ladylex

Hi Ladylex. I took the California Bar and just found out I passed! Results were released last week. It's a complete miracle considering my circumstances and that on average only 40% of applicants pass the exams. My boss is open to promoting me to a full counsel position once I am sworn in.

I live in Southern California - the job market is not great in the US overall but don't let that get you down. Have confidence in your work experience and work hard on making sure your resume is US-friendly. Be persistent and prepared!

Congratulations!!! I think that's what I need to do over the long weekend. Rewrite my resume

I am a foreign attorney too, (LLB, not JD) and took the bar exam two months after I arrived in the US (I moved to the US at the end of May 2013). I self-studied and it was insane to learn and memorize all that material in 2 months, on top of practising Bar essays and MBE techniques. I wouldn't recommend it! You should definitely start studying now if you're taking the Feb bar exam. We are at a disadvantage because we haven't been studying this stuff for 3 years. For me, there were also the little things like making sure I spell in American English rather than UK English.

I won't get the results until Thanksgiving but the good news is that a couple of weeks after the bar exam, I found a legal job in my desired practice area. The job market is very tough but praise God, not impossible!

Hi elle13! I wish you good luck on the bar exam result.

Did you take the NY Bar? I am still having my foreign law degree evaluated by the NY BOLE. But in the meantime, I am looking for work here and honestly, I am having a rough time looking for one. May I know where are you situated? Is it in a metro city? I am thinking my location plays a major factor why I couldn't get a job in the legal industry.

Thanks

Hi, everyone! I really do not know if I am posting this question under the right forum. But here goes my query...

My son and I arrived here in the US last Aug. 15, 2013 under a CR1 and CR2 visa respectively. I could not recall if I was issued an I-94 at Detroit, our point of entry. When I applied for my Driver's License here, I am asked to produce my I-94 and I came across a website where i can access my I-94 number.

My problem is, the class of Admission on my and my son's Admission Stamp is "DMA" and not among those listed as classes of admission in the website. Have anyone of you here encountered this problem?

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Hi, Elle! How many days did you have to wait after entering US before you received your GC? I arrived here on a CR-1 Visa last August 15, 2013 and I still haven't received mine. Thanks

i have read in the forums that the liason officer from the embassy picks up all the documents for reverification from NSO Pasay every Fridays. In my case, after I paid on July 9 through MBTC, my documents were received by the Embassy on July 12. Checked the CEAC tracker, it said my visa was issued on the 16th.

no worries. i met a couple with 43 years gap and they were approved!

don't worry, they will soon issue the visa

hi momo & speech! did you both receive the 221g slip? had my interview earlier this week, i got a 221g slip and they requested for my CENOMAR and that of my ex. What's the reason why you were on AP?

Please keep me updated what the NSO says about this. I just can't think of any possibility why the annulment order has already been annotated in the MC and it is not reflected in the CEMAR. I hope this is not the case with the CEMAR that I have requested from NSO. Sis, they also asked for my and my ex's CEMAR. Prepare mo na lang din kaya kesa ma 221g tulad ko...

I went back to nso office here in davao and ask about my cemar they just said maybe not from there system yet and need to wait. ugh...

Told them how come not in there system i already have my marriage certificate with annotation null/void from nso manila and they just said they cant do anything about it but to wait. Hindi ko na alam gagawin ko my interview is coming soon

sis, can i pm you?

I wouldn't say you are under AP, it looks like once you get the CEMAR to the embassy they will approve your visa.

I don't know why the embassy does not have the CEMAR on their requirements list for the IR/CR-1 as they ask for it at the interview. I have read of many on here having this delay, having to go to NSO and get a CEMAR for USEM

Thanks, Hank! It is such a relief knowing I am not in AP although I know this CEMAR thing would cause me about two weeks delay in visa issuance.

I was told that normally the Embassy receives the CENOMAR in a week. Unlike your wife, I opted to request mine through the NSO hotline and the lady I talked to told me to follow up after four days from payment at a call center number and check if the Embassy has received the CENOMAR requested.

