PWB

We interviewed on February 18, 2020 and at the initial document screen they claimed that they did not have our physical.  After two hours of waiting for them to find the physical we had the interview and passed.  I am not sure if they ever found physical because visa was issued 26 February and then withheld 27th.  So here we are 7 months later caught up in Covid.  She has since taken a 2nd physical.  I sincerely hope you don't get the same treatment that we did.  Based on what you read here SLEC is having a lot of problems lately. Sputum testing was also involved in her physical, she was of course negative.

It's worth a try, we had already completed the interview and was waiting on visa issue when medical expired.  Best of Luck....

To get interviewe expedited because of expiring medical is dreaming.  Embassy will notify you that you need to take a new medical examination.  Beware there is a high rate of "set-off" with the sputum testing being done by

St. Lukes at the current time.  We are involved in this mess despite having tested negative in the past.  Best of luck.

I just wrote to the Embassy this week about their sputum protocol.  My fiancée is once again caught up in this mess for the third time.  She is negative but they still make her comply with the protocol.  St. Lukes is quick to point out that it is an Embassy requirement and they just have to comply.   If they would not singled us out for no justifiable reason, except they can, she would have avoided the Covid mess.  We interviewed in February 2020 and the visa was issued/withheld  8 days later for a BOGUS  NBI.  We have copies of what they claimed was missing.  Now this mess.  Ten months to wait before she can be consider for the reissuing  of a visa that should have been issued already.  Don't take it, let your voice be heard.  Complain to the USEM. The number of people St. Lukes are placing in the protocol right now is just a stall tactic to all the Embassy to get back to strength.  Very upset.....

The Embassy let our medical expire, made us pay for a new one and then made her go through the Sputum Protocol again, for the second time, even though they acknowledge that she is negative.  Now here we are with an 8 week set off.  St. Lukes blames the Embassy for the protocol problem and the Embassy will not answer Emails.  

I got so upset with the Embassy fire wall that is manned by locals that I demanded access to an American and they finally gave me an Email address.  I wrote an Email carefully explaining all the problems I was having and sent it.  Got a reply back from Mumbai, India because the Email address from the firewall was wrong.  Things were so screwed up in the Embassy that I had hoped that they would give me an interview but  that is out of the question.   Have contacted Senator Ted Cruz for assistance and I am waiting on his response.  I should explain that in late February and early March the Embassy Consulate Website was down for maintenance.  I suspect now that they were packing up to close for Covid.   

It only took fours months to have the 129f approved and 1 month for NVC to sent me MNL Number.  The rest of the year and one-half has been spent dealing  with St. Luke's and the Embassy.  So glad to hear the system worked for you, and it has worked for many others as well, but no one should have to go through what they are doing  to us.  

I really don't want to get a bunch of negative stuff started against the USEM and St. Luke's. but the question was asked did I ever call the Embassy.  I called and have records of those calls.  One in particular stands out when I complained about the visa being issued one day and withdrawn the next.  I was told that i would receive a response within 24 hours.  The next day the Embassy responded with a State Department Document telling me how to apply for a K1 visa.   Never did tell me why our visa was being held.  Nothing but frustration.  

I have found it impossible to talk to anyone at the Embassy,  You ask a direct question and they give the same response, your visa is being processed.  Whatever that means.

For those who have already interviewed and are currently caught up in Embassy mishaps remember you will have to deal with ST, Luke,s when medical has expired.  We just completed medical and got an 8 week set off for sputum even though she is negative and has tested negative before.  Money seems to be the motivator.

I ask the same question, what is going on in the USEM.  What we encountered when we interviewed in February was shocking to say the least.  The prescreen document review was horrid.  Lost paperwork, rude responses, sloppy haphazard interview, and then it got bad.  We though that the Embassy staff was in a panic because they knew they were getting ready to close due to covet 19. but that does not explain how you can be told the visa is issued and shipped to the wrong address and then one day after issue it was withheld for paperwork that we had a copy of (NBI) and they claimed never was submitted and it just goes on an on.  Rescheduled physicals, repeat sputum culture after already testing  negative.  Just no end to the games being played in Manila.  So very very disappointed.   

My Fiancée had to undergo a culture from the first physical at St. Luke's she was told that she was negative and the culture confirmed it.  Now the Embassy has required a new Physical for the processing of our K1 Visa {which was issued in February 26th and withheld February 27 and then caught up in Covid}.  Now she is told by St Luke's that she must undergo a second culture and another 8 week delay because that is the protocol  of the Embassy.  She is negative for TB.  Confirmed by not only St Luke's in the previous physical, but by an outside source as well.  When you include the cost of travel I have spent over $1200.00 just on physicals at St Luke's.  This policy by the Embassy is draining the financial and emotional life's blood out of us.  By the time this culture is complete we will be at over one year of playing Embassy games and no end in sight.  Is there any thing I can do?  Will an attorney help?  Call my Senator?  What to do.  

