JM2008

Can anyone give us an idea of how much time we should expect to be there and how to reschedule?

Thanks for all your feedback.

I'd like to get a sense of how much time we should allow for the interview.

Also, what non-required material might be useful to help convince them we're in a legitimate relationship (thinking photos of us together, affidavits signed by friends of us, etc.)

Will they need to keep any original forms/documents?

Thanks.

We submitted our AOS package in April and were given an interview date in late August.

What should we expect at the interview and other than the obvious (photos of us together), what should we bring?

How much time should we plan on being there?

How critical is it that we have something that bears both of our names (such as joint checking account, electric bill, etc.)?

I have read and re-read the instructions for form I-693 and if applied to the letter, it means that NO ONE on a K-1 visa needs a TB Test (probably because everyone gets an X-Ray and the doctor would state something regarding TB if that was positive).

The Civil Surgeon needs to fill out the vaccination section (transcript from the section prior to K-1) and sign the document, put it in a sealed envelop and give it to you.

I just called a local CS and she quoted me $60 for the transcript and $15 for the TB test (if we want it).

The important words in the new instructions are:

------------------------------------------------------

If you were admitted as a K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e),

you received a medical examination prior to admission, then:

You are not required to have another medical

examination as long as your Form I-485,

Application to Register Permanent Residence or

Adjust Status, is filed within one year of your

overseas medical examination

You will, however, be required to complete Part

1, Information about you, and submit the

vaccination section of Part 2 with your

adjustment of status application. A designated

civil surgeon must complete the vaccination

section and Part 5, the Civil Surgeon's

Certification.

(VACCINATION SECTION, nothing about TB test here. TB test is NOT a vaccination)

Did you ever come to a resolution on this? One would think if there is no mention of something being required, then it shouldn't be required. Note that there is absolutely no mention of the I-693 on the I485 instructions.

If all the civil surgeon is doing is transcribing the information from the DS-3025 (which is issued by the State department and done by a government approved physician) to the I-693, then why can't the USCIS do this? Why would the USCIS ask for us to pay a civil surgeon to do this when they could do it for a small fee?

I had my K1 visa interview in Manila last December and am now in the USA, married and about to file the AOS forms.

I'm wondering what happens to the envelope that they sealed at my visa interview, which I carried with me and handed to the customs/immigration officials at my point of entry.

I'm puzzled by the USCIS service center phone hours. They say the phone hours are 8AM to 6PM M-F local time. As I believe they are located in the eastern time zone, to cover Hawaii to New York, this means they must be staffed from 8AM to about 11PM. Yet if you live in Florida, you can't call in the evening and if you live in California, you can't call prior to 8AM. This forces us working folks to cut into our work day to contact the USCIS - even though they are staffed beyond our work hours.

I'm guessing they do this to:

- minimize on the number of calls they receive, as people are less inclined to call during the working day

- they assume that most callers are people calling as part of their work, and they assume most people work from ~8AM to ~6PM.

Does anyone have a clue why they do this?

I stumbled upon another thread in here in which a post made by one of the forum administrators indicated that the DS-3025 is acceptable in lieu of the I-693 vaccination supplement.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=101202

Furthermore, the USCIS has instructions for each form. If they ask you to submit an additional form, they have set a precedent by indicating the form number. In the case of the I-485 instructions, there is no mention of form I-693 with respect to vaccination supplement.

I'd like to think that there wouldn't be such conflicting responses to this.

Does anyone have any experience with submitting their DS-3025 with the I-485? Does it get bounced back? Do they accept it? Do they send an RFE?

How can you know which vaccinations are required? If you submit a vaccination supplement/DS-3025 and additional vaccinations are needed, does the USCIS tell you specifically what is needed?

I am about to file the I-485 for my wife, who arrived from the Philippines a couple months ago. Naturally, we have since gotten married. :-)

In conjunction with her medical exam at St. Luke's, she received a vaccination supplement. The I-485 instructions say she merely needs to submit a vaccination supplement, yet I have heard through word of mouth that she may need to file a I-693 to serve as a vaccination supplement - that the supplement she received from St. Luke's isn't sufficient.

If she needs to have a civil surgeon sign off an I-693 to serve as the vaccination supplement -

- what vaccinations does the USCIS require? Depends. Vaccines vary by age. If your fiancee had a HPV 1st shot at SLEC, she needs to have the 2nd dose, 2 months after the 1st shot.

- how much do the vaccinations cost? It varies depending on the vaccines she needs to have. I guess it would be much cheaper if she has medical insurance or she could obtain those vaccines in your local health center.

