newbster

Ah man I'm so sorry to hear this news. I wish it weren't true for you and I know it will be a hard 6 months.

But stay strong and be patient because you know in the end it will be all worth it and you will be together in 6 months.

This is a question for me too.

We communicate mainly by text and by facebook. We text each probably on avg 3-4 times per day. We probably email a few times each week, and communicate by facebook a few times each week and also have on average 1 chat session per week that's an hour+ (by YM). But we don't use phone calls. The connection always makes it hard to understand and hear each other very well.

So what should we take to interview? Just printouts of a sample of chat and texting? How much sampling? 1 or 2 screenshots per month is ok? We also have pics from my 2 trips to Cebu in Feb and in Aug-Sep. Is that enough?

Also what personal info should she memorize?

My family - names of sibling, parents

My demographics (name, phone, address)

My career (employer, job type, university degree type)

My previous marriage

Anything else? Someone said she needs to know my income but really what does that have to do with love? So she doesn't know my income. Is that fine? Are we missing any data she should have memorized?

thanks newbster. we need to reconsider other routes then...

I think base your decision on price. Get the cheapest route then if you don't make your connection (and you'll probably be fine to make it in most cases) you might have to sleep in the airport or read a book for 5 hours but the airline will get you there eventually and you can use the money you save to spend a couple nights in Vegas when you get here - romantic getaway money. haha.

just updating.. so now i got my visa and looking for a good flight online. we're leaning towards MNL-HNL-SFO. My question is, is 1:50 enough for me to make it through the immigration going to my next flight? and also, should i get my checked in baggage when i land in HNL and check it again for the next flight? i need your opinions please.

1:50 is not a lot of time to do everything that you need to do. At Honolulu you have to ride a wiki wiki bus to the terminal where you go through customs. They'll take you directly from your plane to that terminal (at least that's how it was for me at my last trip through there a few days ago) on a bus. Then you have to get your bag and then go through customs where you'll get your POE processing. Then you have to take that bag and check it in for your next flight but usually there will be someone there to help you do that and you do it right where you go through customs (afterward). So yes you do have to get your bag then give it up again I think.

Personally I'd be cautious about a 1:50 layover if you have to do POE processing + the bus ride at Honolulu + customs + check-in/board your new flight. You'll _probably_ be ok but if you miss the flight it's going to be a hassle to get another flight and you'll be delayed. You can do it but it's a little risky.

Cheers

So I guess the safe thing to do is wait until you can track it through 2 GO before you book any airline tickets - ya? It sounds like 1 week to 4 week variable time from interview to visa in hand....

newbster -

SHE can get a SSN at the local SSA office, after her POE date,

and if her presence is between:

14 days past the POE date (SAVE database will catch up by then )

to

14 days prior to her I-94 expiring (SSA folk not let her apply after that)

so - what kinda window exists, on her, currently ?

---

with a SSN in hand, doors open .

For Filing Taxes, must to file for that tax year in which you were married, easy peasy with SSN in hand, marriage certificate in hand (though it's not needed for filing a tax return)

as to her 'citizenship status' - wrong label from you, IMO.

Legal Permanent Residents can file, always.

Hm, thanks for the help. I guess I'm a little confused on terms.

Her POE is in the future, likely around Oct 20. If everything goes well with her embassy interview on Oct 1st, I think we can book a plane ticket for Oct 19 or 20, assuming she'll get the Visa by then.

So it sounds like we go to local SS office 14 days after her POE. Then if we marry by Dec 31 we're set. Thanks.

I thought a K1 beneficiary was eligible for a SSN immediately upon entry to the country. Is there a benefit to an ITIN?

Oh I didn't know that. i haven't read anything yet about what happens after my fiance arrives - have been too focused on just getting through K-1 process.

Hi,

If you do a K-1 Visa and marry your fiance but she's not yet a U.S. citizen and hasn't completed any AOS stuff (not sure even what all is required so I just say "stuff" haha), can you file your taxes as married filing jointly?

Thanks

I have been through that airport so many times and never cared about it, haha. I'm pretty sure its in the terminal

Between the two main doors. Right by where you can buy coffee, closer to the Delta airlines side. I'm telling my fiancee to ask the delta ticket agent if she needs tonpay it and then have her tell her where it is. I asked a friend who has his perm resident card for the phils where he pays his travel tax as its not the same as our 550 peso's. He pays it at the window on the right as you enter the immigration area just after paying ypur 550 peso's at the window. So I still don't know 100%.

Hm, so it sounds like you can go to your airline and get your boarding pass first then later pay that fee after asking your airline about it? I thought it had to be paid before getting boarding pass from airline.

Are you a foreigner or a Philippine citizen? The 1620php tax is for Filipinos only.

I'm a U.S. Citizen but I'd like to be able to explain to my fiance how to navigate Manila terminal 1 so I'm trying to understand where in terminal 1 the tax is paid. The whole place was very confusing when I went through there Tuesday and she's never had to make a transfer nor fly through Manila terminal 1 before. There were lines and people crowded everywhere when I went through - it was chaos with many long lines so I would like to help her know where to go when she arrives since she'll have her 5 year old daughter to try to keep track of also.

Hi sorry hanging out w my fiancé.. Getting ready for winter.. Immigration only only asked me for the envelope and my passport w visa and I-94.. That's the only thing they asked from me.. And no the travel taxes was not included.. I had to pay the tax which cost 1,620 in NAIA after checking in my luggage then an additional 550php for terminal fee.. Good luck guys..

