JonSeattle

Here in Washington it is more involved, with a visit from social services and so on, so we just went with a name change and will make provision in our wills. The judge for the name change accepted the daughter's Philippine birth certificate with no fuss. If they don't like what you have, they will have you come back with what they want, so it's no big deal. Our first judge told us to come back with more evidence of attempts to contact the absentee father. The second judge asked a few standard questions and then approved the petition.

There's a lot of red flags. One is his employment history. If he comes to the US, you will be held responsible for supporting him even if you get divorced after he gets here. Are you in a financial position to accept that risk? How confident are you in his ability and willingness to hold down an entry-level job for the long term?
 
Beyond that, you need to get a very clear understanding of how you two will live together through hard times. An important part of that is how he deeply feels for you and what he will be willing to do to help you when you need it while he is having a hard time also. It takes time together to develop that commitment to each other.
 
Good luck, I hope you find happiness somewhere, even if not through this man.

There's a lot of red flags. One is his employment history. If he comes to the US, you will be held responsible for supporting him even if you get divorced after he gets here. Are you in a financial position to accept that risk? How confident are you in his ability and willingness to hold down an entry-level job for the long term?
 
Beyond that, you need to get a very clear understanding of how you two will live together through hard times. An important part of that is how he deeply feels for you and what he will be willing to do to help you when you need it while he is having a hard time also. It takes time together to develop that commitment to each other.
 
Good luck, I hope you find happiness somewhere, even if not through this man.

I arrived on my flight the morning of November 29th around 7am.  We sat on the plane for about 45 minutes for an explanation by the Coast Guard on the procedure when we got off.  It was actually information overload if you had not read or prepared before the flight as there are alot of steps.  I had prepaid for my COVID test with the Philippine Red Cross the day before the flight from NYC.  
 
After filling out a bunch of forms on the plane, you then disembark and go to a waiting area for the COVID test.  I actually went to the wrong area but there were no signs.  I waited about 30 minutes for my COVID test until I showed someone my QR code and they told me I had to go another gate.  So if you do arrive with a prepaid COVID test, do not follow the masses (98% of the plane).  Go to the Red Cross area (someone will direct you) and you will get your test within 5 minutes.
 
After this part you go to Immigration.  After Immigration is baggage collection which by this time its already waiting for you.  You then need to have the Affidavit sheet checked multiple times and someone will double check your pre-booked accommodation that it is on the list.  Then you will get your transportation to your hotel from a separate booth.  I took the yellow taxi option and was already expecting problems.  Once all this is done, a Coast guard guy will take your affidavit and then your free to leave the terminal.  You can exchange money outside the door if you need or get a sim card.
 
Taking Grab is not an option and I already knew the taxis were going to give me problems.  As soon as I got in the "metered" yellow airport taxi, the guy asked for the slip of paper thats given at the taxi booth.  Never give them this paper.  They only want it so when you have problems you dont have the number to complain.  Yellow taxi meters start at 70p and before we had gone 100 meters, my meter was well over 100p.  I told the guy to turn off the meter and that I was giving him 250p.  I didnt get any pushback.  My quarantine hotel is walking distance to my condo so I know the rates down to the peso.  
 
Once at the hotel, you check in and they gave me the option to run over to 7-11 to buy anything I may need as that would be my only chance to go outside my room until my test results arrived.  I loaded up at the 7-11 and was proceeded to be overcharged on multiple items.  The lady and her colleague would scan items twice which inflated my bill 30%.  Once I paid, I asked for the receipt and then went line item by line item with them pulling the items out of my bag showing all of the things they overcharged me on.  I got a "sorry sir" but it was clearly done on purpose.  
 
In the hotel I just waited for the test results which came almost exactly 24 hours from taking the test.  I forwarded the email to the front desk and they printed out my certification that I was negative.  I was then basically free to do whatever.
 
Just FYI, the flight on PAL from NYC to Manila was jam packed.  Not a seat was available.  They have reduced this route to one flight a week.  It was 17 hours sitting in a petri dish of potential disease.  Face masks and shields required at all times.  The PAL employees made the flight as comfortable as possible.  They actually did a fine job given the circumstances.  
 
Ive been just going into the office each day but in a separate room and not around the rest of the people just in case I develop symptoms later on.  There is a reason why tourists are not allowed at this time.  All hotels only cater to quarantining.  Ive talked to some Airbnb owners to get the latest scoop and some buildings will rent short term, but many buildings have a requirement of 6 months or more lease required.  If a building allows short term rentals, a COVID test within 72 hours is needed.  For transportation within the city, grab is available, taxis, some jeepneys and buses.  Provincial travel is nearly impossible and travel permits are needed from multiple government agencies.  Renting a car will help get around some of the nonsense.  
 
Many restaurants, convenience stores, etc etc are closed or out of business.  However there is no shortage of places to eat, etc.  Masks must be wore at all times outside and in malls masks and face shields are required.  I cant complain too much on that.  They do a pretty good job and are concerned for the safety of others.  You actually get the feeling people are looking out for each other, unlike in the US where the pandemic has become a sad comedy.  Where I have the problem on requirements is on inter-province travel and not allowing children outside.  You really see NO children and in the Philippines with one of the youngest average ages in the world, its a strange feeling to not hear them running around.  Inter provincial travel would be OK if you could show a recent negative COVID test but for me to see my son, I would need to spend 2 weeks in an elementary school as my quarantine center.  I have heard the conditions are atrocious.  I have plans to meet my son in the middle of the sea in a few weeks since its easier to get him there and bring him with me.  

