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top_secret

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  • City
    San Diego
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    California

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  • Immigration Status
    Naturalization (approved)
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    San Diego CA
  • Country
    Philippines

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  1.    OldUser reacted to a post in a topic: Getting very nervous - Visas approved but not issued after 10 business days / 2 weeks
  2. top_secret
    That is not at all outside of 'normal' timeframes for US Embassy Manila. They really do have very inconsistent visa issuance timetables with no outwardly obvious rhyme or reason why some are issued within a week and some take three weeks or more. It is still very reasonable to assume that nothing is wrong and the visa could be issued at any moment. Hopefully in time.
  3. top_secret
    My wife got an AMEX Blue Cash Everyday card unsecured on her own credit. We definitely always list out joint marital income on credit apps. They started her with a credit limit ~$2000 and after, I think, 6 months the gave her back to back $10,000 credit line increases every 3 months, up to almost $40k in a very short period of time for a brand new immigrant. It's not the best credit card she has as far as rewards and general terms, but definitely fantastic for building a credit score
  4.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: FBI Clearance Required?
  5.    AlaMike reacted to a post in a topic: True or False: CFO can require police clearance or FBI report for petitioner
  6.    Aquabac reacted to a post in a topic: Recently approved K1 (June 24) and wondering why the consul never asked for financial documents or I-134?
  7. top_secret
    Foreigners can get a CENOMAR. They just apply at PSA like any Filipino. PSA responds that the never heard of any such foreigner before. That's a CENOMAR. I can't recall reports of CFO ever asking for one on the petitioner before so it does seem like a new level of harassment. But, relatively easy to get
  8.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: Recently approved K1 (June 24) and wondering why the consul never asked for financial documents or I-134?
  9. top_secret
    I think it is scientifically proven that if your fiancee brings all those documents to their interview, no one will even look at them. But if your fiancee does not bring all those documents, it definitely would be that one time they suddenly decide they DO want to see them.😅
  10.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: Proper documentations for US minors?
  11.    EatBulaga reacted to a post in a topic: Proper documentations for US minors?
  12. top_secret
    If staying for an extended period definitely get the Filipino Passport and enter on that to avoid any confusion. But the US Passport also exempts the child from many of the laws relating to minors traveling that otherwise apply to Filipino citizen children Under Philippine law the maternal grandmother has default legal custody of the child if a parent or designated guardian is not immediately available. If you wanted to go way over the top being over prepared you could do a special power of attorney at a Philippine consulate granting temporary custody and guardianship. But I'd think that would be overkill. In reality I can't imagine any circumstances where anyone would actually question lola caring for a grandchild. Filipinos don't generally question anything about women caring for children unless something really seems seriously off about the whole situation. Our 12 y/o is currently in the Philippines spending the summer with lola and ates. She flew there alone and no one even asked a shred of id or anything from us putting her on the plane. Just her passport and fill out this airline form. They are incredibly lackadaisical about the whole custody issue.
  13.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: Does a person lose Philippine Citizenship if they did not naturalized or took an Oath of Allegiance to another country?
  14. top_secret
    Whatever opinions anyone may have about CFO, they have produced a really detailed and informative pdf booklet covering Philippine nationality laws as they relate to dual citizenship here. https://cms-cdn.e.gov.ph/CFO/pdf/24. DUAL-CIT-PRIMER-FINAL.pdf The OP seems to match the hypothetical example CFO mentions on Page 8 CFO further explains the relevant Philippine nationality laws on Page 13 More specifically, under US Laws, the minor children of naturalized US citizen parents "acquire US Citizenship by operation of law" under INA 320 as amended by the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA) Philippine Passport holders can come and go from the Philippines on any timetable they wish. US Passport holders can come and go from the US on any timetable they wish.
  15.    OldUser reacted to a post in a topic: Unsolicited Evidence I-130
  16.    appleblossom reacted to a post in a topic: Unsolicited Evidence I-130
  17. top_secret
    There are hundreds of YouTube videos. Just search "N-400 Civics Questions". My wife found them particularly useful because they more closely match the actual test where the questions are asked verbally and the answers are not multiple choice. YouTube also has many mock interview videos that may be useful to some.
  18. top_secret
    I uploaded additional relationship evidence as unsolicited evidence and my wife's I-130 was approved shockingly fast just a week later. I do not believe the additional unsolicited evidence was at all responsible for the shockingly fast approval but I can say with 100% confidence that it DID NOT slow anything down. The progress tab estimate is almost certainly completely meaningless and in no way has the slightest correlation too how long your case will actually take. When you get to the NVC stage, that is where submitting additional evidence resets your document review wait time. Not so with USCIS.
