Marriage in Philippines

[dle3452 5]

Hi, I married my Filipina finally, we have an appointment at the Manila US Embassy VA to enroll her into military benefits May 25th, and an appointment to apply for her US Passport at the Manila US Embassy on June 5th.  While at the mall I was talking to a US Citizen who told me I could take my filipina wife to the states  on a US Passport then send in the I-130 and I-130a applications from the US. 

I need some advice on this, he also said I would need to marry her again in the US.  If anyone has information on bringing her to the US using her US Passport it would be greatly appreciated.  I dont want to break any laws that would could enfringe on getting her visa processed.

I have recieved good advice from VisaJourney members so far and appreciate all your help.  We just finished getting her annulment decree through the system which only took us 5 months. 

Once I get through this process and have a better idea about it through my experience, I will be sharing my experiences and help answer questions.

Thank you any information about taking her home on a US passport before turning in the I-130 application.

Dan & Juliana Nora

[PaulaCJohnny 713]

Is she an US CITIZEN? How can you apply for a US passport for her?

She doesn’t have the rights to obtain an US Passport just because she married you.

 

About this point: I need some advice on this, he also said I would need to marry her again in the US 

 

Not true! Your marriage is valid in any other country if was made based on the local laws.

 

Please, explain your situation better because what you are planning is not right

.

Look the Guides here on VJ and on the USCIS website. You both need to educate yourself about this process. 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by PaulaCJohnny

[PaulaCJohnny 713]

… you received a lot of good advices on your last post. 
 

Spoiler alert: There is not back door, fast way or nothing like that on immigration process. You will have to apply and wait like anyone else. If you have some amazing circumstances that maybe can convince USCIS to expedite your case you can always try this.

 

Be careful with shortcuts, this can put more obstacles in your way. Do the correct thing is always the best choice.

 

If you are impatient you can always move to her country or to a third one that both have the rights to be a resident.

 

 

Good luck.

[dle3452 5]

13 minutes ago, PaulaCJohnny said:

Is she an US CITIZEN? How can you apply for a US passport for her?

She doesn’t have the rights to obtain an US Passport just because she married you.

 

About this point: I need some advice on this, he also said I would need to marry her again in the US 

 

Not true! Your marriage is valid in any other country if was made based on the local laws.

 

Please, explain your situation better because what you are planning is not right

.

Look the Guides here on VJ and on the USCIS website. You both need to educate yourself about this process. 

 

 

 

If I knew the answers I wouldnt be asking the questions.  I stated that we need to apply for a spouse visa using the I-130 I-130a applications. I am trying to find short cuts that are legal and wont hinder the spouse visa process, this is why I am getting advice.  I dont know where else to get information at this point.  We have an appointment tomorrow to sign her up for military benefits at the US Embassy VA office in Manila, I will ask there also and then see what we find when we try to apply for a US passport at the US Embassy in Manila next week.  Everything we do is legal, we will not lie on the applications.  We are married and I would like to take her home with me while we wait for her visa. Thanks for your input.

Dan & Juliana Nora

[Loren Y 2,755]

I don't think she is going to be able to pull off a US passport either just because she married you. I agree you can add her to your insurance, bank accounts, and things like that as a married couple. I also agree you don;t have to get married again in the US, your marriage if legal in Manila, will be legal anywhere else in the world. Why would they even have a CR1 visa if you could just marry a foreign national and get them a passport at the embassy. I wish I would have known this and avoided 4-5 years of K1, AOS, Removing of Conditions, and N400 filings. Would have saved me Thousands of dollars also, I would double check on the US passport thing, and if it's possible, post back and let everyone know.

Good news is, you got the hard part done and started the clock on the marriage, that means it will be an easy 2 years before she can enter on her visa( They are taking 18 months or so, and you haven't even filed yet), and she will avoid removing conditions and go straight to 10 year green card. SO you should have no issues entering after your 2 year marriage date. And if it processes faster, suck it up and wait the extra few months to get past the 2 year mark, and she will enter on a IR1 if memory serves instead of a CR1.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Loren Y

[dle3452 5]

1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

I don't think she is going to be able to pull off a US passport either just because she married you. I agree you can add her to your insurance, bank accounts, and things like that as a married couple. I also agree you don;t have to get married again in the US, your marriage if legal in Manila, will be legal anywhere else in the world. Why would they even have a CR1 visa if you could just marry a foreign national and get them a passport at the embassy. I wish I would have known this and avoided 4-5 years of K1, AOS, Removing of Conditions, and N400 filings. Would have saved me Thousands of dollars also, I would double check on the US passport thing, and if it's possible, post back and let everyone know.

