Donald-n-Analyn

I'll be flying to Manila then on to Tacloban during the second week in August. I've checked flight schedules till I'm cross-eyed and thought I might find some suggestions from all of you. The flight TO Manila/Tacloban isn't too much of a problem. The best prices I've found are on AA and JAL. I plan on staying over a day in Manila to meet some people, then flying on to Tacloban the following day. The flights arrive in Manila (from Tokyo) late evening so that works well. For the return though, It looks like I'm stuck having to stay in Manila again. All of the flights that leave Manila are:

1. either too early to catch from Tacloban or,

2. have a 20+ hour layover in Japan.

I hoped some of you might have a way you prefer to go, who you fly with and where you get ticketed. I've only flown overseas on China Air so I'm not sure how disappointed (or not), I'll be with American. Loved China Air, but If I use them for this trip, it makes for a lot of stops. Is PAL the best way to fly from Manila? What are the airport "fees" now (I've only found older posts)? Will I pay those fees in Manila and Tacloban?

I appreciate any advise, suggestions or tips you all may have!!

Pal is the best from the US if you want the shortest flight and the have their own terminal in manila, you will arrive in manila around 630 am if leaving from LAX and if you take a taxi to the Domestic airport you can buy ticket from one of several airlines ( zest air, Cebu pacific, Pal is across the street from the domestic) I would not use pal for domestic flights however because they charge a lot for excess baggage.

My wife and I have over 20 flights on Cebu Pacific throughout the Philippines. The only bad experience that we had was one delayed flight for me only, and early morning flight from the old domestic airport in Manila, to Tacloban. No worse, and probably better then, my experiences with U.S. airlines.

Cebu Pacific now operates out of the new Terminal 3 building of NAIA. It is still a taxi ride from the International terminal for now though. The terminal fee at the new Terminal 3 was P200 for domestic flights. The terminal fee in Tacloban was only P30. The terminal fee for international flights when you leave the Philippines is P750.

Been haunting these boards less regularly than before now that the K1 has been sent but I was wondering a few things and hearing some reassurance or positive feedback from members that have had their fiance attend their interview with them would be nice!

1. Did they ask you (USC) any questions as well?

2. Were you allowed to go to the window with your fiance to hold their hand?

3. In your opinion, did it make a difference towards a positive outcome? ie were less questions asked or proof asked for relationship.

4. What did you wear????

My fiance is planning to come down for the interview stage. Initially he wanted to be down for the medical as well, so he could wait for me in the waiting room but since the time between medical and interview might be spaced out too far and he cant afford to take much leave for work, we settled for just the interview. We have tons and tons upon tons of proof but hoping they'll cut us some slack with him being there with me.

So for those that have jointly attended the interview, any feedback or words of advice?

I attended my fiancée's interview in Manila. The Embassy may be closer in operation to yours than some others. I was glad that I went, and I stayed until Ana got her visa and could return with me, but I am not sure whether it mattered in our case. But, I am positive that it didn't hurt. Considering how much love, time, and money that we already had invested, I decided that I wanted to be there. But then again, I might just be a control freak

1. I was asked if I knew any of her native language, and how to say "Good morning". I passed that test.
2. I was allowed up to the pre-screener window, but not into the interview room with the Consular Officer.
3. In my opinion it probably helps. After all, it is hard to question the validity of the relationship when the petitioner is there.
4. Casual dress. A pair of Columbia slacks and a collared polo shirt.

Good Luck!

Guys I need your advice regarding CFO seminar.....

Where is best to go? TAFT or QC?

Any other tips to share aside from knowing your fiance mom's maiden name?

Thanks in advance!

I vote for St. Mary's as well. We did not go to PRISM, so I can not say that it is bad, but SMEF-COW was a breeze. As a bonus, it is located right near the LRT2 Katapunan station. Using the trains in Manila is the best way to get around. It is much nicer to cruise above the traffic, than to sit in the middle of it. Even in an aircon cab it is no fun on the streets of Manila.

Good luck & congrats

We live right on the beach, close to Orlando. You have two good options, depending on what type of beach adventure you are looking for.

