typo808

Not sure for your country. MIL just approved 2days ago in philippines. So many have warned about not saying anything about grand kids, visiting children married and living abroad, not enough money in the bank, showing property deeds, etc etc etc. my MIL has no property, makes 3000php every 3 months, gave the reason for the visit is to see her newly born granddaughter and her daughter. She is a midwife by profession. Approved.

I think the biggest factor is the demeanor of the one being interviewed. The counselor has so much experience being able to read the smallest differences in someone telling the truth and one who is lying. I'm sure there have been and will be those who are good enough or lucky enough to get away with a lie, but usually for us normal people, they can read us.

My MIL is very open, very straightforward and singleminded. I'm sure that helped more than anything else during the questioning as that IS the reason she is coming to visit.

Good luck!!!

The only bummer part was MIL fell for the "extra ds160! you need this! Buy it for 500php!" Scam executed by the "embassy assistants" near the entrance. Oh well, 12 bucks. Lol!

Only questions were,

How many kids do you have?

How long are you traveling for?

Who is paying for your trip?

What does the payer do for a living?

Go sit down and wait for your number.

Number called, final question: delivery or pick up?

Go figure!

Mom had her interview today for her tourist visa. She approached it with honesty and provided as much info as possible, verbally.

Professional mid-wife going to visit her newborn grand daughter. She is worried about her daughter being a new country with no relatives and a newborn daughter. Also to see her son-in-law and meet his relatives. She plans to stay 3 months and return. Only makes 3000php every 3 months with 23,000php in the bank and no ticket yet. No property, no "employer" and "employer letter", 2 children still in high school. No pictures with family to be visited, no other info other than a desire to see her family abroad. No invitation letter from us.

APPROVED!

Sorry I didn't see this post but again please can you share your Mom's experience on the day of her interview (if she had one already). All we can do is cross our fingers and pray that they will not be denied.

It won't be for awhile. Mom is still waiting for her passport. It seems to take longer now (wife got her passport in a week, a couple years ago) Mom's passport won't be ready until May 5th. grrrr....

Sorry Dalyn. When it happens I'll definitely post her experience. If you go first, can you do the same?

BTW, we are gathering as much paperwork as possible. Property paperwork, signed letter from Mayor of Daram stating vacation allotment, bank account info (MIL will open a bank account while waiting for her passport), proof that kids are out of school once the current semester ends (not sure to go about that but will figure it out), maybe have her daughter who lives with them create a letter stating Mom is main provider, needs to return and also daughter will care for kids while mom is gone, her mid-wife certificate as proof of other work, husband's death certificate (hope that will help to show that she IS the main provider and needs a vacation having "solely" cared for her family since) whatever paperwork from kids' school that will help (investigating that now).

It is all a shot in the dark. Learned a little here so we are making up the rest as we go along. Keep you posted.

Aloha

Yeah, I really think we are hoping against hope. We will give it a shot anyways. Thanks all. Stressful time right now

Ok, on a keyboard now.

MIL job is working for mayor of Daram and as a midwife. As we all know, outside a major city even a small one like Tacloban, pay is barely 1000-2000 php/month. With 9 kids, oldest is dead so now 8, the 3 older kids have moved to the city and send money to mom. I'm putting number 5 through college right now. Number 4 is my wife. We, of course, send money to MIL to help her. FIL is dead 6 years now

So the issue with a tourist visa is proving MIL makes enough money to pay her own way for a vacation to another country. Otherwise it will hurt her chances, no? If the information comes to light the main reason she-MIL-wants a tourist visa.

So the questions I am asking is about the process of MIL getting a tourist visa when, like you said, it "doesn't add up" among other concerns.

My apologies if I was rude. It's rough typing on a mobile device trying to explain a long story like that.

Because you are thinking she lives in a city. She lives in a remote barangay in south Samar, 2-1/2 hrs by boat from Tacloban. Dude....enough interrogating me. Can we get back to figuring out how to get MIL here?

Something does not add up, you said she wants to come for 3 months at least?

No, MIL wants to come for as long as possible, however long is allowed based on how she gets here.

I'll explain it again. Wifey is due in May, I'm working all the time. We would like to get her mom here to help her as my dad is dead and MY mom is 83 and frail. MIL would like to help for as long a period as allowed.

Sorry if abrupt. Typing on mobile device

Would you recommend a letter from her employer verifying length on employment and vacation time allotwed? Additionally, MIL has 3 kids 16, 12, 7 that she is the primary provider, certified midwife, husband passed away several all years ago. Are these answered on a form or during the interview?

I'm also assuming if she does not make enough money at her job to subsidize her trip, red flags would pop up as to how she can afford such a trip.

I'm researching but could use more insight and tips

Don't worry, its typical and the embassy knows it.

Thanks apple21!

Mom wants to be here as long as is allowable. WE want her here for at least 3 months, until my wife is healed and can manage more on her own.

Ah, OK. I can see why, too.

Thank you all for the speedy replies and insight! The info you provided helps a lot!

Mahaloz!

