Clarity on step after DS260. Confused.

[RangerNomad415 5]

3 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Correct. The visa's validity period is constrained by the validity of the medical exam.

 

Technically the medical can be valid for less than 6 months, particularly with certain TB findings. Just a note....doesn't appear to apply in your case.

That's pretty annoying to make you leave within 6 months. Anyway to delay it further? But then again, I know she definitely does NOT want to go through that horrible third world medical exam. Showing up there at 5am to "beat the crowd" and wait for hours isn't fun. Lack of sleep isn't fun. Finding out how many women are doing K1 Fiance visas to the first world isn't fun. 

 

4 hours ago, Miz_Suzy said:

I'm going this Aug. 29-30 to get it over with. I got my powerbank ready for the long wait. lol That's what I read too, its only valid for 6 months. My hubby can't wait to go back to US already so I'm a bit pressured. He stays with me til now coz if he go first I will be alone in the house. lol

 

As for the domicile requirement, its still a problem. No banks, job offerings, etc. Lucky you maintain your banks and credit cards, I think its good. Just get the latest statement or billings and it must show your address there too. We only have his tax transcript the he filed for 2015 that was requested last April of this year and it shows his address on it. As for 2016-2018, no taxes files since he didn't work here in ph so will just provide explanation for it. Same as yours, his dad is the joint sponsor and taking care of everything we need for our petition. Dad said to just go to the interview and if they need more docs then will comply. But it would be nicer if we have it ready for the interview.

Yup, prepare for the medical lol. Interesting that you're the one being screened yet my wifey has not done ANY research at all on Visa Journey. We have pressure to go back to the US since my folks there are getting older and they definitely want my two year old son (who already has a US passport but was born here in Angeles) to grow up there. 

 

I don't have any tax transcripts lol. Left completely back in 2009. I still don't know how to explain it but I hear if you got a solid joint sponsor (my Mom and she wrote a cover letter along with her tax transcripts), I hope they would understand. I was just going to say I live in the Philippines to raise my son, which is definitely true. 

 

Why don't you provide the embassy with his dad's tax documents and his assets and all? That's part of I-864. More worried about the Visa Interview now and how to explain myself.

 

 

 

 

[geowrian 22,337]

32 minutes ago, RangerNomad415 said:

That's pretty annoying to make you leave within 6 months. Anyway to delay it further?

Only way to delay it is to do a new medical. This is a strict requirement to avoid potential contagious diseases of incoming immigrants (Edit: Not implying anything about immigrants....just that it's a requirement that all immigrants must follow).

Edited August 27, 2019 by geowrian

[Miz_Suzy 2]

23 minutes ago, RangerNomad415 said:

Yup, prepare for the medical lol. Interesting that you're the one being screened yet my wifey has not done ANY research at all on Visa Journey. We have pressure to go back to the US since my folks there are getting older and they definitely want my two year old son (who already has a US passport but was born here in Angeles) to grow up there. 

 

I don't have any tax transcripts lol. Left completely back in 2009. I still don't know how to explain it but I hear if you got a solid joint sponsor (my Mom and she wrote a cover letter along with her tax transcripts), I hope they would understand. I was just going to say I live in the Philippines to raise my son, which is definitely true. 

 

Why don't you provide the embassy with his dad's tax documents and his assets and all? That's part of I-864. More worried about the Visa Interview now and how to explain myself.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, better for me doing it so I will know everything since I will be the one to be interviewed. lol

 

Much better for your son to grow up there. Just tell them the reason why you're here I guess if they ask. I have dad in law as a qualified joint sponsor and he gave us his tax transcript and w2 as well & cert. of citizenship so I hope it will be enough.

 

[Miz_Suzy 2]

Hi, your wife interview is coming soon. Best of luck!👍 My medical went well last week, so now waiting for my interview too. 😊

[RangerNomad415 5]

3 hours ago, Miz_Suzy said:

Hi, your wife interview is coming soon. Best of luck!👍 My medical went well last week, so now waiting for my interview too. 😊

Hi there, YES the interview is on Friday September 6th at 6:45am. We are leaving tomorrow and checking in at Bayview Park Hotel. Think we got everything in terms of paperwork, DS260 print outs, I-864 forms filled out by me and by my Mom, Mom's sponsor letter and financial supporting documents, my letter of domicile and non filing of tax, etc. Such a headache to organize this, but determined to get this over and done with. 

 

Medical wasn't so bad? Just a lot of waiting, it seems, and chismis with the other applicants. Lots of K1 filers from online dating sites lol. Update here on your upcoming interview.

