JWD531

Just as an update, my wife arrived here Saturday the 22nd. All is well with my world now :-). Good luck to everyone else still waiting.

Found out it finally left the mail room on the 20th at 8am, should be available for pickup on the 21st at the local 2GO office by 1pm! Yay! Crossing my fingers that's true! Thanks.

I'm not sure if there's a topic on this already, but I didn't see one, and didn't feel like spending all day searching through the forum for one, lol. Sorry. My wife's visa shows "Issued" as the status on the CEAC website as of March 17, however 2GO has not picked it up yet, and it's still at the embassy. It's already March 19th, and I'm not sure why it's still at the embassy. Can anyone share typical time frame before it's actually picked up by 2GO for delivery? My wife keeps calling them both everyday but they just tell her "try calling back tomorrow." I just wanted to find out if everyone else waits a few days for that as well, and if so, how long. My wife's address is in Metro Manila, if that helps clarify. Thanks!

CEAC website finally changed from AP to "Issued" on Monday, the 17th (at the end of the day). But the visa is still at the embassy (Manila). So now we're just waiting for 2GO to pick it up and deliver it. Hope it doesn't stay stuck in a stack of other visas at the embassy for much longer, not sure why it's still there... Oh well...

We got 221g on February 25th interview for CENOMAR. Embassy received CENOMAR on the 28th, it's been almost two weeks, still no news. Anyone recently get similar request/timeline? Any updates/tips?

We got 221g on February 25th interview for CENOMAR. Embassy received CENOMAR on the 28th, it's been almost two weeks, still no news. Anyone recently get similar request/timeline? Any updates/tips?

FYI for the Filipino folks, they requested our CENOMAR because my wife's birth certificate was a month late being registered, so she needed the CENOMAR as another source to verify that she was indeed who she says she was. It's nice just knowing the reason and getting some clarity/closure on the issue. So now we patiently wait. So FYI if you're BC is a later register in PI, submit a CENOMAR with your CEMAR. :-)

Dwheels, is there a link to another forum where this info would be useful to post in? And if so, do you have a copy of the link? Thanks.

FYI for the Filipino folks, they requested our CENOMAR because my wife's birth certificate was a month late being registered, so she needed the CENOMAR as another source to verify that she was indeed who she says she was. It's nice just knowing the reason and getting some clarity/closure on the issue. So now we patiently wait. So FYI if you're BC is a later register in PI, submit a CENOMAR with your CEMAR. :-)

Oh, and besides the CENOMAR incident, the interview was fine.

My wife was asked "what is your husband's full name" by first the Filipino consulate officer, and then again by the American. That was her only question. She showed them a few photos and that was it.

They never looked at nor asked about the other documents we had (1 original and 2 copies of ALL docs we submitted to USCIS and NVC, western union receipts, pay stubs from last 8 months, tax transcrips, returns and W2s and 1098s from 2010-2012, plus 2013 W2s, employment letter, all our Skype conversations since September 2013 (that was as far back as it went), FB conversations, all FB posts on each others walls since we met in July of 2011, all documents NVC say we need for interview, etc.

Oh well, hopefully they don't take the full 30 days they told us to wait...

Uhm, thats different from the one being asked from her. Aside from the marriage certificate, theres another nso document called CEMAR.

"Marriage Index Documents

Available. The NSO issues Certificates of No Marriage (CENOMAR) certifying that an applicant was never married. Certificates of Marriage (CEMAR) provide a chronological listing of all applicant's marriages. A CDLI endorsement should be requested.

Marriage index documents can also be ordered on the website www.ecensus.com.ph. The site accepts credit cards issued in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Australia, and Hong Kong. There is a flat fee for each document of $25. The fee includes shipping by courier to the delivery address abroad."

Oh, and even the 221g email she got says CENOMAR not CEMAR. So I just told her to get both... LOL. HAY NAKU!

