top_secret

If the last updated date keeps changing that can generally be perceived as positive because it means someone at the embassy is actively working on the case. It at least lets you know they haven't forgot about you.

You should just have to file a new DS160 for the child if she will travel within a year of her mom.

That makes sense. The 02 case probably means the embassy has accurately included the daughter as follow and join so she will be able to travel within a year of her mom without requiring a new petition. It sounds like everything is going correctly and it is just the embassies infamous slowness and inconsistent timeframes.

Usually 01 and 02 would be if there is a derivative like a K2 child. If that's not the case there could be other reasons. As long as the date keeps updating it means that they are at least actively working on. It could be seen as positive since usually it means progress. Unfortunately there is no way to predict how long it will take but you probably aren't that far away.

Isn't your son a US Citizen??? If so, he doesn't need a medical, he just needs his US Passport. I'm not sure about your wife's passport. I have not personally heard of anyone making it through Saint Luke's without a passport but your situation is kind of unusual given the embassy has her passport and issued the 221g for a new medical. I think you are going to have to call Saint Lukes and/or the embassy on that one. What is the status on the CRBA? Presumably your wife can't travel until that is fully resolved.

They stopped letting US Citizen spouses in to attend interviews in 2020 "because of ronan-virus" and to date I have not heard of them reversing that policy. The same entrepreneurial ladies hanging around the sidewalk outside the Embassy who would offer hold your phone for P200 also have chairs you can rent for P50 so you can have a seat in the shade while you wait.

Somehow context is critical with this question.

Congratulations!!! Any documents that you have updated be sure to upload and submit them to CEAC. NVC won't review them but the Embassy will want copies of the actual documents you bring to be uploaded. They have been sending people back outside the embassy on interview day to upload updated documents which is not fun. NBI Clearance and CENOMAR should be less than a year old. It's not strictly necessary to upload updated tax documents but if you have them and they are good then there's no harm in updating that. On interview day they aren't going to let you into the embassy so you are the designated phone holder anxiously waiting outside on the sidewalk while your wife is inside.

Both the embassy and NVC are just trying to shift responsibility for the backlog to get you off their back. Ultimately it is the embassy that has the backlog but they will just tell you they don't know anything about your case because they have not received it from NVC yet. NVC will tell you they have not sent it because they are waiting for the Embassy to request more cases. In reality it is just waiting for it's place to come up in the queue. The best you can do is try to find other examples of recent cases at the same embassy and guess the backlog by how long they took. We don't have many Georgia cases here but the few over the last year or two looked to be in the 2 to 4 month range which is really not bad compared to some other embassies. Georgia may also get cases from Russia, Iran etc that might follow different timelines.

Tax returns are recommended, and not infrequently asked for at interviews, but they are not at all a strict requirement. Submit what you have, when you have it, if you feel it may be helpful to your case. But don't feel you need to center your case around tax returns alone.

There was this and a few more comments further down the thread. I think I have seen Sacramento mentioned for no name changes a few other places too.

Others here have reported that the Sacramento Field Office only does administrative oath ceremonies. It is one of a few field offices that does not do judicial oath ceremonies so you can not change your name with a N-400 at that particular office. As far as i know your only option will be a name change in the California State Courts which is somewhat costly and time consuming.

I won't argue that point but then again I wouldn't want to find myself debating English grammar as it applies to Philippine laws with BI or any other Philippine agency someday if they see it differently and chose to challenge it for some reason.

The relevant Philippine law is Commonwealth Act No. 63 SECTION 1. https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/29/21438 By naturalizing in the US, Filipino citizens very unambiguously lose Filipino citizenship by both #1 and #3. Republic Act No. 9225 amends Commonwealth Act No. 63 SECTIONS 2. and 3. to simplify retention and re-acquisition of Filipino citizenship but does not modify the ways that citizenship may be lost. https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2003/ra_9225_2003.html So, under Philippine law, a Filipino Citizen absolutely loses Filipino citizenship when they naturalize in the US. UNLESS, they fulfill the steps prescribed in R.A 9225. If the argument is that there is no mechanism the Philippine government would catch someone who didn't tell them or that philippine laws aren't fair or important. I won't go there. The law is still the law. In my own opinion if it does not matter to someone if they are Filipino Citizen or not, then they should just drop any claim to Philippine Citizenship and happily live life as a US Citizen and Balikbayan former-Filipino. But if it might actually matter now or at some point in the future that they really are a Philippine Citizen then I would want to make sure they actually really are. I would hate for it to come up in some kind of dispute with BI etc.

You are undoubtedly correct about it being a money grab for $50 but under Philippine nationality law, naturalizing to another country most definitely does cause one to lose Filipino citizenship. The worry would be if NOT being a Filipino citizen ever came up in any relevant way while in the Philippines. https://houstonpcg.dfa.gov.ph/index.php/consular-services/dual-citizenship

Yes. They get e-certificates with QR codes immediately. It's all they need. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the Philippines until it's actually happened but with visas on hand and appointments with CFO, that is as firm a date that you could possibly get and could probably be considered pretty safe to schedule.

It is the airline that is giving CBP their passenger manifests, since checking-in or passing security is meaningless for I-94. The passenger must be confirmed by the airline to have actually boarded the flight. I think theoretically CBP should be able to figure it out based on just name and birth date so no special action is required. But in reality I could see how that might be something they could screw up. I would probably use the same passport I came in on unless the airline had any objection and also double check your I94 online afterwards just to make sure no mixup occurred.

Congratulations!! Did you notice if they were letting in other family members for the oath ceremony?

Some states require you notify DMV of any changes in citizenship for any driver’s licenses or state IDs. I 'think' Texas may be one of the fussier states on that point. Also, under Philippine nationality law, naturalization in the US voids Filipino Citizenship and cancels the validity of any Philippine Passports. While there is no requirement for her too, if she wants to retain Philippine Citizenship and become a dual citizen then she needs to go to a Philippine consulate OR the main BI office in Manila and swear a new oath to the Philippines and order a new Philippine passport (plus pay $50). This would also have implications for the Filipino citizenship of any future children. Since IIRC your family may still have substantial ties to the Philippines it might be important for your wife to require and maintain Filipino citizenship.

GCP is for fiancées and spouses. However, W1 and W2 are "independent immigrants" for CFO and would normally be PDOS for 20-59 years old or PCP for 13-19 years old. Children 12 and under just require registration.

Did you first try getting copies from PSA and had them tell you no copy exists? Normally people just order a copy from PSA and it's delivered. Super easy. That's what NVC and the Embassy wants. Only if for some reason you try PSA and they tell you they do not have a copy would you need to go to the LCRO and have them endorse a new copy to PSA. It's not normally part of the process for old records.

Replace with PSA copies. Only PSA certified copies are accepted.

Yours is probably a much easier case. Yes, it definitely needs to be a PSA copy. But, if the LCR copy has existed for any period of time, then it was probably already endorsed to PSA and you just need to request a PSA copy. Someone there can pick one up at any PSA office, or you can order one online with a credit card at https://psaserbilis.com.ph/ If it is still brand new at the LCRO or if for any other strange reason the LCRO actually never endorsed it to PSA yet, then ask them to endorse it to PSA and pay the expedite fee.

Maybe it is best to stick to the N400 Civics YouTube videos.😆

He was certainly in an area where common sense would dictate that he should not have been in, and he was maintaining a very high profile there. I don't want to blame the victim and nothing justifies what happened but he showed stunningly poor judgment. I wish him well but the fact that no ransom or any other demands have been made so far does not bode well for his fate. At least maybe it will remind certain types that kidnapping Americans is generally not a profitable endeavor.