EAS

i looked too before moving but the prices were ridiculous. also, i was told that i had to write a description for every item i was intending to ship on customs forms and that sounded too tedious for me.

i divided my stuff into luggage bags and took as much as i could on the flight. i took sq and they were generous with the baggage and didnt charge me for the extra weight. i went back to sg for a holiday last year with an empty suitcase and did the same thing again. one more trip and i should have all my stuff here with me, lol.

I understand that you may be making the trips for other purposes but isn't it more expensive to make several trips to ferry luggage?

Anyway, I have done some fairly extensive research and found that paying the excess baggage fees is by far the cheapest of the methods of which I am aware.

You might call or go see the IRS, they have a toll-free number and assistance centers with IRS personnel who should be able to address your questions/concerns.

Free tax help is available from the Internal Revenue Service for taxpayers by telephone, in person and via the Internet where information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Telephone

Taxpayers may ask tax questions by calling the toll-free customer service line at 1-800-829-1040 for individual tax issues ...

Taxpayer Assistance Centers

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers are a source of personal tax help when taxpayers believe their tax issues cannot be handled on-line or by phone, and they want face-to-face assistance. IRS representatives in these offices can help with inquiries, adjustments, letters and notices and payment plans for those who owe tax and cannot pay the full amount. Locations are posted on IRS.gov under the "Individuals" tab. Just click the link Contact My Local Office or type "Contact My Local Office" in the search box on IRS.gov to find availability by state. Also, taxpayers can hear a recorded message detailing office hours and addresses by calling the number listed in their local phone directory.

The IRS provides non-English-speaking taxpayers equal access to all Taxpayer Assistance Centers.

No, it is NOT right. This couple has not yet decided WHEN to have the foreign spouse immigrate. As long as she's still a student, no worries. Besides, intent at entry is not grounds to deny adjustment of status to the spouse of a USC. Detecting that intent at the POE, though, can get your entry denied, EVEN IF you don't intend to actually immigrate on that entry. Please don't confuse the issue further. I've explained things correctly already.

Ok, then if she is still a student and "no worries" why did you state "No need to mention the marriage at all."?

I am not an immigration expert so don't take the question above as disputing what you have categorically stated is the correct information.

Then wait until you're both back from the summer trip to file to adjust status, when she's not planning or needing to leave the USA. When you come back this summer, go to separated entry lines at the Port of Entry. She's coming back to continue her studies. No need to mention the marriage at all.

It is my understanding that one will be committing visa fraud if one enters the United States on a visa that does not allow for immigration/adjustment of status if one has the intention of immigrating/adjusting status at the time of entry.

He could also get an American SIM card if he already has a phone that holds a SIM card. He can buy one at the airport or you could buy one ahead of time and sent it to him.

This is what I would recommend also.

I think sometimes on here we try to be supportive of everyone who has been spurned by a foreign spouse. If someone is a good person, they don't deserve to be played by someone else, even if they ignored the red flags. I know we all sometimes just want to yell "You are obviously a scammer" or "Can't you see he/she is scamming you?" However, these people usually older than their partner think they are getting the deal of a lifetime - a young foreign partner that they couldn't dream of in America. Many of these people couldn't even find a partner of the same age domestically, so they take a risk on this hot young thing that professes to love them and want to make sweet love to them and predictably these cases usually don't work out. Sure, there are cases of people from cultures were this is a norm and maybe it will work, but you have to ask yourself, what is this person gaining from being married to me? If I was from their culture would they even give me a second look?

Perhaps it is just narcism, I don't know.

Honestly, everybody thinks they are a special cupcake save a few people. We've got that problem, trust me. I think it is a matter of people not reminding themselves that USCIS gets thousands of petitions a day and you are just a number, nothing more. There will be no fair treatment or special treatment (save rightly so for military members) and the results will always be random.

I don't get the normal pregnancy thing. Sure everybody wants to be with their spouse when they give birth, but life is like that. If it worked for an expedite, everybody would be attempting to do it. Somebody jumped on me and basically told me to keep my legs closed when I said that we might be pregnant and it would be high risk and I might use that as a reason for an expedite. It is was pretty inappropriate without knowing the backstory that my husband was about to have surgery on his family jewels and we didn't know if they would ever work again so of course we were trying. I think people should be helpful without being judgmental about these sort of things.

As to the people who are out to get their "scamming" partner, I do often wonder if maybe some of them were just complete psychos that said partner ran the other way. Somebody who is that vengeful is obviously unstable. Good for their foreign partner for moving on.

I hope that I am not coming across as unsympathetic. I believe that I do have sympathy for those that were truly blindsided by some development but some things one can almost predict.

