GuardianOne

Magic Sarap has MSG in it and can be made with other ingredients.

My fiance seems to have a hard time cooking in the US. She says the ingredients she needs aren't sold in the grocery stores, which honestly I find a bunch of BS. She hasn't told me what she needs to make what she wants, but I told her most Filipino food is spices, meat and rice. Which we have. She has found Magic Sarap at the local Filipino market, but it's $3 a package. She also found spice mixes for Adobo, Pancit, Tocino, and a few more.

My question, what substitutes have you found for local ingredients do you use for cooking? I'll have her post exact dishes for you to give advice on.

Look for a local community health clinic near where you live. Most of them are walk-in clinics that charge on a sliding scale based on you ability to pay. CVS pharmacies also have minute clinics, but be prepared to pay as much $60 for a visit.

We went to one yesterday. It was only $28 for the visit + meds. She felt better instantly after taking some antibiotics, but still has some work to go.

You'll do great. You're almost done with the hard part!

Woke up early. Getting ready to pick her up soon. She lands in about an hour. Not sure how long I will be waiting for her to go through immigration.

Your experience at USEM may not be the same as the OP's!

A co-sponsor is always a good ace in the hole, for a back up remember it’s the 'totality' that counts.

So you're telling me my opinion is wrong? You have no place to do that.

I told him to get more documents just in case. I told him we stressed it and everything is fine.

Most CO's don't like co-sponsors and will white slip/deny you.

Back off.

I was thinking of not using a lawyer but one of these companies that assist with the paper work. They charge from $249 to $495. One is called "Filipina Fiancee Visa Service" and they charge $289. I live in San Francisco, CA

They won't make anything faster or easier. Infact, it will take longer since you have to send them everything first.

We knew nothing about the K1 Visa process and in an hour my fiance is landing. I owe it all to research and VJ.

As long as you make over the poverty line and have proof (Send as many paystubs as you can, employment letter, bank statements.) You'll be fine. Also, a signed letter explaining why you made that amount in the previous years would be a good idea.

I was really worried since her interview was a week after I started a new job and I didn't send any paystubs. The consulate just asked for 2008 tax return and the I-134 and that's it.

You're mostly stressing it.

The wait is killing me!! 3 hours until she will be on the flight for the US and then it will be a 10 hour flight. JUst trying to get myself tired so I can sleep and wake up and go directly to the airport. Every minute seems like an hour.

I called her, but since it was on roaming it charged both of us and only lasted about 30 seconds since she was out of money. She paid $5 US to use the internet for 20 minutes at the hotel she was at. Depending on the airport there may or may not be computers to use. Seoul has some free internet PCs hidden away.

Also, congrats!

I have mine last year at Seoul.... if its connecting flight... no need for korean visa.... just stay in the airport... anyway you will not get bored... the airport is nice....

12 hour layover. Korean Air gives everyone a free hotel stay at the Hyatt Regency right out of the airport. She didn't need a korean visa. They looked at her passport, asked her about her connecting info and saw the K1 visa and stamped her for 30 days.

Don't be nervous. My fiance was and she was fine. It just adds to the stress.

My fiance and I have been doing research and there quite a few topics posted on VJ about if a Philippines Citizen can enter South Korea without a visa. The travel agent booked her a hotel for when she has her 12 hour layover in Seoul through Korean Air and I thought it would be through the transit hotel. I got ahold of her for only a minute and find out where she was since I haven't heard from her.

She was given a hotel stay at the Hyatt near the airport, the same place I stayed on the way back. You CAN leave the airport and enter on South Korean soil and pass through immigration as a Philippines Citizen with a K1 visa. I don't know the full details since we got cut off, but just wanted to post and say it is possible for those who were wondering the same thing.

My fiance is now in Korea (Has been for the past 5 hours) and on her way to the US. She'll be here tomorrow around noon!

Thanks to everyone at Vj.

You'll be fine as long as you're prepared. We worried, but everything turned out awesome.

anymore new codes? i used up this one already

I had to sign up for a new account. Went through fine. They called me wanting to confirm since I sent a large amount for the plane ticket.

Good luck, you'll do fine as long as all your ducks are in a row.

She's at her CFO now. Few hours and she should have the sticker. She's gotta sell her car and see her family before she leaves and she'll be here next week.

WOHOOOO.

Visa will be here tomorrow, CFO tomorrow/wednesday.... last family visit this weekend. She's packed and just needs to sell her car. She'll be here in less than 9 days!

LOL BABY! Yeah and one thing to note too, I kept insisting on putting comments beneath the photos. But my fiance (guardianone) insisted, I should maintain the formality and simplicity of my presentation.

Plus you would get carpel tunnel from writing captions below 300+ photos.

There are no more packets that will be sent to your end until your visa interview. The important document that should be in your possession at this time are the letter from USEM bearing your MNL case number, Noa1, and Noa2 letter of receipt.

I submitted more than 300 photos during my interview. I segregated it into two albums and pasted 3 - 4 photos in each page. The binder that I used was flexible enough to fit inside the small window. Also, I wasn't asked about our hotel receipts, letter of employment, not even chat logs / email transcripts.. The consul just asked for my photo albums and based his questions in the I-129 attachments that we submitted few months ago.

You were going to put glitter and stickers on the page and make it a glittery mess until I stopped you.

usually it takes 10 working days before you receive your visa.. but depends on the location where you live...

Not good. If it is more than 9 days, she will miss her flight and be here in a month instead of a week..

Oh that sucks for me we both have the same interview date but I still don't have my visa.

CONGRATULATIONS GIRL!!!!

Congrats. Glad you got it.

Hope we get ours before Feb 3rd when he flight is. :(

She called AIR21, they say it's still at the embassy. We're probably not going to get it before her flight. We're just ######.

Anyone else get a "No such number" on tracking but the VISA still arrived?

Checking air21 the tracking number is invalid..... She HAS to get it by the 2nd or she can't come here! Sooner the better for CFO.

Nice, oh well. She'll do hers in Cebu.

Bad news, no flights to Seattle for the date we wanted. Have to schedule it two days prior and I will have to take time off.

Sending her the money now so she can buy a ticket. She was going to sell her car next week and use the money to buy a ticket, but I told her since we're getting near the plane will probably be booked and she will need to buy it earlier. She called and the day we wanted is already booked. She's going to buy a ticket to her on the 3rd of February.