Erichu

Hi i'm Yazi... finally i'm with my moonlight now,adjusting to the cold weather and getting use to travel taking the express way... :D God is good!!! hope everybody will soon be with thier love ones too... its nice here....especially when your w/ your MAHAL.:)

Hi Yazi! you're right its really nice when you are finally with your mahal.

But it was sad wasnt able to meet you in Manila airport, i was on the first plane during that day, the 9pm flight.

Enjoy life and the cold weather!

Ingats,

Mari

PW, one last update before you go. Lilia was notified her visa is out for delivery tomorrow (Mar 2) in Manila. She is catching a Mar 4 flight to Dallas. Thanks so much everyone. Without you, it wouldn't have been possible. I am sure we will see most of you in the AOS forum.

Congrats guys! Thats too soon now. Be ready!

Ingat girl! dont forget to take multi-vitamins before u arrived here in SF and be sure to have enough sleep in the plane, will gonna be a busy day when u land here. ur Munchkin will be there!!! B) hmmmmm

See you soon! Be safe and soooo happy for you! You'll be with him na, i know how much u miss him. Yipppeeee!

Mari

by the way, Happy Trip to ate Ana!!! and Im leaving tomorrow to meet my fiance, Wohooooo!

-TeSsA-

Hi Tessa..Goodluck to your new life with your hubby,HAPPY SAFE TRIP!

Have fun and enjoy the laundry too!!lol!

Ingat!

Thanks ate Lucy! Goodluck talaga sa laundry! It will be my first time to really do it full time but im looking forward to it. I already told my fiance that he has to be patient about me doing the laundry and im expecting stains or i might ruin some of his clothes but he said its ok.. hahaha i can see "mancha" in my laundry na! hahaha

Goodluck to you too Ate Luz Ingats

-TeSsA-

Thank you, Sheriff!!!! Yeeeeeooooooooowwwwwww....huuuuuhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuhhuuuu...

Be sure to climb under a table at about 11pm when the earthquake hits!

Hello bro,

Sounds like your so excited..wonder why?

HAppy safe trip to Jinky and Job and wish you both all the very best!

Hey..get busy with the laundry!

Thank you, sis! I'll try to get pics up after the earthquaking has lessened.

Finally!!! Jinky will be with you soon! Give our regards to them! Soooo happy for you guys!

Hello Ms Maria,

Thanks for this info but i have a question, is it possible to apply for refund online since im here in the US already? Id been contributing almost 11 years with Pag-ibig before i resigned my job last Jan 2007. I checked their website www.pagibigfund.gov.ph and wondering what form need to be filled up. Hope i can just send copies of documents needed to my former employer and they can process in my behalf.

Thanks.

Mari

Are any of the fiancees out there claiming, if any, their deposit into the govt SSS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig. After all most of us will give up our PI citizenship.. Is this hard to do?

Hi fellow Vjers,

I would like to share with you my experience with Pag-Ibig. A month before my visa interview date (Feb 13), I dropped by Pag-Ibig to follow up the processing of refund of my brother who had moved to Canada and is now a citizen. In the process of waiting for the check to be released and filling up the waivers and quitclaim, I sort of quipped that I am also planning to stay in the USA if I get a fiancee visa.

The lady Ms. Pearl was so gracious to inform me that I just need to present my fiancee visa and accomplish some of the forms including a history of the dates and employers so they can trace your benefits. And this is just so easy...they even have the affidavit form that you just fill out and have it notarized, attach a photocopy of your visa, and in 3 days, you get a check in your name as refund of your contributions.

I am still amazed at their efficiency.

And for the SSS refund, they need to see that you are already 60 years old and you will have to open a bank account for them to deposit your benefits, and after one month, they will make out the check to you and they will credit your bank account monthly for your pension.

I have no idea about Philhealth.

Feel free to call me at 09229224000 until March 3. I leave on March 4 for Wisconsin for a wedding on March 10.

Maria

Hello everyone!

Just wana share that im in SF already just last friday, Feb 23, 2007. It feels so amazingly good to be with Eric!

The flight was okay, i flew with PAL 9pm flight to SFO and arrived 5:30pm same day . The immigration guy was very nice, i presented my passport and I-94 and the brown envelope, he stamped on some pages and on the I-94 while asking questions at the same time like.. who's the lucky guy; how did we meet; if i have ever travelled to the USA before; when is the wedding...etc etc.. but he didnt ask for the X-ray and im glad coz i checked it in together with my luggages . After he finished doing stamps, smiled and said... Okay! Welcome to the USA, I ran to the luggages and mine was among the last to appear since i was first to check-in in Manila . When i found my luggages and passed by custom guys, they only asked what i brought and then let me go to the exit without scanning my things, i went to the EXIT and Eric was there, standing and smiling with bouquet of roses and hugged me and kissed me with so much happiness! . We celebrated then Visa day, Valentines day, our Birthdays... we call it B-V day!

