ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Philippinesi need an expert advice

I understand that you want to marry in USA, but you must prove phil government and US government that you are free to marry. You will not be granted a K-1 visa even if the US government agrees that you are free to marry. Your government also must agree that you are free to marry. Check with your barangay and ask what you need to do to make you eligible for marriage again.


That is not correct. There have been a few threads here where Pinays were issued K-1 Visas with foreign divorces (even where she initiated the divorce) because the US recognizes the divorce. The problem will be that the Philippine government requires everyone leaving to be cleared for exit by the CFO. CFO will not clear her with a K-1 Visa if she hasn't filed to get her divorce recognized. a K-1 Visa is useless if she can't get out of the Philippines.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-06 14:50:00
Philippinesi need an expert advice

You didn't read the link I posted did you?... You don't need to file a foreign judgement. You file with YOUR GOVERNMENT to have the divorce recognised, which because he is a USC, and because HE filed for divorce, it will be. Read the link I posted previously which explains it to you.

You're right, the US says you're divorced, but you're going to tell them that you're widowed instead? You've got 2 sets of paperwork which mean different things. You were divorced before he died, he was married to someone else.

Again, read the link I posted, file with YOUR GOVERNMENT to have the divorce recognised, and move on. His death isn't relevant to you, you are not his wife under US law, so presenting yourself as a widow is wrong.


This is the route to take.

If you claim to be widowed instead of divorced then your are misrepresenting something for the purpose of getting an immigration benefit. To make matters worse, your status as "Free to marry" is a material fact for a K-1 Visa. This means it's conceivable that you could be charged with Material Misrepresentation would would result in a lifetime ban from the US.

DO NOT play fast and loose with the truth when it comes to immigrating to the US, if everything isn't right you can find yourself in a lot of trouble.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-06 14:47:00
Philippinesi need an expert advice

i never been in the USA im filipino citizen so yes divorce is not valid here so that means by philippine law regarding married he is legally married to me here but free in USA
so which people think that i can be widowed since im still married to him by philippine law/jurisdiction
why should i need to file foreign judgement if the plan is to get married in USA which divorce is accepted?
if i get cenomar and stated as married i have my divorce and death cert as back up i think? :)


Since your US Citizen husband was the petitioner in the divorce you need to file for judicial recognition of your foreign divorce. The Philippines will recognize the divorce since your foreign husband was the person who filed it (the petitioner).

When he died, you were no longer his wife, do the paperwork properly or it could come back to haunt you in the future.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-06 14:26:00
PhilippinesBalikbayan Boxes
I just want to say something regarding "Sending Money is better than sending a box full of stuff"...

Mind you I don't want to start a debate on which is better or the merits of either side because this really isn't about that, it's about understanding & respecting your spouse's cultural background.

There is a lot more to "Balikbayan" than can be conveyed in words. Here is a good attempt to capture it though:
Balikbayan

It's not uncommon for a family member to spend decades working overseas only returning home every 5 years or so and then staying for a matter of days or a week at a time. Children being raised by Lola while Mom or Dad or both are somewhere else working to support them is as much a part of their reality as baseball and 1 hr commutes to work is ours.

So many seem to think that the Overseas Filipino becomes a money conduit to the family back home and they miss what's really happening. Family ties are so strong that the Filipino maintains an emotional connection across the seas which eclipses any amount of money that could be sent.

The reason those Boxes are loved so much is because they are packed with LOVE from a family member who will never forget those they left behind (for whatever reason).

We'll send 2 boxes a year to our (marry a Pinay and you've married her whole family) family in Pinas. She spends months collecting things to stuff the box full of. Anything that we don't need anymore does in the next box. She's looking forward to weekends filled with garage sales so she can fill the boxes. Of course Mom wants SPAM & Corned Beef (apparently it tastes better when it's free) and some products that are readily available to her locally. American candy is a favorite for everyone of all ages.

Is it annoying when I find another stash of BB Box stuff in the closet or library, only slightly. Is it cute to see her get excited about being able to do this for her family, it's awesome.

So if you're thinking about it from a financial sense then you'll never get it. It's about respecting her culture and becoming part of it.

Just send 1 box a year and you'll be fine, sure it would be nice to not waste good money on shipping the box and send the cash instead but it really just isn't the same to them.

FWIW, we do send her Mom money on a regular basis also...

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 17 May 2010 - 09:33 AM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-05-17 09:30:00
PhilippinesBalikbayan Boxes
Regarding the why of Balikbayan Boxes, the point has nothing to do with how much the things cost here vs there. It's about the family member who is abroad helping to take care of those they left behind. In the Philippines mail isn't an everyday thing like here and packages are even more special.

