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flicks1998

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  • Gender
    Male
  • State
    Pennsylvania

Immigration Info

  • Immigration Status
    Removing Conditions (pending)
  • Place benefits filed at
    Chicago Lockbox
  • Local Office
    Pittsburgh PA
  • Country
    Philippines
  • Our Story
    Spent a career working with all nationalities. Americans were the dumbest MFers I routinely came across. Have been living outside the US for 25+ years, Manila has been my base or home base for 10+ years. On pace to go to all 193 UN countries, currently at 131. Was born and raised in the US up through high school and then I saw the light. I got out. Still carry around a blue passport for now, but thats the extent of the connection to the country. Hold citizenship in the UK (through family ties), Cambodia (investment), St Kitts & Nevis (investment), Turkey (investment). Also hold PR status for Singapore and Hong Kong.

Immigration Timeline & Photos

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  1.    Howard L reacted to a post in a topic: When do I need an NBI clearance?
  2.    TD6886 reacted to a post in a topic: The 4 Year Journey
  3. flicks1998
    We've been sending many applications without the fee and having no issues. Our case wont be rejected, that I know and I will be writing a full post on why once she completes the N-400 process. Ive documented in previous postings where I have not sent in previous tax forms, left supporting documentation out, and at each phase along the way we are approved with nobody asking questions, either at the I-485 interview as well as the K1 interview at the Embassy. There have been zero questions in 3 years. Once her N-400 is approved I will provide a whole case summary. I have received more questions during my renouncing of US citizenship then she has received during her US immigration process.
  4. flicks1998
    I-751 Sent package 10/25 USCIS received by USPS 10/26 text message with case number/ NOA sent 10/27 USCIS actively reviewing 10/31 Extension letter received in mail: 11/6/2023. Extension letter good for 48 months.
  5. flicks1998
    I work quite a bit with US immigration (unfortunately) and with it, comes frequent requirement changes. When filing my wife's I-751, we DID NOT include the biometric fee. Today we received her 4 year extension letter as well as a separate letter stating that the Biometric fee is not required as her previous fingerprints can be used. The letter continues and states that if you did pay the biometric fee, it is non-refundable. In the exact words of the I-797C: "This notice informs you that USCIS is able to reuse your previously captured fingerprints and other biometrics. USCIS will run the same security checks and use your biometric data as in the past; however (IN BOLD) it is not necessary for you to appear at a USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) for a biometrics appointment. The biometrics fee will not be refunded."
  6.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Marrying in Japan
  7.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Please clear up my confusion. Is the K-1 Visa an immigrant or a non-immigrant visa?
  8.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Please clear up my confusion. Is the K-1 Visa an immigrant or a non-immigrant visa?
  9.    Mike E reacted to a post in a topic: Assets not enough to "overcome public charge grounds of inadmissibility for visa issuance"
  10. flicks1998
    Can you provide more clarity on the line in bold? When you saying "covers all costs", do you mean they are covering his housing, food, and incidental expenses and the $15K-$20K is mainly savings? If thats the case, it may help providing Immigration further details. The one thing I found out when I returned to the US was that generally speaking salaries are high, but the people are broke and $15-$20K after expenses is better than what 80-85% of Americans have, if not a higher %. If I did not interrupt that correctly, then having a 2nd job may be needed.
  11.    Chancy reacted to a post in a topic: Establishing Domicile?
  12.    Mike E reacted to a post in a topic: Ways for a computer scientist with BS degree to immigrate to the USA
  13. flicks1998
    Agreed. I can tell you the medical system I work in, we have 500 foreign nurses in the pipeline. We have an entire govt affairs dept working Senators and DC extremely hard to try and make some kind of exceptions for nurses and medical professionals. We are under extreme pressure on being so short staffed in all aspects in the medical field. Either immigration is going to have to make the process faster for these position or Americans are going to need to start caring about their health and the latter will take too long. Also, this is just our medical system, this problem is nationwide.
  14.    heynow reacted to a post in a topic: Establishing Domicile?
  15.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Case Denied
  16.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Case Denied
  17. flicks1998
    There are quite a few I knew and know in the Philippines who applied for the IR visa while having lived and still living in the Philippines for 10+ years. They had no issues. The few I know going through the process now have not chimed in this thread, but I think @Chancy got it right in her fourth post. Manila does not seem to care much.
  18. flicks1998
    When I applied for the K1 for my wife, I had been out of the US for 25 years. I just included a short letter in the initial documents that stated I would be moving back to the US between such and such dates. I gave a range of about 3 or 4 months. I had nothing tying me to the US except some brokerage accounts. I had no US bank, no US credit cards, no drivers license, all the credit report items had dropped off so had no credit which hasnt been an obstacle to anything. I listed my sister's address as a mailing address. Nobody ever asked about it through the entire process and it was never an issue which included USCIS and the embassy in Manila. I filed US taxes every year but the IRS never inputted my overseas address correctly, so when I returned to the US, it took multiple days and a total of about 10 hours on the phone to confirm my identity. This was during Covid so no offices were open.
  19.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Why can a large age difference be a problem?
