Manila Embassy Interview

[garya505 2]

I may have seen someone mentioned this before but i've having a difficult time in booking a one-way ticket through PAL. The error message that I received is "Sorry. We are having difficulty in validating your credit card. You may wish to enter details of an alternative card and try again. (M009)." Has anyone experienced this situation and if so successfully how did you get around this (besides using another card)? I used my VISA card. Aloha.

I have 4 different credit cards and none of them work on the PAL website. Apparently it's due to the Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by VISA they are using.

I have emailed them numerous times about this and all I get is a worthless canned response. I don't think they care if they sell tickets on their own website.

You can book PAL on Expedia for $5 more, that's what I did.

[robhankins 0]

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?" ...

Two words.... Plausible Deniability!

Personally, I suspect they don't want the grief associated with every AR or denial. It would further slow their bureaucratic process and be "unpleasant".

[RiggerAF 0]

That's one reason why I booked in advance and took the risk of hoping the visa is delivered in time. Anyway, good luck in your search for seats.

Thank you, We'll be flying via continental airlines tomorrow night. I am going to post my little experiences here about POE. Thanks for this wonderful community. Night and good mornng to all! Off the dreamland now.

Edited February 1, 2007 by RiggerAF

[garya505 2]

That's one reason why I booked in advance and took the risk of hoping the visa is delivered in time. Anyway, good luck in your search for seats.

Thank you, We'll be flying via continental airlines tomorrow night. I am going to post my little experiences here about POE. Thanks for this wonderful community. Night and good mornng to all! Off the dreamland now.

If you are on the CO flight to Guam and Honolulu I'd like to hear how it goes at the POE, and if it's done in Guam or Honolulu.

[oakwell 0]

Good luck to davidjack, binow and arch_n_cel who's interviews are today. And to anyone else not on our timeline list good luck to them too.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?"

I've read several posts of people who weren't quite sure whether they actually got approved or not. Do they blow fire out from their mouths if you dare to ask them?

You will not hear any word from the CO that you are already approved but you can see the PINK slip that says K APPROVED attached to your application forms.

After the interview with the CO you will then sit and wait for your number to be flash on the query board. You will then be given a pink slip and it is VISA DELIVERY FEE PAYMENT.

There is a reminder in the pink slip that says:

REMINDER: NO EMBASSY REPRESENTATIVE IS AUTHORIZED TO TELL APPLICANTS OR PETITIONERS THAT A VISA HAS BEEN APPROVED UNTIL A CONSULAR OFFICER AUTHORIZES PRINTING OF THE VISA. WE ARE UNABLE TO PREDICT WHEN AN APPLICANT WOULD QUALIFY FOR VISA ISSUANCE. DO NOT FINALIZE TRAVEL PLANS, DISPOSE OF PROPERTIES, OR RESIGN FROM YOUR JOBS UNTIL THE VISA IS ACTUALLY ISSUEd AND DELIVERED TO YOU.

In correction to my post. Sorry wasn't reading it right. duh! I was wondering the same thing and to my curiousity, I asked the lady at the immigrant visa call center and she said that eventhough you see a pink slip attached to your application forms the supervisor is still going to review it and sign it again for the authorization of visa to be printed and released.

Ah, ok. I was thinking that a final review was the reason but it seemed that nobody posting their interview experiences were explaining this and then many have had to deal with uncertainty as they await for the delivery of their Visas. What a gut wrenching experience to put us through! I understand that need to be thorough, but leave people in the dark the way the seem to do with some is barbaric.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?" ...

Two words.... Plausible Deniability!

Personally, I suspect they don't want the grief associated with every AR or denial. It would further slow their bureaucratic process and be "unpleasant".

Very true! COs would, more than likely, have spend extra time trying to explain why the beneficiary was placed on AR or denied (especially if the sponsor is there), which would slow down the process.

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?" ...

Two words.... Plausible Deniability!

Heh Sheriff, is that the same as saying CYA!!

Absolutely... That's why the COs always end the interview with, "Thank you now please wait in the lobby for your number to be called." Approved, AR, or Denied... Who knows!!!! In other works.... CYA!!! NEXT!!!

Edited February 1, 2007 by Sheriff Uling

[garya505 2]

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?" ...

Two words.... Plausible Deniability!

Personally, I suspect they don't want the grief associated with every AR or denial. It would further slow their bureaucratic process and be "unpleasant".

Very true! COs would, more than likely, have spend extra time trying to explain why the beneficiary was placed on AR or denied (especially if the sponsor is there), which would slow down the process.

Can someone explain why the Consulate upon completion of the interview will not come out and say, "Your Visa is approved?" ...

Two words.... Plausible Deniability!

Heh Sheriff, is that the same as saying CYA!!

Absolutely... That's why the COs always end the interview with, "Thank you now please wait in the lobby for your number to be called." Approved, AR, or Denied... Who knows!!!! In other works.... CYA!!! NEXT!!!

So the supervisor is reviewing it while you are waiting for them to call your number?

[Sheriff Uling 3]

So the supervisor is reviewing it while you are waiting for them to call your number?

