Highmystic

3 hours ago, top_secret said:

 

 

What they want is a PSA certified copy of the ROM.  It sounds like you have the stamped copy the consulate returned when you filed.  The PSA version is exactly the same except it is photocopied onto PSA security paper and with the PSA seal and certification on it.  $20 per copy and $100 for DHL sounds about right ordering it sent to America.  If you want to save a few bucks you can order one online with a credit card and have it delivered to relatives in the Philippines for P330 and they could send it to you by PhlPost EMS with tracking for P1600, so like $33 all in that way.  Online you order from here  https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph/  Request a Marriage Certificate and if a ROM exists that is what you will receive.

Yes, I've been there, and printed out the 21 pages of "instructions".  They say I can ship FedEx but when you go in and start filling out things, it didn't give me an option other then DHL, who does not ship to my location.  I could have it shipped to a DHL store for pick up, but I think the better way is your suggestion to send to one of her relatives and they can ship postal expedited or something.  With DHL though, for a few bucks more you can get a guarantee or they pay you $500 if lost..,   Anyways, that's your clearing things up for me.  

Wife has her US Citizenship.  We bought land in the Philippines for retirement hopefully by next summer.   She tried to get an appointment at an outreach center and I uploaded everything they asked for.  However the issue is although we filed the ROM in 2019,  they said that was just a certified receipt that they received it, but we need to get a "certificate" from the PSA in order to continue.  She already has a US passport with her married name AND renewed her Ph passport in her married name.   $20 per copy and DHL is over $100 for delivery.  I just wanted to be sure they are not going to just send us a copy of the copy that is was received and filed.   Anyone?

On 2/11/2023 at 2:53 PM, Rocio0010 said:

Congrats!!! Way too many things to celebrate this Valentines!!!

 

6 hours ago, pocccco said:

Hi everyone,

 

I’ll be submitting my I-751 soon. May I ask for your advice on whether our I-751 packet is complete/sufficient? I’m worried that we might have missed something. Here is the list of the documents we have in our packet:

 

1. Forms
   1. Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions
   2. Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
   3. Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
2. Initial Evidence
   1. IDs
      1. My permanent resident card
      2. My origin country passport
      3. My spouse’s US passport
      4. Our marriage certificate
   2. Proof of cohabitation
      1. Current and past lease/rental agreements
      2. Shared utilities
   3. Tax Returns Filed Jointly
   4. Health Insurance
   5. International Travel Documents
      1.  Airline Tickets
      2. Hotel Reservations
   6. Photos and Social Media Posts

 

Thank you for your time and advice!

Looks like you have everything.  My wife is from the Philippines and as I've read,  the US Gov practically issues visas from Philippines like candy.  On my wife's final interview in the US, She actually asked more questions of the interviewer than he asked of her!   It takes time but in the end it's all good.  She is now a US Citizen for the past 18 months.

I think that there are a LOT of people for that meeting, and probably they are understaffed so limited appointments.  All I can say is keep trying until you get an opening.  It will happen sooner or later.

10 hours ago, BugsBurger said:

... her passport application locator number? This was routine, not expedited, application, we hope.

Yes,  not expedited.  She is not going to the Philippines until later this year.

Just a note of celebration!  Wife's US Passport got here today, after 12 weeks and one day since they received it.  Talk about timing!  Her DL's was to expire today and could not renew without

a Green card  which they kept at the ceremony, and the certificate we had to send in for the Passport.    Great timing!

7 minutes ago, Micam said:

Are you sure there is no way to get a background check in China? I found this website that says you can hire a representative to act on your behalf: https://www.zhaozhao.co/how-to-apply-for-a-china-police-certificate/ (I don't know how accurate this is).

 

I do know that it's the same process in Vietnam as I have been researching this for myself (I need someone to act on my behalf as they need someone to go in person to Hanoi). I would be surprised if there wasn't a similar route for China. 

My wife lived in Japan and Malaysia (I think Japan was just under a year though),  she had a friend there in Malaysia who got it for her and mailed it to the Philippines, but it took a couple months.  Perhaps you have a friend in those places to act on your behalf.

5 hours ago, Kokoro_Minora said:

Also, just preparing for future scenarios. Would a "no" from the embassy regarding his B2 Visa hurt his future chances of being able to immigrate to the US if we did decide that's what we wanted? Like, if we hit it off and decided to apply for a K1 fiance visa, would the previous decision be a red flag or hurt his chances at receiving one? Sorry if this is annoying, I just really want to make sure all my bases are covered. 

Another option,   you could go to the Philippines, spend time with him and his family,  get married there, and apply for a spousal visa. 

2 hours ago, Selfmade said:

Hi guys,

I was just wandering if anyone is going through this same situation?

