ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Philippinesbalikbayan box international flight
That will vary by airline.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-19 12:59:00
Philippinesany pinoy living in arlington heights, IL
We're in Algonquin which is practically next door to Arlington Heights... PM my wife (here profile is in my signature)...
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-06-14 17:34:00
PhilippinesApply for U.S citizenship or not ?
Good reasons:

What if you ever want to return to the US after you've retired to the Philippines? Maybe your child(ren) have built a life here and will remain. Your Greencard has residency requirement whereas Citizenship doesn't

Or if your husband falls ill and requires treatment in the US, as a Citizen you can just get on the plane with him no worries about getting anything approved.

How about international travel? US Citizenship gets you into some countries the Philippine Citizen with US LPR doesn't.

In general, plans change and you never know what unexpected things may happen by naturalizing you've given yourself a lot of options that otherwise don't exist.

Naturalize & reacquire your Philippine Citizenship then you'll have the bet of both worlds.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-14 15:51:00
Philippinesbothered

i do hope they will let him go with us in america or he will be left alone here in the philippines without any relatives around. and he's only 5 years old. whew. it really is very stressful for us.

The worst case scenario for your son is that he'll have to undergo 6 months of treatment before he is issued a Visa to immigrate to the US.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-24 09:47:00
PhilippinesAnother tragic story of a Filipina

Excuse me I feel like responding on your post too.

Wow, you really didn't even bother to address rlogan's post at all did you?

You made a comment that The Philippines should implement a low prohibiting foreigners over 50 from marrying someone from/in The Philippines and rlogan responded very well to that ill conceived idea by pointing out how easy it would be for anyone else to use this same case as an example to ban your relationship (based on meeting on the internet) which apparently is offensive to you.

Now you respond that people are capable of making good choices (implying that such laws are silly), which way is it?

The sad truth is that you can't legislate common sense.

Regardless of my personal opinions of "compatibility" between a 21 year old and a 78 year old they were both adults and they both made adult decisions. If I believe they each had ulterior motives in those decisions is irrelevant and had no bearing on the outcome of the situation.

It's also pretty ignorant to judge other people's relationships based on this singular bad example or even a whole bunch of bad examples. Each relationship deserves to stand on it's own merit.




Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-22 09:15:00
PhilippinesAnother tragic story of a Filipina

Why, of course I was!! Hence the ROFL Dude! It's amazing how taking a few words outta context can be just like statistics; you can make them say anything you want!

Just messin', Bob, I knew what you meant all along. You did good, choosing a Pinay, cuz Tagalog is MUCH easier to learn!!

I figured that but thought that since we have someone from China thinking that's a better place than The Philippines I could just piggyback a demonstration to the contrary onto my response to you Posted Image
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-21 12:18:00
PhilippinesAnother tragic story of a Filipina

Well heck yeah you're gonna have issues if you are dating two Chinese women that close in age at the same time!! :rofl:

Now you're just being silly.... There was only a slight overlap, I started seeing the older one after the second break-up with the younger one but didn't officially end things with her when the younger one can back for a month because I just wasn't sure it would either would last...

Sadly the problems had nothing to do with either's age but were Cultural Differences that would have required me to accept something I simply could not.

The younger one wanted to remain married to her Chinese husband but live with me as if we were married. She said her Mom was very traditional and the thought of divorce was simply out of the question. Well I don't "Shack-up" with someone, I wanted a wife.

The Older one's family (and several friends) didn't approve of me because I have a "checkered" past (despite the problems being decades ago and me not trying to hide it), she said that she would have to choose either her family or I. She was ready to choose me if I would wait a couple of years for her daughter to turn 18. I couldn't put her in the position of tearing her family apart so I walked away.

Anna's family has accepted me completely and never looked back!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-21 11:34:00
PhilippinesAnother tragic story of a Filipina

What if they are only 7 years apart, and of the same nationality, like this crazy Pinay?
http://www.philstar....rticleid=727575

I guess maybe the Malls in the Philippines need to rethink their bag checking technique. Obviously the "jam a stick into the bag" method failed to detect her gun!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-21 10:13:00
PhilippinesAnother tragic story of a Filipina

The entire US embassy operation in the Philippines is an embarrassment.

