CFS

Thank you for sharing this - it is *extremely* helpful!!

Thank you!! I dug into a little more and have a bit more clarity, but we still have the following open questions: We're going for a CR1 visa. Does this mean my spouse would only need to attend the CGP or have to attend both? Is it OK to go to the CGP without either a passport/visa (just to complete the session and the interview)? The passport is currently at the Embassy as we wait for a final decision on the visa If you complete the session without the passport/visa, how do you come back to get the CFO stamp on your passport (once you do have the visa)? Our marriage is not recognized by the Philippines but is recognized abroad. We got married in Australia. Accordingly, what do we bring in lieu of the Registration of Marriage? I just called the US Embassy and they said that they cannot issue us a Registration of Marriage document Any insights would be appreciated - thanks!

Hello, As previously mentioned, my spouse is applying for a CR-1 Visa. I literally just learned about the PDOS requirement. Could someone who has gone through this recently provide an explanation of how to sign up and what the wait time for a seminar is? I tried looking for this on Google and it is not straightforward at all. The closest I got was a site saying that "the # of visitors had been exceeded for the day." Thank you!

Could you elaborate on the pre-departure seminar requirement? Thanks!

Anyone here recently re-submit documents via LBC to the PHL Embassy? If so, how long did it take for them to get back to you?

It depends on the document. Some documents, like the NBI Clearance, indicate it directly. Other documents (e.g. the CENOMAR, tax returns) do not indicate this directly. In general, I'd strongly recommend contacting the Embassy and/or consulting a lawyer for more specific information applicable to your case.

"Fresh" = refreshed = new documents that have not expired (e.g. a new NBI clearance, a new CENOMAR, tax returns for the latest year). As to how I knew about it: There's some other posts on this site where folks who were asked to complete repeat medical exams indicated that they were were later asked to re-submit other documents that had expired since their initial submission I was advised accordingly by an immigration lawyer & the Embassy when I called them earlier in the year It makes sense. For instance - let's say that the petitioner's tax returns for 2021 were fine but he was jobless in 2022 - in that case, he may not be able to support the applicant upon arrival in the U.S. and thus it makes sense that the Embassy would ask for additional information to triple check prior to making a determination. The Embassy (or any decision making body, for that matter) should always have "fresh" information at hand to make a final determination

Providing an update: 1. SO cleared the repeat medical exam on 8/31/23 2. Even though it was a repeat medical exam, SLEC said that they would be the ones to submit it to the Embassy (which was slightly different from the wording on the 221(g) but we did call the Embassy and confirm that this should be the case) 3. On 8/31 itself, SO re-submitted the following documents through LBC: Passport, NBI Clearance, 2022 Tax Transcript/Tax Returns/W-2/Payslips, and an updated CENOMAR (they did not ask for this in the 221g but we provided it proactively as the Embassy needs all of this information to be "fresh" in order to make a final determination on visa eligibility) 4. On 9/4/23, we were contacted by SLEC because they were ostensibly missing some information on some medication my SO is currently taking. SO asked SLEC why they needed this information as it's not part of the routine medical check and they said they would call him back shortly (they did not). Accordingly, SO went over to SLEC in person to provide the necessary information (which had previously been provided twice) and only then did SLEC say that they would be sending the medical exam results to the Embassy. They also released his immunization records during his follow-up visit 4. I submitted an inquiry (https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visa-inquiry-form/) just now so the Embassy can confirm that they received all the re-submitted documents (#2 above) and the repeat medical exam results Please keep us in our prayers - we've been delayed for almost a year now in this process! Hoping this can come to a favorable conclusion quickly.

Hello, My SO will be going to SLEC this week to get TB test results (2nd time undergoing sputum testing). Does anyone know: Whether they release the medical exam results (to be mailed to the Embassy) on the same day that the applicant picks up the TB test results? How long it takes for the Embassy to issue the visa (assuming everything is in order) once the documents are sent in via courier? Thanks!

Following up on this again - please let me know if you have any inputs. Thanks!

For the record (since I can no longer edit the post above) - I'm not saying that OP/significant other worked while in the US or not...I'm just saying that sometimes they ask questions out of left field like that and that it's good to be prepared (and a lawyer can help with this). Again, just my 2 cents.

