RK_and_Inday

Having researched RA9225 for nearly a year, I can say that it is absolutely 100% consistant with all other things related to the Philippine Government - A hugely illogical, inconsistant and ambiguously worded mess!
Here is what I have concluded after reading hundreds of documents on the subject:
1. Filipino law has been in the past (before RA9225) and STILL CURRENTLY IS TODAY (after RA9225) that any Filipino Citizen who becomes a Naturalized Citizen of a foreign country (Foreign - ie NOT Philippines) automatically loses their Filipino Citizenship, by that act of naturalization, effective immediately. This is still the law today.
2. Before RA9225, there was no (easy) way to reverse this loss of Filipino Citizenship.
3. RA9226 put in place an Administrative Process, which allows Filipinos to reverse this loss of Filipino Citizenship by doing 3 (relatively) simple things: a) Pay a small fee, b) sign a simple form stating your intention to reverse the loss of Filipino Citizenship that has occurred) and c) Swear an Oath stating the same to a duly authorized Philippine Government Representative (in Country at BIR, Out of Country at Embassy/Consulate).
4. The Administrative Process put in place by RA9225 provided for retroactive curing (e.g. Reversal) of Filipino Citizenship loss that occurred prior to the passage of RA9225. Therefore, a Filipino who lost their Filipino Citizenship by being Naturalized as a Citizen of a Foreign country (- ie NOT Philippines) 20 years ago, say in 1991, can use the same 3 step Administrative Process to "Reaquire" their Filipino Citizenship in 2011 as someone who lost their Filipino Citizenship by being Naturalized as a Citizen of a Foreign country 1 month ago in 2011.
In summary, what this really means is that the wording used in RA9225 - Reaquire or "RETAIN" is simply poor and the source of tons of confusion. There is no "preemptive" way to "RETAIN" Filipino Citizenship via the RA9225 Administrative Process. In all cases, Filipino Citizenship is "lost" at the moment of the act of Naturalization to a Foreign Country. The only difference is how long this loss exists for - 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 10 years, etc. The answer to that question is simply the timeline between the Naturalization Act with the Foreign Country and the execution of the Administratve Process of RA 9225.
Regarding benefits of using RA9225 to reacquire Filipino Citizenship, there are several, but these seem to be the most popular:
a) Right to own (unrestricted amounts) of real property in the Philippines
b) Right to engage in business and/or practice one’s profession
c) Right to travel with a Philippine passport (A Philippine passport allows the holder to travel to member-nations of the ASEAN without a visa - Vietnam is a good example difference from US Passport)
d) Right to have Permanent Resident/ Citizenship benefits extend to one’s spouse/children
e) Right to vote in Philippine elections
f) Right to hold public office (some restrictions at Policy Level Positions)
The best documentation on this topic I have found after reading hundreds and hundreds of official and unofficial documents is http://askthepinoy.blogspot.com.
Warm Regards,
Samby

Van&me: welcome to visa journey and to the April 2011 Filers group! Hope you will be receiving your NOA2 soon. Perhaps you and your fiance have already seen the Manila-specific K1 Interview preparations from the embassy site. If not, here is a link to the most recent version of this document (July 2011):
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/public/Revised%20K1%20Instruction%20Packet%20_3__rtf2_003.pdf
In this document, you will see affirmation and further details of Cyclone's response to you as well as additional information/details about preparations for the interview and SLMEC medical examination. Now, even before you receive the NOA2, is a very good time for you and your fiance, working as a team, to start getting all documents in order. After NOA2 receipt, the process seems to go very, very fast. Again, welcome to VJ, and let us know of anything else with which we may be able to help! --RK and Inday

wow.. lol.
Btw, Darren, I am offended by your post that most Americans pay for the medical. The K1/CR1 is just one of the many visas processed there, there are plenty of other immigrant petitions there (like the family-based ones that take a long time) and they pay for their medicals with their hard-earned cash. I paid for both my medical and visa fee, as well. And when I did my medical my fiance was sleeping and I just told him how it went afterwards.. I look like a foreigner but I was not hounded by peddlers, if you are kind to them and not act obnoxious they will even give great advice as they know the process by heart. You need to learn to take things with a grain of salt, seriously! This kind of behavior will not give you a happy life. Relax, be grateful for your blessings and let go of the nuances. It all worked out for you, you are so blessed, so count your blessings and move on. I wish you a happy married life!

ya know, some people on this site are soo immature! When somebody asks a question they aren't asking for you to judge them they are asking for your help. SO if you think the person is an idiot than keep it to yourself, YOU can be the bigger person and just not comment on the topic.

