Skyman

Ok, so follow up. After receiving my Priority Mail, the SF PCG took about 5 days to process the ROB. Just back from the Houston PCG where we applied for junior's RP passport. So, he's now an official dual citizen and international man of mystery. And not yet 3 months old.

It's a few months yet before I can file my wife's N-400 and at that time we may well be in the Philippines. About how long from the date we file would it be likely for her presents be required for something? Fingerprinting, interview, whatever. I know all cases are different but would a minimum 2, 3, 4 months be likely? Thanks

Original and 4 copies of the BC, 4 copies of this, 4 copies of that, 4 copies of the World Book Encyclopedia, yada yada yada. You know how kafkaesque the RP gets.

He was born in CO so the ROB needs to be done in SF or we could send/take it to Houston so they could send it to SF. Seed smarter to mail it to directly. I don't know if ROB and passport could be done simultaneously but didn't want to fly to SF.

Our son was born in October and he already has a US passport. The state department took all of 2 days to process and mail it. Maybe I wasted $60 on expedited service because what kind of background check can you do on a baby? Anyway, his mom is a Filipina so I sent in a ream of papers to the PCG in San Francisco for the ROB. Does anyone know how long that takes? Once we have that we can apply for his RP passport but the consulate website says that takes 6-8 weeks due to it being produced by the DFA in the RP and then mailed. I think we'll probably go to the RP DFA on his US passport and gets his RP passport there. If we can get an appointment. But just wondering how long the ROB takes if anyone has experience.

Negative comments about open borders do not align with the official narrative.

We won't be able to file the N-400 for about 6 months yet, and a good bit of that will be out of the country, but is there a domicile requirement for the N-400? And what would be acceptable as proof of that? We're full time RVers, so addresses are kind of difficult. My mail goes to a friend's house in Ohio so we have some financial docs that have that address but do they need more, like a lease?

Okay, so here it is... The interviewer thought I had answered incorrectly but I explained and he said something like, that doesn't apply to US military. I said that the instructions need to reflect that. He changed my answers but didn't try to make me resign and then he approved her. Waiting for the next go round with the N-400.

I guess you should be an IO then.

Sad right? Because the DS-160 just contains bio data and nothing about property holdings or other things that would tie a person to their country which is what the B-2 is supposed to be about. There should be an allowance for at least a few pages of attachments so you can show compelling reasons to return. Meanwhile, we have an open border with Mexico.

Never seen that before. In our case, the intent at reclaim was still a visit. We had return flights. Those were cancelled by the airline. That, along with constantly changing rules as to who could enter the Philippines as well as how (Quarantines, Vaccines, forms, etc.), were what made our decision to change status and stay. Covid changed a lot of people's plans. But we aren't here permanently.

Negative. She used it to visit. Covid conditions caused our plans to change. You may recall reading about the scamdemic and the ridiculous rules made globally. If change of status was not an option, why would it be an option? I did not suggest that and I resent the implication.

Petitioning her for US citz? That would be lying. After my wife has her blue passport we will back and forth, part year residents of both countries. I'm a permanent resident of the Philippines. There's no reason for her mom to stay here. All her family is there. As for her suddenly deciding to stay here she was with her sister in Australia 90 days and didn't decide to stay there.

I am having trouble finding the post but there was a case posted this year where a someone was denied a B visa because previously a relative had adjusted on a B visa. I haven't heard of anyone being given an actual reason why their B was denied. Just a form letter saying you weren't approved because you didn't meet the qualifications, yada, yada, yada... Lot of people make assumptions to why they were denied but it's a guess. Not really. If it was even asked it was only by name and I'm sure my wife's name isn't unique. I can understand that being a problem if the change was filled on her first trip but after over 10 years you're really slow balling it.

Can we get back to the actual question here?

Everyone who goes to a tourist visa interview has a file of stuff. The stuff the interviewer should want to see but never asks for. Here is the B-2 criteria from some lawyers website: Seems reasonable, right? But the DS-160 contains only bio data and none of the above. So you need to bring a file of the stuff to prove it. Land titles, employment letters, etc. Whatever stuff you have.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think there was anything on the DS-160 that would definitively identify my wife other than "name and relationship of relatives in the US." It seems to me my wife's record of multiple trips to the US over a 11 year period without overstaying would be a plus.

Wife received her B-2 in 2010 and used it 5-6 times. We renewed it in February of 2020 and made reservations for another 2 month visit. A week later, all flights canceled and the Philippine gov't barred Filipinos from leaving on tourist visas. In September there was a narrow window for tourists to leave so we did. After that mess (and still with most flights canceled and major difficulties getting in or out of the Philippines) I decided it was time for her to get US citizenship. However, I'm told the B-2 is all about the individual so I wouldn't my wife's case would affect her mother. I'm sure a lot of people will say it does but I don't believe it unless my wife had been convicted of trafficking or terrorism or something on that scale. Anyway, ok, I'll tell her not to say she's helping out. How ridiculous is that. Hahahahaha

For helping out? That's kind of what parents/grandparents do.

My wife has been in the US since September of Covid and a LPR since October of 21, applying for citz next year. She's due with our baby in Oct/Nov. I thought it would be a good idea for her mom to visit us for a few months over the birth time to help out. Pinoy interviewer in Manila denied her. I had told her she needs to get her file of 'stuff' to the interviewer because he won't ask for it. That didn't happen so we want to try again and this time she knows to get the file to the interviewer. Force it on them if she has to because without it, there's nothing to show the required "compelling reasons to return to the Philippines." Anyway, I go to sign in and select New Application, NIV, B-2...and the info is already there including the DS-160 AA confirmation #. And then it wants me to pay the fee. This seems too easy. I know that nothing has actually changed on the DS-160 but being a gov't system I would expect them to want an entirely new submission. Is this correct?, just pay again with the same DS-160 number? Seems to me someone would look up the number, see it was already denied and deny it again without interview.

Does anyone know where I can get a blank copy of the DS-160 for a B-2 application? I know the actual app needs to be submitted online. But as I understand it, you only have a certain amount of time to complete online before ####### times out and you may have to start over. I know you can save it and assuming everything works you can pick up where you left off but you know how that goes. I did find a pdf link that was basically screen shots of the online pages but it was huge. Just wondering if a pdf of the paper form exists so my MIL could print it out and we could go over her answers before trying to put it in online.

Unfortunately, 58 I think.

Oh, and 1 other major advantage to the 13A over the BB visa showed up during the scamdemic where guys with families had been doing annual visa runs with their wives to Hong Kong or wherever to refresh their visas were suddenly unable to return. They could leave no problem but it was a 1 way trip and their wives couldn't leave as tourists. Many just went over their year meaning they had to start doing tourist visa extensions. When they, and regular tourists, got to the 3 year point, they had to pay some hefty fines which were accompanied with a 'get out of dodge' order. While I was free to come and at will. When flights were available, of course. My wife couldn't leave though on a B-2 for about 8 months.

Seems like a few years back there was a half dozen or so senior girls that posted some bikini/shower pics. No nudity or erotics but they were expelled and that was about a month before graduation.

Mom (in Cebu) needs a new passport. The old one is lost but long expired. Anyone know any tricks to get an appointment with DFA? It seemed ok for a while when the appointment system required identification and that wasn't transferable. But now it seems like the travel agencies have gotten around that and there are never available appointments. I was thinking if mom took one of the younger grand kids and got them a passport too, there is some kind of priority or something? Any other ideas?