mapletree

I filed a K-1 visa and received form I-797c on May 18, 2011. I filed through the Texas office and its for a lady from the Philippines. I check their website everyday and its still processing. Does anyone know the processing times? On their website is only supposed to take 5 months.

Processing times can be seen under "Immigration Timeslines." The I-797c is also known as a NOA1. 5 months is the goal / average, but they can be longer or shorter. You may want to call and see if there is a problem or hangup that you can address.

The real issue is: Is your husband "likely at any time to become a public charge?" The I-134 is just a way of showing this. Does your husband have assets? Do you have assets?

This is an expensive and long process. Are you really ready to go down this road?

Don't worry. You will probably get more radiation on the flight to the USA.

Modern X-rays, (and St. Lukes is relatively modern) have very low doses.

Definitely a topic to be fully discussed before marriage.

I just put ours in photo album refill/inserts.

I printed them on a color laser printer 2 to a page with captions on the page.

You might put 2 to a page and color photo copy them. They do not need a lot of photos, just one or two of you together with a declaration that the photo is less than 2 years old.

From Wikipedia –

Crab mentality, sometimes referred to as crabs in the bucket, describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs. Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the pot, but instead, they grab at each other in a useless "king of the hill" competition (or sabotage) which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise. The analogy in human behavior is that of a group that will attempt to "pull down" (negate or diminish the importance of) any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, conspiracy or competitive feelings.

This term is broadly associated with short-sighted, non-constructive thinking rather than a unified, long-term, constructive mentality. It is also often used colloquially in reference to individuals or communities attempting to "escape" a so-called "underprivileged life," but kept from doing so by others attempting to ride upon their coat-tails or those who simply resent their success.

= = =

For me, it typically finds expression in the Philippines when a member of a family finds nominal success and gets into college or gets a decent job, only to be forced back home or to drop out and get a job to pay for family expenses or cover family obligations.

You might hear, “After two years college I had to drop out and help with my brother.”

The rare flower of success is often uprooted and pulled back home where it cannot grow.

Similarly you might find someone in a city that is making good money, but sending most of it back home and as a result they are struggling to survive and living a substandard life. This means they cannot affect the trappings of their work and as a result fail to advance. They fail to buy the nicer clothes, or go to the after office events or the like and live as cheaply as possible as their family in the province keeps them tapped out. Instead of saving and building a cushion, they live on the edge and a minor set back (sickness, layoff) sends them back home where they lose all their progress.

If you really want, about 4 months after the NOA1 date start to get all the papers you will need for your interview, including the documents needed for support and evidence of a relationship. I would not get it together too quickly as they go "stale" and a police clearance needs to be within 6 months (I think...).

By working in advance your husband can then mail things to you cheaply, without worrying that it will take 3 weeks to get documents and photos to you.

As for the violence in the area, it is probably not as bad as S. Central LA, or just about any major city in the USA. Philippines and the USA actually have very similar murder rates. 5.0 / 100,000 in the USA, and 5.4 / 100,000 in Phils. But compare Russia and Mexico at 15, South Africa at 34 and Jamaica at 62.

Because it is you, and close you feel the impact more. But in the big picture the USA is not all that much safer, and depending on where you move to, might be more dangerous. Be safe wherever you are.

Best of luck.

I hope this post is a joke.

Oh man.... if I gave my fiancée a list of foods she was not allowed to eat she would probably cook my balls into sisig. And I would deserve it.

The only thing I would be careful with is jumping in and eating too much dairy too quickly. We have a lot of dairy here and many diets in the Philippines are low to no dairy. My fiancée on her own started drinking a small cup of milk every day because she was worried about this.

Something people should be aware of is that it is common for people coming to the USA to get tummy bugs. As Americans we like to thing that when we travel to other countries and get “touristas” it is because of unsanitary conditions. And while it is true, you really do not want to drink the water in most places you travel to (including many places here in the USA) the reality is it is not so much that you get sick in other countries because it is not clean, you get sick because it is different. The mirco-flora and fauna that contaminates everything differs from place to place. Until you get used to it, you often have an upset stomach.

My first few times in the Philippines I was very careful. But now I am “localized” and I can eat off food carts and out of market stalls without a problem. And I have to say, some of the best food in the Philippines is not something you will get at any restaurant that caters to tourists.