The callousness of some people on this website never ceases to amaze me. Perhaps the OP made some mistakes, but I think some of you (G/A seems to be a repeat offender on a variety of threads, perhaps having friends who work at USCIS clouds their judgment, or just maybe it's a personality defect) lose your basic humanity here, much like the faceless bureaucrats who we are depending on for making decisions about our futures. The OP is dealing with a variety of issues, several miscarriages and a pregnancy, which even the dumbest should realize is very high risk after 3 miscarriages. If you can't offer meaningful assistance, then why not stay away? If you need a place to dump your own psychological bilge, find some website and troll it where the subject material does not have any real impact on people's lives.
And as for comparing flying billion dollar aircraft to some made up paperwork process, you'd have to be a fool to relate those two. Aircraft are designed logically, there are fixed and well established rules on their operation. This paperwork nightmare dreamt up by a committee often has no rhyme or reason to it.

My son and I have done a lot of photography of weddings, so I may have a different point of view than most. Comming from the guy's side if things there are a couple things you should really consider.
1) If this is a international wedding, then one of two of you aren't really going to be able to have a lot of their friends and family at the wedding. While the man wants to give his bride everything to make her dreams come true, if the wedding is very unballanced, is that really going to accompolish what you are wanting?
2) What is the wedding really about and who is it about? To me, it is about the man and wife, God, the pastor, and possibly their children. For everyone else it is basically just a show and a party.
3) Planning and executing a wedding can add a lot of stress both financially and emotionally to a new couple. The bigger the wedding the more stress. The more people, the more there is a chance that someone is going to do something unexpected or just basically wrong.
4) A lot of people think that they need a big church wedding, but a church is really where people come to meet, it isn't the house that God built, it's the house that men built for people to worship God. God created the outdoors and in many ways He created places that are much more beautiful than man would ever build. Outdoor weddings also have the opportuinty for a whole lot more varity of colors and backgrounds for the pictures that will help you remember that day for the rest of your lives. That being said, a rainny day outdoor wedding isn't such a good thing.
5) As others have said, consider the expense. Plane tickets, visa's, medical exams, trips back and forth, phone bills and all the stuff that comes with an international wedding can create a financial strain on most people. Plus, do you want to spend the money on a wedding and big party or would you rather go see the new country together and have a nice honeymoon where you can enjoy each other?
6) I think you need to consider not just the financial expense, but also the "time" expense of a wedding. I know in my case, time is a huge factor, between work, keeping up housework, and keeping up with all the other stuff around my house, there are weeks that go by where time is just a major issue. Add to all of that the idea that he has been trying to get things ready for his bride to be living with him. Now add on all of the paperwork and such that the Immigration process has added into the mix, and the candle is certainly burning from both ends. Then keep in mind the expense and paperwork that is yet to come if you have to file for AOS and such.
7) This guy obviously loves you very much to do all that he has to make an international couple come together. I am sure he wants everything for his new wife, but some understanding and returning that love can go a long way.
8) Think of the marriage, not the wedding. Marriage is hard work and even harder when the two of you have to adjust to different cultures and such. One of the biggest rules of making a marriage work is to not do harm to the marriage. Find a way to compromise on things, including the wedding if necessary, so that you keep the marriage solid. Protect that marriage with your life, because that is what you are promising each other that you will do. I have seen too many big weddings ruin a marriage from the start. So think about it, is the marriage the fairy tail or the wedding, and what is most important?
9) Go to premarriage counseling and take it very seriously! Start things off on the right foot with good communications and some help so that you don't make the mistakes that damage the marriage. This also helps you to get to know each other better. Yes, this probably means that you won't get married right off of the plane, but building a successful marriage takes work and a solid foundation.
10) Do special and unique things in the wedding to show your love to each other! This doesn't mean go buy each other some gift, it means do something for each other that means a whole lot to the both of you.
11) I am probably going to get flamed for this, but do not do everything and just expect him to show up! The wedding and the marriage is about the two of you and is the beginning of your lives together, you should start out with solid communications and working together, because you are going to have to work on and communicate with each other about a whole lot of things from that day forward! Make sure you both are on the same page from the very start. Certainly, you can agree on what parts each of you are going to do, but you need to walk the highway of life together, you had better get on the entrance ramp together.
I hope this helps and I pray that you have a long and happy marriage.
--Jim