I did have my appointment January 11th in Montreal and sadly the criminal record I got from the RCMP was the wrong one and I was ask to send the correct one together with my passport which I was able to do that February 8th.

today is March 17th  and I haven’t heard anything from the consulate since then not even a confirmation if they received my passport with the correct documents I sent back.

any idea what I can do? Been stuck in Montreal for months now.

Thanks.

A little late at this point, but in the future,  anything that gets mailed (especially something like the originals of Birth Certificates,  Passports etc,  best to send it Certified mail, return receipt requested, so someone has to sign for it.  At lest least,  send with a tracking number so you know it arrived.  Case in Point,  we have to turn in my wifes' original Naturalization Certificate for her US passport.  The post office said it would be returned by regular mail.  Regular Mail?  I asked "what if it gets lost"?  and she said,, "oh, that don't happen"  LOL... If lost, it's like $500 to replace it, plus the cost of the trip. 

14 hours ago, Mike E said:

Since you haven’t filed I-129F yet, you should have married when you were together and then filed I-130. 

Is the married route still longer timeline but less money and bypass some other things with the I129F ?   My wife, (Philippines) did not want to go the "married" route due to a short time we had known each other and would have looked "pushy".  But since the OP has a few years under the belt, I'd agree that the I130 would be a money saver. And the wife would have a lot of her stuff waiting at the airport, right? 

5 hours ago, wedidit101 said:

My case is sent back to uscis already. I made this post because they wont respond to my emails regarding where my Passport is. And I need it asap. 

I guess it wouldn't hurt to find your Federal Senator from your State and let his/her office know about it.  Sometimes they do good,.

20 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Congrats!!! Way too many things to celebrate this Valentines!!!

 

Yeah,  our 5th Anniversary is Monday,  Valentines day Tuesday, her birthday on Wednesday! Busy week!

  LOL

8 hours ago, Patrón said:

I just got my interview scheduled for March. I am planning on going outside US in May. Do I need to apply for US passport after naturalization? In that case i dont think the. passport will come on time for me to travel in May. Or will I be able to use my old passport? 
Please let me know if anyone had the same issue. Thank you.

Check out the gov site.  I don't know if your trip would qualify as "urgent" 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html

7 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

What do you mean? You can’t pick the office that processes your case!

We did the Las Vegas USCIS, for her Bios,  and when I contacted USCIS,  "they" assigned my wife to the Phoenix USCIS.  We did not ask to be transferred, they transferred her case to Phoenix.  We just had gotten a notice to go to Phoenix instead of Vegas.  Sure it's a longer drive, plus a hotel, but worth it.

1 hour ago, MFL said:

I’m at a loss for words. Every other timeline I see has gotten approval for their EAD already. We have not gotten any updates since July 2022. Anyone else experiencing this?? Submitted my EAD request with AOS following K1 and marriage. Our NOA is May 26, 2022.

Some places are slow, due to staffing I guess.  We waited over a year for the first interview (Las Vegas,  90 minutes away).  I emailed them via the USCIS site,  Stating that people had already gotten their interviews who filed months after our filing date.  They moved us to Phoenix (nearly 4 hrs drive) but got it done.  I'd suggest emailing them and hope for results.  BTW,  we stayed with the Phoenix USCIS and we got her 10yr card (without an interview).  and just went down for her Citizen interview.  Heading down again in 4 days for her Oath!!! 

6 hours ago, New Romantics said:

I actually just checked and I'm wrong. The date on my letter is October 19, I was remembering wrong. So I guess NOA1 is October 18?

I hate when I remember wrong! LOL  but it happens

On 2/2/2023 at 4:48 AM, Bob in Boston said:

You can try a B Visa. My step daughter finally got hers on the fourth try in 8 years, Nothing changed over those years except now she has a daughter. rents an apt, has a regular job and lives week to week. give it a shot, all they can say is NO.

Kudos for your Step Daughter with stepping up and creating a better life for her to be able to get the visa!   She should be very proud of her hard work!

3 hours ago, smore said:

Have a question about tourist visa? I have like many of us have met a philippines woman online, its been 3 years since we met online, due to covid any plans for meeting got delayed for awhile, since things have settled down with restrictions we have tried to make plans to meet, but due to things on both our schedules we have not been able to meet yet. She has suggested that she comes to USA to meet me, the plan was for me to go there but as mentioned schedules, my work, life responsibilities we just have not been able to make a plan for me to go there that works for both of us. So she has suggested or offered to come here to USA.

 

So how can she come to USA for us to meet? What will she need? I believe a tourist visa? can she even get one?