  20.    Adventine reacted to a post in a topic: Emergency visa for my father
  21. flicks1998
    I work in a large medical center and we routinely have people from overseas fly to the US for medical care. In fact it occurs daily and even during the peak of Covid, we were still able to fly people in and out of the country despite logistics becoming more difficult and travel bans in place. Their was always an unwritten rule that the travel bans never applied for people seeking medical help or care. If a person does not have a current B visa, all Embassies will issue these for proven medical needs which is typically having a letter from the local doctor, course of treatment, as well as how the services will be paid. One of our divisions is our health plan and some patients living overseas have insurance through our health plan (not sure how they obtained it) or many would just pay out of pocket. The ones paying out of pocket would get a list of charges from the US hospital/doctor and that would be submitted when applying for the B visa. Exceptions will always be made for people who are in need of urgent medical care and they can prove they can pay. There are alot of people around the world with the financial means to pay for medical services in the US without any US health insurance.
  22.    AKN2 reacted to a post in a topic: How to find work in America?
  23. flicks1998
    My wife was in the exact same situation and followed the same process.
  24. flicks1998
    Normally you will find US Customs more strict on prescription drugs with flights from either Mexico or Canada, or even more strict on overland arrivals from Mexico. Both countries are "getaway" countries for US citizens/PRs to find affordable prescription drugs. I understand that some people have conditions that require them to take certain drugs, but the US leads the world (by far) on the amount of prescription drugs that are consumed. Over 70% take at least one prescription drug daily, while 50% take 2 or more on a daily basis. I work in a large health system that has locations in the US and overseas. Its amazing to see the first line of defense in the US is to throw prescription drugs at someone. I believe Americans spend almost $700 billion a year just on this. There is alot of information on how the US prescription drug industry works and its all quite ugly. The US drug industry tries to scare Americans from seeking out drugs overseas telling them that they are tainted or inferior, but in reality, if someone goes to a reputable health clinic, the chances of tainted drugs is small.
  25.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Bringing Prescription Medicine into the US
  26. flicks1998
    The general consensus in the SE Asia region has been longer and harder handovers drinking local vs. imported liquor. In my younger days, I found that generally to be true in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. I rarely drink now so cannot speak for any of the newer stuff that has come out.
  27.    M+K IL reacted to a post in a topic: Will past use of marijuana block my US visa application?
  28.    Volli reacted to a post in a topic: Please I need help
  29. flicks1998
    Can be a pretty common problem in the Philippines. Hiding children from spouses or not telling potential spouses that they were previously married and the only way to get married would be an expensive and long annulment. Seen alot of foreigners get suckered into paying the annulment process and then the newly freed potential spouse running off to another local. Also seen alot of children reappear 4-5 years after the couple marry.
  30.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: NAIA Manila Travel Tax and Terminal Fee for US immigrant visa holder
  31.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: NAIA Manila Travel Tax and Terminal Fee for US immigrant visa holder
  32.    flicks1998 reacted to a post in a topic: Police certificate in Nigeria while outside of the country
  33. flicks1998
    If you could report back, it would be interesting to see what stance they take. I was out of the US for 20++ years and return just before Covid. Stayed in MI for about 2 months and there were 10 pot stores every block. Moved to PA where marijuana is supposedly still illegal but if you go downtown Pittsburgh or Philly, all you will smell is pot. And that is not an understatement. The police do not do anything about it. Drive 2 miles off any interstate into rural America, and it seems half the population is high on some kind of drug. Seems the Sakler family dominated that region while I was away. Then it seems the other half are loaded up on prescription drugs. The nation is filled with drug users. My mother recently passed away at home and the first thing the medical examiner started asking was if she took illicit drugs. It was another ####### moment Ive had back here, but then I remembered which country I moved back to and the ME told me that they are seeing over half their cases of people dying at home either on illicit drugs or taking too many prescription drugs.
  34. flicks1998 started following Police certificate in Nigeria while outside of the country
  35. flicks1998
    This question relates to a nurse we may hire. They are Nigeria citizens but currently work in Saudi Arabia as a nurse. We are currently hiring overseas nurses to come to the US and work. We are applying for green cards for the nurse and any immediate family members and some have recently received an approved I-140. However, it appears that the only way to get a Nigerian police clearance is to physically travel back to Nigeria and get this. It appears they cannot get this from the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia despite being a resident of Saudi Arabia. Does anyone know if this is true and that Nigerians must travel home for this police clearance? Thank you.
  36. flicks1998
    Just follow this advice. Keep it simple and no reason to over complicate the process. There are many dual citizens enter and exiting the Philippines each day. I would assume her stay was for 30 days or less? If it wasnt, if entering on a US passport, then an extension would have had to be done for any days over 30 days and its essentially wasting money and time. Over the years I have acquired 5 nationalities. If Im entering a country that I am a citizen of, I always enter with that countries passport........ Chancy put it in the simplest terms on what should be done.
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