Lots of Questions and 1st Post

[sjgusmc21 0]

Hi everyone. I have really, really enjoyed reading everything I can on this site. Thank you all for taking the time to post your experiences and time lines (I will post mine soon). My Fiancee lives in Makati (Philippines) and we had a wonderful visit together in May-June. All is going well, but I do have some questions. I have been reading soooo much on this site, that I feel like it is 'information overload', but that is a good thing! I sent my entire package (I-129F) into the Vermont Center on 9 Sept. and they received and signed for it on 11 Sept. I was expecting it to take a couple of months to either be approved or disapproved, but on 26 Sept, I received 4 emails from them saying it was approved! Wow! Is this the normal speed it take to get approval? Needless to say I was shocked, but estactic! When I started this process, I ordered a Fiancee Visa package off of the internet (PDF forms, instructions, binder with word for word examples, etc.) and it really has helped me a lot. However, it didn't mention anything about the NOA. Of course being new to this site, I was able to understand what 'touched' means, NOA1 and NOA2, etc. Today is the 28th of Sept. I was planning on visiting her for the Christmas holidays, but we are having second thoughts because of the speed of the first approval. I have come to believe that the two slowest points of this entire process will be the action at the NOA (forwarding to Manila Embassey) and how long it will take the Embassey to send her the packets (3 and 4), and to finally set up the interview. With all of that said, is it far fetched for me to think that it is possible for her to be here (here being Va with me) between a December-February timeframe? She has all of her paperwork with her allready (passport, NBI, birth certificates, etc., except for the medical requirements (I guess we will have to wait for what the Medical examiner will intstruct her for what she needs). My completed AOS and all other certified documents will be mailed to her express on the 15th of October (just got a new job, so need to get a pay stub, etc.). Again, I want to thank you all for your very detailed and thoughtful input on this site. I have had so many questions answered already. Thank you for reading my 'long' post. Take care, Stacy.

[joeyjoey 1]

Congratulations! Sometimes, I wish the staff at VSC would go out to CSC and give some efficiency training classes. 2 weeks for an approval is incredible. I am in month 3 and all I have is NOA1 and the IMBRA RFE! But we continue to wait patiently, with our teeth clinched, as we see all you VSC folk move on by in the Express line!

Again, Congratulations and best of luck to you both.

Joey

[YuAndDan 153]

First off do a time line and then look at the time lines here on VJ, Use K1 advance and filter for Philippines, this will give you an idea for time from NOA2 (Approval) until an interview. http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Second: The VJ terms can be found here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=definition

Thirdly you might read the guides to prepare the Affidavit of support I-134:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-application.html

Edited September 28, 2006 by YuAndDan

[chuckandkim 0]

Second thoughts??? Are you thinking of NOT going to the philipines for Christmas?

You should count your blessing and make the trip. It only helps strengthening your relationship with him than not. The speed of approval in VT is known, they are pretty good! However, the big time waster is the Consulate's interview. I don't know how bad it is with marriage frauds in the Philipines, but in Vietnam it's pretty bad and that causes so much delay and denies for the vietnamese petitioners.

Good luck and I say: have a merry christmas in the tropical weather!

[john_and_marlene 162]

You can probably plan on the NVC only taking about 2 weeks to assign a Manila case number and forwarding it to the Consulate in Manila. The timeframe currently for interviews in Manila is about 120 days from receipt of the package at the consulate until the interview. It would be reasonable for you to anticipate an interview around February.

[mybackpages 0]

Congratulations on your approval at VSC. Wow That was fast!

if you have a chance to visit in December before the consulate interview, it will only strenghten your evidence of an on-going relationship. Use the VJ timeline search for the Philippines K-1 and y ou can get a good estimate for the wait time between the NOA2 & interview.

Good luck on the rest of your journey and welcome to VJ!

[Ladylethal 12]

Just remember that you do not send her your completed AOS, but your completed I-134 and supporting documents. And it needs to be recent so you should inform yourself of processing times in Manilla Embassy before signing and dating eveything.

[sjgusmc21 0]

Second thoughts??? Are you thinking of NOT going to the philipines for Christmas?

You should count your blessing and make the trip. It only helps strengthening your relationship with him than not. The speed of approval in VT is known, they are pretty good! However, the big time waster is the Consulate's interview. I don't know how bad it is with marriage frauds in the Philipines, but in Vietnam it's pretty bad and that causes so much delay and denies for the vietnamese petitioners.

Good luck and I say: have a merry christmas in the tropical weather!

Thanks for the reply. Believe me, I would love to be with her then (and probably will). However, a new company has just taken over my contract, so I will have to go on vacation with unpaid leave. But that is OK. I just came back from there in June, and although we talk every other day, and Web Chat on the weekends, we miss each other greatly. However, we both agreed that if it looks like she might be here around Jan or Feb, then it would be better for us to save the money. I have been to the philippines more times then I can count (retired Marine) and I have found no other place that I feel more comfortable in (except Texas.. I love it there.....and am actually thinking about us retiring there in 3-5 years....(first things first though). Take care, Stacy.