Moofy

Thank you everyone for your replies. So I guess things are up in the air at this point as to whether or not they will require an interview? How long after Biometrics do we usually hear something about the next step?

Also, for the Biometrics appointment, my understanding is she only needs to bring her Green Card and nothing more; correct?

Just received a Form I-797C the other day that says: "To process your application, petition or request, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) must capture your biometrics."

It then indicates our appointment (in less than 2 weeks) and says she needs to bring Photo Identification.

Note this is the first response since we filed the core I-751 back in May. Also, we did an Interview to receive her initial green card (back in 2017).

So my questions are:

1) This is not an interview, just a picture and fingerprinting, correct?

2) If they are responding with this biometric appointment, does that mean they will not require an interview for the 10-year GC approval?

3) Does the new health insurance requirement impact our submission at all? Should we take proof of insurance just so they can put it in the record?

Thanks!

We EMailed the PH Embassy in Vancouver and they confirmed we're welcome (as US Citizens) to come and renew her passport there. I'll let everyone know when it's done (her appointment is scheduled for next week).

Hey AK - did they say "why" they rejected the renewal of the passport?

The question was about her coming back to the US because the PH embassy will take her passport and leave her only with her Green Card to re-enter via the Blaine border. Was just making sure she didn't need a Green Card AND a passport to re-enter the US. The border has been a rough place lately (coming into the US).

I am curious if any PH citizens who are green card holders have gone to Canada (Vancouver) to renew their PH passport? If so, how do you get back into the US? My understanding is they would take the Passport (leaving you only with your Green Card) - is this correct? Is there a way to drive up to Vancouver, get your PH Passport renewed and easily return to the US?

Thanks!

Gotcha. Making sure there wasn't some requirement associated with this process. Thanks for the clarification!

I just read an article stating the US now requires social media information for visa applications, yet looking at the current I-751, there is no such field or requirement listed. Is it not required for the I-751 because it's technically not an application? Just curious.

1 minute ago, Paul & Mary said:

Have you considered renewing her passport from the US?   We did ours from Mexico City and Mary had her new one in about 2 weeks.

I think we are going to do that - just take the trip, come back and renew. I believe we'll end up going to the Vancouver BC embassy to do it since we're in Bellingham. My understanding is we can't "mail" it anywhere. The closest embassy in the US to us is the Bay Area, but I don't want to have to pay hundreds of dollars just to fly there to renew a passport.

So I think Vancouver is our best option.

Thank you to everyone for your feedback.

5 hours ago, Hank_ said:

1)  Being a citizen of the Philippines your wife doesn't need 6 months of validity of the passport to fly there, that 6 month requirement is for foreigners traveling TO a foreign country.

Thank you Hank - so the question is will she encounter an issue coming back to the US (since her passport expires in less than 6 months) even though she has a valid Green Card? I would assume not.

I'm shocked how much confusion there is around all of this - in my day, things were fine until expired. Now it seems they've created all the rules no rational person could know about without discussions like this. Crazy - and unnecessary.

Her passport isn't expired; it expires in July. But she won't have time to wait for the new one during her trip (she's actually in PH only 11-12 days and can't get an appt until the middle of her trip). So the question is can she get her new passport and travel back to the US on her old one while we wait for them to ship the new one to our address here in the US?

Or does she just forego the entire passport thing and we take a trip to Vancouver when she returns? (the closest embassy)

Thank you for your response, Pay! So I looked at the DFA site and the whole 6-month thing was VERY confusing the way it was worded, and my wife has all of these Filipino friends telling her it's going to be an issue. Can you point me to any details online posted by the Filipino government to confirm what you've represented?

You said they "typically" don't take the old one. Are we risking her losing her Passport and getting stuck in the Philippines if she tries to renew there? I just want to make 100% sure because even expediting the passport, there's no way she could have the new one before she had to fly back to the US.

My wife has her 2-year Green Card (expires in August 2019 so we're coming up on the renewal) and a Brown Philippines Passport that expires in July 2019.

She was planning on flying back to Bohol in two weeks for a 2-week duration to visit her family and renew her passport; but upon further study we're finding some issues.

1) What is the 6-month expiration visit Philippines thing? A friend told her if her passport expires in under 6 months they won't let her travel. Is this true? What is this? Does her having a valid Green Card with a return ticket address any issue?

2) If she renews her passport in the Philippines can she fly back on our old one while we wait for the new one? She was planning on going to Cebu to renew her passport. Will they take her passport and will she be stuck there until she gets her new one?

3) Is there any reason or way she could get "stuck" in the Philippines, unable to return?

Any details to help plan this trip would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

So they issued the SS card/Number when we had a legit immigration document, but due to "unknown" factors it was never received; and now they won't re-issue a replacement card for a number already assigned (which we have).

*facepalm*

Thanks to everyone for your feedback; I guess we'll wait until her work permit is received and then go back in.

But she's already been issued the SSN and they already sent a card, claiming it was returned, so technically they are denying a replacement card based on her K-1 being expired.

None of that makes sense...

My wife arrived here on her K-1 and we were married within the 90-day period. Before we were married, we went to the Social Security Office to apply for her SSN. All was fine. They said we'd have it in 2-3 weeks.

