ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMarriage certificate copy - cant see the seal.
You need to submit certified copies only. It is good to have more than one certified copy for the process. What is important is it is a certified copy and not a copy of a certified copy.

Edited by bestofboston, 05 August 2011 - 12:42 PM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-08-05 12:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresnvc confused need some advice..
You can call and get case number from NVC. Wait approximately 5 working days after NOA2 approval to call.
Online you can enter your case number, etc and it will show when paid

You can see from the Visa journey timelines how long it takes typically to process and get an interview date.
It takes around 5 months.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-08-15 07:58:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresmaking sure it's the cr-1
If you filed both for a CR1 and a K3 visa, the K3 visa will die at the NVC. This is what happened to us.
It turns out that filing for a K3 was a waste of time.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-08-23 17:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHurricane Irene how will this affect NVC
All is well. I live in north of Boston and work 10 miles from where the NVC is in Portsmouth NH. Storm was not bad here. There should be no delays because of the storm.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-08-29 06:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFinal Step
She does not need to wait. As long as she came here with good intentions and she can prove it, she can divorce now and get 10 year green card without remaining married.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-09-03 16:55:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNBI and Birth / Baptismal Certificate
You do not need a certified copy of your birth certificate and a police clearance from the NBI. You should get two certified copies of both.
You don't need anything from your church.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-09-22 07:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNBI and Birth / Baptismal Certificate

Dear all :)
In 2008, I requested our civil registrar to change my name in my birth certificate since I discovered that my registered name was "babygirl", thus, everytime I tried getting copy of my BC at NSO with my real name to no avail. Thank God, after a few months in 2008 the correction of my name had already been annotated in my BC NSO copy.

My questions are:

Do I still have to get a copy of NBI with my previous name "babygirl" ? I never used this name eversince in all my records.

I now have my NBI clearance with my corrected / true name, will this be Ok?

Do I really have to produce my baptismal certificate ? Is this really needed ? I might not be able to provide this since that was long time ago and the church where I was baptised may not have a copy anymore since it was burned before. My family once lived in a war zone area while I was a little kid. All my siblings have encountered same problems with our birth / baptismal records. I have lots of official records / documents to show of my identity from child till now. Will my baptismal certificate becomes an issue during interview if I cannot provide ? Please help me, friends. Thank you all in advance. :)


See next post

Edited by bestofboston, 22 September 2011 - 07:45 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-09-22 07:41:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCR1 Age Difference please helpp

I married a lady that is 25 years younger than me. She had no problems obtaining a CR1 visa. The difference in age is not uncommon for the Philippines. The only difference is you being the man is 25 years younger than your wife. It should not make a difference. You just need to convince the interviewer that it is a legitmate marriage supported by how frequently you chat with her which is supported by chat logs, etc.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-09-29 10:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIts Party Time

Hello there Everyone, just got the word last week and my wife will be here this week, Yaaaa (Thank You God, you are awesome). I am so freaken happy, that I can't even work. I have already put my time off request and boss told me to take a week off and I said (Hell Ya). Thank you VJ Memebers for all your help and time, with your help, we will be united soon, thanks all!

Just wanted to know regarding the Green Card and SSCard, both of them come in the mail right? Do we have a timetable on when I can expect them to show up in the mail? Also wanted to know for the people who have arrived first time, the Yellow Medial Package, do they hand that back to the person after looking or do they keep it, Thanks All Again! :dance:

Josh :wow:

They will both arrive within a month of her arrival.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-10-17 14:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresG325-A and I-130
Sign it while you are here. Be sure to make copies. It is not a bad idea to sign a second copy in the event you later discover a mistake. That way you can get the I-130 submitted as soon as possible.
Takes approx 10 months from NOA1 receipt before interview so plan on being back in the Philippines for a while.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-10-25 22:47:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresJuly 2011 fliers I130
Don't expect a response any sooner than 5 months for the NOA2. Great if it comes sooner.
My wife and I went through the same thing. It had me consumed. Everyday, all day. All I thought about is, "will that day ever arrive".
The good news is it does.
The sad news is the time remaining after you receive your NOA2 to the iterview date is typically another 3 plus months.
We had our NOA2 in 5 months. It took 10 months before she was finally here in the USA. The time to interview from NOA2 to interview varies from one country to the next. See tme lines in Visa Journey for Nigeria
It was worth the wait.