Hi Zedayn, I'm glad to hear that your issue was straightforward enough as to not warrant a lawyer! To elaborate a bit further on my response: Certainly, not everyone that goes through the CR1 visa process will need a lawyer. Some cases are very straightforward That being said, if I could go back in time, I would advise myself to get a lawyer. At the final step (medical exam/visa interview), our visa process was unnecessarily prolonged for 1 year since we lacked a proper "heads up" on a # of topics (listed below): Awareness on proper documentation to be furnished at the visa interview. This includes: Making sure to bring the *exact* certificate that they need and not other "very similar" certificates (regardless of what's been previously approved for your I-130/DS-260). For instance - although some countries issue 2 versions of a marriage certificate, the Embassy will only accept one specific version (even though you may have uploaded the other version in your I-130 application & this may have been approved) Accidentally bringing copies of documents to the visa interview without the originals (they need to see the original versions, no matter how inconsequential the document may seem) Ensuring any documents that you bring into the visa interview are already uploaded to CEAC (even if they were not originally requested during the DS-260 process) Importantly - making sure to bring new versions of documents such as the CENOMAR/tax returns/W-2s/NBI clearances if the ones you submitted as part of the DS-260 form have already expired by the time of your interview Awareness on the existence of the DS-5535 process for extraordinary background checks (I seriously had no idea that this was a thing until we got the 221G request for this) - this by itself delayed our process by 8 months (and possibly more - jury's still out) Regarding the medical exam - awareness that: Even if you're healthy, the check-ups are not always straightforward. You can be flagged at random to undergo sputum testing (which will delay your case by 2.5 - 3 months at least) or be asked for additional documentation from outside physicians to prove that you are OK if you have underlying medical conditions (technically, this is indicated on the SLEC website but it's not the easiest information to find) It is not straightforward at all to schedule a repeat medical exam in the Philippines (the embassy did not respond to us following 2+ months of inquiries and we only got the answer on how to proceed from a VisaJourney thread!) Sputum exam scheduling at SLEC in Manila is severely backlogged (it currently takes 1-2 months just to get the appointment and this does *not* include the additional 8-10 weeks of waiting for the bacteria cultures to (hopefully) not grow) I think that in the absence of a lawyer, a lot of the information listed above is 'tribal knowledge" obtained either by 1) reading countless Visa Journey threads (and these may vary highly in terms of their ability to provide accurate information) or 2) going through the process (by the time you know all of this through lived experience, it's too late to go back). Thus, if I could go back in time, I would have hired a lawyer (with specific experience regarding PHL immigration to the U.S.) so I could have obtained a heads up regarding all of this and saved myself time/surprises/disappointment. For what it's worth, I ended up consulting a few immigration lawyers when the situations above came up (as often the path forward was not immediately clear). Finally - if I were in the OP's shoes, I would also seek peace of mind regarding the following (again, this is my own personal opinion): Triple checking that entry denial at the border will not constitute an issue for future immigration petitions (to Zedayn's point, it shouldn't, but I've heard of cases where they start digging into travel histories/statements made to CBP and find things that make applicants inadmissible) Knowing how to properly answer questions like "so, how come you (the applicant) could afford to be in the U.S. for months at a time? Don't you (the applicant) have a job?" at the visa interview. I'm bringing this up as 1) it's clear that someone on a tourist visa cannot work in the U.S. and 2) even remote work (for an international company) by non-citizens/permanent residents is highly frowned upon and can be considered as grounds for inadmissibility....so proper caution is required here Of course, I do understand that everyone has his/her own perspective & that lawyers can be expensive. Again, these are just thoughts based on my own personal experience. I personally hope that my situation does not apply to anyone else as it's really been an ordeal to manage all of these delays & the accompanying disappointments. Good luck, OP!

Given the tourist visa cancellation, I strongly suggest you get a lawyer so they can guide you through the process. It's pricey but it will give you peace of mind and you have a better chance of avoiding missteps. Please note that the CR-1 visa process can be very long and that unexpected things can come up at the last moment (e.g. not having the exact version of a particular document at your visa interview can cause a delay, an unexpected DS-5535 security check can cause a delay, medical exams can get prolonged due to sputum testing, etc.). In my humble opinion, it's better to have a clear view about all of this upfront (and a good immigration lawyer can help with this).

