Feb 15th then remember they had to package your package for dhl to pick up the day before.

so the reference number you will use would be

EXP 14 FEB 2012A

DATES---FEB 15, 2012

END DATE-THE DATE OF TODAY OR WHATEVER DATE YOU ARE ON WHEN YOU FILL THIS OUT

so go to dhl.com

in the box put in the number and search.

it will show-NOT found

look to the left and click find by shippers reference number

and put the number and dates is

good luck

Great info. I'll call them back in a few days to see if it left. Thanks for the tip.

Just called the NVC number, and got the news. Case Number issued on 02/08. Took 6 days from CSC to issuance at the NVC. Was pretty simple and painless and if I may add, nice to talk to an actual person instead of an automated system. Whole process took about 3 minutes!

I did ask how I could track the package when it leaves the NVC, but was told they don't provide that. How do you manage to get a DHL tracking number?

While waiting for our NOA2, my fiance' obtained her CENOMAR a few months back and actually had an NBI Clearance To Travel before we became engaged. Is there an expiration for the CENOMAR? I don't remember seeing one when I looked at her documents on a recent visit.

Also, her NBI expires in June of this year. Of course we hope to have the Interview and depart before then. Will the US Embassy question the validity as being too near expiration even though it is still valid for departure? Thanks in advance VJers.

If she was not married to the father of her child and the father is not around. She has sole custody of her child. She does not need a letter from the child's father for the visa interview.

Yes you can most definitely accompany your fiance at the visa interview. It will give her moral and loving support. The CO's may ask you a few questions but the interview is for her. You presence also adds to the proof of relationship and shows you are serious.

Good Luck and God Bless!!

Thanks for the advisement. I know I looked this up in the past and read what the DSWD had published on their website. My concern at that time was that my fiance's daughter carries her father's last name. However, the CENOMAR proves they were never married and thus my fiance' has ultimate authority of her daughter.

As far as the Visa Interview goes, there is no doubt that I will attend not only to attend to my future step-daughter but to also provide support for my bride to be. Like you said, I may be asked a couple of questions which I will gladly answer. Many Thanks

yes,you can accompany your fiancee to the interview at the USEM.had my interview last jan.30,2012.my fiance accompanied me and my daughter to the interview.just bring your passport just in case they need any identification.good luck! and by the way the consul did not ask anything to my daughter (k2).

Thanks for the info and support.

Thanks for the advice and information.

Does my fiance' really need a Permission To Travel from the other parent? My fiance' was never married and from what I have read here and on the DSWD and Philippines Immigration websites is that in the case of illegitimate children (hate that reference) the mother has ultimate authority. There's also no reference of this in the requirements published by the US Embassy in Manila. Please advise if anyone can.

Will I be able to accompany her to the Visa Interview. I have read here that the Petitioner can indeed attend. I want to be there to support her and also attend to my future step-daughter while mommy is being interviewed.

Many thanks VJers.

I recently received my NOA2. I have petitioned for my Fiance' and included her daughter (3 years old) who are in the Philippines in my I129F. My questions are...

1. Does she set appointments individually for her as well as her daughter?

2. When paying at BPI are the fees separated for the K1 and the K2 applicants?

3. Can someone accompany her to SLMCEC to watch her daughter while my Fiance is getting her exam?

My assumptions are that she will pay at BPI for a K1 and a K2 (they both have valid passports) and then set separate interviews. I just don't know what they could possibly ask a 3 year old.

Just need a little guidance and personal experiences. Thanks in advance.

I have not filed my 2011 taxes just yet. If by chance my Fiance is able to schedule her K1 Interview before April 15, will I still need to provide 2011 tax filing or will the last 3 years suffice?

Does the US Embassy in Manila require originals of my 1040s as in stamped 'Received' copies or will photocopies of these be sufficient?

If you want to export sms on an android, I find that the app 'SMS To Text' worked best for me. Exports to a csv file which you can easily format in excel.