Ann&wes

We had our interview last Nov. 2 for AOS petition. Everything went well with the interview and IO copied some of our pics, bank statements etc.. IO congratulated us and approved my petition.. Later the day i received a text msg saying my case is updated from uscis.gov so i checked it and it showed card production. Yesterday i got 2nd update "card/document production and today 3rd update "post decision activity" saying they mailed a notice that they have approved. It's almost a week since my interview and i still haven't received any mail or my car and am totally confused..

Is this normal, did anyone had the same experience?

I wouldn't say there is anything about being better or not. Just depends on if you can/want to travel twice. My wife went and got her CFO done before the visa in hand, since we had time to spare (I was there in Phils and traveling back with her to US). So she did it one day, picked up visa a few days later, and went back and had sticker attached. Good luck on travels.

Two places actually. On the plane, or once you are at the US airport, you can fill one out there. Do not worry, they will not let you get pass immigration without one. :-)

With having gone through the process recently, and personally traveled to the Philippines and seen and read through our USCIS file (am the USC), they hole punch it at the top of the page (2 hole punch). Everything else, like binders, clips, staples and the such are thrown away as soon as they get the package. We had sent ours in only stacked in order (the check was paper clipped to the front, but nothing else). We did take the entire timet o get approved, but count that as being my wife is from the Philippines.

My personal suggestion, is KISS (Keep It Stupid Simple......meaning keep it as simple as possible, as the person that will get it, might be stupid (even a stupid person can figure it out), and the more complicated it is, the more chances of them screwing it up.) I believe there are instructions from USCIS (not sure if from them or from here) saying what is allowed and what is not allowed. I THINK it mentions NOT to send it in binder clips, ASCO clips, or folders.

Good luck!!!!

Does anyone know a Civil Surgeon around DC & VA who only charge for signing the I-693 without a requirement of another medical exam. I have called most docs. that is inthe USCIS list and they are expensive! :-( Any suggestions is appreciated..

We are filling up the form for AOS and there is a question that is completely confusing us. Reason being is that my fiance used to work for the Bahrain defense military hospital as civilian employee (executive assistant in the Pathology & Diagnostic Dept). Here is the question:

1) Have you EVER: Served in, been a member of, assisted in, or participated in any military unit, paramilitary unit, self-defense unit, vigilante, rebel group, guerrilla group, militia or insurgent organization? Yes or No

2) Have you EVER been a member of, assisted in, or participated in,any group, unit, or organization of any kind in which you or other persons used any type of weapon against any person or threatened to do so? Yes or No

WHAT SHOULD BE HER ANSWER? PLEASE ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED.. ASAP..

Greetings VJ Members!

How much is the total amount u paid for the adjustment of status (AOS) with the included application such as I-765, I-864, I-131 and I-485?

Did you guys wrote 2 separate money order checks or 1? Thanks!!

Not to be mean, but 257 pages is WAY too many and will just make the adjudicator mad. Really, maybe just one a month will do. I hope you did not send in the 257 pages with the K1 app, as that kind of things is what holds up the processing of apps. Evidence is ONLY needed during interview (we got this straight from a USCIS adjudicator.....we "happened" to meet him and became friends). In fact, we did not use SKYPE logs at all for evidence. Just a few cards, notes we gave each other and had printed a few emails, (once again.....all that was needed, but they never even asked for our evidence).

Good luck.

Ann's said "For travel abroad" and we got approved yesterday. They never even looked at what it said. Her NBI said "For Travel to US". That is the important one. Just our suggestion.

Good luck.

Awesome. We were right behind her at window 59 (as we went back up to ask the consular a question after our approval and heard him say she was approved.) We had the same CO, very nice man. Yeah, if you have it delivered locally (was asked so that we can get the CFO stuff immediately) they will fill up the address of a 2GO close to our hotel for pick up. We decided to do the PRISM and CFO all at once on Monday, as we called the PRISM, and they advise to do it all at once, to keep from having problems of registration. Not sure what they meant, so we just decided to do it all at once. As for Mindanao, think it will take a few weeks, as it seems that the time it takes to deliver depends on the distance from Manila. Even though Ann lives in a "major" town here (Legaspi) it would take about 3 weeks according to 2GO.

Sorry she is waiting at PRISM. We say it was first one at 10. But no harm. Better early than late.

Congrats.

We were there with your fiance, though seems she was behind us in the process, as we were done with ours at 1130 or so. Does she remember her number? Ours was 7004. We kind of deduced that the 7000 numbers were the K-1 visa's, as there were SO few, and they waited until the end to do them all at once. What window number did she go to?

We will be going to PRISM today at 1330, and return on Monday after getting the passport from 2GO and going to CFO Manila to get the registration done. Maybe we will see her there.

Congrats again.

Thanks everyone!! It was such a big relief to us. We can finally relax for now and go through the next step.. Goodluck to ya'll upcoming interview!!