Maybe you should qualify that statement...

I agree that in most cases at 21 year old and a 78 year old regardless of culture or which gender is the senior (nice pun, huh) would be hard pressed to find real common ground but I don'think that gives anyone the right to sit in judgement of others.

Is your blanket statement something other than the indictment of Pinays who marry older American men it appears to be?

I'm sick of every time something like this happens someone from outside the Fil-Am community tries using it to invalidate all of our marriages...

FWIW, the age difference between my wife and I is only 15 years but I have honestly found her to be a better partner than any of the women I previous dated who were much closer to my own age (including my first wife who was just 2 years younger then myself, one Chinese girlfriend who as 5 years younger and one Chinese girlfriend who was 4 years older).
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-21 10:08:00
Philippines3 positive smear

Hmmm. Maybe I had better look for a new family doctor? Posted Image

I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV so I can't say. Just putting it out there...
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-27 14:35:00
Philippines3 positive smear

Our doctor said that if someone has ever had the TB test where they poke your arm with a needle and look for a reaction, then all tests from that point on will be positive for TB.

I've never heard that before and have in fact had several of those TB Tests in my life all of which were negative.

I do understand that someone who received the BCG Vaccine (which is common in the Philippines) will always test positive on the Skin Reaction TB Test. In fact our little guy who received the BCG did react positive to the Skin Reaction TB Test and was required to undergo a chest X-Ray (which they try to avoid for children) to confirm negative results.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-27 11:00:00
PhilippinesCrime-Safety-Advice-Pepper Spray

To an average Filipino, taxi is a luxury. We are used to heat, we won't mind riding in a jeepney, inhaling fumes

I actually didn't mind using the Jeepneys, it was interesting squeezing my just over 6ft self into the pack with my not quite 5ft wife. It's amazing how honest the Jeepneys are especially compared to the Taxis. I mean you hand cash up the line of passengers to the driver's helper and you actually get proper change back!

When I went there to marry Anna we hired a LPG Taxi to drive us from Manila to Paniqui (in Tarlac), we agreed to pay the driver 2,500Php. When we hit Tarlac, Tarlac the driver started complaining that he might not have enough LPG int he tank to get back to Manila. Anna simply told him that was his fault not ours. He stopped at a Trike Stand one town shy of Paniqui and said he couldn't go any further. Instead of arguing we got out and paid him the 2,500Php despite his protests that we should tip him. A kind Trike driver took us the rest of the way and got a 500Php tip for his trouble. Ironically Anna and I had already agreed that we would tip the Taxi driver about 1,500Php once we got to Paniqui. He was too greedy to get though!

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 29 September 2011 - 10:25 AM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-09-29 10:20:00
PhilippinesWife is visiting Philippines
Here is some info:

Philippines Travel Tax Exemption
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-05 11:13:00
Philippinesk1 visa holders allowed to work?

the form 1-485 is for permanent resident, the 1-765 form is for application for employment authorization EAD

I know that...

K-1 holder can file a I-765 in 2 instances:

  • To obtain an EAD prior to AOS Processing in which case the EAD expires at the same time as their I-94 so it's pretty much useless.
  • In conjunction with filing I-485 to receive EAD before they get their Greencard which will allow them to work a few months earlier.
As I said, if the K-1 holder is authorized to work by simply have a K-1 and valid I-94 then why would they even be included in the instructions for the I-765 (EAD Application) instruction as they wouldn't need to apply for an EAD in the first place!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2011-10-06 10:10:00
PhilippinesHeartbroken and deceived---need help/advice

:thumbs:

In my opinion, I think there was love. Hey I can be wrong about it. But who knows.


Then again you're also in a situation that has so many reg flags the confusion would kill a bull!

Seriously, you have pretty much said that if you bring yours here and it turns out that she was just in it for the Green Card then you'd be okay with that because you love her so much and it's worth the chance that she might grow (learn) to love you back.

SEX does not equal LOVE. If you can't trust someone 1,000% then you can't love that person regardless of what you say.

Even when we don't see eye to eye, I trust Anna with my life.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-17 17:36:00
PhilippinesHeartbroken and deceived---need help/advice

I will see if she wants to discuss today any more. I am not beyond forgiving, but I would need some assurance that she will sever ties with this former boyfriend


You can forgive her without continuing the relationship.

