gtessier

I love dressing up. I sewed a special dress to greet him in the first time we met, and I want to make something for this time to wear to the interview.

...and as long as you could sell insurance, I would have hired you in a minute!!

no way I'm getting In a dress, jeans sneakers and a usual shirt totally okay

If that works for you, great.

Doesn't necessarily need to be a dress. A pair of nice dress pants works just as well.

how formal should you be dressed for the interview? as in will wearing a nice dress be sufficient, or should be more businesslike? pencil skirt and blouse

I have read elsewhere that it should be treated like a job interview. I'll go out on a limb and say that a tank top, short shorts and flip flops may not go over well.

I was a manger in an insurance agency for about 10 years. I did hundreds of interviews. The company did not have causal Fridays and we did allow casual dress on Saturdays. I always felt that you could never overdress for an interview and for a man, a suit and tie showed me you were serious. For the women, a nice dress, just below the knees and heels no higher than 3" was professional. Any woman that dressed provocatively in any way was not considered. (Heels too high, low cut blouse, skirt too high, etc.)

Dress to impress and you will never go wrong.

why is just everybody crying ^^ my parents are full of joy to see me leave to the man I love with the cat we love ...but it's still a bit way till there ...stupid post strike

If I were your parents, I would be happy to see you leave too.

Good evening everyone! I am very happy to report that Tim and I got our NOA2 tonight. I was so excited I started to cry. Now we will having something to celebrate when the guys arrive for vacation in 13 days!!!

I am so happy for you. You have been the model of patience here on this board. No one deserves the happiness more than you.

When they arrive in 13 days, it will be just in time to call NVC. Then you can put Tim to work while he is here and have him gather all of the needed documents for his interview! Put that boy to work!!

Folks, if you are a frequent flyer miles freak like I am, be very careful about using discount sites... I just got screwed on miles from the May trip to the Phils to see Daisy. Using Cheapoair.com, the flight code (fare bucket) was such that I only earned 1/4 of the miles on the JAL (4000 miles instead of over 15000) flights than I should have just to save $200.00. If miles matters to you then use the normal sites.

Excellent point.

When using some of the search apps like skyscanner, you need to vet some of the sites that they recommend as some are scams. Google cheapoair.com for example and you will find a lot of bad reviews and situations where people lost money.

As some have suggested, as soon as you know your travel day, start using an app like skyscanner several times a day. Seat prices are supply/demand based and will lietrally vary by the hour. Last year when I went to visit Melanie, I was checking prices on skyscanner and would even look at midnight while laying in bed. I saw prices fluctuate from 1300 RT one day and drop to 800 on the same airline the next day because the first flight was full and they added another flight. Kinda like a music group selling out a concert date and then adding another show the next night. After adding the next flight, more supply and prices go dow but go up as the seats fill up.

I use skyscanner to find the deal, but then go direct to the airline to book the flight. With the exception of Expedia, there are very few discount sites I trust and not worth the risk and headache.

Finally, if I can get a direct flight and only pay a couple hundred bucks extra, it's worth it. Eliminates any risk of lost luggage, missed connections etc. When booking Melanie's one-way ticket, I'll spend the xtra hundred bucks for a direct flight and use PAL and look at arrival times. I dont even mind spending a few extra bucks to get her here at a good time of day and have the shortest flight time possible.

Finally we got our NOA2!

After 43 days of waiting after recieving needed documentation for an RFE, CSC finally approved our petition.

Now we can make plans and move forward. Seems from other timelines, its about 6 weeks from NOA2 to visa in hand for applications at the Manila Embassy and about 2 weeks after that for POE - if all goes well.

However, one valuable lesson has been not to bank on the timelines of others as every case is different.

Now the wait for case number at NVC, schedule medical exam and interview. In the meantime, I need to begin gathering all of the needed documents for her interview and get them off to her by DHL.

