Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	I didn't know this - What happens if you don't apply to renew? Technically once Conditions are removed the LPR STATUS never expires, just the card which is your proof of said status. This means that you're not applying for anything except a new card (I-90). So what happens is if you're in a situation where you need to prove status you won't be able to and can be detained. Of course you'll eventually be able to prove status but why have to deal with that possibility and expense?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-12-18 12:22:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	Hi all, Yeah I was that one person still waiting for a Biometrics date from CSC...we finally got it today, and guess what...it's set for when we'll be out of town! Oh no!!!!! I was worried this would happen. I have to ask for your advice....has anyone tried the whole "re-scheduling" instructions on the Biometrics letter? Is it an easy process, or will it delay our whole processing greatly? Have you though of trying to go in early for the Biometrics?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-12-13 09:21:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	Who is planning on filing for citizenship? I'm so tired of USCIS being in our lives I've told Anna either she files for naturalization next year or I file for divorce next year. I love her but having gone through the I-130 process & stress twice now and sitting here in the ROC stage just makes me want to never have to deal with it again.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-12-12 13:25:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	I think I will give it a try on Friday.. Its just pissin off because what if I get an appointment date on the day I am not in the US, as I have mentioned I won't be here for 2 weeks.. so now I will have to deal another re-scheduling #######, and waiting game with them. thanks Cacerez! Actually you will need the physical appointment letter to do early bio-metrics. They stamp & sign the letter to serve as your proof that you completed bio-metrics. Based on your timeline you should be receiving your appointment letter any day now. How soon will you be travelling? Will there be someone who can check your mail while you're away?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-11-21 10:11:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	Added our early Bio today. The Security guard at the Naperville Illinois ASC was a real Witch with a capitol "B"! The supervisor stepped in and was able to get us accommodated with only a slight wait. California Service Center (12 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... BOBBY+UMIT...........09/26/11........10/01/11.......10/31/11........--/--/--.... EOS38................10/03/11........10/06/11.......11/02/11........--/--/--.... GIRARM...............10/03/11........10/04/11.......11/08/11........--/--/--.... PASAWAY NA ANGEL.....10/07/11........10/11/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--.... ANNA 4 BOB...........10/08/11........10/13/11.......11/17/11........--/--/--....(Early Bio 11/07/11) QUININA..............10/08/11........10/14/11.......11/04/11........--/--/--.... GREG001..............10/10/11........10/11/11.......11/03/11........--/--/--....(early bio 10/21/11) KARRI................10/12/11........10/14/11.......11/07/11........--/--/--.... CORINTHIANS..........10/15/11........10/18/11.......11/09/11........--/--/--.... STINKERPOTSAM........10/17/11........10/19/11.......11/21/11........--/--/--.... ELAFITO..............10/17/11........10/19/11.......11/18/11........--/--/--.... MAMARONGA............10/28/11........10/31/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... Vermont Service Center (13 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... CACEREZ..............09/28/11........10/03/11.......11/25/11........--/--/--.... JIMANDCHRISTY........09/29/11........10/04/11.......11/09/11........--/--/--.... IML3G3ND.............10/08/11........10/11/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... PAYS-BAS.............10/11/11........10/14/11.......11/18/11........--/--/--.... RANCHRIS.............10/11/11........10/1?/11.......11/07/11........--/--/--.... STARCOOKIE...........10/12/11........10/13/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... SUNSHINEFL...........10/13/11........10/17/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... SHANNON ? NICK.......10/15/11........10/18/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... REBECCAANDPHIL.......10/17/11........10/20/11.......11/23/11........--/--/--.... CUTIE_PATOOTIE.......10/17/11........10/24/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... MELBERGS.............10/17/11........10/20/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CDNEH................10/24/11........10/27/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... MRS. PALMER..........10/27/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... IMPORTANT! * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor. * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply. * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that. * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA. Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment Approved = The Date your case was approved * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list. * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-11-07 15:33:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	Received Biometrics (NOA-2) today! We're going to try for early walk-in tomorrow morning at the Naperville IL ACS... California Service Center (10 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... BOBBY+UMIT...........09/26/11........10/01/11.......10/31/11........