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We have strong beliefs not so much in seeing one another but in becoming to familiar with the opposite sex until after marriage.

{cut}

I am not a USCIS employee, not do I make the rules but in my opinion you do not qualify for a waiver. The rule is:

• You met each other, in person, at least once within 2 years of filing your petition. There are two exceptions that require a waiver:
  1. If the requirement to meet would violate strict and long-established customs of your or your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice.
  2. If you prove that the requirement to meet would result in extreme hardship to you.

You don't have to become "too familiar" with each other but you have to have met in person unless you can prove one or both of the exceptions. From my reading of your post, you do not qualify for exception 1. You may try to prove exception 2 but I have no idea how.

And you need proof of having met in person. So when you do meet save all of the evidence of that meeting that you can.

I happen to watch this on Youtube and thought some over at this forum might not have seen it.

Why didn't you at least give a brief description of what is in the video? There are a lot of youtube videos that I have not seen. And frankly, don't care to see.

{cut} People love to say "I did it" but only when they get the result they desire. It's a much harder thing to say "I messed up." {cut}

This is so true in my experience.

{cut} The point is I am filing I-130, in CO, the I-130 for my wife (who is out of the country), and I was wondering what are the chances of her knowing about it during the interviewer officer at the US consulate, or what other possibilities for her to know about it from the immigration papers I filed for her.

{cut}

It is a 100% foregone conclusion that the second wife will learn about the first wife at the interview or before. You are required by law to disclose that information to the United States Government and the United States Government will inform and/or question the beneficiary {your second wife} about her knowledge of the first wife.

You should tell the second wife about the first wife. NOW. How do you think she will feel if she finds out that you have hidden this from her? What other things will she wonder about you at that point? You have deprived this woman {the second wife} of the chance to make an informed decision about a very important aspect of her life.

Wonder what her side of the story is.

His side <--------------- "The Truth" ---------------> Her side

I wonder why the original poster posts such a story on an open board, asks for comments/help and is then offended when some tell him that he has not made the wisest of choices. I also wonder what the original poster could possibly have been thinking at the AOS interview. "Well, USCIS isn't asking about my relationship so I am not going to say anything about it."??????

{cut}

As far the invasion of privacy concerns, I would think most anyone would be able to emphasize with your feelings and understand that you had to do something to ease the concern in your mind. I wouldn't feel violated as I'm not doing anything wrong.

{cut}

If you do decide to hire an investigator I hope you will tell the person to be spied upon the results either positive [that is: no evidence of cheating was found] or negative [that is: they got caught cheating]. That way the person knows either:

• They got caught out and that is the reason for you leaving them. OR
• You spied upon them and that person has a chance to make a decision upon the fact that you spied upon them and found nothing.

I am in the opposite camp on this matter from the poster I quoted. If I was the one upon whom you spied and I knew about it before I immigrated/married you; I would terminate any relationship we had. It is my opinion that having someone spy on me is a complete lack of faith and trust in me. I have zero desire to be in a life long relationship with someone that has neither faith or trust in me. And really all you have proven by spying on me is your true nature and potentially the fact that I was not cheating at the time of the spying. Which does not preclude me from cheating/having cheated at other times.

If I didn't find out about it until after the marriage it would be a much more difficult situation because by that time I would have changed my whole life you, but I am still inclined to think that I would want to terminate the relationship.

Yes I would require proof. That's what I'd be paying for.

I guess I want to know what it would be worth to the average person to know this information.

Thanks for your reply UK, it makes a lot of sense.

What would be proof of finding nothing?

What if investigator contacted the person on which they were spying and collected another payment from that person so that the investigator would 'find nothing'?

I have never thought of spying on my intended. If I didn't trust her implicitly then she would not be my intended. So, I can't help with your spying request but I do recommend that you move along if you are not secure in your relationship. It's better for you IF they are a scammer or it's better for them if they are not a scammer.

You get a letter of employment from your commander, I wrote these for my Soldiers all the time for VA loans and immigration documents. Just give the commander or the admin personnel everything that is on the information request or they can confirm by looking unit commanders finance report. The commander is just confirming that you are indeed serving on active duty and make sure you include your Termination of service date or if on indefinite duty state so. You can also include a copy of your DEERS form to prove you added your wife to your military records as a dependent.

The letter of employment is printed on an official Department of the Navy letterhead and coming from your commander is more official.

Good luck

MAJ H.

This is the correct process for getting the letter. The CO should not have a problem with signing such a letter. While the LES may show all of the information it doesn't hurt to submit the signed letter on official unit stationary re-stating the requested information. It really is a very low cost insurance policy to help things go more smoothly.

Thats weired..

