Ray-J

Visa has been delivered... We started this process on April 19th and this phase has drawn to a close today. She just needs to get her CFO sticker (local philippines requirement) and she is good to come here in November. Thanks guys!

Wooohooo! Congrats! When in November is she coming? We're shooting for 11-11-11 for Amy and our new baby (Serena).

I would be concerned if some of the NOA1's dated 18th May had been approved and not mine. However we all seem to be treading water at the moment!!

This is a very appropriate statement considering all the flooding that's been happening in the VSC area.

I followed the guides here. Also, my cousin who's a VJ regular and in the US now (she was on a K1 visa back in 2010 and has her green card now) also helped me put my petition together. She even stated that my petition package was better prepared then her own and others she had seen. So I doubt we will get a RFE because I checked it a dozen times, went over it with my cousin, followed the guides, etc. I pretty much did everything in the guide and was very organized.

Hmmm, okay. Are you the petitioner or the beneficiary?

I finally signed up for a VJ K1 Visa timeline just to see our estimated time our NOA2 should arrive. I received our NOA1 on April 26, 2011. It states our NOA2 should arrive within August 23 to September 5, 2011. Well it's September 7th and still no word while it seems almost all the April filers (and even some May filers have their NOA2 before us) on VJ have their NOA2 for awhile now. I understand the VJ timeline is just an estimated timeline and NOA2 dates are either out way early or sometimes past the 5 month mark. We had hope that she would be here at least by first week of November, but not knowing when out NOA2 will be approve, I doubt I can expect her here by November.

Sorry just ranting away.

Did you follow the guides on here prior to filing or did you find this site after you filed your petition?

Ok guys.so my lawyer finally received the hard copy of my RFE. Just as I knew they request evidence of us meeting in the last 2 years. So now the question is I got copies of my passport with visa stamp and also entry and exit stamp.also got copied of my boarding passes and also pics of our engagement party. Any other suggestions or anything else u guys think I can include. Thank u guys in advance for the help. I sure wasted money hiring a lawyer. It only delaying my paperwork. Wish I had found this site before I wasted money on the lawyer.

Any pictures you have with both of you together (at least 5) is hard evidence that the two of you have met in the last two years. Like Nikki said, make sure you write the date and place they were taken on the back. I made sure I did this for our application and we were approved with no problem.

Good morning! Hope everyone had a great and blessed holiday weekend!

Does anyone know if when you get your 2nd NOA, do you get the text / e-mail right away (provided you sent in the form) or will you get the notification at 1am just like the NOA1 ?

I see someone already got their NOA2 today, 9/6/11, and as the time draws nearer (and the excitement too) I'm more curious when to expect the text message... I'm hoping it's right away and not delayed.

I signed up for text/email confirmation. I got the text for the NOA2 at 6:30 pm. I had just pulled up to the fuel pumps to fill the tanks on the truck (I drive a semi for a living) when my phone went off. I had to read it a couple of times before it sank in that I needed to check my email. When I logged into my email, the message that we were approved was there. The thing that really topped off the night and made it truly a great one was that the Cubs won that day.

Update: Yay! They let Ice do his medical even tho we don't have a case number or NOA2! And I called and squeezed information out of the VSC that our case is "currently under review"... good, no?

Sounds like a standard answer. While I was in between USCIS and NVC, I began to think that USCIS operators would feed you the best line of bull they could pull out of their back side at that particular moment. Your case is probably waiting on background checks to be completed. That's one of the many reasons cases can take so long to adjudicate. Remember, I was approved at 94 on Igor's. You're not that far from that point.

@Ray--Congrats on scheduling interview date. Looks like Inday's interview will be in same general time frame as for your fiancee. When will Amy be doing CFO? (as per http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140)

That is amazing incredible about your child soon to be born. Will be thinking of you and sending prayers/hoping for the best for delivery, your travel, Amy's medical and the interview!

--RK

RK,

I believe in being prepared. I have Amy's CFO form all filled out and ready for her signature. My mother and I will be there for the birth. So, I have every intention of being with her for the interview. We'll wait until we hear the magic word, "approved" before worrying about the CFO. If everything goes as hoped for, Amy and Serena will be coming back with Mom and I on Nov 11. However, I've heard stories of K-1 visas being delayed until the CRBA is completed. I would estimate that would only take a couple of weeks if no DNA test is required.

We have an interview date! October 18 at 6:30 am! Now comes the hope and prayer that Amy will deliver our baby girl after I get there on the 10th and be released from the hospital in time for the interview.

