Very strange interview requirement / request

[wine 1]

hi...the interviewer is interested to know if theyre not married coz the back of the childs birth certificate is possibly signed and acknowledged by the father. in the phils once the father acknowledges that the child is his own he has the also the authority over the child...so when the child has to leave with her mother to the US or anywhere outside the country she should secure a travel permit from the dept. of social services and development authorizing her to bring the kid with her and the father will issue a permit for his child to allow and accompany the mother...this is so to avoid human trafficking.....i hope this helps

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

If the applicant is paying his/her own way, they suspect fraud.

What about all those who never show any proof of support?

The trouble is, there is very little consistency/standardization in this process, or among COs...

[Dan and Judy 614]

I have been on VJ viewing various posts for over eight months now. In that time I think I have read every post regarding interviews to try and get my sweetie ready for anything. Well today we got blindsided by two different items that I have never heard of anyone else being asked or requested of.

Here is the background to the two items before I tell you what they are. First of all she is a single mom of a 6 y/o boy. She dated the kid's dad for a short time and they were never married. He has provided well the boy so she never has had any issues raising him. They have always been in contact so it was easy to get the dad's release so she can bring the boy to the States with her. The letter of release is signed and notorized. The second issue is that she has done very well for herself. She has had several good paying jobs that have lead her to buy her own house. She now owns and operates her own business that pays all her bills plus she helps an employee go to college and she helps support the rest of her family. With that said I have never had to support her from the States. I have only sent her money on occassion mainly as a gift to get a facial or massages. I have sent her money to cover all the expenses for the K1 process, medical, interview, flights and hotel to Manila.

OK with that being said her interview was today (yesterday in PI). She had a 6:30 and 6:40 appointment (don't know why the K2 was separate) Her name wasn't called until about 11. She got through the first interview just fine and only took a couple minutes. Now this my sound negative but the US portion of the interview was with an older Chinese/American guy. The interview took about 15 minutes with many questions. He got hung up on two items. One the interviewer wanted to see how I was supporting her now and why I wasn't sending money over to her. He wanted to see receipts from money transfers. She tried to explain the she was self supporting and didn't need my help while she was in PI. So she now is going to try and get printouts from PayPal and Western Union. Now here is the strange on. The interviewer wanted to see a Cenomar from her childs father. HUH?!?!?! I thought all we needed was a letter from the childs father. He also wanted to know the father's mom's madian name, cell phone number, place of birth, and a few other items. Has anyone run into this?

I am just venting right now but these two items seemed very unusual. We are still waiting for the results. If we don't get the visa I will be calling over there and or my congress person. I thought this experience may help others. My fiance had to catch an early flight out so I have not heard the final results yet. She had to go back to the Embassy at 1:30 for a follow up.

Quite simply because of your fiancee's unusual situation the CO is suspicious. It's unusual for these things to be asked for but I guess he can pretty much ask for what he wants.

He knows things can be bought in the Philippines so he is in effect being clever. He is checking bases that a scammer would not have thought to cover.

I think once he is satisfied they were not married you'll get the visa. Looking on the bright side, once she is here, she should turn you into a millionaire in no time

[happyblessedme 12]

Yes, she showed them her own Cenomar. I have just never seen any stories on here with this situation. She still communicates with the father and they are on good terms. So it would have been no problem getting a Cenomar from the father. I just have never seen anywhere were it states it is required. Now I understand that is kid is involved and I am all for the extra precautions but they need to list them somewhere.

The money one baffles me. Basically our great American Embassy doesn't believe a single mother over there can raise a child on her own without help! She is very smart and independent and doesn't need my help. My IRS forms and W-2's should be more than enough evidense of support when she gets here. Yes I have sent money from time to time as well as gifts and also given her all the money I had after my two trips over there. But once again, is supporting her while she is still in PI a requirement?

Sorry, I am just frustrated.

I am a single mom and raised my kids on my own.Glad they did not asked me how idid that?