--/--/--.... EOS38................10/03/11........10/06/11.......11/02/11........--/--/--.... GIRARM...............10/03/11........10/04/11.......11/08/11........--/--/--.... PASAWAY NA ANGEL.....10/07/11........10/11/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--.... ANNA 4 BOB...........10/08/11........10/13/11.......11/17/11........--/--/--.... GREG001..............10/10/11........10/11/11.......11/03/11........--/--/--....(early bio 10/21/11) KARRI................10/12/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CORINTHIANS..........10/15/11........10/18/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... STINKERPOTSAM........10/17/11........10/19/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... ELAFITO..............10/17/11........10/19/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... Vermont Service Center (12 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... CACEREZ..............09/28/11........10/03/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... JIMANDCHRISTY........09/29/11........10/04/11.......11/09/11........--/--/--.... IML3G3ND.............10/08/11........10/11/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... PAYS-BAS.............10/11/11........10/14/11.......11/18/11........--/--/--.... RANCHRIS.............10/11/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... STARCOOKIE...........10/12/11........10/13/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... SUNSHINEFL...........10/13/11........10/17/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... SHANNONNICK..........10/15/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/11.... REBECCAANDPHIL.......10/17/11........10/20/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CUTIE_PATOOTIE.......10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... MELBERGS.............10/17/11........10/20/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CDNEH................10/24/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... IMPORTANT! * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor. * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply. * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that. * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA. Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment Approved = The Date your case was approved * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list. * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-10-27 14:17:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	Just wondering...since they cashed our check, that means they won't be sending our application back for reasons like if we forgot to sign it (even though I know we both signed it) or insufficient completion of application, etc, right? That's correct, they've accepted your application now if they find it short on evidence or something you'll get an RFE but you're filed and in line so to speak.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-10-24 09:50:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion	I-751 October 2011 Filers	California Service Center (10 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... BOBBY+UMIT...........09/26/11........10/01/11.......10/31/11........--/--/--.... EOS38................10/03/11........10/06/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... GIRARM...............10/03/11........10/04/11.......11/08/11........--/--/--.... PASAWAY NA ANGEL.....10/07/11........10/11/11.......10/28/11........--/--/--.... ANNA4BOB.............10/08/11........10/13/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... GREG001..............10/10/11........10/11/11.......11/03/11........--/--/--.... KARRI................10/12/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CORINTHIANS..........10/15/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... STINKERPOTSAM........10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... ELAFITO..............10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... Vermont Service Center (10 applicants) VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved.... CACEREZ..............09/28/11........10/03/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... JIMANDCHRISTY........09/29/11........10/04/11.......11/09/11........--/--/--.... IML3G3ND.............10/08/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... PAYBAS...............10/11/11........10/14/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... RANCHRIS.............10/11/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... STARCOOKIE...........10/12/11........10/13/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... SUNSHINEFL...........10/13/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... REBECCAANDPHIL.......10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... CUTIE_PATOOTIE.......10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... MELBERGS.............10/17/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/--.... IMPORTANT! * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor. * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply. * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that. * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA. Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment Approved = The Date your case was approved * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list. * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2011-10-20 18:30:00
