Jason and May

Thank you for your input. I'm glad you read the post and decided to share. I agree about being unassuming. When I lived in Mexico, I generally wore old shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. Actually, I just basically lived in them. Most comfortable period of my life, I think. But at a certain point, I started working at a psychology clinic, and I needed to dress "respectable," so to speak, when I went to work. And that's the point the metro police messed with me and the attempted robbery happened: business casual work attire.... Ugh. To some extent, I get it: socioeconomic distress causes people to do things to survive. But victimhood is also not something I personally accept. When I've traveled, I've given money when I could to folks here and there. I think in very certain cases, it's a decent thing to do. But the dudes drinking in their truck...while probably living in poverty, they were not the elderly woman sitting on the street 5 feet from where she sleeps. There's a difference. Also, my wallet has certain keepsakes in it I'm not willing to lose. On a different day, had I not been contrary to losing more money, I might have taken those things out and handed over my wallet, or even just given them the money. It's easier and less risky. That particular day, I escalated the situation by saying no and some not so nice things. At first, they just wanted money. After I escalated the situation, they wanted my wallet. And to give me a beating for being a contrary gringo. I was in a particularly contrary mood after just handing over $5,000 pesos to two sleazy police officers. Meh. Life. I've never worn my backpack to the front, but when I travel I see a lot of people who do. I'm usually fairly hyper alert, though, as well, to my surroundings. It's just my nature. That said, one of these days I probably will take that thing off and find it sliced open and my stuff gone.... 😕 Take care! 🤙🏾

Thank you all for providing input. I really appreciate it! ☺️🤙🏾

The psychotherapist in me always creeps in on these types of questions. In a normal back and forth, people give advice all the time. And you asked for advice. In large part, though, none of us really know the dynamics of the relationship between you and and your husband. Inasmuch, that would take several conversations to really understand and conceptualize. A couple members asked some very good, open ended, and nonjudgmental questions. Which is lovely to see. It looks like you came to a decision on your own, after some time had passed. Which is also lovely to see. Typically, during a fight, given the escalation, certain areas of our brain fire and others shut down. Generally speaking, the parts that light up and work the fastest are subcortical: that is, not rational, intended to protect...flight, fight, faint, freeze...etc. And, many times, people do say things designed to hurt. Really, what they are doing is projecting. And each of you are also mirroring each other's neuronal firing sequences, body language...tempers. Or, the opposite, one person is introjecting those things...shutting down, turning inward. Ego states are remarkable. I'm glad you found an answer to your questions not just about flying out of the country, but also what to do in your relationship. Not knowing anything about your relationship, I will refrain from providing any advice, because it could be entirely misleading in any direction. I would say, though, if you find yourself experiencing this type of argument or treatment as more than a one-off bad day, it's worth talking to someone who is a professional in this arena, such as a therapist or even a life coach (although life coaching is largely unregulated throughout the United States). Warmest wishes, Jason

Hey folks, I'm filling out the I-864, preparing for the NVC stage, and in part 6, section 24a-c, I am evidently required to list the adjusted gross income from my three most recent tax years, even though I am submitting only the tax transcript for my most recent tax year. Short backstory: Following 8 years in the Marine Corps, I worked as a sex offender agent for 18 years before separating from service early and going back to school in 2017. I eventually obtained an advanced degree in clinical psychology, and I am now a nationally board certified psychotherapist. I graduated in 2020. While doing a year's worth of paid and unpaid internships, my income in 2020 was only $4,691. (That last year, following my separation to do my internships, I was living primarily off my one-time lump sum payments from my pension and deferred comp. So, my 2019 tax return shows a huge income, which is inflated by the payouts.) In 2021, my adjusted gross income jumped up to over $50,000. And in 2022, it's nearly double that between my work at the public clinic and my own private practice. I know it's generally indicated NVC doesn't care about past income provided your current income documentarily well exceeds income minimums. I'm wondering, however, if to be proactive, I should write a short memorandum explaining my income disparity between 2020 and now....? Any advice from experienced VJ folks is appreciated. Thanks, all. Jason