Hi, all! I had my interview earlier this week and was given the 221G white slip. CO ticked off the submission of documents since they require me to submit CENOMAR (or CEMAR being the right term for me) for me and my ex. I asked the guy who gave me instructions on how to request the said documents how long it would take them to receive a copy of the CEMARS from NSO Pasay City and he told me about a week. Then I asked what happens after that, he replied, Visa grant and confirmed my delivery address and got my contact number number, but he also said that we can check our status after two weeks. Should I consider myself under AP also when the CO did not tick off the first box that says "wait until you hear from us: Your case requires further ap/ar? Is the issuance of 221g automatically puts you on AP/AR? Thank you for your views on this...

I was annulled too. I did not know about this reqt for Cemar. I had my annulment decree already annotated by NSO in my marriage contract. When I went for my interview, I was given a 221g slip where they required me to submit a CEMAR for reverification of documents. Hope this helps.

Ladylex, i have my cemar now and there is no remark saying my marriage null/void but i have a marriage contract with annotation null/void thats why im little bit confused. I'll just go back to nso to clarify this. Thank u for sharing your experience.

Please keep me updated what the NSO says about this. I just can't think of any possibility why the annulment order has already been annotated in the MC and it is not reflected in the CEMAR. I hope this is not the case with the CEMAR that I have requested from NSO. Sis, they also asked for my and my ex's CEMAR. Prepare mo na lang din kaya kesa ma 221g tulad ko...

I was annulled too and during my interview i presented my original court document ( with the dry seal and signature from the clerk of court - ) and also the annotated marriage contract from the NSO - they took all those documents but sent it back when i got my passport and visa.

Dean_De, i have all the documents u mentioned above, may i ask have u submitted a cemar/cenomar during your interview?

I was annulled too. I did not know about this reqt for Cemar. I had my annulment decree already annotated by NSO in my marriage contract. When I went for my interview, I was given a 221g slip where they required me to submit a CEMAR for reverification of documents. Hope this helps.

Anyone here who had their first marriage declared as null and void on the ground of psychological incapacity of the ex? Did SLEC still require you to undergo the psychological exam even though the Decision state that it was your ex who was psychologically incapacitated? Thanks for your inputs on this:)

Hi, everyone! I have a question on what Tax Return Forms to use and file for my husband, who is a USC, has worked overseas for tax years 2011 and 2012 and whose income is below $94,000? Thank you for your help

Hi, everyone! Thank you for all the help we got from this forum. Our DCF I-130's have been approved and we are now preparing our Affidavit of Support. My question is on the Tax Returns we need to submit together with the AOS.

My husband has not yet filed his Tax Returns. When we went over the IRS website, we were a bit confused as to what is the appropriate form for him to fill up and use for Tax Years 2011 and 2012, when he was working overseas and his income is below USD 94,000.00?

Thanks so much for your help.

The woman also told me I would hear something within 2 weeks. When I did not I emailed them and they told me I must have misunderstood because it takes 30 to 90 days.

John, someone from here called them after 3 weeks of not hearing anything, so i guess that's the next course of action for us.

It's my understanding that you can legally satisfy the ten-day waiting period without having to be present in the Philippines. Basically, the process involves having your fiancé(e) send you the marriage application while you are still in the U.S. I believe you need to have your signature on the application notarized and then you have the application authenticated by the Philippines Consulate which has jurisdiction over the place where you live. Then, send the authenticated application back to your fiancé(e). Check with your Philippines Consulate for details.

When you arrive in the Philippines, you can get an Affidavit in Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry from the U.S. Embassy in less than a day. Make an appointment to do this. Check out the Embassy's website for details.

You may or may not be required to take a marriage seminar. In any case, you can complete a civil marriage just a few days after you arrive in the Philippines.

Yes, I believe this is a better option. Though not present, as long as you signed the form outside the Phils and have it notarized and authenticated by the Philippine Consulate which has jurisdiction of the place where you reside, you still substantially comply with the affirmation of the Marriage License Application Form that the Philippine Law requires.

There is a 10 day waiting period from the time the marriage license application is filled out until a marriage license is issued. The application is posted on a bulletin board for 10 days to give notice of the planned marriage in case someone wants to object to the marriage.

Have your Fiancee ask the Local civil registrar if it would be possible for her alone to apply for the marriage license, since you are out of the country and would have a problem being in the PI for the time needed to complete this process. They allow this sometimes, and do it a lot with Filipinos getting married if one of them needs to travel a distance so both can fill out the application in person. Just have your Fiancee ask about this and what documents you will need to send in advance, and what documents you need when you arrive in the PI to get the marriage license.

