AlaMike

8 hours ago, Allovertheworld said:

I love a story with a happy ending

 

Congrats.........

Thanks, its been a long road just to get them both to the States. I will feel much more relaxed when we are sitting in the house in Alabama.

37 minutes ago, ChrisT4R said:

Did you have to bring all supporting documents with the application to have it notarized at your bank?

Yes, I brought everything in duplicate to have notarized, one to send to my fiance and one to keep in my files. My bank president was shocked that they needed so much notarized.

They say "only send copies", which I did but my fiance had to bring originals for the interview. 

Be sure and check and double check for ALL supporting documents as I missed sending the DS-3053, which gives my authorization to release his passport. 

***UPDATE***

Passport being shipped via 2GO today. Manila to Lipa City, hopefully it will be delivered today.

Then its a call to the CFO office. She already had counseling and paid the fee but we will see what they ask for other than the copy of the passport with visa stamp.

5 minutes ago, Adventine said:

 

Great news! You're almost at the finish line, although it is a shame that you can't come fetch her right now.

 

Don't forget that she needs to do the CFO counseling and get the CFO sticker on her passport before she leaves

She did counseling last year because her original interview was in March 2020. Once she gets her Visa in hand we will call CFO office to get the stamp or certification letter.

***UPDATE***

Status finally updated to "ISSUED".  Thank you, Visa is on the way!

But with the travel ban for US citizens, she may be making the trip to the US without me.

2 hours ago, ronh said:

Can you give me the number pls? I need to call them too because my son's Visa is still Refused and we we already submit the documents that they need. He had his interview on Dec. 17th and his birth certificate is late registered. The date has been changed 3 times, 1/5, 1/6, 1/7 but still showing Refused. I dont know what to do now. 

The number to call is 1-703-520-2235 or email support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com

25 minutes ago, Adventine said:

Congratulations! Glad to see some positive movement with your family's case.

Thank you for the encouragement. The journey so far has been somewhat difficult. With the delays due to covid and the confusion with the Embassy.

But things are coming together on the paperwork side. Hopefully I will be able to go and get them soon.

***Update ***

Found out that my fiancé received a call from the Embassy about a week after her interview, asking if she was finished with her passport??

She told them, the passport was given to back to the officer... end of call.

I think I have the answer to what is going on...

When she did her interview, our son's CRBA was immediately afterward. She got her passport back to use during the CRBA interview. When the second interview was done she returned her passport to the same window and consulate office that interviewed her. Somehow, the passport did not make it back to her file, so when the case was adjudicated by a supervisor the passport was not in the case file. 

We called the DFA office and they said her current passport is still valid and will not cancel until she gets the new one or the expiration date is reached.

But they refused to issue the new one until she returns the old one or report it lost.

Called the Visa help line (703-520-2235) and the person there could only tell me that they needed a valid passport, as she was just reading the email that was sent to me. So, no help at all.

I also called the Embassy and they said to call the number I just called.

I also sent an email to IVManilaReplies@state.gov but have not received a reply.

Anyone have other ideas or phone numbers to call that will get me further up the chain...

8 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Not sure if DFA will even believe you as they know this rarely happens.  In any case, DFA might ask for a police report and an affidavit of loss.  Might be less hassle to just get the old passport from USEM.

 

Also, if DFA checks with USEM after you tell them the passport was lost, then you're screwed.  I don't recommend trying this.

 

With my luck, it would turn out bad.

I did send an email about her passport and I am going to try and call them also.

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

Aww, that's unfortunate.  Seems like you're going to have to ask USEM to send back her old passport.  DFA won't let her claim the new one without first punching holes on the bio-page of the old passport.

 

What happens to people that lose or have theirs stolen? I thought of having her tell them it was lost by USEM, didn't know if that would work or not.

1 minute ago, Chancy said:

 

Why did she need to renew her passport?  Is it expiring within the next 6 months?

 

I know it's too late now, but if the old passport had more than 6 months validity left by the time she travels, it would have been better to renew it after she arrives in the US.

 

She was getting our son's Philippine passport and the person talked her into getting hers renewed even though she still had over a year left.

And not knowing that we would be getting an expedited interview appointment that fell in the middle of actually getting the new passport.

Like they say... timing is everything.

8 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

You always need to submit the latest passport. What is the problem? You were not refused. They just cannot stamp a visa in the old passport.

I was not interpreting the refusal status as a denial. Just the fact that at no time was anything sent to request there was an issue with her current passport.

She had to have a passport when she took the interview and she took the current one. I was thinking that it would be valid until it was given back to be cancelled when she picked up the new one.

I guess everything works a little different in the Philippines. OK, OK... a lot different.

I have been keeping up with my fiancés "status" since her interview on Nov. 19th. Her status has been "refused" and to follow instructions given.

She was told her Visa was approved and they took her passport. 

I thought the refusal was due to our son's CRBA interview, since we we waiting on his US passport and that they told her they would send them together.

I sent a request for information on why the status was refused since his Passport had been approved.