Just an update: My wife received her tax ID paperwork today in Manila. The date of the form is May 25, 2023, but it got to her. Like. 5 weeks later. While the IRS cashed my check about 3 days after I mailed my packet to Austin last April, my taxes have still not been processed. I suspect there's progress, though, since May was issued her tax ID number and so forth. It's probably just sitting in queue, waiting to be processed by someone who hates their job. 🙃 So, just an update for anyone who comes along the thread: This process is how it should be for MFJ and getting your S/O his or her tax ID number. It's all good. Warmest wishes, Jason and May

Hi all, I thought I'd check in here tonight and perhaps lend a gentle reminder to the relative fallibilities and predatory nature of human behavior. While running errands today in Manila, preparing for our NVC phase, my wife was robbed. She lost everything: her wedding band, sapphire promise ring, necklace, earrings, watch, power bank, and AirPods. More importantly, because she was getting her NBI Sundry Card and preparing to send off applications for PCCs and CNCs to Jordan, Lebanon, and Qatar, she lost her Barangay clearance, postal ID, CFO, passports, all the information from our I-130 packet, her marriage certificate, and all the money she had pulled out of the bank to transfer fees for the PCCs and CNCs, along with her bank card and our credit cards. Thankfully she was not hurt, which, frankly, is all I really care about. She was badly shaken, but unhurt. Because she knew she would be in a high crime, risky area, while on the Jeepney, she apparently took off all her jewelry, including her Apple Watch, and put everything in her bag. But it was a handbag, not a backpack. She probably was targeted after she exited her bank. Because outside the bank, one girl distracted and talked to her while another girl grabbed her bag and ran. With absolutely everything in it. I feel guilty, because in 3 years, I've almost always told her when she goes out to take someone with her: her sister, her mom, her brother, a friend. And I remind her to use a backpack, not a handbag or shoulder bag. This time, I was too complacent and distracted with work here at home, and I did not. So she left on her own, without me reinforcing "don't go if you can't take someone with you." I'm not advocating for living in fear. Because I sure don't. When I was extorted by the Metro Police in Cabo, they have guns and could take me to jail. So I negotiated and gave them money. When five guys tried to take my wallet at my favorite mercado and taqueria, I took a bit of a beating, knocked one guy down, and nearly another before they opted for a better day and easier target, I suspect. (Funny story years later. Both those things happened on the same day, within the same hour. I left the metro police at El Centro, went to my favorite store and food truck for a manzanita and some food, and there was more trouble, just waiting for me. Bad day.) But my wife is five foot nothing and 100 pounds sopping wet, extremely introverted, and does not present as a burly, bald, probably ill-tempered, makes-eye-contact, military bearing, middle-aged dude. She's an easy target is my point. So, for what it's worth, that was her experience today, and she's still shaking and upset, angry, and frustrated.... Be safe out there, all. Awareness of surroundings, the right accessories, and a little controlled hyper limbic activity is a good thing. My wife won't change that; her ways are ingrained, but she can be more aware and will probably take someone with her and wear a backpack from now on, leaving her other things at home. That will probably change after today, once we can get her to leave the house again. But that's another, much more private story, I suppose. Remind your significant others to be safe. 🥲 All my best, Jason 🤙🏾

The generally accepted rule is that if you declared it on your tax return as income and therefore paid tax on it, while not necessarily indisputable, per se, it is accepted as income. Though I'm less experienced with immigration than many others on this forum, I've never heard of someone's tax return transcript being unacceptable, particularly as it is indicated as acceptable in USCIS financial disclosure language. That said, I think the most dependable person to ask this question would be your immigration attorney. I'm glad my input was helpful. Best of luck to you.

Immigration at NAIA is much more difficult that Cebu (I don't know where you're departing from). They can--theoretically--offload her for any reason they decide. I would say in our experience, though, the fact she's not unaccompanied and flying off to Dubai alone, she has her K1 visa and CFO, as well as her proof of travel (travel itinerary for herself and you to show they match and were presumably purchased together), I would be surprised if she had any problems. I've never heard of the blue stamp on a CFO. Maybe someone else can answer that.

