K-1 Visa valid for 60 days or 6 months?

[Wings8823 0]

the visa being issued in the philippines is usually 6 months, but as what i have read in your story that you fiancee needs to come back after two months, in which i believe st. lukes found out in her x-ray a scar, so she has to undergo sputum test? st. lukes always give a result of her sputum test after 3 days or a week,,, but when you undergo a sputum test in needs to be cultured so they could identify if your fiancee is not positive in Tuberculosis.

Thank you for the reply. Yes... St. Luke's Hospital did find a "suspicious" spot on her lung, which as you stated, required a "sputnum test" to be cultured. My fiancee took two tests, the "AFB smear" and the "sputnum culture." Both tests came back negative. However, she was told to come back in February 2010 (2 MONTHS) to get the final results.

St. Luke's Hospital did NOT complete the tests results (i.e. 'sputnum') in 3 days or one week. It took 2 MONTHS. My fiancee had to call the hospital on February 15, 2010 as she was instructed to do before she could get an appointment for an interview.

[roseTX 0]

the reason why they ask your gf to go back there after two months becuase they need more time for the bacteria to grow in her sputum test sample. sometimes they will instruct you to call them after 3 days or a week, in your fiancee case maybe st. lukes staff just directly told her to come back after two months since if they let your fiancee call them after a week it would not make a difference she would still come back after two months. after st. lukes gives you a result after two months they will be the one to give another interview appointment is US embassy manila.

[Wings8823 0]

the visa being issued in the philippines is usually 6 months, but as what i have read in your story that you fiancee needs to come back after two months, in which i believe st. lukes found out in her x-ray a scar, so she has to undergo sputum test? st. lukes always give a result of her sputum test after 3 days or a week,,, but when you undergo a sputum test in needs to be cultured so they could identify if your fiancee is not positive in Tuberculosis.

Thank you for the reply. Yes... St. Luke's Hospital did find a "suspicious" spot on her lung, which as you stated, required a "sputnum test" to be cultured. My fiancee took two tests, the "AFB smear" and the "sputnum culture." However, she was told to come back in February 2010 (2 MONTHS) to get the final results. Both tests came back negative.

She has her Visa. She has been cleared to travel to the USA.

In all due respect, St. Luke's Hospital did not complete the tests results (i.e. 'sputnum') in 3 days or one week. It took 2 months. My fiancee had to call the hospital on February 15, 2010 as she was instructed to do before she could get an appointment for an interview.

In all fairness to the hospital and the embassy, it appears that maybe they were both overwhelmed and under staffed; hence, the long delays.

[Otto 83]

the reason why they ask your gf to go back there after two months becuase they need more time for the bacteria to grow in her sputum test sample. sometimes they will instruct you to call them after 3 days or a week, in your fiancee case maybe st. lukes staff just directly told her to come back after two months since if they let your fiancee call them after a week it would not make a difference she would still come back after two months. after st. lukes gives you a result after two months they will be the one to give another interview appointment is US embassy manila.

Are we talking about the same thing? Why would they issue a visa and expect the beneficiary to return to complete medical tests/follow-up? She could leave the day the visa was issued.

[Wings8823 0]

Please drop the pissy attitude. I not only read your post closely enough to realize you already know what I've known for a long time with regard to the normal validity period and terms of the K1 visa but I went a step further. This ain't my first rodeo. Now that you've confirmed that she actually plans to remain in the PI for past the current expiration date (Did you want us to assume this?) then yes, the solution to your problem is for her to contact the IV unit in Manila and arrange to have the visa validity period corrected. This will entail replacing the current visa with one bearing the appropriate expiration date. Do this as soon as possible, in case they actually have a reason for what they did, and you are left with no option but to have her travel within the validity period or start over. If they have a valid reason (can't think of one) then no amount of complaining is going to change that. I suspect it's an error they will be happy to correct if asked, making all the whining and complaining a waste of time and effort. Go to the source and ask them to correct the mistake.

Thanks for the reply "cowboy." By the way, you have a very attactive wife. Thanks also to Visa Journey and all the good people here at this site. This has made mine and my fiancee's "journey" a lot less stressful.