 

Lots of pressure as it seems this is the most important date... the interview. We didn't really practice as we just gonna tell the truth, there's honestly nothing to hide about our situation. 

[Miz_Suzy 2]

13 hours ago, RangerNomad415 said:

Hi there, YES the interview is on Friday September 6th at 6:45am. We are leaving tomorrow and checking in at Bayview Park Hotel. Think we got everything in terms of paperwork, DS260 print outs, I-864 forms filled out by me and by my Mom, Mom's sponsor letter and financial supporting documents, my letter of domicile and non filing of tax, etc. Such a headache to organize this, but determined to get this over and done with. 

 

Medical wasn't so bad? Just a lot of waiting, it seems, and chismis with the other applicants. Lots of K1 filers from online dating sites lol. Update here on your upcoming interview.

 

Lots of pressure as it seems this is the most important date... the interview. We didn't really practice as we just gonna tell the truth, there's honestly nothing to hide about our situation. 

Yeah, best of luck. I got everything ready as well. It wasn't so bad coz i talked to other applicants as well. Just the immunization that really takes long time to wait. Lol. I arrived in the clinic 5:18 am on my 1st day and finished 11 am the same time with the people arrived early like 1-2 am. Then my 2nd day I went there 8.30 am but finished 12nn.

 

I'm pressured also but to think about it, its the most important day that we all waiting for. So I can't wait for mine as well this coming Sept.17 @ 07:15am. Hoping for good days ahead of us and Godbless for tomorrow's interview.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Miz_Suzy

[geowrian 22,337]

13 hours ago, RangerNomad415 said:

Lots of pressure as it seems this is the most important date... the interview. We didn't really practice as we just gonna tell the truth, there's honestly nothing to hide about our situation. 

Good luck!

And yes, I 100% agree that's the best approach. COs are trained to hone in on rehearsed answers anyway...they can throw in curveballs to see how it throws people off. In our case, we mentioned trips abroad together and amusement parks, so the CO asked what she likes at amusement parks and what she's looking forward to in the US (we have a few nearby she wanted to see!).

[RangerNomad415 5]

Will write a summary about my Visa Appointment experience about this morning. Immigrate Visa appointment at 645am. We got up at 5am to shower and put on our best attire (custom business suit from Thailand), swig of coffee and out the door of Bayview Park with ALL possible documents in two bags. Lined up at 6am and got through screening. The earlier the appointment, the faster and easier it is to get out of there as I seen the whole place fill up quickly. Thinking back, I was probably WAY overdressed since they didn't even bother to interview me, but they did ask my wife where I was, if I was present at all. 

 

Crossed the bridge to the Embassy and there was already a crowd of people at 6am. Manila Bay is such an UGLY pile of polluted water with tons of litter. Ermita, in all honesty of the word, is a complete ZOMBIE dump of a place that looks like it's falling apart, the total opposite of BGC and even Makati. We ignored the people asking if they could carry your phone as we left our phones in the room on purpose. Figured out where the 645am appointment people are supposed to line up. One beggar was singing some Filipino songs out loud in hopes of a tip. It's the Embassy but no matter how hard they try, you can't hide the obvious chronic poverty of the Philippines ever. We can't wait to get out of here basically lol. 

 

Apparently there's a 640am appointment slot and that's the earliest group before our 645am slot. We showed them our appointment slip from USTravelDocs as well as our DS260 printouts, which everybody had. Lady also gave our plastic bags to place your Filipino passports in with the first biographic page open. We got let in and went through security. Then the second building inside, where I eventually found out that the Petitioner is NOT allowed to be with the Beneficiary during the whole process apparently.

 

The US Embassy volunteers ushered me and another white guy to a different section where we had to sit, eventually talked to the guy and he's doing CR1 visa as well but just flew in from the States to do this. Expressed our frustration that why didn't we, the Petitioners, who gathered and worked so hard to put together all this mountain of paperwork, are not allowed to accompany our wives. Anyway, without any phones or anything, it was like jail in a way so talked for a while while our wives went through the whole process.

 

From my wife's first pre-screening interview, it was with a Filipino guy. At first, being Asian and mistaken for being "FIlipino" as always, he talked to me in Tagalog. Once I told him that I only knew English, he told me that I was not allowed to be there and to sit at a different section while he went over documents with my wife and conducted the prescreening. The prescreening interview contained the following questions (according to my wife) in no particular order:

 

-What's my name?

-How old are you? 27 years old

-How long have you been married? 3 years

-How old is your husband? 36 years old

-Have you been out of the country? Yes, we have been to Hong Kong, Macau, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan in the last four years.