Forget about the GC issue. That is not the most relevant and pressing part of this unfortunate - albeit self-created - mess you are in.
You have a child. You have a small, helpless child, who 100% depends on his/hers parents, no matter how immature,absent,unfit or otherwise non-ideal they might be. Whether or not the pregnancy was an accident originally, you chose to bring that child into this world. No woman is (almost ever) forced to HAVE a child. There are always other options. Abortion is a hot potato and not relevant to this thread, but it still was an option. If that goes against your personal beliefs, then you have adoption. No one (at least almost no one) is forced to become a parent. You chose to, together - and now the responsibility is on you to act responsibly towards the child you created, brought into this world and kept.
I never think it is a good idea for a couple who are not in love and not getting along to stay together just for the sake of children. It never works out well, for anyone involved. If the situation is as bad as you say it is, then for the love of god just divorce the woman. Stop thinking about "taking her to Argentina and leaving her there", or "taking my child with me". The more you break the rules and laws, the deeper s*** you will get yourself in - and unfortunately, that pile of cr** will not be on you alone, it will be on your child. What happens to him/her, when daddy gets thrown in jail for child abduction? Or for bribing government officials? I am well versed with Latin America as well, and fully know that Argentina is no rogue poor developign country where you can just pay your way through situations like this without any consequences. It will come and bite you in the ####, and then the biggest consequences will fall on your child.
Your family signed the affidavit of support - as said by previous posters, there is no way out of that. You can divorce your wife and not participate in removing her conditions, she can try to do that on her own if she wants. If she is as unitnerested in your child as you say she is, you should have no trouble getting custody, as she is unlikely to fight it. Do this the right way. File for a legal divorce, file for a legal custody of your child, and let her do whatever she wants with her own life.
I know you are trying to figure out the best way out of a really shitty situation, but what you are planning now is not the way to go. If you go ahead with this plan of yours, it will most likely end in you losing custody of your child permanently because of all the laws you broke, and she suing you for all you have and a bit more. Not a rosy scenario either, is it?
Your child needs at least one decent parent who knows how to do the right thing, act like an adult and take responsibility, even when it's hard. If she cannot be that parent, then you Have to be. You're a grown up, you can bounce back from situations like this. Your child might not be able to do that.

Secretly borrowing money is a play called the "double bind" in manipulative literature. The best plan is to come to you on the evening before some horrible thing is about to happen because they have not paid it off. The youngest daughter is going to be eaten by the bank president. They will say they were "too shy" to ask for the money before, but now they have no choice. Oh golly, look how you happen to have money. It would be your fault if the daughter is eaten by the bank president.
The double bind is the two bad choices: if you don't pay, the daughter is eaten and it is your fault. If you pay, you have been blackmailed. They call it emotional blackmail. It is important to the manipulator to never position the mark as being owed something in return for his money. A person wants to feel gratitude from helping someone, but this play is designed to rob him of any gratitude: it was his obligation. The whole point is to be on the receiving end of the money conveyor belt without ever being obligated for anything in return.
The other thing about borrowing money secretly at the same time you are giving money for something else is the feeling you get of "it's never enough". Every emergency you pay for has another one right on its heels. This debt will come due, and it will be an "emergency" because they had no means to pay it back when they borrowed it. They have many other "emergencies" in the works too, and the only way they can be engineered as "emergencies" is to keep them all secret from you.
What a person has to appreciate is how carefully this kind of evil plan is thought through before they pull it on you. They know when they borrow the money that you are the collateral. Secrecy is paramount. Because if they tell you they are borrowing money, your first question is how they are paying it back. They will have no answer because of course the plan is for you to pay it back. They know you will not agree to it. You will tell them to work. They want to sit around idle, while knowing the loan is coming due. They're going to blackmail it out of you. So why work?
So keep thinking about every day going by with the perpetrators knowing they are going to ambush you with this blackmail about the loan coming due. They might put on an act with everyone showing worry, and make you drag it out of them: "What's the problem? Why is everyone so scared?" They pretend they didn't want to tell you. They were afraid. But it is all just a big act being played by everyone on the stupid Americano.
I had no idea how important this emotional warfare was and how vicious it is until I read all this stuff. The manipulator needs to keep you in a constant state of stress and emotional turmoil. It keeps you weak and vulnerable. One of the first things clinicians look for is the drama. We're chalk full of it in this thread. Events that should be somewhat routine with getting visas approved has all this drama. Going to her village? All the sinister undertones about what might be discovered.
We don't make good decisions when we are on that emotional roller-coaster. That's why they put you on it. You can make them yourself too if you are a drama queen, but you will still be making bad decisions. You want to make decisions from a position of strength, calm, and the confidence born out of good planning.
Well of course not. The principle is to spend every peso that comes in as fast as you can, and borrow even more. Because the faster you spend it, the sooner you can have your hand out for more. This is the same double-bind being played like a broken record. You absolutely must not have money set aside for sickness or funerals or emergency travel, etc. - you need to have zero. Because if you have zero then the Americano can be blackmailed for it.
Excellent. That way they can borrow more. When everyone is manipulating every one else, of course you don't know even the most basic information like how much they are going to ambush you with. Exactly so. Most of them owe at least three billion pesos, so equity demands they should owe the same, or maybe twice as much since you are here.
It's all about communication in healthy relationships. There aren't any mysteries, no hidden agendas, no doing things opposite of what we say, no warning bells going off or red flags, no feelings about something being wrong. No stress. No drama. The village and things at the house are exactly as related to you when you arrive.
Oh well. I don't want to laugh at it because ultimately children are the result of marriage, and they wind up being on the receieving end of it.

