Walter94

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.    

Hey man, I just wanted to personally thank you for this post. The fact that I followed your advice was THE reason why my wife was already able to complete her interview at USEM on April 8, after we got auto-expedited at the end of March. My wife talked with another lady whose case got auto-expedited at the same time as ours did...they waited for the email with instructions to book an interview, and the earliest interview appointment they could book was in July.
 
I will be able to bring my wife over to America in time to celebrate my 30th birthday with my family in May, and to attend my cousin's baby shower in June. She would have missed both of these events if I hadn't seen your post and done what you had suggested. I really appreciate it!

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? 

I have also received an auto expedite notice today, my case was DQ'd on June 26 2023. My case is now an IR1 since we got legally married at the very end of 2021 and I filed my petition in April 2022.
 
I was one of those early 2021 K1 filers who aborted my fiance visa case and switched to the spousal visa once I learned about the insane 2-3 year backlog for K1 interviews at USEM Manila. At the time there was no backlog for spousal visa interviews, so it made total sense to drop the fiance visa case even though I was already 8 months into that whole process. 
 
Little did I know that I would be encountering ANOTHER interview backlog from USEM...one which I never would have had to deal with if my case had been DQ'd just one month earlier. Just maddening. But I am relieved that this one didn't turn into another 3 year ordeal like it did for the K1 visas.

I have also received an auto expedite notice today, my case was DQ'd on June 26 2023. My case is now an IR1 since we got legally married at the very end of 2021 and I filed my petition in April 2022.
 
I was one of those early 2021 K1 filers who aborted my fiance visa case and switched to the spousal visa once I learned about the insane 2-3 year backlog for K1 interviews at USEM Manila. At the time there was no backlog for spousal visa interviews, so it made total sense to drop the fiance visa case even though I was already 8 months into that whole process. 
 
Little did I know that I would be encountering ANOTHER interview backlog from USEM...one which I never would have had to deal with if my case had been DQ'd just one month earlier. Just maddening. But I am relieved that this one didn't turn into another 3 year ordeal like it did for the K1 visas.

Check the ongoing thread on this topic here --
 

Okay, I have filled out the I-130 and I-130a with her name listed as the one which she will be changing it to very soon, and I have listed her maiden name in the "other names" section.
 
Problem is, all the documents I'm providing with her name on them still show her maiden name. So I'm thinking of adding this explanation to the cover letter:
 
 
"You will notice that my wife’s name appears as “(maiden name)” on some of the documents I have provided. As of today’s date, we are still waiting on the Philippine consulate to process our Report of Marriage (I filed in February, they are currently processing RoMs from January). Once they have processed our RoM, my wife will be able to immediately change her name to (new name, with my last name). By the time this petition is reviewed, her name change should already be complete, and she will obtain a new passport with her new name."
 
 
Should I add this paragraph in my I-130 cover letter just to clarify things? Or no

Okay, I have filled out the I-130 and I-130a with her name listed as the one which she will be changing it to very soon, and I have listed her maiden name in the "other names" section.
 
Problem is, all the documents I'm providing with her name on them still show her maiden name. So I'm thinking of adding this explanation to the cover letter:
 
 
"You will notice that my wife’s name appears as “(maiden name)” on some of the documents I have provided. As of today’s date, we are still waiting on the Philippine consulate to process our Report of Marriage (I filed in February, they are currently processing RoMs from January). Once they have processed our RoM, my wife will be able to immediately change her name to (new name, with my last name). By the time this petition is reviewed, her name change should already be complete, and she will obtain a new passport with her new name."
 
 
Should I add this paragraph in my I-130 cover letter just to clarify things? Or no

Correct answer.  I would not have advised filing now and changing the passport name later, if it would create a problem.

It doesn't matter if your wife changes her passport while I-130 is pending. Others have done it before. 
And IIRC, one member changed her passport after submitting the DS260. 
The passport that counts is the one she submits at the interview. 

Unofficial names used on social media accounts are not entered in other names field.  It's for official names.  In actuality, if she's planning to use a married name in the future, she should go ahead and at least get a passport in the married name.  Once she does that, her visa and green card will be in that name.  When you file the I-130, go ahead and use the married name, even if she doesn't have the new passport or ANY passport yet.  Waiting until the process is over will complicate the name change greatly.  
 
Your plan will work, but far more complications with doing it that way.

Absent boarding passes we generally combine booking, passport stamps, hotel receipts
Overseas spouses rarely and are not expected to have joint bank accounts (or joint anything else).  Evidence of time physically spent together is generally all that is or can be submitted at this stage.  You are over-thinking
 
It is also rarely feasible to file taxes jointly.  

In that case, no need to worry.  You may file the I-130 already, assuming you have the valid marriage certificate from Utah.
 
 
Your US passport was stamped by PH airport immigration every time you entered/exited the Philippines, right?  Include scans/photocopies of those passport stamps, which are evidence of your time spent together in person.  You may add your flight tickets, hotel receipts, and photos as supporting evidence.  Camera timestamp not required for the photos.  Just add time/place captions.
 
 
Combined finances are not expected from a couple who live in different countries.  No need to include money transfer receipts.
 
 
Your tax filing status is a matter for IRS, not USCIS.  Your tax documents are not even required at petition stage.  You only need to submit them at NVC stage, which is after the petition has been approved.
 
 
Though not required for your I-130, please make sure to file your Report of Marriage (ROM) with the PH consulate, if you haven't already done so.
 

That was a critical piece of information that should have been in your first post.  You're good to go.  No need for time stamps. Your passport stamps are as good as boarding passes, if not slightly better.  