Uhm, thats different from the one being asked from her. Aside from the marriage certificate, theres another nso document called CEMAR.

"Marriage Index Documents

Available. The NSO issues Certificates of No Marriage (CENOMAR) certifying that an applicant was never married. Certificates of Marriage (CEMAR) provide a chronological listing of all applicant's marriages. A CDLI endorsement should be requested.

Marriage index documents can also be ordered on the website www.ecensus.com.ph. The site accepts credit cards issued in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Australia, and Hong Kong. There is a flat fee for each document of $25. The fee includes shipping by courier to the delivery address abroad."

Well, the link at the beginning of this thread states to select three letter identifier, and follow the instructions, which say the following:

3. MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE (if applicable). For Philippine marriages, copies must be issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on security paper (

. You may call the NSO Information Center at (632) 737-1111 to inquire about securing a marriage certificate or visit their web site at http://www.census.gov.ph.

That doesn't say CEMAR nor does it say marriage index, so if I just stopped there, then how would I have known about the CEMAR. It just said cert of mar, not cert of no mar. guess it was only confusing to me.

It's a country specific required document, can be found in nvc's website if you search for philippines under the country reciprocity schedule for required documents. For fiance visa, they need the cenomar, for spouse it's the cemar (certificate of marriage)..but usually they just call it cenomar. I hope her visa will be issued soon after she submits the document.

That's the thing, she had the marriage certificate. The original. She had the yellow colored copy, plus she even had the original black and white form with the purple stamp along with it, just in case.

Whew, I sure hope so. We've double, triple, and quadruple checked everything so many times, it'd break my heart if we have to do ANYTHING else again. It's been 5.5 hours since her appointment started. Hopefully she's done soon and I can find out.

Well, she didn't have her CENOMAR. (certificate of no previous marriage). No where did it say that on my P4 letter, any other documents, nor did anyone at the embassy mention that as a requirement for the interview. My wife got that before we got married, and it wasn't mentioned in any documents that I saw. I guess I must have let it slip through the cracks, but I don't remember seeing it brought up in any of these forums either. I read every post of every interview thread since November, every NVC thread since October, and both Feb and Mar 130 threads.

I still don't understand how a CENOMAR is required for CR-1 visa in the first place. I'm pretty pissed off right now.

Hard to say until you speak to your wife. All cases go into AP after an interview. report back after you talk to them. Would hate to speculate.

Whew, I sure hope so. We've double, triple, and quadruple checked everything so many times, it'd break my heart if we have to do ANYTHING else again. It's been 5.5 hours since her appointment started. Hopefully she's done soon and I can find out.

My wife is currently at the embassy, it's currently 11:30am or so there, and her appointment was 06:30. I checked CEAC website and it says

"Your case is under administrative processing. Please see the letter you received at your interview for more information. If you are required to submit additional documents, please submit them to the U.S. Embassy via any branch of 2GO courier service (Attn: Immigrant Visa Unit) together with a copy of the letter."

Does this mean that we didn't have everything and we'll have to reschedule again? Or could there be a time delay to where it will say Ready later but just says AP until her interview is completely over?

Hello Everyone,

I have applied for my wife IR-1/CR1 spouse visa. It was approved from USCIS in Nov 15th 2013 then i received NVC number in Jan 15th 2014. I have completed DS 260, DS 261 and send the civil docs (like 2 photo, Marriage and birth certificate and passport copy) and I-864 with the pay check, 3 yrs tax return and W2 and 6 months of paycheck. As per the NVC, they received all my docs on 02/07/14. Does anyone know how long does it take to complete the applications, send it to US embassy in India and when will we hear abt the interview date ( can we re-schedule the interview date to bit earlier date ex- if the interview date is on 03/06/14 then can we re-schedule to 02/28/14 or not).

Thank you for your help and best of luck everyone.

Dhruv

It takes about a month or so for case complete. Times vary on getting appointments after that. Read previous posts to get an idea of timelines, that's what they're there for. And for your last question, read the post just before yours lol.