Expect to wait longer. Like until August. Because anything can happen. And, then, when something like the auto expedite that just happened comes your way, it's a really nice development. (I'm in the same boat as you. Sort of. We're still waiting for our NVC welcome letter. And we're just...waiting. It gets hard. But it's just life.) ✌🏾

Hi, Chancy. Thank you for your reply. We’ve requested the CNC twice through the Ministry’s website, paying the fee via eFAWATEER. My wife recently called the Ministry, and she was told they only provide them in person. That doesn’t seem correct, based on the Ministry’s website, but that’s what she was told. The Jordanian embassy in Manila sent her paperwork with instructions on how to request a police clearance certificate, so we have recently requested that. I think we’ll see if this second request for the CNC actually generates anything. She didn’t appear in court in Amman, but she was required to stay in the jail until she either paid up the residency card or decided to go home. So, knowing nothing about Jordanian law, I have no idea how to classify any of it. But to be safe and honest, I think she will answer yes to the arrest and removal questions, because whether she was technically arrested, she was held in the jail and she was removed from Jordan. I imagine getting the relevant records may be difficult, because she’s had a difficult time getting answers about the CNC and PCC. I don’t speak Arabic, or I would call. I think it’s easier to give her a run around because she tends to be very passive in situations like that.

I appreciate your input. Thank you. ☺️🤙🏾

I appreciate your input. Thank you. ☺️ It feels odd to me, though, to answer yes to being arrested and yes to being removed from a country for it to have no bearing on her US visa. I’m probably feeling more anxious now as it all draws closer…and probably overthinking. It’s hard to shake, though.

We don’t have her PCC yet. So we don’t know. She believes they told her that after 5 years it comes off her record. At least that’s her understanding. I think she might be confused on a barring of reentry versus her arrest or police record. Though, I really don’t know. We can only go through the request process and see what’s there. At any rate, the DS-160 is pretty clear in its questions, and she needs to mark that yes, she has been arrested without conviction. And that yes, she has been deported from another country, even without formal deportation proceedings.

I can see how that would be true. I guess it’s just concerning on the potential effect it could have. At least in my mind, anyway. The reassurance helps, though. Thank you for explaining your thought on the topic! 🤙🏾

That’s odd. The Jordanian embassy in Manila sent us a form with instructions specific to a PCC. It explained the difference between an issuance of no criminal conviction and a PCC. I wonder if that has since changed and the website just hasn’t been updated?

Hi, Mike. Could you expand on that, please?

Hey all, A recent thread on deportation or removal from a country other than the United States recently caused me to rethink my wife’s situation and how to approach it. She was removed from Jordan in 2018 for a 2-year overstay. She was arrested and held in jail there until she could either pay for her overstay or decide to go home. She eventually decided to go home. A year later, she went to Qatar, worked there for two years, and left with no problems. Which takes her to 2021, when she met me. We are waiting right now for her NVC welcome letter. We are going to answer truthfully on her 160 and attempt to get her PCC from Jordan. Being new to NVC and CEAC, I’m wondering if writing an affidavit on the circumstances of her overstay is worthwhile? E.g., she was quite young when she worked there, she gave her boss the money for the residence card renewal but he did not renew it, she wasn’t sure what she should do being young, first time away from home, in another country, etc. Likewise, she worked abroad subsequent to that experience, a little older, a little wiser, and a little more assertive. She left that country with no problems. On one hand, that’s a lot of excuses. On the other hand, it’s true explanation. Any experience or thoughts that might be helpful processing this? I don't even know if an unsolicited affidavit is acceptable, let alone the correct approach. Or where to attach it in CEAC. We probably should have attached as an unsolicited document at the USCIS petition phase, but the 130 pertained to U.S. removal, while the 160 asks about any country.

My assumption is that it will largely depend on the circumstances and the interviewing officer's discretion on your fiancé's case. My wife was deported from Jordan in 2018. She was held in jail, waiting for her boss to pay the fees for her stay, and then eventually decided to go back to the Philippines. So they put her on a flight to the Philippines. I still married her and we applied for a CR-1. We know it will likely be on her PCC from Jordan, and we know it could affect the decision on her visa. We've asked VJ forum members, and I've asked two attorneys. I've received all different answers: yes, no, maybe. My slightly educated guess is that there is no hard and fast rule on the necessity of a "clean" PCC. I believe it depends on the nature and circumstances of the crime. I also do not believe a deportation from another country other than the United States immediately bars anyone from an immigrant visa. I think it comes down to the interviewing officer and their discretion. So, while we could just not tell anyone about her stay in Jordan, we're not going to lie. She's putting it on her 160, we're getting the Jordanian PCC, and she will explain or attempt to explain the circumstances of that overstay and deportation, and we'll see what happens. At the end of the day, it's life, my friend. And we make do with what we've got, and this is what we've got. And it's what you've got. So... I wish you all the very best. I really hope it comes out in your favor.