Having a hard time seeing why this is an issue. I have known my Fiancee three years this July 4th. For at least the last two years I have been sending money for the same reason as AnaInAmerica. Hard to see her and her family struggle, living in a home that literally has a grass roof that leaks when it rains, as I sit in my home in Newport Beach, CA.

She has her regular bills that total about $200 per month and I add an extra $100 for pocket money. She could get work, but if you are familiar with the employment situation in The Philippines, it is typically contracted. You agree to a contract for a certain amount of time and if you break the contract, it goes on your employment record. Much like a 2 year or 4 year military commitment here in the US. We have planned marriage for a long time and making this commitment and breaking it was not something she was (or I) willing to do.

Like Mike-eeeh, I also send flowers, gifts and also packages by LBC Express on Christmas and during the year. In my application I sent copies of Moneygram reciepts, LBC invoices and also Island Rose reciepts.

Didnt think this was an issue, and in fact, thought it was a plus showing the validity of the relationship. Now you got me freaked out....

Congrats Nancy and everyone on their recent updates. So glad to see so many moving along! We are still waiting on NOA2 (or an RFE) at 76 days. But still good news in our household...I got a raise at work and the guys will be here in 20 days!!!!

I love your positive attitude and how you get lemons and just make lemonade!!

The whole K1 process really tests the patience of a person.

You can say that again....

RFE update...

40 days since CSC recieved the necesary documents and nothing. Nada. Zilch. Crickets....

The VJ estimate on our timeline states "Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between May 12, 2015 and May 15, 2015* (RFEs at the California Service Center typically add an extra 30 days, which has been added to the estimated processing time)."

We are well past that now. While I realize that in their response on 4/22 they give themselves 60 days for a response, it's not a lot different than telling people to wait 30+ days for a case number when calling NVC when we all kow they take 7-10 days average. Further, there have been others here that had the RFE for the same dating site (same dating site, in fact) RFE issue, and they got their NOA2's long ago.

I don't consider this RFE to have been something that is our fault and avoidable. It was an arbitrary misintepretation by an adjudicator that clearly misunderstood the IMBRA law and how it pertains to dating sites. USCIS/CSC has approved thousands of K1 visas from the same dating site as they have been in operation for over 20 years. Even if there is some question as to which site is an IMB or not, how about keeping a cheat sheet at your desk that tells what sites are IMB's and which are not? Considering this should be an error on their part, would it be unfair to think that they could get it processed in the usual 7-10 day timeframe, rather than 40+ days?

So we are getting frustrated now. Our 4th of July plans that could have easily been met are out the window now. Impossible to make and sort of wedding plans at thisw point. So I need to take some sort of action now and looking for opinions and advice. Here are my options:

1. Email the USCIS ombudsman and ask for help. They may reply and say just wait another 20 days before asking them to step in for assistance. Or they may help given the nature of the situation.

2. Contact a local immigration attorney and ask for help. It's possible they have contacts at CSC that they can call and nudge the application along.

3. Drive down to CSC in Laguna Niguel (they are 20 minutes away from me) and make a personal appearance and ask what the F is going on.

4. Wait 20 days and hope someone finally notices it sitting abandoned on someone's desk.

Let me know what y'all think.

What do all of you guys look forward to changing in your daily routine when your fiance is here?

I'm looking forward to being able to wake up next to him. Then being able to actually get up and get my day started instead of spending 30 minutes to an hour after I wake up catching up on stuff he did that day. I won't miss staying up late waiting for it to be early enough for me to call him. I won't miss seeing him through a camera image only. I won't miss Skype. I won't miss Facebook. I am looking forward to getting ready for bed with him each night. I'm looking forward to waiting for my turn when he is in the shower. I'm looking forward to planning and cooking meals together. I'm ready for our future together!!!!

What about you guys?

Never saying goodbye again - only saying goodnight.

We have a water shortage here in California, so we plan to do our part to help the cause and shower together.

