martinbr

Have a friend who had her medical last November and had her interview April of this year. It took a while for her to have her interview because of some issues. The embassy told her to have another medical just after her interview.

As for my case, my medical has been more than 3 months before I had my interview but there was never any problem. The medical might be valid for 3-5 months.

I also forgot to mention that my wife is clear. She had her medical and interview. It's only the kid we have to worry about now. I get to get this straightened out before she goes back home.

thanks,

martinbr

I will have to ask my wife whether they offered this sputum test already. This is why they might want her to be on a longer treatment. She might have done this already. My wife's english is terrible. It has been very dificult to communicate about this whole matter. I even had to call St. Lukes's myself to get some information about her case, but they didn't have any information for me to go on when I called them. I might try to call them again and ask about this sputum test.

martinbr

So most of you who have read about my wife's child not passing medical due to a spot that they detected on her lungs. They told her that the child has to be on medicine for 6 months and then come back for medical again. Would I have to pay the fees for the child and the mother due to a 6 month period? And does the visa start running out at the starting of medical exams. I thought I read somewhere where that was the case. How long is a medical good for?

Actually my wife really wants to get back home and take her child to a local doctor to get her rechecked again. Not that this is going to help, but maybe it will put her mind at ease.

It really doesn't matter if it's 2 months or six months. She is staying with her sister up in Laguna and that would be too long of a stay for her. So she really wants to get home.

martinbr

They took a xray of my wife's child and found a spot on her lung. Now she has to undergo medicine for 6 months before they can see her for interview. My wife is very upset obviously about this because of her daughter might be having a medical condition. I know they are from a rural area where TB could be running rancid, so I am suspecting that maybe the child picked something up from one of her friends or in the school. It's funny that the mother came out with a clean record and the child has it though.

Now they have to go all the way back to Bacolod City 600 miles away on a boat and wait for 6 months. But there must be a reason for it. I still am scrambiling with the work situtation here and living in the S.F. bay area is even worse. Here the unemployment rate is 12.5%!

Maybe things will improve for me in the next 6 months with more work and then feeling comfortable about bringing them here.

The reality of it is that I am starting to lose hope about the whole thing. Mabye this is for a reason and she should be staying in her own country. Maybe god is putting so many obstacles in my way to get my attention that it might not be the right move for me. Don't get me wrong, I love her as much as the first day that we met, but I have to be realistic about things. It might be for her best interest to just stay in her own country and just letting her go in my life. I don't want to bring them over to even worse conditions that she had in her own homeland. Sad day for me....

martinbr

My wife and daughter had there interviews today on Monday the 28th. My wife passed here interview, but when they had there medicals on Friday, they said that they had to have my step daughter go back to St. Lukes at 10:00am on Monday. But there interviews were at 7:00am.

So this xray for I still do not have a clear idea on what the actual test was? I know the xray was to check and see if the child has TB. If that comes back clean, I was informed by st. lukes that they will set the appointment up for my daughter to go back with her mother to the embassy to get this thing finished.

Now if they suspect something in the childs lungs, they would do a sputum test next? Then they said that would take up to 3 months to get results. That would mean they would have to go back home 600 miles on the boat from Manila to Bacolod City and wait while this gets done.

They did connect me over to the lab at st. lukes and there was no record of my daughters case there yet, so I have to wait until I get more information from my wife when I talk to her. But I am relieved that my wife completed her interview.

Anyone else had this problem with the xrays? And how long did it hold you up?]

thanks,

martinbr

AR stands for Administrative Review. If all goes well at the interview, the Embassy will simply put a hold on their case while waiting for St. Lukes to deliver the medical results. The Embassy will issue the visas when they receive the medical results.

Also, your sweetheart and stepchild likely can go to the appointment at St. Lukes after the Embassy interview...even if they are a bit late.

Thank you. My step childs appointment at St. Lukes is at 10:00am Mon right after interview. My wife says she has all the rest of medical papers that shows that she is done with it. I anticipate this not to be much of a problem.

Wish me luck everyone!

martinbr

She and the step child will most likely be put on AR until the Medical results arrives. This has happened several times before to various VJ members.

IMHO, a week or two on AR is better than waiting a month for a resheduled interview.

