Received a package from US Embassy...ok to open?

[JNC 1]

Hi everyone,

You can view my signature and/or Timeline to see where we currently stand in the process...

My Fiancee just passed her Medical at St. Luke's on Friday, August 17th. We have the interview in one week, (August 24th) and my Fiancee received a package today at her home in Cebu from the US Embassy in Manila.

Is this normal? Is it just instructions, etc.....???

I just wanted to make sure this is not the infamous envelope with the corner cut off that we are not supposed to open right? We will get that after the Interview at the Embassy or it will be shipped with the Visa from 2GO, right?

Will she need the envelope that we received at the house for the Interview appointment or no? Reason I ask is because she is in Manila at the moment after doing her Medical and will be staying there until the Interview date, so I'd have to get the package shipped over via LBC or something.

Thanks for any input / advice.

J

[cardilene 26]

I really have no idea what package that is, or if the procedure is different from our category before (F2A).

But to somehow give you an idea on what the brown envelope looks like:

But if you have not been interviewed yet, then this is not the parcel your fiancee received,

nevertheless, that is the brown envelope that they are so meticulous about, they say that even the staple

is a security staple as well, anyhow, I just followed them, no biggie...

But for info, upon entry to the US, the border patrol guy, did not even bother to check the brown envelope,

he just ripped the plastic bag open and ripped the brown envelope as if its not a big deal for them,...

[jean♥bill 2]

You won't get the infamous "Brown Envelope" until after the interview and approval. This will have all the immigration documents in it and clearly state on the outside that it is only to be opened by immigration officials at the point of entry. My wife's came in a clear plastic wrapper or envelope that also includes your passport being returned with the visa attached. You can open the clear wrapper and get your passport but don't open or tear the brown envelope in any way.

Good luck! Almost there!

[X Factor 1,112]

You won't get the infamous "Brown Envelope" until after the interview and approval. This will have all the immigration documents in it and clearly state on the outside that it is only to be opened by immigration officials at the point of entry. My wife's came in a clear plastic wrapper or envelope that also includes your passport being returned with the visa attached. You can open the clear wrapper and get your passport but don't open or tear the brown envelope in any way.

Good luck! Almost there!

[southcalhog 43]

[JNC 1]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

So does anyone know if it is "normal" to receive a package from the Embassy at this point in the game?

And......would she need this package during our upcoming Interview or not?

I was under the impression that the Embassy in Manila did not send out any documents at all and everything is done online (DS Forms) and/or at the Embassy while we are there.

I'm flying over to Manila next week to meet her for the interview and just want to make sure all things are in order and this package isn't the beginning of some sort of headache or problem.

Thanks,

J

[DianeMark 2]

Our K1 interview was on 8/14 and my Fiancee received a delivery from the USEM by courier that contained our interview appointment letter.

[Messybrownhair 251]

Its probably just the appointment letter

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Its probably just the appointment letter

That's what I was thinking. Tell her to open it and read it and the mystery shall be solved!

[Mogambi 96]

Yeah, nothing you receive 'before' the interview is a problem to open. It's only the big brown one with clear instructions not to open it, that's the only one you need to worry about.

[mygrc 0]

JNC,

A slightly off topic question. I want to fly y fiance to Manila to get her medical, CFO and interview. I may have to fly her two times because I do not want to push it with scheduling too close.

It looks like you are doing everthing in one trip. How many days in advance did you have your fiance fly to Manila? I figure if she gets there in the afternoon one day, she can check in to her hotal that day and go to get her medical the next day. Then, if we can time the appointment right, we an have her do her CFO while she waits for her interview. How do I need to time this? Hw many days before her interview does she need to arrive in Manila?

Thanks.

[JNC 1]

Ok, thanks everyone.

She's in Manila already, so she isn't at the house to open it. We just got a phone call from the Nanny there saying that we had a "package" from the US Embassy... I'm getting it shipped to Manila.

mygrc - I was in the same boat as you.

If your girl is in Cebu, have her go do the CFO Seminar now....that's what we did, just to get it out of the way and then she can go back and get the sticker once 2GO delivers the Visa & Passport. I was originally thinking of having her do the CFO Seminar in Manila also and then get the sticker later in Cebu, but I got mixed reactions here on VJ about doing that and if it was possible or not, so I decided not to risk it.

We were on track to get the Medical done on the Monday the 20th and then do the Interview on Friday, the 24th, but then found out at the last minute that St. Luke's would be closed for two days for some Holiday. The Philippines has more Holidays than any Country I know......which isn't many....lol.

Anyway, some say that if there is no problems at the Medical, you just need about two days before the interview date. I personally think that is too close, so I would say give 5 days....you never know what can happen. If she has any problems there, then at least there is a couple days of cushion. It's well worth the extra couple nights of Hotel costs. If there is major problems like TB and/or Sputnum testing, then that can add weeks or months, so.....

Hope that helps.

J

[reginakrys 33]

Might be just the appointment letter. You WILL NOT receive the visa package until after your interview.

[reginakrys 33]

It looks like you are doing everthing in one trip. How many days in advance did you have your fiance fly to Manila? I figure if she gets there in the afternoon one day, she can check in to her hotal that day and go to get her medical the next day. Then, if we can time the appointment right, we an have her do her CFO while she waits for her interview. How do I need to time this? Hw many days before her interview does she need to arrive in Manila?

We did our medicals and interview in one trip. We flew to Manila 1 week before our interview date, and went for our first day of medicals right after we landed. I already attended the CFO seminar here in Cebu last December, but between our medicals and interview, we had a lot of free days.

It all depends on you, really. You could have her fly to Manila, have the first day of medicals on the same day, then attend the CFO seminar on day 3, then interview on day 4. But that would be pushing it too close, and doesn't leave much room for error.