I stand corrected regarding my "pissy attitude." That comes about when it appears that someone wants to play "games." You have shown that was not the "case." Your recommenations are well taken... very much appreciated. Being that this is our first "rodeo," we did not know if the descrepancies are something you must tolerate.

We will contact the embassy. Her uncle is also a judge. Her cousin is a lawyer. However, I think this can be resolved by simply going to the "source" as you mentioned. This is probably not in their jurisdiction anyway.

Yes... It must be an error. Neither of us have any blemishes in our backgrounds. Her cousin who works for the Philippine NBI can further attest to that.

When I learned about the 2 month delay for my fiancee getting her tests results, I called the embassy. The lady I talked to was very nice, although, communicating in English seemed somewhat of a challenge. I respectully requested to speak with an American staff member to which she seemed reluctant to comply. To avoid arguing, I ended the converstaion.

Again... Thanks very much for the suggestions.

[Wings8823 0]

Are we talking about the same thing? Why would they issue a visa and expect the beneficiary to return to complete medical tests/follow-up? She could leave the day the visa was issued.

I know... It is "confusing." I ran into this same problem when I called the US Embassy about my fiancee's physical. I think it's a "language barrier."

Again, Saint Luke Hospital told my fiancee she would have to call back 2 months after the "sputnum" culture was taken to grow the bacteria. The hospital told my fiancee when she calls in February, if the 'sputnum culture' test negative, she could get an appointment for an interview.

She was given an interview and received her passport with the Visa 5 days later. Yes.... She can leave anytime to come to the USA. However, as I have mentioned, the "validity time" for her Visa is 60 days, not 6 months as it is suppose to be from the date of issuance.

Sixty days is simply not enough time for her to get her personal affairs in order and for us to get married. There must be an error.

[pushbrk 12,881]

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Sixty days is simply not enough time for her to get her personal affairs in order and for us to get married. There must be an error.

That's my take based on the information available. Time needed for personal affairs is personal. I would want to be certain whether it was a mistake or not. If not, bear in mind that most of the beneficiaries represented here take far less than 60 days after visa issue to arrive in the USA.

[minatours 0]

My fiancee lives in the Philippines. She went for her interview at the U. S. Embassy in Manila. The interviewer was courteous. There were no problems.

She received her new passport in 5 days after the interview, just as the Consular Officer said would be done. Here is the problem: The Visa issue date is March 2, 2010. The expiration date is May 11, 2010 (60 DAYS). K-1 Visas are valid for 6 months, allowing a person one entry to the USA "within six months from the issuance date."

When my fiancee told me about this today, I decided it was time to do more than merely contacting the USICS. Being that this is the weekend, with offices closed, I wrote to my Senator and Congressman disclosing full details about the "process" and what, hopefully, was just a "clerical error."

My fiancee went to Manila back in December, 2009 for her physical at St. Luke's Hospital. She was to be scheduled for an interview. Instead, after completing her physical, she was told that she would have to return in February, 2010 (TWO MONTHS LATER) for the test results. About 200 other people were told the same thing the same day.

My fiancee is a Registered Nurse, who works in the operating room. She informed me that at her hospital, it takes 1 week to receive the results of "cultures" taken, not 2 months.

While my fiancee and many other people took their physicals, all of the patients noticed that none of the St. Luke Hospital doctors, nurses and all other staff members were wearing name tags. There were no name plates at any of the office desks. My fiancee and all other people taking their physicals never knew the names of any of the hospital staff. It was like ALL hospital staff wanted to remain anonymous.

It was not just St. Luke's Hospital in Manila where all staff did not wear name tags. The staff in the U. S. Consular Section at the emabassy also do not wear name tags. There are no name plates on any of the office desks. My fiancee does not know the name of the Consular Officer who interviewed her.

Has anyone's fiancee had this same experience? If so, please let us know what you did to correct the problem.

Thanks.

6 months after the issuing date

[Wings8823 0]

That's my take based on the information available. Time needed for personal affairs is personal. I would want to be certain whether it was a mistake or not. If not, bear in mind that most of the beneficiaries represented here take far less than 60 days after visa issue to arrive in the USA.

Thanks.... point well taken.

