RO_AH

4 minutes ago, smore said:

Have not met in person yet, have that planned. So cannot file the K1 yet. But we are just thinking what is best if all goes well when we meet, would K1 be better or return for marriage and than file spousal. Just kicking around ideas and thoughts, trying to be proactive and all, both of us are trying to be proactive.

If you want the fastest, then when you go there to meet, schedule a Utah wedding while you are there. Not something I would recommend because if you are planning to spend a lifetime together, a week or two of in person time is not near enough "together" time.

44 minutes ago, smore said:

I am not sure you read into things each time I ask a question and go WAY OFF in left field when nothing in my question or responses suggests what you are referring to.

I am almost always quote something in particular when responding. If I mistook what you meant when you said it was so confusing after @Crazy Cat posted factual information, I apologize. Searching aimlessly on Google can definitely get confusing. Half of my job is searching Google so you get good at targeting your search terms but even for me it can lead me to a lot of incorrect answers.

18 minutes ago, smore said:

Its just strange how things flipped around where CR-1/IR-1 is now quicker than K1.

Maybe, but in my opinion CR1 should be prioritized over K-1. CR1 you are petitioning an actual family member and K1 you are petitioning a possible family member.

13 minutes ago, smore said:

Again thanks for your help, many sites say K1 is much quicker, and other sites say CR-1/IR-1 is quicker, so its very difficult to really know.

Not really difficult. What @Crazy Cat posted are actual cases. These are not "he said, she said" results. If you trust the other sites, why ask here? If you trust here, why ask there? Are you looking for what you want to hear or are you looking for factual information. If it's factual information you are looking for, @Crazy Cat provided it above.

3 hours ago, Mello3 said:

Our embasssy interview is currently scheduled for Dec 5th

That is almost 2 months away. I would not start worrying yet.

9 hours ago, TXMan322 said:

So it's been a roller coaster on that front for sure!

I was lucky that from day 1 my wife let me handle the entire process.

9 hours ago, Chancy said:

One of the skills you have to learn as a husband-to-be of a Filipina is how to deal with FB-induced anxiety from reading about other cases and rumors in Filipino FB groups

9 hours ago, TXMan322 said:

Hahahaha well believe me, I know all about that.  The ONLY arguments we ever seem to have, is because during this whole process, she is constantly second guessing my every move because, "my cousin said this", "my friend and her fiancé did it like this", "a girl I met a SLEC said it would be like that".   The after she freaks out, it's revealed that the cousin was a CR1, the friend was a B2, and the SLEC girl was a H-1!!    I keep reminding her that our case is different.  All cases are different!    She agrees and settles down..then 3 days later it all starts up again...the rumors....the fears....all of it.  So it's been a roller coaster on that front for sure!

Hahaha, not just social media, it's all their neighbors and friends too. I have termed it "they said". My wife will tell me something ridiculous and I will ask her where she heard that. She will say "they said". I told her I would love to write a book of all of the "they saids" I have heard.

11 hours ago, Joseph V said:

Anyways, my gf tried to explain to the officer and after about 30 minutes of questions, she was finally issued one.

Sounds like par for the course. They will make you jump through hoops until they have satisfied their ego. They always end up giving it to you in the end. Congrats!

1 hour ago, madmanmike said:

Ok. I bow to your superior knowledge. I’ve only been a member here since 2007. 

Ok whatever. I did mean active, I am sorry if you feel attacked. I am not posting it for you. I am trying to bring clarity for others that read the post now and in the future. It's not a competition, and if I get something wrong I will not be upset if someone corrects me or brings clarity to what I said.

12 hours ago, madmanmike said:

There are plenty of posts here from beneficiaries relating tales of their CFO interview.

Been a regular on this forum for well over a decade. I am well aware.

12 hours ago, madmanmike said:

Some are told that they don’t need to show certain docs because the interviewer is familiar with the visa process and knows what was required for that. 

It has nothing to do with the interviewers knowledge of our immigration process, and most are totally unaware of our process and have a loose understanding of their own process.

12 hours ago, madmanmike said:

So, yes, the 2 processes are not legally related, but there is certainly crossover between them. It’s just the luck of the draw as to which interviewer you get that day. 

