top_secret

Her other ID's being in her maiden name is not a problem. CFO would automatically understand the difference between married and maiden name and would not expect ID's to be updated.

The ROM is required by the Philippine Government and it legalizes an overseas marriage under Philippine Law. It is unimportant to the US Government or for US immigration purposes, other than it would be necessary if your wife wanted to change to your name prior to her visa, green card and social security card all being issued in her maiden name. If you plan on having little or no real interactions within the Philippines in the future, it is probably of little value and doesn't really matter. If the Philippines may play a more significant role in your future, such as if you want to retire there, own family property there, etc ect, it would be more important because it could affect your rights as a spouse of a Filipino citizen in the Philippines and might often come up in any kind of dealings with the Philippine Government. Edit to add. The name changing aspect applies to CR1/IR1 cases. K1 applicants could just change their name during adjustment of status with a US Marriage Certificate so less important in K1 cases.

Nothing is "normal" about interview scheduling at US Embassy Manilla these days, but receiving dates scheduled by NVC is consistent with what they have done the last few months, with the recent mass-expedite of IR1 and IR2 cases being a seemingly more one off event. It's notable that IR5's were also included in this round of NVC scheduling with similar DQ dates. IR1's and IR2's were most likely excluded from this round of NVC scheduling by virtue of that pool being depleted by the recent mass-expedite. It's great to hear that CRs were not totally passed by. The referenced statement was completely correct when this thread started and when written in February 2023. A CR/IR-1/2 case documentarily qualified January 12, 2023 should have been included in the mass expedite that occurred the last week of January 2023 and would have been able to self schedule an interview at that time. But what a difference a year has made. Cases that became documentarily qualified January 2024 probably still have a few more months to wait. At least is is hopeful they seem to be addressing the backlog they accumulated during 2023.

Congratulations!! It's just nice to finally see some movement. After 8 months wit ZERO visajourney members getting spousal interviews at US Embassy Manila, nine have now updated their timelines with recent or imminent interviews. Those who still having trouble scheduling interviews just keep checking. Twice this last week they opened up a few more dates which were quickly snatched up. Speculation is that 1:00PM to 2:00PM Manila time is when they have recently released more dates. Also, anyone who has an interview date scheduled but cant get a date at Saint Luke's, apparently they are taking walk-ins without appointment if they have an interview scheduled in the next 10 days. I remain totally baffled by what USEM is doing.

I have given up on trying to figure out what US Embassy Manila is up to> they seem to be wildly thrashing around on scheduling with no rhyme or reason February's visa statistics are out and for an embassy that should be one of the busiest on the planet for spousal visa, US Embassy Manila managed to accomplish only 67 IR1 visas and only ONE!!!! CR1 visa in the whole month of February. The most recent mass expedite encompassing only IR1's and IR2's while passing over CR's with older DQ dates is yet a new previously unseen twist. US Embassy Manila continues their streak of being nonsensical. I guess if I were CR1, I would take note that in February and March, around the 8th or possibly the second Friday of the month (??) NVC had been sending interview letters to all CR's and IR's, including IR5's, going by DQ date. IR5's were also not included in the recent mass expedite so one could speculate that if NVC does still send out a batch of interview letters this week, it would encompass CR's and IR5's who were DQ from late May 2023 forward. That is a group that should be depleted of IR1's and IR2's by that mass expedite so maybe it could advance a few months?? Or, USEM could just do something completely random that is impossible to predict.

Interesting. As of about a year ago they had dropped the previously existing requirement for the Affidavit of Explanation. It seems it is back.

US Embassy Manila will convert "ñ" to "n" anyways, so as far as they are concerned it's the same. It shouldn't be a problem.

Legitimation of your birth certificate is not the same as being late registered. The only effect it has on US immigration is that it may have changed your surname to that of your father's(?). If it did change your name, you may need an AKA using your mother's surname on your NBI clearance.

