Our trip to the Chicago Consulate Offices

[PhiLandShiR 18]

The things we did at the Consulate.

#1 Filed our Report of Marriage.

A.Because we were late in getting this filed, over the one year mark, we also filed

an AFFIDAVIT FOR DELAYED REGISTRATION.

This document is required to be notarized. Not sure why...

#2 Filed our Report of Birth for our daughter.

#3 Filed for a Passport for our daughter.

#4 Filed for Amend Passport after Marriage for my wife.

To find the Consulate was much easier than I expected. Right downtown is a large park called Millennium Park. This park is about 2 blocks in size. The park is built over the bulk of the parking ramp system.

Once in the park, go to the North West corner of the park. This is the corner of Michigan Ave. and Washington Ave. A Walgreens store is right across the street on this corner. You will see the Philippine flag from this corner of the park, next to the Walgreens store, to the left. If you have a stroller like we did, the rotating door into the Consulate will not be large enough to allow it to pass. If you go around the corner to the right from the Walgreens you will see another set of doors that will allow you to enter.

Parking was not a big problem as there is a huge underground parking ramp under what seems like, the entire downtown area of Chicago! Finding your car again, is another issue altogether… Parking payment is all done with tickets. You get one from the machine at the entrance and pay with a credit card at a payment machine when you leave. Always take the ticket with you so you can pay it as you head back to find your car. Always take the ticket back from the payment machine as you will need to use it in the exit gate machine so it opens the exit gates for you. I guess you could wait till right then to pay if you forgot to take the ticket with you but it seemed easier to pay at the point you head back to your car. If you really wanted to, you could also pay with cash but parking is so expensive that you would run out of cash pretty fast I think... I spent about $200 on parking alone but we also went to a number of the attractions there in Chicago. It appeared that $10 is a minimum charge for parking pretty much everywhere.

And NO, you can not pay the ticket as soon as you get it and think your parking will be just $10. There is a time limit on how long your paid ticket is valid. The parking authority in Chicago has NO sense of humor at all...

Once inside the Consulate, go to the desk and tell the staff person that you want to go to the Philippine Consulate. They will require a photo ID and point to a bank of elevators. Only 2 of which go to the 21st floor. There are no buttons; you just wait till someone comes down. These only take a minute or 2, the place seems really busy.

Go up to the 21st floor, as the doors open you will see the Philippine Consulate sign on the wall. Go to the left and through a door. There are 3 windows like at a bank. With the little hole in the glass and a slot underneath. The staff was prompt and very easy to work with. They helped me sort through all the copies of everything I needed for each submission I was making and insured that everything I needed was submitted.

We waited to sign everything till we were at the Consulate but the officer there just said to take them to the back room where my wife was caring for our daughter and have her sign them where he pointed, and to have me sign them too. After that, bring them back. He had seen us walk in so I guess he was not too worried about signatures… You may want to wait anyway...

I had taken 4 certified copies of our marriage certificate and 4 certified copies of our daughters birth certificate as well as 10 copies of each. The certified certificates both stated that it was illegal to make copies but I did anyway. The Consulate officers examined the photo copies and originals and assured themselves that no changes had been made and returned the certified copies! Not sure if that is normal or not but I now have lots of certified copies for later use.

The passport photos we provided for our daughters passport were the wrong size and needed to be replaced. The Consulate also wanted photo copies of both my drivers license and of my wife. Also a copy of her Green Card. We were directed downstairs to the 15th floor to room 1530. This is the office of Cal Travel Agency. A nice Filipino business that does everything from passport photos to finger prints to notary work. For $11 we got new photos of our daughter and quick copies of our licenses and Green Card.

I provided postage paid, tracked and addressed Express Mail envelope and was told to expect our daughters passport in about 6 weeks. We were told to pick up my wifes passport at end of day. We picked it up the next morning as we were planning to visit some of the museums that afternoon.

All in all, it was simple and fast. The only word of warning I can give is to bring an assortment of $20s, $10s and $5s. The Consulate required exact change for each submission.

If you have any questions about this please just PM me!

-Phil

Edited July 21, 2010 by PhiLandShiR

[Tahoma 2,292]

Phil...thanks for sharing your Consulate experience. Now you guys are all up to date.

...and congratz on your little bundle of joy...what a cutie!

[tallcoolone 102]

Two Questions:

Did you have to get a Visa to go from Iowa to Illinois?

How is the paint drying out there?

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Two Questions:

Did you have to get a Visa to go from Iowa to Illinois?

How is the paint drying out there?

#1: Nope!! In Illinois the people from Iowa are wellcome. It not like Texas, where no one wants you.

#2: Paint does not dry here cause its to humid. However, watching the corn grow is a great spectator sport enjoyed by many.

[edp333 9]

I went to the USCIS office in Chicago on Monday the 19th with another fil-am couple. I have been assisting them with the visa process. We parked at the immigration parking at S.Clark and W. Harrison behind the USCIS office for $8 for less than 3 hours or $11 for over 3 hours.

Knowing this was a bargain I talked the couple into staying parked there and walking to the Sears (Wilis)Tower. We also went to the Federal Reserve money museum so they could see a million dollars in ones, twenties, and hundreds.

Strange part was another VJ couple from the Quad Cities was there for an interview at the same time. They were going to Millenium Park also, but I could not talk them into walking the 8 blocks. After 9 AM the parking prices go way up.

My wife and I may be traveling past Des Moines in a month or so. If it happens I will email you back and maybe we can visit.