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Mike V

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  • Gender
    Male
  • City
    Minneapolis
  • State
    Minnesota

Immigration Info

  • Immigration Status
    Other
  • Our Story
    Started with K1, spouse & kids now have their green cards, currently doing I-130 filings for single adult children.

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  1. The question remains: Why can't/won''t he use ESTA like most European tourists? If there is something in his past that disqualifies him from ESTA, it likely has the same effect on a B2 visa application.
  2. There is no divorce in the Philippines. Your only way out is to petition for a civil annulment. As they say (don't remember exactly, but you'll get the idea) $2K gets you a lawyer and maybe an annulment in 5 years. $10K gets you a lawyer who went to law school with the judge, and you'll have your annulment in a year. My step-daughter shed her loser almost 6 years ago and has been trying to get an annulment for 2-3 years. It does not look good. I'm planning to file an EB-2 for her in 1-1.5 years after she gets her masters in special ed. and a job in that field.
  3. Thanks, we parked there. Cost was $27 with the post-appointment stop at Jollibee.
  4. We were asked specifically to document our relationship, including affidavits from people who knew us. The "conditional" part of the two-year green card means that it is conditional on a continuing relationship that must be substantiated. Otherwise there would be no point in having the "conditional" status in the first place. Yes, there are exceptions, but unless you qualify for an exception, you definitely must provide evidence of the continuing relationship.
  5. After 2 years the Removal of Conditions requires evidence of a continuing marriage relationship. This appears unlikely. However there is an exception for domestic abuse. I'd suggest you contact an immigration attorney to ensure that all bases are covered. Above all, be safe. It's a really sad story, but this is what can happen if you're not proactive: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/178509/texas-man-killed-filipina-wife-stored-body-in-freezer-police
  6. What is the best/closest place to park at the Chicago Consulate? Wife & kids are renewing their passports next Wednesday. I was just going to drive around and pick them up at the end of their appointment hour, but since there is now a Jollibee on the same block as the Consulate, that isn't going to work.
  7. They have to learn when & how to say "no", we can't do that for them.
  8. I've never heard of it being enforced, and with your wife living outside PH it would be difficult to enforce. But it's still the law as well as a cultural expectation. Unless/until your wife appreciates the need to set some reasonable limitations, the giving will continue.
  9. It's not just cultural; it's also a legal obligation (Philippine "Family Code") that extends to support of grand-parents/children and siblings as well as your own spouse & children.
  10. When I first met my wife, I started covering the living & college expenses for her kids, eventually 4 of them. My wife owned their house free & clear, so there was no rent or mortgage. $100 per month per person covered covered their living expenses. College expenses in the Philippines run about $100 per month, more for professional majors. $300 a month + rent (if any) would appear to cover what they really need.
  11. You are correct. When I went to their CEAC page, the "Start Now" link was greyed (inactive) and the expected information was displayed: The email was very misleading & disingenuous, got their hopes up only to be disappointed. They should say something like "file is in order and ready for processing, refer to the Visa Bulletin ..." or whatever. But "approved" is very much the wrong word in that context. The real approval comes from the embassy ... eventually. So I told my wife about this CEAC page. Unfortunately I had earlier given my wife the NVC phone # and told her to call. She called, then came back & told me I was wrong, it really was "approved". I ended reading her the "Summary Info" word for word and suggesting they try to apply and let me know how it goes. Haven't heard anything back yet and don't expect do. Thanks again! We'll probably have another round of this when she gets the "approval" notice for the oldest son (age 31) whose I-130 was filed at the same time.
  12. With a Manila case number MNL2022xxxxxx?
  13. Background: In 2016 I filed for a fiance visa for my wife and her 3 youngest children In March of 2017 I received notice that the file was approved by NVC and on its way to Manila Oldest of the 3 kids was 20, turning 21 on April 12, 2017. Embassy did the best to expedite the case, but ... Wife was sidetracked for 2 months of TB testing Oldest of the 3 aged out TB cleared, the had their embassy interview in early June, 2017. Embassy asked for a police report of a misspelling of her family name that had been corrected on her birth certificate She sent the police report, embassy neglected to read their mail She called them, they got things rolling & sent the passports back with the visas in them They (wife-to-be & 2 youngest children) arrived via JFK on 26 July 2017, the one who aged out did not get to make the trip Next ... In August of 2019 we file I-130's for the two unmarried adult children, weren't expecting their priority dates to come up for another 7-8 years (currently processing Philippine F2B's with 22 October 2011 priority dates) I'm assuming that the NOA date of 29 August 2019 is his priority date In February, 2022 (last month) The one who aged out received a study visa from Canada and is now attending school in Ottawa, Ontario Today ... Wife received email notice with MNL & NVC case numbers that the application for the one who aged out has been approved, needs to apply for his visa. So what's changed? 3 possibilities I can think of: It's a mistake. Biden's immigration proposals included no longer aging out kids who turn 21 during the visa process. Last I heard Biden's immigration proposals were pigeon-holed in various House and Senate committees, and nothing decisive has been in Congress, but perhaps they are doing this administratively -- making amends for kids recently aged out? They''ve shortened the priority date for Philippine F2B's, but the current (March 2022) Visa Bulletin says their processing priority dates of 22 October Has anyone had any similar experiences recently? We don't want to ruin it for him, but we don't understand why this is happening and the best way to proceed. Can his interview be done in Ottawa? I doubt his Canadian visa will allow multiple entries, which would preclude going back to Manila for an interview & the returning to school.
  14. Foreigners can't legally purchase or own land in the Philippines. The "best" you can do is give them the money to buy their mango farm and then hope that you remain in the picture. Thankfully my wife's extended Philippine family never asks for anything. We contribute very occasionally to help with major events, e.g. funerals, but they've never asked. Of the 3 adult step-children still there, two are in college (one in grad school) and progressing well. It's a lot cheaper to put them through school there than here. The 3rd one is becoming a bit of a bum, dropped out of college and is now trying to finagle his way to Canada on a student visa that is likely fraudulent. I refused to be involved any further when I heard the details of what they were doing. We should find out shortly if he will be studying in Canada, or if his visa application has been rejected with a ban on re-applying.
  15. Thank you! At this point his plan would be to stay in Canada. Most foreign graduates of that program remain in Canada as permanent residents. His girlfriend (currently working as an au pair in Denmark) is a nutritionist and is also interested in Canadian opportunities. Canada is seriously seeking immigrants, and unlike the U.S. they are not focused on people who will have $60K+ salaries. Of the 3 children still in PH, this one dropped out of college and has no other clear path out of PH except to wait another 8+ years for his priority date to come up. The other two will be much better positioned -- daughter already has her degree & first teaching job & is starting grad school (SPED, ESL). Other brother (English major, trying to get him to focus on ESL) is a year behind her. There are serious shortages of both SPED & ESL teachers in the U.S. "Caregiver" isn't always the minimum wage job some think it is. My wife has been working as a caregiver in a nursing home for 3+ years, earns $15.40 / hour with full benefits and lots of overtime. But other than becoming a CNA & a lead caregiver (she's already both) there's no further career path.
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