- how much does a civil surgeon charge for merely signing off the form? VJ suggests Dr. L.E. Arnold's services which gives out a nominal fee of $30. But you are free to scroll in the USCIS website for civil surgeons close to your place. I guess the charge would be most likely around $250.

- if I submit the I-485 without the appropriate vaccination supplement, will it be put on hold or simply sent back to me? If it's put on hold, how much time would we have for her to get the appropriate vaccinations? Most got an RFE for I-693. Others didn't got any even by submitting the DS-3025 only. It's a case-to-case basis. The sooner time you respond for the RFE, the sooner your case will be processed.

- what experiences do others in here have with getting the vaccination supplement signed off and/or receiving the vaccinations from a USCIS civil surgeon (such as location, appointment times, cost, etc.) Got Dr. Arnold's services too. He does the work fast with the least fee. Just leave a message at his answering machine with your name and contact number and they will get back to you ASAP. Don't be fooled with other USCIS affiliated Civil Surgeons saying that your fiancee needs a full medical and transcribing the vaccination supplement for a $250 fee. Good Luck!

Thanks :-)

Thanks for the feedback. A few questions:

What is an RFE?

Does Dr. Arnold provide the vaccinations - or does he merely sign off the I-693 after reviewing your earlier vaccinations?

What is the DS-3025? Is that the vaccination form my wife received from St. Luke's?

If so, will the USCIS accept the DS-3025 in lieu of the I-693 vaccination supplement?

If it's uncertain, what is there to be lost in submitting the package with the existing DS-3025?

I am about to file the I-485 for my wife, who arrived from the Philippines a couple months ago. Naturally, we have since gotten married. :-)

In conjunction with her medical exam at St. Luke's, she received a vaccination supplement. The I-485 instructions say she merely needs to submit a vaccination supplement, yet I have heard through word of mouth that she may need to file a I-693 to serve as a vaccination supplement - that the supplement she received from St. Luke's isn't sufficient.

If she needs to have a civil surgeon sign off an I-693 to serve as the vaccination supplement -

- what vaccinations does the USCIS require?

- how much do the vaccinations cost?

- how much does a civil surgeon charge for merely signing off the form?

- if I submit the I-485 without the appropriate vaccination supplement, will it be put on hold or simply sent back to me? If it's put on hold, how much time would we have for her to get the appropriate vaccinations?

- what experiences do others in here have with getting the vaccination supplement signed off and/or receiving the vaccinations from a USCIS civil surgeon (such as location, appointment times, cost, etc.)

Thanks :-)

She can go get her Social Security number now, in fact she can do this until two weeks before her I-94 expires.

As for a work permit, you need to get married within the 90 day window and then file for AOS & EAD in order for her to at least get her work permit. This can take about 3-6+ months.

Diana

Thanks for the tip. I assume you're using the I-94 to satisfy the SSA's requirement listed at the bottom of page 3. See http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf

It sounds like we'll save $$$ if we apply for EAD at the same time as AOS. Also, is a SSN # required to apply for the EAD?

My fiance recently arrived in the US on a K1 visa. When is she eligible to get a SSN and work permit? Must we wait until after we're married and file for adjustment of status? Or can this be done prior to that?

According to http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm one needs to make a reservation in advance.

However, in the package my fiance received from the embassy, included was a notice from CFO St. Mary Euphrasia Foundation. Listed is a website of http://smef-cow-phil.org But this is a non-functioning website.

- In what way is St. Mary Euphrasia Foundation affiliated with http://www.cfo.gov.ph/

- Can one register for the CFO at SMEF via the reservation tool at http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm ?

- Does one even need a reservation/pre-registration for the seminar at St. Mary Euphrasia Foundation?

- What is the advanatage of attending the CFO seminar at SMEF over attending it at the place described at http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm

At http://www.cfo.gov.ph/counseling.htm it says

Per Republic Act 8239 and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Order 28-94, Filipinos proceeding abroad as fiancé(e)s and spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling programs as a pre-requisite to the issuance of passports.

Yet at http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm it says

Requirements for Registration

Original valid passport;

Original and photocopy of visa;

One (1) 2x2 or passport-size photograph;

One (1) valid identification card with photograph;

Original and photocopy of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (for Canada-bound emigrant);

Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary (for USA bound emigrant);

Photocopy of Certificate of Eligibility (for Japan bound emigrant);

Original and photocopy of letter of approval for Work to Residence visa (for New Zealand bound emigrants);

Photocopy of employment contract (for immigrant workers);

Duly completed registration form (downloadable at www.cfo.gov.ph);

Payment of P400.00 registration fee; and

Attendance in the PDOS or peer counseling session;

The first site says the seminar must be attended before a passport can be issued. The second site says one must bring a valid passport to the CFO seminar. How is one supposed to bring their passport to the CFO seminar if they have to attend the CFO seminar to be issued a passport?

