Commish10

We recently visted the consulate in Houston for my wife to change her name on her passport after receiving the ROM. They said it would take 8 months to get the PSA document in order to do the name change. If she wanted to travel to the Phils, I know she would not have a problem entering, but upon her return, her ticket would be a mismatch between her passport and Green Card. Has anybody traveled to/from the Phils with a paaport in the maiden name and green card in the married name. Thanks

Is there parking at the Houston Consulate or do you have to park at an off site parking lot? Thanks

3 minutes ago, Timona said:

That's just 1 business day (March 15th). Be patient 

I meant March 11

Does anybody know how long it is taking the Houston Consulate to process? They received our on March 11, and we have not heard anything yet. They do not answer their phones pr respond to e-mails. Thanks! 

P.S. we are late filers. 

4 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

I485 is a paper application that is mailed. 

That means you must mail in your RFE response and should not attempt to upload online. 

Online upload is for online applications.

I stand by my WORD with this no matter what anyone says here and tells you theirs was accepted when they responded online.  They do not have to accept it. 

 

Ensure your response was received by using Ask Emma. 

 

Also ensure you have submitted a clear photocopy of the STAMPED or RAISED SEAL MC. It must have a stamp or seal and it must be a copy that shows it. If it's a seal, it helps to set the photocopier to darken the copy so the seal is clearly viewable as authentic.

So you think I should send again by mail? The status does say that it was received. 

8 minutes ago, Verrou said:

there's no timeline for RFE response. it can be days, weeks, months. 

where did you send the RFE? service center or field office? it can make a big difference depend on ur answer. 

if still in service center, just stay put and wait for ur case to be pick up again and if no issue u will be in queue for interview

if it's in field office, u probably almost there ( in queue)

The lettter came from the Field Office. Sent what they asked for through the online account on May 23

We responded to an RFE is May for a copy of our marriage certificate which was contained in the original application March 29, 2022. How long does it take to get a response. The letter daid if we don't hear from them within 60 days to call. It's impossible to talk with anyone and if you try you get cut off.  Any suggestions

11 hours ago, Kawika & Michelle said:

Shipment is supposed to be going to an LBC Office in Toledo City...no idea what is going on with all of that above. 

My wife is from Toledo City. Last name Carrozo

2 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Without ROM, the consulate won't let her get a PH passport in her married name, regardless of what name is on her GC.  She can get a passport in her maiden name, though.

 

Just now, Chancy said:

 

Without ROM, the consulate won't let her get a PH passport in her married name, regardless of what name is on her GC.  She can get a passport in her maiden name, though.

 

If she travels to/from the Phils, is there going to be a problem with the mis-match?

My wife got her Green Card. We never did the marriage registration to the embassy. Can we just complete the forms and pay the fee for a renewed passport in her married name?

On 4/25/2023 at 4:52 PM, Kawika & Michelle said:

Hey Folks,

 

Hopefully someone has experience with this & can give some guidance or at least shed some light on this in case I am reading this wrong. I was browsing through tickets to fly my fiancé from Cebu to Houston, TX. I will likely use EVA Airways as I have used them for my past two trips to visit her. When browsing the prices I noticed that the price for a ticket is significantly more if you are shopping for a one way ticket as opposed to a round trip ticket. What I am considering is purchasing a round trip ticket & then asking for a refund for the return trip. Based on what I am reading, the refund should be for the value of the unused ticket (return trip) minus a "refund fee". Depending on the class of ticket you purchase, the refund fee varies from $50-200. The difference in the one way ticket versus the round trip ticket (if I can get a refund on the unused ticket) is almost double in price...so the $50 "refund fee" would be more than worth it if this works like I think it should. I don't want to assume that I will just get the refunded amount sent back to my credit card...so I figured I would ask here. I've checked their app to look for a FAQ or anything that would verify that things work as I expect it will...but it isn't particularly clear. I wanted to see if anyone else ever used this method or has a better method that I might be able to use.

 

Thanks!

 

Kawika

The fares are usually cheaper to Dallas. Korean air has Ceb-ICH-DFW. No stopping in Manila. 

On 5/1/2023 at 2:42 PM, Kawika & Michelle said:

Hi Folks,

 

Does anyone have any recommendations on apps, books or websites that could help me learn Cebuano/Bisaya/Visaya?

 

Thanks!

 

Kawika

If you know Spanish you will get by. At least 50% of the dialect is Spanish

14 hours ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Who has successfully adopted their Filipino step children? What was the process that you followed and how complicated was it? 

 

My spouse has two children whom she had with an ex boyfriend in the Philippines. They were never married. The biological father has not been in the picture for 4+ years. He pretty much abandoned the kids. 

 

One child's birth certificate lists him as the father. My spouse has no idea where he would be nor how to contact him. 

 

I spoke to an attorney today and he said the father would have to give up his rights and that we would most likely have to go to the Philippines to serve him. But since he is not familiar with the laws of the Philippines he cannot offer much help. He further said it would be an international adoption and that I am  looking at upwards of 25k to adopt each one. 

 

None of this makes sense to me. Why would my step children who have lived in the US with me and their mother for over a year be considered as an international adoption?  I further thought that single Filipino mothers have sole custody of their illegitimate children. And furthermore understood that parents who have abandoned their children have relinquished their parental rights. 