Good luck
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-10-26 22:39:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNeed a little help starting
You need to complete the I-130 for CR1 visa. Once you receive the NOA1, you can then apply for K3 which is a waste of time and money. The K3 goes away at the NVC (national visa center)because the CR1 visa is already being processed.
Bottom line is don't even bother to fill in the paperwork for a K3 visa. Focuse on the I-130 process and the process after the I-130 is approved at the USCIS because the second stage is the NVC process which takes almost as long as the USCIS process.

You only need a copy of your marriage certificate and other certificates at time of sending in I-130.
You will need certified copies of marriage certificate once your NOA2 is received and it is forwarded to the NVC. One certified copy your spouse will need at interview in Canada, the other certified copy you will send to the NVC.

She will also need to obtain a police certificate in Canada. You will need to find out how long the police certificate is valid for so you may need to wait around 4 months before requesting it.
You both will need certified copies of your birth certificates.

You can go to the imigration timelines for canada and determine how long it takes between time you receive NOA1 and interview date. The time frames are generally close.
It took my wife 10 months before she was here in the USA.
Good luck
Be completely honest and I don't recommend waiting on submitting the I-130. The sooner the better.
Just send photos of wedding, pictures of you two together also keep records of each border crossing to prove visits to see each other.
The marriage certificate is good proof that you are married. It is also good to have people there and here to complete avadavits that your marriage is bonifide.

Edited by bestofboston, 05 January 2012 - 09:26 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-01-05 09:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCR-1 needs for DS-156 &157?
They will tell you in packet. You can also get info from Visa Journey, Philippine Embassy section or from US embassy Phillipones
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-03-07 07:55:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUS citizen filed for IR-1/CR-1 VISA for spouse - Tax return question
File for an extension. Once she is here in the USA, obtain Socail Security number and then file return. That is what I did.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-04-30 05:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3?
Take the work visa and then apply for CR1 visa while in the USA. It will be much faster to get a work visa
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-05-29 08:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIm such and idiot DS-3032
As previously stated, the case number is the NVC number. The first 3 letters of the NVC number represent the embassy ID for the country where the interview will take place.
For example, the embassy for the Philippines is in Manila and the 3 letters used for Manila is MNL so the NVC case number for the Philippines will start out with MNL followed by the the 4 digit year, etc.

Edited by bestofboston, 06 July 2012 - 07:55 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-07-06 07:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCEMAR from NSO, but married in the USA
You will need whatever they have on record there in the Philippines for you plus certified copies of your marriage certificate from the states. This will prove that you were eligible for marriage when you married your spouse in the USA.
The Philippine government shold have a CENOMAR on record for you because you were married out side of the Philipines. They have no way of knowing that you were married in the USA.

Edited by bestofboston, 23 July 2012 - 09:55 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-07-23 09:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedureshopefully :(
Do I sense that you have a bit of a temper?
Your husband will be notified by mail when the NOA2 is approved. Then it goes to the NVC for processing. Sit back and be patient because you have a long wait ahead.
Processing time at the USCIS is approximately 5 to 6 months and processing between NVC and Embassy is another 5 months.

You need to be prepared before hand for each phase. You will need several original of your NBI clearance, marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc, etc.
Assuming you submitted everything to USCIS, you need to begin preparing for NVC and getting him the info he needs. You should keep second or third original for yourself for embassy interview.

Everything you need to know can be found on Visa Journey website for the Philippines and the US Embassy for the Philippines website.

There is a toll free phone number to a texas exchange that will connect directly the US Embassy in the Philippines for scheduling appointment for interview in the event you dont' get a date for interview directly from the NVC.
Ours was expedited and the NVC did not provide us with an appointment date at embassy so I had to call Embassy for wife to get an appointment. I had embassy on my cell phone and my wife on my home phone to get all the info from her passport, etc. It worked great because the Texas exchange gets someone on the phone. The phone number directly to the embassy was always busy or no one answered.