-Do you have kids with any others? None Divorce? Nope

-What does your husband do? Stay-at-home father to my two year old son, Carson

-Who supports you and your family? His family is helping us out.

-How long did your husband live here in the Philippines? Since 2015

-How old is your son? Two years old

-Your son has a US passport and CRBA? Yes

-When are you planning to come to America and how many would be in your household? Around February 2020 and three in our household

 

The first pre-screening interview with the Filipino guy also involved giving all documents. Wife gave the interviewer her birth certificate, marriage certificate, both I-864 forms with my Mom's sponsor letter and my sponsor letter, etc. However, no pictures of any kind were given. Then she came to me to have me pay the $325 visa fee upstairs and give it back to the Filipino interviewer downstairs.

 

Next, came the biometrics. Just scanning fingerprints with both hands. 

 

Finally, the second interview was with a white American guy and asked basically the exact same questions as above in no particular order.

 

Then they told her about anti-violence against women, that you have to dial 911, blah blah blah. Then they said you're approved, have a nice day. Wife came to my section and excitedly told me that she got approved. Me and the white guy exchanged FB contact via ball point pen so I could see about his status after our long talk. Couldn't believe it was that easy and boiled down to that "you're approved" moment. We were done by 830am, had breakfast at Bayview at 9am and called my Mom on Skype in California to inform her of the good news. 

 

You're given a slip about anti violence to women and a contact info of all websites we know, USTravelDocs and Ceac and a number to call. Now the wait begins for the visa, which should be mailed to our place in Angeles City.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by RangerNomad415

[Miz_Suzy 2]

16 hours ago, RangerNomad415 said:

Will write a summary about my Visa Appointment experience about this morning. Immigrate Visa appointment at 645am. We got up at 5am to shower and put on our best attire (custom business suit from Thailand), swig of coffee and out the door of Bayview Park with ALL possible documents in two bags. Lined up at 6am and got through screening. The earlier the appointment, the faster and easier it is to get out of there as I seen the whole place fill up quickly. Thinking back, I was probably WAY overdressed since they didn't even bother to interview me, but they did ask my wife where I was, if I was present at all. 

 

Crossed the bridge to the Embassy and there was already a crowd of people at 6am. Manila Bay is such an UGLY pile of polluted water with tons of litter. Ermita, in all honesty of the word, is a complete ZOMBIE dump of a place that looks like it's falling apart, the total opposite of BGC and even Makati. We ignored the people asking if they could carry your phone as we left our phones in the room on purpose. Figured out where the 645am appointment people are supposed to line up. One beggar was singing some Filipino songs out loud in hopes of a tip. It's the Embassy but no matter how hard they try, you can't hide the obvious chronic poverty of the Philippines ever. We can't wait to get out of here basically lol. 

 

Apparently there's a 640am appointment slot and that's the earliest group before our 645am slot. We showed them our appointment slip from USTravelDocs as well as our DS260 printouts, which everybody had. Lady also gave our plastic bags to place your Filipino passports in with the first biographic page open. We got let in and went through security. Then the second building inside, where I eventually found out that the Petitioner is NOT allowed to be with the Beneficiary during the whole process apparently.

 

The US Embassy volunteers ushered me and another white guy to a different section where we had to sit, eventually talked to the guy and he's doing CR1 visa as well but just flew in from the States to do this. Expressed our frustration that why didn't we, the Petitioners, who gathered and worked so hard to put together all this mountain of paperwork, are not allowed to accompany our wives. Anyway, without any phones or anything, it was like jail in a way so talked for a while while our wives went through the whole process.

 

From my wife's first pre-screening interview, it was with a Filipino guy. At first, being Asian and mistaken for being "FIlipino" as always, he talked to me in Tagalog. Once I told him that I only knew English, he told me that I was not allowed to be there and to sit at a different section while he went over documents with my wife and conducted the prescreening. The prescreening interview contained the following questions (according to my wife) in no particular order:

 

-What's my name?

-How old are you? 27 years old

-How long have you been married? 3 years

-How old is your husband? 36 years old

-Have you been out of the country? Yes, we have been to Hong Kong, Macau, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan in the last four years.

-Do you have kids with any others? None Divorce? Nope

-What does your husband do? Stay-at-home father to my two year old son, Carson

-Who supports you and your family? His family is helping us out.

-How long did your husband live here in the Philippines? Since 2015

-How old is your son? Two years old

-Your son has a US passport and CRBA? Yes

-When are you planning to come to America and how many would be in your household? Around February 2020 and three in our household

 

The first pre-screening interview with the Filipino guy also involved giving all documents. Wife gave the interviewer her birth certificate, marriage certificate, both I-864 forms with my Mom's sponsor letter and my sponsor letter, etc. However, no pictures of any kind were given. Then she came to me to have me pay the $325 visa fee upstairs and give it back to the Filipino interviewer downstairs.