No I'm not. You misunderstood the the point of my question. I'm just asking if that would somehow speed up the process. In any case, she can stay for what, 3months then apply for an extension

Somewhere between a few weeks and never.

nooooo! Baby will be born by then! Lol!

Is there a special circumstance allowment because "her daughter, first time in another country, is due in 2 months and her spouse is the sole provider and won't be around so much to help?" All of that is true except I'll be around to help.

Hello to visa journey members!

Any ideas how long it takes to receive a tourist visa? Mom already has passport and we start application today. How long can we expect?

Need to outright disable mobile data on Smart. A lot of the apps for quick settings just change your APN to something invalid, but smart ignores APN settings totally (they changed this a couple years ago to reduce customer support needs).

Alternately subscribe to one of the usage based promos (instead of the default time-based billing) and this won't happen either.

Understood. Already went down that road. Tried it, still the load disappears. Our test was a basic Nokia phone (the 800php type) that has no Internet capabilities. Same as greenbaum, we shut it off for 24hrs. Same lost load result. Heck, it even happens when I send the load. Send 500, 495-498php is received. Then, you have to add load in increments that leave load leftover after a service has been purchased. For example, 495 received, added 50 more to access Unli500. Within a week, the extra load is gone.

Explain that, sensei.

What I love is how smart will steal your load. Every single time I sent load to a smart phone, php would disappear within 24hrs. Too bad da senator got busted himself.

The letter of intent is on what list? It is not listed in the embassy instruction letter.

"What to send your Fiance", Line 3

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

We decided to err on the side of safety and brought it. We made a 3 ring binder with paper protectors to hold each item on the list. The interviewing officer didn't ask for the letter but Roda sure saw him look at it and read it as he flipped through her binder.

If they see it, they surely won't ask for it.

Mahaloz to all! Psoas10, take care your family stuffs. I don't tink enough blahlahs and sistahs going respond anyways. LOL!

Mike56427,

AOS was filed February 12, 2014. We received NOA1 2 weeks later. We had to delay her original biometric appt by 3 weeks due to a scheduling conflict on our part, which was no problem to do. Her bio meeting was held March 31, 2014. Her interview took place on June 10 and we received her conditional green card on June 17, 2014, a tad over 4 months from the filing of AOS.

Our Experience: We applied for employment, AP and AOS at the same time. You will receive 2 appointment dates, one for EAC/AP and one for AOS. You can do both at the first appointment regardless of which appt it is that you attend first. At least in Hawaii, there is no need to attend 2 different appts.

Another note, our schedule had cleared for the original appointment date during which we had received only one confirmation of a new appt date (the EAC/AP). We decided to show up "Just In Case" to make sure we didn't "miss" an appt. It turns out we ended up with 4 appt dates, (2) original and (2) new. Well, that didn't matter to security. As long as we had ONE paper showing we had an appt at that time, they let us in. The immigration officer then said it was no problem to take care of everything regardless of when the appointments are. Painless. We were there for a total on 50mins, 20 mins wait time, 10 min interview, 20 minutes talking story about life in Hawaii and how it has changed.

Wassup all VJ members!

My wife received her conditional green card 2 weeks ago! Only took a week from the interview in Honolulu. Awesome! Her name was incorrect but we already received the letter to correct this. As this was a USCIS error, there will be no additional processing fees for the replacement card. Yes! You do have a 15 minute recorded phone call verifying identity and course of action with a USCIS representative, no problem! I guess we won't be posting here for another 2 years when the condition release moment arrives.

Now, fo all da (new) bruddahs and (new) sistahs hea in 808.

We like make LUAU! Celebrate Roda's Green Card! I dunno, maybe Magic Island or Ala Mo's, Kapi`olani, anyplace can make hibachi! Shouting out to all da VJ localz who like meet and eat. Talk story, swim, wot u guyz tink?

Let me kno wot u like do. Make pot luck style. Mo people da bettah! Mo fo' grindz! Only get one condition: gotta eat til you sleep!

Shoots!

Dan & Rodalyn

How 'bout da Maui boyz and girl? You guys like fly ova fo one day?

everytime I check the website to schedule an interview it gives me this message - "you are approaching the maximum number of times you may view this page. Please complete your transaction at this time" ????

Use a different IP if you get locked out because of too many views. In other words, connect to the Internet using a different internet service, then your viewing quota will start at empty.

Nice!

Try get some sliced ginger, chicken thighs/drumsticks, sugar to your taste, add to a water & Silver Swan Soy broth. Add a touch of the vinegar, cook for an hour at medium low. Broke da mout!

order Magic Sarap for her. That helps in the flavor department a whole bunch!

great situations, thought we would throw in ours, too. Roda has been in Hawaii for 5 months, we have been married 3 of those. It just keeps getting better and better! So much to look forward to! Before I met her, I thought I had all the time in the world. Now life seems so short. So much to do, so much to experience together!

Our AOS (i-485) just got accepted 3 days ago! Moving on and moving forward!

Funny note: The longer she stays in Hawai`i, the shorter her next vacation in the Philiipines becomes! Who can blame her?