Good luck
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-08-02 07:32:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresLawyer help or not??
Absolutely a wate of money to obtain a lawyer and it most likely take longer because your case is not always the lawyers priority on a daily basis.

If you can read and fill in the forms correctly, you are all set. No matter what, you still have to obtain all of the necessary data to provide to the NVC.
Visa Journey has a lot of examples on how to do everything. Read them over and over until you are confident enough to proceed.
The forms are fairly straight forward.

The only time an attorney would be recommended is when one of you have a questionable history that needs to be reported. For most of us, that is not an issue.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-08-08 12:58:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSPOUSAL VISA --procedures and requirements:PLS HELP
It sounds like you plan on marrying in the Philippines. That being said, you are required to have witnesses to the wedding. Be prepared to obtain afadavit from brothers, sisters, parents and friends that will state that your relationship is bonifade. This is an important part of the process.
Also make sure you obtain more than one certified copy of cenomar and marriage certificate from your federal government. Start preparing now so that you both can submit I-130 shortly after your marriage so you are not held up because of waiting on documents to be sent to spouse in USA.

It takes about 10 months on average to obtain visa after NOA1 so be prepared to wait.

Good luck!

Good news is once you arrive in USA, you will obtain usually in less than 1 month your green card so you can work and obtain drivers license, etc.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-07-31 06:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAffidavit of Support I-864
After you receive the NOA2, your case will be forwarded to the NVC for processing. You will then need to complete the forms necessary for processing at the NVC which includes proof of income, and co-sponsors info, etc.
It usually takes 5 months for your I-130 (NOA-2) to get approved at the USCIS.
You both have plenty of time to prepare for NVC.

Edited by bestofboston, 29 October 2012 - 03:27 PM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-10-29 15:25:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresLetter from NVC
I think it states that her son needs to come in on a K4 visa but I don't think they realized that its your son which makes your son a US citizen born abroad which does not need a visa.

Edited by bestofboston, 29 October 2012 - 08:14 PM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-10-29 20:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3 Visa Worth it?
I processed both a I-130 and a I-129 after receiving the NOA1 for the I-130 back in 2010
Both were approved at the USCIS but the I-129 is closed-out at the NVC because of the I-130 being processed at the NVC.

I have not read of anyone actually receiving a K-3 visa since I have been on VISA Journey website in the past 3 years.
I have always read that the K-3 visa is dead meaning it always dies at the National Visa Center (NVC).

Do not sent original NOAs with I-129. You can have people in states scan NOA1 in PDF format and email it to you because you only need a copy to sent in with I-129 if you deem that you think its worth the effort. I did in hopes that I could get my wife here sooner only to later find out that it was a waste of time and money for mailing in the forms.
I-129 submittal does not cost more if you are processing a I-130. Its just a waste of time.

Edited by bestofboston, 20 November 2012 - 10:00 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-11-20 09:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs NBI Personal copy enough for the interview?
Nothing wrong with having everything with you certified and recently issued.

They often ask for information that they should already have on file from the NVC.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2012-10-29 15:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresit's been 2 months....
You need to go to timelines for Portugal in Visa Journey and see how long it typically takes before his interview.
Usually you will wait upto 6 months to get your NOA2 and then another 5 months to process the paperwork at the NVC and to get an interview scheduled. Again please look at the timeline for Portugal to get a better idea on how long between NOA2 and Interview.