Okay first off.. i applied for my license.. on Jan11 then got my marraige liscense on jan 21 then i got married on jan 21. I returned to the usa on jan 22 then i finaly got info that my marriage certificate was approved at the NSO office and now im waiting for my wifes mom to go pick it up at the city hall where she lives..

It took me about a week and a half for all of that.. why do people keep saying it takes about 3 weeks to get married?

I can't answer why people say that it takes 3 weeks but some things to consider are:

• The shortest and most direct flights from the USA arrive in Manila after "Office hours". So if you count the day of arrival that is one day.
• If you don't have the document from the US Embassy then that is probably at least another day, maybe two.
• 10 day waiting period between application for marriage license and issue of said license.
• A LOT of Filipinas* want a "special ceremony" not just a civil ceremony therefore there is probably at least one or two days between obtaining the marriage license in hand and the date of the actual ceremony.
• Since the shortest and most direct flights back to the USA leave around 6:00 AM, some may prefer not to 'dine and dash' so they spend a least the day following the ceremony with their new spouse.

So, 1+1+10+1+1 = 14 days.

This presumes that everything works out and happens in a timely manner and that no other travel is involved. If one must travel to a provincial town or city then add the travel days. If the Government office is closed or inefficient add that time. If your future spouse isn't the best with organization and planning and you haven't taken care of all needed details then add that time. If you have to attend marriage counseling then add that time. etc.

By taking the right flights it is theoretically possible to get married in exactly 10 days [that is, the legally required wait time] but most people may want [or have] to do it more leisurely.

* This statement is a generalization based on a limited sample.

My mother arrived to US in July 2012 and we initially planned on her returning to Serbia in Jan 2013 few days shy of six month stay. In the meantime, she brought to my attention her I-94 granted her stay until June 2013. She received a new 10 year multiple entry visa last year before the trip and has been to USA at least on 4 other occasions in the past 20yrs without any issues. Since her stay was granted until June 2013, we changed return date to May 2013. In the past few weeks she decided to travel to Serbia for 10 day trip and return to US to complete the stay until May. Just today she returned to USA and her entry was denied - reason overstay. According to the border control, she was granted ONLY 6 month stay back in June 2012 and overstayed by 3 weeks. She left from Detroit Metro and returned to Detroit Metro but they could not find original I-94 card removed 10 days ago. According to the officers, computers showed 6 month stay permitted/allowed. She was given a choice of being deported with 5 year ban or buying a ticket back home immediately which she did. She is flying back as I am writing this but was able to speak with me once boarded back on the plane to fly back. She was poorly treated and they would not allow me to speak with them in person. Her 10 year visa has been revoked. Our problem is we do not have a copy of original I-94 showing she was good to stay until June 2013. UNBELIEVEABLE. She was told to go back to the consulate in Belgrade and apply for a new visa. What should we expect and what is the likelihood of her returning to USA in the future? To make matters worse, my brother started her adjustment of status process last year since he is a Citizen (I am PR and will apply for citizenship this week after the experience).

From the bolded red statement it appears as if you were well aware of the six month limit and had made plans for her departure. Yet when something else 'appeared' on the I-94 you just changed departure plans without calling the appropriate Government office/official and confirming that your mother was granted an unusually long stay. You also failed to make a copy of the document proving an unusual stay was granted. And now it is a "cover up" by the Government?

I have no advice on how to get your mother back into the USA. But I can say that whenever I clear immigration in a foreign country I check the visa stickers, stamps, and notes to ensure that I am aware of the relevant dates and limitations, if any. I also check that the dates are in line with what I was expecting. If anything seems out of the ordinary/expected I ask about it rather than assume all is well and as it should be. On two separate occasions I have discovered mistakes in dates on immigration documentation. One was quickly corrected at the counter where I cleared immigration. The other required that I go to the Immigration office in the city because it was an issue with a work permit and therefore could not be handled by the airport immigration staff. [note: that the employer had obtained the work permit for me and I didn't have a chance to check it until after the employer gave it to me.]

SLEC uses the DS-3025, its a Department of State form.

for immigration purposes, at the medical, St. Lukes will issue a DS-3025.

http://photos.state....2/iv/ds3025.pdf

Thanks for the replies. I am aware of the DOS form for immigration purposes but that is not what I am after.

The Yellow Card is an international certificate of vaccination (ICV). It is issued by the World Health Organisation. It is recognised internationally and may be required for entry to certain countries where there are increased health risks for travelers.

In the US we use a version: CDC-731 [formerly PHS 731]. I would like to know what form is used for Filipino International travelers. NOT for immigration to the US.

