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My husband made it here after a bit more trouble on May 04, just after midnight.

So freaking happy it is over!!

His interview went well but we were missing his original certificate of marriage. (Aka CEMAR or CENOMAR.) It had arrived at the address we had it shipped to the night before the interview and we couldn't get the original delivered in time. So 8 days later they just issued his visa today. 

Successful Medical 

Received his appointment date for interview at the embassy in Manila last Saturday morning for April 17th at 8:10 AM!!

I am so excited!

However, That same time I received news that my mother-in-law just passed away during that night. We are so devastated, she was only 49 years old. Some complications from hyperthyroid caused her heart to fail. 

It looks like I will be flying there April 10- May 1st. And we will fly back together.

Good to know what it was for sure!

But the other thought that crossed my mind is that they might want to be sure she is going on her own accord and not being forced or trafficked, but good to know that it was because of her privacy  

Good she has open communication with you!

Sorry I answered my own question! CALLED NVC and they said as of today the case is COMPLETE!!! 

They are just waiting for the available interview dates from the Philippine embassy to come out and they will schedule it.!

396 days later! 

TODAY! 

The Affidavit of Support STATUS on the CEAC website disappeared and the visa status check looks like this:

Does this mean our case is moving on to Consular Processing?

On 2/19/2018 at 9:31 AM, Binna said:

You may continue updating an incomplete application but you cannot update a completed DS-260 form.

 

To access your application again, you need the assistance of NVC or the U.S. Embassy or Consulate at which you plan to apply. It shouldn't affect the processing time as it is just an update too a form.

I called NVC and they said that my husband can update it at the time of the interview appointment, but at this point in the case they cannot.

Also since Feb 2nd my checklist items have yet to be reviewed. So, the wait continues... I had a dream this morning that the paid status for his AOS on ceac.state.gov had changed to complete.I know it was just a dream but  I was disappointed when I checked it this morning, just in-case. That prompted the call to the NVC and since then I am trying to talk myself into being more patient with this process. 

It has been a long time now since I filled out the DS-260 Online, I moved since then and was looking over the information I put into it. Should I update it, or would it disturb the process? I hear it takes about 3 weeks to process again. Does anyone have any experience with this? I did update my official address already, but this is specifically in the DS-260 form. 

In addition here's an excerpt from (yes, I know Wikipedia...):

Machismo  <--Link to clip above

Aside from my observation, she is just 3 years older than me. I have many friends who are filipinas and let me tell you, she's still very much a young person still. Hence the betty boop stuff and playing games on her phone. Do reach out to her and see if there is an activity that you guys can make a hobby, for the 2 of you. Something like bowling, or a sport you can engage in with your pets, do you have space for a garden? Being vegetarian can be quite a hardship for a filipino spouse. I am vegetarian and my husband isn't... There are times when we feel like we are a very unlikely match. I want to encourage you to maybe try learning to cook some simple things that you like and show her how, let her watch you, or watch cooking shows with her. Take her to Atlanta and go to a market like H-Mart or Other Asian markets and show her your interest in things she's used to, if she's been there for 2 years, show her that you still appreciate where she is from. It sounds to me like you have very little commonality and she may feel like there isn't any connection between you other than sex. (when you did have it) 

I haven't noticed any Filipino's who enjoy conflict, or discussions about problems or coming together to talk about things that might be difficult to say.

On top of that, if she is more reserved and shy with you now, versus in the Philippines, it might be that because there, she was expected to allow you to do those things while you were courting her. (To be a good option for you to marry her.) She was not taught to use her voice and let you know what she felt comfortable with. Now that you two are married, she feels that as long as she cares for you, she's doing her duty. Maybe she never expected a passion-filled marriage with you because she was probably told, that with the age difference you just wanted a woman companion, and she would learn to have feelings for you later. Maybe she just resigned herself to her life (bahala na), and hopes you will just continue to let her serve you and take care of your home without requiring her to sleep with you. Maybe she hasn't developed those feelings and just let you choose her.