I am curious about how you pay the 1620 tax.

I just flew out of Manila on United.

I entered the terminal for international departures (Terminal 1) and got in line for United (I think counter 68 or 58). Before I could approach the counter I had to go to a person who asked me what was in my luggage. Then I could approach the United agent and give them my bag.

After that I entered an area where there was security and I had to pay 550p as some sort of airport fee.

So where did you pay the 1620p tax? I know that as I entered the main front door of terminal 1 there was a pretty long line of people with bags outside but the guard waved me past that into the terminal. Is that a line to pay the 1620p tax?

Thanks

Hey congrats. As you arrive in Colorado I'm phils visiting my fiancé and having a party with her friends and relatives.

You came to Denver at a nice time of year with beautiful weather for the next few months so enjoy it.

I return to Denver later this week then hope my fiancé will arrive by end of October. So post your expErience and tips if you want to so I can he her adjust to Denver too.

Hi,

Should photos be taped, glued, or in a plastic Baggie then stapled to the doc?

Thanks

Are u asking me? I came here on a K1 visa and few years later my USC husband file an I-130 for my two kids which was really our original plan before i even started the k1.

Oh I see. How was the I-130 process? Difficult or pretty easy? Thanks.

Your post is kinda confusing but i hope i understand it right. Here is my point of view. I had 2 kids ages 13 and 8yrs old that time when they had their medical exam at st. lukes. One of my child has positive skin test. Even if the skin test is positive and the xray result is negative then u are okay. Just pray that the xray is negative.

It is very common for us to have the positive on tb skin test. Pray na lng na negative ung xray result or if she has signs of TB pray that the consul will still issue her the visa and have the treatment here in the US.

My friend also has 2 kids. She was able to bring with her only one of her child coz the other one had to stay to complete the 9 month medication at St. Lukes.

I was lucky enough that i was able to bring my 2 kids and my daughter was issued a visa but she had to do her 9 month medication here in the US for Free which she already completed.

Pray that the xray result is negative. Prayers ,prayers.There is nothing impossible with him.

My fiance might also leave her daughter to complete treatment if it is needed. She already lives with her grandmother so she would keep her during treatment. Did you go for your Visa interview at U.S. Embassy with your medical clearance as normal then later do your child's K-2 as an attachment to your K-1? I read online that it is possible do attach the K-2 to K-1 within 1 year for a child. Will U.S. Embassy let you keep your scheduled K-1 appointment even if a K-2 child doesn't have medical clearance yet? Thanks for any insight and advice about this.

I'm in the same situation. 5 year old girl positive skin TB test. Now she is waiting for x-ray results to be given on Tuesday. If that is positive then like a previous poster said, I think there is a 7 or 8 week sputum test given. After that if positive then 6 months of treatment during which the child must be living in Manila the entire time to go to SLEC for treatment each day or week.

Please post your further experience here and I will do the same so that we can educate each other about the process.

Congrats on passing that test. How long did your sputum test take?

Do you know if kids take the sputum test too? Is it only given if skin test and chest X-ray fail?

Thanks

Great post. Congrats! And thanks for posting.

If you met any filipinas coming to Denver area have them get in touch with me. I'm sure my sweetie would like to speak Tagalog/visayan with other filipinas near Denver occasionally ;-)

Does this mean bringing parent to visit for a few months or to live permanently?

Yup, SLEC website should have that info but they did not put it up there. only found out about it during my immunization interview. we had to stay in manila for two weeks just for the medical. I have two kids.

Did either of the skin tests show positive? I read that most Phils kids show positive due to some vaccination they get.

It does say on the website that TST is given to those 2-14 years of age, and that it is supposed to be read within 48-72 hours. It also says not to go for medicals on Thursdays if you are to undergo TST since there's no way they can read that within the required timeframe, being that it will fall on a weekend.

Ah I didn't see that. Even though it says that it should also inform people that they will need to return yet another day after that for the x-ray result if TB test is positive and that many children in Phils are positive due to BCG vaccination....so really going on any day but a Tuesday or Monday with kids is a silly idea.

By the way sparkygirl. I'm really sorry to hear you had to take 2 weeks. That must have been very expensive.

You know I just thought of this. Anyone who has a child should know to only go to the medical on Mon or Tue so there is time to come back that same week for TB skin test reading then if necessary get X-ray and come back for that result on Friday. This would save anyone a lot of money. As it stands now we have to pay for 3(!) trips to Manila instead of 1 since I didn't know this.

if skin test is done on tuesday (tuesday is a holiday tho),the result will be read two days after so that will be thursday. If the skin test comes out positive, the girl will have to do an xray and they are usually asked to return the next day for the xray result.

Thank you. I had the date wrong. It's Wed Aug 22 so she'll have to return Friday. I just called SLEC and they said if she needs chest x-ray she'll get it Friday but have to come back Monday. Wow is all of this travel expensive.

Hi, can anyone weigh in here? The travel costs are already so high. I'd like to book the correct trip length to Manila. If a 5 year old girl goes to SLEC on Tuesday at 9am for TB skin test. How long should she plan to stay in Manila? Is it 3 more days to get TB results on Friday? Or should the trip home be booked for Tuesday night then if necessary she will come back some later day/week? Thanks!

So for the next trip should we book at 3 day trip if she goes on Tues Aug 22 that means she has to go back for a reading or x-ray on Friday Aug 25?

Thanks