loveromelyn

Hello! I met my wife in the Philippines and we have lived together in the USA since 2011 or so. Before covid her mom was coming for a few months at a time to help with kids. Filipino passport had a 5 year expiration! Last week she received a new passport (they are now good for 10 years!). Here is the question: the new passport doesn’t have a visa. Our tourist visas are good for 10 years! Does the new passport need to have the visa? The Internet says that they just travel with both passports(expired and new). It would be nice nice to know for sure.

Hi VisaJourney smart people.

My wife has arrived from the Philippines and she has her green card & Social Security card (it took about 3 weeks, like it says in numerous places). She did not legally change her name while in the Philippines and now she would like to. Whats the best way to go about this? I've been looking on the web for information and the USCIS website doesn't seem to have anything about change of name, I think the SF Philippine Consular could do it with our marriage certificate but only in person (awkward, because we are living in Montana). What are your thoughts? Should I send her back to Manila to do it? Would we then have to renew her passport and greencard? The SS card has my name on it...

What is the easiest way to change a spouses name?

Thanks in advance, Don

My wife is from Negros Occidental down in Himamaylan... We also anticipate waiting in Manila this whole time. It sounds expensive sitting in a hotel for two weeks waiting.

srj09 - thanks very much, no telling how long it takes for us to receive the 2go package?

Or more broadly - how long does it take on average? its hard to predict?

srj09 - thanks very much, no telling how long it takes for us to receive the 2go package?

So my wife has her appointment for the visa in Manila on March 5th. I think this is the process - tell me if I'm wrong:

1) Stop at St. Lukes, it takes 1 or 2 days for her to complete this (hopefully...) (related note, the clinic she was born in has lost her immunization records in floods, is that a big deal? Does she need any records to show the physicians?)

2) Interview takes place, she answers the questions, she is approved,

3) Some time later (is it about 2 days?) 2go people deliver the passport to our hotel/pension and we are staying at.

4) I can't remember what its called, but once we have the visa we need to head over to the Philippine agency and get their stamp after watching some Powerpoint presentation. Then its time to buy a plane ticket!

Here is what I think for the schedule - with luck my wife will have the visa on March 7th and March 8th she can take care of the Powerpoint presentation. That is a first come first serve deal right? Then we can be fly to the USA!

Ok, thanks anyone for help at this point, please clear up this time issue.

I have a great question to ask. My wife has an interview date set (March 5th 6:30am) - How long does it take from interview, to receive visa, the Philippine Powerpoint presentation/stamp for the visa to, flying to the USA? How long do we have to plan for the visa to stay in a hotel etc.?

Thanks, Don

my visa journey friends!!1

I finally received my passport with visa today.. i thought it will take 1-2 weeks before they mail it to me, i can't believe i have it now.

God is really good.

2 weeks? Really? Or 1 - 2 days?

hi, i used my maiden name when i filed the i-130, but along the process they eventually changed my last name to my married name..even if i did not request for it to be changed, coz im still using my maiden name in my us passport and social security.. all the forms and letters from nvc addresses with my married name.

They changed the forms automatically or did you have to ask for that? I've called the NVC on numerous occasions, but I keep forgetting to ask about my wife's name change. I should probably just ask them on the phone.

What is a DS156K? Is it something the beneficiary will be required to fill out before an interview?

It sounds like my wife is probably in the same figurative boat as you. Our package was approved in January 29th too. When I called the NVC in New Hampshire they didn't tell me even a hint of February is booked. I guess tomorrow is February, its already the first in the Philippines! February is a short month, March isn't too long away... good luck. Don

Maybe the confusing part is the whole word "package". I still expect to get a "package" in the mail. Everything was done with email, but I couldn't just scan the documents back to NVC. Anyway... The thing is really going to be over sooner rather than later, and I'm relieved. I will be so happy to see my wife & to get on with my life! ~Don

At the NVC stage AOS stands for affidavit of support. IV stands for immigrant visa

Thank you, You know what I was thinking? I thought it was some kind of tricky roman numeral, like "4 package..." Sometimes I am an idiot... It looks like I've completed all the aos and immigrant visa packages, and will wait for NVC to schedule the interview.

NVC sets the appointment, an appointment letter will be sent out.

To be honest, as a USCitizen in the Phils, there's NOTHING you can do there to facilitate anything,

save for making sure yer lass has monies in her hand to pay the fees she needs to pay.

