DCF I-130 US Embassy Manila (PLEASE HELP)

[guitarjam 5]

Call USCIS Manila this week or next and ask for an update or if they've been approved. Don't wait for them to send you anything.

Thanks for the help;

I sent them an email at IVManilaReplies@State.gov, will this result in a response, or has everyone always called, costs a fortune getting thru on a phone I imagine.

[guitarjam 5]

Call USCIS Manila this week or next and ask for an update or if they've been approved. Don't wait for them to send you anything.

Well this is a joke.

The two contact cards I was given when I submitted my I-130s at the Embassy Outreach/Homeland Security Section were to contact

MPHInquiry.Cis@uscis.dhs.gov OR IVManilaReplies@state.gov

I email IVManilaReplies@state.gov for status & get an Auto Reply email response of:

Effective March 16, 2015, we will no longer accept inquiries addressed to this mailbox. We will respond to all inquiries received before this date.

Please refer to the table below for contact information to address your concerns

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY / U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) MANILA FIELD OFFICE

MPHInquiry.Cis@uscis.dhs.gov

So I email MPHInquiry.Cis@uscis.dhs.gov

Thank you for contacting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Manila Field Office. If you have a question about your visa application or visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Manila , please email IVManilaReplies@state.gov.

MPHInquiry.Cis@uscis.dhs.gov auto replies to contact IVManilaReplies@state.gov

IVManilaReplies@state.gov auto replies to contact MPHInquiry.Cis@uscis.dhs.gov!

[manilaraf 28]

I didn't have a case number yet, so I didn't deal with IV Manila until I did. I just called USCIS-Manila using their land line posted on the USEM site.

[edba2406 0]

Filed I-130 March 13 at the US Embassy Manila and approved March 20...........

I started calling on March 16 and finally got the approval. I asked them if I can come down and pick up the documents/instructions on the next step. They told me wait to be contacted for the next step. They provinded me with a new number to call and get updates

Any suggestions on what I should do next?

[Mark88 183]

Any suggestions on what I should do next?

wait.

[manilaraf 28]

wait.

That's the wrong answer for someone filing DCF in Manila. Perhaps in Germany you can wait, but in the PHL, you can prod the system a bit into action to get things moving.

Filed I-130 March 13 at the US Embassy Manila and approved March 20...........

I started calling on March 16 and finally got the approval. I asked them if I can come down and pick up the documents/instructions on the next step. They told me wait to be contacted for the next step. They provinded me with a new number to call and get updates

Any suggestions on what I should do next?

Congratulations you passed the first step.

At this point in my journey, I starting emailing IV Manila. It looks like the email address I used is no longer being used (it's the IV Manila email that you used previously).

I suggest using the new email that's posted on the USEM site.

support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com

Send emails to this address fairly regularly explaining that you filed an I-130 directly with USCIS-Manila and was approved. You are now requesting the MNL Case Number. As much as you can, stick to the format as explained on this USEM website: (http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3230.html)

Visa Category I assume would be IR-1 if you've been married >2 years and Priority Date is the Date you submitted the I-130. State that you're the US Citizen Petitioner requesting your spouse's MNL Case Number.

For me it took 2 emails and 6 working days for them to finally reply.

Once you get the MNL Case Number, you can start filling out the DS-260, once that's done you go on and follow the rest of the instructions for the interview that I linked in my first set of posts ( http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/1178798/feb2015/IV%20Applicant%20Interview%20Preparation%20Instructions%20-%20English%20_February%202015_.pdf). With the MNL Case Number, you can move forward and set an appointment for an interview with the Embassy for your wife using the method listed in the instructions I linked above. And once you have the interview set, you can go ahead with scheduling her medical at SLEC.

Good luck.

Just realized again that they gave you a new number to call. Any chance it's the number to IV Manila? If so, if they don't reply to your emails, try calling the number to ask if your wife's file has been sent over from USCIS-Manila and has had a MNL Case number assigned yet and if so, could they let you know what it is.

Good luck again.

Edited March 20, 2015 by manilaraf

[guitarjam 5]

Filed I-130 March 13 at the US Embassy Manila and approved March 20...........

I started calling on March 16 and finally got the approval. I asked them if I can come down and pick up the documents/instructions on the next step. They told me wait to be contacted for the next step. They provinded me with a new number to call and get updates

Any suggestions on what I should do next?

I filed I-130's on 12th March and sent emails to both support@ustraveldocs.com

and support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com, and only get a "30-60 day" approval time frame and to wait.

Why was yours approved in 1 week and I'm still waiting?

The "CONTACT US" does not list a phone number from their website:

http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3023/contact-us.html

Edited March 21, 2015 by guitarjam

[aquafiree 17]

I think this is their contact number (02) 301-2000.

[manilaraf 28]

I filed I-130's on 12th March and sent emails to both support@ustraveldocs.com

and support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com, and only get a "30-60 day" approval time frame and to wait.

Why was yours approved in 1 week and I'm still waiting?

The "CONTACT US" does not list a phone number from their website:

http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3023/contact-us.html

You're looking at the wrong contact info.

USCIS-Manila does the initial acceptance, processing, and approval for a DCF'ed I-130.

Only when it's approved does it get into the hands of Immigrant Visa Unit-Manila (the website you linked to as well as the email addresses you are sending your inquiries to).

