May 2011 Filers

[lilly1986 5]

Guys, visa in Hand!!!!!!!thx everyone for the support so far! i feel very lucky that from filing till interview it was only 5 month. I am very blesssed and i am sorry for u guys still waiting. The good thing is IT WILL COME!!!i admire ur strength dear mayfilers who not approved yet! u r great ppl and ur love for each other must be really strong to survive all this!!!

Good luck once again everybody!!!!

Tom, nice to see your back, i was asking all the time: where did he go??

another question: they made a typo on aarons (Petitioner) last name on my visa in my passport. i read on here that it does not matter as long as my information is ok. i send the embassy an email. Does anyone know something about that? his lastname ends with "M" and they put "H".

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!!

[southcalhog 43]

Guys, visa in Hand!!!!!!!thx everyone for the support so far! i feel very lucky that from filing till interview it was only 5 month. I am very blesssed and i am sorry for u guys still waiting. The good thing is IT WILL COME!!!i admire ur strength dear mayfilers who not approved yet! u r great ppl and ur love for each other must be really strong to survive all this!!!

Good luck once again everybody!!!!

Tom, nice to see your back, i was asking all the time: where did he go??

another question: they made a typo on aarons (Petitioner) last name on my visa in my passport. i read on here that it does not matter as long as my information is ok. i send the embassy an email. Does anyone know something about that? his lastname ends with "M" and they put "H".

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!!

Lea CONGRATULATIONS to You Both!! I am so Glad for you guys! Yes I was gone awhile for many reasons ,but im back to support the rest of us that hasnt completed their journey yet! As far as the Typo error I wont comment on it. I really dont know? Maybe Ray_J will comment on that or another Filer that has knowledge on that!.............GOOD LUCK!!!

Edited October 22, 2011 by southcalhog

[Ray-J 2]

Okay, VJ'ers... here's where I'm at in the process now. As most of you might know already, we passed the embassy interview. We had specified for her visa to be held for pick-up at 2Go at SM Bicutan. However, when we went there to check on it we found out that location had gone out of business. This prompted me to make another trip to the embassy to inquire about our options. Amy forgot to bring her visa payment receipt to the interview, which they never asked for. This worked out in our favor because the embassy never sent out her visa for delivery due to no proof of payment. They told me that all we have to do is bring the receipt to them and we can pick-up her visa from the embassy. That was relief number 1 today.

I had a bit of frustration again with the NSO (National Statistics Office (for those not familiar with Philippine government)). We've been having issues getting Serena's birth certificate from them. The NSO says that her BC is in a verification period and that they wouldn't be able to release her BC until Nov. 22. The problem is that we're supposed to leave on Nov. 11 and Serena's CRBA interview is this coming Friday. When I was at the NSO this past Friday, they told me that if I came back with the civil copy they'd be able to release the BC. That proved to be false. I asked to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor I spoke with directed me to go back to Manila City Hall and speak to Ms. Aurora Guzman (very nice lady). She was the one who gave me hope that everything might actually come together. She said that the embassy knows how slow the process is in the Philippines and will accept a civil copy if it is printed on security paper. I had to pay an additional fee for copies on the security paper and was asked to return the next day. I'll be glad to be done with this 3-ring circus governmental system.

[IYAAYAS05 1]

well good luck to you Ray-J... sounds like you're having a bit of fun there! i heard from the embassy this morning and they said our visa went out today (24th), so hopefully with any luck it'll be in her hands this week and then i can fly her out this weekend or during the week next week. i'd wait til another weekend, but i'm just so impatient to get here.

[YozhikandBulochka 3]

Ray J are you and your family coming back together? Through Chicago? Thats awesome if so. I would love to accompany my girlfriend and son from Russia but I guess I will be waiting for them in JFK =)

[Nicoco 26]

Update.....Ice is in a flood zone in Thailand, there is a national emergency and diseases are spreading fast.....

