Marriage took place in the Phils., but wife is working abroad, UAE-Dubai How to file petition forms?

[gracefulife 0]

Hello dear VJ Members

Please I need your advice for my situation below.

1.)We got married in Manila, Phils. on Dec. 1, 2010, husband is back in the US and will start to work on I-130 Form, but I’m bit confused here , since I’ve been working in UAE-Dubai for 5 years now , and going home only to the Phils. for annual vacation, not sure which address I should write on the G-325A and I-130 (??) Should it be Dubai address / Or shall I write only Phils. address since that is my permanent address and will go back there for Interview. Or shall I rather get interviewed here in the US-Embassy- Dubai? Is it imperative that beneficiary’s : Consulate(US) must be in the country where Marriage took place for CR/IR1 Visa ? Has anyone had the same experience out there? Please, any light that you can shed on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

2.)Can I write my married name on all application forms even though I haven’t changed my passport yet? I’ve enquired with PHils consulate-Dubai but I need to submit Marriage Certificate from NSO which will take a while, as per my hearing maybe 6 mos before it could be released. Follow up question: Anyone has the knowledge how long the NSO can release Certificates after it was submitted by the Local Municipality? If so, Is there any way it can be faster? (note: I am only holding our original Marriage Certificate registered locally)

[Filipinawife0210 15]

Hello dear VJ Members

Please I need your advice for my situation below.

1.)We got married in Manila, Phils. on Dec. 1, 2010, husband is back in the US and will start to work on I-130 Form, but Im bit confused here , since Ive been working in UAE-Dubai for 5 years now , and going home only to the Phils. for annual vacation, not sure which address I should write on the G-325A and I-130 (??) Should it be Dubai address / Or shall I write only Phils. address since that is my permanent address and will go back there for Interview. Or shall I rather get interviewed here in the US-Embassy- Dubai? Is it imperative that beneficiarys : Consulate(US) must be in the country where Marriage took place for CR/IR1 Visa ? Has anyone had the same experience out there? Please, any light that you can shed on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

2.)Can I write my married name on all application forms even though I havent changed my passport yet? Ive enquired with PHils consulate-Dubai but I need to submit Marriage Certificate from NSO which will take a while, as per my hearing maybe 6 mos before it could be released. Follow up question: Anyone has the knowledge how long the NSO can release Certificates after it was submitted by the Local Municipality? If so, Is there any way it can be faster? (note: I am only holding our original Marriage Certificate registered locally)

Well, I can answer your follow-up question. You can obtain a certified xerox copy of the marriage cert from the NSO as soon as the marriage is registered. This copy will be blue in color, and will work for the intial petition. The certified original will be available in about 3 weeks once registered. This will be yellow, or green in color, and is what will be required at your interview.

As to your other questions, when filling out the G-325a, answer the questions as they are asked. Current address = where you are now. Since you have been there 5 years, you should only have to list your Dubai address since it is where you reside and the form states adress for last 5 years.... Vacationing in the PI doesn't count as a permamnent residence. Now, since you are living in Dubai, your hubby should list the US Embassy in Dubai as your consulate. NVC will assign your package to the appropriate embassy anyways. But since your primary residence is in UAE, you SHOULD be interviewed in Dubai.

Your name should reflect what is on your passport, since your passport name is what your visa will be issued to. I think there have been folks here who have changed the name on their passport after submitting their forms. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Hope this helps. Good luck and welcome to VJ!

Edited January 13, 2011 by Filipinawife0210

[gracefulife 0]

Well, I can answer your follow-up question. You can obtain a certified xerox copy of the marriage cert from the NSO as soon as the marriage is registered. This copy will be blue in color, and will work for the intial petition. The certified original will be available in about 3 weeks once registered. This will be yellow, or green in color, and is what will be required at your interview.

As to your other questions, when filling out the G-325a, answer the questions as they are asked. Current address = where you are now. Since you have been there 5 years, you should only have to list your Dubai address since it is where you reside and the form states adress for last 5 years.... Vacationing in the PI doesn't count as a permamnent residence. Now, since you are living in Dubai, your hubby should list the US Embassy in Dubai as your consulate. NVC will assign your package to the appropriate embassy anyways. But since your primary residence is in UAE, you SHOULD be interviewed in Dubai.

Your name should reflect what is on your passport, since your passport name is what your visa will be issued to. I think there have been folks here who have changed the name on their passport after submitting their forms. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Hope this helps. Good luck and welcome to VJ!

Thank you so much for your input, however, still I'm quite hesitant to start filling out the forms, I've heard from another that Consulate address of the beneficiary should be in the country where the marriage took place, how true is this statement?, I have yet to find out. If I can get a visa in Dubai that would be much better , since I could still earn some money while waiting for the VISA interview/Approval without the hassles of gong back to the Philippines in between. I'm also considering the medical requirements I have to go through once, I don't think this is a nice place for all sorts of those tests. I'm scared getting vaccinations by medical practitioner somewhat foreigner to me. Hope I can hear some more..

[Filipinawife0210 15]

I still think that your interview will be scheduled in Dubai, since that is where you live. I have known people personally in the past, who had their interviews elsewhere. One good friend had hers in Korea, even though she was a Filipina. As I said before, the NVC will assign the case to the appropriate consulate. Once you get your case number, you will know. The first three letters of the number are the consulate where you will interview. If it is MNL, you will interview in Manila. Fill out the forms, answer the questions as asked. Don't read into the questions.

[gracefulife 0]

I still think that your interview will be scheduled in Dubai, since that is where you live. I have known people personally in the past, who had their interviews elsewhere. One good friend had hers in Korea, even though she was a Filipina. As I said before, the NVC will assign the case to the appropriate consulate. Once you get your case number, you will know. The first three letters of the number are the consulate where you will interview. If it is MNL, you will interview in Manila. Fill out the forms, answer the questions as asked. Don't read into the questions.

Hi there, I'm doing fine with your worthwhile advice. Thank you.

Got one more to ask here.. In I-130 Form, C.17 What would it be? My husband's name (petitioner) or mine.. being the alien/relative?

I'm bit confused.