So THANK YOU ALL, [esp mention: to PW, Uling, Steven&Jinky, LuzyC] youre all very helpful since the start of this journey, and please stay helpful as we go on to the next part - AOS.

Fel, it was fun to be sharing with you the excitement while waiting for boarding, wished we had same flight, but im happy to know that you had safe flight and youre very happy now with your Franko!

Tessa and Ana, have a safe flight this weekend! Hope Ana will fly via SFO too so we could meet again! Miss you guys! You rock girls!!!

Lyann (joone45) it was nice meeting you in person few days before my flight, looking forward to have someone closer here in the US.

Congrats who just got approved and Goodluck to all whos next in line for the interview!

We have Visa!! Mari picked it up on Tuesday and so after a quick visit to to get the CFO stamp, she's good to go!!

It still seems unreal but she's hangin' in Manila for the next few days and leaving Friday night for San Francisco.

What a challenging experience it has been. But after some bad breaks in the first few months, things have gone very smoothly for us. Just eight little months and finally done!! Actually for us it's almost two and a half years of impatiently waiting! I needed over a year and a half to get a final divorce after being legally separated in 2004.

Soooo thanks for all the notes and our congratulations to the huge group of newly approved couples!! :dance:

To our California friends, Fel and Frank, Steven and Jinky, and Joone and Lyann, we hope to find times soon to meet with you in person before long and have another celebration dinner. Mari and my son Daniel are both dying to go to Disneyland this Summer so we will be in So Cal for sure!

And for so many other of the terrific people Mari has hooked up with, we still have our broadband and our webcam so I hope we can also stay close and continue to help each other and let friendships bloom.

Take care y'all and we'll also continue here in VJ. The immigration process is one looooong journey!

Eric and Mari

PW, Thanks for updating us on the list. Yes we were approved on the 15th, just getting around to a computer. Still waiting for delivery as we were not successful like Gary in convincing the CO to let us pick up the visa. Hopefully by Wednesday as he promised. More later about the ease of the interview. Congrats to those on the 16th, ran into them at Robinson after their interviews. Ken & Maria

Thanks Ken & Maria! It was really nice meeting both of you, you were such a lovely couple. Congrats on ur approval too!

Ingats,

Mari

Well, for me it was because Florenda lives in Cagayan de Oro and waiting for delivery would have been risky given that we are leaving on 2/23. I small delay in the delivery would mean rescheduling flights.

Hi Gary and Florenda! How are you guys? I will be flying to SFO too on 2/23 via PAL as ive been granted visa pickup and hoping to receive a call on tuesday from the USE. Wheres your POE?

It was very nice meeting you both in person.

Regards,

Mari

Thank you everyone! Yessss! It was such a relief that the interview is done and know that youre approved!

Thank you too for being so warm and sooo nice during the get together. Very happy to have met everyone!

Congrats too on all the approvals! Yippppeeee!!!

Mari

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!! :dance:

I heard from Mari and we are approved! In fact ALL the VJers were approved today! Seems like February is "Clear The Backlog!" month.

Congrats to all the new Visa holders!!

Mari said her interview was very easy. The final interviewer was nice and friendly. He even allowed her to arrange for Visa pick-up at the embassy. Sometimes things can go just as you hope.

Also, Mari had a great time at the dinner the night before. She really enjoyed being in such a warm and friendly group!! I wish I could have been there and lifted a glass with all of you. Thanks Gary for hosting!! I'm looking forward to seeing the pics.

Mari and I are so grateful for this site and the great contributions from so many people. We couldn't have done this without ya!!

Eric

to all VJ members and guests!

Enjoy the heart's day! Celebrate it with happiness and with full of love even not physically near with our loveydovey!

Finding them is a good reason to feel truly happy this Valentines Day!

Have a happy one!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Happy Valentines Day to all! and esp to myEric! I love you my bb, your love makes my life beautiful. Miss u!

Getting excited now as I will be flying to Manila tomrw for my interview on Feb 16. Nervous and shaking at the same time too.

Really hoping here for a smooth interview and quick delivery of visa, not just for me but to all!

Wish us the best of luck! Thanks.

See you gurls tomorrow!

Mari

Goodluck Burrito! hope the VISA will be your valentine gift from the CO.