She is in Rizal.  It is about a four to five hour trip to SLEC and then once you are there Hotels are so hard to find.  Transportation varies from city to city.   What upsets me is that they have told her she is negative, why the test?  Almost two years playing this game for a K1 visa.

2 hours ago, boris64 said:

I wondered what you wrote to get the dreaded hashtags. Be sure to check out the Philippines subforum where you can get more information about the process in Manila. Good luck)

Not sure why, did not use any profanity or any other vulgar verbiage other than sputum.  I have researched the process.  Tons of information on the process. 

Once you pay the initial fee there are no additional charges.  She starts the 3 day process September 1st.   So hard for her to travel to St. Lukes now because of all the restrictions.   This will be the third time she has been tested.  Twice at St. Lukes and once from an outside Hospital that has doctors who have worked at St. Lukes.  All previous times she has been negative.  All of that in less than a year.  I have done my research on the test procedures at SLEC and the randomness of the process leaves me with concern.  Please don't demean me by saying they are only looking out for her health we are the ones suffering through this process, not those of you who have fortunately received your visa's.  

That should read sputum

There has been nothing but frustration with the system in the Philippines.  After the first physical at SLEC my fiancee had to undergo ####### testing even though they told she was negative.  Eight weeks of waiting confirmed that she was indeed negative.  Then a total break down at the Embassy, lost paperwork, visa issued one day withheld the next day over an NBI issue that was incorrect on the Embassy part.  Then almost 6 months of waiting and finally a request from the Embassy to take a new physical because the first one timed out.  On the 25th of August she took her 2nd physical and they told her she had to undergo a second ####### test even though she had already been found negative.   According to my fiancee just about everyone receiving a second physical for a K1 visa will have to undergo ####### testing and along with it another 8 weeks of waiting.  The hardship is unbearable.  

Toughen up, you got a lot going for you in that Mexico is reachable from the U.S.  Some of us have interviewed, had visa's issued and then withheld for some explainable reason.  In my case we are rapidly approaching two years into this process and the only news from the Embassy in Manila is spend more money on physical exams.  No doubt these are difficult times. I would love to drive to a  Mexican boarder town to see my fiance.  Not being critical of you it's just that there are tons of folks ahead of you in the suffering associated with the process.   Best of Luck. 

Appreciate your information.  You would hope that the Embassy has a plan to attack the K1 backlog but that is more hope on my part than knowledge.   We interviewed February 18th and the process was horrid, mistakes every where.  Lost medical, lost NBI.  Visa issued one day withheld the next.  Embassy send paperwork to wrong address etc etc.  Now the medical timed out and they send passport back and told Fiancee to get new medical.  When will it end I don't know but thank God I got enough resources to wait them out.  Covid, Embassy mistakes and a political climate in the U.S. that is hostile towards immigration is a lot to overcome, but God willing we will prevail.

We have an appointment for the 26th.  Can only hope they  will start working the K1 backlog.

Our medical should have been good through August if they extended the original for a month as reported,  but it was allowed to run out at the end of 6 months.  Now we are told to start over with another medical.  My concern is why do another medical and let the 2nd one time out like the 1st  one did since no one knows when K1 visa's will be opened for processing.  Every time she does a medical at St. Luke's it cost me over $600.00,   I think I will try and call the Embassy and see if I can get a little encouragement/guidance from them.   Just trying to do the right thing during these stressful times.

9 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

We have one for 8/24. Originally for the 17th but with the lockdown I just rebooked in early August. Good luck. We will post the experience here. 

I sure would like to know if this getting a second physical is a sign that the backorder of K1 visa's are going to be processed soon or is this paying $600.00 to just stay in the game so you can continue to wait.

You will never be able to out guess the USEM.  I have always felt that our visa was withdrawn after being issued   because of the virus, and not because there was any problem with the paperwork.  We are trying to figure out what is going on as well.  The decision is, do we pay the $600.00 needed for the 2nd physical and what will be the return if you can not travel on a K1 visa.  

You will never be able to out guess the USEM.  I have always felt that our visa was withdrawn after being issued   because of the virus, and not because there was any problem with the paperwork.  We are trying to figure out what is going on as well.  The decision is, do we pay the $600.00 needed for the 2nd physical and what will be the return if you can not travel on a K1 visa.  

2 hours ago, Allovertheworld said:

Do you have to pay again?

Yes you have to pay.   St Luke's is where our visa got off track to start with.  She got caught up in the sputum testing even though she was told at the time of the physical she was negative.  Did the 3 days of testing and 8 weeks of waiting for the culture results to once again be told it was negative.  Had it not been for St. Luke's we would have avoided the virus melt down at the Embassy and she would be here with me.  Don't get me wrong, yes I am bitter towards the process but ever so thankful that the Embassy finally has taken some action.  We just want to get this behind us and move on with our lives TOGETHER.