ninjarocket

We always stay at Lotus Garden Hotel, which is very near to SLEC and the USEM: also convenient if you like o exercise on the boulevard

Hi Everyone!

My interview will be on October 14th. A week before that will be my Medical Exam. I would like to get any suggestion from my fellow VJers to suggest any place either hotel, pension house or tourist inn that I can stay nearest to SLEC. Also affordable at the same time. I don't want to take taxi just to get to SLEC. I would like to have get a place that is just a walking distance to SLEC or much more nicer if it will be infront or beside SLEC. I don't want to be late and don't want to get into traffic.

It would be highly appreciated if I could get any suggestions. I'm a little bit freaking out already since I only have 3 weeks to to make a final preparation. Thank you in advance.

Yours Truly,

Angel

Hi there.

have you heard of Celestine Citadel? that's the inn i can suggest to you. it's walking distance from St. Luke's and it's cheaper there.

Depends whether the I-130 is forwarded to the NVC or only the I-129F?

Either way you need to keep calling NVC to get your case number(s) so that you can start to prepare for the interview. If you're going for a k3 visa then you will need to contact the US embassy once it has had enough time to arrive there. Once they have the case # in their system there you can hopefully make an interview appointment and make the necessary arrangements for the medical, document verifications, visa payment, etc.... in advance of the interview.

cONGRATULATIONS!!

May ask, about the ITR?? is it the ITR of your husband??

Individual Tax Return

(although we had actually filed a joint return for 2007)

I just had my interview last Tuesday September 16, 2008 and it went fine.

I had my husband with me since the Sundayand we had piles of evidences like album of pictures, very thick copies of emails, copies of wire transfers and so much that it took us 2 bags to carry jst in case the consul would going to ask us evidences that proves that our relationship was real. We arrived in the embassy at 5:40 am and stayed on the very right side of the Philippine embassy which is near to the public comfort room because we are very early coz out interview is 7 am. We qued there and waited til the guard told us to go to the white tent and there are already many who cued there even in a very early time so make sure to go there as early as you could and show my appointment letter and they also let my husband get inside and as get inside we again sit down in a wooden chair and cue again until everyone get inside to the embassy and had checked our bags and also checked if we had any electronic devices with us which we did not brought with us because if we did we will be denied to get inside.

As we proceed going to the Non-Immigrant and Immigrant Unit there are already many people in there and we saw some numbers shown in front of us and some small units.

We sat in a blue chair and one lady announced that we need to prepare our appointment letter, 2 copies of 156, 2 copies 157 and making sure that you had your pictures attached on the DS and filled all the blanks in there. And the guard asked us if who are applicants of the 7 am and raised our hands and he let us cue to a small booth that can be immidiately seen when getting inside to the Immigrant Unit. A lady checked my papers and gave it back to me and when it was my turn the lady gave me a small slip which composed of 4 numbers and i get back to my sit.

Afterwards my number is already called by a lady and let me proceed to unit 16 for the finger printing. And after that went back to my sit again. Waited for a longer time to be called for the pre-interview and we havent had breakfast yet because me and my husband was very tensed and excited at the same time that we forgot to eat but at least there is a part of the place that sales drink and some Goldilocks product and some junk foods for a snackand we only got water. My husband was more tense that i do,hehe. And my number appeared and i proceed to window 25 and a lady in there asked me questions like:

Whats your name?

Whats your husband's name?

Whats the nationality of your husband?

How many times does your husband come in the Philippines?

When was your wedding?

Where did you had your wedding?

Do you know that your husband had a wife before?

(my husband was divorced before)

How many times had he divorced?

Have any children?

Do you know what his work?

What kind of work does he have?

And the lady asked me to show my NBI clearance, Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Delbros receipt, ITR as of 2007.