Philippines	Affidavit from biological father	QUOTE (RDDIXON @ Mar 6 2009, 12:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It seems there are a lot of ifs, ands and buts tied to the kids traveling. The post I was talking about involved the interview - the USEM wanted something from the father before the visa was approved. Darn, I wish I could find the post, but I can't. It probably doesn't related to this post so probably no worries like others have said. We are also in this situation, she has a son from a previous relationship, no contact this the biological father. She was issued a "Solo Parent ID" and since our marriage was sold by the local social worker that she is no longer considered a solo parent since she is now married. She will be bringing her old "Solo Parent ID" with her to the Embassy Interview as proof that the bio-father has had nothing to do with raising/supporting OUR SON.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 07:15:00
Philippines	How to Send Money to your Fiancee/Wife in PH for FREE!	QUOTE (ailanthus777 @ Apr 24 2009, 12:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It all sounds great! However, if you have the money to spare and your Filipina fiancee lives in a metro area, check out xoom.com . I just sent my fiancee $1300 for her plane ticket and i was only charged $7.99. You will be charged less if you send a lesser amount. Good luck to all! I sent my wife $5,500 back in March and it only cost $8.00 using Atlas Padala Express (was in our joint account in less than 24hrs) but that's beside the point. I could express her the money and spend $5.00 per month, over 12 months that's only $60 which isn't a lot to me but in PH that's almost 3,000Php which is a substantial amount so she appreciates that I'm not wasting that money on fees. Honestly I'd rather Wifie have the money than a bank...	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-24 10:36:00
Philippines	How to Send Money to your Fiancee/Wife in PH for FREE!	QUOTE (J2AonStarr @ Apr 22 2009, 07:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks, this is great. Ok, so in theory this would work with any country as long as you're banking on-line and they can access an ATM. I have never dealt with State Farm Bank do you know of any country restrictions with this account type, I would love to try it. I knew about sharing the Debit card account which saves but still the intn'l transaction fees really do add up. I think most countries major banks can accept US Based ATM cards. I'm not aware of any restrictions that State Farm Bank imposes just be sure to call them and explain that the card will be used in PH so they don't flag the transactions. The first time I used my card in PH their security department called me so I had to call them back and explain that I'm in PH so they'd allow additional transactions.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 19:30:00
Philippines	How to Send Money to your Fiancee/Wife in PH for FREE!	QUOTE (thepizzadude @ Apr 22 2009, 05:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I did this with an account at my bank they charge $2 per transaction and 2% of withdrawal its much better than wiring money. But they wouldn't let me add her to the account because she could not sign anything and she has no type of US ID. If it wasn't so late in our journey I would try this. That is what the W-8BEN is for,a federal document covering foriegn nationals without SSN to be included on US Bank Accounts. They also accepted faxed documents so I e-mailed the signature card, she signed, sganed & e-mailed back. I provided copies of her PH ID documents with the signature card. This will probably work with just about any US bank but the reason State Farm is good is the refund of ALL ATM FEES! I've had Anna on my Baxter Credit Union Accounts since November 2008 and one my State Farm Bank Accounts since March 2009. the process was the same for both banks. In total we have 3 joint accounts already: Baxter Credit Union State Farm Bank Banco De Oro (PH) Think we'll have trouble proving co-mingling of finances? Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 22 April 2009 - 07:00 PM.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 18:59:00
Philippines	How to Send Money to your Fiancee/Wife in PH for FREE!	QUOTE (Nelly228 @ Apr 22 2009, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> really? did you try it already? without charges upon withdrawal in the philippines? thanks for the info. There will be an ATM Charge on the account for the transaction but State Farm bank will REFUND all ATM Fees within 24 hours of the transaction. Yes, this is how we currently do it. Also, They have a high daily limit ($1,000) whereas most DEBIT Cards are capped to $500 per day. This is good when you need to send a lot quickly. QUOTE (rockbabyrock27 @ Apr 22 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is very helpful. I am currently paying over 30$ to wire money to the Philippines. See now that's almost 1,500Php you can give her each month instead of donating it to a transfer service!	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 17:23:00