I think people see this as obvious, yes. The less obvious thing to be looking for is manipulation by the "victim" regarding money in particular. We are accustomed to the story of the Filipina who manipulates her Americano for money, and some of it may be pertinent in this situation, but insight into the reverse is important too.
When you observe someone saying they are bringing them to Manila on the red carpet ride in order to show them how frugal you are, and putting all this thought into what their next "move" is given your last move - then you have crossed a couple of important lines. The first line is about open communication: you sit people down and explain what you are doing, and make agreements with them. If it is a budgeting 101 exercise, you sit down with a calendar and the regular bill schedule, along with the father's weekly masonry salary and work up a plan. If it is a trip then you chalk up the travel, lodging, and walk-around money. The easiest thing to do, and which shows a little more respect to them, is to just give a sum and say "that is for the trip to Manila" and give them the dignity of making their own decisions.
If there is any ambiguity in your position - then you have to ask who is "testing" or manipulating whom? When the alleged lesson is planning and budgeting then why has that very thing not been made clear? It is impossible to teach it without showing them how to do it. So this is one of those "what's wrong with this picture" moments. Which is the second line crossed: doing the opposite of what you are saying. If your lesson is in scrupulous frugality and personal responsibility then you do not go to Manila in the first place. You do not bring the family to Manila. You do not take taxis and planes, you take ships (economy class), jeepneys and buses. Better still, the girl demonstrates the aptitude and maturity to do it herself. Of course, we like to play the white knight on the horse rescuing the poor helpless little waif, but we have to be honest about how much respect it shows for someone if we keep acting like she's a helpless baby.
Laying out the red carpet when the picture is supposed to be frugality means they see you as someone who does the opposite of what they are saying. To us, this kind of money is not such a big deal. But to a poor Filipino you have to multiply by a hundred to appreciate the gravity of the lesson. When someone sees more money being pissed away in a week than they have seen their whole lives then that's what they remember about you, not that you are frugal. They see you are a money spigot and furthermore are unclear about how the spigot works because the words do not match the actions. Therefore the most rational thing to do is watch actions instead of listening to words. They hear "Don't ever ask me for money because blah blah blah..." and then they ask for money because every time they ask, you give a long-winded speech and give them the money anyway.
I can't come down on Darren and say this as a mark against him as a person, my God nobody is better than anyone else. I hope we look inside ourselves instead - we who have more money - and think carefully about how we interface with our spouse's family over it. Money can do more harm than good when it is applied wrong. It isn't any wonder why some families are corrupted by lazy greed. If we teach them to burn money like cigars, isn't that a lesson a little too easily learned?

Everybody is jumping on the OP, but I think he is trying to say that he has seen several international marriages go down the tubes. So, he has this opinion that bringing someone here for marriage should be made harder. I guess he would like to see fewer USC's end up broken hearted.
I can't say I disagree with his good intentions. But good intentions aren't the problem.
The problem is that some people search for a spouse from countries where there is a known component of "difficulty". That difficulty takes many forms. Maybe in that country, getting to the US through immigration is a cottage industry, so all the applicants know the rules and are willing to take any USC in order to get out of their country. Or, in another country, it is known that many applicants have a history of romanticism towards their US partner, only to take a quick hike to divorce court shortly after they have a green card.
So, if this information is known (and we all know it is) who is to blame for the almost assured failure of these marriages? Isn't it the person who swam in these waters with their eyes shut, rather than those who did not? The consular process in these known countries tries to protect foolish USC's from themselves. But there is only so much it can do.