Hello! For those who had to undergo a repeat medical examination: How long did it take for the Embassy to issue the visa after you sent it in the documents via courier? Did they ask you for any additional documents on top of the medical exam? We'll also be sending a new NBI clearance, our latest tax returns/W-2, and a new CENOMAR (on top of uploading copies to the CEAC website - we just don't want them to issue yet another 221G due to these documents being expired, although they have not asked for them) Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

That's correct - every NBI clearance has an expiration date date and the Embassy takes notice of this. Same goes for the CENOMAR (i.e. must not be more than 1 year old) & tax returns as well.

Exactly right and hence my line of questioning above!

From the time of the medical exam, there was a 1.5 month delay to take the sputum test. It seems like they're extremely backlogged.

For those who are immunocompromised (HIV, etc), the following applies at SLEC in Manila (based on our experience in May 2023): You *will* have to do a sputum test. That's a requirement (even while on a repeat medical) for anyone who's immunocompromised. Also, for expectation setting, it's worth noting that sputum tests may not be immediately available and the wait time for one could be months Even though being immunocompromised is not a reason for inadmissibility (since 2010), keep in mind that SLEC does see this as a *red flag* and will ask questions if you disclose your status (note - as painstaking as the disclosure may make your case due to the additional sputum testing requirements, I think it's still better than being potentially barred due to omission of this information). In our case, SLEC asked us for a recent CD4 count/viral load exam (even though this is listed nowhere in the requirements, the US Embassy in Manila is apparently asking them to collect this information). We thankfully were able to provide past exam results that were less than 1 year old and these were accepted. Would definitely recommend anyone in a similar position to bring 1) medical exam results confirming a healthy enough CD4 count/viral load & 2) a note from a doctor corroborating these results and affirming that you're in good health Hope this helps someone.

So we found out today that we needed to take the sputum test (again) due to my spouse's medical condition. Today is May 4, 2023 and the earliest that SLEC can take people in for the sputum test is on June 26, 2023...unbelievable! I can't believe there is such a backlog. Last time (September 2022), it was only a 2-week wait. We were also told that we may be able to get an earlier appointment if we call them every day and ask for cancellations. Wondering if anyone has had any luck with this approach. Finally - for those who went through a repeat medical exam and then submitted results to the Embassy - how long did it take for your visa to be issued after the submission?

Great news! We got the Health Case ID # and were able to schedule the repeat medical exam. This was 2 days after submitting a healthcase inquiry form through the link below: https://slec.ph/inquiry/healthcase/ We found out via an e-mail from the Embassy in response to an inquiry I had made. The e-mail said that the "matter I had inquired about had been resolved" and that I should call SLEC for details on how to move forward with the re-scheduling of the appointment. Once we did that, they re-directed us to a page in which we were allowed to schedule the repeat medical examination. For further context - I e-mailed & called the Embassy last week and straight up told them that they would be getting a writ of mandamus lawsuit from us if they didn't move within a week's time (since I had requested the Health Case ID 2 months ago and had seen zero movement). When I called via phone, I was very emphatic on this point while talking to the customer service representative and asked her to include it in the case she was creating. I don't know if this had anything to do with it, but at the end of the day, the 1-week SLA was met! I definitely think being assertive counts for something. Thanks again!

Thanks for responding! Unfortunately, we can't submit the request on St. Luke's website without the Health Case ID #. I called them again last week and it still isn't moving. I also spoke with a lawyer and he said that he's never heard of this process (i.e. having to request a Health Case ID #) for any other embassy. If you went through this process, I would really appreciate hearing about your experience. Thank you, -Carlos

Thanks for your prompt response! We tried to submit an inquiry on the SLEC website but could not get through without the case #. From some other threads, I a) gathered that this is something that the Embassy has to provide (even though it's not in the 221g letter) and 2) that they can take their time to provide this (someone was waiting 7 months for it and I'm not sure if it ever got provided). I would be curious to hear more about your experience if you've gone through the same process. Thanks!

Was anyone here able to successfully navigate this matter? If so, how? Please let me know. Thanks! -Carlos

Did you guys ever receive a resolution? We have to re-do the medical exam now as well (following DS-5535 clearance as of today, which took 3 months or around 60 business days). I proactively called the Embassy asking them for the Health Case ID number about 2 months ago and they still haven't released it. Any inputs here would be helpful. Thanks!

Still waiting for the DS-5535 to clear (it's been 1.5 months) and the NBI clearance/medical expire in 2 days...fun times! I no longer am waiting on bated breath for this process to clear...as long as it does so someday, it will be fine.