What To Bring to the USEM Interview

[j&ana 363]

And I repeat, you need to have the maximum evidence that your marriage is not efficiently. To you it was not necessary and once again ask for a second interview. I myself passed through the proc.

Since you do not have a timeline fill out. I do not know what country or the type of visa you did. However the OP is doing the interview in Manila. You can look at my time line and see that my wife did the interview there was approved and is here with me now. I was worry about her interview and sent her more proof of our relationship to take to the interview, like you mention. My wife told me they did not even ask to see any of the stuff that I sent her, only her require documents and some pictures that she bought to the interview. So if the op has all the documents and can answer simple question at the interview. I am pretty sure they will not need any extra proof of relationship. If they can not answer simple questions, they might have a harder time and have more question ask. Then they might be ask to show more proof

So either you had an interview at a another country embassy, that is harder on the interview. or you was not prepare for the interview.

Edited September 15, 2015 by j&ana

[smyle4me 1]

Hello everyone this is my first time to post here.

We finally got the letter from USEM and here's what it says:

Congratulations on your upcoming immigrant visa interview. Your file is now with the U.S. Embassy in Manila and we have had a chance to review it. Based on our review, you need to bring the following documents with you to your interview:

FROM APPLICANT(S)

- Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

- Marriage Certificate

- Certificate of No Record of Marriage (CENOMAR) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) within the past 12 months

- Medical examination results

CLEARANCES

- National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) Clearance issued within the past 12 months

I have been reading the forum and I know that they have been asking for CENOMAR or CENMAR.

My question will it be a problem if the CENMAR shows that my spouse was married before with an ongoing annulment in the Philippines and was divorced by the wife since 2003 - foreign divorce papers was submitted to the NVC and USCIS.

It is a CR-1 petition and is approved here in the US our marriage takes place in HongKong since we are both married in the Philippines previously.

Please advise.

[smyle4me 1]

Since you do not have a timeline fill out. I do not know what country or the type of visa you did. However the OP is doing the interview in Manila. You can look at my time line and see that my wife did the interview there was approved and is here with me now. I was worry about her interview and sent her more proof of our relationship to take to the interview, like you mention. My wife told me they did not even ask to see any of the stuff that I sent her, only her require documents and some pictures that she bought to the interview. So if the op has all the documents and can answer simple question at the interview. I am pretty sure they will not need any extra proof of relationship. If they can not answer simple questions, they might have a harder time and have more question ask. Then they might be ask to show more proof

So either you had an interview at a another country embassy, that is harder on the interview. or you was not prepare for the interview.

Yes, i forgot his appointment is on the 28th of this month and will have the interview in Manila, Philippines. I don't worry about the relationship or other documents since we have all that. We are from the same town and he was my boyfriend from when I was younger, I went to Manila few times already since we were married, in fact I was there for 3 months and we even rented a condo in our names so proof of relationship is not an issue.

My concern really is that his annulment in the Philippines is not final yet but he was divorced by his wife in 2003 and is married since then. We all know that in the Philippines they don't recognize the divorce and since they asked for cenomar it will show that he is in fact married in the Philippines. I would like to get an answer if that will be a problem and will cause him visa denial. We were married in Hongkong since we're both married in the Philippines.

The USCIS and NVC approved the petition but I don't know how US Embassy in Manila works, do they consider the divorce from the US or are we going to have a problem? It is a CR-1, I-130 petition.

Edited September 15, 2015 by melca1019

[j&ana 363]

If he was divorce in the USA then there will be no problem. He will not need an annulment. His ex wife may or may not need one. While there is no divorce in the Philippines a couple that married in the Philippines can get a divorce in another country and if the foreign spouse is the one to file the divorce then the Philippines will recognize it for the Filipino spouse

Edited September 15, 2015 by j&ana

[smyle4me 1]

Nov 2014 - 1-130 application

Dec 2014 - received approval for USCIS

Jan 2015 - received MNL # from NVC

Feb 2015 - approved documentation for stepkids from NVC

May 2015 - send DS 260 and paid application fee

June 2015 - request additional request from NVC

July 2015 - documentarily qualified documents

Aug 2015 - waiting for appointment

Sept 28, 2015 - appointment scheduled

If he was divorce in the USA then there will be no problem

That is good to know. Thank you. Now I can sleep better at night.

[j&ana 363]

yes you can sleep since he is filing for you he is either a citizen or LPR of the USA same rules apply either way if he divorce in USA that is all that matters

Edited September 15, 2015 by j&ana

[smyle4me 1]

yes you can sleep since he is filing for you he is either a citizen or LPR of the USA same rules apply either way if he divorce in USA that is all that matters

It is actually the other way around, I am the petitioner here in the US. He is in the Philippines having the interview, his previous wife was the one who filed for a divorce here in the US and is married since 2003 and that is the only reason why he had the divorce paper.

[j&ana 363]

ok well still if she being citizen or a legal resident of the USA file the divorce then the Philippines will recognize the divorce

also he is legally divorce in U.S.A is all that matters now his interview might be a little harder but as long as you can prove good relationship

in your case it might be good to bring some more proof to the interview just in case

Edited September 15, 2015 by j&ana

[LynA20 0]

I brought with me all the "maximum evidence" I could get BUT they did not ask for anymore evidence except for the NSO/PSA docs the USEM already requested. They only asked for our photos and that's all! All went well.

[LynA20 0]

And I repeat, you need to have the maximum evidence that your marriage is not efficiently. To you it was not necessary and once again ask for a second interview. I myself passed through the proc.

Orchid 77, I brought with me all the "maximum evidence" I could get BUT they did not ask for anymore evidence except for the NSO/PSA docs the USEM already requested. They only asked for our photos and that's all! All went well.