Anna & I have had difficult times during her first year here (Nov 25 will be 1 year exactly) but not once did she contact another man or entertain sexual anything with someone else. Her reaction was to return home to the Philippines, thankfully she always calmed down and it never got to that point.

Filipinas and Kanos do have very different communications styles but running to the arms of another man is much more than differing styles of conflict resolution.

It took a while before Anna would actually discuss what was bothering her but she did come around.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-17 09:51:00
PhilippinesHeartbroken and deceived---need help/advice

Missing home and family I fully understand and am sympathetic towards. Expressing deep love to another the day after our wedding is not excusable to me. And the denying me only started after we were married: prior to that, she engaged in physical romance almost daily, sometimes twice daily. And she enjoyed it. She asked once if I was done, and I said yes, then she said she wasn't so we continued.

Too much information, I know, but she REALLY was into nighttime romance for several months, then it just stopped. Oh well, does not really matter right now.


Do you fish?

She's the Angler in the boat, she baits her hook with SEX.

You took the bait, she set the hook.

You liked the taste of the bait and couldn't let go as she reeled you in.

The day you married her was the moment she landed you in the boat.

Have you ever seen a Fisherman feed good bait to a fish after it's in the boat?

It really is that simple...

Just to protect yourself you might want to think about putting her up in a motel on the other side of town until her flight home.

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 16 November 2010 - 02:38 PM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-16 14:36:00
PhilippinesHeartbroken and deceived---need help/advice

Contact USCIS and pull your sponsorship. Do it TODAY!


Yep. if the green card gets issued then the Affidavit of Support is in full effect and she gets what she wanted, the right to legally stay in the US.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-16 14:12:00
PhilippinesHeartbroken and deceived---need help/advice

I emailed you the translation. She is regreting a lot of things, missing her family, and missing her boyfriend. Her boyfriend also makes her sound like a nympho, but she's denying you so it must be just you that she doesn't like.


I can understand missing her family but SHE STILL HAS A BOYFRIEND IN THE PH!!!!! I mean that really leads one to believe that she might have thought she could be in a shame marriage for 3 years to get Citizenship then dump you for him, it's one of the more common scams out there...

I would say the most telling thing is that she maintained a local boyfriend during the entirety of your relationship and even while denying her husband she engages is chats of a sexual nature with him...

Sorry to hear about it, whatever you decide be sure to protect yourself. You can revoke the Affidavit of Support anytime prior to her AOS being approved, just contact USCIS and also make an infopass appointment to drop-off a copy of your written notice if that i the path you choose to take.

Personally I wouldn't even offer to pay for her return flight, let her hitch-hike to the nearest PH Embassy and beg for a ride back home. If she really tried at the marriage then I would say different. If she goes TNT then she'll have a ####### life here without a chance to adjust and bring her PH boyfriend over, serves her right.

WATCH OUT FOR A FALSE VAWA CLAIM... Never be alone with her...

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 16 November 2010 - 10:37 AM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-16 10:36:00
PhilippinesGiving passpot to St. Lukes
She'll need photo ID to get into the US Embassy for her interview. She might want to get one of the NBI Clearance ID Cards.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-24 11:12:00
PhilippinesHelping your filipina adjust to life in the US/not get too homesick
1) TV, get GMA TFC etc for her to be able to watch.

2) Contact with family, make sure she can easily contact her family back home often.

3) Access to local resources.
---a) Find the local Filipino Community, local Catholic Church is a good way to do this if you don't havea local Filipino store. Find the one that has a monthly Filipino service.
---b) Help her get her driver's license or teach her how to use the local transit. They are used to being fairly mobile back home so living in suburban america without driving will get problematic.
---c) Filipino/Asian store so she can cook the food she's loved her whole life.

4) Find a local Asian Restaurant that she likes, try several and let her pick her favorites.

5) Get a rice cooker and other things that will help her cook they way she wants.

My wife says 3b was probably the biggest help then 4.

Edited by Bob 4 Anna, 21 November 2010 - 10:49 AM.

Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-11-21 10:48:00
PhilippinesWhat would YOU do?
The I-130 approval letter from the US Embassy is your version of USCIS NOA-2 so it should get your wife into SLMEC for her Medical.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-02 15:30:00
PhilippinesDoes your wife think the US is too cold ?
Before she arrived Anna was wanting to experience snow so much it's funny. I reminded her that snow only lives in the cold but she didn't listen.

It's been in the negatives here and she is always asking "How much longer will it be like this" now!

Coat, Gloves, Boots... I barely recognize my Island Sweetie when we go out nowadays!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-01-04 09:44:00
PhilippinesCENMAR question
Why would the USEM as for your CEMAR/marriage index?

Even the NSO Copy of your Marriage Certificate only shows 1 thing: That on said date you married said person. It does not show that either a) you were never previously married or b) if previously married any/all previous marriage(s) were legally terminated under Philippine Law.

My wife was told that her visa would be approved once the Embassy confirmed her CEMAR! Luckily she had already obtained it from the NSO and was able to present it on the spot so she was approved right there.

I look at it this way, I'd rather spend a little to have the document & not need it than get to the interview and face another delay because I didn't get it.

FWIW, the USEM should never ask for a USC's CEMAR/CENOMAR because there is nothing equalivent in the US.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-09 11:01:00
PhilippinesHave we gotten lazy?
My wife is quite literate in English and wanted to be part of the whole process. We both worked on all of the paperwork and double-chacked each other's work.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-08 20:27:00
PhilippinesMarried Filipinos who send money to family back in Philippines

You're partially correct. The agreement was not to pay for my med school, I have student loans that cover school expenses 100%. The agreement was that she pays for basic stuff like food. Instead, she would send our money for food to the Ph. But now I have a meal plan through school, so I no longer have to worry about that.

I didn't mean [or say] pay for your Med school, but covering you basic cost of living is supporting you through Med School.

Anyway, don't stay away from someone in the future just because of where their family comes from. For every Filipina who sends every available dollar home there are 100 who understand how to set reasonable limits.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 17:00:00
PhilippinesMarried Filipinos who send money to family back in Philippines

I learned my lesson, stay away from Filipinos. They are bred to do one thing, get as much money as possible without working for it.

You can stay away from my Filipino for sure!

Maybe the lesson you needed to learn is to pay better attention to the person you want to play house with.

Your problem with her was that she didn't keep her word to you (which was to stop sending so much back home and support your through Med School). That has less to do with her being Filipino and more to do with other issues of her character.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 13:35:00
PhilippinesWhat Marriage Certificate do I need from the Philippines

So its ok then with a copy from the certified civil registry certificate to submit it?


The I-130, yes. Just be sure that it is a "Certified True Copy".
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-20 11:32:00
PhilippinesWhat Marriage Certificate do I need from the Philippines
Yes, for the I-130 Certified True copy of the Civil Registry Certificate is okay but for NVC you should have the Official NSO Marriage Certificate (send a photocopy) and have the original on hand for the Visa interview at the USEM.

While you're getting your "Official" Documents (Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificates, etc) in the Philippines it's wise to spend a little extra and get a few copies so that you have extras when you get to the US.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-20 09:35:00
PhilippinesWhat should i do for my son get in the US embassy

When you are at the Embassy for your interview, tell the pre-screener and the consular officer that your son's interview is the next day.

That was going to be my next suggestion!
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-24 10:37:00
PhilippinesWhat should i do for my son get in the US embassy
Have you contacted the USEM to see if they can move his interview up to match with yours? Anna & Gabby's interviews were at the same time. Basically as long as they believe the child is yours then his Visa is approved if yours is, nothing additional needed just the child's presence to verify that they exist.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-23 16:47:00
PhilippinesHow to cancel a k1 visa petition

i told her while i was in the philippines with her that i was gonna send her 100$ a month when i got back home until she was here ... my pinays family wanted me to remodel there house and i just flat out said NO ... i probally could have got her back but if 2 people are fighting alot about money how much more is it gonna be after married so hell with that i know there is good girls in the philippines that would have respect for a man that does what i do......

already been talking to another pinay i went this time with a friends cousin so maybe a family connection will be better 4 me........


