Donald-n-Analyn

I don't know which courier is delivering for the embassy now. Back in early 2009 it was Air21. They took almost 3 weeks to deliver my wife's visa to Tacloban.

This problem you and others have came across is the direct result of not waiting until after marriage and then getting your SSN card. What is the big hurry for the SSN that can not wait until marriage and then eliminate another trip to the SSN office.

The reason that we needed a SSN was for the purpose of getting my wife on my medical insurance. It may be possible without a SSN, but it would certainly be more trouble than making an extra trip to the SS office, at least for us anyway. You also have to have a SSN to get added to a bank account. We wanted a joint account for the AoS interview, which never occurred.

I have read, and still advocate, getting the K-1 beneficiary the SSN about 2 weeks after arriving. If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten her a state ID immediately after that.

Your mileage may vary.

Ingats!

Submit the AoS papers in your MARRIED name. You will then receive your green card in your MARRIED name. You can then take your green card, passport, and marriage certificate to the Social Security office and apply for the name change and to have the work restriction lifted.

Ingats!

Thanks for your response.

She would want to be here less than 6 months for sure. Her husband (my friend) travels back and forth 3 or 4 times per year, staying there 3 or 4 weeks at a time on average.

She was under the impression that she could get a tourist visa, but I wasn't so sure. I was afraid that since they got married, she would not "qualify" for anything but an immigrant visa.

As an aside, it is a shame that people from certain countries are "presumed" to be untrustworthy and undeserving of a tourist visa, while others are given them routinely.

A friend of mine got married to a Filipina, in the Philippines. He holds the equivalent of an LPR card there, and travels back and forth. He is starting a business in Manila, and intends to spend a lot of time there.

His wife does not want to immigrate here to the USA, at least not at this time. She is not poor, and she owns property there, both jointly and in her own name. What would be the proper avenue for her to be able to come here and visit her husband. She would not really be a "tourist", but does not desire to become an LPR either. She honestly just wants to visit her husband in his home country.

I am sure that this is not a unique or unusual situation, but I couldn't really find it addressed anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

The 1620 travel tax only applies to Filipino citizens and foreign visa holders who have been in the country more then 1 year

Exactly. The wife will still have to pay it, since she is a Philippine citizen, and is travelling out of the country. I have no idea what, if any fees, Hong Kong might charge as a destination or departure city. I have only been there on a stop-over.

Cheers!

I wanted to know what taxes I have to pay when I leave from Manila for my self and my future wife. If their taxes to pay leaving from Hong Kong?

You each will have to pay the 750 pesos airport departure fee on the way to the gate after you get your boarding pass. Your fiancée will owe the Philippine citizen travel tax, 1,620 pesos last time that I checked. If you bought her ticket from a Philippine's travel agent or company, then you may have paid it already. Check your receipt. If you purchased her ticket online or in the USA, you probably have not paid it yet. You will need to pay it at the travel tax counter, before falling in line at the airline ticket counter.

There will be nothing to pay in Hong Kong, as it is just a transfer point.

Good luck & Ingats!

I think that Jim gives the most reasonable advice in this thread. While it would be nice to have the AoS NOA1 in hand before the I-94 expires, it is not critical. I think that some of the advisors here make too big of a deal about it, and put unnecessary fear and pressure on new immigrants and their sponsors.

It took me awhile to convince my wife that ICE agents were not going to show up at the door and remove her after her I-94 expired.

That said, there are some that take delaying the AoS to extremes, giving the practice a bad reputation, and no doubt spurring those who seem to make championing rapid AoS their number one priority on VJ.

I will offer the advice that I have been giving for awhile. I think that it is practical and sane for most couples. Try to apply for adjustment as soon as you can after getting married. Make it a priority as the I-94 expires. What ever you do, do not wait more than 1 year after the K-1 medical exam. The medical exam and shot records are valid for 1 year. By waiting any longer, you will increase your cost and hassle factor.

For most couples, I think that the cost is the primary reason for waiting. But don't keep putting it off. Obtain legal status, and peace of mind, for your loved one as soon as humanly possible. If you are approaching the 1 year anniversary of your K-1 medical, and have not filed for AoS, beg or borrow the money to get it done.

I'm wondering if it's okay to buy a one way ticket for a fiacee visa or do i have to purchase a 2way ticket? Thanks!

I bought my fiancée a one-way ticket. It was cheaper than a round trip, but not by much (900.00 vs. 1,200). You don't anticipate that she will need a round trip ticket, do you?

Ingats!

Popcorn will my 2008 and 2009 Tax Return do? I work for myself so I don't have pay stubs.. I do keep a record of all my incoming income.

If you are self-employed, and making what you claim, then you should be filing quarterly tax payments with the IRS. I would include copies of the latest along with your other "proof" of income. This is probably the best "outside" evidence that you could show to back up your income claims. It will be your responsibility to convince the CO at the Manila embassy that you meet the income requirements to sponsor a K-1 beneficiary.

Good luck & Ingats!

[edited - i typed unemployed instead of self-employed - lol]

I just want to make sure before I send the application in, the guide here suggests to include a cover letter with the "applicants name and address" and for the applicant to sign and date the letter.

