Katopo

2 hours ago, bmfj said:

That’s even if miraculously the USA finds itself on the green list. Doubt that’ll happen. Sometimes I just want to scream and do about 20 mins on a punching bag. And then there’s the offloading issue about meeting in a 3rd country. Wonder if being married helps with that 🤔. Anyone know? 

We're a week away from our second trip to Dubai, just trying to keep hope afloat as we spend Christmas together. Phils Immigration agents will again do their damndest to offload my partner, in spite of her being an experienced international traveler with formidable documentation. Being married would absolutely help avoid offloading, but isn't strictly necessary. The key items we prepare are: Affidavit of Support and Undertaking, travel insurance policy, my last four pay stubs, photos of us together to show proof of relationship, her employment certificate and proof of approved leave. She also did her CFO counseling and has a temp certificate for that. Inevitably, the BOI agent will try to intimidate her and make her think she can't get on her flight. They'll ask questions like, "Why doesn't you fiancé visit you here in the Phils?" She has to smile, be polite and confident, and treat them like they're doing an important job, protecting her from the outside world.

I wouldn't expect the U.S. to ever make the Green List, either because of the current administration's politics or even based on COVID-19 transmission rates. Once vaccinated tourists from Green List countries are allowed back in, though, one option is to spend 14 days in the UAE together before you both travel back to the Phils. Once there, I don't expect there would be problems staying longer.

I think of all the psychological damage that the Phils K-1 shutdown continues to cause and feel like my main goal is to be with my partner, regardless of how we do it. From that perspective, I would recommend the Utah online ceremony for anyone just starting out. For those of us with a year or more already in the black hole, it seems to be a wash. At the current rate, I expect a K-1 interview in Oct 2022. If we were to get married this month, the CR-1 would happen in about the same timeframe, based on other recent couples' experience. The main difference would be no need for AOS, and I'd be able to visit in the Phils. This has a lot of appeal to me, even though getting her here would take the same amount of time. I also feel paralyzed with the choice, knowing that USEM could just as easily shut down the CR-1 program if they thought it was being abused or over-used. Feeling burned out.