Some K1 Q's: Military member currently in Germany w/ Fiancee in Philippines

[A&M-Forever 0]

Greetings everyone...

I will be sending in a I-129F package very soon... I'm just waiting on my fiancée, who is in Davao, to send the required passport-style photo. As soon as I get that, the package goes in the mail!

My Q's mainly revolve around my current duty location, which is Ramstein AB, Germany. I know we are months away from most of this - but it has been driving the both of us a bit crazy:)

Here we go............

1) After we are approved - and after we are married (in the US, possibly Hawaii)...will she immediately be able to come with me back to Germany and live here with me as a legal permanent resident and Military dependent? I've been told yes...from an Immigration attorney and also my MPF (personnel office). But nobody has really told me what I would need to do to make this happen. Does anyone here have specific info on what actions I would need to take to ensure this happens?

2) My fiancée also has a 3yr old daughter (who I adore!) from a previous relationship. Will the child also attend the Medical appointment with her mom in Manila (even if she will be joining us within 1 yr of being married as required)?

That is all I have at the moment....I'm sure I will come up with a few more fairly soon!

Thanks in advance for any/all help and information!

M

[Tahoma 2,292]

Greetings everyone...

I will be sending in a I-129F package very soon... I'm just waiting on my fiancée, who is in Davao, to send the required passport-style photo. As soon as I get that, the package goes in the mail!

Hi M...congratz on your engagement...and welcome to VJ.

First off, make sure your fiancée sends you at least a dozen passport photos because I swear you will need all of them! My wife and I went through the K-1 visa process and the adjustment-of-status process, and I remember needing lots of her passport photos. I needed three or four of them just for the K-1 packet that we sent to USCIS. And I seem to remember that we needed to submit three or four more when she adjusted her status.

Oh yeah, I think she will need to submit her passport photo(s) when she does her medical at St. Lukes. Then, she will have to submit more passport photos when she attends the mandatory CFO seminar.

Maybe someone here on VJ remembers exactly how many passport photos are needed when you go through the K-1 and AOS process.

You will need a bunch of your own too.

My Q's mainly revolve around my current duty location, which is Ramstein AB, Germany. I know we are months away from most of this - but it has been driving the both of us a bit crazy:)

Here we go............

1) After we are approved - and after we are married (in the US, possibly Hawaii)...will she immediately be able to come with me back to Germany and live here with me as a legal permanent resident and Military dependent?

I don't know...but I would guess that your sweetheart would be able to go to Germany with you after you guys get hitched, since that is where you are stationed.

I've been told yes...from an Immigration attorney and also my MPF (personnel office). But nobody has really told me what I would need to do to make this happen. Does anyone here have specific info on what actions I would need to take to ensure this happens?

There are VJ members right here in the Philippines forum that have gone through the same experience. I'm sure that they will chime in with some good advice.

2) My fiancée also has a 3yr old daughter (who I adore!) from a previous relationship. Will the child also attend the Medical appointment with her mom in Manila (even if she will be joining us within 1 yr of being married as required)?

That is all I have at the moment....I'm sure I will come up with a few more fairly soon!

Thanks in advance for any/all help and information!

You're very welcome...and thank you for your service to our country!

M

[Scott and Mhay 57]

You will most likely have to get her on your orders to get her in germany as a SOFA dependent. I dont know how long you will plan on staying in hawaii, but you should be able to get a lot of the paperwork to bring her with you there. How much longer do you have in Germany?

Also, you can expedite your case because you are stationed overseas. You might want to try and call the Military helpline to answer these questions that you have too. They would be better equipped to help you on this and it is free. Call 1-877-247-4645 (1-877-CIS-4MIL)

As far as getting her to Germany as your dependent, the MPF should be able to fill you in on that...it may take some time and you may have to do that from Ramstein..so you MAY have to have more time apart after the marriage.

Have you looked into what it would take to get her a visa to germany and just marry that way? The military would help out with her visa to the US (and it would be expedited) when and if you go back to the US to be stationed.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Scott and Mhay

[Tahoma 2,292]

^ Scott...thank you for your service to our country too!