Again the main reason of posting this is for the benefit for others who maybe in the same situation.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

hi...the interviewer is interested to know if theyre not married coz the back of the childs birth certificate is possibly signed and acknowledged by the father. in the phils once the father acknowledges that the child is his own he has the also the authority over the child...so when the child has to leave with her mother to the US or anywhere outside the country she should secure a travel permit from the dept. of social services and development authorizing her to bring the kid with her and the father will issue a permit for his child to allow and accompany the mother...this is so to avoid human trafficking.....i hope this helps

You couldn't be more wrong. Even if the biological father has signed the acknowledgement he still has absolutely zero parental authority or rights to the child without him seeking and being awarded specific rights in a family court.

Besides, the very fact that the acknowledgement is signed would contradict the assumption that he was married to her when the child was born.

Before giving advice please confirm your information. I know what I'm talking about due to personal experience first bringing Gabby over with Anna and now as we are in the process of bringing Carlo over. In both cases the biological father has signed the acknowledgment.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Bob 4 Anna

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Guys this is a good information for all of us. My only concern this time, I have 2 boys and I recieved court order regarding custody, together with my annulment papers. Should I ask from their father's consent on our interview? or the court order suffice enough for us to win at the embassy interview without asking the consent as we dont communicate at all and I dont know his where abouts as to where he is living.

Unless the court order terminated his parental rights then you will need to find him.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Unless the court order terminated his parental rights then you will need to find him.

If she can't find him, she will at least need to document the steps she took to locate him. She may need to hire a third disinterested party.

[jim 66 6]

The CENOMAR for the child's father is a strange request. I assume she did provide HER CENOMAR, right?

I guess it's possible that the CO was confused by the consent form from the father as it is absolutely not required unless she was married to him when the child was born. In the Philippines the mother of a child born out of wedlock has SOLE custody and parental rights to the child even if the father signed that back of the birth certificate acknowledging paternity.

Agreed. you do not need the fathers permission if never married.

[Jim N Augie 16]

Yeah I think it will depend on what your anullment papers say. In my case the anullment paper clearly assigned custody to the mother so I am not expecting to need a permission form. Jim.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Yeah I think it will depend on what your anullment papers say. In my case the anullment paper clearly assigned custody to the mother so I am not expecting to need a permission form. Jim.

Custody is not the same as "Sole Parental Authority". Unless the biological father's parental rights have been terminated you will be required to get his consent for the child to immigrate.

[Jim N Augie 16]

That is a possibility and in that country 3 people with same situation can have 3 different results. Jim.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

That is a possibility and in that country 3 people with same situation can have 3 different results. Jim.

First, it's better to have it and not need it...

Second, the travel consent at USEM is a requirement by DOS for the Visa to be issued, it has nothing to do with the DSWD Travel Clearance which is a Philippine Gov't requirement.

[Jim N Augie 16]

I agree it's better to have it. I have gotten so many different answers. But the first hurdle or test I believe will be at the CFO. Always looking to hear from similiar situations. The anullment we have places care and custody with the mother but your saying she will still need a letter from the father? Thanks, Jim.

[Jim N Augie 16]

I read the link you had "must have information" I found one example where there was an anulment and teh answer seems to be saying no letter needed. Did a law change? " Posted 22 December 2009 - 12:39 AM

QUOTE (godsgift @ Dec 21 2009, 07:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this are for illegitimate children right...? but what about the children who are legitimate.... born inside the marriage, but the parents are annuled and the custody of the child was given to the mother.... does the us embassy still req. the permission of the father....?

No, permission will not be required from the father. You need only to highlight that portion in the court decision where it states that the mother has been awarded custody of the child. "

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

I don't know if "godsgift" is still around here but I would say to contact her and see if it was required or not and get the exact wording on her Annulment.

Just remember you are dealing with 2 different governments and while ht be okay without a consent form the other could still want it.

In the US custody being awarded does not equal termination of the father's parental rights. The US immigration standard is not "who has custody" but rather "who has parental rights" so if the father still has parental rights then the Embassy SHOULD require the consent to immigrate from the father.