Here in Washington it is more involved, with a visit from social services and so on, so we just went with a name change and will make provision in our wills. The judge for the name change accepted the daughter's Philippine birth certificate with no fuss. If they don't like what you have, they will have you come back with what they want, so it's no big deal. Our first judge told us to come back with more evidence of attempts to contact the absentee father. The second judge asked a few standard questions and then approved the petition.

It seems to me that if the K-1 got married, then the kids are eligible to AOS. The problem is the I-944 without the cooperation of the original sponsor. 
 
The way around that appears to be to file I-360 on behalf of the kids, see
https://www.shautsova.com/law-publications/green-card-based-vawa.html
assuming they have not aged out and it has not yet been 2 years since the divorce. (I wrote I-130 yesterday when I meant to write I-360).

Here in Washington it is more involved, with a visit from social services and so on, so we just went with a name change and will make provision in our wills. The judge for the name change accepted the daughter's Philippine birth certificate with no fuss. If they don't like what you have, they will have you come back with what they want, so it's no big deal. Our first judge told us to come back with more evidence of attempts to contact the absentee father. The second judge asked a few standard questions and then approved the petition.

The I-944 instructions say (page 5):
"You must provide an IRS transcript(s) of your Federal income tax returns for the most recent tax year and the IRS transcript(s) of the household members whose income you are including."
 
If the immigrant is including the income of the petitioner (which is very likely for a K-1 from the Philippines), then they will need the petitioner's tax transcript as well.
 

Thanks Jon! You are always a great help! Finally got this one filed.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

According to American culture, if you want your gf's mom to commit to sponsoring you, you are first going to have to spend some of your $30K in visits to let her get to know and trust you.

We must have solved all the world's other problems if now no group is more deserving of a free handout than college graduates.

PRESS RELEASE 10 November 2020 New law solution for Pastillas woes – Morente MANILA, Philippines—Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente sees that the passing of the new BI law is the solution to alleged corruption in the agency. In a statement Tuesday morning, Morente bared that the solution to issues plaguing the BI is to update the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. “I have talked to the President and raised this concern to him as well. The Philippine Immigration Act is a very old law, 80 years old to be exact. It was enacted during a time when there were no international flight yet entering and leaving the country,” said Morente. “Many of its provisions are already outdated and inappropriate already,” he added. According to Morente, solving corruption woes in the Bureau can be done in a three-tier approach. “We have already done the first two,” said Morente. “The short-term solution is relieve all those found to have been involved in corrupt practices, hence we relieved all names implicated in the Pastillas issue, and implemented a one strike policy for anyone who tries to follow suit,” he stated. Last week, Morente announced that he implemented a one-strike policy, and will relieve any employee subject of meritorious complaints or issues, pending the filing of appropriate administrative charges. “The medium-term solution is reorganizing the system,” he shared. “To add layers of checks and balances, we have transferred the supervision of the Travel Control and Intelligence Unit and the Border Control and Intelligence unit under a different division. This will serve as a sort of audit to the actions of those in the Port Operations Division, and dismantles any semblance of a central control of possible illegal activities. It adds more eyes watching and auditing the activities of airport personnel,” he added. Morente stressed that despite these changes, the real and long-term solution is the updating of the Philippine Immigration Act. “We can remove people again and again, but the loopholes in the law remain. Quick wins may cure some symptoms in the anti- corruption drive but a responsive new Immigration law may yet cure systemic problems that breed corruption,” said Morente. “The new law, which is already in Congress, will answer salary woes, remove systemic issues, plug loopholes in policies, update fines and penalties, ensure division of power, and confer to the Commissioner the proper disciplinary powers,” he stated. Morente earlier lamented having no disciplinary powers over BI men, as “the power to hire and fire” rests with the Secretary of Justice. The BI Chief added that they are thankful to Congress for prioritizing the BI bill, and is praying for its immediate passage. “We thank our lawmakers for the support in our move to modernize the Bureau, so that once and for all we can rid of systemic issues that remain because of outdated policies,” he stated.

Corruption? What corruption?
 
"There is corruption in every corner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI). In the 'pastillas' scam, we estimate that its masterminds [pocketed] P30 billion, that's based on the arrival data of non-VUA Chinese nationals," she said partially in Filipino. "
 
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/10/20/2051039/masterminds-behind-pastillas-scheme-pocketed-around-p40-billion-hontiveros-says
 
 
 

Corruption? What corruption?
 
"There is corruption in every corner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI). In the 'pastillas' scam, we estimate that its masterminds [pocketed] P30 billion, that's based on the arrival data of non-VUA Chinese nationals," she said partially in Filipino. "
 
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/10/20/2051039/masterminds-behind-pastillas-scheme-pocketed-around-p40-billion-hontiveros-says
 
 
 

You can tell your grandchildren that there used to be 2 other ways of spelling ur.

***Expedited K1 interview approved!!***
Interview scheduled for Nov 19th. 
Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. (Lord, I hope it's not a train)
For those that will ask, the reason is my son's CRBA interview is the same day. Since she would now fall into one of the 4 reasons they would grant a K1 interview. K1 applicants waiting for visa appointments in order to travel to the U.S. with their U.S. citizen child.
I sent an email requesting the interview, not thinking they would grant it until after the CRBA approval but I will take what is given.

We've got Sleepy Joe for prez now. I'm calling a lid now too.

We've got Sleepy Joe for prez now. I'm calling a lid now too.

I received my passport with the visa back in the mail today from the NY Consulate.  BUT, they put the wrong words on the visa and I have to mail it back to them. 😡
 
They put "spouse of Filipino national" and not "foreign parent of minor Filipino child".  I feel like Im working back in Manila.  

You can tell your grandchildren that there used to be 2 other ways of spelling ur.