Traveling back together from Manila

[sillygirl 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!!!!

Although you can ask to have your visa picked up, there is no assurance that the consul will agree to it. You might want to schedule your flight at a much later date if you don't want the hassle of rescheduling (and the fee that goes with it) . 5 to 7 days for visa delivery is being a little too optimistic.

[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!!!!

Although you can ask to have your visa picked up, there is no assurance that the consul will agree to it. You might want to schedule your flight at a much later date if you don't want the hassle of rescheduling (and the fee that goes with it) . 5 to 7 days for visa delivery is being a little too optimistic.

So, if they don't allow you to pick it up, they will allow delivery to a hotel near the Embassy, yes? This will take more than 5 to 7 days?

Also, allowing a few more days for the VISA adds hotel expenses for days that might not be needed, so it's probably better to plan for a week and then see what happens.

Edited October 24, 2006 by garya505

[belladona_ph 0]

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.

you just have to update the consulate on how you want to recieve your visa, normally they deliver it to the address you filled in the forms.. but if you inform the consulate after your interview where you want it delivered or if you will pick it up , i guess they would consider that

[Erichu 0]

Im curious about picking up the visa at the USE Manila after approval. i see that a few posts show picking it up 2 days after approval but the embassy info seems to suggest that it takes a week. Can anyone shed some light on this ?

Visa pick up is at the discretion of consul and is allowed on a case-to-case basis and almost always, only when the US citizen is present and personally requested it.

I was scanning through the embassy interview thread and saw this useful tidbit. PatientlyWaiting is a very reliable source and so this part of the plan would likely be OK. We're still going to call the embassy and hear what they say. On the whole, the info I find in VJ is MORE reliable and realistic than the official sources who never want to commit to anything.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Erichu

[garya505 2]

Im curious about picking up the visa at the USE Manila after approval. i see that a few posts show picking it up 2 days after approval but the embassy info seems to suggest that it takes a week. Can anyone shed some light on this ?

Visa pick up is at the discretion of consul and is allowed on a case-to-case basis and almost always, only when the US citizen is present and personally requested it.

I was scanning through the embassy interview thread and saw this useful tidbit. PatientlyWaiting is a very reliable source and so this part of the plan would likely be OK. We're still going to call the embassy and hear what they say. On the whole, the info I find in VJ is MORE reliable and realistic than the official sources who never want to commit to anything.

We will be interested to hear what the embassy says about picking up a VISA.

[Erichu 0]

We will be interested to hear what the embassy says about picking up a VISA.

Mari called the USE and, no surprise, they will not commit to anything regarding Visa pick-up. As always, VJ is my best source of information. Here, I have read and heard from a number of sources that, as long as the USC is there for the interview, they almost always will permit a Visa pick-up. I'm comfortable now that we will be able to obtain this. So it sounds like the plan is going to be workable provided I look at a little longer period in Manila after the interview, maybe 7 to 9 days.

Yes, there is a small risk of the whole thing being held up and if it happens, I will have to fly home and Mari will make the trip herself to the USA when the Visa comes through. For our situation it's a risk worth taking in order to be together as soon as possible after this very long wait for us.

Thanks again for the responses and advice!!!

[Erichu 0]

Anyone who just had an interview and request for visa pickup? Is it not hard to request for it?

Looking forward for some experiences you can share. Thanks.

[BJZags 17]

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.

I believe the "policy" is to have the visa delivered by DELBROS. But this policy can be waived on a case-by-case basis by a CO and the visa can be picked-up at the embassy. I personally would not count on the this waiver being granted.

[Pinay Wife 47]

Anyone who just had an interview and request for visa pickup? Is it not hard to request for it?

Looking forward for some experiences you can share. Thanks.

sillygirl and her fiance requested for visa pick up in October. See her post below which I copied from Manila thread.

sillygirl, you were able to pick up the visa? how did you go about notifying that you will be picking it up? i was thinking if we had the option to do that then we might as well take the extra travel time to do so...hope someone can help

Yup, we were able to pick up the visa. Towards the end of our interview, my fiance just asked the consul if he (the consul) can do him (my fiance) a favor and let us pick up the visa the next day instead of having Delbros deliver it. He reasoned that our interview got delayed because of the typhoon and that if we wait for Delbros, I might miss my flight. We both know that it is advised NOT to make travel plans yet until we get the visa but hey... it worked.

The consul was nice enough to agree and gave us a pick up stub. We went back to the embassy, showed the stub and got my visa. If you're planning to go on the interview, it won't hurt to ask if you can pick it up.

And to second sillygirl, it won't hurt to ask. The worst thing the consul can say to you is "no way, Jose!"

Edited November 10, 2006 by PatientlyWaiting