Dorothy and I met on October 15, 2004 on Yahoo Chat, everyday through IMs, Emails, Phone Calls, Voice Chat, Webcam we communicated. I watched the movie Love Actually on November 27, and just like Jamie in the movie, "a mans got to do what a mans got to do" So I booked my flight on November 29, and met Mahal ko on December 24, 2004 in Manila, on Christmas Day we returned to her hometown of Butuan, where I met her family. Time goes so fast when your having fun, spending time with her family, enjoying the sites, and so on New Years Eve we went to the jewelry store and I told her to picked out her engagement ring, that night actually early morning New Years Day after all the festivities dinner and gifts were exchanged, I asked her mother’s permission, and proposed to her in front of her family, she accepted! I returned to the USA on January 3, 2005, and we still keep in contact everyday, hopefully her K-1 visa will get approved soon, so not only can we be together again, but see Paul McCartney in concert in Omaha on October 30, and oh yeah get married of course. It may seem like forever but always keep in mind good things come to those who wait!
PS:
Hello to one and all who are desperately waiting for Manila to move just wanted you to know I contacted the embassy today July 26, 2005 at 3pm Manila time.
Our packet arrived in Manila on May 11, 2005, and my fiancées visa appointment is now scheduled for September 23, 2005, and she should receive her K-1 packet no later than September 9, 2005.
So from time Embassy received to Interview for us will be a total of 135 days!
Just don't give up out there; what does not kill you will only make you stronger!
Good Luck to one and all!
Visa Approved on September 23, 2005
Rick & Dorothy Together Again Soon!
BTW: On October 1, 2005 I flew back to the Philippines and was reunited with my love Dorothy. We spent a week in Manila awaiting for visa to be delivered to a nearby hotel. On October 8, 2005 we returned to hometown Butuan to spend two more weeks there before returning to Manila and finally we left the Philippines and cross the dateline we did make it back to the USA on October 24, 2005, we did get married on October 28, 2005, we did see Paul McCartney on October 30, 2005 we later saw Tony Bennett in November 18, 2005, Bon Jovi on January 14, 2006, and Martina McBride on January 28, 2006. Check our timeline you will see good things happen to those who wait!
¡Vive la Repúblika Ng Pilipinas!
K-1 Visa
Event Date
Service Center : Nebraska Service Center
Consulate : Manilla, Philipines
I-129F Sent : 2005-02-14
I-129F NOA1 : 2005-02-15
I-129F RFE(s) :
RFE Reply(s) :
I-129F NOA2 : 2005-04-14
NVC Received : 2005-04-23
NVC Left : 2005-05-03
Consulate Received : 2005-05-11
Packet 3 Received : 2005-08-17
Packet 3 Sent : 2005-08-17
Packet 4 Received : 2005-08-17
Interview Date : 2005-09-23
Visa Received : 2005-10-07
US Entry : 2005-10-24
Marriage : 2005-10-28
Comments : Called on July 26,2005 3pm Manila time from USA K1 packet should be received no later than September 9, 2005.
Letter was dated July 25, K-1 packet mailed on the 27th, stayed with Delbros Subcontractor because Embassy left off address and contact number. Contacted Delbros, K-1 packet traced to sub-contractor since August 1, 2005. Sub-contractor delivered to fiancee on August 17, 2005.
Visa Approved on September 23, 2005
Processing
Estimates/Stats : Your I-129f was approved in 59 days.
Your interview took 221 days from filing.
Point of Entry Review
Event Date
Point of Entry : Los Angeles
POE Date : 2005-10-24
Got EAD Stamp : No
Biometrics Taken : Yes
Harassment Level : 0
Comments : Due to abundance of papers photos etc that embassy gathered and sealed the CBP Inspector could not find the Affidavit of Support fortunately I was standing near by to help the officer and my fiancee soon to be wife. Total time from debarking the flight to exiting LAX 2 hours.
Adjustment of Status
Event Date
CIS Office : Kansas City MO
Date Filed : 2005-12-17
NOA Date : 2005-12-22
RFE(s) :
Bio. Appt. : 2006-02-17
Interview Date : 2006-05-18
Approved : Yes
Got I551 Stamp : No
Greencard Received:2006-06-26
Comments : Well, if you have a picture cell phone or beverages including water you better leave them in the car for starters, however mothers of small children with formula or breast milk should not be a problem getting past the contracted guards.
The appointment was for 9 am, we got there at 8 am, but like usual when it comes to Government, "The first shall be last.” We were finally called at 9:35 am while other people who arrived after us went ahead of us, (they must have shelled out bucks for some fancy attorney) in any event we were asked for ID as if you somehow faked your way in. After you prove who you are you proceed to the adjudicator's office, you remain standing and then are sworn in, once you say, “I do,” then you sit down.
The adjudicator will review your file, and then he/she will ask both you and your spouse basic questions based on your application, verifying information, and so on. Then they ask for evidence of proof, if you do not know by now, MAKE COPIES! Such items as pay vouchers, leases, titles, mortgages, wills, powers of attorney, bank statements, letters, cards, and photos.
Be sure that you bring personal photos! They will not take your photos, just look at them. Therefore, I suggest you have them in album and explain the photos to the adjudicator while your spouse looks for copies of documents. They should be photos of you and your bride with family and friends. I would suggest just take your best photos, if you are like me and use a digital camera, I would suggest you save your best photos on a disc and get them printed at a local retailer.
You do not need allot of photos, since you just got into country, but just enough to show that from the time you got married to the present you and your spouse have lead a normal life. In our case, my wife has been here for almost 7 months and we had 126 photos out of the thousands taken. In any event just be yourself, if you have nothing to hide, you should have nothing to worry about all should go well provided you have your stories and your documents together. The entire interview took less than 30 minutes. If approved you should receive a conditional green card good for two years in about 10 days.
FYI: Your first green card is only good for two years. Ninety days before your conditional green card expires, you will have to apply for your 10-year Legal Permanent Residence card so be sure to keep all the documents you have in your big stack of stuff cause they will look at them again!
Employment Authorization Document
Event Date
CIS Office : Chicago National Office
Filing Method : Mail
Filing Instance : First
Date Filed : 2005-12-17
NOA Date : 2005-12-22
RFE(s) :
Bio. Appt. : 2006-02-17
Approved Date : 2006-02-23
Date Card Received : 2006-02-27
Comments : Biometric appointment time was 11 am but had to take a number and wait 2 hours before processed at Kansas City, MO.
Processing
Estimates/Stats : Your EAD was approved in 68 days.
