DCF Manila Philippines - We did it

[BigJohn 4]

We just got back from doing DCF in manila. There are some things people should know if they are going to do it because the directions for USCIS filing on this site don't count for DCF.

So we got to the embassy around 6:30am. Turns out the window for filing doesn't open til 8am. Yay. We ended up waiting in line outside with other people who were waiting for citizen services. The guy ahead of us was one of those american's giving us a bad name here, but that's another story. They let us in to wait around 7:30 and we ended up second in line for the filing window.

We were pretty let down when we got to the window. He looked at our papers and asked a bunch of 'do you have this? and why did you do this?' questions. My answer, because that is what the USCIS website says to do for your application. His answer - you're direct filing, so that website doesn't mean squat (paraphrase). Here are the things that were different from what the USCIS website said so if you direct file you don't need to make the same mistakes:

* Original wedding certificate is required, not a copy (had that)

* Original birth certificate for my spouse (did not have that)

* Copy of ACR card (had to go make a copy). They wanted ACR, not ACR-i, but with the lease info we had they took it anyway.

* You do not have to be on a permanent resident visa, but it was obvious they do not like it if you are not. They did accept our leases, but they wanted receipts for our payments of the lease.

* Bank statement - we brought a bank certification document. He said they wanted a piece of paper saying what date we opened the account and a list of deposits made. He ended up at the end saying we didn't have to get that as long as we got the other things they needed.

* Affidavits - We brought several affidavits from friends and our landlords verifying we lived together in a bona fide relationship. They refused these altogether saying they were 'self serving' whatever that means - even tho these are allowed under the normal USCIS procedures.

* Photos - The only ones they were really interested in were wedding photos.

* Passport photos - we provided them but it appears they are not needed until the second package and it appears there may be some new rules on how this is done when going through the embassy.

We had to wait for the window guy to go upstairs and find out if he could accept our application because of what we were missing. We told him it was going to be a real problem for us to come back as we were from cebu and had to buy plane tickets and spend a lot of money every time we came. In the end I think that is the only thing that got them to accept the packet. We were pretty sure they were going to reject it and say we had to come back, but he said we could mail the things we were missing in. We paid the fee and filed it - in and out in about 2 hours time.

[Markieboy 104]

Congratulations! Glad everything worked out for you guys!

[joshburfield 0]

Congratulations.

I will be heading to the Philippines to meet up with my wife in about a month or two. I've read on this and other sites, that DCF in Manila may only be available under special circumstances. Is this true? Did you and your wife file under special circumstances?

We have yet to file anything so far as we are still gathering a lot of what will be needed. If we could handle it while I am in the Philippines, it would be a lot better. Any information would be useful.

Thanks!

We just got back from doing DCF in manila. There are some things people should know if they are going to do it because the directions for USCIS filing on this site don't count for DCF.

So we got to the embassy around 6:30am. Turns out the window for filing doesn't open til 8am. Yay. We ended up waiting in line outside with other people who were waiting for citizen services. The guy ahead of us was one of those american's giving us a bad name here, but that's another story. They let us in to wait around 7:30 and we ended up second in line for the filing window.

We were pretty let down when we got to the window. He looked at our papers and asked a bunch of 'do you have this? and why did you do this?' questions. My answer, because that is what the USCIS website says to do for your application. His answer - you're direct filing, so that website doesn't mean squat (paraphrase). Here are the things that were different from what the USCIS website said so if you direct file you don't need to make the same mistakes:

* Original wedding certificate is required, not a copy (had that)

* Original birth certificate for my spouse (did not have that)

* Copy of ACR card (had to go make a copy). They wanted ACR, not ACR-i, but with the lease info we had they took it anyway.

* You do not have to be on a permanent resident visa, but it was obvious they do not like it if you are not. They did accept our leases, but they wanted receipts for our payments of the lease.

* Bank statement - we brought a bank certification document. He said they wanted a piece of paper saying what date we opened the account and a list of deposits made. He ended up at the end saying we didn't have to get that as long as we got the other things they needed.

* Affidavits - We brought several affidavits from friends and our landlords verifying we lived together in a bona fide relationship. They refused these altogether saying they were 'self serving' whatever that means - even tho these are allowed under the normal USCIS procedures.

* Photos - The only ones they were really interested in were wedding photos.

* Passport photos - we provided them but it appears they are not needed until the second package and it appears there may be some new rules on how this is done when going through the embassy.

We had to wait for the window guy to go upstairs and find out if he could accept our application because of what we were missing. We told him it was going to be a real problem for us to come back as we were from cebu and had to buy plane tickets and spend a lot of money every time we came. In the end I think that is the only thing that got them to accept the packet. We were pretty sure they were going to reject it and say we had to come back, but he said we could mail the things we were missing in. We paid the fee and filed it - in and out in about 2 hours time.

[BigJohn 4]

Only US citizens who are residents of the philippines may file at the embassy. This means either you have a permanent residency visa for the RP that you can get after you marry a filipina or you have lived here for over 6 months and have ties to the philippines such as owning a house, a long term lease, etc. They prefer you to be a permanent resident. If you are just coming for a couple months to visit/marry, you have to file by mail in the US. We had to show our leases and now have to mail them copies of the receipts for payment to prove I am residing here long term.

[mr&mrs4ever 0]

Hey that's awesome brother congrats on you and the misses!

I have few of questions I thought would be worth joining up on this forum and asking:

My fiance and I are planning on getting married this month. We have a 1 year lease on a rental we are approaching the end of. Can that count in our benefit and is it enough?

Also I have always paid my immigration fees but sometimes I'm late and I get the 500 peso fine. Is that gonna look bad for us?

As I understand it we get married, then I apply for permanent residence visa? (As of now I been here since April 2010, and my ACR card says temporary visitor. Also my ARC has the address of my fiances parents home on it, not our rental. I hope that's not gonna be a problem)

At this point they issue me a new type of ACR card do they not?

Any advice is appreciated.

God bless..

R