USEM CRBA Experience

[PaoSelle 35]

Our appointment was on December 11, 2017 @ 7:15am

 

We left Laoag City at 6:00pm the day prior and drove for about 9 hours and around 3:00 in the morning. Shortly after breakfast we headed to the US Embassy around 6:30 we went in, he guard checked his list to see if we had an appointment. after that he had to go through security check, now since our baby is bottle fed we brought hot water with us in a thermos. Be warned the lady makes you drink the water at the security check. 

 

When the Security screening was over we were directed towards the pavilion area where the US citizens sit. then we waited patiently until the guard at the door instructed the crba appointments to go through the door. Once we entered we were greeted by a nice lady at the front desk asking for our appointment printout. She then wrote down 3 steps,

Step 1 Pay fees at the cashier(in our case it as $205 or its peso equivalent, 100 for crba and 105 for passport)

Step 2 Pay Courier fee(Air21)

Step 3 Wait for name to be called

 

So after the lady gave us instructions we had to go through more security screening(which is such a hassle like what's the use). Then we went upstairs and straight to the cashier. While paying our baby's name was already being called so I had my wife go tell the nice lady at the window that I was still paying. After that we went to the window and I told her I haven't paid the courier fees yet but she said i was fine I can do it after.

 

As she looked over my documents she noticed that I didn't renew my filipino passport in 2009 when it expired and why it took so long for me to renew it, so I explained that at the time I had no intention of coming back home. So she asked what I did during the 5 years I didnt renew and I told her I just stayed in California the whole time and went to school, but of course during breaks and holidays we would go out of the state but not out of the country. I forgot to mention if you are a naturalized US citizen You need to show both your old US and Phil passports to show how many years you have been in the US they look at that to see if you're eligible or not. I think you need to have been in the US for 5 years and 2 of which are after the age of 14 or 16 but don't take  my word for it I'm bad with numbers. So after that question she asked what our child's age of gestation was when she was born and and she brought out her little calculator wheel to see if I was in the same location as my wife at the time of conception. At that point she really didnt have anything else to ask she even gave us a compliment at how complete our docs were.

 

After that she had us go pay the courier fees which weren't that much, I believe it didn't even exceed 300 pesos. The Air21 gave us something to fill out, we filled out two separate forms for the crba and passport when we finished filling it out he gave us our own copy of the receipt and two slips to give to the lady at the window. after handing the lady the slips, she had us sit down and wait for the interview.

 

Not even 5 minutes later our baby's name was called and we went to the interview room, it was quiet and It kind of gave a somber feeling. Our interviewer wasn't in there at first, I believe he arrived a few minutes later. He came in and set down and gave us a very big smile asked us to raise our right hand and we swore to tell the truth and handed us the crba and passport form to sign   began asking general questions, just ones about our evidence. He was a really nice guy, I think he's an american born filipino because his english was beyond perfect. any way he told us everything looked good and we were almost to the finish line, he just needed our wedding photos for documentation, which out of all the pictures I brought are the only ones I forgot. he said no worries and told us that even if we didnt have the pics that day they would still begin processing it but he said the pictures need to be sent to the embassy by courier before he can send the documents(crba and passport) to us.

 

everything went well and we were out of the embassy by 8:30am

[Scaret_e 14]

??? I’m from nyc obviously I can’t send my passport cause I need it to travel back to the phillipines. I jus read no photo copies??  Original documents to be sent ??

Edited January 18, 2018 by Scaret_e

[PaoSelle 35]

57 minutes ago, Scaret_e said:

??? I’m from nyc obviously I can’t send my passport cause I need it to travel back to the phillipines. I jus read no photo copies??  Original documents to be sent ??

photocopies are fine. will you be there for the interview?

[Scaret_e 14]

9 hours ago, PaoSelle said:

photocopies are fine. will you be there for the interview?

Yes I will be there for the interview 

also the nso paper do you have to send original copy? Or photo copy is ok

[PaoSelle 35]

6 minutes ago, Scaret_e said:

Yes I will be there for the interview 

also the nso paper do you have to send original copy? Or photo copy is ok

for the mail in portion all have  to be photocopies but during the actual interview process you have to bring ALL the originals you sent in. ESPECIALLY your US passport or any evidence for that matter

[Scaret_e 14]

2 hours ago, PaoSelle said:

for the mail in portion all have  to be photocopies but during the actual interview process you have to bring ALL the originals you sent in. ESPECIALLY your US passport or any evidence for that matter

One more thing

i got to usa when I was 8 became a citizen through my parents naturalization. 

I don’t have my phillipines passport no more but I do have my old usa passport back in 1998 and have my current one today. All I can show them is I have elementary pictures when I was in 5th grade, tax return, working for the state  and high school transcript. Proving I been in the states for awhile. 

[PaoSelle 35]

56 minutes ago, Scaret_e said:

One more thing

i got to usa when I was 8 became a citizen through my parents naturalization. 