My mother-in-law always asks for SPAM in the B.B. Boxes (as we call them) even though it's actually cheaper there. Like she says to my wife, it tastes better because it's free! Ha ha ha...

Seriously, when they know a Box is arriving it's a big event for everyone in the family (locally) because it's more special than Christmas. It tells them that they are still remembered and loved by the distant family member.

When we send the boxes we try to include something for everyone in the family, even if it's something small & seemingly trivial.

I guess it goes with the way OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) have become a normal part of life in the Philippines.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-05-16 13:09:00
PhilippinesThank You All
Calibob,

I know it's a bit late (I haven't been online a lot lately for personal reasons) but congrats on getting to the finish line!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-24 03:59:00
PhilippinesHow to Marry...

Once she gets a divorce in the State of Virginia, she can file for judicial recognition of her divorce decree in the Phils.


This is 99.999% inaccurate (and 100% in the OP's case)...

For The Philippines to Judicially Recognize a Foreign Divorce it must meet certain conditions:

1. One of the Spouses MUST be a citizen of another country,

2. The Philippine Citizen must be the respondent (meaning their Non-Filipino spouse is the Petitioner or person who filed for divorce).

Without this the Philippine Government won't recognize the divorce.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-24 10:49:00
PhilippinesHow to Marry...
FWIW,

Extending her I-94 isn't required... If she overstays it won't be a problem for AOS within country, only if she leaves the US prior to having a Greencard issued.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-24 03:57:00
PhilippinesOver stay in the Phils.

I meant form I-131 but marked differently for a re-entry permit (a little different from AP BUT it IS the SAME form.)

reentry us embassy manila


Even your own link doesn't agree with you:

The forms (DS-117: Application to Determine Returning Resident Status and DS-230: Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration) may be picked-up in person or by a representative at the Embassy.


Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-31 14:28:00
PhilippinesOver stay in the Phils.
Like Boiler said, SB-1 which is a Returning Resident Visa.

She'll need to demonstrate that she didn't intend to remain out of the US for so long but was required to due to unforeseen reasons. Sounds like her husband's decline in health might be just such a reason.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-30 23:18:00
PhilippinesIs it possible.........?
Yes you can go for your medical, you'll need your MNL Case number and passport.

You can expect an interview date in July.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-06-03 00:20:00
PhilippinesThread about nothing
I don't know but since the thread is about nothing then I guess everything would be off-topic or would it work the other way (as Seinfeld did) and actually end up being about everything?

I'll go with the second scenario as it's much more fun.

As a die-hard PC guy for most of my life (since PC's can to be in my teens) I've always wondered what was so alluring about Apple products. A few years ago I finally made the plunge and bought an iPhone 3G. It was nice and all but I just wasn't sold on the "Closed Architecture" that was Apple's flavor of kool-aid so I eventually reverted to an Android (even after having upgraded to an iPhone 3Gs).

The Android was okay but I found the OS to still be immature for my tastes and I was hacking it almost as much as I used to hack the Windows Mobile OS before I bought my first iPhone so I jumped back to an iPhone 4 and was once again happy with my Mobile Phone.

I guess you could say iOS (the operating system used by iPhone & iPad) is Apple's version of a Gateway Drug as I now have a MacBook Pro and iPad2(WiFi) in addition to my iPhone 4s!

I haven't given up on Windows, I run WIndows 7 (64 bit) in Parallels on my Mac but I find myself using Windows less and less everyday.

So now you have your first real post and something but nothing at the same time...
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-06-02 08:04:00
PhilippinesFast Courier to Philippines?
DHL, FedEx, UPS & USPS all offer service taking anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

With USPS the package will pass through the Philippine Postal System so there is more risk of loss/theft or just delay involved.

UPS & FedEx contract with local courier services (like 2Go) so they're a step up from the USPS/PhilPost route.

If you want the best (in my opinion) go with DHL, they actually have their own offices and employees in the Philippines so it will be in DHL's hands from end-to-end.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-05-24 20:28:00
PhilippinesAffidavit of Consent to Travel Abroad
Since the bio-father's parental rights have been legally terminated he no longer is legally the child's father so you will not need any consent for the child to immigrate.

Since the bio-father's parental rights have been legally terminated he no longer is legally the child's father so you will not need any consent for the child to immigrate.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-06-12 08:46:00
PhilippinesMedical companionship
My wife was able to get my mother-in-law into SLMEC but they had to be tricky...