I called the Embassy in Manila today (Monday their time). So that the confusion will be cleared-up for persons coming to the USA from the Philippines, this is the official ruling which is a combination of St. Luke Hospital's policy and the USA Center for Disease guide lines:

First, St. Luke Hospital physicals are valid for 5 months. However, the embassy issues K-1 Visa's that are predicated on when a beneficiary took their initial physical exams, not when all tests were completed. In the case of my fiancee, that was done on or about February 23, 2010 although her initial exam was December 9, 2009; hence, approxiately 60 days validity time for her visa.

Next, anyone who undergoes a physical and a "suspicious" spot is detected on their lung(s), they will have to submit a "Sputum Culture" along with an AFB Smear. With this in mind, according to the guidelines of the USA Center for Disease it is required that 2 months lapse for the culture to mature. The hospital and the embassy want all beneficiaries' lungs to be clear.

I agree with this to be safe for all people. Imagine flying in an aircraft and someone onboard has tuberculois. There is a strain of tuberculosis that is resistant to pennecilain (sp?).

Recommendation: Before your fiancee goes for a physical at St. Luke Hospital, have them go for a chest x-ray to be sure their lungs are clear. A spot can be anything. We cough sometimes merely to clear our lungs. Still, to avoid being stressed out, better to know before you go for a K-1 Visa physical.

[pushbrk 12,881]

Thanks.... point well taken.

I called the Embassy in Manila today (Monday their time). So that the confusion will be cleared-up for persons coming to the USA from the Philippines, this is the official ruling which is a combination of St. Luke Hospital's policy and the USA Center for Disease guide lines:

First, St. Luke Hospital physicals are valid for 5 months. However, the embassy issues K-1 Visa's that are predicated on when a beneficiary took their initial physical exams, not when all tests were completed. In the case of my fiancee, that was done on or about February 23, 2010 although her initial exam was December 9, 2009; hence, approxiately 60 days validity time for her visa.

Next, anyone who undergoes a physical and a "suspicious" spot is detected on their lung(s), they will have to submit a "Sputum Culture" along with an AFB Smear. With this in mind, according to the guidelines of the USA Center for Disease it is required that 2 months lapse for the culture to mature. The hospital and the embassy want all beneficiaries' lungs to be clear.

I agree with this to be safe for all people. Imagine flying in an aircraft and someone onboard has tuberculois. There is a strain of tuberculosis that is resistant to pennecilain (sp?).

Recommendation: Before your fiancee goes for a physical at St. Luke Hospital, have them go for a chest x-ray to be sure their lungs are clear. A spot can be anything. We cough sometimes merely to clear our lungs. Still, to avoid being stressed out, better to know before you go for a K-1 Visa physical.

So, in short are you saying Manila issues all K1 visas with an expiration date five months from the date of the medical exam?

Edited March 8, 2010 by pushbrk

[Wings8823 0]

So, in short are you saying Manila issues all K1 visas with an expiration date five months from the date of the medical exam?

"In short"..... yelp. That is what I was told. I agree, USICS should be more specific about the "6 months" validity.

[pushbrk 12,881]

"In short"..... yelp. That is what I was told. I agree, USICS should be more specific about the "6 months" validity.

USCIS has nothing to do with it. The Consular IV unit in Manila issued the visa in question. I'm not aware of other Consulates doing this. I expect it's because of the high instance of positive TB testing in the PI. That's why I asked if it's all Manila K1 cases or just those with TB issues at the medical?

[DaleB 0]

Thank you for the reply. Yes... St. Luke's Hospital did find a "suspicious" spot on her lung, which as you stated, required a "sputnum test" to be cultured. My fiancee took two tests, the "AFB smear" and the "sputnum culture." Both tests came back negative. However, she was told to come back in February 2010 (2 MONTHS) to get the final results.

St. Luke's Hospital did NOT complete the tests results (i.e. 'sputnum') in 3 days or one week. It took 2 MONTHS. My fiancee had to call the hospital on February 15, 2010 as she was instructed to do before she could get an appointment for an interview.

once she called did they set her interview and tell her where to go for the vaccination

that is needed just curious for my fiance is going thru the same. Thanks for your help