The government of Japan has made it mandatory that all Japanese tourist visa applications in the Philippines will go through "accredited travel agencies". Their primary role is to make sure the paperwork is all in Japan's very specific order before it goes to the Embassy for visa approval. It's a cash cow for the accredited travel agencies and they would not do anything to jeopardize their standing with the Japanese embassy. If they are really on the "accredited" list they are legit. Japan is unique among G7 nations in that they routinely grant tourist visas to Filipinos who meet their more or less reasonable standards. Jump through their hoops and she actually really gets a two week single entry Japan visa. Most other G7 nations the outcome would be different. It's alright, so just play along with an accredited travel agency. We did a total of 5 times and every one a success. The last two, 5 year multiple entry Japan visas.

The Mexican government is very ambitious on the extension letter issue. You won't find an authoritative answer about if an extension letter is acceptable or not because there isn't one. I have heard of several specific first hand accounts of persons being denied boarding by the airline for flights to Mexico due to having expired green cards and valid extension letters. I have heard multiple accounts of persons successfully boarding flights Mexico with extension letters. I have not heard of a single case of Mexican Immigration making an issue of extension letters, or any problems with airlines or US immigration returning to the US. It seems to be specifically a crapshoot with the gate agent when boarding a flight to Mexico and if you make it on the plane at all you are fine. There seems to be no way to achieve certainly other than having a Mexican visa.

Even though they say to, don't bother having PSA send it to the Embassy. The Embassy has a high chance of losing it or will take an extra hour searching for it. Just get it yourself and bring the original PSA copy to the interview.

They should have gave her a results date to return. Generally, if there was bad news they would call her back early. If she made it all the way to her results date with no bad news, it is reasonable to assume it will be negative and she will be good to go. Maybe one extra day for a psyce evaluation if she was tagged for that.

It's important to separate US immigration law from state adoption law or US Military regulations. For immigration it's incredibly clear cut. US Embassy Manila and the Philippine government are in complete agreement that the mother of a child born out of wedlock needs nothing from the father to take her child anywhere in the world she wants to. Case closed. Adoption in the US is not part of the immigration process and the legal requirements will be very State specific. Likewise, US Military regulations have their own standards that may differ from what mom needs to immigrate with her child. If your wife's lawyer is a Philippine lawyer(?) he would be irrelevant to the process since there is no dispute in the Philippines. Maybe he's trying to file a case for profit. If he is a US lawyer he may be talking about state adoption laws that differ from US Immigration laws.

It is only required of the US Citizen sponsor if they were born in the Philippines and have lived in the Philippines for a year as an adult. If you want one for a souvenir you can order it delivered in the Philippines for P430 (~$8) from https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph . Order a CEMOMAR and if married you will receive AOM.

Exactly. "Marriage of parents" is on the child's birth certificate. If no marriage is listed there is nothing required from the father by US Embassy Manila or Philippine exit immigration. Affidavit of admission of paternity is irrelevant, as is it irrelevant if the child uses the father's surname. Simplest custody law on the planet. No marriage means mom has full custody. Wayyyyy later, if mom naturalizes as a US Citizen, the US Passport office has been known to make trouble on the issue when applying for the child's US Passport.

Awesome! As soon as https://ustraveldocs.com/ph lets you book, you can book an an interview too. If it lets you book at all, you are good. There is some doctrine that you must wait for "congratulatory letter" from the embassy. It's not true. If it lets you book interview then it's good.

Those who received auto-expedites. In the previous mass expedites, the whole system gets hit all at once, Philippine parts get jammed up and break down, and those who move quickly hold the advantage. If you got an expedite, book Saint Luke's now, create your http://ustraveldocs.com/ph account now, and as soon as your case status is "Ready" start trying to schedule. Don't wait for an e-mail from the embassy with instructions. If it's "Ready" you can proceed as soon as it lets you. If you get "case number not found" try again later. Any CR's yet?

That's fantastic news. US Embassy Manila continues it's streak of being wildly unpredictable but at least it's a seemingly positive development. Maybe public shaming on the embassies Facebook page actually worked.