It never arrived. A month later, I called; the main office "didn't know" where it was. I asked if they could send it again and they said we could apply for a replacement. We did that (via mail). Another month. Nothing. I called the local office here and they said we couldn't mail anything for a replacement and we had to come in again. We went in about 3 weeks ago. They gave us her SSN (but not the card) and said the original card (mailing) was "destroyed" (e.g. they mailed it) because it was "returned". Makes no sense given her name is on our mailbox and we know the mailman and he was looking for it (thus it never arrived).

They told us a new card would be on the way.

We just received a letter yesterday saying a card would not be sent because "Your legal immigration status and/or document(s) will expire before an SSN card can be issued to you."

*facepalm*

We've already submitted the documents and begun the process for her Green Card and Work Authorization.

So... they gave us her SSN number and claim a card was already sent but returned (which means it was issued just fine it was just never delivered) and then told us it would be sent again and now we're being told it will not.

Any recommendations on how to deal with this government-issued special kind of stupid?

*sigh* Spouse is not a relative, and they use the term Spouse vs. Relative differently in the other forms. I figured this was the correct answer, but just wanted to confirm. And yes, I checked the sample forms online but the ones I found weren't related to a K-1 marriage. Another reason I posted here was so we can get this on Google as I'm sure many others will think the same thing "my spouse is not my relative... where is the option for spouse?" Anyway. Thanks for the confirmation.

Starting the AoS for my K-1 wife. The I-864 part 1 has no logical definition or reference for filing on behalf of my K-1 wife. Which option do I choose?

Todd/PHCEO, it’s obvious Ryan sent you here for damage control and that your relationship with him is beyond professional. You are not here “only to share (your) experience” but are clearly here to defend Ryan. This is reaffirmed by your underhanded and passive attack attempting to insinuate my intention is only to defame Ryan (which is counter to your statement you are only here with “good will to all” and “not to attack or defend anyone”). You are not. Your presence, timing and style is dubious and serves ulterior motives.

I’m sure you’ll keep posting, articulating defenses, justifications, and such. It’s nice that Ryan has somebody to do that for him. Just remember, you’re here now because Ryan royally screwed up and he’s now using you to defend his reputation. This is also putting you in a position to defend your credibility and motives.

I see no further need to respond to your posts. I have said everything I need to. The goal of this thread was to learn about other people’s experiences. We now know about yours. Let’s see if anyone else decides to chime in.

Or... that is Ryan posting

While I don't want to jump to conclusions that may be incorrect, that was my first thought, which is why I've asked the moderators to look into the source IP of PHCEO's posts. If they come from Makita City, we've got a serious issue (which will result in further investigation and reporting). Either way, I think we can all agree PHCEO's representations and involvement in this thread is rather dubious and/or strange.

I would contact the State Bar or country bar association and file a grievance case against him for that.

Is he US or Philippines based?

He operates both in the Philippines and New York. I already warned him I would file complaints with both BAR associations. As such, I've already started the drafts and should have them sent out this upcoming week.

So your positive posts about Ryan were not truly voluntary, but initiated (and possibly directed) by his sending you the link (otherwise you would not be aware of this thread). You also claim to have merely a professional relationship with him, yet he sent you a link to a public forum where another client of his posted they had “issues” and you decided you would create a new account, share a positive experience about him, claim another person you know had a positive experience, and then recommend one avoids legal action and that in the end the lawyers win, and I should try to “work things out”.

He’s basically using you to make public statements to make him look good in this thread. My guess is he’s also hoping your posts draw out specific details regarding my complaints in a public forum.

That’s not going to happen. This is not the place for that. Until you arrived and started posting, I was keeping things very generic and initially I merely asked if anyone had any experience with him (without saying anything negative at all – until I was asked about it).

While you claim you had a positive experience, my fiancée and I did not. I gave Ryan the chance to make things right. He responded by threatening me (with legal action), which included him saying he would release “intimate and quite graphic” details about my fiancée and me in court proceedings in order to try and convince me to pay him more money. That’s the type of person he really is. That is just one reason I am going after him and holding him accountable not only for misrepresentation and incompetence, but also unethical behavior.

If you have worked with as many lawyers as you claim you have, you should really know better about what’s going on here, why he sent you the link, and why he got you to post here on his behalf.

Why would Ryan EMail somebody who he just has a "professional relationship" with a link to this thread? That makes no sense.

I have see and read over the year of lawyers screwing up fiancé / Spousal visas, by not knowing the process or providing bad information to the clients, this seems to be common.

Good Luck on your journey.

Yup, why is why they need to be held accountable. I also find it interesting the individual in this thread (PHCEO) saying they and somebody they know had a good experience with Ryan created their account just yesterday solely to post those statements. Seems rather dubious to me.

PHCEO; I see you just joined VisaJourney yesterday - may I ask what brought you here and how you found this thread?

Interesting how everyone assumes I'm going to sue him I do have years of experience in State and Federal court (where I also prevailed), so taking action isn't an issue for me. But PHECO is correct, legal action is generally a losing situation for both parties, it's just a matter of degree - but accountability is important to me. I'm not going to get into detail as to why I have issues with Ryan, but needless to say he made a number of mistakes, refused to take accountability and then threatened me. I have an issue with such behavior and will be doing my best to hold him accountable. He also violated at least one (if not more) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. It's unfortunate because he was very friendly, communicative and responsive at the beginning, but the second things went wrong he turned into a different person. Even my fiancee, who is a very laid back and sweet young lady, is very upset with him and supports action being taken because of his behavior and how things were handled.