Can't get in at the medical exam, usually.

Can't get in at the outgoing interview to get the clearance stamp, usually.

What did you have in mind, specifically, to 'facilitate' things in the PI ?

She has asked me to come along with her and I thought it was a nice idea, especially since we haven't seen each other since last June. She would like me to pick her up and say goodbye to some of her family. So probably facilitate is not the right word, maybe to support my wife? I can get into the embassy to be with her during the interview right?

Thanks, I bet it will take a good few weeks before this is all scheduled. I have a bunch of skype logs, facebook chat boxes, recent bank transactions with xoom.com, I'm sure we are good. I wish it weren't so slow...

More dumb questions:

What are the IV and AOS Packages? AOS stands for "Adjustment of Status", is that what a new immigrant has to send to Homeland Security USCIS after they arrive in the US with a visa to be approved for legal work and the famous green card?

IV Package? Does this have something to do with what is required before a beneficiary is interviewed at the Embassy?

My mom was scheduled for interview (US Embassy Manila) 2 weeks after her case completed at NVC.. goodluck!

the Marriage and birth certificate, didnt you already submit the originals? They are going to forward it to the embassy, Just bring copies i guess..

Ok right. They all ready have marriage and birth certificates! Thanks. What should she have as she comes into the embassy.

If you want your married name in the passport go ahead and do get it done even if you already have case complete.

The visa will be issued in the name of the passport and your green card will then also have that name.

All the papers submitted in my case had my married name and my passport was in my maiden name. I had planned to change it before the interview but did not do so. My visa was issued in my maiden name also my SSN.

It does not affect the police clearance.

I don't quite understand what the right answer is. My wife has not changed her name in the Philippines, all the security papers, marriage certificate, and birth certificate are in her Maiden name. We are waiting for her visa interview to be scheduled at the moment. Can she simply have her name changed once she comes to the USA and then gradually have her name changed on documents as they expire? To me that sounds simplest, but then again maybe it is easier if she can change all the names right now while we are waiting for the interview. What do you all think?

~Don

Hi, I am a Filipina wife of a USC. Am also new on this site but I'd just share some info which may help. Just waiting this week for the completion of my case. Ok, our immigration lawyer put all the forms (submitted to USCIS/NVC) under my married name and so he advised me to start using my married name in all my transaction. I renewed my passport from maiden to married name. I got a new SSS ID card under my married name and also my NBI clearance. Your wife will need to bring an NSO copy of your marriage cert and her birth cert during the interview.

I guess she has attended the seminar at the CFO required for spouses of foreign national leaving the Philippines. This is very important if she will renew her passport from maiden to married name. Blessings!

So she should have her name changed in the Philippines and start changing her name on all the official documents? I'm still a little confused. Your smart to have used a lawyer...

Hi Visa Journeys, its been a long journey indeed, but today I received an email from NVC telling me the "pre-processing" has been approved! Now its just a matter of waiting for the embassy to schedule my wife's interview! Yahoo! It warms my heart. I have called the NVC and they tell me they can't predict how long it takes to schedule the interview. I am wondering if one of you educated veterans on visajourney give me an educated guess? It seems like 3-6 weeks is a reasonable guess? I would really like to head over to Manila to facilitate this and help my wife navigate through the next steps. Next question: Will she need to bring a copy of our marriage certificate and her birth certificate printed on the official NSO paper?

Thanks very much, Don

P.S. (After I called my wife with skpye)

My wife hasn't changed her name to my name yet. What is the deal with changing her name? Should she have her name changed in the Philippines? Then her passport and our marriage license, her security papers, etc. will still have her old name! What is the most convenient or best way for her to change her name?

Hi Visa Journeys, its been a long journey indeed, but today I received an email from NVC telling me the "pre-processing" has been approved! Now its just a matter of waiting for the embassy to schedule my wife's interview! Yahoo! It warms my heart. I have called the NVC and they tell me they can't predict how long it takes to schedule the interview. I am wondering if one of you educated veterans on visajourney give me an educated guess? It seems like 3-6 weeks is a reasonable guess? I would really like to head over to Manila to facilitate this and help my wife navigate through the next steps. Next question: Will she need to bring a copy of our marriage certificate and her birth certificate printed on the official NSO paper?

Thanks very much, Don