Coca Beach is commercial beachside community. It has a decent public beach, and lots of shops and restaurants. If you are looking for a beach, with commercial qualities it is a good choice from Orlando. Just head East on S.R. 528, also known as the "Beach Line" expressway. There is a small toll to pay, just like many of the expressways in and around Orlando. You will pass Port Canaveral, where the cruise ships dock. Just past the port for the next 10 miles or so is the Cocoa Beach area.

Playa Linda Beach is at the Cape Canaveral National Seashore (google it). It is a natural, relatively unpoiled beach. As the name suggests, it is a beautiful place. The beach is wide and the sand nice. There is very little trash, and it's not too crowded most days. If all you want is the nicest beach possible, this is the place to go.

Be warned that if you go to the very last parking area at the end of the road, you will likely see nude sunbathers. So if this would offend you, just pick any of the numerous other parking areas along the access road. If you would like to go for the "all over" tan, rest assured that you can visit the northernmost access area and be perfectly safe sunbathing and swimming naked. Nothing of a sexual nature occurs, and you will see many families and people from all walks of life there.

There is a $5 fee or so per car at the park, but it is really worth it for a nice, natural beach. Go East on S.R. 528 again, like you were going to Cocoa Beach, but follow the signs to Titusville. From downtown Titusville, take the Max Brewer bridge East, through the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, all the way to the end of the road.

If you want to private message us, and let us know when you will be here, maybe my wife and I can meet you somewhere and show you around a little. She is from Leyte.

Ingats,

We are super glad that everything worked out with your flight and arrival. What a sweet way to be greeted at the airport!

Good luck with the weather in Michigan & Ingats!

Hello lovelies! I am finally with my hubby.. woot woot!

I had a wonderful experience at my port of entry, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).

.... snip ....

So, that is my experience on my POE. Hehehe i know i should have posted this a few days ago.

The advice given so far has been excellent. Although I actually felt safer in the Philippines than I do in Orlando, I did not like to carry more than 20,000PHP in my wallet. The slight chance of inadvertently losing all of one's travel money would be too much of a risk.

Take a few hundred dollars in cash with you. There is a currency exchange window before you leave the baggage claim area at NAIA. Stop there and change $50 or $100. You will find better exchange rates later, near most hotels. DO NOT exchange money on the street. Street vendors will offer you marginally better rates, but you will most likely be robbed if you trust them.

DO notify your bank that you will be traveling in the Philippines. Most banks consider the Philippines to be a high fraud country. I am not sure that this is accurate, but it is reality. There really are ATM's everywhere in the major cities and provincial capitals. I did notice the lines to usually be longer for the ATMs in the Philippines, especially the ones in the shopping malls.

Just use your head and you will have a great time. And, remember the old saying: If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

Hi all, taking my first trip to the Philippines and would like to know how I should take my money? When I went to China I took cash and exchanged it there. What should I do when I go to the Philippines?

Just for clarification:

The site that you saw this on, and quoted,

http://www.***removed***/visas/kvisa/fiance...a-petition.html

lists the letters from others in the OR section for your evidence of having met in person. If you have met in person, you need to show proof of such. If you have not met in person, and are asking for a waiver of that condition based on cultural or hardship issues, then it lists the letters from parents as possible contributory evidence.

I am assuming that you have met in person. If so, send plenty of proof to USCIS that you have met in person in the past 2 years.

Excellent proof would be your passport stamps showing that you were in the same country at the same time. A few photographs together, labeled as to the date, place, and who is in the picture. Copies of any receipts or boarding passes that you may have, that can help prove that you were both in the same plane, hotel, resort, etc.

I agree that letters from your parents MAY help at the interview, to prove that you have a genuine relationship, but the USCIS is really only interested in you meeting their requirements as to having met, and your intent to marry. The "genuine ongoing relationship" issues will be addressed during the embassy interview.

Good Luck!

Alrighty then

I am filing for a K1 Visa, I thought I was posting under the K1 Visa area?

I have read the guides throughly. I am in the process of completing the I-129F.

I have no timeline because I have not filed yet.

I have seen on a few sites that a letter from a relative could be helpful... here is one of them: http://www.***removed***/visas/kvisa/fiance...a-petition.html

It does not give an example letter or any information on what the letter should include, so I thought I would ask the helpful people of VJ

I understand it is not necessary, however I believe it could be helpful.