[Hank_ 9,174]

You should have all the documents translated and notarized. Clearance, imedychna help. Many photos in different places. Gifts, checks on gifts, tickets that your husband you flew. All the maximum.

USEM is not a difficult embassy.

[smyle4me 1]

Sorry for not posting the result of the interview from yesterday.

Went there very early his appointment is at 6:15, I was patiently waiting then around 10 AM Philippines time I got this email from Manila, IV that states

We are unable to complete the processing of your Immigrant Visa application under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended, until you present the following documents or complete required action from your end:

FROM APPLICANT(S)

- Certificate of No Record of Marriage (CENOMAR) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) within the past 12 months for: They're asking for a CENOMAR with his last name spelled without the E.

CLEARANCES

- NBI A.K.A. for: his last name again now they're looking for the last name without the R.

You're all probably wondering what is happening,well his original birth certificate's last name was spelled wrong. His marriage contract, passport, NBI clearances etc has the correct spelling and he was using it for a long time without a problem since he is a seaman.

While we were processing the I-130 I pointed that out to him and I told him that it will be a problem so he needs that amended; it took him forever to do that good thing USCIS and NVC accepted it without a problem. It was only when we got the appointment e-mail that they were using the last name as spelled in the birth certificate. so to cut the story short he had the interview and was asked for the CENOMAR, he has the copy of the corrected one and the original one. The confusion was at the 2nd window when the guy was asking for CENOMAR; he was given the one with the corrected name, then he was asking again for another CENMAR that should show our names and of course we all know it's impossible. So he did not give the CENMAR copy with the original name.

Good thing I put my e-mail address instead of his email address coz we all know that cellphone is phobited so there's no way you can check your email immediately. I texted it to him and as soon as he got my text he went back to the embassy and gave the CENMAR with the original spelling.

He was also able to get his NBI clearance with the AKA name and mailed it the same day. The USEM should be getting the mail today. He was told that it may take 10 days for them to review his documents and should wait for further instruction via email.

So if your birth certificate was misspelled and you already had it amended from NSO make sure that you get a copy of the NBI clearance with the AKA already and point that out to the officer that is doing your NBI clearance. They will tell you that it will take a few weeks for them to release the NBI with AKA, he was just lucky that he is the only one in the Philippines with that name.

Also when you get CENOMAR or CENMAR get the copies for both your original name and corrected name so it does not delay the processing of the visa.

They did not asked for any documents except for the additional documents that they requested via e-mail. Original NSO birth certificate of his children and our certified copy of marriage contract. They did not even ask for the copy of my current income tax return since I filed for extension for 2014 and did not asked for pictures and documents as proof that we are legit even though we have all that.

Edited September 28, 2015 by melca1019

[j&ana 363]

I brought with me all the "maximum evidence" I could get BUT they did not ask for anymore evidence except for the NSO/PSA docs the USEM already requested. They only asked for our photos and that's all! All went well.

Yes manila embassy is fairly easy compare to most other countries. As long as you have all the require documents and can answer some basic questions.

What hurts some is the fact that the cenomar is not mention for the CR-1 visa and they do not think they need it. but a cenomar is needed for all visa there. what is on the cenomar letter Is different for a married and a single person

[j&ana 363]

Sorry for not posting the result of the interview from yesterday.

Went there very early his appointment is at 6:15, I was patiently waiting then around 10 AM Philippines time I got this email from Manila, IV that states

We are unable to complete the processing of your Immigrant Visa application under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended, until you present the following documents or complete required action from your end:

FROM APPLICANT(S)

- Certificate of No Record of Marriage (CENOMAR) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) within the past 12 months for: They're asking for a CENOMAR with his last name spelled without the E.

CLEARANCES

- NBI A.K.A. for: his last name again now they're looking for the last name without the R.

You're all probably wondering what is happening,well his original birth certificate's last name was spelled wrong. His marriage contract, passport, NBI clearances etc has the correct spelling and he was using it for a long time without a problem since he is a seaman.

While we were processing the I-130 I pointed that out to him and I told him that it will be a problem so he needs that amended; it took him forever to do that good thing USCIS and NVC accepted it without a problem. It was only when we got the appointment e-mail that they were using the last name as spelled in the birth certificate. so to cut the story short he had the interview and was asked for the CENOMAR, he has the copy of the corrected one and the original one. The confusion was at the 2nd window when the guy was asking for CENOMAR; he was given the one with the corrected name, then he was asking again for another CENMAR that should show our names and of course we all know it's impossible. So he did not give the CENMAR copy with the original name.

Good thing I put my e-mail address instead of his email address coz we all know that cellphone is phobited so there's no way you can check your email immediately. I texted it to him and as soon as he got my text he went back to the embassy and gave the CENMAR with the original spelling.

He was also able to get his NBI clearance with the AKA name and mailed it the same day. The USEM should be getting the mail today. He was told that it may take 10 days for them to review his documents and should wait for further instruction via email.

So if your birth certificate was misspelled and you already had it amended from NSO make sure that you get a copy of the NBI clearance with the AKA already and point that out to the officer that is doing your NBI clearance. They will tell you that it will take a few weeks for them to release the NBI with AKA, he was just lucky that he is the only one in the Philippines with that name.

Also when you get CENOMAR or CENMAR get the copies for both your original name and corrected name so it does not delay the processing of the visa.

They did not asked for any documents except for the additional documents that they requested via e-mail. Original NSO birth certificate of his children and our certified copy of marriage contract. They did not even ask for the copy of my current income tax return since I filed for extension for 2014 and did not asked for pictures and documents as proof that we are legit even though we have all that.

Sorry to hear about your delay but it seem his interview went well and he will have his visa soon