NoMansLand2020

Says if beneficiary is 21-25 they need advice from parents. Says to bring ID of parents plus copies.... Is this just only to get a notarized letter or do I need this at the CFO? 

I don't see it being an option to take her parents' IDs for several days while we travel to Manila. 

9 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

 

No, they do not mail you the sticker. You either have to physically go back for it after getting the visa/passport back or get it at NAIA (I can't remember if CEB allows you to get it there or not). This doesn't add another 6 months to the process at all. Just have them go and it get it done.

 

I have been to CDO a few times on vacation and visiting my asawa's family up there. So it's about a 1 hour flight to CEB and Davao, an about a 5-6 hour Aircon bus ride from CDO which I have taken both routes before. 

I know how far it is. We flew from cdo to ceb in November. I'd have to go with her to get it taken care of. She's not going to be able to go alone. This means if we cannot get it done the same time as we do the medical/Embassy Interviews or a day or two before we leave I'll have to make another trip to PHL. Simply cannot afford it. 

3 minutes ago, Dhilman2 said:

Early onion this process, I came across a link regarding how to organize documents and evidence for mailing. I can't seem to locate it now. Does anyone know of such a link? TIA

28 minutes ago, payxibka said:

If you fly out of NAIA for the flight to the USA it can be picked up at that airport 

That would be ideal if that is an option. Is this option dependent on which CFO office she attends? 

 Also, how soon in advance do we need to schedule... Seems like this step will just add another six months to the process. 

2 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

You are right it is a huge hassle for people unfortunately it is a requirement under Philippine law before immigrating to another country. Those of us lucky enough to have wives and fiancées on Mindanao now have the option to go to Davao instead of Cebu or Manila for the class. This can be done prior to getting the visa but they will not get the stamp in their passport until they have the visa in it. 

 

https://cfo.ph/GCP-Davao-Appointment/

My fiancée is in CDO. It's still a flight or an entire day's drive to Davao. Can they not mail the sticker? 

Don't want to end up having to make a trip just to pick it up. 

I know I am several months out, but just recently stumbled across this pathetic requirement.

I have found numerous articles, websites and guides on the process. But they are all different and some out of date.

When exactly does this need to be taken care of? Before or after receiving visa? Can it be done the day we depart? 

My fiancee would have to fly to the locations and would be very inconvenient for her to make a trip alone. I'm already going to be flying from the US and accompanying her and her two small children to Manila for the medicals and interviews. Can it be done at the same time? 

It's a huge hassle to keep going to Manila. She lives in a major city in Mindinao. 

On 1/2/2020 at 3:30 PM, roro123 said:

Hi,

 

I am currently filling out the I-129F with my fiancé. I am from Canada and planning on immigrating to the US. I do not have a criminal record, however I was arrested for theft when I was 18, almost 10 years ago. I recently did a police check for something else and have nothing on my record. I was not convicted, I was pardoned and have no criminal record. I know the application does not currently ask me about my criminal history, but it will come up before my interview at the consulate(that's if the application is approved). What to do in the mean time? 

Has anyone been rejected for this? I will probably seek an immigration lawyer because of this. Also, I have never been convicted of a crime since and actually work for the government. Any help with this is great.

 

thanks in advance. 

Despite whether or not you have been pardoned, had charges dismissed, expunged or the likes... If you have ever been arrested/charged/convicted.. You need to mark as such.

Then provide documentation from the courts. Even if it's a statement saying No Records Exist

2 minutes ago, Sarahbmalvin said:

Thanks for the response! Sorry I’m so clueless about this. Does this look like the right thing? 

 

https://epatch.state.pa.us/NewRecordCheckAction.do?action=new

I updated my reply with an link that provides instructions. I believe the epatch was one of the options. 