Just my observation.

Well, fellow January 2017 filers it is now 12 months later! 

Today, at 11:00 AM, the NVC received the final info they requested on the checklist. (Thanks to the IRS, it took 4.5 months to get my 2016 Tax Transcripts)

I am so anxious for this to be over and I am praying the review of the checklist items won't take all of the 11 possible weeks!

I feel like if it goes well he could be here as soon as March. I'm trying not to think about it so much that I start to stress out, but I'm so ready for this long-distance marriage to be over, and our "normal" married life to begin. LDR's are so stressful when you already had a life together before the decision to immigrate. That separation is just unbearable, as you all know, too well!   

This kind of agony just takes the life right out of a relationship!
 

A BIG CONGRATS to those who have been granted their visas!

A Hopeful 2018 to all of us on the waiting side...!

I guess they figure if we passed through hell to get that far we might as well get on with it... gah, all that apprehension though!?

Congrats to those January peeps who have been approved and had interviews!!

I am indeed jealous, very jealous for you all in the best way. 

I am so emotionally spent on this whole process and would love for it to be over, the struggle has been real. I will finally have the checklist complete this Monday.

On 11/3/2017 at 5:45 AM, Indi91 said:

Just called the NVC and figured out that I am getting a checklist for a missing affidavit of support. My attorney did send it and now my case has been sent over to a supervisor. Any one else has faced the same issue?

Yes, I did. I have yet to send my second one, because I moved and filed my taxes recently. So I need to wait on the transcript to be available. 

Wow! I didn't check in here for a few days and wow is all I can say! 

CONGRATS to those who have dates for interviews!!

I finally got my husband's NBI police clearance. And I am about to submit it. 

We had a lot of trouble because his name had a record showing, but it was someone else with his name, not him. So the first one took 14 days to process, and then he went back to pick it up and they made a mistake on it and it showed him as single, not as married. This was not his fault but theirs, and they had to reprocess it but still he had to pay for a second one! I was so mad, because it took another 10 days to reprocess! Now that I have it in hand I hope to get this mailed before the weekend so we can get the second review process underway.

The updated my address (it took 3 weeks for them to do that!)

Anyway, good luck people!

So the affidavit of support form expires on 07/31/2017. 

And that's the one still posted on the government website.

Does anyone know where to download an updated version or if there is one?

An update, the 2 things wrong with my IV Package were:

1.I had a local Police Clearance and not the NBI Version.

My husband's National Police Clearance: which took 14 days to finish processing due to a "hit" on his name. They had to process it to make sure that other person with the record was not him. So he will travel to Manila on Sunday and hopefully pick it up on Monday. So I will finally have it to send into the NVC. 

2 My Affidavit of Support:

I have a joint sponsor

I didn't see that part about the sponsor and the joint sponsor must each complete the FORM! *Face Palm* So I have filled one out...but I didn't do my taxes yet for 2016 so that's another problem.

As far as my taxes go:

I didn't know about the NRA spouse + Filing Separately option. So, when I tried to file my taxes before the deadline in April, it wasn't accepted via E-file since my husband doesn't have an SSN. So I then ran into the problem that I had tried to file Married, filing jointly. I got frustrated and gave up. I didn't make much money last year at all due to training for a new job and then getting going in it as a Independent Contractor. So I made less than $5,000. Still, the person helping me try to file my taxes didn't realize the issue with my husband being abroad and not having an SSN yet. So now I have to try and figure out what to do since I didn't file an extension. (I got so frustrated!) Getting him an ITIN was out of the question, since I can't get a certified copy of his passport. 

 Do I just file my taxes late and of course pay the penalties? (NRA spouse + Filing Separately)

I don't think I can just file my AOS without filing my taxes first. Even if I explain what the issue was....right?

Any advice is appreciated!

