Manila Embassy Interview

[lirachadsbaby 0]

Hi guys! Do you know any hotel which is near the St Luke's Medical Center? I checked Pan Pacific but its booked. Im gonna be having my medical next month with my 3 yrs old son and I would just want to spend the night in a hotel rather than going back and forth from Angeles City. Any input will be very much appreciated, thanks.

You can go to asiatravel.com. They show all the hotels near the embassy and SL. If you wait til next month the room rental will probably be a little higher. You can go any time to get the medical as long as your interview is scheduled. Make sure you are not having your menstral cycle when you go.

Good Luck, Dean

You can add us to the interviews. St Lukes 10 May; interview 17 May.

Congrats to everyone that got thiers too.

Chad and Mides

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU ARE ALMOST THERE.

Dean

Thanks a lot!

Hi! we are planning an early medical too. would you like to join us? it would be great to know you and some of our batch here.

Good luck!

[dims1 0]

Hi,

Just a heads-up for those gettin ready for their physicals....

If you don't already know.... Silly girl made an excellent step by step guide for going through St. Lukes and the process. My wife was very thankful for this famous story.

You can download and print it from the link at the bottom of my post.

God Bless,

Mike

[lirachadsbaby 0]

Hi,

Just a heads-up for those gettin ready for their physicals....

If you don't already know.... Silly girl made an excellent step by step guide for going through St. Lukes and the process. My wife was very thankful for this famous story.

You can download and print it from the link at the bottom of my post.

God Bless,

Mike

Thanks! Mike. I already have that, a friend also suggested. This is very exciting. pld help us pray for our success.

[chipsahoy 3]

David-Mae Forever :: Oh okay.. Good luck and God bless on your process then. Also for the rest of the girls who will have their medical and interview.

[carrob 0]

Hi guys! Do you know any hotel which is near the St Luke's Medical Center? I checked Pan Pacific but its booked. Im gonna be having my medical next month with my 3 yrs old son and I would just want to spend the night in a hotel rather than going back and forth from Angeles City. Any input will be very much appreciated, thanks.

----------------------->

i hope this helps .........

I had my medical exam 10 days ago and had stayed at the Paragon Tower Hotel (I am not sure if it's a 2 or 3-star hotel) at Flores st, 2nd building from Bocobo St (just right across the vacant lot for parking beside St. Luke's) .... standard room rates are at P1500 each with a queen size bed or 2 single beds... as they were all booked on the day of my medical exam, i got the P1900 room with a king-sized bed... All these rooms has bath tubs and clean bath towels and free breafast for 2 ... i found about 3 smaller hotels near that area which offer P1200 to P1500 rooms but i thought they were not as safe and as clean sa Paragon and i think it;s the best among the hotels that are about less than 100 meters away from st. luke's. we had stayed in Paragon too when I accompanied a friend to her medical examination 2 years ago

Paragon's contact no: 526-5541

BTW, I joined the line at St. Luke's at 3:45am and was able to get out by 10am... but i had to go back the following day for immunization and the result

[orimai 2]

Seems to be a whole horde of us for May hehe. I will call out at the Embassy on the morning of the 16th, so you all can say under your breath "Hey we know that nut, he told us he was going to call out" lol

Good Luck All!

Orimai

[Glenn & Rosemarie 0]

Hi guys! Do you know any hotel which is near the St Luke's Medical Center? I checked Pan Pacific but its booked. Im gonna be having my medical next month with my 3 yrs old son and I would just want to spend the night in a hotel rather than going back and forth from Angeles City. Any input will be very much appreciated, thanks.

You can try Palm Plaza Hotel http://www.palmplazahotel.com/index.html . It is very convenient to St. Lukes and the US Embassy. The rooms are nice, internet connections in the room for laptops, food is good. It is adjacent to Robinsons Mall in Malate and TGIFridays is a stone throw away. They publish rates online, but they have always given us P2000 ($40) per night rate. I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Galleria in Ermita many times and it was a $100 plus a night. Palm Plaza is a much better value.

[Glenn & Rosemarie 0]

Well, our long journey is finally finished. I just got off the phone with my asawa after having been on pins and needles all night and day today. Her interview was yesterday at 6:30 am, and we have been having bad phone connection problems. Her text messages are not reaching me here. So anyway...her interview experience was very positive. She was out by 10:45 am. She was escorted inside at 6:30 am with the other CR-1 interviewees, then was finger scanned not long after, then waited for the pre-interview. Her pre-interview was completely painless - the standard questions we've all seen here. The screener took the cards and letters I had sent to her and then she sat down to wait for her interview. She was interviewed by a female consular officer and had a great time. Again, the questions were mostly repeat from the pre-interview. She said it was very easy. We had practiced drilling down most of the questions that are posted in the guides here. The officer asked to see some photographs, so Milah Jean held up her fat album jammed with 200 pics. The officer said to give her 5 pics, so she selected a nice assortment. One of the pics was from our wedding day when two doves were released. Both actually landed on the front of her dress!!! It was a fun pic with her very surprised look and me laughing. The officer laughed also, so it made her feel very good. She did not ask if she was approved, but was told to sit down and wait to be called again. After her number came up again, she received a pink slip and was told to pay DELBROS and to wait for delivery. She received a text message from DELBROS confirming her phone number later, so I guess she has signed up for the Hot Line now so she will receive text delivery updates. I also see her case number on the DELBROS website, so I can check progress during the next week. So, if all goes well, she'll receive that coveted visa before I depart for Manila on March 24 to be reunited.