Philippines	How to Send Money to your Fiancee/Wife in PH for FREE!	It's a lot easier than most people think. Get a Checking account with State Farm Bank, they are an online only bank. Now you have two options: Option 1: Easiest, ask them two issue to DEBIT cards in your name. They will and each will have a unique number. Don't activate one and mail it to her in a birthday/holiday card. Once she receives it go ahead and activate it then give her the PIN. Tell State Farm Bank that one of the cards is for use in the Philippines so they don't block her withdrawls. Option 2: Add her as a joint to your account. This will require a W-8BEN and some work on your part plus you will have to explain to them that she can't be authenticated yet as she's not in the US. It's more work but worth it to have a joint account in the US (demonstrates comingling of financials). Now have them issue both of you DEBIT Cards, they'll mail them to your US address. Don't active her's, mail it in the card. Once she receives it you need to make a 3 way call with her on the line to State Farm Bank (man I love MagicJack), explain that she can't be authenticated bah blah, a little work, they'll see the notes, blah blah... The rep will agree to activate the card and she can customize the pin. Why is State Farm Better than your bank down the street? Well they refund 100% of the ATM Fees! Since they are an Internet only bank they acknowledge your only access to cash is the ATM and refund the fees. So there you go, Free money Transfer to PH for US! BTW, wake a note of the card number before you sen it to her, just incase it's lost stolen or "something else" happens so you can easily cancel it. Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 22 April 2009 - 05:14 PM.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 17:10:00
Philippines	I am pissed off	If they were joint on a Credit Card it can be difficult to remove the other person's name if he couldn't qualify for the account on his own. I had a friend who had a credit card 8 years after her divorce with her ex-husband still on the account (but not in possession of a card) becuase it wa a joint card and her income after the divorce didn't qualify for the account. I agree that he shouldn't hide anything from you but only you can know if this is something that is worth the effort of pushing it. Do you suspect he's "up to something"? If not then try to relax, eventually he may tell you the whole story.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 19:37:00
Philippines	Just a quick QUESTION about BDO....	See my thread here: http://www.visajourn...howtopic=192918 With State Farm Checking Account your hubby can have 2 Debit cards issued (with two different numbers so if yours gets lost or stolen he can cancel one and not the other). The great thing about State Farm is since they are an online only bank (no physical branches) they REFUND ALL ATM FEES! You get the ease of access of using any ATM and pay no fees. My wifie uses the local BDO ATM and she gets good exchange rate also.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-27 11:49:00
Philippines	heed the warning	Amazing advice coming for the author of such threads as these: My fiancee disappeared in 2004!: http://www.visajourn...howtopic=106737 My ex-fiancee left me (returned to home) after 2 days but don't worry I want her cousin: http://www.visajourn...howtopic=121671 Don't trust your foriegn fiancee: http://www.visajourn...showtopic=93071 Just two weeks ago he was trying to chat with his ex-fiancee's cousin who doesn't speak english and wanted to send her money from the US.... Now suddenly he's living in Cebu and has another fiancee? Wow and I thought a couple of the Fiancee Scammers moved quickly from one man to the next, I think he should meet: http://www.visajourn...howtopic=192718 Sounds like they have a lot in common!	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-27 13:52:00
Philippines	Cenomar for me ??	They are right and wrong. Technically you need the CENOMAR but the US Embassy doesn't issue them so the PH Gov't accepts the "Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry" which is the document that the Embassy will issue. What's the difference? CENOMAR is an official Gov't document declaring that you are not currently Married "CERtification of NO MARriage". Since in the US Marriages vary from county to county the Federal government can't really issue such a document (No NSO). The Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry is basically you swearing to the fact that you are currently Legally Capable of entering into a Marriage Contract. So your requirement for a CENOMAR is ment by presenting the Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry along with divorce decree from any previous marriage(s). I doubt it's changed since Jan 20, 2009.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 16:55:00
Philippines	Cenomar for me ??	Advice on this: Get there early, I mean be in line before 8am. Have your passport, certified copies of divorce decree from any previous marriage(s) (you'll need this also for your PH Marriage License Application) and $30 US or 1,500Php (it was only 1,440Php in January but exchange rate varies). When you get where you think you need to be, go a little further and get a Red Number off the wall to your right as you enter that last waiting room. This part will make more sense when you get there. If you Fiancee wants to accompany you SHE MUST BRING OFFICIAL ID or they won't allow her to enter the embassy. My wife doesn't usually carry ID so she had to wait outside.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 07:02:00
Philippines	its ok to apply a spouse visa even have expire fiancee visa?	QUOTE (anna L @ Apr 23 2009, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> @ jeffandmadze tama for richer and more richer and richest hahah ayw mo ng red card? na nakatag FRAUD? haha amf im so evil hahaha Hi Babe, breakfast is done and instead of call Hubby you are posting on VJ? Leave the Fraudster alone, I doubt she's comeing back here.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-23 22:35:00