4 hours ago, LaurenAndBrent said:

Ahhhh! Lil update - I had a  VERY last minute tonsillectomy on Wednesday... that's kinda irrelevant but basically im now recovering at home and have been checking the ceac website a few times every day. My husband phoned NVC on Monday which was our 6 week since scan date and they said to check back within a week or two as it was in the review department... When I was in hospital I read a silly horoscope and it said "you will receive interesting news by letter or email on Friday"... Ok so usually im not a believer in all that stuff but it made me smile. Well, guess FRICKIN what! Case complete as of today! No official update yet but the case status has turned to "At NVC" and our AOS section has disappeared. Sooooo excited! Making the pain of recovery so much more bearable right now  happy weekend everyone! 

OMG! My heart is so happy for you guys!! 

On 11/30/2010 at 11:18 AM, lbounds said:

Just to update this with my experience from this trip. When I got to LAX to get my boarding pass the airline wouldn't let me board without getting a return to US ticket. So I had to buy a ticket at the airport. They assured me that when I got to manila Korean air could change my ticket later for a different departure date.

Later when I was in Manila at Korean air office and I knew about when I wanted to leave they wouldn't change my ticket or give me a refund. They said there was no available flights and refund would take 3 weeks.

I had to fly back on a different airline and eventually I got most of the refund though I still lost about $200.

I'll never make that mistake again. Just passing on my experience.

This is what happened to me when I went there to go to school. I bought a 1 way ticket, and the airline wouldn't let me check in without a return ticket, or an outbound ticket. So I bought one for $60 going to Hong Kong, and made sure it was refundable. I got my money back for the ticket without any problems once I had my student visa for the Philippines. 

This was a direct flight from SFO to MNL on Philippine Airlines. The ticket to Hong Kong was Philippine Airlines too. 

8 hours ago, Mini said:

Yes NBI is the correct one. I had same experience with my mom. I got police clearance , but its NBi

There are so many types of clearance in PH. Barangay, Local Police, then NBI. *Sigh* A good rookie mistake I guess. After all I am a rookie. *facepalm*

12 hours ago, ECBZ said:

Sadly my husband returned to Belize yesterday. We had a great visit and it was so hard to drive away from the airport.  After a long day of working and fighting back tears I checked my e-mail and saw a notification of his interview date!  So the big day is September 19th!  It is overwhelming reading the letter because there are so many emotions!  I was so happy to read it and finally have that date to look forward to.  Then I was nervous hoping it all goes well and that all the documentation is in order especially with regards to the checklist for my tax information.  Sending lots of positive thoughts to y'all! 

Awwww yaya!! Good for you! Congrats!

53 minutes ago, RamStu said:

If you originally did not submit the NBI clearance along with your packet, then yes you need to go ahead and obtain it. According to other posts, VJ members also received a checklist because they did not submit a NBI clearance as shown on NVC's website. If you look at the document finder at NVC, they tell you that they only want a NBI clearance and nothing else:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country/RP.html

 

Please also see this post regarding NBI clearance for the Philippines. In conclusion, folks who originally submit an NBI clearance did not have any issues:

 

 

If you originally submitted an NBI clearance, I would call NVC and speak with a supervisor to see what the root cause is. I hope this helps, GL. 

I only had him do local police clearance. 

So he should go to Manila and get NBI Clearance 

I feel so dumb about missing that bit of info! 

I got the checklist. I have to mail the documents to them.... 

______10 - PHILIPPINES NBI CLEARANCE:______________________________
We cannot accept the police certificate document you sent. You must send us the correct
document so we can continue to process your case. To see the guidelines for your document,
go to our website at
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country.html. Enter your
country of birth in the box at the top of the page. The next page will be your country's
"reciprocity schedule". Click on "Police, Court, Prison Record" on the left-hand side. This will
take you to a page with the exact requirements for the type of police certificate you must
submit to the NVC.

I went to the correct page: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country/RP.html

So he has to go to Manila to get his NBI Clearance? 

Anyone else have any experience about this they could share?
 

This is really asking for a whole new level of patience isn't it? 

I have to take another "visit" trip to see him I guess. I can't wait for a year to pass without seeing him again. 

This is such a sad day....