Perhaps I overlooked something, but something doesn't seem right.

It is a requirement of the Philippine government to all Filipinos proceeding abroad as fiancé(e)s and spouses of foreign nationals. It is not a US government requirement so that must be reason why US Embassy doesn't include it in their instructions.I found this link about CFO and it is a requirement based on Republic Act 8239: http://www.cfo.gov.ph/counseling.htm

Thanks for the feedback. I've already been to the website. It says,

Per Republic Act 8239 and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Order 28-94, Filipinos proceeding abroad as fiancé(e)s and spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling programs as a pre-requisite to the issuance of passports.

This merely says it's a requirement to get a passport. Thus it raises the question, if one already has a passport, do they still need to attend a CFO seminar?

Can anyone here share how they came to learn that the CFO seminar was required? My fiance learned about it through word of mouth. I can't possibly imagine that the majority of K1 immigrants from the Philippines are learning about the CFO seminar requirement through word of mouth.

My fiance recently went to Manila for her visa interview and one week later received her visa shipped via Delbros. However, during her interview, no one with the embassy told her anything about the CFO seminar and in my correspondence with the embassy, they informed me that only the visa and valid passport was required to travel to the USA. Shipped with the visa was a form with some information about the CFO seminar at St. Mary's. But nowhere on the form does it state that the CFO is a requirement. The only thing my fiance heard about the CFO seminar prior to receiving her visa from the embassy was through word of mouth.

While we now can safely presume that it's required, how can we be certain that there isn't anything else that's required that either me or my fiance haven't been told about?

Yeah... it was word of mouth for Us too. I just read about all the procedures and requirements that past appilicants had experienced. I think you are right though, if the benificiary isn't being told about this requirement EXCEPT word of mouth, there should be something mentioned. Luckily, most have figured it out through word of mouth and haven't experienced delays or missed flights.

Thank you for your feedback. The fact that most appear to hear about it through word of mouth as opposed to being told by the embassy that it is a requirement is somewhat unnerving. Furthermore, the embassy specifically told me that once she gets the visa, she's ready to go. It leads me to wonder if there is anything else we're supposed to learn of through word of mouth? We don't want any surprises when my fiance gets to the airport.

The comments here are somewhat interesting. http://a.abcnews.com/TheLaw/comments?type=...&id=6399417

It appears as if there are many stateside who don't quite understand the upsides of marrying a Filipina.

Can anyone here share how they came to learn that the CFO seminar was required? My fiance learned about it through word of mouth. I can't possibly imagine that the majority of K1 immigrants from the Philippines are learning about the CFO seminar requirement through word of mouth.

My fiance recently went to Manila for her visa interview and one week later received her visa shipped via Delbros. However, during her interview, no one with the embassy told her anything about the CFO seminar and in my correspondence with the embassy, they informed me that only the visa and valid passport was required to travel to the USA. Shipped with the visa was a form with some information about the CFO seminar at St. Mary's. But nowhere on the form does it state that the CFO is a requirement. The only thing my fiance heard about the CFO seminar prior to receiving her visa from the embassy was through word of mouth.

While we now can safely presume that it's required, how can we be certain that there isn't anything else that's required that either me or my fiance haven't been told about?

My Fiancee just had her CFO experience... Wow, what we thought was JUST going to be a "Good to Know" and "Informative" event turned into partial interrogation on these women.

My Fiancee said that overall they were nice to her but were strict, pushy and sometimes rude to most others. I am NOT sure what this whole CFO thing is really supposed to be but when they start quizing them on my pants size and requesting pictures of us be left with them, it seems to me that its BS... As far as I know (And I may be wrong) CFO is not the convening authority on VISA's and who should and shouldnt depart the country. I COMPLETELY understand what I believed to be the idea behind this program, and that was to... inform the Pinoys traveling abroad and make them completely aware of all their options (A GOOD THING). But when they told my Fiancee that they want to have our picture and she had to go back home to get one for them to keep, I was thinking.. WOW.. do they have that much power? Sounds communist to me...

Sorry for my rant but... We just didnt realize it was going to be like this, kinda thought it was JUST an INFORMATIVE seminar.

Can I ask how did you come to learn that the CFO was required?

My fiance just went through her visa interview and they mentioned absolutely nothing to her about a CFO seminar. She heard about it through some other visa applicants while she was at the embassy. Now she's received her visa and while there is a sheet included that says where she can get take her CFO seminar, it says absolutely nothing about it being a requirement.

