Itsabouttime

2 hours ago, cyberfx1024 said:

Congratulations to you both. That is what happens when you come there with all your ducks in a row.

Thank you!  CO asked to see my SRRV card and luckily she had one piece of paper that had both my old and new SRRV card, three PH Bank ATM cards, my PH dl, and bike registration on it.  CO smiled and handed it back to her?  Interview over.

I had forgotten to add my Philheath card.  

50 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

What was the delivery service, 2GO still?

 

Thanks

Yes

FYI: The B2 visa interview was on Monday July 31st and the 10 year multiple entry visa is in her hand on Wednesday Aug 2nd in Dumaguete City.

Super fast

Last update:. My wife had her tourist visa to the USA approved this morning.  :-)

CO asked just a couple questions:

1.  Why did you not do an AOS when married in the USA under the K-1.  Answer: My husband and daughter live in the Philippines, plus I attend school.   Showed copies of daughter's BC, my Philippines SRRV card, Philippines DL, our Philippines bank accounts.  

Why need a tourist visa:  Answer to travel with my husband to visit his family in the USA, and sightseeing.

In the consulate at 7:00am, done by 7:30am

Thank you for sharing your timeline.  We married in Texas and have the original and ten certified copies of our marriage license.  We had booked roundtrip air tickets b4 leaving the PH and flew out of the USA on schedule on the 87th day after arriving at her POE in Guam.  While in the USA we went to a USCIS office for advice, applied for SSN, and got her medical clearance via the local health department indicating my now wife is cleared of TB.

I must say it was a great experience for all.  My wife immediately bonded with my mom, friends, and family.  Our plan is to visit the USA February through April each year, which is my turn to stay with my mom to provide family care.

After catching up here in Dumaguete she will apply for the tourist visa which will most likely happens in mid June, or approximately one month after our departure.  Lots of pics to back up our family ties.

In short, we did what we promised, her daughter was not part of the k-1, and everything is documented.

We arw flying today to our POE in Guam b4 making it to the mainland in a week or so.  :-)

Yes, its a fairly straight forward process.  A certified copy of the state acknowledment form filing in the cointy courthouse and subsequently in the states vital ststistics database is proof of the common law marraige.  I ll stay on topic.  :-)

Thank you for your concern.  Marriage is state sanctioned.  USCIS will have no problems recognizing what constitutes a legal marriage in the state of Texas.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/FA/htm/FA.2.htm#2.401

Hi!  Texas recognises common law marriage.  Hold yourself to be married, and reside in Texas is the only requirement.  If you want to be more official you can file a state supplied form with the county clerk who will record the form in the public records.  Maybe take 15 minutes.  FYI: A divorce would need to be approved by a judge just as if was a typical licensed wedding.

I ll update the outcome of her tourist visa application four to six months from now.

Hi!  Texas recognises common law marriage.  Hold yourself to be married, and reside in Texas is the only requirement.  If you want to be more official you can file a state supplied form with the county clerk who will record the form in the public records.  Maybe take 15 minutes.

Your faster point of entry is Guam.  Four hour flight from Manila.

After TB DOTS is complete the SLEC medical exam is valid for 90 days from the date the last culture result is reported as negative.

Verified in her K1 interview and her visa expiration matched it to the day.  Exactly 90 days from her last culture result.

Update!  CO interview was interesting with no AOS intent, and her K1 visa was approved after a +/- 10 minute interview.  I submitted my last two years tax returns and proof of my Philippines residence visa.

After the interview CEAC status showed ready for 7 days, refused for 9 days, bavk to ready for two days, then issued.

Visa is in hand and we depart this Saturday with a late May return.

It is doable!  :-). Interview was very easy, and the CO was very nice to us.

Thank you! I found the CDC guidelines regarding the 90 days validity.

I had read the K1 visa expiration date is based on six months from the date of the last sputum sample date when in the St Luke's DOTS program. I had thought is was six months from St Luke's final remed passed date versus six months from the date of the last negative sputum sample taken date.

For those who went through DOTS can you check if the visa expiration date indicates six months from the last sputum date regardless of the embassy visa approval date.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks again! I have both the income and cash assets. I would think should just need to show the i134 though will have all the supporting docs if AOS is anticipated by the CO.

Thanks again! No problem with income. I m also retired and cash assets can be withdrawn without delay.

Thank you! She has completed the CFO seminar in Cebu City. After the k1 is issued and passport returned she will return to get the CFO sticker placed in her passport.

In the previous tourist visa interview she had thought the CO had asked if we have children, which she said no. The question was actually does she have children, which she does. A child here is a strong tie.

For the Philippines I hold a Special Resident Retirees Visa (SRRV). The SRRV is a lifetime, multiple entry visa. I just need to renew my SRRV photo ID every three years. I'm exempt from alien registration and do not require an exit clearance. I have three bank accounts in the Philippines, own a vehicle, pay insurance, home lease, home full of furniture, good friends here, etc. I own nothing in the USA, except an online business, rent a PO box, and maintain one bank account, and one stock trading account. I do maintain my primary medical in the USA. A side note is i will enroll in the national Philheath program next year.

I understand. I have zero concerns about the K1 visa interview. Proof of a genuine relationship, intent to marry, no legal or medical bars, etc. All easily proven since I live with my fiance here in the Philippines for years. She has recently completed the St Luke's 6 month DOTS program, and our situation is similar to others, except we will return to the Philippines.

The tourist visa will be approved or denied based on the interview and her showing strong ties here in the Philippines. It s subjective so best you can do is be honest and prove the ties ad best you can.

We will be completely honest in our plans if asked any questions. All they can say is no to a tourist visa though the K1 is virtually assured since we have lived together for years here, and I have more than sufficient income, and readily available cash assets to do an AOS if we chose that direction. Though I have domicile in the Philippines I have maintained strong ties to the USA to easily reestablish domicile there. Not the end of the world....

Thx Dave! She was denied a tourist visa as my fiance when I was visiting my father. I understand that problem.. fast forward and soon we will be married and I still reside permanently in the Philippines. Her returning to the Philippines after marriage and travels to Europe will help when she applies for the B visa.

We don't intend to live in the USA. Just would prefer she can freely travel to the USA when I do. Tourist visa is the appropriate category for her in the future.

I ll update this thread as we move through the process. Good thing is she won t immigrate during the 90 day window while in the USA so the odds are she won t do it on a tourist visa. Also, we ve both been vetted during the k1 process so the likelihood of an overstay on a tourist visa is null. She had completed DOTS so no health risk either.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I m thinking once we return from the USA without AOS, her child is not part of our petition and will remain in the Pl, I hold permanent residency in the Pl, not domiciled in the USA for over four years, and travelled to other 1st world countries, is building her case for strong ties here for a tourist visa later on.

As far as doing a CR or IR petition later so we can live in the USA at some point in the future is not in our long term plans.

The tourist visa would allow her to travel with me for family visits, medical care, or for any reason you want your spouse by your side. Many years from now when I pass she can apply to reside in the USA as the widow of a USC under the time window allowed for that immigrant visa classification.

I was in the USA with my family after my father passed and filed there even though I could of filed here in Philippines upon my return. Matter of timing and conveinance.