It is a long wait and you are in the early stages. Think 10 months to 1 year.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2013-02-11 11:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCR-1 vs K3
Just file for CR1 visa. Once you obtain the NOA1 for the I-130 (CR1) visa, you can file for I-129 (K3) visa but the K3 will die in the process. Bottom line, just file for CR1 visa because they no longer process K3 visa's.
I was naive at the time and filed both. The money and energy spent on the K3 was a waste of money.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2013-02-14 08:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMy lawyer withdrew after uscis approval, now what
Charging $7,000 for an attorney to obtain a CR1 visa should be criminal. That is why so many people feel that lawyers are a bunch of protected criminals. Be sure to file a complaint with the attorney general in your state. Tell the lawyer that if he does not give you the money back, you will file a formal complaint with the attorney general.
You still have to do all of the work when filing for a CR1 visa. The attorney fills out a form based on the info provided and attaches the documents required and submits it to the USCIS and NVC.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2013-02-12 11:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures221 (g) pending further administrative processing
The good news is they can not deny you at the embassy level unless they can prove that you were not being truthful. That is one of the advantages a CR1 visa has over a K1 visa. K1 visa can easliy be denied by a moody interviewer at the embassy.

If you said something that differs from what you provided the USCIS and the NVC, then you will have an issue.

They assume fraud first when there is a large age difference.
There is 25 years in age difference between my wife and I. My wife and I will automatically be cateogrized in the high fraud category during the removal of condition process (I-751) when going from a CR1 visa to a IR1 permanent resident green card. CR1 green card is good for only 2 years and is given to married couples that have been married for less than two years.

Fortunately we have no maritial issues after being married for almost 3 years.

Edited by bestofboston, 28 February 2013 - 08:11 AM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2013-02-28 08:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresExpedite thru Embassy??
Yes, I had the same situation. You will need to give the Package time to get to your embassy. You need to go to Visa journey.com website for your country and see how they arrange an interview for you.
In my case, because it was expedited, we had to arrange for the interview date by contacting the embassy and setting up a interview just like what is required for a K1 visa.
Typically, the NVC will setup the interview date before the packet leaves the NVC but because you expedited the case, the embassy and you will need to setup your interview date.
Be sure to contact your embassy and find out how to setup the interview date. Be proactive. Don't wait for them because you could easily lose a month or more.
Good luck
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-03-25 06:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWhere am I in the CR-1 process, and how much longer from here?

I am sorry to hear that you used an attorney.  All the information needed can be found here at Visa Journey or at the USCIS. GOV website for the IR1/CR1 process.   The only thing an attorney is good for is to add an additional time delay to the process.  Remember that attorney is more than likely processing the same info for others doing the same as you.  

 

The best thing you can do is compare your timeline to others from Australia here on Visa Journey.  

I can tell you that it takes about the same amount of time at the NVC as it did at the USCIS to process and schedule an interview.  Approx. 5 months.


bestofbostonMalePhilippines2014-09-18 08:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresExpidite Process and Form

You need to keep 3 copies of everything you have.  One to bring to the interview, One for the NVC and one for backup in case things get lost.

For my wife, the embassy only asked for telephone and chat logs but she had everything else with her in case.  

The NVC already had our documents when our case was expedited.  The NVC forwarded those documents to the Embassy.


bestofbostonMalePhilippines2014-09-26 13:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresExpidite Process and Form

We used our Senator to get my wife expedited here to the USA.  For us, it may not have saved anytime but when my wife was at her interview, the person interviewing mentioned to my wife that my Senator was involved.  We also were able to get the interview date setup directly with the embassy rather than the NVC scheduling our interview date.  This only applies for  IR1/CR1 process where the NVC sets up the interview date but because we were being expedited, the NVC forwarded their package directly to the Embassy in the Philippines.

What I did to get it expedited was contact my Senator because the NVC was dragging their feet and lost the our paper work.

Perhaps you will be able to get better results.

Either your Senator or Congressman can help.  We used our Senator because he had been just elected to office and was anxious to help people  that helped him get elected.  Go to their website and fill in the appropriate forms and email it to them.

