JAYANN & JAY

Well, if the grandma's first companion did not return to the Philippines, then the second cousin will have a harder time proving that she would.

She def wouldn't return as her aunt who lives here as well plans to find a guy for her to marry. If she gets approved she doesnt want to stay in California and wants to come here to New York.

It is a valid reason to apply compared to tourism purposes, of which majority of visitor visas from Philippines are. But regardless of what the reason is for the visit, there is no guarantee that the second cousin's visa will be issued. Strong ties to the country have to be proven during the interview for B visas.

If she's single and doesn't have a permanent/stable job and properties, the odds are against her.

She is single and does not have a stable job or any properties. I told my husband this but he claims that the grandmother was able to bring a companion here. Not sure if she returned to the Philippines though.

There was a typo in my first post... should have read ISN'T not IS. My

What to do, where to start:

http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhniv7.html

Thanks Hank. They claim that having a doctor's note would help her get a visa since. She plans to accompany the grandmother and then come here because her aunt who is also her godmother and she is very close to is here plus the fact that she is jealous because my husband gets to go places with her aunt.

Accompanying Grandma is a reason to issue a tourist visa. Getting a tourist visa is always a (steep) uphill battle.

Would you happen to know what she would have to do first? What forms she has to fill out what kind of tourist visa would it be? The grandmother's doctor here in the U.S issued a letter saying the grandmother needs a companion. Wasn't sure if it would fall under B2 visa since I know you have to pay the visa fee at BPi correct?

She has been dying to come here to America ever since my husband came and most of my husband's cousin are asking him to find them a man or woman just so they can come. Things jealousy can do to people.

Hello. My husband's second cousin is applying for a tourist visa. Here are some information: my husband's second cousin has a grandmother in California who is a green card holder and she is currently in the Philippines. When she comes back to the U.S my husband's second cousin's family asked her grandmother's doctor to write a note saying that she has to be accompanied by someone. The grandmother wants to come back to the U.S in July so my husband's second cousin is asking how to apply for a tourist visa as a companion. Any advice would help even though I shouldn't help because I feel like my husband's second cousin is just coming here to the U.S out of jealousy and she also has an aunt who lives here.

Hello hank! I know right! Thats basically the main reason why we have to go back and get married again or should i say renew our vows. Kind of filipino tradition. My husband and i are both filipino. But geez dealing with the paper works for a church wedding is just insane. ?

My sister also got married here and then did her church wedding in the Philippines in 2008 and she didn't really have to do too much paperwork. We are also planning to do a church wedding in the Philippines hopefully in 2017

Hi mga kabayan! Is there anyone here flying from Manila to Maryland (or DC) in June? My mom's visa interview is scheduled for May 15th and assuming everything goes well from her medical to visa delivery, she can leave the Philippines by 2nd week of June. The problem is she doesn't want to travel alone. She's 61 years old, healthy, speaks very little English and as of this writing, freaking out about travelling to the US alone. I cannot go home to pick her up because I just started at my new bank job and the budget is a little tight right now since we are moving to a new house also in June. I was wondering if there's anyone here willing to meet and travel with her?

Thanks.

Beth

My tita is the same way. She is 72 years old and is also very shy and doesnt like to travel alone because she feels that she will get lost or left behind by the plane but she has already traveled here to the U.S twice and when she travels we requested for her to be on a wheelchair and she says that is hassle free since the attendents take care of her. Good luck to your mom on her interview.

I am very happy I found this forum because I have been searching everywhere without finding an answer to the question(s) below.

I am a Swedish citizen who have lived in the Philippines for the past 1.5 years. Now I have started a company in California and I have been issued an E-2 investor's visa. My wife and kids have E-2 "family visas".

We want to bring one of maids with us to the US and applied for a B1 visa for her here in Manila and she got that. It was a very straightforward process and the US Embassy here in Manila is great, at least based on my experience.

Now to my questions: Does my maid need to have any "approval" from any authority here in the Philippines or pay any special fees to be allowed to leave the country? Does she need to stand in the OFW queue at the airport? Or is her US visa that is stamped in her passport enough for the Philippines to allow her to leave the country? She will be travelling with us, if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance!

Hi. Can you let me know the steps on how you were able to bring over a maid? My family also wants to bring our long-time maid in the Philippines who has been working for our family for over 30 years already. Any advice on what you did to get her would be really appreciated.

I just want to THANK everyone who helps those of us that are just beginning our journey as being husband & wife. We couldn't do any of this without the people here. You all are extremely hopefully especially in answering questions. Reading these success stories is very helpful to us who are just beginning our marriage.