Zero crossover, and all about who you get. The only crossover is that they both may require some of the same documents. Also they are always much harder on K1 holders that CR1/IR1 holders and yes it always depends on who you get. My wife's was simple because we had been married almost 3 years and had 2 children already. Plus ours was just a phone call due to covid.

12 hours ago, madmanmike said:

And I can see them doing that if the marriage was to take place in the Philippines. But seeing how it is not, the K1 process has already verified single civil status of the petitioner.

Our immigration process has nothing to do with them so that's irrelevant.

12 hours ago, madmanmike said:

It just seems like they enjoy putting the screws to us. And I really can’t figure out why. 

It's just that mall cop complex.

I agree that the Utah wedding is the best choice. Wait for the recognition of divorce to go through before doing ROM. The only issue you may possibly run into is the CFO. If they ask for CENOMAR you will receive CEMAR as long as the divorce recognition has not gone through yet. However they may still accept your divorce decree as proof of marriage 1 ending.

In my opinion you should always just file the ROM. Just make your life easier.

On 9/26/2023 at 10:25 PM, Joseph V said:

doing some research, idk if this is what they meant https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/order-vital/no-record-of-marriage/, gf was given this paper

The CFO is very odd and sadly holds a lot of power. By requesting a CENOMAR/CEMAR they are wanting to make sure that neither of you are married according to the Philippine Government.

On 9/29/2023 at 11:05 AM, Joseph V said:

sorry but what is PSA?

Philippines Statistics Authority. The holder of all official civil documents.

6 minutes ago, IWander said:

I wish.  Our luck has been every time 

Do you use LBC? I drop all mine off at LBC. They go into their warehouse and are in a container or enclosed warehouse every step of the way. At least that's the case for the area that I send to.

21 hours ago, IWander said:

FYI, with chocolate will likely arrive in some sort of a melted state as these containers get hot during transit.

I have sent chocolate in every BB box I have sent in the last 15 years, Never once has it been melted.

3 hours ago, Dave Knapp said:

The supervisor was clear about their policy, which is if there's a spot on the chest Xray she will have to undergo sputum testing. She has fibrosis in her left lung.  Cant miss it. Maybe their radiologist will correctly call it, but I doubt it.  They tend to fail safe. 

If the supervisor was very clear, then they would tell you that she will receive another x-ray and they will make a determination from that x-ray. The way that you made it sound is that if you had sputum once you will automatically have to do it again which is not true.

Hopefully you make it out first.

On 9/22/2023 at 1:59 PM, Dave Knapp said:

Her medical expires 11/. Spoke with a supervisor at St Lukes.  She will have to undergo sputum testing again.

My wife was flagged for sputum testing on her medical. Everything was difficult during covid, and her visa was approved just days before the medical expired so we had to redo it. 2nd time the x-ray was clear so she did not have to do sputum the second exam. So basically the supervisor you talked to has no clue. It is not a guarantee she would have to do it again.

52 minutes ago, easyeddie said:

What’s the cost of this course?

No cost.

I buy directly from the airline. I find it a little cheaper when booking my flight from a PC located in PH

LBC 1st choice if you have a branch near you. If not DHL is my second choice. Last choice for me would be FEDEX due to price.

2 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

And in answer to your original question, just file i864 even if you qualify to use the i864a. I qualified to use the i864a but they requested the i864. I resubmitted and it got kicked back again. I called and complained that all of their information says to submit the i864a. The guy I spoke to was very nice and said to me, I know you are right but,  if they asked for it you need to submit it or they will keep kicking it back.  So I did and it went through. I would say that my stubbornness on that issue cost me a couple months.

All of the places I wrote i864a I meant i864EZ

And in answer to your original question, just file i864 even if you qualify to use the i864a. I qualified to use the i864a but they requested the i864. I resubmitted and it got kicked back again. I called and complained that all of their information says to submit the i864a. The guy I spoke to was very nice and said to me, I know you are right but,  if they asked for it you need to submit it or they will keep kicking it back.  So I did and it went through. I would say that my stubbornness on that issue cost me a couple months.