Could you please tell me what AR stands for? Is this so she can just go back in a week and have interview with consulate?

thanks,

martinbr

The call center does opens at 9 AM, but seeing as she did get the majority of her medicals done, it shouldnt be a problem, she could explain to them what happened? If not, then she can do the xrays and not go, and you can call on the 29th? i know it doesnt sound like the best plan, but with me, I did a stupid thing and waited the last minute to send my fiance the documents she needs. Her interview date was the same day as your wife's, I tried to call and reschedule but I miss the date (tJune 24th, Manila time), so the lady from the call center had told me that if it doesnt get to her on time (which it wont cuz I sent it on Thur. and will get there Tue. her time), than she can always not go to the embassy on the day. She said it wont be a problem or anything like that and told me to call on the 29th to schedule another interview for a later date, which I'm gonna choose July 1st. Maybe this has helped you in some way, if not, then I'm hoping the very best for you and your wife & step child. God Bless.

Exactly, that is all I can do at this point. She will be at interview on Mon @ 7:00am but I really want her down there at 5:30am is she can be there. Then I will leave this up to god how it's going to turn out. I have done all I can do. I am financially, emotionally, and spritually drained on the whole process. It's up to my wife to care of business on her end. I can't do anymore.

Thanks for your suggestions.

martinbr

The USEM allows you to reschedule an interview more than one time. Why don't you call them? If the USEM will not reschedule, then have them go to their interview. They can still be approved pending the medical results. They can go back to St. Lukes on Monday when they finish the interview.

The only thing that I could do at this point since it is the weekend there and her appointment is at 7:00am on Monday is to try to call the call center there on Monday. I don't know what time they are open though. I think that my wife is just going to have to go to interview with medical results as they are and see what happens. The call center I would imagine opens at 9:00am and here appointment is at 7:00am.

martinbr

Maybe you can reschedule their interview for the following week. That would give them time to complete their medical. Rescheduling their interview would also give St. Lukes time to transfer the medical results to the Embassy.

It is going to be up to her to see if she could reschedule. We already had to reschedule once already because of her fathers passing the first part of June. What they told me at that time when I called the embassy's call center is that the June 28th is the last day they could schedule a interview.

I am afraid that they are going to have her come back in a month from now. That means she would have to go back on a boat down to the Bacolod City where she lives and come back. Unless she could stay at her sisters in Laguna.

I don't know. I have done all I can. It is up to her to see if she could pull it off. I can't do anymore since I am not there.

martinbr

Hello everyone, My wife and step child's interview is scheduled for this Mon June 28th at 7:00am at the Manila Embassy. My wife and child finished up there medical on Friday but they want to have my step child back for a xray Monday.

My wife went last Monday for her medical but they couldn't take her because she didn't have the bar coded cover page showing that they expidited her case because of me having to redo her ds-230 application. So she got the medical done on the very last business day before her interview on Monday. Man, this is stressing me out. I feel completely out of control her because I just do not have the funds to be there with her to support her in this last process of the very long journery for me. I have been thru a horrid divorce, lost job, and with the biggest recession since the great depression has not made this journey easy by no means.

Is this going to be a problem? I told my wife to just go there at the appointment and explaing to the consular that she has to go back to St. Lukes at 10:00am to have my step childs xray done. They also had to go back and get there immunization shots too. Can she go after they get results from xray to the embassy to get this completed?

After three years of processing this journey to be with my wife, I would hate to see that she would get turned away at Embassy because of the medical complications that she encountered. Anyone else been thru this situation that could share with me or suggestions on what to do here?

thanks,

martinbr

Hello,

Congrats to you at makakasama mo na mga kids mo dito sa US. 'Bout me we still waiting for the NVC approval or case complete. How long you wait since you since send the DS-230 approve? What did you do? Please share some information and thank you... God Bless...

Sheila

Sheila, I am not the classic role model here for a timeline. Mine has been going on for 3 years due to a lot of circumstances out of my control. Ex-wife sucking tons of money out of my paychecks to slow process down and also the Great Recession. Good luck to you though and a speedy journey for you and your loved one.

thanks,

martinbr

Hello my friend,Good luck to your wife and kid.. I am happy for you because you will be together with your life. I am so happy. I wish soon I will get my approval coz I can't wait to see my husband and be with him forever and ever..

