My Filipina wife would like to visit Los Angeles to see me while we wait for CR1 process. Advice

[Tahoma 2,292]

I totally lost faith in the Philippine Goverment when this happened. Upon my Departure in Manila I approach a long line of people. A guard immediatly stopped me. I had a ciggarette in hand.I was far away from everyone. He said: Passport please. OK. I put out my Cig and put the butt in my back pocket. Then he said: This is a long line. want to be first through the door?

I said to myself. OH WHAT IS THIS. He's a guard wearing a gun. He says something like 400 pesos. I said: Heres $3.00 USD. He said I'd rather have Pesos. I said then I'll get in line. He signals his other guard friend to let me pass. This does happen. This is my analysis of the Philippines Goverment and what it left me with to remember.

My friend's father didn't pay anyone to expedite the visas. Because of the nature of his position in the Philippines government, the Embassy extended him a professional courtesy.

[bigdog 377]

You know it is what it is, apply and see, hoping for the best.

[madtownguy 164]

I certainly agree that if you don't mind the couple hundred buck to apply go for it. It'd be like playing the lottery. I do disagree that if your fiance does get a tourist visa she will go through some hard times getting here. The worst situations always seem to end up online which makes the odds seem worse for bad things. I've seen people with no ID's let through the border at crossings, I think it is rare you are going to have someone try to make your fiances day bad or catch her with some wrong answers.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

My vote is for her to try.

BUT now that you know how the cards are stacked she has to be super prepared with proof.

[liberty23456 15]

I haven't noticed any Filipino fiancee's or spouses who got a U.S. visitors visa. Maybe one who did will chime in.

My, at that time, fiancee from an Asian country got a 10 year B1/B2 visa during the K1 application. It was quite amazing. The NOA2 came the same day after the tourist visa interview.

My fiancee had 17 pages full of visas and stamps in her passport at that time. 3 months later the 10 year visa has been replaced with 6 months K1 visa.

We applied for the tourist visa out of frustration over the wait for K1 and actually didn't give it much hope. My fiancee didn't even care to prepare herself for the interview as she deemed it pointless. She referred to me as 'boy-friend' at the interview and that didn't seem to be a blocker. The interviewing officer was a skier and my fiancee said she wanted to go heli-skiing in Alaska. The a big part of the interview was then about skiing and I think the officer was convinced that her skiing intentions were genuine.

[carton025 38]

Please..., save your money and spend it on her and her child when the CR-1 is approved! You guys will have a lot more fun and the rest of your lives to spend together rather than she and her child having to return home to await approval of the CR-1. Getting a tourist visa for your gal once you have started the immigration process is next to impossible - there are others that have been sucessful but I wonder if they had the opportunity would they have just waited and avoid the expense, possible disappointment, etc... Best of luck!

Sid

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

Unless she has a high level contact on the inside or has very solid ties (owns a biz for example) which require her return - don't waste your time.

(just being frank about it)

[issha2lynden 77]

You got it folks!! Money and connection talks in the Philippines! If I were you guys, don't do it.

[EAS 45]

I totally lost faith in the Philippine Goverment when this happened. Upon my Departure in Manila I approach a long line of people. A guard immediatly stopped me. I had a ciggarette in hand.I was far away from everyone. He said: Passport please. OK. I put out my Cig and put the butt in my back pocket. Then he said: This is a long line. want to be first through the door?

I said to myself. OH WHAT IS THIS. He's a guard wearing a gun. He says something like 400 pesos. I said: Heres $3.00 USD. He said I'd rather have Pesos. I said then I'll get in line. He signals his other guard friend to let me pass. This does happen. This is my analysis of the Philippines Goverment and what it left me with to remember.

You lost faith in the whole of the Philippines Government because of one guard that you paid/tipped in order to get preferential treatment. So, should any Filipino person who witnessed this lose all faith in ALL foreigners because he/she saw a foreigner pay to skip the line?

BTW, we have the same process here in the USA. That is, you can pay to receive preferential treatment at the airport [and other places]. The big difference is that the money goes to Corporations or the Government rather than to the front line worker.

[joyjohn 18]

Good morning all =))

I was wondering if I could get my Filipine wife and her 3 year old daughter to come & visit me in Los Angeles while we wait for our CR1 application to get processed.

I filed my i130 recently (7/25/12) and just recently got back the 1st NOA1. Still waiting on the one for my step daughter.

How hard is it to get a tourist Visa from the Philippine govt to visit the USA? Is it costly? And whats the time frame for such a thing. Both my wife and step daughter have their Philippine passports and my wife had worked abroad in the middle east and in Singapore as well.

I only have two weeks vacation time on the books, and I'd like to save it for when they finally get their green cards to permanently come to the USA. I was going to take a couple of weeks off work so I could spend time with them once they get here. Plus, I'll be flying back just for her interview....when we get to that point. But we miss each other so much, and it would be nice to have them here for a couple of months while we're waiting for the processing time to happen.

Anybody have any experience with this in regards to the Philippine govt and the U.S.?

Thanks in advance.

well you can try.....never say never, BUT.......we did try and we had all the little ducks in the roll.....and my wife got turn down so fast them ducks sank!!!! The CO looked at all the paper work

looked at her..........and said naaaaaaaaaa this isn't going to happen, denied , YES ITS HARD, we all been there and done that, just keep the faith, talk everyday and soon it will be all over with, and the sun will shine and you will look back and say OMG iam glad this part is over with........