thonati

Hi Edward. You have been a great help to us over the past year with all your advice. We thank you. How long does it take for the USEM to correct the DS160 name change? Our Bio appointment is 15APR and IV is 13MAY. Will it get corrected in time? Will we need to re print the DS160 confirmation page? Will the bar code change? I am in Leyte now and the WiFi is horrible so I doubt I can change it for another day or two but well before the 30 day window.

Ok. So when we create the new DS160 we do NOT submit it? After we fill out a new DS160, we then send feedback to the USEM and tell them what?

Thanks for the advice. But how exactly will creating a new application not trigger a new fee and scheduling? I am new to this so forgive my ignorance.

I went into the system and I see it will force me to re apply if within 30 days. It looks like we will have to reschedule the appointment and pay the fee again. The money is not a problem but the reschedule and perhaps medical will be a problem. On the confirmation page it says: Ortiz Rodriguez, Mary. Ortiz is her mother's name and Rodriguez is her last name, Mary is her first name. Ortiz is shown on her passport as her middle name. Will she have to re-do the medical again because there will be a new DS-160?

Almost 3 weeks ago

Ok. Thanks for the advice. I think the DS160 has the dual last name (I filled out the DS160 so stupid me) She already completed her medical but her interview is not until mid May. I will make sure to update the DS160. Is it easy to update?

Let me also add, I see you are "ready" today 13MAR25. Now the hard part comes: getting the schedule. I was very very lucky and snagged my appointments on the VERY FIRST SIGN-IN after our case went "ready" on 12MAR. I have read that you need to be checking the websites every 30 minutes or sooner in case someone else cancels. I am checking every hour hoping to get a sooner time.

We scheduled the medical the same day we received the K1-FTP and the case went to "in transit". The k1-ftp letter is required for the medical. The "required documents" say the visa appointment confirmation is required; however, that is not necessarily true. My fiance had the visa appointment on her phone (via email from the USEM) which I scheduled 2 hours before her medical. So she did not have enough time to print it at the hotel. The St Luke's Admin said the visa confirmation is not "required" but told my fiance the medical is only good for 6 months. So any visa appointments beyond 6 months will require a new medical. I heard that some people were made to sign a waiver acknowledging the 6 months but my fiance was not asked to sign any waiver. She was verbally told. As Rufus said, you MUST schedule the OFC and IV on the same log in. On the schedule page, the OFC comes up first. Once you click on a day in the OFC calendar, the IV calendar comes up. Then the confirmation will show you both appointments. As I type this on 13MAR25 at 11:45pm, my fiance is at medical day 2. She is from Leyte so she will have to make 3 separate trips from Cebu to MNL. It is a pain in the @$$ but worth it. My fiance was looking at the medical bill, hotel, air fare and visa appointment and said "Wow, you spend a lot of money on me, but I will show you that I am worth it". I had to laugh at that. I love the Filipina spirit. I am leaving on SUN 16MAR to the Philippines for 3 weeks. I was hopping to bring her back with me but it looks like I will be making a return visit in May.

I wonder if they "bucket" interviews based on visa category? K1s this week, HB-1 next 2 weeks etc. I am happy just to get a time slot. We applied 13JUn24 so it has been a long wait. I have seen others get NOA2 and Approved in 6 months. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason. I am going to the Phils on Sunday for 3 weeks. I originally thought we could get an appointed within a few weeks of "ready" status. But that is ok. I will return in May for her interview and (hopefully) bring her home. Festival is 09/10MAY so I will be there for that. I plan to retire 01MAY so I will have plenty of time.

You are 2 weeks ahead of us for NOA2 and "Ready" Did you get the same dates as me? BIO=15APR and USEM=13MAY?

When was your NOA2 and "ready" status? We scheduled medical without the interview appointment. Others on this forum said St Lukes will make her sign a waiver that the medical is good for only 6 months. Her medical is in 2 hours so she is now printing the interview appointment page at the hotel as I write this.

I just logged into the system again and their were a few openings for both Bio (15APR) and Interview (13MAY)

As I was typing my post, I logged into CEAC and it now says "Ready". This is about 36 hours from the K1-FTP. I was able to pay the visa fee with credit card. But when I went to schedule the bio, it shows no slots open. This is disappointing because we all have waited so long only to be put on hold again. I guess I will keep trying to schedule the bio and interview on any hourly basis.

Hi All, My K1 case is in transit this week. I have seen where others say it will take Manila Embassy a few days to be "ready". I tried to pay for the interview but the system says "case not found" so I guess it has to be "ready" in order to pay and schedule. My fiance is doing her medical today at St Luke's. Has anyone recently made an appointment for Bio & Interview? How many days out are the Bio & Interview appointments? I would like to make some flight arrangements.

I have a question regarding the surname of my fiance. On my USCIS petition, I put her mothers surname and fathers surname (Ortiz Hernandez). However the K1-FTP does not list her mother's name anywhere. We filled out the DS-160 and used her mother's name and her passport has her mother's name. We started the visa application and used her mother's name as well. 1) Is this something I should be concerned about? I know dual last names are common in the Philippines. 2) Is the visa appointment letter required to perform the medical exam at St Lukes?