Guess i'm late for the party too... just signed up on here recently. Filed my I-129F end of April, but it didnt get to them til mid May... guess i'm a May filer? Anyway, got NOA2 August 24th, just waiting to hear from NVC. Would be really nice to do some of this visa stuff while i'm visiting my gal in the PI in October.

Anyway.. good luck to the rest! Hope everybody gets good news this week.

Where's your gal from? I'm going to be staying in Taguig City (Metro Manila), near Makati from October 10 until November 11.

We have an interview date! October 18 at 6:30 am! Now comes the hope and prayer that Amy will deliver our baby girl after I get there on the 10th and be released from the hospital in time for the interview.

thanks but what about the I-864 do my parents still have to fill them out? and by the way when they fill out their own I-134 do I combine their income or separate? thanks

Since you're inquiring about your parents filling out forms, I take it that you're unable to meet the 125% income requirement on your own and need a co-sponsor. The I-864 won't become necessary until after the beneficiary (your fiancee') enters the U.S. and marries you. The I-864 is only for the Adjustment of Status. At that point, any co-sponsors that were listed in the K-1 process will need to fill out their own I-864. Such is the case with the I-134. You should not include any financial statements on any form other than your own. Your parents, presuming they are acting as your co-sponsor, should fill out and provide supporting documentation for their own I-134.

Thanks... I am sure it will be fine...I hope...

I have the same feeling, Nicolette. Ice was just being calm so as not to make you upset. You know... fear breeds fear. I know you would wait for him if you had to, though. However, I don't think you'll need to do that. It's just a feeling I have.

You must be looking at the Berkeley list on one and the VJ list on the other. I am 50 numbers off about myself on these 2 lists. 228 on VJ and 174 on the Berkeley.

Okay, let me settle something about the lists. Everyone seems to be mistaking (in my mind, at least) the two lists. If you look at the web address for the list hosted at U.C. Berkley you'll notice that one of the server folders is titled Igor. I don't know what the other list is because I always used the one hosted at berkley.edu. Lower list numbers just seem to give more hope.

I think they might be away from the major damaged centers. They are in extreme northern Vermont. Close to Montreal. However, safety is the most important for those there. But like everyone else, I would hate to hear my application is floating down the river somewhere. lol Nah...it will be ok. No worries folks.

I'm singing, "Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river." LOL Seriously though, I hope nobody has their cases delayed due to the weather.

hello my name is avelino a US citizen

I currently graduated from the philippines I live with my parents im planning to file a petition for my fiance she is in the Phlippines right now I am confuse wit I-134 affidavit of support. can I still file a fiance visa petition for her even if I didn't work for 4 years? I have no tax return to show to the USCIS because I was out of United States for school. I do have work right now but under an agency its a temporary job but they cut some taxes from me. Can I use my parents to help file an affidavit of support or be a co sponsor for my fiance? can I include them? What are the steps should i do? what are the forms do I have to fill out or my parents? thanks for you help

If you can't meet the 125% income requirement, then you will need a co-sponsor that can meet the requirement. Any co-sponsor would need to fill out their own I-134 and provide proof to support their claims. It doesn't matter what your past income is. They are only worried about your current income. For two people living in the household, you would need to earn a minimum of $18,212 per year. Add an additional $4,675 per person to your minimum income for each additional person living with you.

Things are moving along for us ..... (We submitted our petitions in May) ...got the NOA's two weeks ago stating both petitions were approved (our I-129 and our I-130) and being sent to the U.S. Dept. of State. Now today I received a letter from the Dept. of State telling us that both approved petitions are being sent to the U.S. Embassy in Manila (and that our I-130 will now be the process -- no more need for the I-129).

However, the NVC instructions regarding the "Affidavit of Support" fee of $88 are not very clear -- first they instruct me on how to pay the fee (via debit our checking account), but then the instructions go on to say that we should not pay the fee if the "applicant" is going to go for a "change of status" when she arrives in the U.S. ....... well of course she is going to apply for "Permanent Resident" status when she gets here! - that is the point of doing the I-130 for an Immigrant Visa. Right?! (The NVC instructions seemed to indicate that if my wife brings the "Affidavit of Support" documents to the Embassy interview then I don't need to pay this $88 fee ..... but geez, these instructions are clear as mud).

Oh well.... I sent an e-mail to get some clarification. We're just happy that things are moving!

The change of status is for non-immigrant visas (fiancee visas are classified as this and require a change of status to immigrant after the marriage), which yours is not. Yours is an immigrant visa. I hope this clears up any confusion.