When the lady was asking me i was very focused that i always had an eye contact when i answered her, smiles after answering to overcome my nervousness and i was thankful because my husband was there with me which is a strong factor of an evidence of having a real relationship. The lady asked us to sit again and after 10 minutes sitting my number appeared and proceed to the room 28. Me and my husband went inside and we found a foreign man sitting in front of us busy typing on his computer. He faced us and he told my husband to go out and if he need to asked something to my husband he will just tell him. The man was quite serious that i was very tense, i was very ready with my evidences just in case. He started asking me:

What was your name?

How long were your relationship with your husband?

Whats his job and what kind of job he had?

What do does he do in his job?

How many times did you met?

Whats your age?

Do you know your husbands age?

Does he have any children?

Do you have any children?

And he proceed on typing in his computer and checking my files with him, i was praying that very moment that the interview has to end,hehehe. Which it did! The interview was very fast and i was even expecting that the consul would going to ask me any evidences to prove our relationship but he did not.

I went out to the room and told my husband that the interview was already finished. Weve waited again to the blue chair and my name was called on the releasing window and i was the 3rd on the row that is being told, the first one was given a white slip and a pink slip coz she was asked to give an ITR but she havent produced one and the second was given a pink slip and i got a pink slip too! I asked the guy who gave me a pink slip if how would i know if my visa is approved or not and he told me that if i was given a pink slip that was the time i would know? Im confused! But i still proceed to the Delbros to pay the delivery of the visa??? My husband was confused too..

We went out to the embassy and hoping that i was approve!!!

I recall that I asked if the IV bill had been sent. Then I asked for the IIN so that I could verify it when it arrives. You have a right to know this information. Don't tell them you're going to pay online until they give you the IIN. After they gave me the IIN I then told them I would try to pay online. Then they told me not to because the online system doesn't work. I did it anyway and everything was just fine.

One advantage of paying online is that as soon as the payment is processed (which takes about a day) you can download the cover page for the IV so you can immediately then send in the IV, which is a big time saver. No need to wait for the IV to be generated at NVC. Much faster than James' short cuts and you're actually using a genuine state dept. form! You need to call NVC back several times to make sure they acknowledge the payment and receipt of the IV etc..., but everything should work out just fine.

alternatively, you can ask to have the I-130 paperwork at NVC expedited if the case is already complete..... that way you can keep the earlier interview appointment..... at least that's what I did, but there has to be enough time before the k3 interview or approval for it to work..... you have to send an email or letter, then ask to speak to a supervisor at NVC so that your email gets immediate attention (otherwise it will likely stay in their email inbox for a couple of weeks before they look at it)....

in my case, there was barely enough time..... when we arrived at the USEM for my wife's interview, the I-130 papers had not yet arrived: we were given two choices

1) wait for I-130 paperwork to arrive before interviewing etc....

2) take k3 interview, then switch to CR if I-130 paperwork arrives before k3 is approved (which occurs just before it is printed)....

[the cutoff seems to be when the k3 is actually approved rather than the k3 interview: so it's well worth expediting the I-130 paper in case you get stuck in AR or DV for a period of time]

we took option 2... my wife passed her k3 interview with pink slip...... then the USEM tried contacting her later that week to return to the USEM for processing of CR (needs signatures and swearing in on a different form)

unfortunately we had already both left Manila before we found out........ my wife simply hadn't realized she had received unanswered calls from the USEM.... we were so happy that my wife had a pink slip that we had forgot that we had chosen option (2) ...... she will return to the USEM on Monday and I will let you know what happens!!!! at least this will be a useful learning experience for other VJ members who are trying to accelerate the process

No, they are two separate cases, so you can cancel the K3 and have the CR1 alive and kicking. What I would suggest is to try to move the K3 appointment to give the CR1 papers time to catch up. Good Luck with the rest of your journey!!

