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J.M.

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  • City
    Marshall
  • State
    Texas

Immigration Info

  • Immigration Status
    Adjustment of Status (approved)
  • Place benefits filed at
    Texas Service Center
  • Local Office
    Dallas TX
  • Country
    Philippines

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  1.    RO_AH reacted to a post in a topic: Consular Interview - Is Petitioner required to provide a police clearance?
  2. J.M.
    What's the big deal? If they ask for it, provide it, or abandon your plans. Most Americans are not criminals, but they still do background checks. Most Filipinos that are planning to marry a foreigner are not currently married, but they still ask for a CENOMAR from them. Most people driving cars have licenses, but police still ask to see it when you get stopped. For most cases, there will be no record. For a few, there will be a record. It's easy to get and cheap. If you learn about the Philippines, you will soon figure out that a lot of things they do don't make sense. There are a lot of things in the US that don't make sense too. By the way, marriage is a state institution. The US Government is not in the marriage tracking business. The states maintain marriage records.
  3. J.M.
    EAD is Employment Authorization Document. It allows you to work while Adjustment of Status is processing. It takes around 1 to 6 months for approval. Once it is approved, you are legally allowed to work. AP is Advanced Parole. This allows you to re-enter the US after international travel. It's pretty expensive ($630 I think) and usually takes a long time (6 months+) for approval. AP is only valid until you receive your green card. Often, the green card is approved before AP, which makes the $630 fee just a donation to the government.
  4.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: FBI Clearance Required?
  5.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: FBI Clearance Required?
  6.    RO_AH reacted to a post in a topic: FBI Clearance Required?
  7. J.M.
    Over the past several months, some petitioners (10 or so) have reported being asked to provide an FBI background check for CFO. However, all of them that I am aware of were for K-1, not spousal. I doubt that will make any difference but just pointing that out. I would get one, especially if your wife has significant travel to attend CFO. At least one person was told that they could email the FBI report, which they did. Upon receipt of the email, CFO replied and said (I'm paraphrasing) "great, now hand deliver it to us."
  8. J.M.
    It is not a physical sticker anymore. Now it is a digital certificate. It will be emailed to her immediately upon completion of CFO. You can print the certificate and screen shot it but also save the email. Sometimes they ask to see the email, not just the certificate, at departure.
  9.    W199 reacted to a post in a topic: Acquiring the long sought after one-way ticket
  10. J.M.
    skyscanner is always a great place to start.
  11. J.M.
    Which CFO location?
  12.    J.M. reacted to a post in a topic: The Philippine CFO violates Filipino human rights by not allowing Filipinos to leave the Philippines
  13.    J.M. reacted to a post in a topic: The Philippine CFO violates Filipino human rights by not allowing Filipinos to leave the Philippines
  14.    J.M. reacted to a post in a topic: "Application Received" on CEAC site
  15.    RO_AH reacted to a post in a topic: Missing document in packet Consular Selection Immigrant Visa Unit American Embassy Manila
  16.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: Missing document in packet Consular Selection Immigrant Visa Unit American Embassy Manila
  17.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: Missing document in packet Consular Selection Immigrant Visa Unit American Embassy Manila
  18. J.M.
    Just for clarity, your fiancée was personally asked for the certified copy at CFO? Or did she just "hear" that it is required? I've never heard of that being asked for or even being given a copy of it. Which CFO location?
  19. J.M.
    This happened at the Manila location. OP ran out of posts for the day but messaged me.
  20.    RO_AH reacted to a post in a topic: The Philippine CFO violates Filipino human rights by not allowing Filipinos to leave the Philippines
  21.    Boiler reacted to a post in a topic: The Philippine CFO violates Filipino human rights by not allowing Filipinos to leave the Philippines
  22. J.M.
    I understand you are having a difficult time with CFO, but in general, CFO is a breeze to get through. Typically, those that have trouble with CFO are unprepared or have something other than a friendly attitude. The one-on-one interview can be quick and easy or detailed and messy, depending on the attitude of both participants. Since I have never heard of being asked to show screenshots of family chats, I would guess something earlier in the interview led to that request. Like it or not, though, CFO is part of the process, and you have to go through it. Which location did this happen at?
  23. J.M.
    Yes, it's definitely hard to get the exact documents they want. I have had to make 2nd trips for previous visits. Now I take everything we've got and hope for the best. I'm old and used to the way it was when I was young. I think a birth certificate was all I needed. Next they'll want a certified copy of the constitution, first-born's umbilical cord, and your first baby tooth.
  24. J.M. started following Texas Driver's License
  25. J.M.
    My wife is 45. She had never really driven before coming to the US. We started doing a bit of "back-road" driving quite a while back. Last month, we decided it was time to start practicing on roads with traffic. We went our local DPS to get a permit. She did the required 6 hours of on-line videos and the 1-hour safety video in advance. The written test was on-line also, so our visit to DPS was just to process the paperwork. There were only 3 counters. While we waited for our turn, it became very clear that 2 of the 3 were very experienced, but the 3rd one was new. She was super slow and asking many questions. I was hoping we did not get her! But guess what? We DID. The foreign passport threw her off a bit. She was talking to herself about a marriage certificate or something to show legal name change, but I guess she realized the green card was proof enough of her name and moved past that. She made it all the way to the end before she made an error. She accidentally issued my wife an unrestricted license instead of a permit. She asked her co-worker how to correct it. She followed their instructions and changed it. Or at least she thought she did. My wife's unrestricted license arrived in the mail today. No B restriction in it, and it is good for 4 years.
  26. J.M.
    During the time between 90 days after arrival and approval or EAD or Green Card, you have no legal status. You are in a period of authorized stay. Your EAD card should solve that issue, which is almost certainly why they could not update your card. Until your green card or EAD is approved, your name in the SAVE database is your maiden name. It would not be possible for them to verify your legal status here using your married name until green card or EAD is approved. You should be good to go with the EAD.
  27. J.M.
    K-1 is typically faster than CR1, but worst case K1 and best case CR1 might both be about 18 months. My expectation is K1 will probably be 6 months or so faster than CR1 and take about a year. Times vary constantly, so it's all just a guess. CR1 is cheaper, unless you have to fly back to the Philippines to consummate the marriage. If you do, the savings from adjustment of status is already blown on that trip. K-1 cannot be filed online.
  28. J.M.
    Just to second this- a friend already has the passport/visa in hand, but CEAC still says "ready."
  29. J.M.
    Another anomaly with applying online is the photo requirement. A properly taken passport photo does not pass muster, even though it matches the US passport requirements. On the online renewal photo instructions, it demands about half of the upper body be included in the photo, not just the face and shoulders. Amazing that they have two different "official" websites that show completely different requirements. Fortunately, I didn't have any travel plans. I was just renewing due to expiration. They had absolutely no sympathy, despite the tracking number showing it had either never left their facility or was not scanned when it was picked up (I did track that original number when I first got it). I'm not sure how either of those possibilities are MY fault. I was very annoyed with the whole process. Just talking about it annoys me lol.
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