After having time to think over all the replies to this thread, I decided to take everyone's advice and keep it short and simple. I just affirmed our intent to marry and added when our planned wedding date is. I ended up including our daughter's info (except for DOB and place of birth (both unknown at this time)) in the appropriate places on the DS forms and the I-134. Thanks again for all the help.

Hey, everyone...

I found this little gem of a site for information regarding the medical exam in Manila. This should help those with Philippine fiancee's who are still there.

If you both show up at the interview and she's either pregnant or holding a newborn baby then the first question they're going to ask to you is "Is it yours?". If you answer "yes" then they're going to tell you to file the CRBA. Whether you file the CRBA first or have the K1 interview first, they're probably going to issue a blue slip telling her to come back with the approved CRBA. The only time it won't be an issue is if you happen to get the CRBA approved before the K1 interview.

As to your other question, there would have been no need to list anything on the I-129F petition. The consulate will look at the dates and realize there was no child yet when the I-129F was filed. This situation is not at all unusual. They see it every day.

Jim,

Your answer does answer some concerns I had. I was going to ask about what if our interview date is near the end of the K1 window (as in a few days before the expiration date), but I'm sure they would easily be able to issue an extension at the interview due to the CRBA. Right? Since I'm planning on being present, would I even need the letter of intent at all or would they require this for their files anyway?

I, Raymond Jornd, do hereby state that I am still legally able and willing to marry Amy R. Antonio, and intend to do so within 90 days of her arrival into the US using the K-1 visa.

That's all you really need.The more you add, the more you open up yourself to questions. Keep it simple.

So, you don't think that there won't be any questions when we (yes, I said we. I'll be there with her for the interview.) show up to the interview with either a baby or a CRBA application?

The purpose of the updated letter of intent is to demonstrate to the consulate that you, the petitioner, still intend to marry your fiancee. It has nothing to do with whether you intend or have already begun to raise a family. CO's usually don't even ask for an updated letter of intent unless they perceive the relationship has been rocky. In that case they want some confirmation that the petitioner isn't planning to back out after the beneficiary arrives in the US.

The child will be a separate issue. You don't have to tell the consulate that you intend to file a CRBA. In all likelihood, they'll insist on it. They often won't issue the K1 visa until the CRBA has been approved. I've seen several cases here on VJ where the K1 was held up until the CRBA process was completed, included a couple of cases at the consulate in Manila. You should start the CRBA process as soon as the baby is born.

Thanks, Jim. That is some good insight. I wasn't aware of the embassy placing any hold on the visa process for CRBA. It's a good thing I filled out (as much as possible) and printed the CRBA forms and checklist last night. I guess my concern is with the fact that the I-129F listed no children and we show up at the interview listing our newborn daughter on the I-134. I don't want to look like we were hold back any information.

I would suggest you write what you wrote before. With regards to you wedding date, all you have to say is something such as, "we have scheduled our wedding for January 7, 2012." Leave out the sentence on the POE and leave out 'assuming Amy's visa is approved.' Just like before, her pregnancy does not need to be mentioned in this letter.

Okay, thanks for the input. However, perhaps the fact that her interview will most likely take place after our daughter is born would change your view on mentioning the pregnancy. No child was mentioned in the original petition since there weren't any born at that time. You do make sense on leaving out the POE info, though. What are your thoughts on the pregnancy issue now?

Didn't you already submit a letter of intent to marry when you filed the I-129F? You don't need to write another one.

Yes, I did submit one when I filed. According to the guides on here, another one is needed for the embassy. In addition, the guides do say to make a duplicate copy of the petition packet for the interview.

A current updated Letter of Intent could not hurt! Many people prepare a new letter of intent just for the interview to reaffirm their intentions of marriage. Might even help since she is pregnant now!

She was pregnant when we filed. We found out a few days before Valentine's Day. Our filing date is in early April.

On the advice of Gary and others, I didn't mention the pregnancy at the petition filing stage. Now that we have our NOA2 and are preparing all the documentation for the interview, I'm wondering if this would work for my letter of intent to marry:

I, Raymond Jornd, do hereby state that I am still legally able and willing to marry Amy R. Antonio, and intend to do so within 90 days of her arrival into the US using the K-1 visa. Presuming Amy’s visa is approved, we expect an entry date of November 11, 2011. Our wedding date is set for January 7, 2012. At the time of the writing of this letter, Amy is currently pregnant with our first child. We are planning to have the birth take place in the Metro Manila area in Mid-October. We will submit papers for a CRBA as soon as all supporting documentation can be secured.

I look forward to any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance.