AlaMike

The waiting doesn't stop there. Next you'll wait for your interview, after that you'll wait for the visa, after that wait for her/him to arrive in states, after that wait for SSN to arrive, after that wait to get married, after that wait for the marriage certificate, after that wait for the Green Card, after that... Do you see a pattern here yet??  It's all about waiting. The sooner we understand that the easier the journey.

@Greenbaum, no truer words were spoken when it comes to this process.

3 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

I stayed at St Giles Hotel in Makati just because its walking distance to my condo.  You can stay around the airport, but just make sure your hotel is one listed in the approved hotel list.  They check this before you leave the airport and these hotels are specifically set up to handle quarantine periods of arriving passengers.  I wouldnt recommend St Giles though, I read reviews they had fast internet but thats not the case and was the most important thing I needed.  I did a speedtest and they only get 1-2 Mbps.  I couldnt even do my video conferences for work.  

 

When I applied for the visa, I had a booking on Agoda at a different hotel, but after I got the visa, I saw a better deal so I cancelled the original booking and booked a new place (St Giles).  You can do this, its no problem as long as its an approved hotel.  Agoda is probably one of the best places to book now as they allow you to cancel your booking for free, usually right up to 1-3 days before you arrive.

 

Also for your visa, the 90 day single entry visa you are given, the clock starts the day they print it.  My visa started on October 30th but I did not arrive until November 29th making the visa good for about 2 months.  Either way, your entry is only good for 59 days, then an extension would be required.  (same as pre-COVID days). 

Thanks for the info. 

I will be sure to verify hotel is on the list. Just not sure of the exact date of arrival so change of hotel dates is a plus.

I also use Agoda for hotel bookings when in the Philippines, they seem to have the best deals for the most part.

Good to know the visa time frame starts when they issue it and not upon arrival (as I had thought). I will get the 90 day to be safe.

Looking for a hotel to stay in after arriving in Manila, during quarantine. Somewhere close to the airport. 

Got everything else ready to send to the Philippine Embassy in Washington for 9a visa approval except hotel.

@flicks1998 Where did you stay. 

Since the only things you give the Embassy that are date specific are the flight and hotel stays. Are you locked in to those exact dates.

3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Only if you choose premium delivery.   This is not the standard procedure 

The only options were Premium Delivery or Pick Up. I was expecting to have it sent via "2Go" account.

On 11/25/2020 at 12:57 AM, user555 said:

I thought it was 7-10 business days. Did they say why it's taking so long? 

Her Visa is being sent along with our sons US Passport. We had to send additional information for his CRBA.

Her Visa will not be completed until his Passport is issued. 

On 11/25/2020 at 2:17 AM, payxibka said:

You do NOT pay upon delivery,  the delivery fee is paid by the consulate.

Information on CGI website when updating personal information. She was told to be sure mailing address was updated.

- You must provide the exact address where the courier can deliver the documents and passport in "Mailing Address Line 1:".
- You must provide a local personal phone number in your contact details.
- Failure to provide these information will cause lengthy delays in the delivery of your passport.

Cost of Premium Delivery is PhP435.00 per passport. It is collected by the courier on delivery (Cash Only). 
Please always provide exact change as the courier would only accept the exact amount.

Just now, flicks1998 said:

Great!! Congratulations!!!!  Did they say how long for the visa, probably 2-3 weeks?  Our interview is December 3rd and Ill arrive back in Manila early on Nov 29th.  Anything out of the ordinary they asked for that isn't in the normal checklist?

 

Thats great that you have two big hurdles basically over with.  

Yes, 2-3 weeks for Visa. But she did not have to have a 2GO account. They will deliver it via courier that you pay when they deliver. 

Just be sure to log in to your account @ www.ustraveldocs.com/ph and verify delivery address.

The person doing the interview only asked her; what state I lived in, what my ex wife name was, where I went to college and what I did for a living.

They wanted my 2019 Tax transcripts (which I sent her) since our original paperwork was sent in prior to 2019 taxes being submitted.

Jeigh was mad because I made here take the all the extra copies of the paperwork with her, which weighs about 15 pounds. And they only asked for 1 page.

17 hours ago, beback said:

Please need ASAP! Where can i buy a travel and medical insurance in the Philippines travelling to USA. My dads flight is tomorrow. Pls help!

Try this one. But I am sure there are others available. 

https://www.imglobal.com/travel-medical-insurance

12 hours ago, payxibka said:

Then you aren't looking deep enough.   AlaMike has an expedited k1 interview scheduled for tomorrow (November 19).

Just to update, 

Medical was done on 11/17/2020 in one day instead of the normal two. She got her medical packet to take to the Embassy.

She is there for her (K1) and our sons (CRBA) interview today. (11/19/2020 in Philippines)

Keeping my fingers crossed....

7 hours ago, B_J said:

Whenever I see an American in the Philippines, I just assume that I wouldn't like them and I'd rather not get to know them.  That has always worked out for me.

 

Not the same for me. I was in Manila, had a Alabama Football hat on when I hear... "Roll Tide". The guy was from Tuscaloosa which is just South of me.

Had a good conversation and still talk to him occasionally.

I cannot speak for responses from Embassy's in other countries but the US Embassy in the Philippines is only doing approved expedited K1 applications.

Routine interviews are still not available. 