[A&M-Forever 0]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions!

I've just recently arrived in Germany - so I've got at least 2 years left here. And it will increase anadditional year after she would arrive (most likely anyway)...which is fine by me, as I love it here. I did look into bringing her here on a German visa, but it honestly looks more complicated than going the K-1 route...at first glance anyway. Perhaps I will take another look at it just to be sure though.

I am aware I can request expedited processing - so I am hoping that will make things move rather quickly. Fingers crossed anyway.

Additional Questions:

1) Say we get married in Hawaii....she flies directly from Manila to Honolulu, goes through immigration....and has her passport/K-1 Visa stamped...will she then be ok to leave Honolulu ( after the marriage) and travel to the mainland with me (before we head to Germany)? I'm sure the answer is yes on this, but just wanted to double-check to make sure this wasn't an issue.

2) Can she go ahead and start putting together all she will need for the medical exam and interview now? There aren't any specific date requirements on any of the required documents (birth cert, CENOMAR, etc.) are there?

[Tahoma 2,292]

1) Say we get married in Hawaii....she flies directly from Manila to Honolulu, goes through immigration....and has her passport/K-1 Visa stamped...will she then be ok to leave Honolulu ( after the marriage) and travel to the mainland with me (before we head to Germany)? I'm sure the answer is yes on this, but just wanted to double-check to make sure this wasn't an issue.

You guys will be fine traveling within the U.S. However, it might be a good idea to steer clear of the south Texas/ New Mexico/Arizona border-area checkpoints until she has her green card.

About ten days after your sweetheart arrives in Honolulu, take her down to the Social Security office and get her a Social Security number. She can use her maiden name. Then, after you're married, she can go back down to the Social Security office and file for a name change to her married name. It's all free. Don't wait until near the end of the 90 days to get her a Social Security card, because you can run into problems.

Also, a few days or so after you are married, go down to the county clerk's office and pick up a few copies of your official notarized marriage certificate. You will need an original to submit when she adjusts her status. It's also a good idea to carry around a copy with you when you are traveling...before she receives her green card...just in case.

2) Can she go ahead and start putting together all she will need for the medical exam and interview now? There aren't any specific date requirements on any of the required documents (birth cert, CENOMAR, etc.) are there?

I believe that her CENOMAR and her NBI clearance should be dated somewhat close to her interview date...within a month or two. You don't want to take the chance that the USEM consul officer will tell your sweetheart that she passed her interview, but her CENOMAR and her NBI clearance are stale. They could require her to submit updated ones before they will issue her visa. Am I being paranoid?

Also, before her interview, I sent my wife a copy of our complete K-1 packet, along with my I-134 and the other required financial documents.

[Filipinawife0210 15]

Also FYI, When you get your orders ammended, and she joins you in Germany, you DO get to file a voucher for her. Include all of your visa fees, and everything associated with getting her visa. You will also get reimbursed for her airfare, and she'll get per diem. Good to know info!

[RVIANE♛ 5]

Also FYI, When you get your orders ammended, and she joins you in Germany, you DO get to file a voucher for her. Include all of your visa fees, and everything associated with getting her visa. You will also get reimbursed for her airfare, and she'll get per diem. Good to know info!

thats what my husband did

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Hmm I guess I will have to talk to the personnel flight to see if I could still do this seeing my ex is still in the area and she was on my orders when I came back from korea...I just did a dependents remain overseas.

I dont know if they would do it in my case...but I guess all I can do is try right?

[Filipinawife0210 15]

Hmm I guess I will have to talk to the personnel flight to see if I could still do this seeing my ex is still in the area and she was on my orders when I came back from korea...I just did a dependents remain overseas.

I dont know if they would do it in my case...but I guess all I can do is try right?

They only pay the voucher if they come to the states.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

I am in alaska...not korea right now. So I am in the "states", just not lower 48

Alaska is considered an overseas assignment but I am in the United States...so I guess I will just ask the question.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Scott and Mhay

[Darnell 8,479]

re: the child. Suggest strongly she attends the interview, as K-2 status, with paperwork done prior to the interview.

[A&M-Forever 0]

Thanks for all the great information everyone...However........