It is fine for you to bring as many papers as you want about your training, profession, and employability. But, the pre-screener and consular officer will not be interested in them. No matter what your assets, the petitioner has to be able to show that he can support you (with a co-sponsor if need be). Despite the fact that you are employable, there is no guarantee that you can or will get a job here in the USA. Likewise, no matter how much money or property you have in the Philippines, the US government can not force you to use any of it to support yourself. Therefor, they require a US citizen to take financial responsibility for you.

Check and double check your documents against this list from the embassy. If you have it covered then you will be fine. The rest is just more papers for you to carry.

It looks like you have more than enough documentation, so don't stress. You will be fine!

Wow...you are very organized and ready to go! Everything looks rock solid. Nice work!

I especially like your third folder, which shows that you are employable in the U.S. I don't think you will have any problem with the Consul Officer since you have a co-sponsor, and you also have a fiance who is studying in college in order to make himself more employable in the future. You are making a strong case for financial responsibility.

I would include one more thing...please add Chinook and me to your last folder.

Our very best wishes to you for a PINK interview day!!!

Tahoma & Chinook

We did not have to attach the photos to the DS-156. The instructions we read (that I can't seem to find now) said to bring 3 photos for the medical. One was for St. Luke's records, the other two got forwarded to the embassy with the medical results. This may not be the case now, so if you didn't turn in your two extra photos at the medical then be sure to bring them to the interview. For our purposes, they were already submitted.

So, if you turn in the extra two photos at the medical, there is no need to attach them to the forms.

As for the local police clearance(s), I agree with the interpretation that it is not required if you have the NBI clearance. My fiancée is overly cautious, and decided to get a local police clearance too. It certainly didn't hurt, but if you don't have one I wouldn't worry about it. Unless, of course, you lived out of the Philippines for more than 6 months. Then you need police clearances from the COUNTRIES in which you stayed.

I think that some of the confusion in what to bring to the interviews comes from reading other people's experiences. I know that my fiancée would read someone else's report, and if they said that they brought copies of every travel receipt they ever had together, my fiancée would then assume it must have been required.

Read the instructions here and comply, you will be fine.

This is a checklist that I made for our interview. We had no problems or issues at all.

With the I-134 affidavit of support, be sure to read the instructions carefully. The accompanying proof depends on what the petitioner is using as his basis for support. If he is relying on income, then he needs W-2 forms, pay stubs, and a letter from his employer. If he is relying on assets, then he needs proof of the assets, such as bank or investment statements. I took some bank statements even though they were not strictly required. It is better to take too much than not enough!

Good Luck & Ingats!

I have a question on your list.

Under interview requirements, it shows: "photos (2 turned in at medical) - Beneficiary"

Are these the photos that get attached to the DS-156? I have seen other instructions that indicate that you are required to bring one photo to the medical exam and attach one to the 2 copies of the DS-156. Your list seems to only indicate the need for 2 photos. Any clarification would be appreciated.

Thanks.

You don't have to bring the copy of the I-129F, they will have the original that was filed already. I have it on the checklist because I wanted to have a copy in the packet. Basically, I wanted to have everything that was in the original I-129F filing with USCIS. But the main thing is that they may ask to see originals of anything that was a copy in the original filing. This includes things like the petitioner's divorce decree, birth certificate, photos of you together, etc. They did not ask us to see any of these originals, but they can if they want, so it is best to be prepared.

You do not need to turn any of the originals in, just have them there in case they ask or question you.

As for the two pieces of ID. One can be your passport, which you must have anyway. The other can be any official picture ID, like a work ID, student ID, GSIS card, driver license, etc.

Thanks! Do I need to bring the I-129f copy?

This is a checklist that I made for our interview. We had no problems or issues at all.

With the I-134 affidavit of support, be sure to read the instructions carefully. The accompanying proof depends on what the petitioner is using as his basis for support. If he is relying on income, then he needs W-2 forms, pay stubs, and a letter from his employer. If he is relying on assets, then he needs proof of the assets, such as bank or investment statements. I took some bank statements even though they were not strictly required. It is better to take too much than not enough!

Good Luck & Ingats!

Hi! Everyone....

My interview will be on the 2nd day of April. I have a butterfly in my stomach now... I hope everything will be fine...