Do I put the letter in my wifes name, she is here on the K-1 Visa, is she the applicant who needs to sign the letter?

Am I, the USA citizen the applicant or is my wife the applicant? Thanks!!!

Thanks for any replies, I'm tyring to finish this up today and mail it, God Bless.

James

Yes, the application is being submitted by your wife, to apply for adjustment of HER immigration status. The only role that you play in the process is to be on the marriage certificate, and submit the Affidavit of Support.

Ingats!

Nowhere on any of the instructions for the forms required for Adjustment of Status does it ask for evidence of living together, co-mingling of assets, etc.

The I-485 instructions, under section 12.B. (Evidence of eligibility) says to attach copies of:

• Approval notice (NoA2) from Form I-129F submission
  
• Marriage Certificate
  
• Form I-94
  

Just follow the instructions and you will be fine. USCIS doesn't want to see any "additional proof" or they would ask for it.

Good luck, it looks like most K-1 adjustments are proceeding without interview lately

[edited for the inevitable typo <sigh>]

Of course your friend needs a lawyer at this point. But I am not sure that her case is lost yet. Also, I think that there is a big difference between using a SSN that you know belongs to someone else, and just making up a random number to fill in the blanks. A random number may or may not belong to anyone else, and does not rise to the level of "identity theft" from my viewpoint.

I also don't think that the "what the hell was she thinking?" posts are uncalled for. When was the last time you saw a topic that read something like: "I, or My friend, did something really stupid. Does anyone have any good after-the-fact criticism or ridicule I can use?"

Good luck to you friend.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and I have not even slept in a Holiday Inn Express in years.

[edited for a typo]

xoom has really tightened up. Not only the terms of service, minimum transfer amounts, and fees, but the coupons too.

The site where I used to consistently find the latest coupon codes say that they have been removed at Xoom's request. Boo Xoom.

I hope that someone has a current code, because I need to remit too.

Jeff,

Is the non-refundable ticket that Claire bought a round-trip ticket?

I agree with option 2 above. Assuming that she has a round-trip ticket. Go ahead and have her use her ticket, and the VWP, to visit you. Get married while she is here. You can either plan it out, and she can declare her intentions at POE, or you can leave the even unscheduled, and decide to do it if it still feels right after you see each other again ;-).

Claire returns home before her entry permit expires, and you start the CR-1 process as soon as you can afford the fee. When she enters the next time, with the CR-1 visa, there will be no need for the Adjustment of Status step, and no waiting for a work permit, etc.

If the ticket is one-way, check with your airline. Most will let you cancel it, and keep the credit for up to a year. When you want to use the credit, you then have to pay a fee, up to $200, but then you can apply 100% of your original purchase price. But check with your carrier for the details. She will probably not be allowed to enter on the VWP with a one-way ticket.

Good luck!

Also, to "ineedmylover" and others lurking and thinking about posting.

In a perfect world, it shouldn't matter what country you live in, were born in, or any other aspect of your cultural background. Unfortunately, in immigration, and especially family based immigration, it does matter quite a bit. You have nothing to gain, and a lot to lose, in the usefulness of the responses, by omitting these details. And, if you omit these details, the respondents will typically assume that you are from a high fraud country.

In other words, when asking open ended questions such as "which immigration route if the best for us?", please post as much background information as you can. Such as your country of birth, current residence, and maybe even how you met.

One other point to "ineedmylover", you stated that you had an "aunt and an uncle which will support me and my finance financially". Unless your relatives are U.S. residents, they can not legally co-sponsor your immigration. They may contribute all they want, but the USCIS will not consider such support to meet the requirements of financial obligation.

Take care!

[edited for typo and additional commentary ]

I am getting mixed messages from the original poster, first: "We really love each other and cant afford the traveling."

Then later: "Thanks for your reply friend, Its not the cost we are worry about its the requirements."

Regardless of which visa route you pursue, K-1 or CR-1, at least one visit will have to occur between your fiance and yourself. She doesn't necessarily have to travel to your country, you could meet in a neutral country. Or, depending on which country that you live in, you could get a tourist visa and meet her here in the U.S. During that visit, you could get married, return home, your then wife could start the process for a CR-1 visa. If you prefer the more expensive K-1 route, don't get married yet, your still fiance would start the K-1 process.

Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would go ahead and get married first, and go the CR-1 route. It is cheaper, and probably a little easier. Especially if you are from a high fraud country.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the prompt reply! Much appreciated!

I'd like to clarify. Yes we have the marriage license, but there is also another sheet which has the signature of the judge who officiated as well as the date of our marriage. Is this the document we are going to send for AOS? They told us that we will get the original copy in six weeks, but what we have for now is a certified true copy of the marriage license and then another sheet with the judge's name and signature and date of our marriage.

Thank you ver much.

Apparently, the great state of Texas refers to the actual proof of marriage as a "Marriage License". This is contrary to most states, where the marriage license is just the permission from the state to get married, and the way in which they extract their fee.

It sounds like your other document might be the Marriage Verification Letter. If I were you, I would play it safe and send copies of both papers.