I have been to airports in the USA that were not as nice as NAIA 1. Parts of LAX for one. Granted TBIT is being upgraded, but many of the terminals at LAX are not as nice as NAIA 1. NAIA 3 is super nice and first class, at least the parts of it that are open. NAIA 2 is about average, I like the style and layout. NAIA 1 is just old, but still very passable.

I enjoy quite a bit about Filipino culture. There is a quiet nobility underlying many of the things I see. I enjoy the time I spend with families and friends. The food. The music. The festivals. Evenings grilling up some fish and drinking Red Horse by the liter or the neighbor’s tuba. The beaches and the little things. But I know for me it is a vacation to live that way and by choice.

One thing that I can’t stand is the innate deference and preference given to white people. I hate when I am waiting in a restaurant, clearly behind an all Filipino family and the staff offers me a table first. I know part of this is the hospitality of the culture, but there is also an insidious side. I recall one time in Pasay, standing on the corner with associates while we all hailed cabs. The first taxi stopped for an associate, then saw me, and moved up to get me as a fare. I opened the door knowing where my associate was going asking if the destination was acceptable. On approval, I waived my friend over and shuffled him in the taxi. I stood there for ten minutes as taxi after taxi stopped for the “big white guy” only to then pass the taxi off to a friend. It was almost a game.

I also cannot stand the “white tax,” the systemic corruption on the business side and the “crabs-in-a-bucket” mentality that creeps in from time to time. It is a hard thing that does not always translate. My fiancée and I have had long conversations on how this will impact her relationship with me and her family when she leaves.

As her family sees her new life, compared to theirs, there will be the anticipated requests for assistance. 1000 php here, 1000 php there. Medicine for a nephew. Money for a fee or payment that was not expected. After all, with Facebook and the like, when her family sees her life here it will be hard to reconcile the familial obligation of the Philippines with her new American life. It will be hard for her to live in two worlds.

Just an FYI if you are post NOA2 and looking for your Manila Case Number.

Reviewing the last 10 data points for the Cal. Svc. Center NOA2 to Consulate Received time window, I come up with ranges from 8 days to 57 days. Dropping both of these extremes and averaging the remaining 8 data points, I get an average time frame of 22 days.

It looks like it is 2+ weeks from assignment of a case number to getting the "Packet 3."

Does anyone have a better number for calling from the US for a case number than: (214) 571-1600?

As for where we are now:

Right now we have an NOA2 date of Nov. 1, 2011 and we want to try and be together in the US by Christmas. I figure it will be close, but she has her Passport, NBI clearance, CENOMAR, a full I-134 packet / affidavit and supporting documents, evidence of relationship, etc.

The only piece missing is the Case Number so we can have the medical and schedule the interview.

My thoughts are hopefully we will have a case number by Nov. 23 and can schedule her interview by Dec. 2 (they seem to be about 8 days out). Then she can fly to Manila on the 28th and have her medical and interview the week of the 28th.

Assuming all goes well, she should have a visa by the 9th, and can do her CFO early the week of the 12th, and be here by Christmas.

Complicating things are she is from Bohol, which means flying to Manila for Medical and Interview and a ferry over to Cebu for the CFO.

Anyone have tips or suggestions to avoid hang-ups or to keep us on a good timeline?

Yes, I am aware all sorts of things can go wrong, but I want to cover all the bases I can.

thanks,

I have done the late night - Gensan the next day route many times. A trick is to go to one of the spas / massage parlors near the airport. Many have legitimate massages. They also have beds, showers and nice private bathrooms. You can check in for less than a hotel, get a massage, a shower, a bed for a few hours, etc. And last time I was there, terminal 3 was indeed closed until 2 hours before the first flight.

Our honeymoon plans.....stay right where I a have waited forever it seems to get to. With my Honeybun. Don't want to venture further than our home. Getting reacquainted again after being away for a few months. I just don't want or need to go anywhere for awhile...

Terri

This is my plan: I want to show my Fiancee her new country. I want to take a road trip so she can see the country. We will stop at the various places along the way. I want her to know my country... and now hers. I have been to her country many times and traveled there more extensively than she has. I want her new home and learn about our people and history.

San Francisco, Napa, Yosemite, Seattle, Glacier, Yellowstone, Canyonlands / Moab, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Los Angeles - Maybe a three week tour of the west.

When she has her green card - PARIS!