Probably most long distance couple do not have combined finances. USCIS isn't looking for you to open accounts just to check an item off a list. If you do think of additional evidence that you feel may make your case stronger you can always submit at any time in your USCIS online account under the unsolicited evidence tab.

The problem is that the Philippines is the land of inconsistency. Every city in the whole country has subtle differences in what they require and they tend to change rules like every other week. Anyone's previous experience would only be valid for comparison at the same place and time they did it. The only way you could get an authoritative answer to what will be required is to go down to the Local Civil Records Office (LCRO) in the city or town where you actually intend to marry and ask them for a list of their local requirements. Utah Online Marriages remains a good option too with considerably less red tape and a shorter time frame. They are valid and recognized by both the US and Philippine governments.

The fully booked schedule situation is now affecting many. No doubt due the US Embassy Manila releasing 3 months worth of interview letters in two days. Usually they do not take walk-ins any more but several people recently reported success walking in IF they have a scheduled interview in the next few weeks with no interviews available. If they are coming from out of town it may be a good idea to try and call first. +63-2-524-6083

I definitely am a big proponent of spending some time together. The more the better. Anyone can be anything the want anyone to see online. People can even keep up appearances in person for shorter visits. No substitute for in person time getting to know someone. If you are serious, the Utah online marriage has some significant advantages including time for overall completion of the process since it gets a marriage certificate you could file with much faster than Philippine bureaucracy would. The legal aspects of the online marriages are now quite tested and are being fully accepted both for US immigration and Philippine laws. They are successfully going through US Embassy Manila for visa purposes in large numbers. Probably daily.

Actually for the most part US Embassy Manila kept up on CR1/IR1 CR2/IR2 interviews throughout all the lockdowns, even as they let K1's and other family categories languish. They never developed a major backlog in CR1/IR1 CR2/IR2 even while K1's were screwed. The Embassy totally shut down with the mid-March 2020 lockdown, remained closed April and May 2020, resumed limited priority CR1/IR1 CR2/IR2 in June and resumed kind of low normal-ish interviewing in July-September and then came up to full speed October on. I think that if you had your CR1/IR1 CR2/IR2 interview canceled in May 2020 you were probably accommodated by July or August. For the sake of comparison in July 2020 they processed 76 CR1's and 84 IR1's vs January 2024 where they only processed 4 CR1's and 86 IR'1. Our interview letter in October 2021 came 2 weeks after becoming documentarily qualified so that's where the backlog stood then. This NEW backlog is not a product of the COVID era because as recently as June of last year they sent those mass expedites to everyone documentarily qualified up until early May. Very literally, if you became documentarily qualified May 5 2023, then in late June 2023 you could self schedule an interview and many are sitting in the US since July of last year. Whereas someone who was documentarily qualified 20 days later on May 25 2023 is still waiting and has not received an interview letter to this day. It seems crazy. I suspect what has happened is that CR1/IR1 CR2/IR2 had always been prioritized but last year they just removed any prioritization and dumped them all in the lengthy IR5 queue. So rather than preserve those categories that did not have backlogs and catch up on the categories that did, they created a new backlog that did not previously exist. Some kind of government logic that normal folks cant understand. On the bright side K1's are doing awesome now. You could schedule a K1 interview next week.

Since this removal of conditions has become boring, here is something I saw posted in a Facebook group to spice it up. (not us) While the listed timeline follows our own by about a week, there is no such activity in our case. My wife remains at "Being Actively Reviewed" since October 2, 2023 a few hours after biometrics was completed at the ASC. My stepdaughter remains at "Case was Received and a Receipt Notice Was Sent" since September 8, 2023.

While I can not speak specifically about Islamabad, I have been watching Manila's backlog very closely and seen reports by quite a few F2A to IR1 conversions. NVC kept the IR's in order by Documentarily Qualified date. Inevitably, F2A's had been waiting much longer and had much older Documentarily Qualified dates then other IR's and therefore took a place in the very front of the IR line the moment they converted. Most often they got interview letters first in the next batch to be sent out. So waiting under F2A does count in the IR queue and it is a very positive time saving change converting to IR1. (with the usual caveat about any derivatives)