I don’t have my phillipines passport no more but I do have my old usa passport back in 1998 and have my current one today. All I can show them is I have elementary pictures when I was in 5th grade, tax return, working for the state  and high school transcript. Proving I been in the states for awhile. 

Yes that should be enough. they'll tell you if you need more evidence after they go through the copy of evidence that you mailed in

[Scaret_e 14]

8 hours ago, PaoSelle said:

Yes that should be enough. they'll tell you if you need more evidence after they go through the copy of evidence that you mailed in

 

8 hours ago, PaoSelle said:

Yes that should be enough. they'll tell you if you need more evidence after they go through the copy of evidence that you mailed in

Ok thanks for the info

[Scaret_e 14]

1201 roxas boulevard 

manila phillipines 1000

 

is that the address to send my papers 

[PaoSelle 35]

8 hours ago, Scaret_e said:

1201 roxas boulevard 

manila phillipines 1000

 

is that the address to send my papers 

Mailing address:

Citizenship and Passport Unit

American Citizens Services, Consular Section

U.S. Embassy 1201 Roxas Boulevard, 0930 Manila

 

this link tells everything there is to know about crba

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/birth/first-time-report-birth-abroad/

[Sweetmarissa 0]

I just want to share our crba experience today September 7, 2018. We arrived at the us embassy 7 o'clock in the morning. Just tell to the guards that you are there for crba interview not for visa interview.. You can bring baby's stuff as long as no electronics. Go to second floor and pay the 215 dollars for crba interview fee and passport. Wait until your name is called. First interview will be Filipino officer and second will be American officer.

Questions that they asked:

1.when and where did we meet? 

2. How many times does my fiance get married? 

3.when did I give birth? 

4.Where did I give birth? 

5. How many children do I have? 

I said only one. 

6.when was our relationship start getting serious? 

American officers

When you get inside he is going to tell you to raise your right hand and everything you say is only the truth.

1. When we meet? 

2.did we stay at the hotel all the time or we go to other places?

3.my past relationship? 😂 And I say that my fiance is my first relationship lol. 4. Do I have a work? 

5. My work before? 

I've researched a lot about crba interview and most who had an interview without getting married yet they request DNA test but in our case they never request because we have all the proof. It's better you follow the instructions according to the checklist because they thanks us for having a nice paper work. Shows a pictures together prior to the consumption. Pregnany photos. If you travel together show the plane tickets, hotel receipts. Pregnancy photos its better that you and the us citizens have photos together while you are pregnant. Photos when you are at the hospital and photos after you give birth and baby's growing photos. Shows everything that can prove that you have a real relationship with the us citizen... That's all I hope our experience will help those who want to process their child citizenship. 

 

 

 

 

[Sweetmarissa 0]

On 9/7/2018 at 4:35 PM, Sweetmarissa said:

I just want to share our crba experience today September 7, 2018. We arrived at the us embassy 7 o'clock in the morning. Just tell to the guards that you are there for crba interview not for visa interview.. You can bring baby's stuff as long as no electronics. Go to second floor and pay the 215 dollars for crba interview fee and passport. Wait until your name is called. First interview will be Filipino officer and second will be American officer.

Questions that they asked:

1.when and where did we meet? 

2. How many times does my fiance get married? 

3.when did I give birth? 

4.Where did I give birth? 

5. How many children do I have? 

I said only one. 

6.when was our relationship start getting serious? 

American officers

When you get inside he is going to tell you to raise your right hand and everything you say is only the truth.

1. When we meet? 

2.did we stay at the hotel all the time or we go to other places?

3.my past relationship? 😂

4.Do I have a work? 

5. My work before? 

I've researched a lot about crba interview and most who had an interview without getting married yet they request DNA test but in our case they never request because we have all the proof. It's better you follow the instructions according to the checklist because they like our paper work because it makes their job so easy. Shows a pictures together prior to the consumption. Pregnany photos. If you travel together show the plane tickets, hotel receipts. Pregnancy photos its better that you and the us citizens have photos together when you are pregnant. Photos when you are at the hospital and photos after you give birth and baby's growing photos. Shows everything that can prove that you have a real relationship with the us citizen... That's all... I hope our experience will help those who want to process their child citizenship. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ricashen1234 0]

Hello all. Hope one of you can help me..i applied crba for my son last july ,we had an interviewed and everything but unfortunately the US immig officer needs more documents from me. So,i submitted already the other requirements he needed..My questions, are they gona email you and tel you that they approve ur applications? Or they jusy going to mail you the certifi and us pass at your house? Thanks

[Scaret_e 14]

3 hours ago, Ricashen1234 said:

Hello all. Hope one of you can help me..i applied crba for my son last july ,we had an interviewed and everything but unfortunately the US immig officer needs more documents from me. So,i submitted already the other requirements he needed..My questions, are they gona email you and tel you that they approve ur applications? Or they jusy going to mail you the certifi and us pass at your house? Thanks

 

 

Probaly they will jus email you or call you. 

Hope everything works out 

[Ricashen1234 0]

Thanks Scaret