Lola needed to use the CR and simply took a seat after, never leaving until Anna did!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-06-27 11:19:00
PhilippinesUsual Reasons For 221g For IR1 visa
The 2 most common are:
Beneficiaries CEMAR, this is the document a married person receives fron the NSO if they request a CENOMAR.

Financials, less common but be sure to have 3 years of Tax Returns or IRS Transcripts just incase.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-03 23:15:00
PhilippinesHow Can It Happen?
Back in the day the US used to import a lot of nurses and domestics rom the PH but that ship left port like a decade ago. Unfortunately it's still "Common Knowledge" in the Philippines that this is a viable way to get to the US (despite the truth of the matter) so there are agencies who take advantage of the ignorance of others. I'm sure some of the clients end-up in Canada or other countries (like the middle east) after getting some song and dance about being rejected by the US because of something they did wrong.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-05 22:39:00
PhilippinesHow Can It Happen?
Honestly Manila is at least as tough as Bangkok.

The "employment" route would require the friend's company to sponsor her which means not only employ her but also cover the cost (immigration fees and lawyer). Before you even get to that point they would need to prove that there is no US Citizen or LPR that could do the job. Then if it were approved they'd have to actually employ her and pay her a fair wage.

Tourist Visa ain't gonna happen for a Filipina who's single with weak ties to home (a single child is weak by USEM standards). She would need to demonstrate a great job with substantial income and assets (savings and/or property) to prove strong ties.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-05 10:34:00
PhilippinesPhilippine

you need to attend CFO when you leave the country, but not required in getting passport..to get passport, bring birth certificate original, NBI, any other Ids, if married bring marriage certificate..when visa approved, you need to get CFO certificate.


Actually things have changed a bit in the last couple of years. back in 2009 my wife didn't need to do CFO for her passport but more recently it's been reported that if you're married to a foreigner then DFA requires CFO for passport issuance.

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 20 July 2012 - 12:05 PM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-19 10:47:00
PhilippinesAnyone here live in the Savannah GA area?
As the title says, we're moving to Savannah GA at the end of the month and I'd like to connect with our VJ Fil-Am couples.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-20 13:06:00
PhilippinesK1 Visa Co-sponsorship Question

Yes, we will have my fiance's mom as our co-sponsor and we will be living with her on the same roof. Her income is above the 125% of the poverty guidline so hopefully things will go well on our case of using a co-sponsor. My fiance will be graduating next year, he's taking up Digital Art Media.


Based on feedback on VJ over the last 3 years I'd say your situation is one that USEM approves. Since your Fiancé is a recent college graduate they'll consider him a good candidate to have increased earning potential in the near future. Also with the Co-Sponsor being a close family member (his mother) which is another situation they're comfortable with.

You guys shouldn't worry too much about this, just make sure everything else is in order...
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-16 11:09:00
Philippinesadoption of my 5 year old stepson...
In the US step-parent adoption is generally easy but the exact requirements vary from state to state.
On average the child needs to reside in the State for 6 months before filing but once filed it should only take a few months.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-07-29 20:13:00
PhilippinesWhatever Became of tallcoolone?
I suspect the fishing club that banned him from all of their versions (IRL and online) caught him interfering with one of their events so each member donated an anchor for his final voyage into the gulf of mexico....
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-08-13 17:17:00
PhilippinesFilipina temper ! How you control it .
The best advice I can give you is to understand this:

If he says something that cane be taken either as good or bad then assume he meant it the good way because he loves you too much to say it the bad way.

If you think it can only be taken as bad (from your viewpoint) then before you let it hurt you ask him to explain how he means what he said because to you it seems like a hurtful thing for him to have said.

Kanos & Pinays have very different styles of communications in general and then there are person to person differences so the mix is a whole lot of messy. It will take understanding and time on both of your parts to figure out a comfortable middle ground.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-06-10 11:43:00
PhilippinesAdoption Questions...

Her dad is indicated in her birth certificate and signed the aknowledgement of paternity but he haven't really seen her since she was still 6 months old. he does not support her financially too. i raise my child all by myself. do i have to get his consent or should i let him sign a legal document that he is giving up his paternity or something?


When the time for adoption comes you will provide the court with his last known address and a notice of the adoption will be sent to him (via a trackable carrier to prove attempted delivery). Most states will allow the bio dad 30 days to respond, if he fails to respond then the adoption will proceed without him.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-08-31 20:13:00
PhilippinesAdoption Questions...
In the US adoption varies by state but most of them have provisions for step-parent adoption, that's what you need to research.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-08-25 12:58:00
Philippinesvisa approve or denied?

they dont give me back my passport
will it take months before i recieve my visa and passport?


