Steve & Erma

Last time I checked they were about 4-6 months behind for spousal visas. Anyone in the Philippines recently get their interview date and want to share their DQ date as well so we can gauge the times? Thanks

I have filed for my wife and we are currently DQ'd and waiting for an interview from Manila. We wanted to wait a bit before filing for her 17 year old son to give us some time alone here in the US together and also let him finish high school. If we wait for her to get here and file then it would be her as a LPR filling for him and that makes it a longer process if I understand correctly. If I file for him as a USC it is a shorter process I believe. Can I file for him now? If I can file for him now while she is at NVC will that hold her up any or cause any issues with her? He just turned 17 in October so we have until October of 2027 before he is 21. Thanks as always for any insight.

Excuse my above post... I was thinking this was a CR1.

Book your medical appointment 3-4 days before your interview appointment to give it time to get to them.

Your Filipina needs to request a CENOMAR from the PSA. Since she is married now they will send back an Advisory of Marriage. It basically says she is married. Not sure why they want that when you can show them your MC and your ROM to show the same thing.

Yes, just a copy of things you can't really send to them. I sent certificed copies of my BC and Divorce decrees and then our marriage cert here in the states as well. Everything else is just make a copy of it.

My understanding is that you use to be able to attend the seminar online too, but they got rid of that as well, anyone know for sure? So now everyone is going in person to the CFO for it which is causing an even longer backup. I can see the scalpers who do the PSA appointments skirting the rules and making money somehow. BTW you guys scared me for a minute... I thought I was going to have to send my physical passport to my wife. LOL

Book direct from the airlines I implore you. I booked my flight to the Philippines the first time through booking.com (which is Expedia owned) and I totally got screwed on my return flight and they wouldn't help me. Thankfully the airlines stepped in and I got lucky. Using a VPN and purchasing it from the Philippines is a better option. Look it up but there are days that are better to book your flights on and a few other rules to help you save money.

I was looking at our PSA Marriage certificate that my wife ordered and it looks like all they did was stamped the ROM we sent in with a PSA stamp. It looks identical to the ROM and even says Report of Marriage at the top. I would have assumed you get an actual marriage cert from the PSA on their form for it. Am I wrong and this is our PSA Marriage Cert or is something wrong here.

@Crazy Cat Thank you and sorry for putting it in the wrong place.

I have updated our timeline. Our case status still says actively reviewing but I found the approval letter in the documents tab like many people have seen recently. K3 did nothing but I still encourage people to send them as it costs nothing and may help. Hope everyone is doing well, and we hope for speedy approvals for you all.

Title says it all. My wife and I believe we are going to get our I-130 approved in the very near future and I don't expect (more like hope) the DQ phase will take much time because we are all ready for it. So I am wondering how long a wait it currently is for an appointment in Manila? I also see people trying to schedule their own appointments, but I thought that once you are DQ'd the Embassy is the one who sends your appointment? Is this an expedited method?

My wife is from Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte as is all of her family. She is currently just a little ways from there in Libagon. I was born in Oakland, California but, have live in the Coeur D Alene, Idaho area for most of my life.

Make sure you send them the Apostilled version of your marriage certificate. It doesn't really say that on the website but to get all the information they are asking for you need it. You can get that from Utah on their website. Had a friend not send that and he ended up having to send it twice. @top_secret hit all the rest pretty well. Good luck.

Yeah the difference is huge for my taxes. I went to an authorized agent here in my town to get her an ITIN and had my wife send me one of her ID's and then did a video call with the agent. She has my taxes done but now is having trouble re-certifying as an agent as the IRS is holding everything up, go figure. Probably going to have to file an extension just to wait at this point. There was another agent in the next own over that I tried to get it done with but she won't do it unless my wife is here in person for whatever reason. The DFA thing I am just going to get her a flight to Manila to fix that. They have an over abundance of appointments there and she has family she can stay with while she gets that done.