That remains me, Lorraine at the USEM informed me that my wife would not need to bring anything when she returns to the USEM to see a CO for her CR visa (having done the k3 interview (http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=152925)), but we're not taking any chances!

they should have the documents, but would you really trust them not to misplace something?

its strongly advisable to have back up documents just in case

missing documents for sure will cause delays

thanks for the advice . so u mean on pre screen they ask for the affidavit of support ? bec i though nvc have all the documents with affidavit of support and nvc will forwarded to usem thanks

they should have the documents, but would you really trust them not to misplace something?

its strongly advisable to have back up documents just in case

missing documents for sure will cause delays

thanks for the advice . so u mean on pre screen they ask for the affidavit of support ? bec i though nvc have all the documents with affidavit of support and nvc will forwarded to usem thanks

yeah, silly me brought back all of the evidence of proof of relationship with me to the US for safe keeping....... why, I don't know....... it didn't occur to me that she would be going back to the USEM after getting a pink slip.....

even though they never looked at any of this evidence during the k3 interview, I just fedexed it back to her aunt in Manila at a cost of $203!!!

I'm really hoping that all the CO will ask her to do is swear that the information on the DS-230 is accurate and sign and date it, but who knows what might happen

the main difference with the I-130 package is that it already contains some samples of proof of relationship (whereas the I-129F didn't for k3)

plus it also contains information about each time I or a congressman contacted USCIS while the case was pending: I had no idea that would be attached to the file

Hope everything will work fine with her and that they will give/grant her the CR-1 visa instead of the K-3. Ask her to bring the same documents she brought during her K-3 interview, it is always better to be over-prepared. Good luck to her and God Bless.

I have heard that this can happen when a young woman is with a very much older foreign man. Perhaps the young woman would really prefer to be with a Filipino man, but he has no money.

It seems that we have little choice. My wife should really return to the USEM because I had previously requested an expedite of the CR/I-130 paperwork to catch up with the k3 interview. It seems it could reflect badly on our case if we request an expedite and then change our minds.

If we do decide not to pursue the I-130, I have to send a written letter (fax) to the embassy and then it is up to the consulate officer if they would still permit the k3 visa. Normally, the arrival of the I-130 paperwork at the embassy cancels the k3 visa, although it's not clear to me as to whether this still applies after the interview has taken place. It actually arrived the same day. It's such a grey area that I feel we have no choice but for my wife to return to the USEM.

We were so happy to have had everything done with after the k3 interview on September 16 what with my wife having only received a pink slip. She could have had a visa by now if it wasn't for my prior intervention in requesting an expedite of the I-130 paperwork at NVC.

It's also a pity because we were still in Manila after the k3 interview when the USEM had tried to contact my wife. She couldn't answer any calls because she was in the CFO seminar at that time where cell phones have to be turned off and there was no way for her to know that the missed calls were from the USEM. Return calls to that number cannot be made for some reason. Now she has to fly back to Manila and I won't be with her this time.

According to Lorraine at the USEM, everything seems to be in order and normally she only needs to do the swearing in in front of a consular officer for the CR visa (part II of DS-230). I'm just afraid that something might trigger another interview, which would be unpleasant. My I-130 also contains the letter that was sent from my congressman during the delayed USCIS processing. Hope that doesn't reflect negatively on my case.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=152640

It seems that we have little choice. My wife should really return to the USEM because I had previously requested an expedite of the CR/I-130 paperwork to catch up with the k3 interview. It seems it could reflect badly on our case if we request an expedite and then change our minds.

If we do decide not to pursue the I-130, I have to send a written letter (fax) to the embassy and then it is up to the consulate officer if they would still permit the k3 visa. Normally, the arrival of the I-130 paperwork at the embassy cancels the k3 visa, although it's not clear to me as to whether this still applies after the interview has taken place. It actually arrived the same day. It's such a grey area that I feel we have no choice but for my wife to return to the USEM.

We were so happy to have had everything done with after the k3 interview on September 16 what with my wife having only received a pink slip. She could have had a visa by now if it wasn't for my prior intervention in requesting an expedite of the I-130 paperwork at NVC.