Judging from posts on VJ it shouldn't exceed 2 - 3 weeks before you have your Visa.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-09-15 00:58:00
Philippinesvisa approve or denied?
Did the Embassy keep your passport? They need to have your passport to affix the Visa.

If they kept it then your Visa will be issued after they receive your CENOMAR and have time to confirm it.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-09-14 01:31:00
PhilippinesMost boring visa interview ever

Maybe common knowledge

But then why so many people here still not know what it is???

Many people think I am talking about the marriage certificate......NOPE.


I would say your last sentence basically answered your question: Despite there being multiple threads (which also specify the CEMAR is NOT the Marriage Certificate) many only skim the threads and miss the details like that...
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-10-20 02:27:00
PhilippinesMost boring visa interview ever


It's weird it's not listed because even I know it's required :S It's been well-discussed item on here for quite some time...

That is why the interviewing officer was surprised that my wife had that document, because they know it's not listed and most IR-1/CR-1 applicants don't have it.

Yep, the fact tat they often ask for CEMAR for CR/IR Benificaries at USEM has been common knowledge on VJ since before Anna's interview in Nov of 2009.
At her interview the CO said everything was good he just needed to request her CERMAR from NSO. To his surprise Anna produced the CERMAR and was instantly approved.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2012-10-18 10:31:00
PhilippinesMy 3-day Sputum Exam Experience

I am nurse,but not a doctor either. They used the old films to compare it with the new one.

That's interesting, so the assumption is that if the scarring hasn't increased then there is no active infection...

Maybe my Google MoJo is off today but I can't seem to find anything that says how reliable this method is.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-12 14:41:00
PhilippinesMy 3-day Sputum Exam Experience

I respect your opinion...but I am saying this based on what happened to me because I brought with me the old xray films from 2006 up to June of this year and they did not bother to look at it.The films showed inactive ptb.

I'm not a doctor and never played on on TV (ha ha ha) but I'm not sure how an x-ray can determine if pTB is active or inactive.

me too i had my xray one month before i have my nedical like what you said they didnt bother to look at it. Eventhough we had a clear xray way before the medical took place, it doesn't matter. What matters is their findings on your xray done only in SLEC. I asked them why i had a spot wherein i am physically fit?She told me that their radiologist were trained for that and anything they saw something suspicious will undergo the sputum and culture test. Its a long wait but we can't do something about it but obey..dont worry, time flies easily you will never know ur done with the culture test..gudluck

In every country there are Medical Facilities that are contracted by the US Embassy for Immigration Medicals. There are reasons for that. If the contracted facilities allowed everyone to bring in previous x-rays, test results, psych exams etc then there would be no point n having the specific facilities contracted by the US Embassies would there?

Hey I'm still a bit peeved that they made our little guy go through a psych eval because a 2 years old he wasn't talking. They didn't care that he was clearly deaf just that it wasn't within the norms for a 2 year old. Of course it was a waste of time and 2,000Php but in the end he landing in the US and can hear now thanks to Cochlear Implants!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-12 09:18:00
PhilippinesMy 3-day Sputum Exam Experience

If the result of the x-ray film is not reliable whether you have it or not or still active, I guess it is just fair to have all applicants to undergo sputum exam...just my opinion..

The whole point of the X-Ray is to eliminate as many applicants from the Sputum Exam as possible. If the X-Ray is clear then you are eliminated.

It's as fair as the process can be. Exclusion is reliable (in that if you're x-ray is clear there are no signs of an infection current or previous) which is the important part of the process.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-11 10:06:00
PhilippinesMy 3-day Sputum Exam Experience

A friend of mine experienced the same test at St. Lukes. She didn't even suffer from tb before but she had to undergo the same process because the doctor found a little spot in the x-ray result. Thank God her sputum result was negative. I can't help but wonder why she was found positive for tb in St. Lukes when a few days before she went to manila, her x-ray result in CDO was negative.

This medical test at St. Lukes sounds scary.

Something we all need to remember is that the Medical Exam is to protect everyone in the US from communicable diseases. I know it's nerve-wreaking when it our loves one or ourselves going through it but we need to look at the larger picture.

There are many reasons for an unclear X-Ray result and they can't reliably use the Skin Test in the Philippines because BCG Vaccination does cause false positive results.

I know it's easy for me to say since my wife is already here but wouldn't we all honestly prefer 100 people have to endure the sputum test and have negative results than one person is admitted with active TB? Remember that the US doesn't vaccinate against TB so one contagious person could cause an epidemic.

My step-mother had to go through TB treatment when she immigrated from Korea in the early 80's. I'm glad it's something USCIS takes seriously.

