Name different on Birth Certificate than Passport

[J and O 0]

Well...to begin with we are just about to begin the process of applying for a VISA. I leave for the Philippines on February 5 and will meet for the first time February 6. We are both very excited to meet face to face. After I return I will start an official time line of our events. So be watching for that to come.

My question is this however. She has her name misspelled on her birth certificate and her passport has the exactly same spelling with the same error. She wants to change the misspelled name on her birth certificate and has applied for the change, however that is not suppose to be completed until next month. Will there be a problem if the spelling of the name is different on her passport? OR should she just wait until she gets her VISA and arrives in the states to change the name spelling. OR should she change the name on her passport to match the birth certificate. Her funds are very tight...and I will probably have to pick up the cost and my thinking is to just leave everything the way it currently is and see about making the change once she arrives here...anyone else have this problem.

One more thing...can anyone give us anything we need to do during are meeting that will help with our process of getting her VISA? I am really very nervous about my upcoming trip...I fly from the states to Tokyo and then to Manila. I have never flown before so any help with this or things I need to know would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks.

JD & ON

[Betti 1]

I don't have an answer to the question regarding the birth certificate, but I hope someone else will answer this. Maybe you would get better answers if you posted your question in the Philippine-forum?

For the K-1 visa you will need to show proof that the 2 of you have met together withing the past 2 years. So make sure to keep all your boarding passes and take tons of pictures while you are there. With her and her family if possible. Some people add the time stamp to the pictures (you know the one that the camera puts on it) or take pictures with a local newspaper that shows the date. If you stay at hotels, keep the receipts and from everything else you buy, keep the receipts if they show the address of the store/restaurant.

Those are the main things I remember from reading VJ :-)

Good luck and a happy first meeting!

[J and O 0]

Thanks...I did find the Philippines section and will post this there hope someone can from there can help.

[evemonte 0]

Well...to begin with we are just about to begin the process of applying for a VISA. I leave for the Philippines on February 5 and will meet for the first time February 6. We are both very excited to meet face to face. After I return I will start an official time line of our events. So be watching for that to come.

My question is this however. She has her name misspelled on her birth certificate and her passport has the exactly same spelling with the same error. She wants to change the misspelled name on her birth certificate and has applied for the change, however that is not suppose to be completed until next month. Will there be a problem if the spelling of the name is different on her passport? OR should she just wait until she gets her VISA and arrives in the states to change the name spelling. OR should she change the name on her passport to match the birth certificate. Her funds are very tight...and I will probably have to pick up the cost and my thinking is to just leave everything the way it currently is and see about making the change once she arrives here...anyone else have this problem.

One more thing...can anyone give us anything we need to do during are meeting that will help with our process of getting her VISA? I am really very nervous about my upcoming trip...I fly from the states to Tokyo and then to Manila. I have never flown before so any help with this or things I need to know would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks.

JD & ON

i'd say just follow what is on the birth cert since it is the same name that appears on the passport. am not sure how long the process will take. i had a problem with my birth cert too and we had to fix it before my husband could file for the k1 visa. that took about 3 months to fix and leg work was done by my brother as i was living overseas then. transacting with the philippine bureaucracy is a test of patience. thing is, she might go through some kind of hearing to change the name, which is quite expensive and lengthy. i would suggest she better do a thorough research what really would entail to correct the spelling. if all her legal documents are the same as her name on the birth cert, just follow the birth cert.

if your are officially a couple now, it would be nice to bring her a little present from the states. not extravagant. if you're meeting her family, bring a little something for them too. chocolates would be fine (not M&Ms or hersheys or crunch. lots of those in manila.) read a little about philippines, culture and tradition. read up about the place she comes from and be able to at least know the major islands of the country (luzon, visayas and mindanao. hehehe.)

take lots of pictures of you together when going around and also with family and friends for evidence when you file the k1 petition. i'd suggest you read up on what is required on the k1 petition.

it is a long haul from the US to manila. i hope your lay over at narita is just a few hours. just relax and have a good time.

[AaronM 0]

Well...to begin with we are just about to begin the process of applying for a VISA. I leave for the Philippines on February 5 and will meet for the first time February 6. We are both very excited to meet face to face. After I return I will start an official time line of our events. So be watching for that to come.

My question is this however. She has her name misspelled on her birth certificate and her passport has the exactly same spelling with the same error. She wants to change the misspelled name on her birth certificate and has applied for the change, however that is not suppose to be completed until next month. Will there be a problem if the spelling of the name is different on her passport? OR should she just wait until she gets her VISA and arrives in the states to change the name spelling. OR should she change the name on her passport to match the birth certificate. Her funds are very tight...and I will probably have to pick up the cost and my thinking is to just leave everything the way it currently is and see about making the change once she arrives here...anyone else have this problem.

One more thing...can anyone give us anything we need to do during are meeting that will help with our process of getting her VISA? I am really very nervous about my upcoming trip...I fly from the states to Tokyo and then to Manila. I have never flown before so any help with this or things I need to know would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks.

JD & ON

When a person is born in the Philippines , there information gets put into a civil registrar at the local province their birth took place . Then when the parents or the person that was born ask for the birth certificate , that information on the birth needs to be sent to the national satistics office located in manila, philippines . Where they make the birth certificate , then from there the birth certificate gets sent to the person requesting the birth certificate . So to get the name changed cause it's an error , try to fix it at the civil registrar where her birth took place . The name change supposed to happen next month , when you hav'nt even meet yet in person and when the visa process takes 6 month to a year . No , i don't see you would have any problems because of her name change . Now if she would have her name changed after she receives her visa then you would have many problems .