Also, did your fiance have her passport returned to her stamped (allowing her to go to the USA) by the end of the day?

My fiance received her K1 visa to come to the USA. Attached is the only information she received regarding the CFO. After reviewing the form, there doesn't appear to be anything on the form indicating that she needs to get any additional stamps in her passport before she can head to the USA.

Is it strictly through word of mouth that K1 visa applicants know they are supposed to go to the CFO seminar? My fiance was told absolutely nothing about the CFO during her visa interview and only subsequently learned about it through other applicants she met at her medical or at her visa interview.

The only stamp she has received in her passport is the St. Luke's medical stamp and attached to her passport is the visa. My attempts to reach an immigrant visa official to have my questions answered have been entirely unsuccessful.

Does anyone have any official work (perhaps a website) that clearly indicates she needs the CFO seminar stamp in her passport to head to the USA?

i was attended cfo seminar last Dec. 04 in St. Mary's, it is a one stop processing, they will issue cfo certificate and passport sticker. The registration is 250.oo php and the cfo sticker is 400.00 php. IT's better to attend seminar when have visa so that you dont need to go back for the passport sticker. It is just two hours. They will ask for fiance mother maiden name, and tel. phone no. is also important. the first session is 8:30 am then second is 10:30 am then last session is 1:30 pm. Goodluck...

Thanks for the feedback. From the way you're describing it, it seems as if my fiance can attend the CFO seminar during a 1-2 day layover in Manila on her way to the USA. Do you envision any problems with us handling it in this manner? Or would it be better for her to plan on flying back to her home after attending the CFO seminar and then later heading to the USA?

My fiance recently went to the US Embassy in Manila for her interview. While there, she learned that she'll have to attend the CFO seminar before she can get her passport stamped.

I've reviewed their website and it appears as if she will have her passport stamped and returned to her on the day of the seminar, but it isn't 100% clear.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm

Can someone who is familiar with this process give us some feedback?

What is the approximate period of time between the day of her visa interview and when she receives her passport back in the mail?

What delivery method is used to return her passport to her?

How much does the CFO seminar cost?

What is the typical lead time on CFO seminar appointments?

Does she get her passport back & stamped at the end of the seminar? (as opposed to it being mailed back to her)

Will she be able to board a plane to travel to the USA upon completion of the seminar and the stamping & returning of her passport?

Thanks much for your help & feedback

Your fiance will rec her passport back via Delbros Delivery with Visa, Timeframe varies.

I've been told it is about 1.5 to 2 weeks. Does this sound right to you?

CFO is around 600 pesos, Lead time - We went to CFO after USEM interview on the same day, we arrived around lunch time (We went to PRISM location,not as crowded and easier to deal with) and took care fo the CFO same day. CFO took a couple of hours

According to the website, there appears to be only one location in the Metro Manila area. The only other CFO office appears to be in Cebu.

Is it true that the CFO can be attended prior to the visa interview? In my correspondence with the US Embassy, they said nothing about the CFO seminar and made it clear that unless there were problems with the medical, she would be clear to head to the USA following her interview. So surprise #1 was that she wasn't getting her passport back right away and surprise #2 was that the "seminar" was not part of the interview process. We thought we had done our homework, but perhaps we should have been a little more diligent. We sure hope there aren't any more surprises.

How did you do the CFO after USEM interview on the same day? Don't you need to have passport in hand to do the CFO seminar? And doesn't the USEM deliver the passport back to you via mail at a later date?

CFO is two part, ONe part is seminar and other is getting a stamp for travel. You can do both if you have Visa in hand.

Most do the CFO class first, and once they receive Visa they go back for the Stamp.

Yes she will be able to board plane to USA once she has : Visa, CFO Stamp, Passport

As she doesn't live on Luzon or near Manila, is it going to be feasible for her to attend the CFO seminar during a 1 to 2 day layover at Manila while on her way to the USA?

My fiance recently went to the US Embassy in Manila for her interview. While there, she learned that she'll have to attend the CFO seminar before she can get her passport stamped.

I've reviewed their website and it appears as if she will have her passport stamped and returned to her on the day of the seminar, but it isn't 100% clear.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/emig_manila.htm

Can someone who is familiar with this process give us some feedback?

What is the approximate period of time between the day of her visa interview and when she receives her passport back in the mail?

What delivery method is used to return her passport to her?

How much does the CFO seminar cost?

What is the typical lead time on CFO seminar appointments?

Does she get her passport back & stamped at the end of the seminar? (as opposed to it being mailed back to her)

Will she be able to board a plane to travel to the USA upon completion of the seminar and the stamping & returning of her passport?

Thanks much for your help & feedback