Yes, my fiance and I have same plan with yours. But, instead dreaming about cruise ship by now, I have my own issue regarding after I entered POE by K-1 Visa in Guam. Someone told me that IF I am flying to Hawaii or US mainland and make a stop in Japan for transit, I'll consider out from US.. I guess we just need to wait for a while after AP accepted and we can fly to any country we wanted.

Landing in Guam, Japan, or any other place is fine as long as you do not leave the airport specifically the parts of the airport you will be using. It will be VERY EASY to know if you are leaving the airport as there will be an immigration station and you will need a VISA to go through this area. Changing planes is not a problem. Layovers of 3, 6 or even 12 hours are not a problem. These airports have restaurants, and even have little traveler hotels where you can get a shower and nap on a real bed for a reasonable fee, reasonable being relative. Plan to spend $2.00 USD+ for a coke and $10.00 USD for a simple something to eat in this area. You are a captured customer with limited choices and prices reflect this.

And just so you do not panic, be aware that when you get off the plane and transfer, there is a transfer inspection. In many airports they will x-ray your carry on baggage and make you go through a metal detector again when you get off the plane before you can make it to the gate for your next flight. They will also ask to see your passport and boarding pass for your next flight. Relax, this is fine.

Thousands of people do this every day. They actually work hard to make it easy to travel.

** Just so you have something to look forward to - A cool thing to do in Japan on the MNL-NRT-USA routes is to have a 8-14 hour layover and take the train into Tokyo for the day. When you have your citizenship it is a fun way to spend the day.

I have been to Southern Mindanao many many times. Even met Pacquiao once years ago when he was still starting out. There are always bombings going on down there. I would not worry about it and it is unlikely to be a cause to expedite. As bad as it sounds sometimes, it is still safer than Detroit on Halloween night, or just about any major city when their team wins an NBA championship.

Bank wires generally run $10.00. Western Union, 3-day to a bank account is generally $8.00. The key is to wire larger amounts fewer times. $200 is a 5% wire fee. $1000 is a 1% wire fee.

Even moving money into a PNB branch here in the USA is not as easy as you think it should be.

You don't need all that extra stuff and it can only get in the way. The I-129F should not be a life story. USCIS looks for fraud and to see if the requirements are met. Mine was bare bones and there was no RFE. The do not want to see 20 photos. They want one within the last two years. They also dont want a year of chat logs. They want the affirmation of intent to marry within 90 days.

I never got an email, even though I signed up.

I checked the site and found out. It took 5 days to get the snail mail.

That looks like more than enough, ASSUMING you make enough money. All the evidence in the world is not enough if you do not have sufficient income.

As well, you should include a declaration that the enclosed documents are true and correct, and attesting to other pertinent facts such as that you are self employed, etc.

The issues is how much are your worth and can you afford to be a sponsor. The evidence simply needs to support the requirements.

Assume they know everything. They probably do. I am a civilian with access to certain databases and you would be shocked at what I can dig up on people. I even have the ability to see if two people ever shared an address or even lived near each other.

One small lie with flag you forever.

Just play it straight.

The above quote came from this page: http://immigrationfraudvictims.freeforums.org/real-fraud-story-t153.html

Is the information in the quote accurate and if so, wow.

That whole site seems like a mess filled with bitterness and I think it would be foolish to trust any of it.

It is absolutely true there is some fraud in marriages and immigration. It is also absolutely true that people can be blinded by emotions. And it is also true that when people separate, for whatever reason, people often skew things to their favor and want to blame the other person.

No one forced these people to get married. They may blame their spouse for their heartache, but it takes two. Anyone not willing to share in the blame in a failed relationship is likely responsible for more than their share.

I have same situation. I wrote a brief letter explaining cash flow etc. dated and signed it. My thinking is not only to explain but technically that is an employment letter since I employ myself.

Yep!

Do not add dates or signatures to your copies. Just use the copies you have. While it is not needed to have a copy at the interview, it is a good idea to know the information. What you don't want to happen is to have what you claim to be a copy, but with a forged signature and a different date and for some reason someone to notice you have differing dates.

How come Visa Journey knows our Service Center before USCIS didn´t even contact us yet?

Sorry, im new here!hehe

Maybe because you entered your zip code or state and that is what determines your service center.

What are you using the letter for? Proof of income? If so, include your last few tax returns and bank statements.