It's also a pity because we were still in Manila after the k3 interview when the USEM had tried to contact my wife. She couldn't answer any calls because she was in the CFO seminar at that time where cell phones have to be turned off and there was no way for her to know that the missed calls were from the USEM. Return calls to that number cannot be made for some reason. Now she has to fly back to Manila and I won't be with her this time.

According to Lorraine at the USEM, everything seems to be in order and normally she only needs to do the swearing in in front of a consular officer for the CR visa (part II of DS-230). I'm just afraid that something might trigger another interview, which would be unpleasant. My I-130 also contains the letter that was sent from my congressman during the delayed USCIS processing. Hope that doesn't reflect negatively on my case.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=152640

For those who have had a CR/IR interview. At what point did you sign part II of the DS-230?

Was it during the actual interview with the consul or after the interview at window 37?

Or was it before the interview with the consul during the prescreening?

I'm also trying to figure out if there is a distinction between consul and consulate officer or do they mean the same?

glad I saw this day!!!

I really want to be sure there won't be another interview because I won't be with my wife this time around. After we were already out of the woods with a pink slip ready to get a k3 visa any minute (which they will still deliver now if we choose to go that route), I really don't want to go through the interview again (at least with the AOS we would be together in the US even if she can't work for months). I already lost enough sleep. I'm surprised that nobody else at VJ has been in this same situation.

I really want to be sure there won't be another interview because I won't be with my wife this time. After we were already out of the woods with a pink slip ready to get a k3 visa any minute, I really don't want to go through the interview again (at least with the AOS we would be together in the US even if she can't work). I already lost enough sleep. I'm surprised that nobody else at VJ has been in the same situation.

You mentioned Window X, so I am pretty sure there won't be an interview. They will probably just ask her if she wants CR or K3. And then from there, your wife can ask the exact process. Im sorry for confusing you. You mentioned a possibility of another interview and I was really (as in really) traumatized with my interview experience so... Anyway, just do that. Go to Window X. Its a Filipina in that window.

I think the trick is not to specify on the I-130 that you will be filing a I-129F and then still file the I-129F anyway.

That way, there will be a chance that both the I-130 and I-129F will be forwarded to NVC giving you more options after they are approved (or enable you to delay your decision on which to pursue). You can even use the k3 to get an earlier interview which can then be changed to a CR interview if the CR paperwork arrives at the embassy before the k3 interview. However, this involves a lot of legwork, phone calls, James shortcuts, etc..... and cannot be guaranteed.

Check the timelines for the consulate where your spouse would be interviewed, figure out which visa will be the quickest and least tedious for you and pick one.

Unfortunately the people that answer the phone at the USEM don't seem to understand the process so I wasn't able to get a clear answer.

You are exactly right. If the visa is changed to CR without an interview then the choice is obvious. However, if they do decide to hold an interview then we are exposing ourselves to an element of risk and it would be safer to stick with the k3.

Ok ninjarocket, I am sure it is not a window for interview. Window X was the window my fiancee and I went at to inquire about the development of our visa. Are you sure there will be another interview for the CR1? It seems to me that you really want the CR but I know you don't want another interview. Why don't you call USEM again and clarify? CR1 is the best choice if there won't be a second interview. Good luck! And whatever you choose, my Congratulations to you and your wife!

Nothing bad will happen -- they will simply issue the CR visa instead of the K-3. Right now, she only has the pink slip, no visa at all.

True, but if she opts not to return, then they will issue the k3 visa since that is already approved. However, she would have to file for AOS and not be able to work on entering the US. However, by returning to the embassy there is an element of risk. Maybe they will ask her to be interviewed again?

I'm hoping that there might be someone out there who has experienced this matter before. These are the facts.

I had requested NVC to expedite the CR paperwork at NVC so that it could catch up with the k3 interview date with the hope of my wife having a CR visa instead of a k3 visa.