[Ray-J 2]

Ray J are you and your family coming back together? Through Chicago? Thats awesome if so. I would love to accompany my girlfriend and son from Russia but I guess I will be waiting for them in JFK =)

Well, that remains to be seen. We still have to go through Serena's CRBA interview on Friday. We're cutting it close because it takes two weeks to get an approved CRBA documentation and US passport to Manila from Phoenix. However, we now have Amy's visa in hand. I was able to pick it up from the embassy because Amy forgot the receipt from the visa fee. So, if you want to get your visa at the embassy, forget the visa payment receipt at home "accidentally." But, tell the person who helps you that you were told by the gentleman at window 46 that you could get it if you bring in the receipt. I'm going to state that I know I probably got really lucky by being able to pick it up at the embassy.

[IYAAYAS05 1]

However, we now have Amy's visa in hand.

luuuuucky!! good luck to ya, hope you all can make it outta there before they come up with some other bs way to squeeze more money out of ya. dont forget the 750php each for terminal fee to leave... made that mistake my first time leaving the PI and was a hassle to scrounge up the money, almost missed my flight.

[southcalhog 43]

Well, that remains to be seen. We still have to go through Serena's CRBA interview on Friday. We're cutting it close because it takes two weeks to get an approved CRBA documentation and US passport to Manila from Phoenix. However, we now have Amy's visa in hand. I was able to pick it up from the embassy because Amy forgot the receipt from the visa fee. So, if you want to get your visa at the embassy, forget the visa payment receipt at home "accidentally." But, tell the person who helps you that you were told by the gentleman at window 46 that you could get it if you bring in the receipt. I'm going to state that I know I probably got really lucky by being able to pick it up at the embassy.

Good Luck Ray_J..I know its a trying time but You close!

[usaf&cop 4]

Hello May Filers, looks like everybody here have their visa already, after 141 days since NOA1, we got RFE and we are now waiting for the hard copy so we will know what document they need from us.

[Ray-J 2]

luuuuucky!! good luck to ya, hope you all can make it outta there before they come up with some other bs way to squeeze more money out of ya. dont forget the 750php each for terminal fee to leave... made that mistake my first time leaving the PI and was a hassle to scrounge up the money, almost missed my flight.

Yeah, I made the same mistake here in January. The airline helped me out. I have that covered this time for all of us.

Good Luck Ray_J..I know its a trying time but You close!

Yep, so close now. CFO seminar is now done. Amy is cleared to leave. We ran into a couple who went through a CRBA with their child a while ago. We learned about a 3,000 Peso fee from Philippine Immigration for an exit stamp because Serena was born here, despite her being a USC. This is one thing that I didn't know about and didn't account for. Thankfully, my mother is with me and has my back. I just have to light a fire under some backsides at the embassy to get her papers and passport here before we leave.

[newhallone 2]

Riza finally got her Visa today. It was a 20 day wait for some kind of review. They never did say why. At least we have some peace of mind as we finish our plans. I fly out in one month to go get her. I pray everyone else gets theirs soon who has not already.

[Ray-J 2]

Riza finally got her Visa today. It was a 20 day wait for some kind of review. They never did say why. At least we have some peace of mind as we finish our plans. I fly out in one month to go get her. I pray everyone else gets theirs soon who has not already.

Congrats! Depending upon where she lives, she'll need to start the CFO process at either SMEF-COW or PRISM. She'll need 2 copies of her passport and visa. If she doesn't have them and goes to PRISM on Taft, there's an internet cafe around the corner that has a copier. The fee for the first part of the CFO process will be 250 pesos with an optional 100 peso fee for a copy of everything they covered in the seminar. She will also be interviewed by a counselor. If either of you were previously married, she'll be asked about those relationships and why they ended. She'll be given a yellow card at the end and told to make 2 copies of that as well. Then, she's off to the CFO office to get her sticker in her passport. The fee there is 400 pesos. After that, she's clear to leave. There's also a form that can be filled out ahead of time for the CFO. I've attached it to this post.

CFO Registration.pdf

Edited October 26, 2011 by Ray-J

[jaimeyandrea 0]

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee finally approveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee welcome noa2

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee finally approveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee welcome noa2

[YozhikandBulochka 3]

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee finally approveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee welcome noa2

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee finally approveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee welcome noa2

Congrats =)