7 minutes ago, Sarahbmalvin said:

Hi!  I got an RFE asking for certified copies of all court and police records showing the charges and dispositions for every arrest or conviction for some tickets I got 12 years ago (one for underage drinking, one for an open container ticket). However, I was never arrested, only charged a fine and then paid the ticket and that’s it. These tickets were also in Pennsylvania, where I went to college, and I now live in New Jersey.  It was so long ago I don’t remember what county or town they were in so not sure how to even gain access to the records at all. 

 

Any advice on what to do here, what to send, how to gain access of these records, etc?

 

Thanks in advance!

Request a criminal record check from the State of Pennsylvania. That will provide you with the court/city/county information. Then go to those courts. 

https://www.psp.pa.gov/Pages/Request-a-Criminal-History-Record.aspx

2 hours ago, payxibka said:

Gotta tell us where, which consulate 

The post tagged Italy and Naples Consulate

6 hours ago, APA said:

I’ll be using my passport instead of my birth certificate because I’m abroad and do not have the BC with me. The 129 instructions say to include “a copy of your valid, unexpired U.S. passport” as one of the identification items. That could mean a copy of the ID page or a copy of the entire thing. The VJ guide says to include “ALL pages” of the passport.

 

Does this mean I copy every single page even if it’s blank? I planned to scan it and arrange 2 actual-size images of the pages onto each sheet of paper. That’s 28 butterflyed passport pages, including the outside cover, which will produce 14 - 8.5x11” sheets of paper. If I do this, I could reduce it to 7 sheets of paper by printing on both sides. Any suggestions?

I sent copies of all of mine. I didn't do the front and back cover. 

42 minutes ago, Beatriz & Charles said:

Hello, happy new year guys! I have a question and would like to know the experience of other people and if anyone also sent in the same period as me. My fiance and I started the K1 visa process in September / 2019, my fiance received the letter I-129 F NOA1 on September 19, we are still awaiting approval of NOA2, we consulted our lawyer and she said the application could be approved in February or later in April, and once approved, USCIS will be transferred to the National Visa Center. We received a very large estimate of waiting (October 2020) for my entry into the United States. How is your time? We are completing a year without being together, and my fiance cannot always see me in Brazil, because he studies and works. We are very anxious and this news has made us very distressed.

Where did you get that estimate of October 2020?

1 hour ago, Dhilman2 said:

Will the USICS allow our photos to be date stamped? We have a lot of photos but they are photos of each other. Not many actually both of us in the same picture. IN some of these pictures, they are somewhat far from the camera, making it difficult to see clearly the face. IF I zoom up closer, the date the photo was taken will change.. (crop or resize to put 4 on a sheet). K1-129f ( another issue is she tossed of her phone the boarding pass.. If I show my boarding pass, and we have pictures of us dated in the same place in the same setting, is that acceptable by USCIS as proof?  Comments welcome  Dave.  I found a program.. photo stamp, would should stamp date the photo was taken on the photo is why I asked

Seems very odd not to have any photos taken together. I've only met my fiancée once and we took at least two hundred photos together and with her family. 

No difference in writing the date on the back of the photo and using a program to print one. 

On 12/23/2019 at 5:50 PM, ERomero95 said:

I was looking to see if anyone knew what fees the NVC require? I paid the $535 to the USCIS to start the petition but now that the petition was approved it moved to the NVC. I am trying to see what additional fees I need to save up for if i am going to pay it pronto. Does anyone know what other fees i need to pay besides the initial $535 fee from the ?USCIS?

 

Depends on if you are helping your beneficiary with the expenses. 

I am the petitioner and my fiancée has two small children. They both reside in the Philippines with their mother/beneficiary. 

She was never married and the father has provided zero support for his children. The Paternal Grandparents, however, help out from time to time. But it's generally only watching them for a few days at a time. 

Her youngest child, a daughter, has the fathers last name on her birth certificate. Her eldest, a son, does not.

I just barely received NOA1, but wondering if there could be issues down the road with the kids receiving K2 visas. 

