Newly Wedd - American & Filipina I-130 & CR-1 ( Process Help)

[Darrin0892 0]

I just Got Married 2nd of April, In The Philippines to my Wife. Now im back in the U.S. she is not here with me. Whats the steps now to take to get her to live with me and get her Green Card. I would appreciate if I get specific information. Which Documents and Paperwork does my wife need, and what I will need and when the appropriate time for me to fill out the I-130 Application. We are reading online, but everything I read seems so vague, and we both wish not to hire a immigration lawyer, due to the expenses. We want to be together in the time frame of 9 to 15 months, and I know we can do it, with the help of the people in this Forum and website. We Greatly appreciate the help and support of everyone, and we wish to share our knowledge of how we got married when I arrived in the Philippines. I ask for Specific information, it will help a lot, starting off with which documents we both will need for our papers to go through smoothly and not getting kicked back. and who to send it to, and how the appointments work, and the process for her to arrive here. thanks everyone, your a great help

[Boiler 45,913]

[notusinganymore 31]

Here's a link to the guidehttp://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

She'll have to have her passport changed if she takes on your name. NSO will prolly have an authenticated copy of your marriage certificate in a month so she can order that and have her passport name changed.

Edited April 8, 2014 by emmandenn

[malenliam 18]

Being married to a foreigner, one of the rewuirements to change her name in the passport is to attend CFO seminar in manila. Ive done that. Ask you wife to call me. I will give some advice.

[Leatherneck 693]

Darrin, welcome to VJ

In addition to the link posted by another member, the link below should be of tremendous help

to you.

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

[Ryan H 3,819]

***One post containing full names removed and returned below with only first names.***

By The way im Darrin (last name removed - VJ Moderation) and Her Name is Dianne (last name removed - VJ Moderation). Will She have to Change her name or current passport completely at the "NSO (National Statistic Office)" and get a red ribbon? does anyone know anything about this, I just want to know every little piece of detail, im sorry if its a bit much, I just want to be 120% sure about everything, and for things t go smoothed, and without any struggles. like I said my goal is for us to be together
with 9-15 months. (: im extremely determined

**Moderator hat off**

OP, whether or not she changes her name is her choice.

Being married to a foreigner, one of the rewuirements to change her name in the passport is to attend CFO seminar in manila. Ive done that. Ask you wife to call me. I will give some advice.

Incorrect, there is no requirement for any person to change their last name when they get married.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Ryan H

[malenliam 18]

Im sorry but not here in the Philippines. Department of Foreign Affairs will require you yo attend CFO Seminar , you will then present the certificate when you want ti change your family name to your married name....IF YOU ARE MARRIED TO A FOREIGNER. I Just did. Go ahead google it DFA Philippines

Different countries has different rules

Incorrect, there is no requirement for any person to change their last name when they get married.

[Ryan H 3,819]

Im sorry but not here in the Philippines. Department of Foreign Affairs will require you yo attend CFO Seminar , you will then present the certificate when you want ti change your family name to your married name....IF YOU ARE MARRIED TO A FOREIGNER. I Just did. Go ahead google it DFA Philippines

Different countries has different rules

You missed the point, I wasn't speaking about the CFO Seminar, I was telling the OP that there is no requirement for his wife to change her name if she doesn't want to do so. I also Googled the page you mentioned and I didn't see anything on those pages that requires a woman to change her last name when she gets married.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Ryan H

[malenliam 18]

You missed the point, I wasn't speaking about the CFO Seminar, I was telling the OP that there is no requirement for his wife to change her name if she doesn't want to do so. I also Googled the page you mentioned and I didn't see anything on those pages that requires a woman to change her last name when she gets married.

i got your point now. You should have not quote my post coz i just told him to change famiky name here in the philippines she must attend CFO seminar. And yes its not really required fir a wife to chsnge her famiky name to married name...but in USCIS its included in a document to prove a genuine marriage....any ID that uses the married name, well as I remember.

try google renewal of passport in the philippines/ changing family name to a married name .

anyway attending CFO seminar is not a waste of time. She will use it too before leaving the country, so its two in one purpose.

[pinksorceress23 8]

I've been in that situation a month ago, but with the help of the members here on VJ, you'll be fine

1. Secure a copy of your marriage certificate from your local registrar, you can use that for your I-130 application (I was hesitant at first if USCIS will accept the copy from the local registrar, but they did) then request from your local registrar that your marriage certificate be forwarded to the nearest National Statistics Office, ours took two weeks to get (I requested it online, cause falling in line is such a hassle).

2. Focus first on your I-130 package. You can read the guide on what to do here http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

3. After you have submitted your petition, your wife can start working on the requirements needed for NVC.

- If she wants to change her last name on her passport to your last name, she will need to get the Certificate of Attendance (Guidance and Counselling) from CFO(Commission on Filipinos Overseas). You can read the requirements for CFO on this link:

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140

- You can start reading NVC guides to prepare yourself for the next step after your I-130 is approved.

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process