Do the clinics/hospitals/doctors that administer vaccinations in the Philippines use a document equivalent to the U.S. issued form CDC-731 / PHS-731 to create an official record of vaccination? If not, then how do Filipino travelers document their vaccination history?For example, most countries require official proof of Yellow Fever vaccination for those who have traveled in a Yellow Fever high risk area.

Maybe, this form is used?

Does anyone have recommendations on low-cost shippers to have personal effects [shoes, clothing, stuffed animals] moved from Singapore to the USA?

Send her money thru Western or Money gram and she can claim the money there in US $. When u send tell them u want ur fiancee to get the money there in dollars and she will get it from there in $ that she can use with her travel. She cannot use Phil.peso once she left PI.

I have not used either Western Union or Moneygram in many years but once upon a time Moneygram was much cheaper than Western Union for sending the same amount of money. You MUST BE SURE to tell your fiancee to get the money in U.S. Dollars and you should also specify delivery in U.S. Dollars when you send the money. It affects the exchange rate calculations that are made.

Also you may want to consider if you can send via LBC. Their rates may or may not be better.

You could also purchase a pre-paid credit card to send to her. If you send her a credit card make sure to tell her to choose the LOCAL CURRENCY option whenever she signs a charge slip. Otherwise you will get hit with an unfavorable exchange rate if they charge in a currency other than the local currency. Also you should check to see if she can use it in an ATM to get cash, if needed. AND you should be aware of all of the fees, especially the foreign transaction fee(s), if any.

Or you could request a second ATM card and send her your current one, IF you have limited time. If you send her an ATM card make sure to send the PIN separately. preferably via SMS or voice phone. You should be aware of all of the fees, especially the foreign transaction fee(s), if any.

She CAN use PHP outside of the Philippines by exchanging them at a legal money changer. Be aware that most international airports do have foreign exchange booths. She, and you, should be aware of the wholesale exchange rates are between PHP and the local currencies so that she will know if the exchange rate offered is fair or not. Of course, if she only has PHP on her then she won't really have a choice if she wants to purchase something.

If you need specific advice on choosing a no-foreign transaction fee card you can look here. I do not guarantee the information on that site so please verify any information directly with the card issuer.

If you need other advice please feel free to ask.

my future wife is ready to come to USA from PH. , and is wondering what will she use for money in her connecting countries on way to USA , I TELL HER THERE IS MONEY EXCHANGERS BUT IM NOT SURE . will she be able to use her pesos in Tokyo or Detroit . do i need to send her american dollars and how?

Replied to the wrong post. See my post above.

Could not edit the previous post to HIGHLIGHT the last sentence, but of special note is:

Non-US citizens are required to provide proof of their Social Security Number (SSN) or obtain a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating they are not allowed or eligible to obtain a SSN.

So one does not have to have a SSN to get this valid Government issued ID.

So with everything said... If you are an illegal alien with a Mexican passport you can travel by plane anywhere in the states?

If one is an illegal alien one should only be traveling in the US in order to cross the border leaving the US. That said, it is my understanding that TSA does not have the legal authority to check one's immigration status, nor does TSA have the legal authority to detain/arrest someone on immigration violations. The TSA can, however, deny entry into the so-called sterile area of an airport.

To answer your original question, one only needs a valid Government issued identification [that meets certain requirements] to travel by air within the US. If you do not currently have an appropriate valid Government issued ID then you may be able to obtain a non-driver state ID from the state in which you reside.

For example:

Obtain a Non-Driver Identification Card

DMV issues DC Non-Driver identification cards to District residents who are at least 15 years of age and do not hold a valid driver license in DC, another State or Country. A DC identification card is valid for up to eight years for US citizens and may vary for non-US citizens (according to the US immigration expiration date). Certain DC residents are eligible for a free non-driver identification card.

Non-US Citizens may obtain their Non-Driver Identification Card at any DMV service center.

Requirements

• You are at least 15 years of age.
• You are a resident of DC.
• You can provide the following documents:
  • Proof of Identity
  • Proof of Social Security Number
  • Proof of Current Residency

Steps

• Complete the DC Identification Card/Voter Registration Application [PDF]
• Provide the required documents
• Pay the appropriate fees
• Take a photograph (DC law and policy requires a full frontal digital photo that shows either the ears or up to the hairline without exposing the hair)
• Obtain your DC non-driver identification card

<br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">We regret that we cannot accept photocopies or scanned documents.

Note: All US citizens are required to provide proof of their Social Security Number (SSN). Non-US citizens are required to provide proof of their Social Security Number (SSN) or obtain a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating they are not allowed or eligible to obtain a SSN.

If you remain married to a person solely for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit from the US Government, then YOU are breaking the laws of the United States. Only you can decide if that is how you wish to live your life.