Thanks

Baille

Thank you Baille, yes it's been a 3 year process as you can see by our timeline. I pray that all goes well.

thanks,

martinbr

I just wanted everyone to know who has supported me in the past that my wife is on her way to Manila on a boat at this moment for the final phase, the big interview. I would have liked to have flown her up there, but it is my wife and child and I couldn't afford to do this. She is fine with this. I realize now what a brave and strong person she really is. I really love this woman.

I pray that everything goes well at St. Lukes and at the interview. I called and text her to remind her to make sure she brings the passports and ID's and to check all the papers, ect. I am nervous that something is going to go wrong. The interview isn't until 06/28 but I wanted my wife and child to get up there early just in case something gets fouled up at St. Lukes. Wish us luck everyone,

thanks,

martinbr

Martin, We did not wait for an appointment. As soon as we got the NVC case number...we went to SLMC...first come first serve is what we were told and in our case....it was true! She got there at 4:30AM and was 18th in line. They opened the gates...she showed her MNL case number and passport. She was let in and when the doctor asked her if she had an interview date with the Embassy...she told them NO. They explained that if the interview was more than 3 months after her medical exam...she would need a new medical and would need to pay again. She told them that was okay because she would like the medical completed now. They had no problem taking her money or giving her the exam.

The good side of going ASAP is (as Andres indicated) if there are any medical questions (xray, etc), it can be addressed immediately.

The bad...not your case...is that if the interview is more than 3 months away...you would need to re-do the medical.

Can not explain about the child as we have no knowledge/understanding of that part of the process.

Hopefully someone else here can answer for you.

No, I will just call ebmbassy and re-schedule the interview appointment first. Even if it's a couple of more months. I have waited this long so a couple more months I can handle. What I really do not want is the risk that she would have to take the medical all over again and shell out another $400.00. So it only makes sense to re-schedule.

Again, I know how important family is and how hard it must be for both of you at this time.

Please accept our heartfelt condolences and prayers for you all to get thru this process with a minumum of difficulty.

Thank you for your concern,

martinbr

Well, I finally talked to my wife again and I am going to have to re-schedule. I am going to call the Embassy tommorow. I just can't see her being there on 05/27 for medical. My wife said that at the least, she wouldn't be ready to go for around ten days from now which is totaly understandable due to her certain circumtances with her father's passing. That would put it at around 06/01 to start to leave 600 miles away. She wouldn't be able to get up there in time for her scheduled interview on 06/04. Thanks to everyone for there kind words for this hard time for my wife and myself...

martinbr

sorry to hear about the sad news.

your wife didn't have her medical exam at St. Luke's yet? I suggest not to buy a plane ticket yet, you don't know what those doctors at St. Luke's might find in her x-ray. Even a little blurry spot could delay her interview for 2 months. That's what just happened with my mom and many other applicants.

Hello, so did you have a certain time to be at St. Lukes? Where did you get the information from to find out what time for you to be there or did you go at the earliest time that you could?

thanks,

martinbr

Agree with Andres completely! Do not get a plane ticket for USA or even reschedule the interview until you know the results of the medical! Anything can happen at SLMC even if you know that she is in perfect health! They can say she need to undergo sputum/culture testing for any reason and you can do nothing about it but comply! Be sure when she goes to the SLMC that she does not have a cough or sinus drainage or anything that may raise a flag to them about her health.

If you reschedule the interview 1st....and then SLMC tells her she must undergo sputum testing....you will need to reschedule interview AGAIN.....sputum/culture testing takes 60 days.

When is SLMC medical and interview scheduled?

Maybe my opinion only....do the medical ASAP!!! Do not wait for the appointment date! take your NVC case number & passport and go do the medical immediately.

If as in your case, it is impossible to do the medical before or when it is scheduled....call SLMC & Manila Embassy and explain your situation.

BTW....if you call SLMC and they tell you that they will call the embassy.....you should call the embassy anyway and explain the situation......just to be sure that the embassy has been called!!!

Best wishes...may God be with you in your time of sorrow and thru the rest of this process.

Here are the appointments that the online embassy are giving for my wife and her daughter to be at St. Lukes. Do they need to be there exactly at these times, or is just a general time that they put into there computer for information?