Anyway, I have documents here such as 2 copies of DS-156, 1 copy of DS-156, 1 DS 157, I-134, W-2/ 1040, employment certificate, bank statement, his divorce decree and birth certificate,US visa pics, my cenomar and BC,NBI, his passport, engagement receipt, his plane tickets, pictures,chat logs and skype call logs, greeting cards and western union receipts. Did I miss something? Your reply is greatly appreciated... Thank you so much...

This is a checklist that I made for our interview. We had no problems or issues at all.

With the I-134 affidavit of support, be sure to read the instructions carefully. The accompanying proof depends on what the petitioner is using as his basis for support. If he is relying on income, then he needs W-2 forms, pay stubs, and a letter from his employer. If he is relying on assets, then he needs proof of the assets, such as bank or investment statements. I took some bank statements even though they were not strictly required. It is better to take too much than not enough!

Good Luck & Ingats!

Hi! Everyone....

My interview will be on the 2nd day of April. I have a butterfly in my stomach now... I hope everything will be fine...

Anyway, I have documents here such as 2 copies of DS-156, 1 copy of DS-156, 1 DS 157, I-134, W-2/ 1040, employment certificate, bank statement, his divorce decree and birth certificate,US visa pics, my cenomar and BC,NBI, his passport, engagement receipt, his plane tickets, pictures,chat logs and skype call logs, greeting cards and western union receipts. Did I miss something? Your reply is greatly appreciated... Thank you so much...

We went against all the good advice and I booked our flights in advance because of the cost and availability issues that you stated. Everything worked out fine for us. I think that most of it depends on how confident on your preparations and your chance of getting approved the first try.

I felt that our case was very strong, and we carefully prepared our paperwork. This meant a lot of reading, researching, and then re-reading and double-checking. IF you are very confident that you have a foolproof case and your paperwork is complete and correct, then I would say take the gamble and get your tickets in advance.

In the end, it is up to the petitioner to do what he thinks is best, it is his money. Maybe I was just lucky

Good Luck & Ingats!

thank you guys for all the replies.

everyday we try to call up USEmanila to try our luck if they have available early interview date than our interview date schedule but for today the free slot they have is may 4 onwards. so we will keep the interview date we have.

thanks guys! godbless to all.

Thanks for everyone's quick responses.

Unfortunately. still sounds like a roll of the dice as to when the visa arrives.

I am planning to arrive in Manila a couple days before the interview. My fiance lives in Manila so I am hoping that will help with delivery.

Was going to give myself a 3 week window to return to the US, so hoping that everything will fall into place.

Jim

Three weeks will be more than enough time. As long as you are fully prepared for the interview. Be sure to have your financial support information together as per the guides here. Also, her CENOMAR, NBI check, and other required papers.

I took a gamble and booked the return flights for both of us in advance. It worked out great for us, but we had no issues in the interview. It is a calculated risk. You can get better flight selection and prices in advance, but if you end up needing to change it will all be lost

I've looked in other forums but can't find an answer.

Wondered what the real time period is for a visa to be delivered if the interview goes smoothly. The manila embassy website says 7 to 10 business days. Is that true or are things running faster/slower?

Would like some feedback. My fiance has her interview schedule for April 23 and wants me there. If I am going to buy a plane ticket, just want to get an idea for return date to avoid additional costs.

Thanks, Jim

Jim,

If the visa packet is being delivered close to a metropolitan area, like Cebu, Manila, Davao, etc., then it should arrive within the first 5 business days. If it has to go out in the remote provinces, allow more like 10 days. I allowed 3 and a half weeks for ours because my fiancée's official mailing address is pretty far from the city. The road is barely passable after a good rain. However, Air21 will deliver to any address you specify. So, we had the packet sent to her sister's house in Tacloban City. They actually tried to deliver on the 3rd business day after the interview. They were unable to find the house in a squatter area because there was no street address. They sent us a txt message and we called them and straightened it out. So, be sure that you give them a good celfon number for contacting someone in the Philippines if there is a problem.

I think it is a great idea if you are there for the interview. I am glad that I went. My fiancée's interview went very smoothly. But then again, it is hard for them to question the authenticity of our relationship when I am sitting in the waiting area

Good Luck & Ingats!

Dylan and I met at Filipina heart..she is approved and has visa in hand!