I've got to say that our gracious God has blessed us with an unbelievable and incredible gift. We had a very unique set of circumstances that we prayed very hard that would somehow work out, in spite of very dismal odds. We chose to do the CR-1 process due to the fact that we'd not need to do the AOS needed with the K-3, but it depending completely on timing. The entire time we have been wading through this complex process, she had been finishing her college education. We learned in January that her graduation was scheduled for March 30, so what were the odds that I could travel here to attend her graduation, the first in her family, and ALSO somehow have that visa in hand during a very narrow two week travel window so I could be her escort to her new home in America?? Well, it happened...interview on March 15, I arrive March 25, graduation is March 30, departure day for her new home is April 5, also her birthday!! Yes, we don't have the visa yet, so it's not completely guaranteed, but we could have NEVER imagined that everything could have been so perfectly choreographed. Praise God!!

Again, best wishes to all who are nearing the end of their long journeys, especially Mike and Lorna up next on Monday, and to all who have just begun this arduous process. It's a test of strength and love and courage and it will cause you to weep with both joy and sadness and cringe with agony. But the reward...ecstacy!! The time actually flew by, and the hardship and great distance did indeed strengthen our relationship. We are so very anxious to celebrate our new lives!!! Wow, can it really be?? Indeed, it is real and it is now! Yippee!!!

God Bless

Michael and Milah Jean

Congratulations Michael and Milah Jean, I am happy to read that God's direction took you in the direction that you needed to go here. God bless you both.

Glenn & Rosemarie

[49BSTREET 0]

Hello everyone,

I'm on my way to the Philippines today to be with my fellow on his interview for the 21st. Wish us luck and I will update you all when I return on the 23rd.....

Best wishes to Wes on the 20th and all that follows me after the 21st....

I'm hoping for the best for everyone.....

[Jeff and Boo 0]

Well, our long journey is finally finished. I just got off the phone with my asawa after having been on pins and needles all night and day today. Her interview was yesterday at 6:30 am, and we have been having bad phone connection problems. Her text messages are not reaching me here. So anyway...her interview experience was very positive. She was out by 10:45 am. She was escorted inside at 6:30 am with the other CR-1 interviewees, then was finger scanned not long after, then waited for the pre-interview. Her pre-interview was completely painless - the standard questions we've all seen here. The screener took the cards and letters I had sent to her and then she sat down to wait for her interview. She was interviewed by a female consular officer and had a great time. Again, the questions were mostly repeat from the pre-interview. She said it was very easy. We had practiced drilling down most of the questions that are posted in the guides here. The officer asked to see some photographs, so Milah Jean held up her fat album jammed with 200 pics. The officer said to give her 5 pics, so she selected a nice assortment. One of the pics was from our wedding day when two doves were released. Both actually landed on the front of her dress!!! It was a fun pic with her very surprised look and me laughing. The officer laughed also, so it made her feel very good. She did not ask if she was approved, but was told to sit down and wait to be called again. After her number came up again, she received a pink slip and was told to pay DELBROS and to wait for delivery. She received a text message from DELBROS confirming her phone number later, so I guess she has signed up for the Hot Line now so she will receive text delivery updates. I also see her case number on the DELBROS website, so I can check progress during the next week. So, if all goes well, she'll receive that coveted visa before I depart for Manila on March 24 to be reunited.

I've got to say that our gracious God has blessed us with an unbelievable and incredible gift. We had a very unique set of circumstances that we prayed very hard that would somehow work out, in spite of very dismal odds. We chose to do the CR-1 process due to the fact that we'd not need to do the AOS needed with the K-3, but it depending completely on timing. The entire time we have been wading through this complex process, she had been finishing her college education. We learned in January that her graduation was scheduled for March 30, so what were the odds that I could travel here to attend her graduation, the first in her family, and ALSO somehow have that visa in hand during a very narrow two week travel window so I could be her escort to her new home in America?? Well, it happened...interview on March 15, I arrive March 25, graduation is March 30, departure day for her new home is April 5, also her birthday!! Yes, we don't have the visa yet, so it's not completely guaranteed, but we could have NEVER imagined that everything could have been so perfectly choreographed. Praise God!!

Again, best wishes to all who are nearing the end of their long journeys, especially Mike and Lorna up next on Monday, and to all who have just begun this arduous process. It's a test of strength and love and courage and it will cause you to weep with both joy and sadness and cringe with agony. But the reward...ecstacy!! The time actually flew by, and the hardship and great distance did indeed strengthen our relationship. We are so very anxious to celebrate our new lives!!! Wow, can it really be?? Indeed, it is real and it is now! Yippee!!!

