A and T

They dont really check when you are leaving as long as you have a return ticket. Example, i bought a roundtrip flight but my return was 6 months out. So i came to the philippines got my 21 day stamp, during that time i extended my visa at the BI office and got 90 days i think additional

the CFO is nonsense and only exists as a money grab from people. Its pointless, so sorry to hear about that

Cherry Blossom is near the Mall, Lotus Garden is in walking distance of the same if needed

Nope, they informed before they left and were still denied.

Well you see it is a bad thing because due to the Adam Walsh Act, anyone that is an RSO can't petition a Spouse , without meeting extreme criteria which is currently arbitrary. Causing many families to be tore apart. You can see many people here under IMBRA have been waiting 3 and 4 years for some sort of response on immigration cases.

And yes, being "trapped" is a bad thing. People have the legal right to travel and in a way this prevents that legal right. Maybe we will see some sort of class action lawsuit regarding it.

But you have to realise not everyone on this list has bad intentions when visiting. You could be on this list for a wide range of things , its not good to just instantly judge a person without all the facts of the case or without comparison to laws of the philippines. (the Philippines should review what law was broken in the states and determine if at the same time period it would have violated its own law)

Source: http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/652194.pdf

Read this document carefully ,

"NTC uses passenger data collected from the Passenger Name Record (PNR) and the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). PNR data are collected when an individual books a flight, for example, from a travel agency or airline. Pursuant to regulations, APIS data are collected and sent by airlines as individuals check in for the flight and no later than the moment the aircraft’s doors are closed and secured for the flight (or no later than 30 minutes prior to that moment, if transmitted in batches), and by cruise lines 60 minutes prior to the ship’s departure from the United States and, for incoming vessels, at least 24 hours (at least 96 hours for voyages of 96 hours or more) prior to arrival at the U.S. port of entry.

"

"to determine whether a registered sex offender is on a particular flight, NTC determines whether any of the passenger data, such as name and date of birth, match any of the data in the FBI’s NCIC. However, NCIC may not always have complete information to enable NTC to determine if there is a match, in part because jurisdictions may enter information incorrectly or not at all because certain fields are not mandatory. In this case, NTC checks electronic public sex offender registries—which are not always up to date—to collect missing information, or calls relevant registry officials—which could take additional time.

"

"Specifically, FBI officials stated that, in collaboration with other IWG member agencies, they are developing a process that will send an automated notification to the U.S. Marshals’ NSOTC and registry and law enforcement officials in the jurisdictions where the sex offender is registered: (1) when a registered sex offender has purchased an airline or cruise ticket for international travel, (2) 1 week before the registered sex offender is scheduled to travel by commercial air or sea transport, and (3) when a CBP officer queries that person’s biographic information at a U.S. port of entry, such as any U.S. airport.26

"

So mostly if you are an RSO, you are trapped in the United States it seems.

I also now know of 2 people personally that have been denied entry in the last few months. Trying to visit girlfriend/wife in the philippines . I hope something will change soon to allow people to prevail and be able to have a life, and loved ones together.

When you arrive at the airport dont take the airport taxi. Just walk as far away from the airport as you can and get the regular white metered cab. You should be looking at less than 250php for that distance, maybe depending on traffic. Things to do, thats a hard question since its rainy and hot. Intramorus is nice to check out, You could take a public bus to batangas and then a boat to minidoro and enough the beaches there its cheap only a few hours ride

I think she is fine to wear it, as long as she avoids really bad areas etc. The bigger fear is taking it off and leaving it in a hotel room in boracay and having it stolen. So really make sure to read the trip advisor reviews if a place is safe etc.

Why can't she just ride the FX in Bulacan to Sm North Mall, and just take the taxi from there to Ermita? I'm an expat living in Manila, its completely safe and i have done it myself . Much cheaper. Or she can catch any public bus to a terminal in Cubao and taxi from there

Its only like an hour or 2 ride......

Life might be much better if you can petition to live in Australia, they might be more reasonable than the states when it comes to this!!

A new service is out (which i have yet to use) that claims you can send money free to the philippines (minimum of $100) Or pay $4.00 for instant transfer to the philippines

https://www.remitly.com

I would advise against it, its part of the plot to get you to pay a lot of money to feed the entire barangay. You would be required to pay for it all, pay for foods, pay for "souvenir"

It will just amount to you having to shower everyone with money

Hello, i have a 13a visa as well. You aren't required that i know of to be in the country any length of time. As long as you are married and your wife comes with you to petition you, go ahead and apply. Its a long process but worth it in the end.

Change money at those middle eastern money changers. Just be careful, its a lot less nonsense than dealing with the bank or malls to exchange money. Wifi, lots of free wifi in the mall but it never works 95% of the time

When you get to the immigration line at the airport, have your wife with you, a copy of your marriage cert and ask the immigration guy for the balikbayan visa. If they give you any trouble, have no fear, if that fails for any reason you can still go to the BI office in Manila and apply for a 13a spousal visa. If you plan to stay more than one year this might be better way to go in the long run.

Well, im going on about 4 years...

Think that USCIS would expedite any of our petitions if the philippines is near a warzone?

You can make jollibee spaghetti at home

Recipe

1. Spaghetti noodle

2. The cheapest most horrible hotdogs you can find at the grocery

3. Half gallon of sugar

4. Spaghetti sauce

hahahaha

My wife and I had my son in the philippines, we are going on 8 months trying to get the NSO birthcert. Seriously, have the child in the USA it will save you a lot of trouble and paper work filing

You will save yourself a lot of trouble and headache if you just have the baby in the USA, so its an instant citizen. So you wont be stuck later having to file all this paper work in the philippines

I'm very much for the Dream Act, but at the same time those of us paying high fees and waiting for years are really getting screwed.

It should be like this.

1. Those that pay, wait, submit documents - approved first and faster

2. Then handle the dreamact people

I have no problem with the idea of the dream act, but i do have issue with the time and cost it takes regular people that are filing documents the legal route

WOW...your story sound sooo much like ours. We are almost 4 years deep in the process and still stuck in Vermont...Thank you for sharing your story. Some days are so much harder than others, but your story showed there is a light. Fingers crossed. we have been together for 16 years and married for 4 of those.

My case was denied but still in Appeals , i hope it will be remanded back to USCIS *fingers crossed*

moneygram is cheaper than western union usually

You should marry in canada!