It' now 5:45 Manila. Feb 14th. Burrito, best of luck with the interview. hope it's an extre special Valentine's Day.

a Happy Valentine's Day to all the members here

Interview complete. VISA approved!!!

Congrats!

Well guys here I go! I am getting ready to leave for the airport now. I look forward to our get-together on the 15th to celebrate all of us having successful interviews!! See you there! Bye!

have a safe flight and goodluck!

Regarding the CFO counseling. I see its 250 pesos for the counseling fee but also if I'm reading this right, my fiancee needs to pay authorized registration fee after she comes back to have the sticker on her visa (she plans to attend before the visa is issued)? How much is this later fee? any more fees she needs to pay related to the counseling?

i paid another 400 pesos for the green certificate (guidance and counselling certificate) in the CFO main office. i hope no more fee to be paid when i come back for the sticker.

i saw your timeline and we have same interview with your fiancee, give my goodluck to her and for sure we will all meet there at the US embassy.

lets hope for an easy interview and quick visa delivery!

-Mari

welcome to visajourney and goodluck on her medical and interview!

happy valentines day! keep the love alive always!

-Mari

thanks for sharing! wow, new question for the interview. glad she's able to answer that!

im getting nervous and scared now too, mine will be on friday. wish us luck!

congrats!

-Mari

Congrats! happy to know about her approval. Im getting nervous too for mine on the 16th.

Congrats!

-Mari

We are in Manila now getting ready for interview Tuesday!!!

Goodluck! you will sure get the visa!

Yes, we pray that everyone gets a visa with no problems this week (and everyone to come). This process sometimes makes a person a little crazy, I'm having lots of difficulty sleeping and concentrating on work, etc. Good luck everybody!

Gary

yes! praying everyone here for an easy interview and quick delivery of visa!

goodluck for your interview tomorrow Amerikano! go for gold! thats Thersch words for me!

Goodluck to us all! Thersch, Steve-n-Ana, felnfrank, LuzyC and to all who will be having interview this week! God be with us!

-Mari

Glen and Rosemarie - Break a leg and bring us back an approval. By the by, it's cool to keep your information organized in folders. However, the USE staff is going to demand that you take the applications out from the folders. Don't be discourage by the rudeness of the people working there (of course, not everyone is rude, but enough of them to make you want to slap the taste out of their mouths... LOL). One of my Pinoy friends at work said they're jealous because they can't go to America with you, but he's crazy like that... LOL!

Erichu - Glad to see your time has come... Congrats!!!

Garya505 - I sent an original and copy of my BC to Jhen as well (Just in case). However, it's not required, but it's one of those things just to have in your back pocket (Just in case). But, I'm more than certain that you will not need the petitioner's BC. Only the beneficiary's BC is collected during the pre-interview.

Yes finally our time has come. Cant wait to be together soon. I hope interview will be easy.

Congrats to you too on ur visa approval, wedding and on your ongoing AOS journey.

Thanks!!!

Thanks for sharing what you have prepared, made me stop and said gosh i only have 2 folders to show :... well girl, i think you are good to go! go for gold! see you soon.

Here's mine (hope im good to go too):

Folder 1:

Part 1 - Personal Identification

-Appointment Letter

-DS Forms (157,156 with photos,156K)

-Birth Certicates (Eric & Mari)

-NBI Clearance (Mari)

-Cenomar (Mari)

-Divorce Decree (Eric)

-Letter of Intent to Marry (Eric & Mari)

Part 2 - Evidence of Support

-Notarized I-134

-Employment Letter with Paystubs

-Certificate of Investments

-2006 Bank Statements

-2004 & 2005 W2

-2005 ITR

Part 3 - Evidence of Meeting Prior to the Petition and Proof of A Genuine Relationship

-Money transfer receipts

-Cards and Gifts

-Chats screenshots

-Email screenshots

Folder 2:

-Pictures

-Tickets and Hotel Receipts

Plastic Envelope:

-Loose pictures

My interview will be on Feb 16, i hope everybody will pray for me also. Goodluck to all who will be having interviews next week!

Mari

Eric and Marichu, It looks like you have every document needed for a speedy interview and approval. Best wishes!

Thanks! its a relief to know my docs ok. its getting exciting as the I-day coming sooner and sooner and feeling nervous too!

Im so happy to know that ur Rosemarie is with you already. Gonna be a sweet day always for you now.

gud luck Garya and Erichu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks JelloShotGirl! and Congrats on your visa approval too! You're gonna be together soon!

Goodluck! will pray for an easy and smooth interview for you!

Goodluck girl! Everything will be okay!

Ingat lagi,

Mari