Steve64

It does no harm to contact your congressman. They will make a congressional inquiry about your case. However don`t get your hopes up. It usually takes a real emergency to get your case expedited. If being away from loved ones is a reason to expedite a case then almost everyones case would be expedited. However you have nothing to lose by contacting him and everything to gain. So my advice is to try but don`t expect much to happen.

I've heard elsewhere that contacting a congressional representative can speed up the K-1 process. Can a representative do something after just a couple of months? I am living with my fiance abroad as we are waiting this for this process to play out. We have a 10 month old baby together (who is a US citizen) & I recently lost my income source here. Although I would hate to jump in line, I do not have enough savings to wait the entire process out and I cannot stand the thought of being away from my baby for 4 or 5 more months if I go back home to look for a job. Do you think there is anything a congressional representative could do to help?

My fiance passed her interview Friday May 6. We are currently waiting on her visa/passport to be delivered to her in Manila. I called the embassy in Manila yesterday and they couldn`t or wouldn`t give me any idea when the visa will be mailed out. What ? I was told the embassy had to check or authenticate the paper work. I`ve heard that this can take 3 days or 3 weeks. It`s already been over 7 months since I filed the i-129. I was told the tracking number for the courier " 2go" is the same as our case number that begins with MNL. I`m just so disgusted by the entire process when there are 11.2 illegals in the country who will eventually be granted amnesty. In the mean the people who try to do it legally are met with delays and red tape.

Of the recently approved couples I`d like to ask how long after the interview did it take to get your visa through the courier service ? My fiance gave the embassy a address of a relative in Manila hoping it will be faster than mailing it to her home in Bacolod. Any idea ?

Mike, take a look at our timeline. It`s very recent. This should give you a good idea of the timeline for Manila

I have a question regarding the i-134 affidavit of support. We have our interview scheduled for May 6. In the next day or two I will be sending my packet to the Philippines. Since I am on Social Security Disability what info do I send for proof ? I do get a statement from Social Security each year similar to a w-2. Do you think that will be enough ? Hopefully I think I`ll just squeak by as far as the income requirements. Any info you could pass along would be appreciated. thanks

I will be sending my affidavit packet along with all the other info from the USA to my fiance in the Philippines. I hope to send it next week. Which of the international shippers offers the best prices/service ? I was looking at UPS and if I want to expedite the shipping it`s going to be around $120 I thought that was high but I`m also thinking all the others will be around the same price. Any advice you can pass along would be appreciated.

I never had to show my birth certificate, Sincerely , Barack

Saw this on Philippine Embassy Facebook page.

U.S. Embassy, Manila Philippines Stay tuned later to “Kay Susan Na”, anchored by Susan Enriquez on Friday, April 15 at 11am (Manila time) on DZBB 594kHz AM Radio. A Consular Officer will answer questions on Nonimmigrant Visas. You can also catch the radio livestream at http://www.gmanews.tv/radio/dzbb

Our i-129 f packet should be in Manila embassy by now. How much is the k-1 visa interview fee in Manila. I`ve seen $330 $340 and $350. If you can provide a current link I would appreciate it. Steve

Our packet is currently in transit from NVC to Manila. Does anyone know when we are able to schedule the interview? Do we have to wait until she gets a letter in the postal mail or can we call the embassy and make the appointment as soon as the packet arrives in Manila. Any info you pass along would be appreciated.

Our Packet was received by the NVC on March 31,2011 and sent to Embassy in Manila on April 4,2011. Th operator I spoke with at NVC told me it takes about 3 days to get from NVC to the Embassy in Manila. I was told is is sent via DHL shipping. I`m sure it takes about the same amount of time when shipping to Thailand.

I did it all by email. Some will require you to fill out a privacy form that allows them to act on your behalf. They may accept it via email or postal mail.

congrats!!! :dance: did you email your congressmen or sent them letters by mail or called their offices?

We finally received out NOA2 today after a 5 and a half month wait. I had been in contact with one of my congressmen since the start of the whole process. He seemed to have little effect on the process. Yesterday I wrote to 2 state senators and a congressman and then Abra Cadabra I received the NOA2 the next day. Coincidence ? I don`t know. I encourage those who have filed the K-1 to contact their congressmen and senators especially if over the 5 month normal processing time.

A couple of questions. What is a rough estimate of when the NVC will recieve my file? Also a rough estimate of how many days from today will it take until the interview?

Been there done that. In fact I`ve been in contact with my Congressman for the past 5 months. I last wrote to him after the 5 month waiting period. I was told my file was under review with a officer. I guess almost 3 weeks later it`s still under review. I wrote him again earlier this evening. I hope he has better news for me this time.

Steve64,

you can contact your congressman if that's what happened to you.. sorry to know this dude..

We have been waiting 5 and a half months with no update since November 2010. I inquired after 5 months and they said we should hear something within 45 days. Very disappointing.

Hi guys

Just want to know how your petitions are going. We're on our 4th month of waiting. I hope our NOA2 arrives soon. We hope California Service Center gets things going for all of us who are desperately in need of an update from them!

How are you guys keeping up with this loooooooong wait?

