mark&rhiz

thanks for all the replies and informations..we appreciate it

Hi...I have a bro-n-law who was asking if he could join the armed forces while still in philippines without having a visa or any status in US. I called a recruiter and he said must be in USA with permanent status. Yet in USCIS under other ways to obtain a "VISA" it has a bullet saying visa through armed service. Not exact wording, but can't remember it exactly.

Does anybody have any info? Thanks

Hi...I live in Calif. My wife changed her name when we got married. She went through AOS process and we have her green card with no RFE.

When you complete the paper work, just use her married name, and submit a certified copy of your marriage certificate. She has also received a new philippine passport with her married name and it was with a copy of her marriage certificate that allowed her to complete the process with her married name.

Really pretty simple as far as name change is concerned.

Hi....well we just got her green card yesterday, whooppeeeeee!!!!!!!!!! :dance: Wow, such a long time it seems that we have been arranging and completing forms etc. Now it is over for at least 2 years, then some more documents, but everything is great. I want to again thank everybody for assistance and information. It is only because of the good information received here that we were able to complete this journey, thank you all, god bless and good luck :thumbs:

The first step that we have to do is get him the passport...but as required...the personal appearance of the mother is needed for illegitimated children. I am working right now, I cant go home now but I'm going to Phils by December 2010. Maybe we'll just file another application for him after I get him his passport this December2010 when I get to Phils.

Thank you very much pinaywife and sunandmoon!!! Godbless!!!

Hi everyone! pls. i need your help!...i would like to get some infos on how to start filing k-2 visa for my 5 yr old son. I miss him very much! My k-1 visa was approved last September 14, 2009, i also listed him in my I-129F. is it still possible to derive my son's k2 visa application under my I-129F???? If yes, how soon or how do we go about it??? If not anymore...what's the right thing to do?? Right now, i'm just waiting for my 2 yr conditional permanent resident card, since my AOS is already approved. I'm not sure where to start.....whether its best to get him the passport first...which ones to file first....????

I've been searching and reading topics too but still just want to know answers about my case...i appreciate all the help! Godbless!

Hi folks...just wanted to share with you all about our AOS interview from a K-1. Our interview was in Chula Vista, Ca. We had to wait a little pasted our appointment time. We were sworn in, then the man just asked us for marriage license, birth certificates, divorce papers, passports and any docs we had that showed our names together.

That was asked for just quickly, then he started going through our file which was about 3 inches thick very carefully. He was a very professional person, but there was not very much conversation, just a few questions like address, her parents name, how we met and when did I go to phils and when did she last come to USA. A lot of silence between questions, the interview lasted about 30 minutes, seemed longer, hahaha.

But again he was very through, but at the end we signed and received a copy of a paper that tells us that informs us of when we have to file for the removing of conditions. Then he said, he was recommending that Rhiz be issued a GC. Seemed like so long waiting to hear those words spoken. He said, that our file has to be approved by a supervisor and that we should receive a GC in the mail in about 2 -3 weeks. :dance:

Again very professional, but just not a lets say friendly and a person that seemed to try to put you to ease, but very through so I have no doubt that he did not miss anything in his review, ha ha ha. WOW, seems like a dream, but we have come so far. We really are very happy!! God Bless all because it was for all the help and information of this site that allowed us to complete this process. During our entire K-1 process from beginning to now, we got only 1 RFE, and that was requiring us to provide a medical for her AOS. We contacted our Congressman, they contacted USCIS, and they found it. But again it was because of help from VJ people that we took steps that worked our for us and our paper work was complete.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!!

HI....just wanted everyone to know, my wife just got her new readable passport in the mail. It has her married name and looks great, hahahaha, just because she takes such good pictures, hahaha.