This is confusing. You don't really say why you want it to be more stringent.
1. I don't see a problem with the having met one time condition. With today's technology, you can get to know somebody very well without meeting. Meeting is important but it's not as important as it once was, so it doesn't make sense to change that now.
2. Change the 90 day period to 180. That would make this less of a fiance visa and more of a get to know someone better in half a year visa. I think it's better the way it is since you should be committed to getting married when you decide to begin this process.
3. Raise the income limit. Why? The reason for the limit is just to make sure that the person won't become a burden on society. Why make it into something where only the rich deserve to marry their loved one?
I just don't see any reason for any of your suggested changes.

I have a question for the OP: do you only want to see the process made harder for the K1 or for the marriages too? If it's only the K1, then your proposal has a major flaw. Everyone would just skip the K1 and get married to avoid the harsher requirements. If you mean the marriage visas too, well, that's just silly. These people are ALREADY married...why would you make it harder for people who are already married? That could result in a higher divorce rate due to stress. Additionally, you could be placing undue financial stress as possibly two households now have to be maintained. And what about married couples who are starting or have started families? You really want to keep parents away from their children? BUT, if you were only referring to the K1 visa applicants, well, then I'll just get married, thank you very much.
It is not the government's job to make sure we've gotten to know our beloveds well enough for a lasting marriage. It is the government's job to make sure we are legally able to marry or are legally married, that we pose no threat to each other's personal safety or to the safety of the US and that our intentions are to be married or to stay married. Each couple is different, I knew within two weeks that my fiance was the man I'd been waiting my whole life for. I know other couples who've dated for 10 years and still don't know. It's up to each person to take accountability for their relationship to make sure it lasts.
I think you also forget that talking to your loved one is the most important tool to having a successful relationship. And communication can occur anywhere! I skype with my fiance for an hour each day, and we talk on the phone once a day and we are able to IM while at work every day. I talk to him more than the person who sits next to me for 50+ hours each week. Communication is the foundation for a solid relationship.
If you really want to make the process harder so that there are fewer divorces, then how about mandating a few pre-marriage/marriage counseling sessions or group therapy sessions for how to successfully mix two cultures? I, by the way, am not in favor of this as I believe each couple should seek assistance when and if they feel they need it. I am merely suggesting a more practical and productive way that the process could be made more difficult.
To the person with the "rich white person" comment - doesn't help at all in Indian consulates!
To the person who said "i think the income requirements should be higher to marry because this is not a cheap process. " These fees are a one-time occurring cost. You shouldn't be required to have high income to cover a one-time cost. Now, if you had to pay that fee every year of marriage, then obviously you would need to make above poverty + the fee. However, the process is not and should not be concerned with your ability to pay the fees but rather your ability to adequately support your beneficiary. Additionally, income does not determine ability to pay the fee. The fee could be covered by savings or by family as a wedding gift or could come from the wedding fund if the couple is lucky enough to have one or a short-term part-time job just to earn the fees. None of those sources are necessarily sustainable but all accomplish covering the fee.

Congrats!
PS Stop talking 'bout the ex... this should mean nothing to you, since you don't love her anymore

OOH, now I see what you're talking about, damn you scared me lol thought you still lived with your ex, or, idk had to ask for permission
Anyway, man be easy now, have LOTS of patience with your "asawa ko", don't get too frustrated with the rest of the journey, it's all part of the process and soon enough you'll be done with it, you're with her now, and she'll be "home" soon. Focus on what it's important now, and well, my two cents is, if your ex it's so unhappy like you said, don't make your FUTURE wife go through this, don't let her meet your ex just because you want to show off your happiness. Jealousy it's a real bad thing, and can ruin a relationship forever if you don't watch out for it.
Only love your darling, take care of her and try to not complain as much as before! lol Good luck

Whew! I can't believe you wrote your tantrum to SLEC. You are marrying a Filipina and yet you have too many complains already about Philippine policies? As if you don't know? I thought you mentioned in your other thread that you know Phils and it's culture very well because "you're the man"? Duh!!! You sound a control freak guy who also seems to know EVERYTHING but not really. First of all, why are you the one holding the money? I thought you said you let her hold the coins and even the big big big bills? So, why handling the money outside SLEC? Look, how I wish you should have just used your skills/smartness at that time since you are "da man" and not be irritated. Your mouth and head is way too fast that you did not even think for a better solution but complain. Poor girlfriend, I can foresee. Next time, trust your girl to handle things and not you controlling everything. I see you're a planner but there are a lot of things that are out of our hands and only God knows what will happen tomorrow. Slow down because I am 1000% sure that your girlfriend is having a hard time catching up with you and all the things around you when you're together. I thought you're an ace in handling tough situations????