Here is my timeline: NOA2=07JAN25 Case sent to NVC=30JAN25 Case number assigned=26FEB25 I had to submit the public inquiry to received the case number. The problem is that I cannot create a profile without the case ID number that is sent with the email from NVC. Someone else on this forum said the NVC will provide an attachment letter with the email notifying you of the case number and ID number.

OK. Thanks again for the quick reply. You are the man.

Thanks for the quick reply. I received my Case number today from a Public Inquiry. How much longer can you estimate that I will get that email?

What is needed to schedule the medical at St Lukes? On their website it asks for the "Letter with Case Number / K1FTP Letter (K Visa) - one (1) photocopy" Is the K1FTP letter the same as the email?

Great question. I hope someone answers. However, the Mods on this board are not very helpful and sometimes provide false information.

NOA2=07JAN25 Sent to NVC=30JAN25 Case Number via Public Inquiry=26FEB25 When can we schedule the medical? Does anyone know? Do we need to have the "welcome letter" in hand?

Another interesting tidbit. The State Police know where you were before they pull you over. After 9/11, the US Dept of Transportation in conjunction with each state's DOT have installed cameras along the inter-state. These cameras have video capability to see traffic trends etc. However, did you know these cameras have IR capability and read EVERY SINGLE license plate in real time and logs each entry? I was pulled over by my State Police last summer. I was traveling to several different areas. The Trooper asked me "where are you coming from?" I told him, "from all over, here and there. You will have to look it up to see exactly. I cannot remember every place". He smirked at me and said, "Oh so you know about the license plate readers. Were you in the Military?" I told him "No but I know all about them. You probably can compute my average speed from camera to camera." He said "Yes I can and I can see you were averaging about 85 MPH. You know the speed limit is 70, right? I told him, "Yes sir but I was going slightly faster than that so the cameras must be out of time". He chuckled, handed me my D/L back and asked me if I could please keep it under 80 for him.

Let me lay some heavy advice on you. The US Federal Government knows way more about you and your habits than you do. During my trip to SE Asia with my Filipina fiance'; we traveled to may places. It was her first time out of the Phills. After our travels, We parted ways and took different flights to our respective homes. When I returned, the CBP asked me what countries I traveled to. I was exhausted and I could not remember everything. I just told him "I can't remember them all, you will just have to look it up". He smiled and said, "Oh you knew I already had the answer to the question as soon as you stepped off the plane?" I said, "are you kidding me, I should ask you if my fiance made it home safely". He said "hold on." Click click on the keyboard. "Yup, she made it to Cebu safely" I was not surprised in the least. I said, "thanks for letting me know." He said, "no problem and welcome home" So, yes they ARE going to check your travel records. They know everything. The US Treasury trades information real time with CBP. As soon as you hit the purchase button on the American Airlines website, CBP knows all about your plans. How did the CBP know who my fiance was? Easy, I purchased the plane tickets in the Phills with my US credit card with me and my fiances name. I purchased the ticket for her to get to Cebu, under her name. I should have asked him if she took a p!$$ on the plane too, he probably knew the answer. CBP uses algos (AI). So while your fiance may not have technically broken the law, she violated the spirit of the law. The visa is not for her to live in the USA with an American boyfriend, playing house for months at a time. An education visa is for formal education and not sex education. Also, even if you are lucky to get a K1 visa, the CBP is the sole arbitrator whether she gets in or not. If they are having a bad day, you are $h!t out of luck. So if a CBP was upset with you or your fiance, take heed. Say "I'm sorry, may I have another. It will not happen again.". They hold your happiness in their hands. I agree with the others here. She needs to stay away for a very long time to "clear the deck". Most of us wait over a year for our fiance's to get here. You need to stand in line like the rest of us. Good luck. Please do not play with fire.

According to the NVC website, as of Monday 10FEB they are processing cases sent to them on 31JAN. I received NOA2 07JAN and it was sent to NVC 30JAN. I submitted a public inquiring and they responded on 11FEB. "Your case is not in our system". So something is not adding up. We need DOGE to investigate and fix this mess.

The visit within 2 years has no bearing on whether it was a romantic visit or not. The purpose is that you met her face to face and there is no fraud. The US government could care less if you remarry the very next day after divorce. There is no requirement to wait to remarry K1 or not. Do not take any societal advice from anyone on this board. Follow the law, regulations, and rules in that order and you will be fine. If you are rushing into a marriage is no one's business but yours. I plan to bring my fiance over and wait for the last possible day to marry so that she can get accustomed to American life. I live in Michigan and my fiance is from the Philippines. She has never seen snow, hot water, a dishwasher etc. I was criticized my many people including a Mod. It just shows you that people are very judgemental; even in this day and age. The laws allow me to wait 90 days to get married and I am going to take 89 days to make sure we are doing the right thing for both of us.