Traveling back together from Manila

[Erichu 0]

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

[john_and_marlene 162]

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

We had nothing out of the ordinary with our interview. The visa was delivered 19 days later. We rescheduled our flights twice.

[belladona_ph 0]

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

hello!

getting the visa is not the end point yet for your fiancee. upon approval of her visa she has to undergo the counseling requirement for spouses/ fiancee of foriegn partners under the Commision for Overseas Filipinos. This is a one day orientation for fiancee/fiance/spouses. It is a requirement that one should undergo and have the certificate attached to the passport.

you are 100% sure if you all submitted the required documents and as long as the consulate don't ask for additional evidence. Then you can fly back together here and get ready for the following. upon marriage, report marriage to the Philippine Consulate in the U.S.A so that they will make an ammendment to her passport : her married name, then file for Adjustment of Status for 2 year conditional permanent resident..and yes have a lot of patience.

Good luck and Maayong Pag abot!

Jan

[garya505 2]

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

We are planning almost the same thing. I plan to meet my fiance in Manila just before the interview, go to the interview with her and request VISA pick-up in person. Then we will pick up the VISA the following week. From what I've read here they have the VISA ready to pick up 1 to 3 business days after the interview so this should be no problem if we allow a full 5 days. Then we will go pack and have a going-away party in her hometown the next weekend before we leave. In the worst case, the VISA pick-up is delayed and we have to wait for the VISA and reschedule our flights.

I would think in the worst case you might have to spend a few more days in Manila and reschedule your flights so you might want to be prepared for that just in case.

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

hello!

getting the visa is not the end point yet for your fiancee. upon approval of her visa she has to undergo the counseling requirement for spouses/ fiancee of foriegn partners under the Commision for Overseas Filipinos. This is a one day orientation for fiancee/fiance/spouses. It is a requirement that one should undergo and have the certificate attached to the passport.

you are 100% sure if you all submitted the required documents and as long as the consulate don't ask for additional evidence. Then you can fly back together here and get ready for the following. upon marriage, report marriage to the Philippine Consulate in the U.S.A so that they will make an ammendment to her passport : her married name, then file for Adjustment of Status for 2 year conditional permanent resident..and yes have a lot of patience.

Good luck and Maayong Pag abot!

Jan

Yes I forgot about the CFO. I think the CFO seminar requires the passport which is kept by the Embassy until the VISA is issued (so they can attach the VISA?). So, I would think the CFO seminar would need to be before the interview or after picking up the VISA, right? Also, according to the CFO web site, the seminar requires the VISA present, but I know people who have done the CFO before receiving their VISA so this doesn't make sense.

[rebelheart 0]

Yes you could do it "but" Yes its risky too..... just be sure:

1) Upon the schedule of interview ... u still don't know your chances of passing the interview, though as you've said that your case is smoothly running. If after interview and your positive & advised you approve the visa, upon paying for delbros to send the visa to you, "dont forget" to give a specific address, like the hotel you will be staying for them to update your delivery address only for her passport and visa ( me & my husband done this at our time since we decided to stay in a hotel till our departure, eventhough I originally resides within the City.

- As you've said picking-up the visa @ US embassy, maybe someone had advise about this, since I believe it's in a case to case basis, depends on the Officer evaluation.

2) CFO Seminar - She could attend this seminar in Manila, since both of you will stay in Manila until your departure, the venue is at Quezon City and it's not that hard to get there, when she received her passport, tUS embassy will attached their information/direction about the CFO Seminar & venue. Just be sure to Attend very early, so you could finished it in whole day having her CFO sticker & stamp on her passport.

- passport is needed when you attend CFO Seminar, because you could finished it in 1 day, and having no passport, you will be asked alot of documents to show, because your passport & visa are not presented. They will let you attend, pay for it and pass the seminar but you gonna be back again in their office for another day or so only to bring your passport for stamp/sticker and verify your approved visa.

Staying in a hotel will be fine, waiting for 7-10-15-20 days is OK, be sure its a very well alotted time for you to received the passport with visa and attend the CFO. As john_and_marlene says, he got trouble before of adjusting the date of their ticket purchased and paid extra bucks for it.

Also, don't forget to track down the US & Philippines holidays .. in counting days of waiting.

Goodluck!

-rebelheart-

[BASIL 0]

I made the plane reservations before i flew to Manila to meet Hazel for the interview. She told the interviewer that she had plane reservations already the interviewer would not allow me in the interview for some reason.

They allowed her to pick up her visa that afternoon.

dont forget u also have to take the visa to the cfo office. we had to stop in Manila on our way home from General Santos after getting her bags to pick up the cfo approval to board the plane.

I made the reservations because that was the only way to make sure we both were on the same flight.