If you can pass the medical without having to do the sputum test; then just be happy.

Thank you everybody- a lot of this has been incredibly helpful and insightful, I appreciate your time and knowledge.
On the other hand...I don't think mildly patronising statements concerning the ridiculous correlation between adulthood and marriage should be applauded- I think we all know this is bureaucracy and theory and starting to chastise young people who are trying to build a life for themselves, and above all find legal employment, should be told off because they are naughty children who aren't 'ready' for marriage is sad.
I personally see marriage as paperwork, pure and simple, I am not proud to be married- I don't see it as an achievement. My wedding cost me $20. I just want to get a job, that is all- that really is all I want, to live with Kyle and get a job and come home to him every night and share a fridge.
Some people can tell me I'm naughty for not doing all my research properly, goodness knows I tried very very hard to cover every base, and I understand there will be monumental sacrifices- I just wanted some literal help concerning the issues raised.
I mean- dear lord, none of my other friends who are engaged or living together have ever had to justify themselves financially to the government, they are free to build their life however they see fit. These marriage visas are a ###### situation whichever way you look at it...

Best wishes DeeDee for the Interview. Ignore negative posts and go with your heart. Makes no sense to me why someone would stay on this Forum if they had their Finacee/Wife here and hang around to collect Hearts to show authority. Now thats BORING. So, what color is your hair going to be. Pink, Blonde or brunette. I know your a brunette in real life. GOOD LUCK AT THAT INTERVIEW. Tim/Mav.

what do you mean? thats PART of our proof. lets be serious only an idiot could partially support an unknown person. we know eachother for 6 years. we have pictures, plane tickets, passport stamps, boarding passes, messenger/skype logs, and letters from our families that describes our relationship. what issues? jesus...and i bet the person who posted this doesnt rely on that either

Why is the Philippines the kidnapping capital of the world? Why do all the western governments have travel warnings. Sure, I know it is safe for the most part but I prefer to use my judgement on the safety, not yours. If your so confident, go visit Jolo for your next vacation. It's really cheap there and say hello to Abu Sayyaf because he wants to meet the Westerner who is rich in their eyes.

The fact that others have written to try to use the day before or after, for example:
says to me that there is no way to be absolutely sure about which package your case is in.
Well, last post for me on this topic. To all those who use this tracking method (or don't use it), congratulations! you made it out of the NVC.
Best of luck to all.

Umm, sure there is! You call NVC.
Applicant: I'm calling to find out the latest update on our case.
Operator: Your case was completed and was sent to the Embassy.
Applicant: Can you please tell me what date it was sent?
Operator: Your case was sent on Wednesday, March 16th.
Applicant: Okay, thank you very much!
There is no assumption about it. Applicants can request the latest information from an NVC operator, which includes the date their case was sent to the Embassy. No, you don't have an actual tracking number. But you don't need one. You use the art of communication and the gift of common sense.
Just because you were unsuccessful with it doesn't mean others will be. Maybe you didn't do it correctly. Many others have had success with it, including myself. And yes, it does make us happy!

Plain and simple. There is no way to prove your case is in a particular package sent to any embassy. When you trace a package using this method does the information you receive say that your case is in the package you are tracing? - NO. Most likely it is but it could be other cases or anything the NCV sends to an embassy. I did traces when I knew our package was sent, but the tracking information did not include case numbers - thus just because a package was sent (even on the same day NVC says they sent your case) it does not mean your case was in a package you see on the DHL website. DHL does not keep track of NVC case numbers they just deliver packages. If you want to trace packages and assume your case was in the package you find on DHL's website and it makes you happy - great.

Current income is what a sponsor MUST PROVE. Without sufficient current income a sponsor will not be accepted.
This is not a process where meeting the minimums is a wise course of action. The goal here is to obtain the visa for the spouse/ loved one. Submitting the appropriate evidence/documentation is the prudent step. Being lazy and/or ill prepared gets you delays.
It is smart to do some reading in the regional forum to learn what is the norm at the embassy/consulate where the interview will take place. Despite the CO's working from the same manuals the realities of each consular office can be quite different.

The petitioner/sponsor needs to prove current income that meets the requirement. Typically this income claim is supported with an employment letter and recent paystubs.