I could be worse, they could simply deny Visas for anyone who tests positive or the sputum process could take a lot longer.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-10 13:28:00
Philippinessending money to the family back in the phils

I should have clarified my statement to read almost every filipino spends all they have. It's a very true statement, no matter if you believe me or not. I would have to say, after living here awhile, 8 out of 10 filipino's spend what they have, and usually have a credit account at the local sari sari.

I think your statement either discounts or fails to acknowledge why that is the norm.

A vast majority of Filipinos simply don't have the kind of revenue streams we are used to. Their idea of saving for the future is investing in and taking care of their younger family members today as they will be depending on them for future support and care.

Just look at how they shop compared to how we shop.

In the Philippines Anna went to the market/store almost daily. She purchased soap, shampoo etc is single use sachets not because it was more convenient but because it was more affordable to buy 3 days worth of shampoo than to buy a whole bottle that would last a month (in the long run it really is more expensive but more on that later).

There a a few reasons for the shopping differences (I know this isn't a complete list but you get the idea).

  • Their money flow is different it is earned in dribs & drabs so they spend it in dribs & drabs.
  • Refrigerators are not nearly as common there as they are here.
  • Locally produced fresh produce & veg is more easily obtained there.
So while their way of doing things may not make a lot of sense to us it is how they as a culture have adapted to their economic environment.

BTW, you should have seen the look on Anna's face the first time I took her to the warehouse store! Now she want's to keep the pantry (that's almost as large as her bedroom in the Philippines) fully stocked all the time but it took her a while to adjust to the idea of a big shopping trip every 2 or 3 weeks instead of a small one every day or 2.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-06 10:22:00
Philippinessending money to the family back in the phils

is this like a typical thing?! i do not know, hence me asking..

marrying a fillipino, and then you have some kind of "understood" obligation to care for extended family back on the islands?!

Yes and No...

There are actually a couple of different things in play here:

The Philippines main export is Manpower, the concept of OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) supporting the family who stays behind has become as normal as having a job locally to support your family.

Then there is the stronger extended family ties. Even once the kids are out of the house (which typically happens later than in the US) they still contribute and help their parents.

These 2 things come together when a member of the family marries someone overseas. They Filipino feels the sense of obligation to help support their family back home.

This can be realized in a few different ways:

Some limit their remittances to money they have personally earned, sending some or all of it but never dipping into their spouse's income.

Some expect their spouse to pony-up and send money regardless of their own earning situation.

Some simply don't send anything unless there is a real need.

Regardless of which scenario (or variation thereof) is chosen it's important for the couple to have had a discussion about this subject LONG before any immigration paperwork is completed or there will be issues like we often see in threads where the 2 halves of the relationship are strained by this issue.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-05 10:53:00
Philippinessending money to the family back in the phils
Um, yeah... I don't think so.

We used to send her Mom $100 a month and even told her don't count on it because despite my high salary our expenses are also high. We've paid for some things like her 1/2 brother is attending a Voc-Tech school but that is to help him be self sufficient and able to support his Mom (who isn't Anna's Mom).

Recently we discontinued sending money to her Mom and there was no protest from over there (at least not that Anna told me about, she handles all communication).

I have one rule when it comes to family and our resources: Our Nuclear Family (Me, Anna & the kids) come first! If after we're done covering our needs and reasonable wants there is something leftover then we'll share within reason but we don't support houses full of people who won't work to better their own situation. BTW, our needs includes our savings goals, I won't forgo having something for a rainy day just so someone on the other side of the planet can sit at home all day instead of work.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-05 04:19:00
PhilippinesBringing Wifes Child / Father Abandoned Him
That;s awesome, congrats on the approval!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-26 12:55:00
PhilippinesBringing Wifes Child / Father Abandoned Him

May I ask where I can find the Family Code of the Philippines on an official website of the Philippines? I'm searching now and cannot find it on an official PH source. Thanks again everyone!

Per the link in my signature, there are two OFFICIAL PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT LINKS to the exact info needed in this post
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-25 13:20:00
PhilippinesBringing Wifes Child / Father Abandoned Him

One poster here stated that the father has signed the BC and asked for papers by the NVC. The problem will be on the US side...

In our case both Gabby & Carlo's birth certificates were signed by the father. When we submitted the DS-230 we included a note on the cover letter explaining the Philippine Family Code and a copy of the relevant section of the code (along with a url to the exact section on The Philippines official website) and we were never questioned about it.

To overcome the issue you just need to be a little pro-active and provide them with the information needed so they know how to proceed.

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 25 October 2011 - 12:46 PM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-25 12:46:00