When you go to the philippines , and if you both plan to get married there in the philippines . Have her apply for CERNOMAR (Certificate of no Marriage), and make sure she has a current photo id (SSS Photo ID) is the best (Social Security Systems). I will explain why in the philippines divorce is illegal , there is only two things that removes a marriage in the philippines , which is (a) death of your spouce (B) annulment , which i believe has to be within 30 days after marriage takes place . And for the ID , it's to prove who she really is . And the SSS ID is the most powerfull form of government issued ID in the philippines . And for you , you need to get an Affidavit in Liue of Contract to Conduct Marriage for American Citizens . From the US embassy either in Cebu or Manila , and ofcource you need your passport .

You need to prove you both meet in person within 2 years prior filing the petition , this is what i did (1) take photo's of both of you together (2) keep all receipts (3) Keep all boarding passes . When i meet my fiancee now my wife in the philippines , i used all the photos we had of us together . and the boarding passes from the both of us in cebu pacific . Which on the boarding pass , it says your name, date, age, and where you will be sleeping on the ferry . Take my advice while your there take your fiancee with you on an extra trip around the philippines using a ferry , it will do you both good . And in the future help you by establishing the requirement of meeting in person within 2 years of filing the petition . And the last thing when you put all this together have her send you a xerox copy of her photo id (Passport or SSS ID) cause if not all this just looks like just two people having their picture taken together . Or two people just on a ferry boat together , but not spending any time together .

And lastly , don't trust anyone in the philippines . I had my wallet stolen from a pit pocket in a bus from davao to lupon , and the people working on the bus were all involved . When some people in the philippines see an american , all they see is $$$$. Not all criminal types are in america , they are all over the world . And i have to say this the philippine people are very good people . There is more good ones than bad ones

[Filipina Lover 1]

You can't count on her paying for everything or really anything, the money has to come from you, everyone is poor in the Philippines

Probably too late now, but it's best to have an isle seat on that long flight and if possible the seat with nobody in front of you. Otherwise window. Take off and landing is the fun part, the rest is boring. Keep your wallet in your front pocket when you arrive, everyone will try to cheat you, I got cheated a lot, it's best if she can meet you at the airport and keep her with you at all times, so you don't get cheated. It's best to keep her with you at all times anyway, 24 hours a day.

Get ready to be shocked, it's not like any place you ever seen before.

I think you better get that passport to match the birth certificate, if I was in charge, I understand stuff like that, but some of these people think they are God and they want things perfect, but there is time to correct it, after you meet her, you have at least 3 months of waiting or at least 2 if you are lucky. If it was my girl, I think I would have told her to just leave her name the way it is and that's her name, nothing wrong with a misspelled name, but it's too late for that since she already applied.

Singapore Airlines has the prettiest flight attendants, they wear those pretty dresses. I like that airline. Nothing to be nervous about, there are a couple of magazines in the pouch in front of you, you can read those, usually you get your own TV unless it's China airlines, then they just have a big one for everyone to watch, but sometimes you can get it cheaper with China airlines. When you get nervous, just think of that beautiful Filipina that you will be with soon.

Don't drink the water in the Philippines, get bottled water, but you know that. Don't even brush your teeth with it.

Make sure you got her cell phone # to contact her in case of a problem, maybe even another # as a back up. make sure you both have seen a bunch of pictures of each other so you know what you each really looks like, I couldn't see my girl when I arrived, but she saw me. White people stand out there, I only saw 1 other white guy in a whole week.

Don't change all your money before you get there, you aren't allowed to bring in more than 10,000 pesos, you will get a better deal exchanging your money there, but you can exchange a little here $100 or $150 so you have something. You can bring all the American money you want. I'd keep it in more than one pocket. Save some pesos for when you leave, you have to pay tax before you leave, 750 pesos unless the price went up.

It's going to be so much fun. You did look over all the immigration fees right, you know how much it cost to do this. I just want you to know what to expect. Some guys don't realize how much money this costs. You should have $10,000 in the bank right now at least.

Remember that old movie called Vacation with chevy chase and he was in the desert and he wrecked the car and he asked the mechanic how much the bill was and he says all of it boy, that's how immigration is, when you open your wallet to pay, they just say all of it and you can't say anything because they will just pull out their badge and laugh at you.

People in the Philippines are really nice, you won't want to leave, even though it's so run down, you still won't want to leave.

[marklovetina 52]

i'd say just follow what is on the birth cert since it is the same name that appears on the passport- will not take u long to file a k1... :thumbs: . am not sure how long the process will take. i had a problem with my birth cert too and we had to fix it before my husband could file for the k1 visa. that took about 3 months to fix and leg work was done by my brother as i was living overseas then. transacting with the philippine bureaucracy is a test of patience. thing is, she might go through some kind of hearing to change the name, which is quite expensive and lengthy. i would suggest she better do a thorough research what really would entail to correct the spelling. if all her legal documents are the same as her name on the birth cert, just follow the birth cert.

if your are officially a couple now, it would be nice to bring her a little present from the states. not extravagant. if you're meeting her family, bring a little something for them too. chocolates would be fine (not M&Ms or hersheys or crunch. lots of those in manila.) read a little about philippines, culture and tradition. read up about the place she comes from and be able to at least know the major islands of the country (luzon, visayas and mindanao. hehehe.)

take lots of pictures of you together when going around and also with family and friends for evidence when you file the k1 petition. i'd suggest you read up on what is required on the k1 petition.

it is a long haul from the US to manila. i hope your lay over at narita is just a few hours. just relax and have a good time.