Truth & The Visa Process

[honeybadger 0]

We have not been in this process long by the standards of some and yet very long by the standards of others. We first submitted our petition on March 3, 2008, after consulting an Immigration Attorney. If I had to do it all over again, I would NEVER use an attorney. He did very little except have someone "proof-read" my work and offer "bad" advice. The "bad" advice was telling us NOT to get married in the Philippines. He said it was much better and faster to file a K-3 and that it did not matter that I was living in the Philippines at the time, as he would file for me as my agent in the U.S. One of the supposed issues the USEM has with our case is that I have lived in the Philippines TOO LONG! I have been here a year the 3rd of this month (September). I thought (mistakenly) that by having a long term, in-person relationship, the Embassy would surely be convinced that we had a strong bond, that we are serious and not the kind of "sham" they seem to be worried about. Not so!

When we were at the USEM on August 26, 2008 for our interview, I was denied access to the interview and then the Consul Officer (CO) began to berate Honey (my fiancee) for spending too much time in my house, saying that she was living in sin and for dating an American instead of Filipinos. She was extremely rude and disrespectful but had no grounds to deny the visa.

Instead they dreamed up the issue of "No U.S. Domicile"! They claimed that because I had lived in the Philippines for nearly a year, I had no home in the U.S. The address I claim is indeed my sister's house, but I have a room there, my furniture is there, my car is there (although now being used by my son), all my personal belonging are there and it is my official residence according to the U.S. Department of Defense from whom I receive a retirement check and according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, from whom I also receive a retirement check. It is the address from which I filed both Federal and State Income Tax, and it is the address I use for both of my banks and both of my investment organizations. I do not have any address in the Philippines as the house where I live is in my fiancee's name. Besides that I'm here on a "Tourist Visa", which by its very nature is temporary. Even when presented with all this verification, the Visa Section Supervisor (name withheld for now) seemed skeptical. Finally we were called back and they took back Honey's Passport and told us to pay the visa packet delivery fee. I asked what about the domicile issue and we were told it was "resolved", that no further proof was needed.

A week later, we had not heard from the USEM or DELBROS, so I called the U.S. Citizens Service and spoke with Grace. After several misdirections she explained that the visa was being delayed because................................. there was an issue about me not having a "U.S. Domicile". Without ripping the phone out of the wall I managed to tell Grace to go ask the Visa Section Supervisor. She left for a long time and when she returned she said that I was right that my domicile was "no longer and issue." I asked her what was now holding up the visa and she said "document verification."

The problem that poor Grace has is that she talks to so many people its hard for her to remember who she has told what to. She did not remember a conversation that she and I had BEFORE the USEM interview when she confirmed that document verification had been "COMPLETED"! Hmmmmm! I told her she might want to double check that and sure enough she came back on line and said that DV had in fact been completed. Naturally I asked what NOW was holding up the visa. Her response was that "...there are a lot of blocks to be checked!" When asked "what blocks" Grace was unable to provide an answer but said that if I would call back in two to three weeks it should be done! When I said that sounded like a long time, she said to call back the next Friday and we should have "happy news!" As I write this I'm leaving out all the times I was given wrong extension numbers to call and wrong times to call and the refusal to provide me the name of the CO. There were so many misdirections and obvious attempts to detour, delay and deceive I felt I was dealing with "Liars Anonymous" not the US Embassy.

This is now September 23rd, nearly a month after the interview. Since my call to Grace we spent the extra pesos to call the call center last week since it seems so hard to get the TRUTH from Grace! The call center advised us that the visa was "Under Review" but could not explain what that process was or why it was taking so long. The lady did admit that the particular CO who was working our case seems to take much longer than the other COs!

I have written my U.S.Senator and Representative as I think the professionalism and honesty of the USEM is at stake here. I can only pray that one of them can at least get an honest answer from the USEM but I'm not hopeful!

The bottom line is simply this: Getting a visa from the USEM is a "GAMBLE" based on luck of the draw as to which CO you get. No matter what the USEM tells you, it is probably a lie. If you do not get your visa within the first week after your interview prepare yourself for a very long wait! While millions of illegals are entering the U.S. every day, those of us who play by the rules are stuck here.....waiting..........................................................

[*JG* 2]

I am so sorry.

Please hang in there.

[STEPHnRIA 2]

I wonder how they could sleep at night knowing that there are lives that they are making so miserable.

[HoneySkin 0]

it seems that sometimes one just cant get clear guarantees from the USEM. I have a feeling that some COs "operate" based on their mood or am i wrong? Hoping that you get your visa sooner.

[Mikko 0]

I am in the same predicament as your are. We have been following up with the USEM every week and still the same answer: The papers are with the CO as of this time, all I have to do is wait."

It is almost a month now since our interview and we are still waiting...and waiting...

[akdiver 3]

Just curious how old your fiance is.

[honeybadger 0]

Just curious how old your fiance is.

She is 30 years old.

[STEPHnRIA 2]

I am in the same predicament as your are. We have been following up with the USEM every week and still the same answer: The papers are with the CO as of this time, all I have to do is wait."

It is almost a month now since our interview and we are still waiting...and waiting...

Mikko, who was your consul? Can you describe her? Did you go to window 29?

[Mikko 0]

Mikko, who was your consul? Can you describe her? Did you go to window 29?

It was a lady in her 40's...I forgot the window #...

My interview schedule was 7am. Was interviewed around 9am then finished everything by 10:30...

[SeiChii 1]

im sorry to hear that. i been living in the philippines for almost 3 years now and my husband interview will be on the 29th. im worried about the us domicile they will ask.

all i have is the prooft of my California Driver lincense

bank statement

landline phone no.

and i let my sis use my name for her prepaid cellphone.

please advice thanks

[Filiricans 3]

The entire visa process is really frustrating, our case is still under review by the Consul don't know until when we will wait for the visa. Good luck to us all. God bless.

[honeybadger 0]

im sorry to hear that. i been living in the philippines for almost 3 years now and my husband interview will be on the 29th. im worried about the us domicile they will ask.

all i have is the prooft of my California Driver lincense

bank statement

landline phone no.

and i let my sis use my name for her prepaid cellphone.

please advice thanks

Check out the US Embassy Manila website. It has a memo on "Poving US Domicile" and lists the things you will need. I also suggest that you put all proof into a folder marked "Proof of Domicile" and force the Pre-screener to take it. If they had looked at my proof first, I don't think we would be waiting...and waiting...and.....

[honeybadger 0]

Hi guys!

an update????

stilll no visa until now! :crying:

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I wonder how they could sleep at night knowing that there are lives that they are making so miserable.

They don't care. They go home to their families at night while those in the process wait and wait. There is no compassion.

[HappyDancer 7]

I am so sorry for what happened. Well, that CO is probably the most stuck up individual in the world. I have a feeling she was the one who interviewed one of the VJ members here where she had to throw a fit and make a scene that she was being bribed by the beneficiary. How pathetic can it get? We all do everything the legal way and this is what we get. Very nice! I applaud the red tape and absence of fairness.