I am not trying to cause problems with your families, but the decision is YOURS and your HUSBANDS to make, not theirs. Don't start your marriage by letting them run your lives. I mean, I am sure they are wise, and advice is one thing, but they can't actually make you stay home or go.

How about this? If your POE is close to home, go to the airport and ask customs if it's ok to come back. Show them his AP card, explain the situation. Won't work if your POE will be a few hours away, but it might put your mind at ease.

You are causing any problems Its just hard to be living with my parents...you know just because they are older & think they know everything they try to give us advice. I kind of regret not sending my husband back home but next year we do plan on going back to the PI hopefully he will have his GC by then.

How long did your wife get her GC? We filed our AOS Oct 31 and I checked our status but still acceptance for his I-485. Getting kind of nervous.

Your parents making the decision for you and your husband? Geeee...

My condolences.

Yes especially my mom she likes to control everything...unfortunately she doesnt know how to let go which is very annoying

How are they stopping him from going? Unless they are paying for the airfare, I don't see how they can stop him.

OTOH, I can't see spending that much money to see someone buried, but I know PI family ties are much different than mine. My wife just lost an aunt, and she is sad, but she never asked to go. But if her mom died, I know I would be sending her.

Sorry for his loss, and sorry it's turning out to be more stressful than just dealing with the death. But really, he won't have a problem coming back in this circumstance. This is EXACTLY what advance parole is for.

They are stopping him from going because they think if he leaves and immigration dont allow him back he will ruining his future. It is bad enough that my family is talking about my husband. Plus we are only going to be in PI for at most 10 days total.

As Harpa, Hank, and others are telling you... he'll be ok. That verbiage on the CBP site is there a "catch-all" to keep illegal activity out of the US.

"Please note that Advance Parole does not guarantee admission into the United States. Aliens with Advance Parole are still subject to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection process at the port of entry."

This means that if a person shows up at Customs and has illegal paraphernalia, has done something illegal while outside the US, or similar, they can be denied entry.

They also say this: Aliens who have pending applications for certain immigration benefits need Advance Parole to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad.

Aliens applying for advance parole on the basis of a pending application for adjustment of status must be approved for advance parole prior to leaving the United States in order to avoid the termination of their pending application for adjustment.

Thank you for clarifying this, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately my husband is not able to go and I feel so bad that he is not able to be there for his grandmother's funeral because of my parent's preventing him from traveling even with an approved advance parole. My parent's think if travels back to the Philippines he may not be able to come back and his future will be wasted...we tried explaining them some of the reasons of not being able to re-enter such having overstayed or doing something illegal but you know as adults they think they are right because they have more experience than us. THANK YOU ALL for your help.

As Harpa, Hank, and others are telling you... he'll be ok. That verbiage on the CBP site is there a "catch-all" to keep illegal activity out of the US.

"Please note that Advance Parole does not guarantee admission into the United States. Aliens with Advance Parole are still subject to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection process at the port of entry."

This means that if a person shows up at Customs and has illegal paraphernalia, has done something illegal while outside the US, or similar, they can be denied entry.

They also say this: Aliens who have pending applications for certain immigration benefits need Advance Parole to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad.

Aliens applying for advance parole on the basis of a pending application for adjustment of status must be approved for advance parole prior to leaving the United States in order to avoid the termination of their pending application for adjustment.

Thank you for clarifying this, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately my husband is not able to go and I feel so bad that he is not able to be there for his grandmother's funeral because of my parent's preventing him from traveling even with an approved advance parole. My parent's think if travels back to the Philippines he may not be able to come back and his future will be wasted...we tried explaining them some of the reasons of not being able to re-enter such having overstayed or doing something illegal but you know as adults they think they are right because they have more experience than us. THANK YOU ALL for your help.

My wife stressed out about traveling as well; she got some dubious advice from friends about the "advance parole" document, but I urged her to go back anyway. For some reason, some Filipinos have a peeve about anything that says "parole" on it because of its usage among prisoners. So I told her, if someone asks you the name of the document that you'll use to return to the US, call it the "I-512." I'll be returning to the country with her, but I don't think that will help much either since we go through separate lines at customs.

Hi. When is your wife traveling to the Philippines? Other people are giving us advice not to go because of this statement "AP does not guarantee admission into the USA" but upon doing some research only those who stayed unlawfully have a greater risk of coming back.