Filipina Heart and such are DATING sites...to me I always thought of a " marriage broker " to be like a mail order bride service or something... all our paperwork etc.says we met at FH and I did not submit that we had a marriage broker cuz we didnt we met at a "dating and friendship site" in my opinion..Good luck and God bless to all on this journey

We did have a lot of documentation/photos etc

Doug

I agree with Doug.

Analyn and I met through FilipinaHeart. I paid the fee for one month. However, I didn't consider FH any more of a "marriage broker" than I would Yahoo Personals, where you pay a fee as well. I did not check the box for IMB on the I-129F. However, Analyn mentioned meeting at FH in her "Statement of Intent", and it also came up with the pre-screener at the Embassy. When he asked how we met, and she said FilipinaHeart, he said "Ah, the famous FilipinaHeart.", and laughed.

We had no problems with the interview, and Analyn has been here in the USA since Sunday.

And, since the original poster on this fairly old thread is already here and married, I guess it wasn't an issue for them either. It might be a good FAQ point to address once and for all exactly what constitutes an IMB though.

Northwest Airlines has a flight (NW72) departing Manila each morning at 6:30am. It stops in Nagoya, Japan. Everyone has to get off the plane, go through security again, then get back on the plane. It's stupid, but a minor hassle.

I just took this flight last week with my fiancé, and it was a good way to go. The POE at Detroit was quick and painless also.

Look on Northwest's web site for more details and booking. If you get a one way, you will have to pay the P1,620 "travel tax" at NAIA before going to the ticket counter.

PM me if you want more help or info.

Good luck & Ingats!

Douglas,

I recently flew over to attend the interview, CFO, and to fly back with my fiance. I found the best fare direct from Northwest Airlines. I opened two browsers and got my round-trip and her corresponding one-way set up, one in each browser, and then finalized the transactions.

Northwest has a flight from Manila to Detroit, with a stop in Nagoya, Japan. The Port of Entry in Detroit was fast and painless. We only had an hour and a half between arriving in Detroit and departing for Orlando, and made the connection easily.

The rates vary widely depending on the time of the week and how far in advance you can book. I paid about $1,400 for my round-trip, and $900 for her one-way. There are probably cheaper fares to be found, but I found it nice dealing with one airline the entire way. I broke the rule that says not to buy the fiance's ticket until the visa is in hand, because I was pretty confident that we had everything covered.

I am pleased to say that everything went smoothly, and we both arrived here in Florida last Sunday.

Good luck & ingats!

I hand delivered mine

I concur that this is the best way. Although I realize that it is not practical or possible for everyone. After thinking about it I decided that the best way to avoid any "proof of ongoing relationship" questions was to be waiting in the lobby during the interview.

As has already been pointed out quite capably, FedEx closed their "hub" in the Philippines. That does not mean that they no longer have a business presence there. It means that they no longer going to sort and redistribute regional packages there.

I have send many packages to Leyte via USPS Global Priority Mail and they haven't lost or stolen one of them yet. We did have one greeting card mailed first class that disappeared enroute. But like some other poster noted, those original documents are so difficult to replace. I will take ours in my carry on luggage

Good luck to the original poster on their upcoming interview.

I am not sure if the man invited or allowed the officer's into the house.

You didn't read the article, did you?

Ummmm, I did, but by the time I got around to posting I had totally forgot that the cops entered when there was no answer.

You know what they say about the effects of smoking pot... The first thing to go is your short term memory, and then.... #######, I forget what the second thing is. B)

Peace!

Hi,

Does anyone know if a cell phone from RP will work in the US? I have the model numbers from Shirs cell and my local AT&T phone store says it will work on their systems. They looked up the model and said that one of their SIMM's would work with it.

Has anyone made a conversion with a RP phone?

Phil

I haven't used a native Philippine handset on AT&T. But, I have taken an unlocked AT&T quad-band handset and used it with a SMART SIM in the Philippines. So, there should not be a problem going the other way and putting an AT&T SIM into a SMART or GLOBE handset. Provided that it is a quad-band device. The GSM service in the Philippines operates on two different bands (frequencies) than the GSM system in the US.