WE GOT APPROVED!!! We will post the experience later, just wanted to update everything. Happy interviews everyone!!!!!!

We are currently staying in a hotel from agoda. They never asked for anything except the voucher. But I think that depends on the hotel, as I did not have to pay a deposit or anything. Very simple, smaller rooms, BUT, close to embassy, and quiet. WAY better than Lotus Garden....which in our opinoin, is horrible, and will make this our hotel most times we are here in Manila. GranPrix

Just a quick question, as we are visiting Philippines to get our interview done. When a visa gets approved, and you are to designate where to pick up your passport, how do you designate which 2GO office to pick it up from. Her province is way down south and it will take about a month or so to get, and since it was cheaper to get a round trip ticket for her ( she was visiting the US on a B2), we have flights back in a little over 10 days from the interview date. We plan on staying in Manila until we get the passport, but just not sure if we can designate a 2GO office or not.

Any help on this will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Does the Security personnel or US Embassy Manila Staff requires the BPI receipt of payment for the interview, as i forgot to take the receipt from my sister in law and really freaking out right now on how to get ASAP. My interview is tomorrow 6am which leaves me no time to do what is necessary.

Any resourceful response will be appreciated.

Hi

I would like to know if we Can change the interview Date 1-130 London Embassy,

thanks

Where is your wife/husband residency now? We changed our Consulate Interview to Philippines after my fiance contract ended in Bahrain by calling the USCIS center and asking them to change her address.

My fiance is in Malaysia as well, but originally from Nigeria. Would he be able to appy for visitor visa from there? Or would he have to go to Nigeria to apply since he has citizenship there? He is a student in Malaysia. We are in K1 process now, awaiting our NOA2 as well. I would love for him to visit me here in the US for a couple of months to meet my family and friends, while he is on break from school. Would this be a problem?

Sorry didnt think my first reply posted!!

There will be no problem so long as he can provide an employee or student certificate, bank statement and rental receipt/any bills that he pays every month, and plus bringing in the NOA1 receipt would give him higher chance of getting B1/B2. My fiance is a Philippine citizen and was working in Bahrain when she applied for the B1/B2 visa and got approved, and now she's here with me on tourist while we're on the final stage of K1 visa..

it depends if you come in the morning or afternoon. i came at 6am on the first day, finished at 1030 and was told to come back 8am the following day. if you go in the afternoon, you will most likely be told to go back the afternoon the next day too

Yeah, we got stories that starting at 6:30am there are people already waiting outside the Clinic so I think it's better to come in earlier as possible, and maybe staying in a nearby hotel would be best. Thank you everyone for the help. :-D

Hey all,

I'm planning to visit my fiance, Herb in New Jersey at the end of March. We sent in our K1 application at the end of Jan. I already have a valid tourist visa. I've read on here that those applying for a tourist visa while waiting for a K1 will not get it. But what about this situation? Would it get me into trouble to visit him with my pre-existing tourist visa? Would i get turned back at the POE? I also remember reading about fiancees who visited their USC's while waiting and never had any issues at the interview. Can anyone help me out with this? I just want to be sure i'm doing the right thing.

Hi,

My fiance traveled to US from Bahrain on B1/tourist visa last year Nov. 2010... We also have a pending K1 dated July, 2010 and upon her POE she didn't have any issue with the immigration officer and was granted with 6mos. of admittance here in the US. Before her B1/B2 visa got approved she mentioned to the CO about our pending K1 and didn't have any issue nor being asked questions. I hope this helps.. :-)

Have you read this? Yes, the medical exams usually take 2 days. The first day is history, physical exam, chest xray. The second day is, hopefully, vaccinations. Will the vaccinations be done before noon? That is difficult to answer. It depends on the number of people waiting. In my case, my stepdaughter was there at 8AM, and was finished by 1:30PM.

IMO, I wouldn't reserve a flight that day...but the following day. But that's just me. I hope this helps you some. Good luck with the medical!

I just talked to a friend from US (she's married to a USC) and according to her it took only 1day for her to get all the medical examination together with the vaccinations.. Either way 1day extra would be safer to do. thank you for the information. :-)

We're trying to estimate the traveling dates without having problems later on so I want to know how many days does it take for the St. Luke's Medical Clinic to complete the test required including vaccinations. I've read couple VJ members here saying 2days but the 2nd day is basically for vaccinations. Would it be done before noon? My fiance and I are going to try catch a flight to her province in the afternoon and want to find out if it's possible... Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you. Always good info to know.

Congrats guys!! Happy for you and can't wait until we can post the same message. God bless!!!

The receipt number he received from the expedite is ONLY used when you call the expedite line again and talk to them. It is not recognized by the online system. They have up to 30 days to review your case and see if it qualifies for expedite and what you need to do after. There is no way to follow up online or the number is not valid with the normal customer service line.