Kind of figured usually by first week of month after they start assigning it gets shut down. Well next week is last week of month so hopefully this time next week good news.

Everyone has been so quiet. Nit like the NVC filers thread blowing up. hehe

Ya, I was a March filer, and we tended to ask the most questions, or had the most people on this forum. Feb I-130 filers had about 85 pages of comments/posts, and March had about 315. LOL.

Dwheels (or anyone else), is there an in-depth list of interview questions somewhere? I've seen a few links to some questions, which my wife and I have reviewed and mastered. But she's still nervous, so I figured if we found some more, we'd just keep reviewing more questions until her interview next week. I know she'll be fine, but I understand her apprehension. Thanks!

Well, I Skyped with my wife tonight, and she called the embassy in PI while we were talking. They confirmed they received our case from NVC, and she asked if we could get an earlier interview. NVC scheduled our interview for March 10th, but the nice lady on the phone moved us up to February 25th. We didn't ask if there had been a cancellation or why they moved us up, just happily accepted and here we are.

Dwheels, you can change our interview date on the list I guess.

They really are taking their time mailing my case to the embassy. Kept looking online to see it change status to "transit" or "ready". Nope still at NVC. I even called and they told me "The online status is unreliable. Your case is currently in line to be mailed to the embassy and you have interview date March 3rd..." ect... Less than 3 weeks away and it hasn't been put in the mail yet.

Ya, I think the weather delayed them. Mine also took about 1.5 - 2 weeks to mail. They finally sent it off this week. Hopefully yours will also be sent soon.

My wife also plans on calling the embassy when the package arrives, to see if she can get an earlier appointment. Most people have said that only the fiance visa applicants can call and get an earlier appointment, BUT the lady she talked to yesterday said that she could (and she emphasized it was a CR-1). So I guess we'll just wait and see...

Checked CEAC website, and our case now shows "In Transit," and I called NVC to confirm and they said our case was shipped out on Feb 7th. I haven't seen any information on the DHL website yet, but I'll check later. Like everything else, their website doesn't always update immediately either. The last package I saw leave NVC to Manila was dated Feb 4th (right before the bad weather up there). So I'm sure I'll see something tomorrow.

My wife did her medical at St. Luke's already and she's good to go. They didn't have the TDAP shot available though (for tuberculosis vaccine I think), but she was told she could get that from her regular doctor and just take the proof to the embassy interview. So now we just sit back and wait until March 10th... Four more weeks!!! (And hopefully it doesn't take TOO long for the visa to be ready, so she can come "HOME" soon after that!)

My wife went and got her medical today, but they were out of tetanus shots, and the medical people told her she'd be fine, that she'll just have to get the shot when she gets to the USA. Has anyone else had an experience like that? Any similar examples, etc?

Hey dwheels76, how can I find out about what comes after my husband arrives, just thinking ahead here, I know that we will need to pay the $165 after he receives his visa, and then wait for his green card to arrive, but what about getting his social security card and is there any other info we need before adjusting status? Sorry for the run on sentence....

And how long does it take to get a SSN? Does that take a few months also? Or is that longer? Or does it come with green card? (assuming $165 is paid right away)

I know I've seen some posts about taxes, but it was a while ago and I don't feel like searching back through. I called H&R Block (for advice on taxes), and they said I need to file single, then "ammend my return" after my wife gets her green card and gets here. But I just wanted to see if any other people have done that or whether they filed married instead, etc. We got married in the Philippines, not in America, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.

So I haven't called much since case complete, but received email today about interview. Its scheduled for March 24th. I know we should be excited but its after our March 15th anniversary date..... was really hoping to be together by then. But at least we are on to the last step.

I feel your pain. Our anniversary was Feb 3, so we're already going to miss that. But whenever you are reunited again, it will make up for it, that's what we're assuming at least. Just knowing we'll be together soon is good enough for us, we think :-)