We have now decided to marry in the Philippines...as I'm in contact with a fellow military member who just brought his wife over to Germany from the Philippines and it seems this will be the best route to go for us. The whole process for them (from marriage to her arriving in germany took roughly 4 months...and they said it could have went even faster had they know some of the stuff that I already know. They were also delayed a week with her stuck in the UAE due to the Volcanic ash shutting down all the flying here in Europe.

We are now trying to prepare for a June wedding...and after the wedding, we'll just have to wait ~90 days for the I130 to process here locally in Frankfurt. Once that is approved, I can get her a SOFA stamp (as the wife of a military member) and she can come here after that.

Lots of things to do both before the wedding and after the wedding but it will all be worth it.

So, I have a whole new set of questions to ask....(SORRY!)

1) Marriage License application: I read where 'in some cases' she can apply for the marriage license application at the local civil registrar BEFORE I get there. We would like to do/try this...as I am fairly low on available leave/vacation days I have from my job...we would like to get this ahead of time to eliminate the need for us to wait the required 10 days after I get there. is this indeed possible? Has anyone tried/done this? What I read said we could do this, and then I would just need to get the 'Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry' at the US embassy in Manila - once I arrive in June. Then we take thatto the same place she applied for the marriage license where they should hand us our approved marriage license immediately.

2) Since we plan (or are required) to apply for the Marriage License in her home Province (Davao/Tagum City), must we get married there in the same Province....or are we allowed/able to travel to Manila for the wedding...or perhaps even Boracay (we both love it there!)? Or must it be completed in davao/Tagum.

3) What can she do now to help us ensure a June wedding happens?

I'm thinking:

CENOMAR

Birth Certificate

Baptismal Certificate

Passport Photos (2x2 w/ White background)

Get a Passport for her 3yo daughter

Passport Photos (2x2 w/ White background) for her daughter

CFO seminar (return after marriage for stamp/sticker)

We don't know at this time if we would like a church wedding or a civil wedding...would love to hear your experiences on both!

Thanks again everyone!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Good luck on getting the license done before you get there....but if she knows anyone in municiple hall it will go faster...we could have had ours after about 4 or 5 days if I wouldnt have taken 26 days of leave. Just have your fiancee talk to municiple hall. My wife did try to start the license before I got there, but they wouldnt do that....need to be present to apply for the license....BUT of course there will be someone that has done it without being there....i think I read about someone getting married first and then signing the license later (license wasnt ready in time, but it was a civil wedding).

I'm not sure about your second question....never did the research on that.

The church wedding was nice, but with the catholic church there is stuff that you have to do to make it happen (even if you are catholic) You may need more time than what you can take to do a church wedding. Like I said, I was there for 26 days and we could have been married in less than 3 weeks because my wife had some connections...we did nothing illegal and didnt grease any palms...we did wait 10 days for the license because I had the time....I showed up on 8 August and married 29 august 09....guess it was 21 days.

You might have to do a civil wedding, but have your fiancee talk to the church to see if you could possibly do it....they will give you the requirements...we had to do a seminar that was 2 days....the days were 2 weeks apart. I didnt get much out of it because it was mostly in tagalog....but I was there. It sucked...flew in late saturday night and sunday morning at 8 am we were at the seminar.

[A&M-Forever 0]

Thanks Scott....

It looks like I will be able to take 16 days of leave (give or take a day)...so we are looking at having 14 days in country. She is asking her church on Monday...as well as talking with the Civil Registrar about trying to start the license before I get there. I'm fully expecting them to say no though

So hopefully I'll know more tomorrow...

Scott...one more quick question....

Did you have to get 'permission from your commander to marry abroad', such as a letter or anything like that giving you the go-ahead? If so...did the US Embassy in Manila ask to see it when you went there to get the 'Affidavit in Lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry'?

My friend who just did what I'm trying to do told me he didn't ask for permission, didn't bring any letters saying he could marry in the Philippines, and also that the US Embassy did not ask to see anything like what I'm describing. However, everything I read says that I have to bring this to the embassy before they will issue the Affidavit. So, color me confused on this one....