The Embassy responded with the following:

On 12/14/2020 at 6:32 AM, boris64 said:

They are asking for a background check on the foreign spouse/fiancé now for CFO? Good Lord. Never heard of that happening before.

You would think they would put ALL the required information they want, even if they don't ask for it.

Seems there is no consistency in who they ask for background, proof of residency or other non listed items.

I see where some have not even been asked for the basic requirements and others are asked for everything.

This just makes things more difficult for everyone.

Hello @Kittylovin

We got an RFE for the same information, even though I sent (what I thought) was more than enough proof.

Just send any additional photos, emails, texts and any other proof that you may have not sent the 1st time.

I sent additional pictures, flights, hotel and receipts of my trip and when we were together , since I had visited a second time after application was sent.

Good luck and stay the course....

1 minute ago, John & Rose said:

I agree but you don't know my step daughter.  She is great.  Has been locked up in her room getting all "A"s as a senior in high school.  She hasn't complained once that I've heard and is handling this so well.  She turns 18 in January and that is a huge deal in the Philippines.  She truly deserves this so we will do what we have to in order to make it happen.  Having flights cancelled and trying to get refunds while at the same time trying to book flights has not been fun or easy.  Last February her brother went back to the Philippines and now he is ready to come back so they will both be coming home in January.  Luckily school is online so she wont miss any classes except for her birthday and maybe a few other dates.  

I understand.

I am still learning about birthdays. My son who is almost 6 months will have a cake and balloons each month until he is 1. Then just normal until 21.

I have went thru a girls 18th birthday party, it was definitely a big party. 

3 hours ago, TShayne said:

So we set up our account today on the 10th and will wait for a schedule. Our Interview was December 9, and on December 10 our status changed from ready to issued. We are hoping to get word of a teleconference soon. Would love to spend Christmas in the US together.  Let us know if there are any other documents you need to give outside of what is on the list of 13. 

I am just a couple weeks behind you on CFO scheduling

Keep us all informed

2 hours ago, John & Rose said:

My step daughter is going back next week for a visit.  What a PITA!  There is an affidavit that she has to sign but she needs to be of legal age.  She is 17 traveling alone.  That is one hurdle.  We booked her hotel but all hotels in Manila require guests to be at least 18.  So she is required to quarantine and take the Covid swab but she isn't old enough to sign the affidavit or check into the quarantine hotel.  The Philippines allows anyone over 15 to travel alone but we have other challenges.  We are going to give her letters to carry but those ardent the only challenges.  She is flying EVA (after 2 other airlines cancelled her flights) so she need a negative RCP test to land in Taipei but it has to be done no more than 3 days prior to departure.  Her flight is 12:20 AM on the 19th so we booked the test on the 16th.  The problem is the only test they accept is the long lab test and results should be within 48 hours.  She needs that with her when she flies so we only have a couple hours of play before we are either fine or miss getting the test results in time and not going...  Are we having fun yet?

 

With that much if a PITA, I would just stay home. Oh, wait... I going next month.

I just hope its not that complicated

19 minutes ago, flicks1998 said:

Which ones are the additional documents?  The possible affidavit of support, petitioner police record, medical certificate?  Number 1-13 just seem to be documents we had prepared for the interview.  If we need an FBI clearance, those can take time AND you have to be in the US to do it.  When I worked in Vietnam, an FBI clearance is mandatory and I had to fly all the way back to the US just to do the FBI clearance as it was impossible to do at an embassy overseas. 

I am saving all the information that they DID NOT ask for during the initial counselling session in a separate file; divorce decree, proof of employment, proof of residency, etc. That information was never asked for. Before the "online/phone" interview, people were showing up and getting asked for paperwork that was not on the list. 

As for the FBI background check? I work for a security company and we do background checks on all employees, so I just ran one on myself.  We use a company call YALE and a couple others to do backgrounds, all done online. 

I'm waiting to see how Jeigh's CFO works out. She went to the session last year but without Visa. She paid the fee and has the receipt and completion paper.

Just waiting on passport with Visa stamp to arrive. Hope fully they will no want all the other papers they are asking for now. But I have them scanned and ready to send... just in case.

https://www.nbiclearance.org/nbi-clearance-online-updated/

https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/cert_no_crime.html

I had to do this for my fiance. This was for Philippines but the instructions from HK would not differ.

Just be sure to follow instructions to the letter and be sure the fingerprint card is "stamped with an official police seal" or in some way verifies that it was done by the police department that took the fingerprints.

The CoNCC will be sent to the Embassy where you do the interview as HK will not send anything to you, although you can request that they inform you that it was sent.

There are several posts here that discuss this very topic. Just type in Hong Kong Police in search bar.

Good luck my friend

7 hours ago, Jordan & Jenet said:

I stayed in the Savoy hotel in October its very close to NAIA. They were pretty lax let me go down and meet grab food drivers to pickup food etc.. noone really seamed to care at all.

 

Jordan

I found the Holiday Inn Express Newport was on the list of approved hotels. Which is where I stay on my stop overs in Manila. Plus, I have points that let me stay for free.