But every thing worked out fine, her old passport is attached to the new one, for tracking purposes I guess. It took about 7 weeks to arrive. :thumbs:

Rhiz came into LAX, since we live in San Diego, it seemed the easiest. She had no problems at all, we through there in no time, pleasant experience, I was thinking it would be worse, but things were great for her. :dance:

Hi...we live in San Diego, and come under the LA Consulate. If you go to their website you will see they have an out-reach program for renewing Passports and Reporting Marriage. I noticed they have a session scheduled for June 19 and 20. We used their same services here in San Diego. It is not that bad, actually just have to have forms required. First FAX them to the Embassy, they will then put your name on the appointment on their website. If you lack some thing they will post what form it is. Then at the time of your appointment, actually get there just a little sooner, show up with all the original docs, and for the ROM, have 4 copies of each required doc. They aren't going to make copies, ha ha ha. Also, the husband will also have to provide 4 passport type pictures for them, but they have to be with a blue background. They will have some one there to take them for you if needed, but be ready to pay $20 for you and $20 for your wife's pictures. But since we had all the copies we were able to do the ROM and the Passport renewal with her married name. Rather painless, and I was so happy we didn't have to travel to LA to complete this, so check it out, on the Consulate website, out-reach program, Las Vegas.

We met at U of Cherry Blossoms!!!!! :dance:

Hi husbands of Filipinas.....Just today, as my wife (Filipina) and I were driving around doing some errands....she said something like..."drive careful....you don't have to drive fast".

I started laughing...and I said....wait a minute....I'm not driving fast...and I am very careful.....you don't even have a license...and I noticed you are becoming a "back seat driver". She said...now that she has read the DMV booklet...she knows. ..hahahaha....I then told her...hey, all the times we rode in a bus....on a trike...in a taxi in the phils...and they we driving close, almost hitting people, etc...I never heard you say anything about...slow down, be careful, etc.

We had a laugh....and I thought it was funny...so I just wonder....is anybody else encountering this behavior...or am I just blessed?

I do love her...but I still think it is funny.....my driving is boring and so very safe.....especially compared to the way most people drive in phils.

Yes...we have given it some thought....I am already retired....we have a home here in San Diego area....so we are thinking about having a house there...and keeping this one...spending most of the year there....but coming back if one of us gets really ill and need better medical care...than what we might be able to receive in the PHils....but where ever we spend our remaining days...sitting on a beach watching a sunset...and just taken it easy...is some thing I definitely want to do.... :thumbs:

Hi...just 2 days ago, I posted a similar story about our RFE for our AOS Medical.....we have close to same times lines, we sent ours in 2/10/10, then got a RFE, saying we needed to send a copy of medical exam or have it done. So I contacted our congressman office and like I said, I am not trying to circumvent the procedures, I just do not feel we should have to duplicate them. Within 4 days, we received an email stating that they found it and that no further action was required. This medical stuff seems to happen way to much.

Hi everybody

I just wanted to share some info about our AOS and some of the good info and advice that we have received from folks and posting here in VJ.

We used the K-1 process. After 7 days, just because we were enjoying being finally together, we went to SS office to obtain a SS #card. There we were first told that she did not qualify for a SS# until she got her GC. It was because of postings here, that I took with me copies of their policy that qualifies her. The woman then looked it up and, then processed the info and she got her card.

After we married we read the info here in VJ for filing our AOS package. One of the things that seem to happen to a lot of people is about the medical exam and vaccination records. Well, we needed to complete her vaccination so we contacted a civil surgeon. They wanted to do an entire medical, to included x-rays, etc. I had to stress to them we just wanted to vaccination record updated and transposed, just like info we got from VJ. So we put together a very nice and complete package and mailed it off. Well, about 2 weeks later we get an RFE from USCIS saying that we needed to provide them with a copy of Rhiz' medical exam she had done in Manila, and if not we had to get one completed here and submit it. Of course I was not a happy campier . I am not trying to circumvent the requirements, but I surely don't believe, we should have to duplicate our tasks. So after reading posts here on VJ, I did contact me local Congressman, this was last Wednesday. I gave them a written letter outlining what we did, the dates and that the medical was turned over to officials at the POE,etc. By Monday afternoon, we got a phone call and an email from the Congressman's Office. Saying that the medical exam has been located and we can ignore the RFE and that our package is ready for the interview process. When I actually read the email the Congressman Office send and then the response from USCIS, we were very happy :dance: and I had to laugh, because I doubt if I would have send a letter stating the same info as did the Congressman Office, if I would have gotten such a quick response in our favor .