Following

Hi all.

I have not been here for a while and I was a victim of the embassy shutdown/slowdown (2 year additional wait). Have they retuned to any semblence of normalcy?

20 hours ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Greetings, 

 

We are currently in the market for an additional car for our family. Looking for a used vehicle that will be mostly used by my wife. Currently we have two young children, one who is still in a carseat and a baby due in December. 

 

My wife has no driving experience and will soon be starting an adult driving class so she can earn a permit. Being a Filipino, she's short in stature, 4'10 and around 90lbs.  As we are soon to be a family of 5, we mostly likely need either a minivan, or smaller seater... Something that would seat at least 7. 

 

I am looking for suggestions as to what others might have done. 

Got my wife a Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab. She wanted a PU. Definitely can fit 5. 

26 minutes ago, arken said:

She will appear for the interview regardless of medical results. No need to reschedule the interview. Not sure if the medical gets sent directly to the embassy or gets handed to her. Usually the embassy will ask to mail or drop the medical at a given address they will make a final decision on the visa after that. Generally another interview isn't required.

That's not the way Manila works. They will not interview without completed medical. 

3 hours ago, Joe98 said:

My filipina fiancee now has her k1 visa in hand . She asked me to go ahead and schedule the flight which I didn't want to do until she gets her cfo certificate but i went ahead and scheduled the flight anyway in about 3 more weeks. She said she would do the cfo when she gets up in the morning her time. I reminded her that she can call them if she wants to but I already know that they will tell her to register online because this is how it is done now. How long does it take to get the cfo certificate like this? i am probably being paranoid but i hope it doesn't take several weeks. I told her i will help her with the online stuff if she isn't comfortable.  I just don't want her to keep waiting to do it. Is it possible for her to get this certificate by the end of the week?  I am hoping she can do this on her phone but again i can help her if needed.

It can vary. Our counsler gave her a really hard time. They had to speak 3 times. After the session(s) are complete, they send the certificate right away. It was about a week and a half for us. Mostly, it depends on how quickly they can shcedule her. 

On 5/20/2022 at 8:41 AM, B_J said:

First, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you don't view your wife as a commodity.  You're just in a really bad situation right now and it's going to take a lot of understanding on your part to fix things.

 

Something none of us seem to be prepared for is the, I guess, emotional and psychological issues involved with leaving everything in your world and moving here to be with someone.  My wife wasn't prepared for it and I wasn't prepared for how it would affect her. It is definitely a common issue that people face.  You're coming home to a wife that is probably depressed in a way that we can't understand.  It's not that she's immature, irresponsible, or lazy.  She is depressed and alone in a strange, new country.  When my wife first got here, she stayed home while I worked.  When I got home, even though I didn't want to do anything except sit down and relax, we made it a point to get in the car and just drive around some.  Get her out of the house and let her do something; anything.  And even with me doing that, she was still lonely and depressed all the time.  It wasn't until she started working and making her own friends that she started to get better.  

 

The fact that you hit her is an issue.  It doesn't matter how lightly you hit her, if her Filipina friend puts ideas in her head (VAWA), then you've got a real problem ahead of you.  Yes, she was wrong for covering your eyes while driving but this could still go very bad for you.

 

Also, leaving her alone while you went to the zoo was another huge mistake.  Don't call it some silly tampo fit.  I don't like tampo either, none of us do, but don't minimize her feelings in this.  A lot of what you write, you're belittling her, making her seem less than you, using words like silly and immature.  If you're able to talk to her again, you need to apologize and take full responsibility if you want to fix things.  Then start letting her be more involved in decision making, like with the finances.  This can be fixed but it will take lots of time and a huge amount of understanding on your part.

 

However, if she has VAWA plans, then you're in a really bad spot.

 

 

What is WAWA?

1 hour ago, Vermyndax said:

Well, the gotcha here is that I was hoping to work remotely for my US company from Philippines during the trip… not work for a local business. 

You probably only need a permit for local work. 

4 hours ago, top_secret said:

Whatever my opinion is, the outcome doesn't surprise me a bit.  I make it a point to stay out of Philippine politics but I can say my wife, her whole family and about everyone they know were very strongly for Bongbong, and mostly even have nothing but nice things to say about his dad back in "the good ol' days".  Go figure.  I can't rationalize it but I know first hand that BBM does indeed have allot of heartfelt supporters. 

Exactly the same with my wife and her family.

1 hour ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Oh ok. 

 

I filed for AOS, EAD and AP for my wife and her two kids. We received some of the electronic case numbers, but not all. 

Contact USCIS they will give it to you. If you call, your wife must be present in the roon with you or they won't give you any info since it's her application.

3 hours ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

What is the current timeline for NOA1 for AOS? 

I received an electronic notification of the case numbers 2 days after filing, and the paper about a week later

Just now, haley45 said:

When did you mail in your forms? And to which office? Chicago or Phoenix? 

March 29, 2022. Chicago

2 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

Congrats!! That’s really great news for you and your wife 

After the almost 2 years delay at the Embassy in the Philippines, it's good to get some quick service.