After reading the comments back and forth, it seems not it is not a viable option.  If you are serious about a relationship,  I think you will need to take a 10 day vacation and go visit her.  Then you have a choice, if you want to proceed,  you can file for a fiancee visa, or get married there and file for a spousal visa. Both takes a long time but the spousal visa (as I've read in the past) may be the longer but easier path.  Either way, it will run thousands over the next few years.

12 hours ago, Bahrainexpat said:

I submitted the family based AOS package(I-485, I-864, I-765, I-131) for my wife in November 2022, USCIS received on 14.Nov.2022. She entered the US in September 2022 via K-1(we both lived/worked in Bahrain) and we married the same month. I didn't expect to hear anything soon except maybe approval of the I-765 sometime this spring. To our utter shock, we received an email yesterday that USCIS had taken action on our case. We logged in the morning shortly after that email and didn't see anything. Our case still had the 'we are actively reviewing your case....' status for the I-485 and I-765.  I logged in again last night and entered the receipt number for our I-485 and it indicated our case was approved on 31.Jan.2023. Sure enough, in the documents section was our I-485 approval. We did not submit an expedite request. 

 

Bear in mind, we just submitted our case in November 2022. We did biometrics on 6.December.202, but had no interview. Does this ever happen? I am highly suspect there is an error or glitch here. Until I see the ‘card is being produced’ it’s just really hard for us to mentally process.

 

My other question is, after I-485 approval what is the typical timeline to receive the green card in the mail? Our notice indicates we can’t submit an inquiry to follow up until 90 days after the approval notice.

Sometimes it gets strange!  Wife received her 10 yr card out of the blue in the mail.. 2 weeks later she gets a letter that she is approved and her card will be sent soon.. Go figure.

On 1/28/2023 at 3:51 PM, Highmystic said:

Hi All!   Wife has her Citizenship interview in two days,  going for that 4 hr drive tomorrow to be there on time.   Anyways, she heard that sometimes both husband and spouse can be interviewed separately.

I am the Husband, born in the US,, she is the Immigrant.  I think that perhaps they may do that "if" they have a reason to suspect fraud or something along those lines.   Due to the fact,  she is making me

dress up! LOL...    Anyone (citizen spouse) have to be interviewed or questioned during your spouses Citizenship interview?

 

As a side note, she's been studying since we filed so I know a whole lot more that I had forgotten about Civics. 

Update:  Wife passed with flying colors!  On to the Oath Ceremony  Feb 10th.  Then for the Passport. And any "i" to dot and "T"'s to cross. 

Hi All!   Wife has her Citizenship interview in two days,  going for that 4 hr drive tomorrow to be there on time.   Anyways, she heard that sometimes both husband and spouse can be interviewed separately.

I am the Husband, born in the US,, she is the Immigrant.  I think that perhaps they may do that "if" they have a reason to suspect fraud or something along those lines.   Due to the fact,  she is making me

dress up! LOL...    Anyone (citizen spouse) have to be interviewed or questioned during your spouses Citizenship interview?

As a side note, she's been studying since we filed so I know a whole lot more that I had forgotten about Civics. 

9 hours ago, kiwirst said:

Filing today and wanted to know what additional evidence I should be including to support my application.

 

Is it still things like tax returns, bank statements, mortgage statements, basically anything that shows marriage-based evidence?

 

I have started a couple of businesses as well, should I include the certificate of good standing for them?

We also included her 401K  and life ins that I am beneficiary and She is mine.  Vehicle insurance listing both names as well as title and registrations with both our names.  I think all in all, we pumped in 25 scanned documents. 

3 hours ago, ImmigrantKrish said:

my wife’s appointment took more than 1:30 but the actual interview was only 10 mins and they printed out the oath letter and handed it to her. She waited inside the lobby in a big hall until they called her..

Thanks for the info!  Didn't think the interview was too long.. but the wait.. LOL

1 hour ago, ImmigrantKrish said:

We are from Phoenix, and I have my interview on 24th. My wife had are interview on Nov 11th and oath on Nov 14th. I have researched and found that they havent done same day oath ever. I would prepare to stay 2 to 5 days after interview.

 

Maybe I can all and have here appointment moved to Vegas.  It would be very very difficult to stay more than 3 days.  I have a business I would have to shut down while we wait and wait.. Thanks for your response!  Appreciated.

1 hour ago, ImmigrantKrish said:

We are from Phoenix, and I have my interview on 24th. My wife had are interview on Nov 11th and oath on Nov 14th. I have researched and found that they havent done same day oath ever. I would prepare to stay 2 to 5 days after interview.

 

Question... How long did the Interview take?    We planned on spending 2 nights, because we need to visit the Apostille just 8 minutes away..  Her apt is at 11,  and if it does not take long waiting also, we can get to the Apostille later that afternoon and head back.. I'd rather do the round trip in a single day than stay for days..