I won't miss Facebook either. I know she won't miss 100 degree heat and 80% humidity. She won't miss rolling blackouts, terrible internet service, unreliable cell service and water that's barely suitable for bathing much less drinking.

I feel ya! It is the unknown that is killing me. If I just knew what they are waiting for it would be nice. I am doing the countdown till our next visit. My fiancé and his son will be here in 3 1/2 weeks for a 5 week visit. When they are here we will be having too much fun to care. :-). Sorry you guys will not be together for your anniversary. We will at least get to spend ours together and my birthday. Take care and like you tell everyone...hang in there, your time will come.

Exactly! Its the "not knowing" that is the frustrating part. I am sure it's easier for you and Tim as he can travel freely here as he is from the UK and needs no visa for visits. It's just that you want him here forever and would feel better once this is done.

Yep, sucks for us but we're over it. We know that it's just a matter of time before this gets done so waiting a few more days/weeks isn't the end of the world. Compared to the time we will spend for the rest of our lives together, its only a small amount of time to wait. I'm so lucky to have found her - most patient woman I have ever met. She's quietly getting frustrated but looking at the bright side and taking the extra time to be with family before she comes here.

I have been enjoying a relaxing weekend and trying not to think about how much I miss my guy. Long weekends are hard. We are gonna hit the 70 day mark this week so I am going to try and focus on our upcoming time together instead. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

I feel your frustration.

I submitted our paperwork on 3/3 and got NOA1 on 3/9. Then got the dreaded RFE for the dating site/marriage broker issue. CSC received our documents on 4/22 and nothing yet.

It's pretty frustrating to be on the outside looking in as others that files after we did are getting interview dates and even have visas in hand. Melanie is about as patient a woman as I have ever known and it's starting to wear on her now. Our plans of being together for our 3rd anniversary are out the window now as it seems that it takes about 6 weeks from NOA2 to get visa in hand when working with the Manila embassy.

The most frustrating part is that I don't consider this to be something that is our fault. It's not like we forgot a signature, missed some documents, proof pf relationship, photos, etc. It's a matter of someone at CSC misinterpretatiing the IMBRA law.

Ugh....

Ive no idea what time i have to call from here in germany

Find the hours that NVC accepts calls. Then do the math using your time zone in Germany.

Google is your friend

okay so this is this 1099 or what its called right

No.

1099 is other income, usually for independent contractors or business owners that have income from other sources that is not yet having witholding taxes deducted from it. At end of year at filing time, one must file a Schedule C on their tax return and include this income

Your fiance' is military and gets a W2. He has his witholding taxes already deducted from it.

In short, two different forms for declaring income for two different sources. Generally, those who are employed by someone get a W2 and self employed get 1099.

Hi Guys,

My fiancees interview is on June 2 (Good luck to us) . I just have a question on one of the income needed on the I-134 which is the value of the home. I have a condo which is worth $300+K now. I still have a mortgage of $125K. My income is above $50K per year. Do I have to add my condo in the list? If I didn't declare that and they found out that I own a house, is that going to be a problem? I'm just worried if I still have to declare my house value and mortgage in there or not?

Please clear my mind.

Thank you

Your W2 and pay stubs are sufficient. As long as your income is over poverty level guidelines, you are OK.

They don't care about your debt, your mortgage, etc. You're not qualifying for a loan.

i just called nvc to ask some stuff about my case.. they transfered me to another office guy ask me if my case is in ready condition in embassy.. i said i dont know i just wanna update email guy transfered me back to original call...

i just checked ceac case status that wasnt working for 5 days ... now it says READY TO SCHEDULE INTERVIEW !!!!!!!

so now what to do ??? im petitioner ... please tell me

Schedule your interview

THAT is what is frustrating? I guess it's all about perspective....

I got this response earlier today in my email and suspected by your comments that you are a TSC filer.