8 hours ago, Cody&Razely said:

Actually, My fiancé just completed the CFO "Online" which was just a succession of brief phone calls. There was no "Counseling" (depending on ones definition of the word) there was no phone numbers or good information given, neither any information at all what so ever. The one sided conversations were primarily Interrogation,  questions then berating and laughing, then more interrogations followed by more berating and laughing, being cynical as hell!!! requesting mountains of documents and eventually getting the CFO Cert. and no visa was required. Only a government verified proof of Visa Free entry (since we are meeting up in a visa free country), fyi it took us jut shy of 2 weeks in total of dealing with this behavior before "satisfying" the Counselor and getting the CFO cert.

When my fiancé went to the actual counseling secession in Nov. of last year, the woman was berating and telling my her actual lies about US men and how her life would be with one. Had her in tears when she came out.

Hate to see that is hasn't changed, even over the phone...

25 minutes ago, Trompie said:

How did you exactly notarize it? Did you go to an ordinary Notary Public? Did you obtain the Affidavit of Paternity form from the PH Consulate website?

 

This is incredibly frustrating process. The civil registrar in the PH is asking me to notarize it at the Consulate, but the Consulate (San Francisco) are saying they not longer do any notarizations due to covid and are directing me to the Secretary of State to have in Apostilled.

It was a generic affidavit (see attached)and had my local notary sign it. We had no issues other than the time it takes to send papers back and forth.

Affidavit of paternity - blank.pdf

24 minutes ago, Trompie said:

How did you get your name on the birth certificate?

I sent a notarized affidavit of paternity to my fiancé before he was born. (be sure she keeps the mailing envelope)  The hospital then put my name on the Civil application when he was born. She had to send the original civil certificate for me to sign then I sent it back for her to submit for the PSA birth certificate.

I know, it was a lot of jumping thru hoops to get it done. But well worth the effort.

23 hours ago, Hank_ said:

VJ isn't related to the visaconnection-philippines website  .....  got a chuckle from that.    

 

Do keep us all posted, that would be great.   Thanks

Sorry @Hank_ 

Should have gave credit where it was deserved. You and the information you provide have been great in this long and confusing journey.

7 minutes ago, designguy said:

Make sure she keeps the passport that has the visa in it. Usually you can keep your old one (not certain about the Philippines), however they usually do something to invalidate it (Cut a corner, etc). Make sure the visa is not damaged in this process

 

She said they punch a hole in it to void it (same as US). I told her under no circumstance was the current passport get turned in.

Here is the situation.

My fiancé's interview is on the 19th, and if everything goes as planned they will keep her passport to put Visa stamp in it and return it to her in a couple weeks.

Her current passport is valid till December 2021 but while getting our son's Philippine passport, they talked her into getting her current passport renewed.

They advised she could pick the new one up on the 28th of November but her travel Visa will be in the old one.

What, if any issues will there be ?

8 hours ago, Hank_ said:

 

You need to have the visa in hand for this online process.

On 11/2/2020 at 7:21 AM, Trompie said:

Did they ask you to book a flight and show the itinerary as part of the application? How long did it take to get the visa from when you applied?

Once we got the PSA birth certificate, I just followed the instructions on the CRBA website as well as the instructions from VJ website.

CRBA - Visa Connection Philippines

Sent it all to the US Embassy. We got a reply with a date for interview in a week. Just be sure to include all the information they are requesting, this may prevent you from have to get a DNA test, which takes time and money.

**BE advised** Do not send the paperwork unless you are ready and able to attend the interview. When they send you the interview date, you must go on the date provided. If not, they will send all paperwork back and you submit when you are ready.

My sons interview is on the 19th of this month. I have read that it takes about 2 weeks from an approved interview to receive the passport.

I will keep the site informed of our progress.

Thank you sir

3 hours ago, Don0 said:

Hi! I don't know if you have sorted this out and where your wife is in the Philippines but I got mine just online. I didn't attend any seminar since most offoces were closed due to Covid. I paid through Landbank, and got my certificate through email after 2 days. They said the certificate can be printed out and it would be enough and it was! But please note that this was 3 months ago.

@Don0

Did you already have your Visa before applying? 

17 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

This is how our expedite was approved as well. 
 

just FYI on your CRBA interview. If you can bring a ton of evidence on the pregnancy (ultra sound, pictures of her pregnant, doctor receipts related to the pregnancy etc etc). We never really did this and the evidence we did have was scattered all over the country. We were required to do a DNA test which cost about $750 or so (something like that) but it delayed the confirmation by a month to 6 weeks.  However if we could have presented all of this evidence no DNA test would be required. This was confirmed by the person doing the interview. 

Thanks for the info.

We have all the evidence they have asked for; pictures, flights, hotels. Also, my name is listed as the father on PSA birth certificate. Which was a PITA to get done. So hopefully no DNA needed.

7 hours ago, PWB said:

We completed the second physical on 3 November and returned passport, updated NBI, updated CENOMAR and confirmed with SLEC that the medical was sent.   Emailed USEM and they have acknowledged that they have all documents.  We interviewed in February 2020 so now it is just a waiting game.  Hopefully the end is in sight.  Might recommend that your fiancee check out all travel requirements and take care of CFO.   Good luck.   

So you had interview in Feb. and have still not got Visa? Was Visa approved?

Just now, payxibka said:

She can update the ds160 on the day of the interview 

Thank you for the info. 

Trying to get all my ducks back in a row.

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

Ds160 & NBI are valid for 1 year

DS160 is still valid until January, so no need to update even with the addition of a child?

NBI will expire tomorrow. She will get a new one.