I would speculate that you are absolutely correct, and, at the least, the supervisor signs off on the COs recommendation of each case. However, the COs know whether they are going to recommend that the beneficiary's case is going to be approved, goes on AR, or flat out denied during the interview process. It would be nice for them to at least inform the beneficiaries at the conclusion of the interview of their recommendation. I pressume there are some cases, far and few between, that the supervisions may override the CO's recommendation. However, this is all speculation on my part.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So the supervisor is reviewing it while you are waiting for them to call your number?

I would speculate that you are absolutely correct, and, at the least, the supervisor signs off on the COs recommendation of each case. However, the COs know whether they are going to recommend that the beneficiary's case is going to be approved, goes on AR, or flat out denied during the interview process. It would be nice for them to at least inform the beneficiaries at the conclusion of the interview of their recommendation. I pressume there are some cases, far and few between, that the supervisions may override the CO's recommendation. However, this is all speculation on my part.

well said!

[garya505 2]

I may have seen someone mentioned this before but i've having a difficult time in booking a one-way ticket through PAL. The error message that I received is "Sorry. We are having difficulty in validating your credit card. You may wish to enter details of an alternative card and try again. (M009)." Has anyone experienced this situation and if so successfully how did you get around this (besides using another card)? I used my VISA card. Aloha.

I have 4 different credit cards and none of them work on the PAL website. Apparently it's due to the Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by VISA they are using.

I have emailed them numerous times about this and all I get is a worthless canned response. I don't think they care if they sell tickets on their own website.

You can book PAL on Expedia for $5 more, that's what I did.

Just a follow up. Apparently the PAL website is broken and credit cards just don't work at all. I just got a report from a friend that even a SecureCode card will not work.

[soulm8z0928 0]

That's one reason why I booked in advance and took the risk of hoping the visa is delivered in time. Anyway, good luck in your search for seats.

Thank you, We'll be flying via continental airlines tomorrow night. I am going to post my little experiences here about POE. Thanks for this wonderful community. Night and good mornng to all! Off the dreamland now.

If you are on the CO flight to Guam and Honolulu I'd like to hear how it goes at the POE, and if it's done in Guam or Honolulu.

yes, same here. my wife and i may take the CO flight 2 guam, would b very interested in the POE experience there. btw, congrats on ur approval and finally getting ur sons visa, we all know how hard the "unknown waits" can be.

Edited February 1, 2007 by soulm8z0928

[sunandmoon 450]

I may have seen someone mentioned this before but i've having a difficult time in booking a one-way ticket through PAL. The error message that I received is "Sorry. We are having difficulty in validating your credit card. You may wish to enter details of an alternative card and try again. (M009)." Has anyone experienced this situation and if so successfully how did you get around this (besides using another card)? I used my VISA card. Aloha.

I have 4 different credit cards and none of them work on the PAL website. Apparently it's due to the Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by VISA they are using.

I have emailed them numerous times about this and all I get is a worthless canned response. I don't think they care if they sell tickets on their own website.

You can book PAL on Expedia for $5 more, that's what I did.

I experienced the same thing using PAL website. After several calls to PAL Reservations, they told me there was problem with the website. they couldn't take payment for online booking. they quoted me a price $200 higher than online to book by phone, so I booked thru LBC Travel.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I may have seen someone mentioned this before but i've having a difficult time in booking a one-way ticket through PAL. The error message that I received is "Sorry. We are having difficulty in validating your credit card. You may wish to enter details of an alternative card and try again. (M009)." Has anyone experienced this situation and if so successfully how did you get around this (besides using another card)? I used my VISA card. Aloha.

I have 4 different credit cards and none of them work on the PAL website. Apparently it's due to the Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by VISA they are using.

I have emailed them numerous times about this and all I get is a worthless canned response. I don't think they care if they sell tickets on their own website.

You can book PAL on Expedia for $5 more, that's what I did.

Just a follow up. Apparently the PAL website is broken and credit cards just don't work at all. I just got a report from a friend that even a SecureCode card will not work.

Can't you just call the airline up by phone? Most airlines have booking agents that can make the transition over the phone. Just a thought.

[garya505 2]

I may have seen someone mentioned this before but i've having a difficult time in booking a one-way ticket through PAL. The error message that I received is "Sorry. We are having difficulty in validating your credit card. You may wish to enter details of an alternative card and try again. (M009)." Has anyone experienced this situation and if so successfully how did you get around this (besides using another card)? I used my VISA card. Aloha.

I have 4 different credit cards and none of them work on the PAL website. Apparently it's due to the Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by VISA they are using.

I have emailed them numerous times about this and all I get is a worthless canned response. I don't think they care if they sell tickets on their own website.

You can book PAL on Expedia for $5 more, that's what I did.

Just a follow up. Apparently the PAL website is broken and credit cards just don't work at all. I just got a report from a friend that even a SecureCode card will not work.

Can't you just call the airline up by phone? Most airlines have booking agents that can make the transition over the phone. Just a thought.

Yes you can but the PAL prices are higher by phone. Sometimes higher than Expedia. Go figure.