A&W0714

Hi,

From my experience, the maximum length of stay that the Customs Border Patrol (CBP) at the Port of Entry (POE) grants is 6 months. Please note that this is not guaranteed and may depend on the assessment of the CBP still, as they may grant shorter depending on the purpose of the visit of the traveler.

The PH immigration normally asks for the airline ticket which is ideally should be roundtrip for visitors, if not, your Mother in law should be prepared to respond to the inquiry why the single trip. For the travel insurance requirement, I cant seem to find an official source. It may be worth buying one just in case.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html

https://ph.usembassy.gov/covid-19-and-travel-information/

You can search for  USCIS Civil Surgeon here, just input your address or ZIP Code.

https://www.uscis.gov/tools/find-a-civil-surgeon

I used this service though, since I wanted to shop for cheaper rates  https://www.easyime.com/    Thanks again @Timona for the info!

Hi,

I'm about to mail the completed I-693 Form following request of the Field Office through e-mail. Is it alright to use the address  they specified (just the generic address), or do I also need to write the name of the Field Office Director who requested? Also, is there an advantage if we request for signature of the receiver, or just plain mail will do?  I know my questions sound a bit silly, but I just wanted to be sure since we don't want any further delays in the processing of our requests.

USCIS Field Office

Dallas, Texas

or

Mr. Adam Smith

Field Office Director

USCIS Field Office

Dallas, Texas

Thanks in advance!

Suggest focus on collecting "quality"  evidence of ongoing relationship, for K1. My fiance provided boarding passes on his trips to the PH (about 4x). We supplemented then by printing photos of trips we took, including description of who's who in the picture. We also included receipts of  flower and gift deliveries he sent, as well as Cards and Letters that showed our addresses. We provided  screenshots of whataspp messages (though not really much).

We filed our I-130 and 1-130a online. Less paper for us.

Yes, per CDC guidelines. Note that there are blanket waivers where one could apply for exemption.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) have recommended COVID-19 vaccination for the age-appropriate, general US population. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccination now meets the criteria for required vaccinations and is a requirement for applicants eligible for the vaccine.

The applicant must complete the COVID-19 vaccine primary series and provide documentation of vaccination to the civil surgeon in person before completion of the medical examination.

CDC Requirements for Immigrant Medical Examinations: COVID-19 Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons | Immigrant and Refugee Health | CDC

Hi, if money is not a major issue, suggest to book a passport appointment in other DFA locations (in DFA ASEANA Manila or in Cagayan de Oro). There are many slots still. Also, I remember it takes 2weeks-to a month before a passport is released to the applicant.

Also, might be worth calling DFA hotline to confirm if Mom still needs to have an affidavit of loss first (for the lost passport) before booking an appointment.

On 2/22/2023 at 4:30 PM, JERICHO J said:

hello good people! after a year of waiting, finally i've got my WORK PERMIT today and my question is, who long do i have to wait for the green card interview after EAD approval? thank you  

Hi, when did you submit your EAD request? I'm a June 2022 filer here and I'm just curious. Thanks.

My husband used WF to send money to my BDO $ Dollar Account. He asked for the SWIFT code of BDO that time if I am not mistaken.

You have 2 options in withdrawing the money: thru the provided BDO Debit ATM (Forex rate is based on the bank's rate) or withdraw the $ over the counter. I did the latter.

1 hour ago, Deanne81 said:

You mean if her departure date is tomorrow the coverage start date must be today? Why would the IO require that? 

Also do you know if there is a coverage amount specified? I see that the PI required incoming foreigners to show at least $35k coverage travel insurance, but can't find the amount required for outbound Filipinos. 

 

I mean the coverage start date shall be the same as the date of departure.

I don't recall if there is a written coverage amount required for outbound Filipinos. So I guess it depends on your own discretion considering the high cost of healthcare in the US (in case of hospitalization).

9 minutes ago, A&W0714 said:

I used Patriot America Plus (with COVID-19 coverage) Note that it is only for those temporary travelers/visitors to the US

Be sure to buy travel/health insurance before the intended travel as the Immigration Officer checks for it. In my case, the IO read my printed policy and compared the  dates of coverage vs. dates indicated in the airline ticket.

2 hours ago, Deanne81 said:

Hi I need recommendations for travel and health insurance required by Philippine Airlines. Help please! Interested to hear from those who travelled recently. Thank you in advance.

From PAL website:

I used Patriot America Plus (with COVID-19 coverage) Note that it is only for those temporary travelers/visitors to the US

1 hour ago, Deanne81 said:

Another very ambiguous government form. Please advise.