The paperwork had not yet arrived on the morning of the k3 interview. However, the prescreener lady did say that it could still be changed if the CR paperwork arrived before the k3 visa had been processed. This actually happened because the CR paperwork arrived that same afternoon. However, at the time of the interview it had not yet arrived so my wife went ahead with the k3 interview. It was approved with pink slip only.

Then later that week the USEM tried to contact my wife (unsuccessfully) to return to the USEM to complete the CR process if she still wanted to do that. They told me today that she only has to go back there on any day at 10am and go to window "X".

Does anyone out there know what is window X? Will she be asked to take the interview again or will she just have to sign the DS-230 and have fingerprints taken? I'm only worried that something bad might happen which could cause the previously approved visa to be derailed so that she ends up with nothing. Any experience on this matter?

Please see thread below:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry2241415

I'm hoping that there might be someone out there who has experience this matter before. These are the facts.

I had requested NVC to expedite the CR paperwork at NVC so that it could catch up with the k3 interview date with the hope of my wife having a CR visa instead of a k3 visa.

The paperwork had not yet arrived on the morning of the k3 interview. However, the prescreener lady did say that it could still be changed if the CR paperwork arrived before the k3 visa had been processed. This actually happened because the CR paperwork arrived that same afternoon. However, at the time of the interview it had not yet arrived so my wife went ahead with the k3 interview. It was approved with pink slip only.

Then later that week the USEM tried to contact my wife (unsuccessfully) to return to the USEM to complete the CR process. They told me today that she only has to go back there at any day at 10am and go to window "X".

Does anyone out there know what is window X? We she be asked to take the interview again or will she just have to sign the DS-230 and have fingerprints taken? I'm only worried that something bad might happen which could cause the approved visa to be derailed so that she ends up with nothing. Any experience on this matter?

Please see thread below:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry2241415

What you are saying is quite true. They could just print the k3 visa and then my wife could enter the US and we could fight the AOS while being together, although she wouldn't be able to work and would have to return to the Philippines to do the practicum for her university study.

I was hoping that since she already did and passed the k3 interview, they won't repeat that process since the interview process is basically the same. Rather than going to the consulate at 8:30 which is the normal time for going for a CR interview, they asked her to go at 10am on any day that the USEM is open and to go to window X (although I don't remember seeing a window X). So it could be that the CR visa is essentially already approved and all she has to do is sign the right form and do the finger prints for the CR visa.

When we went to the prescreener on September 16, I told her that I had asked NVC for the CR paperwork to be expedited so that the k3 visa could be switched to a CR visa. This wasn't immediately possible because the CR paperwork had not yet arrived at the consulate. However, the lady gave several options. Either we could wait for the documents to arrive or we could continue with the k3. We chose the latter because who knows how long it was going to take before it would arrive. The prescreener lady then did also say that the visa could still be changed to CR if the CR paperwork arrived before the visa processing was complete, which it did (that afternoon apparently).

Is there anyone out there who has done this process before of changing the k3 to CR after the interview?

I will choose option one if all they will do is just print the visa and deliver it. I don't want to go to an interview again and risk being interviewed by a consul who at that time is having a bad day. And then that consul will decide to put me under AR... Oh my!

Lorraine tells me that my wife only needs to go to the USEM any day the USEM is open at 10am to complete the CR process...... it isn't scheduled far in advance....

for sure the DS-230 page 4 would need to be signed and they would also need more fingerprints for the CR, but whether it would entail another round of interview questions with the CO, I have no idea.....

however, she does have to tale a plane ride back to Manila and fit it in with all her examinations at MSU

the #s for Grace and Lorraine are 011 63 2301 2000 ext 5184/5185

Me and my wife have a k3/CR dilemma:

My wife had her k3 interview on September 16. Everything went fine. They didn't ask to see any evidences of proof of relationship in spite of many documents we had prepared, and she got a pink slip only, even thought the document verification was only paid 13 days earlier and could not have been completed. Maybe they seem not to be worried about that?