This (the USCIS-Manila Field Office website) is the one you want: http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-offices/philippines-manila-field-office

Phone, Fax Numbers & Email

Phone

For General inquiries in Tagalog or English, please call the following number:

(63)(2) 301-2000, extension 2224 (within the Philippines and from the US)

If calling from the United States, please dial 011 first.

Fax

(63)(2) 301-2208

E-mail

MPHInquiry.CIS@uscis.dhs.gov

Call the Phone number listed above first thing when they open Monday morning and ask for an update. And ask them to check on the status. The guy I talked to gave me the usual 30-60 day time frame response, but I asked him if he'd check any way. Made that phone call 5th of January. I-130 had already been approved on the 24th of December. Started emailing IV-Manila after that. (See my signature below or click the link)

Edited March 21, 2015 by manilaraf

[manilaraf 28]

The link the USCIS-Manila site is found here: http://manila.usembassy.gov/filing-petition.html

[guitarjam 5]

This (the USCIS-Manila Field Office website) is the one you want: http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-offices/philippines-manila-field-office

Phone, Fax Numbers & Email

Phone

For General inquiries in Tagalog or English, please call the following number:

(63)(2) 301-2000, extension 2224 (within the Philippines and from the US)

If calling from the United States, please dial 011 first.

Fax

(63)(2) 301-2208

E-mail

MPHInquiry.CIS@uscis.dhs.gov

Call the Phone number listed above first thing when they open Monday morning and ask for an update. And ask them to check on the status. The guy I talked to gave me the usual 30-60 day time frame response, but I asked him if he'd check any way. Made that phone call 5th of January. I-130 had already been approved on the 24th of December. Started emailing IV-Manila after that. (See my signature below or click the link)

Thanks for the response, an email to MPHInquiry.CIS@uscis.dhs.gov got the response of:

the petition's you filed are currently in process. Please be informed that the processing time will take about 60-90days upon receiving your documents, should we need any additional information to complete your petition process we will notify you.

and:

Thank you for contacting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Manila Field Office. If you have a question about your visa application or visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Manila , please email IVManilaReplies@state.gov.

But they haven't updated the link, IVManilaReplies@state.gov is no longer in service, you have to use

support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com

Looks like I will have to call USCIS Manila for a better response

Edited March 21, 2015 by guitarjam

[oshinwalls 1]

Hello,

We filed our I-130 marh 10 and uscis called us on the 13th and ask some questions like how we met, and do we have any pictures before we got married which we have , but the lady took only took one picture. And they asked when are we plannig to go to US and that's it they just said they'll contat us the next week, but never go anything, so we called uscis instead and was told to wait for 60 to 90 days. We will try to call them again tomorrow hopefully we get a posiive response.

We'll be following your updates. Hopefully we get the approval soon. Good luck

[manilaraf 28]

Hello,

We filed our I-130 marh 10 and uscis called us on the 13th and ask some questions like how we met, and do we have any pictures before we got married which we have , but the lady took only took one picture. And they asked when are we plannig to go to US and that's it they just said they'll contat us the next week, but never go anything, so we called uscis instead and was told to wait for 60 to 90 days. We will try to call them again tomorrow hopefully we get a posiive response.

We'll be following your updates. Hopefully we get the approval soon. Good luck

Interesting. So they actually called you up at the numbers you gave them to ask you questions?

[oshinwalls 1]

Yes they did. We thought they're calling to let us know we're approved. Got excited for a second. Lol!

they called just follow up questions and asked for a precise month or year as to when we want to go to US. We're gonna call USCIS tomorrow to follow up.

keeping our fingers crossed..

[edba2406 0]

Thanks for your help. I have sent them an email and will call them also

That's the wrong answer for someone filing DCF in Manila. Perhaps in Germany you can wait, but in the PHL, you can prod the system a bit into action to get things moving.

Congratulations you passed the first step.

At this point in my journey, I starting emailing IV Manila. It looks like the email address I used is no longer being used (it's the IV Manila email that you used previously).

I suggest using the new email that's posted on the USEM site.

support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com

Send emails to this address fairly regularly explaining that you filed an I-130 directly with USCIS-Manila and was approved. You are now requesting the MNL Case Number. As much as you can, stick to the format as explained on this USEM website: (http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3230.html)

Visa Category I assume would be IR-1 if you've been married >2 years and Priority Date is the Date you submitted the I-130. State that you're the US Citizen Petitioner requesting your spouse's MNL Case Number.

For me it took 2 emails and 6 working days for them to finally reply.

Once you get the MNL Case Number, you can start filling out the DS-260, once that's done you go on and follow the rest of the instructions for the interview that I linked in my first set of posts ( http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/1178798/feb2015/IV%20Applicant%20Interview%20Preparation%20Instructions%20-%20English%20_February%202015_.pdf). With the MNL Case Number, you can move forward and set an appointment for an interview with the Embassy for your wife using the method listed in the instructions I linked above. And once you have the interview set, you can go ahead with scheduling her medical at SLEC.

Good luck.

Just realized again that they gave you a new number to call. Any chance it's the number to IV Manila? If so, if they don't reply to your emails, try calling the number to ask if your wife's file has been sent over from USCIS-Manila and has had a MNL Case number assigned yet and if so, could they let you know what it is.

Good luck again.