Ingats!

Hi to all!

We just got married today! I have a very quick question...

Is a certified true copy of marriage license, the same with marriage certificate? We are confused because we paid for an extra amount to have our marriage certificate immediately... but we have are two copies of certified true copy of marriage license...

If they are not the same, can we use this certified true copy of marriage license when applying for AOS?

Thanks alot.

You do NOT need a certified copy. You should send a photocopy of a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate. Never send originals to USCIS unless they need to be signed or notarized.

If they doubt the authenticity of one of your photocopies of a certified original, they will request to see the original, perhaps at the interview.

Ingats!

Whether your wife changes her name or not is a personal decision, no requirement she does so. However, keep in mind her visa and the green card that follows will be issued in the name on her passport. More to think about

Here are a few threads that discuss the topic.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/250855-getting-married/page__hl__name%20change

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/250752-name-changecivil-wedding/page__p__3857316__hl__name%20change__fromsearch__1entry3857316

The green card and EAD will be issued in whatever name you use on the I-485 and I-765, which SHOULD be whatever married name that you want to take. My wife followed the Filipino custom of moving her father's last name to her middle name, and dropping her mother's maiden name. This has not caused her any problems. She has a social security card issued in her maiden name, we are going to get the name changed on that this week.

Since her green card and social security card are in her married name, she will need to either get a new Philippines passport, or have an addendum noting her marriage and name change. Which one to do depends on the length of time remaining before passport expiration. The passport change has to be done at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. But, there are many consulate offices around the country that can take care of sending your passport to Washington for you. This needs to be done before she can travel internationally. I have read that it is permissible for her to travel with her original passport, providing that she carries a certified copy of our marriage license. But I would prefer not to take that chance.

Ingats!

... Furthermore, part of her attitude could very well be because she expected you to AOS her, and you haven't yet. Maybe she is paranoid you aren't going to do it and acting out because of it. ...

This is a very good point. Filipinos, for the most part, are very reluctant to "break the rules". The CFO seminar also puts the fear in them about making sure they adjust status BEFORE the I-94 expires. We filed late because I was waiting for a year-end bonus. My wife was just sure that ICE agents were going to show up any day and take her away. It wasn't until I showed numerous VJ posts that she calmed down and was less paranoid.

Personally, I think you should ease her mind and adjust her status. Maybe her attitude will improve. Unless she was a great actress, or you were deluding yourself, you should have known what you were getting into. It is not really fair to back out on her now (again MY opinion - keep the flames to a minimum ).

I am really curious as to how you met? Were you introduced by one of her cousins, or was it seemingly random?

To the original poster. Please update your timeline when you get a chance. It helps others to know where you are in the process.

When my wife and I applied for AoS, we could not find a civil surgeon (CS) here in our area who was willing to just do the vaccinations. We were told by every CS that we called that we would have to pay for the full medical exam, regardless of how much we needed completed. Fortunaely, the cost wasn't too bad ($120), and it took less than a week.

It turns out that she did not need any shots either. I think that USCIS could make the AoS medical exam rules a bit easier...

Based solely on the information that you have provided, I would say that the green card was a large factor in your relationship. I am not saying that it is the only thing, but it looks like it plays a big part.

Although it is not uncommon for a Filipino to have many first cousins, it is highly suspicious that 3 of your wife's live in the same town as you. Secondly, the fact that they are willing to pay the not insignificant AoS fee indicates something to me.

If I were in your shoes, what I would do would depend solely on my feelings for the woman. I entertained the possibility that my wife was mainly after a green card. Even though none of the evidence indicated that. How could I not have some doubts? Almost all of my friends, and quite a few complete strangers told me that of course it was all about a green card. I decided that I loved my wife, and that even if after she came here, things didn't work out, that I was going to marry her and adjust her status anyway. I reasoned that I loved her, and as much as I wanted to spend my life with her, if I couldn't, I would still be willing to help make her life better.

I didn't have to face the reality of finding out. We are doing fine. But you need to dig deep and ask yourself. Do you love this woman enough to help her in life. Even if you are not getting along so great as a couple right now. If you love her, you might find that with a little bit of security and room, she will be drawn to the good man that you obviously are.

I wouldn't worry too much about the affidavit of support. She sounds like her main goal here in the USA is to work anyway. Being on government assistance is not going to provide enough money to send back home.

Follow your heart on this one. Ingats!

Disclaimer: This is my opinion only. I don't have all the facts. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited by law.

I filled out the PDF version of the G-325A with all of the information. I then emailed the elctronic to my fiance. She printed it at an internet cafe. She then signed each of the four pages in ink, and mailed them back to me. The longest part of the process was the mail from Tacloban City to me, about 2 weeks. I actually had her print it twice, and sign all eight copies, that way I had a backup if I had to resubmit the K-1 application for any reason.

Everything worked great for us.

Ingats!

This does not have to do with AP or EAD, the line "Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS" clearly shows that it is n regards to the adjustment of Status application. The notice says that a document has been produced in the case, and mailed to you. It does not indicate what the document is. You will have to wait a day or two to find out.