Advice - Purchasing airline tickets prior to interview

[Christine n Carl 0]

VJer's

I'm looking for some advice to help make some decisions.

Situation:

Traveling to PH around Oct 20 to be there for my fiancee' interview on Oct 22.

As we all know I have 21 total days on US passport in PH, as well as about the same

number of available vacation days.

Our goal is to hopefully pass visa interview and get K1/K2 visa (have a daughter as well)

problem is when to book airline tickets? Waiting for visa in hand makes the cost of three

one-way fares to USA cost prohibitive when having to buy last minute seats. (not being cheap

but the cost of fiancée and child thru this process can be very expensive and that's just the beginning)

I have talked to several travel agencies in PH and they say most likely there will be no first time immigrant

or promo fares if you wait to a few days before travel to purchase tickets.

While I see a lot Filipina's go thru interview process on there own and after they get visa, fiancée buys there

ticket at a later date for just them (they are not constrained to last minute flight arrangements.). This is not the case with us as she really wants me to be there and to make sure everything is right so we have increased chance of passing interview.

I had planned to be there a few days prior to go over documentation and ensure she knew everything they might ask of her.

I figured I could purchase one-way tickets for all of us on Nov 6 given 15 regular days and 11 business for visa delivery.

Any advice on alternate action and reasoning would be appreciated.

Any experience with a travel agency that was able to work with last minute tickets and possibly

good policy on ticket hold/rescheduling?

Also anyone know if visa delivery set to 2GO in MOA (Manila) how long will they hold for? (this could ensure a few days quicker delivery and we could wait and fly back to Manila and pick up visa a few days before actual flight) as she lives in Misamis occidental and most likely take a few extra days to deliver.

Appreciate any idea's

(Oh I'm flying into PH on UAL travel award with a Cebu pacific promo fare to Hong Kong as outbound flight to satisfy PH custom's & immigration).

Best wishes to all those affected by the Typhoon and flooding in the PH

Christine & Carl

[LeeandJoy 0]

Carl....

The stay has been extended to 30, instead of 21 days, as of Aug1. Don"t know if this will help you, but will give you more time without getting an extension.

I would say if all goes well, she will have visa in hand well before Nov 6. They say 7 to 10 days, but my wife's and most others are just 4 or 5 days. We also live in Cebu. The courier service was very fast once they got it in their hands.

One never knows what will happen at the interview, so I wouldn't make any flight plans till you have the visa in hand.I talked to a couple guys on the day of our interview at the embassy who had flown over for the interview (k-1), and were very disappointed when they were issued 221g's.

As far as flights out....Check all resources....travel agents and online.

Best of Luck!

[Netsikai 20]

Purchase tickets only if they are refundable or rebookable...just to play safe in case visa will be delayed.

[DaveE 178]

I played that game and lost. There is a reason the embassy tells you not to purchase tickets until the visa is in hand.

[aki 3]

I just cancelled the tickets I bought for my parents. August 1st interview and supposed to leave on the 23rd. But unfortunately they are put under admin review. Til now we have no idea when they gonna issue the visas. Cancelling the tickets cost us $250. Better wait til you have the visa on hand...

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

(if) You are able to accommodate a flight switch & If you're willing to pay the change flight fees...go for it....but I wouldn't.

Odds are against getting your SOs on the flight you bought prior to the interview.

[Bayareaguy 156]

I waited till after the interview was passed. Got tickets for 3 weeks after, and will most likely be rescheduling the flight later due to inept visa issuance.

[haggarda.versoza 3]

Hello. If you feel there won't be a problem you can purchase it. It a case to case basis. A friend who goes with the same interview as me got approved and got the visa the week our interview. There was no problem. However, a friend who had an interview at the same time as us until now her status is ready case open.

It's case to case. Like you you'll be attending interview with your fiance I don't see there will be a problem but still it's case to case.

By the way. I purchased my ticket to US prior to my interview. We just prayed that everything will be fine.