No, I am not getting plane tickets yet. I know we have a couple of big hurdles to overcome yet. My wife still wants to keep appointment, but by the dates given below, she has four days to get up to Manila since it takes 24 hrs on a boat to get there. So she needs to leave on the 25th of May at the latest.

Case Number: (My Wife)

St. Lukes Appointment Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010 (7:00:00 AM)

Embassy Appointment Date: Friday, June 04, 2010 (7:15:00 AM)

Case Number: (My Step Child)

Visa Classification: IR2

St. Luke's Appointment Date: Friday, June 04, 2010 (12:00:00 AM)

Embassy Appointment Date: Friday, June 04, 2010 (8:30:00 AM)

Also, Why would St. Lukes want to see my stepchild after the interview appointment? This doesn't even make sense. That is why I thought either there is a error here, or they are just general times that the ebassy line up. I need both of them to go before, right?

thanks,

martinbr

I'm sorry to hear that.

If she needs to postpone the interview that's fine. She can always bring her dad's death certificate to the interview if the "postponed interview" becomes a issue.

I don't know how long it would take. You can email the Embassy and ask them the next available date.

Good luck and I'm sorry for you wife's loss.

She says she wants to keep appointment. I want her to leave on the May 25th so she can have plenty of time to get the medical interview and everything, but I don't know how she is going to get things in order with her fathers funeral in four days from now. Her sister is on her way down from Manila now. My wife has to go up on a boat because I can't afford plane tickets for her and her daughter to go back and forth. I am afraid though it might be a few more months or maybe longer before she can get another appointment. I am just going to play it by ear. I have one more phone call to contact the embassy call center in which I can inquire about this.

thanks,

martinbr

My wife just lost her father yesterday. If I re-schedule interview, does it look bad in the eyes of the Manila Emassy. How long would it take to get a new interview? This immigration process has been going on three years now and anymore delays might not look good. But I really don't think she is going to be in any shape to be leaving next week to Manila with making arrangements for her father and spending time with her family. Anyone else been thru this?'

thanks,

martinbr

it was 4 photos each. According to the Embassy's website you need 2 there: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwfiven.pdf

Thanks, I am just going to get six photos of each. That way I know they will have enough. As I mentioned, I am not going to be at interview. I would love to be there to support my wife, but I just don't have the money right now to be going to Manila. But she is a strong girl. I am sure she will do fine. From what I am told, they don't even let the husband say anything anyway.

martinbr

If your wife has the letter from NVC and appointment letter from the embassy, she dont have to bring the NOA2. These two are suffice along with her passport, 4 pcs. passport size photos and of course the medical fee and don't forget the MNL case# as well. Your step daughter need the same things.

Are you saying bring 4 photos of each applicant? Or 4 photos total? This will be my wife and stepchild.

thanks,

martinbr

They actually take 3 of the 4 photos at the medical. (at least that is what they did with Mhay). they will take a digital photo at St. Lukes too.

So how many photos am I going to need for interview and medical exam? I have to have my wife go down and get them for her and the kid and I don't want her to have to be scrambling around up at Manila to get more if she doesn't have enough. So are we talking two sets at interview and 4 sets at St. Lukes. That is a lot of photos...

Also, I don't have interview letter for wife since here case and the NVC did not generate one because there was still no date set until I got it scared away with the embassy and they sent me email to confirm that her and the kid are on the same day. I guess that would be sufficient at St. Lukes?

thanks,

martinbr

If your wife has the letter from NVC and appointment letter from the embassy, she dont have to bring the NOA2. These two are suffice along with her passport, 4 pcs. passport size photos and of course the medical fee and don't forget the MNL case# as well. Your step daughter need the same things.

Thank you, I probably have those two papers somewhere in storage since I have been moving quite a bit in the last year, but it would be a major hassle to find them. I thought all you had to bring was sets of photos, one for medical and two for visa? I was goint to have my wife make four photos of herself and four of her child. Are you saying you need 4 photos of each at medical?

martinbr

I have been researching about medical exams, and I see a lot of people bring this NAO2 paper to exam. Is this your interview appointment letter? If it is, I have only the childs since they expidited my wife's case after. I have a email confirming this from the consular section of embassy. The only other paper I have is a notice of expidition from the NVC about my wife's case in which was hard mailed to my address.

So I assume that both my wife and stepchild will need there passports, letter, and Id? Is this correct?

thanks,

martinbr