Philippines	its ok to apply a spouse visa even have expire fiancee visa?	I guess her new hubby will be single again in a couple of years (once Conditions are Removed), if only someone could warn this guy as I doubt he knows she was engaged while she was "working" him. I know it's jumping to comclusions but it's people who pull ####### like this that makes it difficult for the rest of us. If the OP is still actually reading this I would suggest she goes to www.immigrate2us.net where they seem to think scoffing at US immigration Laws is a sport.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-23 10:45:00
Philippines	Very poor communication	QUOTE (rlogan @ Apr 21 2009, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> See how you are lying to me? You want me to get upset. Well, I am not going to do that. You need to think about whether getting me upset is going to end up with the result you want in the end, or whether it will ruin the day for both of us. See how the sun is shining? Such a beautiful day. We can enjoy this day together and be happy, or we can have a fight. It's entirely up to you honey. Your choice. I love you very much and you are completely full of ######. Wow, that was the most perfect description of the issue I have ever seen! Thanks, I send this post to my Wife, have talked about it and will probably have a few more conversations on this topic. Thank you for such a great expression of this.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-22 06:52:00
Philippines	Very poor communication	QUOTE (T_and_A @ Apr 21 2009, 04:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> come to think of it... why is it very typical of us Filipinas? I don't remember being reared like that but i guess it's just natural.. maybe because we were used to keeping thoughts to ourselves, lest we hurt other people's feelings? and usually bad to everyone's eyes if you are the offender or if you hurt other people's feelings, even if it was accounted for... hahahah... or maybe we don't want our whims and complaints and genuine feelings used against us when you let it all out in the open? Maybe its a defense mechanism? Now please tell me what I can say to my wife so she understands this? It seems her favorite word is "Nothing". I just want her to understand that as much as I enjoy sharing laughter and the good times with her I want to cry with her when she's sad and understand if I say or do somthing that hurts her feelings. I've even told her tha she's not allowed to say "nothing" to me anymore.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-21 16:42:00
Philippines	Very poor communication	Reading your post reminded me of two things: First, communication is a two way street. You can only expect to get open & honest communication when you are offering it. Second, there are many cultural differences between US & PH. My wifie is PH and even though she is still over there we often encounter the differences. A really good example of this: I got "fixed" (as in no more babies) 1 week after I returned to the US is Feb. We had discussed it for 2 months. I made it very clear to her that I didn't want to take anything away from her and if she wanted for us to have a baby in the future then I was supportive of it. On the other hand, she has a 2yr old son & I have 2 teenage daughters so I don't feel the "need" to have another child. She insisted that it was my choice to which I always responded, "No, it's OUR choice". She agreed and I went through with the procedure. Then 2 days after the operation (while I was still eating advil like it was candy and sitting on frozen peas) she tells me how sad she is that we'll never have "our baby"! It gets better, she admitted to feeling this way the whole time! Now I feel like I just shot the woman I love in the head! She tried to explain that the "filipino way" is to not disagree or put your feelings above someone else's. I have a friend who is also married to a filipina. I've tried to explain these to him and his response is always "If she loves me then shouldn't she learn how to adjust to my cultural standards?" I always respond to that by pointing out that if he loves her then he shoudl try to adjust her way also and then they would eventually find a happy middle ground. While you feel you're trying to communicate with him it does seem like you're holding back a lot yourself while trying to get him to make a full disclosure. Nobody can advise you regarding his relationship to the ex-wife. Some people discover that whey are better friends than spouses and that could be the case here. It's a good sign that she's being friendly to you. Maybe you should try to put your insecurities aside and be her friend for a while. You might see the same qualities in her that he sees as a friend. I'm not trying to shift any blame here or defend him so please don't take it that way. Regarding the computer, I have a password on mine and while I was in PH she only used it a few times but not logged in as me. Once she asked me why and I explained that for me the Laptop is a personal refuge where I answer to nobody else. I am not hiding anything on it. I then logged in to my account opened my e-mail client (and provided the required password) and put the laptop in her hands. "If you need to look, go ahead." I told her. She just handed it back to me and said it was enough that I offered but she didn't want to look. Whenever I feel like something isn't quite right I remind myself of those two things and then ask myself "How am I being in regards to this?".	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-04-21 14:04:00