It is about perspective, yes. It's pretty annoying to get the RFE in the first place due to the nature of the RFE being for the dating site/IMB fiasco. Not my fault - it's actually a CSC adjudicator error for not understanding the IMBRA law and how it does NOT apply to "dating" sites. The site we met on has been in business since the early 90's and literally thousands of K-1 visas have originated from it. They USCIS should be pretty familiar with them by now.

So, yes it is frustrating to see others that got the same RFE get their NOA2 7-10 days after being received by CSC. The files have already been looked at once before generating the RFE. In the interest of getting files of one's desk and getting completions, one would think that an adjudicator would go after the low hanging fruit and just match the documents needed to complete the file and move to the next one.

Finally, while this thread is not about the TSC issues, it does get old having to hear the whining from the TSC crowd about the time it takes to process the I-129f's. I do understand the frustration, but all one needs to do is look at the data here on the site and see the current processing times. You knew how long the wait time was before getting in the line and now complain its not moving fast enough? Isn't this like calling a restaurant before to go there and asking how long the wait for a table is and then getting in line and getting upset because it isn't moving fast enough, even though they told you up front it had a long wait? Then you further torture yourself by calling the same restaurant across town and finding out they have tables ready in 10 minutes?

So, using the same analogy, it's like sitting at the restaurant and getting your steak cooked wrong. Not my fault, its the chef's. The guy at the table next to me got his cooked wrong too. He gets his back right away and I'm still hungry and still waiting for mine.

Yes, I guess it's all about perspective....

I am a March Filer (March 30th) and I am just receiving the RFE for the IMB thing. I will send in my paperwork today over night. and hope for a fast approval. 30 days would be great!

I've seen them getting from RFE recieved to NOA2 on the "March 2015 Filers" post in 7-10 days at CSC for the same thing. THAT is what is frustrating.

Of course, how can anything go by without a bitter post from TCS sufferer...

I wasn't approved in 55 days.

It was 110 days from NOA1.

And comparing TSC and CSC makes no logical sense to those who are waiting. In both directions.

Could not have said it better myself. Completely different circumstances. TSC and CSC not the same and this is an RFE delay rather than a TSC "black hole" situation.

Trolling posts to vent about TSC issues serves no one any benefit.

Apples v. Oranges

I was you just yesterday:)

And hopefully tomorrow I am you.

Thanks for this post. It gives me some hope - sort of....

I also got an RFE for the same exact thing. Well known dating site with literally hundereds of prior approvals and got RFE to prove it is not an IMB.

There were several like mine in the March 2015 filers post. I was the first to get the RFE fo rthis and it seems I am the last to move to the NOA2 status. Others got the same dating site/IMB RFE and some even from the same dating site. It seems that a few have been approved (from posts and looking at timelines) withing 7-10 days of recieving the needed documents, but ours is still not yet approved and it is almost 30 days now.

Like you, I have the "any day now" stress and we were hoping she could be here for our 3rd anniversary on July 4th. With a 7-10 delay it would have been doable. But now its looking bleak. There are some March 2015 posters with I-129F submitted about the same time as our and have already had their interviews in Manila. Very frustrating to sit on the sidelines and watch...

Hey guys, do you as a petitioner or your fiance/fiancee as petitioner planning to come together to the interview? I know it is said that the petitioner may come, but do you think that will affect the judgment?

As much as I would like to visit, time does not allow it. I have a business to run and two daughter to take care of. Melanie is sharp and can handle the interview herself. She has also traveled abroad before so no need to escort her to her new home.

Good news guys! We just finished our interview and were approved

Congratulations!

Please share your embassy and interview experience with the rest of us. There are several here concerned with issues such as proof of income/tax returns and proof of relationship. If you can share your real life experience, perhaps it will keep them from freaking out and calm them down a bit.

I consolidated over 120000 (over 5000 pages) messages into 41 pages by grabbing pieces of chats from various days covering various topics. I didn't give them full days, only small bits.

Smart Man.

I have about the same amount over nearly 3 years. They are not interested in looking at 10 reams of paper to prove you have a bonafide relationship.