  19.    Edward and Jaycel reacted to a post in a topic: Acquiring the long sought after one-way ticket
  20. top_secret
    PAL charges high prices because they can. Allot of Filipinos in the US are willing to pay extra for familiarity and the convenience of non-stop. Although PAL is not a premium airline they have no problem filling their planes charging premium prices. Be careful about any of the super cheap "self transfer" fares you may see because they may require clearing immigration in transit and that option might not be viable at all or at least complicated for Filipino Passport holders. Sometimes budgetair.com has slightly lower prices for flights originating in the Philippines. We use them from time to time and have had no problems but be sure of your travel plans because they would not be easy to make changes with.
  21.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: Global Entry Question
  22.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: Global Entry Question
  23.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: True or False: CFO can require police clearance or FBI report for petitioner
  24. top_secret
    If you are overseas, most instances where you would need a SPA notarized for use in the Philippines, it will need to be notarized at a Philippine Consulate. This is one service that even the honorary consulates can perform so you have options in many cities in the US. Choose the nearest and contact them. You would probably need an appointment. https://philippineembassy-dc.org/directory-ph-hon-cons/ https://philippineembassy-dc.org/consulate-finder/
  25. top_secret
    To further clarify, travel Tax DOES NOT apply to Filipino citizens, dual citizens and Balikbayans who are resident overseas and spent less than a year visiting the Philippines. They just need to stop by the TEIZA desk and show their green card, permanent resident visa or foreign passport and their entry stamp to claim the exemption certificate. We do it every time now and no more travel tax for any of us. It's anyone, including foreigners, who are resident in the Philippines or has spent more than a year in the Philippines that ARE subject to travel tax. So, it goes almost exclusively by country of residence rather than citizenship. Ordinarily a Filipino emigrant would only need to pay it the first exit leaving to move overseas. All future trips are exempt unless they move back to the Philippines. I agree they don't seem to enforce E-Travel on exit but the online status in your e-travel account does change to "CLEARED BY IMMIGRATION" in real time when you actually pass exit immigration. So, even if they dont mention it their system is definitely looking at it. It generates a digital record that you have immediate access to of your exit in the unlikely event dates of entry and exit were ever questioned for any reason. I fill it just for that reason.
  26.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: N-400 July 2024 Filers
  27.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: NVC exempt.
  28.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: Can a K1 holder safely travel to the Northern Mariana Islands?
  29. top_secret
    Anyone who has spent much time in the Philippines will come to understand that it is the land of inconsistency. Rules for EVERYTHING, everywhere, constantly change depending on who you deal with, where it takes place, temperament of parties involved, morning, afternoon, day of the week, time of the month etc etc. The results that the other guy got in no way means someone else might get the same. Americans tend to want concise and accurate rules, to properly fulfill the specific requirements and therefore be 100% sure of some guaranteed outcome. The Philippines just doesn't work like that. Flexibility and ability to quickly alter course when carefully made plans fall apart are key to any important endeavor there. CFO specifically has been making up random off the wall rules for years. Placating them just to get past them and out the door is the easiest path.
  30.    top_secret reacted to a post in a topic: After the Interview
  31. top_secret
    Using Korea as a broad example, USFK has instructions online for troops stationed in Korea. https://8tharmy.korea.army.mil/sja/assets/doc/marriage/Marriage-In-Korea-USFK-FN.pdf Other stations may be quite different but the basic concept is to get the new spouse squared away with military formalities, then go to Embassy, get green card.
  32. top_secret
    Depending on where you are deployed overseas you may have options available to you that are not available to the general public. Troops deployed in Korea, Japan etc can often accomplish a direct consular filing at the US Embassy and get a green card in as little as a month or two. Definitely consult with base legal services and see what options and assistance are available to you before you file anything with USCIS.
  33. top_secret
    Going through LAX Tom Bradley terminal last month they had a new facial recognition system that completely eliminated kiosks altogether. There were just two scanning points and people walk up and almost instantly get a "green-GO" screen or a "see the officer" screen. It was probably operating at about 10 seconds per person. The only thing that even slightly slowed it down was that some people seemed to be confused by what the "green-GO" screen meant and lingered unnecessarily until the "GO" part was explained to them.
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