As a general rule, both parties should appear before the Local Civil registrar or his OIC when they file the marriage license application since in one of the forms, they need to sign it and state that they affirm as to the truth of the facts stated in their application form. Though sometimes, the LCR do not entertain the parties anymore, it is on the assumption that his subordinates are doing their regular function of ascertaining both parties to the marriage license application are present and in fact, signed the form. Hence, if one of the parties is not present, or at least could not prove in his/her passport entries, that he/she is here in the Philippines on that date, there is a clear irregularity in the procedure and procurement of the marriage license. That is still a shady transaction. This is just my two cents.

I googled the USCIS and go the Manila office. I sent them an e-mail asking what their requirements were. If what you're saying is the case then tha can be very good news. I assume you pay all the fee's then as well. I would leave most likely after filing.

Hi, Jace! My hubby went to file our petitions bringing with him his passport, his visa extensions, along with our lease contract for the apartment we are staying at, notarized copies of our joint account passbook, affidavits of third persons attesting to the fact of our relationship and stating there also that my husband came to live with me and my son after his contract in Kuwait terminated in July 2012 until the present along with some circumstantial evidences of our relationship such as photos of different occasions/places we went to for the period July 2012 until the present, etc..which were returned to us by the lady attending him after she checked them for 30 mins. Suffice it to say too, that between July 2012 until last week of March 2013, my hubby had not continuously stayed here in the Philippines because we left Phils for our two-week honeymoon in September and he also went to US to attend to some personal matters on November 2012. Yet, he was told to pay the filing fees and they accepted our filing. Hope this helps...

I only took my passport with the visa extensions and our lease agreement to file my wife's. If for some reason they refuse which I doubt file with the Chicago lockbox with your Philippine address and it will be almost as fast as filing DCF.

That's the same thing that my husband did. He went to file our applications and brought with him his passport and visa extensions. Our lease agreement for the apartment we are staying now, the notarized copy of our joint account passbook and some affidavits of third persons attesting to our relationship where they stated that my husband came to live with me and my son since July 2012 until the present were also attached to our Form I-130 along with circumstantial evidences/proofs of our relationship which the lady returned after 30 minutes of checking them. My husband paid for the filing fees and was told to wait for 13-19 days which reading from the posts here, everyone was saying he must have misheard coz most, if not all, were told that they'll hear from them within 30-90 days... lol.

It is true. Philippine law states marriage licenses are to be issued after 10 calendar days from the time of application. There are no exceptions to that law. There are no rush services and I am quite sure, there is irregularity in the issuance of a rush marriage license. Suffice it to say also that marriages (civil or church) celebrated without marriage licenses are void, except in cases where the couple have executed a joint affidavit of cohabitation (for a period of at least five years).

Hi there, here's what happened during my medical..kinda long and maybe off topic (admin, please make another topic if you find this post irrelevant to OP's topic, thank you):

Day 1 - i had the usual medical stuff, laboratory, PE (rude doctor on RM #). she asked if i had been into court, i said yes ..civil. she asked me to bring the next day the annulment papers. I told her that it was actually a Declaration of Nullity of Marriage...

Day 2 - came there in the afternoon, waited to be called. when the day is over, finally.. the nurse in RM N told me that the doctor (not the same doctor who did my PE) who read my annulment papers saw something about "bigamy/bigamous" words, and referred me to a psychiatrist. Ms Nurse scheduled me on April 24 to take the evaluation My case is an expedite request, i told the nurse about it and i cannot afford to have my interview re-schedule. She was very nice and told me that the doctor must have been NOT read the papers thoroughly because there's a lot of people. Ive been told to wait again because she said that she's going to explain everything to their Manager. after a while, Ms. Nurse in Rm N called me again and said that she will call me again the next day to see if i will still have to take the test or not...

Day 3 - i was in NBI when i received a call from her, about 2:30 and told me that my medical is ready for release and that i dont need to take the psychiatric evaluation anymore... THANK GOODNESS..

About the rude doctor.. that's another story

Thank you for sharing your experience with your medical. I am just wondering what happens to those beneficiaries coming from the province, like me? That'll be too expensive when they ask us to come back in the next few weeks for the psychiatric evaluation.

Well, I sure glad you are done with yours and you don't have to take it. Hope all goes well with your interview then. Best wishes

thanks!