God Bless

Michael and Milah Jean

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[49BSTREET 0]

Glenn,

How are things with your wife? Is she still trying to adjust to the new ways of life?

I hope things are getting better, hang in there....

[oakwell 0]

Hi guys! Do you know any hotel which is near the St Luke's Medical Center? I checked Pan Pacific but its booked. Im gonna be having my medical next month with my 3 yrs old son and I would just want to spend the night in a hotel rather than going back and forth from Angeles City. Any input will be very much appreciated, thanks.

Best Western La Carona is about 400 meters from St Lukes and about the same distance to the US Embassy. We stayed there in February.

[Dean/Gra 0]

Well, our long journey is finally finished. I just got off the phone with my asawa after having been on pins and needles all night and day today. Her interview was yesterday at 6:30 am, and we have been having bad phone connection problems. Her text messages are not reaching me here. So anyway...her interview experience was very positive. She was out by 10:45 am. She was escorted inside at 6:30 am with the other CR-1 interviewees, then was finger scanned not long after, then waited for the pre-interview. Her pre-interview was completely painless - the standard questions we've all seen here. The screener took the cards and letters I had sent to her and then she sat down to wait for her interview. She was interviewed by a female consular officer and had a great time. Again, the questions were mostly repeat from the pre-interview. She said it was very easy. We had practiced drilling down most of the questions that are posted in the guides here. The officer asked to see some photographs, so Milah Jean held up her fat album jammed with 200 pics. The officer said to give her 5 pics, so she selected a nice assortment. One of the pics was from our wedding day when two doves were released. Both actually landed on the front of her dress!!! It was a fun pic with her very surprised look and me laughing. The officer laughed also, so it made her feel very good. She did not ask if she was approved, but was told to sit down and wait to be called again. After her number came up again, she received a pink slip and was told to pay DELBROS and to wait for delivery. She received a text message from DELBROS confirming her phone number later, so I guess she has signed up for the Hot Line now so she will receive text delivery updates. I also see her case number on the DELBROS website, so I can check progress during the next week. So, if all goes well, she'll receive that coveted visa before I depart for Manila on March 24 to be reunited.

I've got to say that our gracious God has blessed us with an unbelievable and incredible gift. We had a very unique set of circumstances that we prayed very hard that would somehow work out, in spite of very dismal odds. We chose to do the CR-1 process due to the fact that we'd not need to do the AOS needed with the K-3, but it depending completely on timing. The entire time we have been wading through this complex process, she had been finishing her college education. We learned in January that her graduation was scheduled for March 30, so what were the odds that I could travel here to attend her graduation, the first in her family, and ALSO somehow have that visa in hand during a very narrow two week travel window so I could be her escort to her new home in America?? Well, it happened...interview on March 15, I arrive March 25, graduation is March 30, departure day for her new home is April 5, also her birthday!! Yes, we don't have the visa yet, so it's not completely guaranteed, but we could have NEVER imagined that everything could have been so perfectly choreographed. Praise God!!

Again, best wishes to all who are nearing the end of their long journeys, especially Mike and Lorna up next on Monday, and to all who have just begun this arduous process. It's a test of strength and love and courage and it will cause you to weep with both joy and sadness and cringe with agony. But the reward...ecstacy!! The time actually flew by, and the hardship and great distance did indeed strengthen our relationship. We are so very anxious to celebrate our new lives!!! Wow, can it really be?? Indeed, it is real and it is now! Yippee!!!

God Bless

Michael and Milah Jean

WOW! What a fantastic story. CONGRATULATIONS to you both, have a wonderful and happy life. May God bless your marriage.

Gra and Dean

[CherylandMike 0]

sillygirl,

Could you update CherylandMike too? Interview May 16. Embassy said they received the file Feb 26.

Thanks!

[Dean/Gra 0]

Hey, that is a good deal for a round trip ticket. Can you share what consolidatior you used? I'm looking for the cheapest ticket I can find for a trip back to the Phils.

I purchased our tickets on Northwest Airlines. Her ticket, one way from Manila to Oklahoma city was $900. I purchased mine thru a consolidator for $975 round trip.

For those of who don't know, there are "consolidators" or "bucket shops" that buy international airline tickets only in bulk from the various airlines, then resell them to the flying public. These usually have several "representatives", which are usually a home based business kind of deal. There is some risk involved, but I have never had a problem using them. There are some serious restrictions using them, like not being able to reschedule your flights without some serious penalties. Also they will sometimes not be able to give you the dates you want. During the high seasons, like Christmas, you can forget it, they don';t have any tickets to sell. The one I use most of the time is JJ Bargain Travel. It is owned a fil-am couple in Brea, CA. Very nice couple, but it is not a travel agency so don't expect too much. Their web site is: http://www.jjbargainstravel.com/traveldeal...;OVMTC=standard

The seats and everything is else is the same as buying from a travel agent or the airlines themselves, including using your frequent flyer miles number