The best evidence you can provide is that of having spent time together...along with your marriage certificate.  Your tax returns ARE evidence of a bona fide marriage.  Your spouse's name is on them.    At this stage, you aren't expected to have a lot of joint property and joint bank accounts.

- I have been in a relationship with my Filipina wife for over 4 years, and we just got married through Utah zoom call in December of 2021.
 
- I have come to the Philippines 7 times to see her. We have lots of pics together in different places, and with her family and friends...but none of them were taken with the camera timestamp feature turned on. I can add time/place captions underneath the pics, but I don't know whether those are considered valid.
 
- I can print the flight tickets and hotel reservations that were emailed to me from all my previous trips, but I have read that you need the actual boarding passes. I threw those out once I was done with my flights.
 
- We are young (both in our 20s) and we have no combined finances or jointly owned property. I have sent her money plenty of times through Western Union and World Remit, but that's it.
 
- Last month I filed my taxes for 2021 as "married filing separately" because I had read that it is difficult to file jointly with the IRS if your spouse is a nonresident alien. However, I'm now reading that the USCIS only considers joint tax returns or combined finances as strong evidence of a real marriage.
 
 
 
So basically, I'm worried that they will deny my application because of lack of evidence. Should I try amending my tax return, opening a joint bank account etc. in order to create stronger evidence for my case? Wouldn't they consider it suspicious if I do that right before submitting my I-130?
 
Thanks for the help.
 

San Francisco now has a huge backlog of Utah ROMs due the sudden runaway popularity of online marriages under the travel ban.  They are taking 2 months or more to process ROMs.   The good news is there have been a few recent reports of San Francisco issuing 9a visas promptly when filed concurrently with a ROM.  Even for people outside their jurisdiction.  I know a guy right now who is a New York State resident, with a Utah Marriage who concurrently filed the ROM and for a 9a visa from SF.  He got the 9a visa quickly mailed from SF to New York State. Traveled successfuly to the Philippines sans ROM, and is having a great time there now with his new bride, even as there is no sign at all of any progress on the ROM.  They aren't worried about it now.
 
The Philippines is famous for inconsistent rules and results but if it were me td attempt filing ROM and 9a application concurrently at SF.

Correct on this part

That isn't new.  We were told that when we arrived in early November.  As far as I can tell that is based on the honor system.  When they released us from the hotel they told us to stay home the next 10 days.  No one was checking on us and while we did stay close to home because of the grandchild we still went shopping and out to eat.  

It hugely depends on where "home" is.  Home quarantine is enforced by the barangay. Which varies from, they could care less, which seems prevalent in Manila and Luzon,,,, to way over the top extremes in some provinces.  My wife never heard from any LGU any time she returned.  Others have had varying experiences.

Where did you see that the US Embassy in Manila is currently processing K1 cases from Nov 2020?
 
https://visawhen.com/consulates/manila/k1
 
According to this site, the backlog is currently at just under 10,000 cases and growing by roughly 400 every month. Even since they "resumed" processing cases in July of this year, they've only been averaging about 100 per month. At this rate it would take years and years for them to get to cases submitted more recently. Even if, by some miracle, they got back to normal processing time TOMORROW (which won't happen), it would still take almost two years just to get back up to speed. 
 
Again, I might be missing something here... but it looks really really bad for anyone trying to get their Filipina fiance here to America on a K1.
Yes I'm aware of this. The Zoom marriage would allow me to visit her in PH on a 9a visa, and then I could file the I-130 afterwards.

Where did you see that the US Embassy in Manila is currently processing K1 cases from Nov 2020?
 
https://visawhen.com/consulates/manila/k1
 
According to this site, the backlog is currently at just under 10,000 cases and growing by roughly 400 every month. Even since they "resumed" processing cases in July of this year, they've only been averaging about 100 per month. At this rate it would take years and years for them to get to cases submitted more recently. Even if, by some miracle, they got back to normal processing time TOMORROW (which won't happen), it would still take almost two years just to get back up to speed. 
 
Again, I might be missing something here... but it looks really really bad for anyone trying to get their Filipina fiance here to America on a K1.
Yes I'm aware of this. The Zoom marriage would allow me to visit her in PH on a 9a visa, and then I could file the I-130 afterwards.

They grant some expedite requests in urgent cases.  (Ones where a U.S. citizen child is involved are likely the highest priority.)   
Your Utah plan seems sound in theory. 
 
I quibble a bit with the statistics on that site, Manila was doing a lot more than 484 cases a month before the pandemic.  They kept up with the demand as the number of I-129Fs increased (worldwide) in the last few years, getting close to 1,000 cases a month.   But you're right, they won't be anywhere near that level of processing for a while.  I see some threads about successful visas from the Utah online marriages.  So long as you consummate it before the I-130, should be good. 

The other major consideration is that it's taking USCIS more than six months to process advanced parole, etc. for the K-1 once he/she enters and marries. That's a long time to get to permission to work, travel, etc.  Much better just to enter with a valid I-551 right away.   

Under the current Philippine travel ban, a "fiancé" has little chance of being able to acquire the visa required to travel to the Philippines.  However a "spouse", even from an "un-consummated" online marriage, can fairly easily obtain the required visa to enter the Philippines.  Thus, in this unique circumstances,  it is becoming more popular to follow the formula,,,, Utah online marriage, register the marriage with the Philippine consulate, apply for a Philippine visa for the US spouse to enter the Philippines, consummate, file I-130.  Whether it would be slower or faster than waiting out a K1 is open for debate but the Utah online marriage is often the only way couples are able to be together.  That is also a HUGE point in favor of the online marriage.  No mater how long it takes there is likely few options for the K1 couple to spend time together at all during the wait, but the CR1 couple would have opportunities for the American spouse to visit in the Philippines.