Our 5 month date came and went on March 7. I kept inquiring on the 800# and they said they couldn't file a inquiry because the California service wasn`t yet processing cases from Oct 7, 2010 as of yet. I of course knew that wasnt true because of other peoples timelines. Today I called again and they did file the inquiry. I received a email about a hour later and it said:

"The status of this service request is:

Your case is currently being adjudicated. You should receive a notice of action* within 45 days."

Gee,within 45 days? Thanks for that valuable info !!

I noticed on Igors list http://tom.ae/igor_completeness.php That there is a block of 4 cases filed on Oct 7, 2010 that have not received their NOA2. It`s the only 4 block up to this point all year long. There have been so many cases after ours that have already been approved. I`m just wondering why there have been at least 35 cases who have a later filing date in October then we do who have been approved or have a RFE. Not to mention the dozens more who filed in Nov,Dec, of 2010 and Jan and Feb of 2011 who have been approved.

hi i just wondering if visa interview fee is now only 6,100 pesos? coz i paid mine today and the teller only asked me to pay 6,100 for K1 interview fee...

i thought it was $350 ??? do they have promo now?? lol i dnt wanna have problem coz of this..thanks

anyone who experienced this?

You were in Manila. Are you sure it was the teller who asked for 6100 pesos or was it the taxi driver ?

I will shortly begin putting together my I-134 affidavit of support. Do the bank statements I enclose have to be signed by a bank official or can I just print them myself. One of my banks is local and the other is online. I closed the online account last month and transferred the money to my local bank. Do I have to still get a signature from the online bank ? Any additional info you can pass along would be appreciated. Steve

+1

if everyone called after 5 months and 1 day waiting, the system would be clogged up, over-burdened and useless.

My heart goes out to those waiting, but using the "heavy artillery" when a field rifle will do, is not being a smart player in the game of life.

A wise man once said, "good things come to those who wait."

Well not everyone is going to call after 5 months. It`s as simple as that. In addition how many times in a average persons life do they call a Congressman ? 1 or 2 times? These guys are there to represent us. In fact I believe the USCIS asks us to call or contact them if it is past the 5 month processing time. The people at the USCIS calling center are just telling you what you already know. The congressman's office gets in contact with the service center directly. Why do you think Congressmen have aides that handle the different dept of the govt ?

Our case (10/07/2010) is about a week past the 5 month K-1 processing time. Calling the USCIS 800# is useless. They just read to you what you already know. I wrote to my congressman a few days ago and below is the response I received. It says our case is

"currently under review with an officer. You should receive a notice of action very soon." I`m not sure whether to believe this or not. When I check my case on the USCIS website it says the last action taken was on 11/11/10. I could be wrong but if our case is currently under review with a officer wouldnt it reflect on website status? The letter also states some cases are processed in less than 5 months. Less than 5 months? How about cases that take only 30 days as I`ve seen on igor`s list? That`s messed up!

"I sent an inquiry to the California Service Center on the 7^th of March and they responded advising your case is currently under review with an officer. You should receive a notice of action very soon.

A notice of action is either an approval notice, Request for Evidence, Denial Notice, Transfer Notice. It is important to note the 5 month processing times are estimates and as any response from the USCIS Service Center will indicate, there are some cases that may take additional time to review and some cases that are processed in less than 5 months.

I will follow up at the end of March to check status, but it appears you are tracking it as well.

Thanks for getting back to me. You should receive notice very soon."

John, I assume it was a tier 1 operator. Maybe I`ll call again in a few days and ask for tier 2. Thanks for the info. Steve

Did you talk to a Tier 1 Operator or a Tier 2 ISO?

John

It`s been exactly 5 months(Oct 7, 2010) since we received our NOA1 from the California SC( phone text message. snail mail a week later) I called USCIS today and the call left me a little befuddled. I was told that I was still within the 5 month processing time. So they will give me a reason tomorrow ? I was told the date they are currently working on K-1 cases from Sept 16,2011. However the VJ time line says NOV 7, 2010. Is this normal ?

Thanks, I think I got it !!

I have the code to add a ticker to my profile. I just don`t know exactly where to insert it. Any help would be appreciated

I went through this same situation. You said your wife came from a big family. Some how they managed all those years to survive without your assistance. Now all of a sudden they can`t survive without your money? Let them be as angry as they want to be. Your obligation is to your new family. If you are able to give her family money then give. If you can`t then don`t do it. So many Filipinos live in a fairytale. They think Americans have a endless supply of money. You arent going to change their thoughts. If you have to ignore them then do so. It`s sad to say but I never trust anyone in the Philippines when it comes to money. More times then not you will be taken advantage of. For those of you who are thinking about marrying a Filipina. Here is my advice. Don`t marry a girl that comes from a very very poor family( You will be pressured to send money), Don`t marry a girl who comes from a big family with many brothers and sisters(more people to pressure you for money), Don`t marry a girl who comes from a broken home,Don`t marry a girl who doesn`t have a good relationship with both of her parents, especially her father ( you get into the father daughter relationship rather then husband and wife), Don`t marry a girl who`s parents treat her like she is 14 despite that she is 30 years old (these type of girls will tend to treat you like a father and not a husband and are usually quite immature). Don`t marry a girl who doesnt at least have a Bachelors degree (This shows she values education and can help with your family finances), Make it clear from the start of your courtship that you aren`t going to send her or her family any money for any reason ( This can show whether she likes you for you or for your money.You may alter this after the relationship becomes more solid and you have developed some trust with her)