Philippines	Losing Hope	Hi Babe ^^^... As we were enduring our difficulties I told Anna that these times will just strengthen our relationship. If your love is true then you will find ways to complete the process. Someday you will be sitting outside watching the sunset and you'll remember today, sharing a laugh with him about how hopeless it all looked.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-21 21:36:00
Philippines	How often do you talk?	QUOTE (anna L @ Aug 21 2009, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> we talk everyday. thru Ym, thru calls. Emails.For Several hours everyday. haha we cant just get enough of each other. we use magicjack. and i use sun cell to for calling him on my phone :] and for sms too. If only my employer knew how many hours of "on the clock" time I've spent talking to my Wifie in the PH!	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-21 21:10:00
Philippines	Best service to use to call a CELL PHONE in philippines?	QUOTE (Aquices @ Aug 21 2009, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I started off using calling cards from 7-11 and realized that if i just used my cellphone, it was about the same price @ 23 cents a min. after doing that for a month with a huge phone bill, i found a company called startec that is 9.9 cents a min to Globe cell phones. Watch out with Startec, they bill like a regular phone company so there are a lot of taxes & telcom charges tacked on to their bill. With the calling cards there is no additional fees but you don't get good records. For my money it was well worth getting her a computer and payign for DSL at home, now we pay next to nothing (DSL & Phone service is $20 per month) for magicjack calls from her to my cell phone (unlimited minutes between 7pm & 7am). Don't dismiss the VOIP route as it will cost you so little every month even when you add the cost of a cheap PC compared to calling cards or other services. plus with the PC & DSL at home you'll have more web cam time too!	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-21 21:50:00
Philippines	sending laptop to the Phils	I've had success sending other valuables (Scuba Gear worth $1,200) in a Baylik Bayan Box. Just surround it with the cheap stuff like canned goods and wrap it in a few layers of towels/clothes. Of course I also used several rolls of strapping & packing tape to ensure that the box isn't accidently opened in transit.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-25 21:59:00
Philippines	sending laptop to the Phils	I used DHL to ship a laptop to my wife. It cost about $250, took 3 days and I learned to never tell the truth about the value! If you do it, on the customs forms list it as used. If you don't want to lie simply open it & turn it on, then it is a used laptop. Now declare the value at $400 and expect to pay tarriff between 600Php and 4,000Php. If you choose this route definately use DHL. UPS uses Air21 and they are criminals. I sent an iPhone to her with a declared value of $400 and they raked us for 4,000Php. With the laptop I originally declared the value at $1,500 per DHL US's instructions and Ph Customs wanted 12,000Php in tarriffs! DHL PH & DHL US worked with us to get the declared value down to $500 and the tarriff was reduced to 600Php. UPS didn't care about AIR21 charging 7 times the tarrif on something with lesser declared value. Seriously, the best route would be to send him the money to buy one from a reputable retailer locally.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-25 21:11:00
Philippines	I am so SAD!!!	I guess I may be lucky here as I'd been divorced from ym first wife for over 9 years when I met Anna. I doubt I still own anything from way back then. I do however have things here & there that were gifts or simply purchases made during previous relationships. Does keeping them mean that I still want that old relationship? Of course not, someties a salt shaker is just a salt shaker.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-26 12:29:00
Philippines	Paid AOS Fee Today	QUOTE (edp333 @ Sep 1 2009, 01:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> FYI, the acronym AOS means Adjustment of Status and not Affidavit of Support. http://www.visajourn...page=definition Congrats on getting the I-130 approved and starting the NVC process. FYI - FWIW, The Official Title of the Document is "Affidavit of Support (AOS) Processing Fee Bill Invoice" so you might want to let the U.S. Department of State know they have it wrong! Not really unfommon for one acronym to have multiple meanings.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-01 15:24:00
Philippines	Paid AOS Fee Today	Paid my AOS Fee Yesterday also!!!! OMG, are we really this close. Might I really finally have my wife in my arms again before the end of the year?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-01 10:13:00
Philippines	NOA 2 letter	QUOTE (Zen Den @ Sep 2 2009, 09:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> a copy is ok. make sure too that you have complete personal info about your husband because you'll need this on the form that you will fill out. good luck and god bless! By personal info what are they looking for? Do you mean like medical history or just the usual Name, Address, SSN, Pics, Employer etc?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-02 09:11:00
Philippines	NOA 2 letter	Does it have to be the original or will a copy work?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-02 08:41:00