 

 


Edited by bestofboston, 26 September 2014 - 12:58 PM.

bestofbostonMalePhilippines2014-09-26 12:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIR1/CR1 timeline
I called the USCIS on 10/28/2010 because 5 months has passed without hearing anything on when the NOA2 will be approved. The USCIS informed me that they are 13 days behind on processing. So, hopefully I will hear something within the next 13 days. I hate this waiting and looking everday for some sign of progress and hearing or seeing nothing. It is like being mentally tortured. Does anyone else feel the same way?
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-10-29 05:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI was touched on 11/02/2010 how soon approval?
I was also touched on 11/2/10. But on 11/1/10, I sent my senator a privacy release to investigate why I had not yet received approval from the USCIS. On Tuesday I was touched and found out Wednesday afternoon (yesterday) when I received an email from the USCIS that the I-130 CR1 had been approved and is being forwarded to the NVC. The sqeaky wheel gets the grease! Squeak to your congressman or senator if it has been more than 5 months from the NOA1 and you may also get quick results.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-11-04 05:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC expedite and Interview Expedite?
Sorry to hear about your step daughter. I hope she recovers quickly. May God be with her.
Also I agree with a previous person. You need to learn how to control your feeling. Just because you are angry because of what someone may have said does not mean that you have to respond in a negative way. Be a better man! and keep your anger in check and foremost don't show others. It just shows how weak of a person you are when you let others get to you by words.
Good luck in the USA and please come here with a positive attitude and be productive for your wife's and step daughters sake. I.E. Don't act like a redneck!
We already have enough red necks here in this country already.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-11-05 12:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresjury duty
Expect to wait approximately 9 months from the 24th of Sept. before you get to come to the USA
5 months for processing the USCIS I-130
3 to 4 months of the NVC and embassy to process your VISA and to schedule an interview.
Good Luck
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-12-07 10:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Process question
How many days does it take the NVC to authourize payment of the IV fee bill after the AOS bill has been paid and the AOS package has been sent to the NVC?
I paid the AOS bill on 11/30/2010 and sent the AOS package to the NVC on 12/02/10 but I am still waiting on the NVC to bill me for the IV packet fee.
Does the NVC need to receive the DS3032 and AOS packet from me before they bill me for the IV fee?
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-12-07 15:13:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVerification of employment
I sent with the AOS package a faxed copy of my employment verification. It is typically used when banks want to know the status of employment for loans, ect. but does not include the persons salary.
I started thinking about it and I decided to contact Human Relations again and they said they would send me a letter of employment showing my salary because I explained to them why I needed it. It should arrive this week in the mail.

My question is will the NVC except the faxed copy that shows that I am currently employed but does not show my salary? I have a lot of proof including pay stubs and 3 years of income tax returns and W2's for that period.
Do you think they be okay with what I sent or will I get a RFE for a more formal letter from my company?
Can I send the letter to the NVC with an AOS coversheet and not wait for an RFE?
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-12-12 08:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCSC to TSC possible sernario why everything on HOLD
You make it sound as if people have just begun to do the K3 process. It is still an option and it can be used in the event that the IR1/CR1 process takes an unusally long period to process. I am one that likes options and as long as the option exist, I am going to take advantage of it.
Don't blame the K-3 process for the backlog. I don't believe the backlog is any worse than when I was waiting for my NOA2. I know I waited a full 5 months without any paperwork issues to get approval. Now I am in the NVC process and could certainly give pointers on how to shave off days in the process. For me it is now just sit back and wait for the next two months or more to get my wife an interview with the embassy.
Hopefully the NVC is happy with what I have provided them.
Thanks to Visa Journey and the NVC website, I think I have provided them with all of the needed info.
I know waiting is very hard to do but you should know that you can expect 5 months minimum at the USCIS and 3 to 4 more months to get the VISA assuming you have all of your paperwork ready in advance of the NVC requesting for it.
Good Luck.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2010-12-15 07:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTruckload of questions
One person stated that the time frame for a CR1 Visa. I wish it was true because then my wife would already be here.
The USCIS process is 5 to 6 months with no problems. Then the NVC process that takes anywhere from 3 months to 5 months before the spouse actually gets the interview. We sent our I-130 to the USCIS in mid May of 2010.
My wife received her approval from the USCIS on 11/02/2010. Over two months already. I am still waiting to receive an interview date for her that is always at least 4 weeks from notification. It could easily be 2 more months before her interview date.

Bottom line, plan on 9 months to 10 months from the time you send your I-130 to the USCIS.
bestofbostonMalePhilippines2011-01-05 07:17:00