But I am amazed how come these things need to happen and what steps some times people have to take just to get things completed within government systems. Well, I just wanted to share this info with people, thank those who shared their info and wish everybody happiness, god bless!! :thumbs:

San Diego, California...thanks :dance:

WRONG!

See the link in my signature. Child born out of wedlock then the mom has sole custody & rights for the child...

your link is really a good help, i understand it now. i appreciate it!

Ok, I did a little searching and you cannot change a stepchild's name (K-2 visa) through just the marriage of the K-1 to the USC. The USC must legally adopt the child if you want the child to have the last name of the USC. This is consistent with the laws for step children already living here in the U.S..

Edit to Add: For Rhiz - I would think that as long as you can legally change his surname in the Philippines, when you finally petition him, you would just need to show immigration documentation of his name change. As far I understand - under Philippine Law, mothers of children born out of wedlock have sole legal rights to the child.

Thank you very much for your quick responses Galts gallstones:star: This way i can set my priorities on what to do first. For sure, I will just let his name change done in the Philippines.

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to get some suggestions from you regarding my matter...

I am here in US now, married to a USC and is currently under AOS. I have a 4-yr old son, he is still in the Philippines w/ my mom's care. He is currently carrying my ex-bf's surname and I want it changed to my maiden name while he is in the Philippines. We are not married w/ my ex and the ex is no longer in the picture right after I gave birth to my son. Maybe he just waited for the birth certificate to be done so my son can carry his name.

As to bringing my son here in the US, i have decided that i will find a job first and be stable before bringing him here.

When I also entered US as a k1 VISA last sept 2009, I have already given my son's birth certificate copy to the immigration, bearing that ex's surname. What can you suggest? pls...this is really important to me..

I really appreciate everything...

I've been trying to call the Philippine Consulate but it always goes to voicemail for a week now, so not lucky at all. I had my passport name under my previous annulled marriage in the Philippines and I plan on having it amended to reflect my current married name. I understand that I have to do the report of marriage with copies of marriage certificates and money order for the charge. What other requirements do I have to send? NSO marriage certificate with annotation? or the certificate of finality? For those that have already been in this road please help!!!

Hi...right now we are doing the same thing....we looked on the internet, saw that the phil consulate was doing and "out reach program" close to our area, so we just send in by fax the required forms and documents, now we have to go in person to give money, fingers prints and passport type photos. You have to complete a Report of Marriage form which requires, copies birth certificates of both, copies of passport and ID/Drive License, and divorce papers of husband. they have a list on the website of required documents. Also they are going to a "readable" passport and suggest that any person who currently has a "green" passport renew and obtain a readable passport. You have to appear in person to get a renewed passport because of finger prints etc.

We live in the San Diego area so they are coming down on a saturday, which makes it a lot easier for people to get the new passports, without having to go to Los Angeles during a weekday. Check out the consulate website that you come under and you might see what I am referring to, good luck.

Thank you very much.....I appreciate it

Hi....I have been looking but can't find the address to send our AOS packet...filing from K-1....can anybody give me that address....thanks

To all who have tried, pls suggest what is the best form of payment can we include in our AOS mail....we are thinking of just sending a personal check...what do u think?

I was just joking with my wife the other day....she arrived in LAX the end of October 2009....it was a sunny, little windy day, about 75 degrees...we drove to our home in San Diego, ate lunch on the bay, she said it was cold, had a sweeter on, and yet she saw people walking around in shorts and short sleeve shirts. One of the things she has come to enjoy wearing is a warm bath robe of mine I never wore, ha ha ha, she just sits around the house snuggled in it....but now...she has adjusted very much.....2 days ago we went to do some errands and shopping...she wore shorts, short sleeve and sandals....and was saying....wow, it was hot, ha ha ha...and it was 74 degrees....we even talked about it because I started to laugh....but now that she knows a little bit of what cold is about...she does not want me to take her to the snow...hahaha.