Philippines	When is the soonest you can go for the Medical Exam at SLMEC?	QUOTE (philmae83 @ Sep 10 2009, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i thought it was NVC who will set the interview date? Apparently for CR1/IR1 NVC does so if you already have the medical done then you only need to finish with the interview and you're done with the US Gov't for a while! Learning as we go along... Expect a PM from my wife soon! Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 10 September 2009 - 10:22 AM.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-10 10:22:00
Philippines	When is the soonest you can go for the Medical Exam at SLMEC?	Hello, I've seen mention across a few threads where ladies have said they were able to get their medical exam by presenting a copy of their NOA2 from USCIS. Please if you did this reply here and tell us about it. Specifically I'm looking for this info: Did you wait until your case was sent to the USEM or were you able to go while it was still at NVC? Did you call SLMEC ahead or just show-up with the copy of your NOA2? How did you schedule your interview afterwards? Any additional info would be most helpful also. Thanks in advance... BTW, I'm the USC Hubby just trying to gather info on ways to shave some time off the process for my Lovely Wifie.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-10 09:13:00
Philippines	can someone tell me if I broke an unwritten rule?	My wife still tries to minimize how much money I send her. She keeps barely any Lod on her phone(s) and rarely carries more than a couple hundred pesos. She used to get upset if I told her to get money from the ATM too often. I just explained to her that being so far away I can't hold her, kiss her or take care of her any other way than to ensure she always has enough money. Then I explained that my daughters & I have so much here that I feel guilty if her & our son don't have much. That's why I had 2 AirCons installed in Mom's house and have provided her with the electronics, DSL & money. It took time but eventually she calmed down on accepting the money. Now the hard part is getting her to spend some of it something fun. She still says she's worried that people will think she's taking advantage of me for money. She also hates that a lot of people around her assume that he has money to burn and always come asking her for stuff first.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-11 18:04:00
Philippines	Your Filipino Wife/Fiancée	QUOTE (Rocky_nBullwinkle @ Aug 21 2009, 09:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey, I remember you now. You once posted here or your wife made a post here about your visa application. How are you now guys? Love is still the most powerful magic in the world. 2 weeks ago I received an envelope from USCIS, I was sure it was a NOID (Notice Of Intent to Deny) and I almost didn't bother to open it. It was the Approval Notice for my Petition for Anna! I lost my knees and cried, I'm not ashamed to admit. Just today we received the NOA2 for our son Gabby! We are on top of the world right now. Just hoping that processing times stay good so they'll be home before the end of the year.	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-21 22:48:00
Philippines	Your Filipino Wife/Fiancée	Anna has never asked me for anything. She would never say "Hey I/we need this, can you send me some money". In fact after I finally convinced her to let me send her a laptop we were told that we had to pay 12,000Php import tarriff. Of course I just wanted her to get the laptop so we could use magicjack & YM web cam easier so I Western Unioned her the money for the tarriff. I almost went crazy as she spent 3 days arguing with DHL to get the tarriff reduces to under 500Php! Then she was going to send me back the rest of the money! Even today, after 7 months of marriage she doesn't ask for anything. Of course I always send enough so she has extra. We had a situation were it looked like USCIS was going to have to deny my I-130 petitions for her and our son. We were sure that they'd never be able to come to the US. Not for a second did she even think about leaving me. We just started thinking about how we could work it for me to visit every year for a few years and finally move to PH to live out the rest of our lives together. During all of this she always thinks about me and has been my strength when I had none. I have no doubts that Anna is my heart. We are 2 halves of the same soul. So what is it about her? Everything... Simply everything about her. What more can I say, how can I explain Love when there is no begining and no end?	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-08-21 21:33:00
Philippines	What do you do to pass the time while waiting without going crazy?	Well, I was divorced for almost 10 years before we got married so except for old pictures stored in a plastic bin the ex-wife is gone from the house. There are pics of ex-gfs from the 10 yrs as a single man and I've already told her that they are part of my past so I won't destroy them but they will remain in the plastic bin with the ex-wife. Any gifts from former flames were pretty much disposed of at the end of the relationships, there were only a few. QUOTE (ErosandSally @ Sep 15 2009, 05:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I will be careful with all those APPLIANCES..... Start getting the HOUSE in order.....and especially CLEAN UP any relics from old flames if there is any left around...less explaining to do later...if you have not done so already	Bob 4 Anna	Male	Philippines	2009-09-15 12:03:00