Good news is, you got the hard part done and started the clock on the marriage, that means it will be an easy 2 years before she can enter on her visa( They are taking 18 months or so, and you haven't even filed yet), and she will avoid removing conditions and go straight to 10 year green card. SO you should have no issues entering after your 2 year marriage date. And if it processes faster, suck it up and wait the extra few months to get past the 2 year mark, and she will enter on a IR1 if memory serves instead of a CR1.

thanks for your input, im finding out she cant get a us passport, why i was asking, i dont want to make the spouse visa any harder than it is. I heard the embassy can process the visa if they want to, im working on that too, im not trying to do anything illegal, just looking for a legal backdoor that is publisized if you know what i mean, we had a long wait to get her annulment done due to covid, then it took us 5 months to process the paperwork to get the decree. I will ask if there is anything we can do to get the embassy to process it, if not, ill fly home and send the application in, it is ready to go.  Thanks for you comments.  If i find anything out, ill post it.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,412]

3 hours ago, dle3452 said:

thanks for your input, im finding out she cant get a us passport, why i was asking, i dont want to make the spouse visa any harder than it is. I heard the embassy can process the visa if they want to, im working on that too, im not trying to do anything illegal, just looking for a legal backdoor that is publisized if you know what i mean, we had a long wait to get her annulment done due to covid, then it took us 5 months to process the paperwork to get the decree. I will ask if there is anything we can do to get the embassy to process it, if not, ill fly home and send the application in, it is ready to go.  Thanks for you comments.  If i find anything out, ill post it.

 

It's better to continue the previous topic to keep things relevant:

 

 

The last post there asked about what "back door channel" you were planning, which you never responded.  

 

If seems you researched about getting her a job offer to get Direct Consular Filing (DCF), to which everyone responded "no."

 

The method is to apply for CR1.  If you were active military on duty in the Philippines and you were given orders to transfer, that would give you the "exceptional circumstance" for DCF.  There is no other "back door".

 

You do not have to travel back to the US to get things rolling.  You can submit the I-130 online from where you are now.

[carmel34 3,615]

5 hours ago, dle3452 said:

im not trying to do anything illegal, just looking for a legal backdoor

Spousal visa via the regular process is your only option.  Start by filing an I-130 petition for her online from the USCIS website.  Plan on 1-2 years before she gets a visa interview in the Philippines.  Visit her there as often as you can during the 1-2 years and collect evidence of time spent together, in person, to submit at the NVC stage and/or visa interview.  There is no fast path for a spousal visa based on the circumstances described in your posts.  You will be living apart most of the time, unless you can move to the Philippines to live with her while waiting for her spousal visa.  Good luck!

[PaulaCJohnny 713]

7 hours ago, dle3452 said:

Everything we do is legal, we will not lie on the applications.  We are married and I would like to take her home with me while we wait for her visa

Unfortunately this is not possible.

 

This is what everyone want, be close to their love ones during this long and stressful process but this is not how immigration process work.

 

Again, like I told you, there is not shortcut. Maybe you think I’m being rude but this is not my intention. I’m not trying to crush your love story! I’m trying to bring you to the reality of this process. If you have the possibility to live with her on the Philippines or anywhere else, this will be my suggestion.

 

She cannot, per example, apply for a Tourist Visa and live here in the US with you for 2 years (time that the CR1 normally takes). This is not the purpose of the tourist visa.

 

If she have a nice job waiting for her, you can check if they want to sponsor her, but even this one will not be quick.

 

The best right now is focus in learn the process IMO. You will find a lot of “shortcuts “ ideas that can create a lot of unnecessary problems in the process.

 

2 years will flight fast and when approved she can live here with you happily!!

 

good luck 

[SalishSea 17,770]

11 hours ago, dle3452 said:

Hi, I married my Filipina finally, we have an appointment at the Manila US Embassy VA to enroll her into military benefits May 25th, and an appointment to apply for her US Passport at the Manila US Embassy on June 5th.  While at the mall I was talking to a US Citizen who told me I could take my filipina wife to the states  on a US Passport then send in the I-130 and I-130a applications from the US. 

I need some advice on this, he also said I would need to marry her again in the US.  If anyone has information on bringing her to the US using her US Passport it would be greatly appreciated.  I dont want to break any laws that would could enfringe on getting her visa processed.

I have recieved good advice from VisaJourney members so far and appreciate all your help.  We just finished getting her annulment decree through the system which only took us 5 months. 

Once I get through this process and have a better idea about it through my experience, I will be sharing my experiences and help answer questions.

Thank you any information about taking her home on a US passport before turning in the I-130 application.

Dan & Juliana Nora

Where did you get the idea that she’s eligible for a US passport?   If she eventually qualifies to naturalize, that’s years and years away.

 

You can petition her for a spouse visa.   It won’t be quick.

[Crazy Cat 41,675]

12 hours ago, dle3452 said:

I am trying to find short cuts that are legal and wont hinder the spouse visa process, this is why I am getting advice.  I dont know where else to get information at this point.  We have an appointment tomorrow to sign her up for military benefits at the US Embassy VA office in Manila, I will ask there also and then see what we find when we try to apply for a US passport at the US Embassy in Manila next week.

There are no real short cuts.  Exactly what kind of military benefits are you talking about that can be done at an embassy? DEERS?  She does not qualify for a US passport.  I suggest you read the guides here on VJ regarding a spousal visa.  Good luck.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Adventine 3,196]

That US citizen you met at the mall who told you that your Filipina wife qualifies for a US passport and that you need to marry her again in the US? They were trolling you.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Adventine

[little immigrant 801]

Do not claim your non-US-citizen wife as a US citizen. She'll be barred for life. She can't vote either FYI 

 

She'll be a permanent resident. It is important to get the terminology right at DMV, place of employment etc

[SalishSea 17,770]

48 minutes ago, Adventine said:

That US citizen you met at the mall who told you that your Filipina wife qualifies for a US passport and that you need to marry her again in the US? They were trolling you.

Scary stuff.

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from Bringing Family of USC forum to the Philippines regional forum ***