Edited October 24, 2006 by BASIL

[garya505 2]

Hmmm, it could be better to do the CFO after receiving the VISA, that way no return visit to the CFO is needed?

[belladona_ph 0]

Hmmm, it could be better to do the CFO after receiving the VISA, that way no return visit to the CFO is needed?

the right way is visa first before CFO. The CFO requires a visa.. I hope they stick to this policy..The CFO and The Mary Euphrasia Center, should follow strict regulations they made. When I had my orientation, a lot of hapless fiancee there at a lost.. like their flight was that night and yet they don't have yet the CFO certificate.. there are cases too in bringing a minor child or like child travelling alone..this time it is DSWD you deal with..

At least after doing the CFO, that is the time one can relax.. just make sure you follow the travel restrictions..No Pirated Materials please.. then just have enough patience..

Basically the orientation at the CFO for spouses will brief them on what to do after arrival: file for report of marriiage, file for AOS.. in case fiance drops the fiancee, she can do a self-petition and CFO will give a list on where to contact in case of domestic violence, which is very important. have a list too of filipino communities or communities from countries you came from.. be assertive and be vigilant, be resourceful

[gobdogman 0]

You can do the cfo before your interveiw but you will need to go back and have your passport stamped afterwards.

Also i dont see where the original poster is giving time for medical at st. lukes, that is 2 days of time also.

There are many instances where even if you have been approved at the interview level you will still wait for AR and it can take unknown amount of time for this process.

You can go to the Manila embassy thread and see many people that had been approved and given the paper to pay delbros for delivery of visa and they still waited long periods of time.

It would be nice if you can do the process and fly home together and i hope all works out for you but i would make sure you have plenty of extra cash and time just incase any unforseen complications.

Edited October 24, 2006 by gobdogman

[garya505 2]

The physical exam can be done well in advance of the interview (as soon as the interview date is assigned) so that should not be a problem.

[Erichu 0]

Thanks all of you!!! These are very helpful responses. Mari is planning to fly up on a separate trip to do the medical well before the interview. Gary, she is arranging to do this with another VJ member once we have received the embassy packet. If your fiance wants to coordinate times as well, that might make it easier for her not to be alone for those two days.

It sounds like we should allow at least a week between the interview date and flight to USA so the CFO interview would be easily fit in and we will be sure to tell the interviewer of our flight plans so they will try to turn things around in reasonable speed.

Any more relevant info would be great!! Please keep this thread alive as I'm happy to know we are not alone in trying to fly back together shortly after the interview. Mari could make the trip alone but we both prefer to go back together and make it ASAP after the interview.

[garya505 2]

I'm happy to see that we are not the only ones with this plan. We also plan to do the exam on a separate trip, but I can't be there for both exam and interview (and wait for VISA) so she will do the exam trip alone. She has a friend in Manila who will meet her at the airport and stay with her for the days she is there for the exam, which is really nice. It looks like our interviews may be very close so there is a possibility of meeting up for the exam.

So, I plan to be there about 1-2 days before the interview, then stay to pick up the VISA and for the CFO. Then we can have our party (roast a pig!) and head for the US. I'm planning for 2 weeks there, that should do it. If things are delayed we will just reschedule.

Eric - PM me ok?

[Yodrak 7]

Erichu,

I had a very similar plan, allowing 5 days after the interview to clean up any issues. Like you I was very careful about preparing the required information. Unfortunately, the Panel Physician who did my stepson's medical exam was not as careful in filling out the medical report as the consular officer wanted him to be, and insisted we go back to have the physician mark either 'yes' or 'no' to the question about whether the 2 year old boy had ever been pregnant. We were able to turn in the completed medical form the next afternnoon, but the consular officer had taken off for 2 weeks of vacation.

One just never knows.

Yodrak

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

[mikeball12001 0]

Hi guys,

Mari and I have come up with a plan for handling the interview and travel back from Manila to the USA and I would appreciate any information on whether it is a reasonable one.

We are quite confident that we will be approved at the interview. I know nothing is 100% certain but we have a very simple case and Mari and I are very careful and thorough in preparing the required information.

Our plan is that I will meet her in Davao a few dasy before the interview, help her finish packing for the big move, fly to Manila together with all her stuff and check in at a hotel, go to the interview together, remain in Manila, a few days later go to the embassy to pick up the Visa, and then fly to the USA together. So we would book our flight to the USA for five to seven days after the interview date.

Are you aware of anyone who has done this or planning to do this? Is this plan just too risky?

Thanks!!!!

yes it is they will not let you pick up visa at the embassy they always ship it out you can however give them the adress of the hotel where your staying and they will deliver there

[garya505 2]

So now we have heard it both ways - that you CAN pick up the VISA and you CANNOT, so which is it? Picking up the VISA isn't the same has having it delivered to your hotel.