44 minutes ago, Pitaya said:

 

Some people only receive the text message NOA1, some people only receive the mailed message NOA1. Some people are real lucky, and get the trifecta of NOA1 messages, both messages, i.e., via text, and via mail.  It is really of no concern which way you get it. You have the acknowledgement that the USCIS has your petition paperwork, and the all important Receipt number.

 

The notice of action that you want to make sure that you get a copy of the message is the NOA2. Don't lose it, it will be necessary to provide a copy of it later on in your immigration journey.

 

Good luck on your immigration journey and Happy Holidays.

Thanks. 

I didn't think I would receive anything for a few weeks. I submitted my packet 6 days ago today. 

Happy Holidays to you as well. 

3 minutes ago, Dhilman2 said:

There is conflicting advice regarding blank spaces. Exp: I've had the same address for 20yrs, is it ok to put "mailing address same" or put n/a or just leave blank? 

I put NA in all fields I did not fill. With the exception of the employment and I wrote in PRESENT. The application won't allow you to use special symbols '/' in a lot of the fields. 

1 minute ago, missileman said:

The referenced I-797 you receive in the mail is the official NAO1

So when do I consider myself receiving the NOA1.. When I get the form in the mail? Or now? 

Received a text message today. 

USCIS:  Your case was received. Receipt # WACxxxxxxxxxx. Official Receipt Notice (Form I-797) to follow in mail. Msg & Data rates may apply. DO NOT REPLY

Is this NOA1? 

1 hour ago, Derek Scheyer said:

If I use my mother to copy my i-129f in her handwriting do I have to put her down as a preparer? my handwriting is very hard to read.

What part of the application other than a signature needs to be done by hand? 

On 12/21/2019 at 11:55 AM, Jennifer0220 said:

So should I also get another letter from the courthouse stating that the record couldn't be found? The letter from the state archive states that it wasn't found and I should send them the case number and they would search again. I contacted the courthouse for the case number and the courthouse had no record at all.

If you have a certified letter from the state saying no record exists, the courthouse won't be able to provide you with records either.

The letter from the state should suffice. I went that route because there are a dozen courts and frankly I don't remember which one I went through. And because no record exists, they can't help out 

On 12/18/2019 at 1:55 PM, RainyJupiter said:

Please offer advise on this - I have met my fiance in person (last September) and will stay with him again in Mexico this February. We would ideally like to submit our visa after that, sooner better knowing that the process takes a long time (especially the interview appointment wait for the embassy in his country). But we both have slight concern that two visits might not be considered enough?

 

Now I know that they require "one" visit within the last 2 years. However I see some couples who have 5+ and I wonder how this could affect getting approved having two? Is it "worth" waiting to actually submit this visa until we have more? We are already engaged, been together over two years.. would like to be living together and get married as soon as we can really.

 

Second question is regarding how we met in person (Item 54 on the K1 Visa) : Do you suggest descriptive detail or keeping it simple?

 

Opinions on this matter please. Thank you, always greatly appreciated!

You can submit now rather than waiting. My fiancée lives in Asia and I'm in the US. We met once before I submitted the i129f. 

You can easily get records from another state. I did. All it took was a phone call. 

1 minute ago, John & Rose said:

I hear ya.  The downside of expungement is that the court wont have records but you have to prove that.  They will give you a letter stating that no record was found.  That is about as good as it gets.

Exactly why I provided a Certified Letter from the State showing no records existed. 

Just now, John & Rose said:

You don't remember where your court date was held?  I remember all my courthouses!  LOL  Depending on the arrest you may want to start getting stuff together because there is a good chance they may issue an RFE for the information.  In my experience, if the arrest was not violence related (DV, battery, assault, etc...) they may not be very concerned.  If it was violent in nature they will require additional court documents.  If you contact the arresting police department they can tell you which county courthouse heard your case.

I remember approximately when it happened. But there are like 6 district courts and 6 civil courts. It was sixteen years ago.. I was a young adult. I finished University and have been employed by the DoD since. I didn't want to remember all that stuff... I wasn't proud of it. 

I called several districts. They said if it was expunged, they wouldn't be able to provide anything.