Learn a lesson from this first experience. With the next one don't open the wallet so quickly. How YOU handle YOUR money early in the relationship will set expectations & patterns that will last the duration of the relationship.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-21 10:12:00
PhilippinesMet a rude fellow Pinay

Hmmm...I'm wondering the same thing...why did your husband allow that rude behavior?

Personally I would never expect my ex-wife's best friend to be happy to meet my new wife so there'd never be such a situation.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-28 13:57:00
PhilippinesDFA Exit Seminar for IR5 visa holder?

Also, will her mom have to pay the travel tax on her way out or will she be able to apply for a waiver as a pending US resident?

Never heard of travel tax being waived due to "Pending US Resident", she's still a Filipino Citizen so I doubt there is a waiver of travel tax.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-30 15:47:00
PhilippinesFilipinos and saving money for retirement

I'm smelling troll, I don't real think he is dumb enough to believe the withdrawl is an effective means of birth control.

Naw, it's sour grapes on his part. He feels betrayed because his Filipino ex chose sending money home over obeying him so now he'll say anything to dump on Pinays.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 20:43:00
PhilippinesFilipinos and saving money for retirement

Without being too descriptive, there are methods of birth control that don't involve purchasing contraceptives. One comes to mind....and it is completely free. Let me take a guess Bob, the Catholic church doesn't believe in pulling out...LOL

Actually that's correct. The Catholic Church advocates only having sex for the purpose of making babies.

Bob, I have another one, Filipino women are so fertile even pulling out will not prevent pregnancy. The Filipino cervix sucks the sperm out of the man and forces it to the uterus where joins with the egg, therefore pregnancy will happen no matter what. Haha

Okay, I get it you feel burned by your ex but do you really need to continue dumping on a Filipinas? As much as you can say the she has character flaws/issues think about this:

First you accepted her with those flaws until you didn't have dinner one night because of them so they were perfectly acceptable in her until you had to settle for a PB&J sandwich so what does that say about you.

Second after finally ending the relationship you find it appropriate to come here in the Philippines regional forum and bash all women from the Philippines, again what does that say about you?

Are you really going to continue to try to insult all Filipinas or are you going to just move along?
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 20:13:00
PhilippinesFilipinos and saving money for retirement

Are you saying it is not possible to avoid having children if you live in the Ph? LOL, funny.

Not at all, what I'm saying is that if birth control isn't available to you then you're more likely to have children. Now go tell someone they're too poor to hax sex with their wife or girlfriend.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 19:32:00
PhilippinesFilipinos and saving money for retirement

Probably impossible. I most likely wouldn't have children if I made minimum wage. If you are having trouble supporting yourself, I don't think it is wise to reproduce.

You can't afford birth control or get it for free because you live in a country where the laws are heavily influenced by the Catholic Church (No Divorce only drawn out Annulment).

We can't judge life in the Philippines by US standards.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 18:54:00
PhilippinesFilipinos and saving money for retirement

I was there for 3 weeks. I noticed that wages are obviously lower, but so are the cost of things. So they balance each other out.

How easy is it for someone to save for retirement when they make minimum wage and have a family to support?

Middle Class is rare in the Philippines, either you have or you don't for the most part.

Anna's Mom owns her house free and clear but she's not Middle Class, she lives hand to month supporting herself with a small Micro-Finance business and her Widow's Pension from SSS. She used to have a small grocery store but a larger one moved into her town and through some dirty politics she was put out of business. In her prime she worked to support all of her siblings education, then when her kids were young she struggled to provide for her kids but made it through.

She doesn't ask for hand-outs as she's proud to be self-sufficient. She never had the opportunity to save for retirement. When Anna was in a pickle, Mom was there for her. I have no problems sending her enough to keep her head above water and to be honest I'd send more if we had it.

It's all about the attitude of those receiving the money, Mom doesn't blow it trying to impress anyone.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-13 17:09:00
PhilippinesDo I need to bring AOS forms to my IR-1 interview?
In addition to having the originals for any copies already submitted (Birth Certificates etc) you should have updated pay stubs as additional evidence of "current sustained income".

My wife also had complete copies of everything previously filed (I-130 Petition, AOS & DS-230 Packets) just in case something got lost in the jumble.
Bob 4 AnnaMalePhilippines2010-12-30 09:35:00