 

1) Should this be signed by the passenger before or AT check-in? "I declare that the above information are true..." seems to require passenger to have completed check-in before signing.  This form is handed by the airline and will be signed at check-in. Afterwards, the passenger gives the signed form to the Immigration Officer at the Security

2) Should she provide her contact number, email, and contact person in the PI or in US? Contact number could be PH mobile number. For the contact person it says contact person in case of emergency, so anyone who could be called (any family member or relative)

3) Purpose of travel, essential??? are they still restricting now to essential travel only? Just state the purpose of the trip e.g. visit relative/s, tourism. Need not to be essential or business related

 

 

Will check. Thank you, Timona!

Dear All,

We just submitted our AOS packet last June 24 (without the I-693) and received our paper NOAs last July 8. Currently, we have a list of  civil surgeons in Metro Dallas-Forth Worth TX (from USCIS site) but would just like to seek recommendations as well.

Appreciate any inputs. Thanks.

Got our NOA2 Dec 2020. Given the timelines of those ahead of us and still do not have an interview sched yet, we might be have our chance 4Q 2022 or 2023. To think that even if we got our K1 visa by then, AOS/EAD is also taking at least a year. Oh well. 

I had my PH passport renewed last October 19, 2020 (passport to expire July 2021 or 9 months away then). Before I left DFA Manila West, I was asked if I have any travel plans soon. I told them I might have, so they allowed me to keep my existing passport. Then, they just invalidated it (punched holes on it) when my new passport was released mid November. 

They wont provide specific date on the release of the new/renewed passport. They will make you sign a document that you release DFA on any claim or fees in case the new passport will not be available for the intended embassy/travel plans.

So for me, best to hold on to existing passport whatever circumstance until the issuance of a new one. 

You may also consider booking with units sold/marketed under RedDoorz (either Ermita or Makati locations). I heard they accept business related accomodation requests.

Compared to previous trips outside the country, I was asked more questions which was kind unusual (I was interviewed for about 15minutes). While leisure trip/outbound travels are now permitted, relatively few Filipinos are going out at this time of pandemic due to restrictions here and almost everywhere. I noticed that most of those who were with me at the PH immigration were mostly travelling for work e.g. OFWs. For me, that pique the interest of the Officer behind the booth to ask more questions about the purpose of my travel.

As long as we have the relevant visa and comply to the travel requirements as required by IATF and destination country, one should be fine to travel.

Hi, I've visited my fiance last December for 10 days in the US.

I've had pretty much everything as indicated in your list and I think @Adventine you are good to go. For the PH Immigration part, I was asked for the following:

- Purpose of visit (spend holidays with my fiance)

- Fiance? How long have you been together? ( X years)

- Not married yet? (Not yet, waiting for approval of petition, I have copy of NOA1 but officer did not requested for it)

- Do you have an ID of your petitioner (showed my fiance's scanned US passport saved in my Google drive)

- How long will you stay in the US (10 days)

- Why short (need to go back for work and anticipate that I might be covered with required quarantine - and yes, I did the 14 day hotel quarantine this January)

- Present you travel and medical insurance (I got mine from IMG Patriot America Plus)

- Present roundtrip ticket (MNL-NRT-DFW)

At Narita Intl, I was asked to present my B1/B2 visa at the JAL transfer desk.

At DFW,  officer asked for my purpose of visit, no of times been to the US, and asked me to write down address where I will stay. Then told me, welcome back to the States, Maam. 

Flight was a breeze, not much people on board. Airports looked empty but I kinda liked that there were less people (= less exposure to virus). 

Hope this helps others who plan to visit their loved ones. Good luck to all.

Happy to be here.

NOA1 - April 6, 2020

NOA2 - December 1, 2020

@Greenbaum May I request for a copy of Manila's P3? Thanks in advance. 

9 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

Congratulations! 

 

Join us in the DECEMBER 2020 K-1 NOA2 to NVC to EMBASSY thread and download the PDF file on the first post of the first page for tips, tricks and hacks to follow your case to the embassy. I'll post both links below:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/752616-december-2020-k-1-noa2-to-nvc-to-embassy/

Thank you!

Hi @Armika

Yes, we sent an inquiry outside of processing times to USCIS last November 4. That time their current processing date was April 7, 2020 (just before they adjusted their timelines). They said they will reply to our inquiry by November 26 but we did not receive any feedback until we saw that our case was updated from received to approved.