They want to see proof of an ongoing relationship - operative word being "ongoing". Think quality rather than quantity.

I front loaded our I-129f with this info. Like you, I sent a single page dated weekly showing the relationship from beginning to present time. I also sent reciepts from Island Rose for flowers sent, Moneygram money sent to her, as well as other things showing a "bonafide, ongoing relationship".

We have Skype and FaceTime chats. I did not send them and have no intention of doing so. Keep it simple, but at same time show an ongoing relationship.

nope I killed it ...I've put it into the washing machine and after it in the dryer -.- baha ..been a iPhone..then he got a htc..and killed it (of course) now he has a brand new phone but smart ### he's been he set it back to factory data ...he couldn't listen tho..

If you are using an iPhone and iMesage, you can also use a Mac and print out the messages on iMessage on the Mac.

Hello Everyone,

i have few questions about Affidavit of Support I-134 and hopefully this information and topic will help people for the future.

I am a SELF EMPLOYED PERSON. i own my own business.

1. how many years of taxes i have to include with I-134 submission? which number-line in taxes will be looked at? is it line 22?

2. what is form I-864 ? for consulate interview we need I-134 or I-864??

3. my last year income was 21,810$ ... it is over the %125 poverty line. so i can be fine with this... what do you think? i have around 17000$(checking 3500$, saving 13.000$) in personal bank account and 30.000$ in my business bank account.

4. how many months of bank statements i have to include in the I-134 package?

in the form it says "I have on deposit in savings banks in the United States" : should i only put my personal bank account balances or since i own my business i can include business account too?

and it says i need to get a letter from bank. does date matter ? my balances does not change too much but date mattters or not for the letter?

5. it asks "I have other personal property, the reasonable value of which is " can i include motorcycle and motorhome titles that i own?? what else i can put for this?

6. for the question 10 on the I-134 ... DATE SUBMITTED part ... is it when they opened my case and gave me the receipt date? or what i should put for this?

7. for question 11. there is a box for INTENT or DO NOT INTENT what to put for this ( this is very confusing what they are asking for ??)

8. Oath or Affirmation of Sponsor

I acknowledge that I have read "Sponsor and Alien Liability" on Page 2 of the instructions for this form, and am aware of my responsibilities as a sponsor under the Social Security Act, as amended, and the Food Stamp Act, as amended.

-------------I certify under penalty of perjury under United States law that I know the contents of this affidavit signed by me and that the statements are true and correct.

BEFORE THE I CERTIFY PART DO I WRITE MY NAME????

Thank you

This topic was discussed a couple of days ago and I wanted to chime in at the time but was moving over the weekend and computer access was a no go. Only had the trusty iPhone and saw the emails of the posts.

The general spriit of the "Affidavit of Support" is to ensure that the immigrant does not become a "Public Charge" to the US Government. As the US Government sees it, there are already enough illegal immigrants here that are a burden to our system that they want to be sure that those entering legally don't also become a burden.

For a definition of what USCIS considers a "Public Charge", click this link to see it on their website: http://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/public-charge-fact-sheet

After reading this, it's a little easier to wrap your wits around what the interviewer at the embassy will look for when reviewing your visa application. I really dont think one needs to provide excessive documentation - just demonstrate you have the means to support your fiance(e)' on a long term basis and you will be fine.

Further, there was some discussion on the medical portion and vaccines, etc. Again, think with the "Public Charge" viewpoint of USCIS and it is easier to understand what is important to them. Things such as STD's, AIDS, Hepatitis-C, TB and so on would definitely be a burden on the US system as well as dangerous to others here, thus considering the immigrant a "Public Charge"

As far as vaccines, I would get the minimum required by the embassy and to get the visa issued. It would suck to get a vaccine once and then have to get it again because when applying for AOS it was unacceptable for some silly reason like it is from a country that the US Govenment considers to have a substandard medical system