We were wondering why the k3 visa had not been released when others had already received their visas. I called the call center today and was misinformed: I was basically told that her visa was still under review and I needed to wait at least 6 weeks before calling back. Then I called Lorraine later (after a beer or two using extension numbers provided by helpful VJ members (many thanks to VJ members!)) and was told that they had suspended the final k3 processing because the paperwork for the CR visa had arrived. I had asked for it to be expedited, but it hadn't got there by the morning of her interview. It got there in the afternoon by which time we had left the embassy. Sigh! They had tried to call my wife since Thursday, but somehow didn't get through last week (maybe because my wife has annoying call back music on her cellphone?), which is a pity because both myself and my wife were still in Manila until Sunday 21. Now I'm back in the US and my wife is in Mindanao (at least a somewhat shorter plane ride away than me).

Anyway, it seems we have a difficult choice to make. Either:

1) drop the CR and just take the k3 and run: they will just print it I suppose and mail it to my wife as they would have done already if it wasn't for the CR paperwork

2) suspend the k3 and my wife returns to the USEM to see a CO which is a necessary part of completing the CR application in spite of the fact that she already had an interview with a CO.

So I'm not sure what to do. Advice would be kindly accepted by VJ members!!!!! My wife already has completed the necessary steps for a visa, but maybe she screws up in going for the CR and ends up with nothing? I can't be there with her for this one.

I don't know whether she will have a full blown interview for the CR having had the k3 interview. Part of the problem is that stupidly I've brought all of the evidence for a relationship back with me to the US. I will need to ship that pretty damn quick just in case, although they didn't ask to see any of it during the first interview. Just the standard questions. Unfortunately Lorraine at the embassy can't seem to be able to give me a complete picture of what would be required because she's just acting as a messenger.

How did I manage to make this so complicated?

Me and my wife have a k3/CR dilemma:

My wife had her k3 interview on September 16. Everything went fine. They didn't ask to see any evidences of proof of relationship in spite of many documents we had prepared, and she got a pink slip only, even thought the document verification was only paid 13 days earlier and could not have been completed. Maybe they seem not to be worried about that?

We were wondering why the k3 visa had not been released when others had already received their visas. I called the call center today and was misinformed: I was basically told that her visa was still under review and I needed to wait at least 6 weeks before calling back. Then I called Lorraine later (after a beer or two using extension numbers provided by helpful VJ members (many thanks to VJ members!)) and was told that they had suspended the final k3 processing because the paperwork for the CR visa had arrived. I had asked for it to be expedited, but it hadn't got there by the morning of her interview. It got there in the afternoon by which time we had left the embassy. Sigh! They had tried to call my wife since Thursday, but somehow didn't get through last week (maybe because my wife has annoying call back music on her cellphone?), which is a pity because both myself and my wife were still in Manila until Sunday 21. Now I'm back in the US and my wife is in Mindanao (at least a somewhat shorter plane ride away than me).

Anyway, it seems we have a difficult choice to make. Either:

1) drop the CR and just take the k3 and run: they will just print it I suppose and mail it to my wife as they would have done already if it wasn't for the CR paperwork

2) suspend the k3 and my wife returns to the USEM to see a CO which is a necessary part of completing the CR application in spite of the fact that she already had an interview with a CO.

So I'm not sure what to do. Advice would be kindly accepted by VJ members!!!!! My wife already has completed the necessary steps for a visa, but maybe she screws up in going for the CR and ends up with nothing? I can't be there with her for this one.

I don't know whether she will have a full blown interview for the CR having had the k3 interview. Part of the problem is that stupidly I've brought all of the evidence for a relationship back with me to the US. I will need to ship that pretty damn quick just in case, although they didn't ask to see any of it during the first interview. Just the standard questions. Unfortunately Lorraine at the embassy can't seem to be able to give me a complete picture of what would be required because she's just acting as a messenger.

How did I manage to make this so complicated?