His K-1 visa expired when he entered the U.S. It's his I-94 that allowed him to stay 90 days in the U.S. and remain in status. Now his I-94 has expired and it's his AOS letter that is keeping him in status. Since he doesn't have his conditional green card yet, it's his AP which would allow him to re-enter the U.S.

I don't know if it would help if you traveled with him.

His K-1 is already cancelled since he used it, so the date on it doesn't make any difference. He will be reentering on AP as an AOS applicant. K-1 is over.

Thank you both so much for these great advices. Its so hard when a death in the family occurs and you have no way of traveling to see your loved one.

A GC doesn't guarantee entry to the US either. Furthermore, a K-1 doesn't guarantee entry in the US. Was he afraid to use that? If he becomes an international criminal between the time he leaves the US and the time he returns, then he won't be coming back. But otherwise it will not be a problem. That is what AP is for.

If my husband goes home to the Philippines using the AP and his K-1 visa on his passport expires February 2014 is it still safe to travel. My husband thinks that I should accompany him on his trip to the Philippines just in case he has trouble re-entering. We have read that he can travel with AP as long as he was never out of status upon filing the AOS.

My condolences to both of you on the passing of your husband's grandmother.

Your husband shouldn't have any problem entering the U.S., but according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

Please note that Advance Parole does not guarantee admission into the United States.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/lpr/adv_parole.xml

Thank you. That is what I am worried about since it states AP does not guarantee admission to the U.S. my parents are worried also that if he goes to the Philippines he may not be able to re-enter with just the AP. Not sure what to do as my husband wants to see his grandmother one last time before she gets laid to rest.

Hello everyone. I have a question if anyone can help. My husband's grandmother recently died and my husband wants to go to the Philippines for the funeral. He already has his EAD/AP combo card but other people are advising us that he should not go home as it might be hard for him to re-enter the U.S. Do you think its safe to travel with Advance Parole or should he just stay here? Any help would be great.

Hi,

I was born in the Philippines and a naturalized US Citizen and I'm planning to visit my motherland Philippines for over 21 days... or 30 days to be exact. I will also have a return ticket. Can I ask the immigration at the airport if I can extend my stay up to 30 days? I have also read about the "balikbayan stamp" which you can also let them know that you are a balikbayan and they would stamp your passport? does anybody have similar experience? THanks in advance.

I am also a US Citizen and when I go home to the Philippines they usually stamp my passport with a 1 year stay. Although I never stayed in the Philippines for more than a year though Enjoy your trip.

Hi everyone. I am trying to help out a friend who is petitioning his fiancee. They have completed all the steps and just needs to fill out the DS forms. When I petitioned my fiance we had filled out DS 156, DS 156k, DS 157 & DS 230 but I know that on the USEM Manila website it stated that the form DS 260 will be replacing the form DS 230. When I was helping my friend fill out the online form of the DS 260 it was asking for the petitioner on the drop down but it did not indicate fiance(e). Does anyone know if my friend has to fill out the DS 260 or DS 230? Which DS forms needs to be filled out now? Thanks.

Yup, follow the guide.

What "someone" seems to be talking about is ROC when won't happen for two years yet for you two.

Thanks! We have more than enough time to gather all that stuff for the ROC in 2 years.

Yup just a certified copy of the marriage certificate.

AOS doesn't require photos of the two of you.

"Someone" should read the guide so they stop giving bad information.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

Thanks Hank I agree this person giving me wrong information does not have a clue of what she is doing...hahaha.

So basically all those forms on the guide are to be submitted plus the certified copy of our marriage certificate and the supporting evidence for the Affidavit of Support?

Proof of marriage? The marriage certificate. You have to include a certified copy of the marriage certificate.

Don't need bank info or anything like that for AOS.

Follow the GUIDE http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

So a certified copy of our marriage certificate would be ok and a few pics of our wedding? Someone told me that I need to submit a joint account from the bank and some sort of lease that we are living together but I don't have my own apartment since I live with my parents in our basement.

Also one more thing for the Affidavit of Support no need for bank statement correct? I just submit the I-864 form plus tax transcript, W-2 forms, employment letter & paystubs correct?

Hello everyone. I was reading the guide on how to file for AOS. Can anyone let me know what else we need to submit? What proofs do we have to submit to show that we are married? I currently live with my parents in our basement so we do not have a lease since the house belongs to my parents. We are trying to open a joint account at BoA this week and hoping that they will allow him even without a SSN. Any advice? We are trying to mail the AOS at the end of October. Thanks.

Nope have to wait.

Would you know if we can file for AOS already even if my husband does not have the SSN or does he need the SSN for us to file his AOS?