I am not sure if the man invited or allowed the officer's into the house. If so, it was all over from that point. There is no way that he could have two rooms full of pot plants and cover up the smell. The article DID state that the pot was in separate "locked" rooms. The officers would have been better off to get a warrant first. It is possible that a good attorney could get the evidence thrown out. But basically, once they smelled the plants then they had "reasonable" cause to believe that a crime was being committed.

I really have no problem with people smoking pot if that is what they like, and wish that we didn't spend so much time and effort trying to the bust the potheads. But, I have yet to meet anyone who is any smarter when they were high, and a lot of potheads seem to do dumb things that end up getting them busted. That's why they call it DOPE.

Ummm, never mind, I am rambling. I have got to stop posting when I'm stoned...

But anyways. Luckily certain people's con artist spouses are not on VJ or know anything about Australia. Otherwise they would be marrying me for a visa. After all, why would a con settle for a Chevy Aveo when you can drive a Mercedes.

I can certainly see why this poster seems to have so many "friends" on VJ. Jeeesch

She will need to get a Police Clearance from every place she has lived in the Philippines since she was 16 years old. If she moved from one town/city to another, he needs to get a PCC from each one of them.

This is all besides the NBI Clearance. That's how I understand it.

Does she have her Personal Copy of her last NBI Clearance still? If so, she just has to mail it from Kuwait. Better if a relative helps her and applies in person though (with the old Clearance in hand).

If she has no copy of the old Clearance, she can go to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait and get fingerprinted there. She needs to bring 2 photos. The Embassy will have her fill out an application form, fingerpting her, and put the form in an official Philippine Embassy envelope. It's her responsibility to mail it to the NBI. The two photos are just in case. One pic is for the app, one is for the NBI in case they want one.

I don't think that this is right. Whether going through the Manila Embassy or the one in Kuwait City. She will rewuire an NBI clearance form the Philippines, and a Police Certificate from every country that she has lived in for more than 6 months. From the US Embassy Manila web site:

NBI CLEARANCE: Applicants aged 16 years and older must have a valid Record Clearance for Travel Abroad Purposes from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Clearances should be in the applicant’s current name, birth certificate name, maiden name, married name, and any aliases or nicknames ever used, including different spellings of all names ever used. An official letter of explanation from the NBI is required for any notation of “No criminal record”, "No pending criminal case” or “With derogatory record.” NBI is located along Taft Avenue in Manila. You may contact NBI at (632) 523-82-31 to 38. For immigration purposes, an NBI clearance is considered valid only for one year from the date it is issued.

POLICE CERTIFICATES: A police certificate is required from a country in which the applicant lived for more than one year (six months if you are applying for a K visa) after turning 16 years of age. As with NBI clearances, foreign police certificates should be obtained in any maiden names, married names, aliases or nicknames ever used while in the country in question, including different spellings of all names ever used. Information on how to secure police certificates from countries where these are available may be obtained by contacting U.S. Embassy Manila’s Immigrant Visa Branch or an Embassy/Consulate of the country from which the police certificate is required.

The State Department's Visa Office offers online information on the availability of country documents (including police certificates) through its Country Document Finder. Click on the letter that begins the country name, select the country and scroll down to "Documents".

Good luck to the OP.

Let me understand this correctly...you left the US to give birth(i.e. incur medical expenses) in another country, but now you want to use the $$$ you spent in doing that to claim a refund from the US government??? Why do you think you're entitled to tax money back from the US government for this?

-P

Sorry, I meant to quote this post. I never realized that you have to use the reply button below the post that you want to quote. Silly me, I deserve a too.

You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of transportation for travel for purely personal reasons to another city for an operation or other medical care.

In other words, transportation would be deductible if and only if the care was not available locally. I gotta believe you would be hard pressed in explaining a lack of local care in your decision to have the child in PI rather than where you currently live.

In the end it is all deductible until such time as the IRS reviews the return.

Yup ..now i understand what you said,was asking if the medical expenses alone that is more than 3k can be included to get more refund ..there is no harm in trying . Looks like not many people here knows the answer to this question but i really appreciate you for taking your time to answer me.

Gee, a LOT of the money we all spend goes out of the country. Does this mean that none of it can apply towards tax deductions? This is going to make taxes very messy. I had better just stick to the standard deduction because I have no way to tell how much of the money I spend will go overseas!

What a silly and protectionist statement that was. It's a global freaking economy.