 

Next, came the biometrics. Just scanning fingerprints with both hands. 

 

Finally, the second interview was with a white American guy and asked basically the exact same questions as above in no particular order.

 

Then they told her about anti-violence against women, that you have to dial 911, blah blah blah. Then they said you're approved, have a nice day. Wife came to my section and excitedly told me that she got approved. Me and the white guy exchanged FB contact via ball point pen so I could see about his status after our long talk. Couldn't believe it was that easy and boiled down to that "you're approved" moment. We were done by 830am, had breakfast at Bayview at 9am and called my Mom on Skype in California to inform her of the good news. 

 

You're given a slip about anti violence to women and a contact info of all websites we know, USTravelDocs and Ceac and a number to call. Now the wait begins for the visa, which should be mailed to our place in Angeles City.

 

 

 

omg i am happy to hear good news for your family. I can't wait for mine and can't wait for US😇👌😊

[RangerNomad415 5]

Another big update...... WE JUST RECEIVED HER US VISA EARLIER THIS MORNING! Mission accomplished. Came exactly 7 days after the visa interview. So we are very excited to finally and officially know our fate back to the First World. 

 

My only concern would be her CFO. She completed it back in 2017 while pregnant with my son, yes we didn't need it back then but she did it as we were traveling all over Asia and they allowed her to get a CFO seminar certificate back then, way before we even filed for this IR1 visa. Now, does it expire? Does she have to do that CFO again? I'm thinking not, but I just want to make sure.

 

Thanks again to all on this thread, great source of information, support and feedback on an otherwise confusing and unclear visa process. In total, it took exactly SIX MONTHS from the original filing of the I-130 Petition at US Embassy in Manila on March 4th to receiving her visa in the mail on this date of September 13, 2019. 

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Ontarkie
removed attachment containing personal information

[Miz_Suzy 2]

The CFO certificate doesn't expire (the one that looks like a cheque) as what they told me when I got mine last May. But she needs to get the CFO sticker before she travel to US, no need appointment just walk in there and present her passport and the visa.

[Miz_Suzy 2]

On 9/14/2019 at 4:09 AM, RangerNomad415 said:

Another big update...... WE JUST RECEIVED HER US VISA EARLIER THIS MORNING! Mission accomplished. Came exactly 7 days after the visa interview. So we are very excited to finally and officially know our fate back to the First World. 

 

My only concern would be her CFO. She completed it back in 2017 while pregnant with my son, yes we didn't need it back then but she did it as we were traveling all over Asia and they allowed her to get a CFO seminar certificate back then, way before we even filed for this IR1 visa. Now, does it expire? Does she have to do that CFO again? I'm 

To God be the Glory. I got approved today. The interview process was very organized. The interviewer was strict on checking the paperworks but they are just doing their job. Questions were all basic and personal, as long as you know about your petitioner there is nothing to worry about. Waiting of the actual visa starts today as my visa status online is changed to ISSUED👍👍👍😇😇😇

[RangerNomad415 5]

On 9/17/2019 at 4:19 PM, Miz_Suzy said:

To God be the Glory. I got approved today. The interview process was very organized. The interviewer was strict on checking the paperworks but they are just doing their job. Questions were all basic and personal, as long as you know about your petitioner there is nothing to worry about. Waiting of the actual visa starts today as my visa status online is changed to ISSUED👍👍👍😇😇😇

CONGRATS!! How was the interview and was your petitioner also not allowed to be with you but made to sit down? Relatively EASY interview and they didn't look at most of the stuff we had with us, in fact we were definitely overprepared. Glad it worked out for you as it worked out for us that day as well, hope to never come back to that shitty part of Manila again btw. 

[Miz_Suzy 2]

16 hours ago, RangerNomad415 said:

CONGRATS!! How was the interview and was your petitioner also not allowed to be with you but made to sit down? Relatively EASY interview and they didn't look at most of the stuff we had with us, in fact we were definitely overprepared. Glad it worked out for you as it worked out for us that day as well, hope to never come back to that shitty part of Manila again btw. 

The interview was very easy and fast. It's such a great experience. My petitioner was not allowed during the interview, they let him sit at Row E together with other Americans. lol. As for my case, they were very detailed (both female interviewer) coz they look all of the papers but there's nothing to worry about as I complied with everything. But they didn't even ask for the pictures. lol. I am so happy to finally get it over with. And happy for you guys too. Bye Philippines and Hello USA soon. 👍😊😇