In your CEAC portal, does it indicate if any of your forms were not submitted or are incomplete?

Ooops! Yes, I meant NVC. My brain must not be functioning yet this morning.... I thought USCIS still mailed petitions to NVC. I think I read that on the DoS website. Which is weird because it's 2023. But maybe I'm wrong and it's electronically transferred.

I wonder if they sent your case on June 2nd, and USCIS is working on cases received on June 5th, if maybe they received your case on, say, June 9. In that case, it will take a little while longer before they get to your case in queue for the NVC case creation. Our case was just sent to NVC on June 23, so we haven't been through this stage, and I'm just making a deduction (as opposed to an educated guess). It makes sense in my mind, anyway. Please update us in this thread so we know how it all panned out for you!

Hi, all. Just thought we'd update: We got our NOA 2 today. The case was sent to NVC on Tuesday.

Good luck, my friend. 🤙🏾☺️

I was going to say, I was just there December to January, and AirAsia didn't let me board our domestic flight at first because I didn't have a mask. My wife held our place in line and I ran across the street and bought one. My wife is still in Manila and has the impression masks are mandatory in some places. I'm headed back next month, and I'll pack some masks just in case. It seems like there are so many different places requiring or not requiring.... For the OP, if you don't get a definitive answer, I'd recommend just throwing a few in your carry on just in case. That way you're good to go either way.

I covered all this in a thread several months ago after talking with the federal IRS and my state department of revenue. I was in the same boat you were. I can't get the thread to copy a link, so I'll copy and paste here from the thread. Maybe this will help you. Federal IRS I completed and scanned an IRS form 2848 to my wife. She signed and faxed it to the IRS at the fax number indicated on the form. She then scanned a copy to me. (Adobe Scan for iPhone and Android is free and works awesome.) Within a couple of weeks, the IRS sent me a letter with a CAF number, which allows me to sign tax documents for my wife through power of attorney. I then filled out the IRS form W-7 and signed it for my wife as POA with my CAF number. This will apply for her ITIN for tax purposes. Be sure to check the power of attorney box by your signature line, or they will reject the W-7. My wife applied for a certified true copy of her passport through DFA (Philippines). She shipped me the originals through DHL for something like $3,000 pesos. It took about 5 days, I think, to get to me in Wisconsin. Then I printed my tax returns, and I mailed my federal tax return packet to the IRS ITIN Operations address in Austin, TX. The federal tax return packet you file for the first year you apply for your wife’s ITIN, does not go to the normal IRS filing address. It goes to the ITIN operations center, where your wife’s ITIN will be generated, and your tax return filed. These addresses are on the W-7 instructions. The packet you mail should contain: Your tax return A copy of the 2848 your wife faxed to the IRS to apply for your CAF number and provide you POA A completed IRS form W-7 with power of attorney box checked Your wife’s original passport or an original certified true copy of your wife’s passport A copy of your certificate of marriage A cover letter explaining why you are filing with the status married filing jointly, but your wife is not a resident and needs an ITIN. (Essentially, something like: We’re married. We’ve applied for a spousal visa, it is not yet approved. She is a resident of and lives in [X country] and she is not a U.S. resident, and we need an ITIN for tax filing purposes.) State Taxes Your state taxes is a different story. I called my department of revenue and asked them what to do. They told me to write in her SSN box on the tax forms “ITIN applied for,” and include the IRS form W-7 to prove her ITIN is applied for, a copy of our marriage certificate, copy of her CTC of her passport, and a cover letter explaining the circumstances. Some states might make you wait until her ITIN is issued to file. Mine didn’t, though. Miscellaneous: I do my taxes through TurboTax. There are a few forms where you have to put in your wife’s SSN, and you can only type numbers. So when I printed my taxes, I went through all my tax forms, and on the few where my wife’s SSN needed to be, I wrote in, “ITIN applied for.” This was what my state's DOR agent told me to do to avoid my taxes being rejected for corrections. When I signed the W-7 for my wife, I signed her name and then wrote, “By Jason L. Fairweather, Husband, [and my CAF number].” When I signed our taxes, I signed her name and then wrote, “By Jason L. Fairweather, Husband, [and my CAF number].” I hope this helps, Jason