ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
PhilippinesPetitioning my older sister

Did this actually happen to you? Just curious. Do you think if someone is married and their spouse stays behind that is enough to tie them to a country? I guess the only way to find out is to file for a tourist visa. Maybe being the USC if I write a letter saying we just want her sister to visit, I guarantee she will not overstay and if she does I will tie her up and push her out to sea on a small dingy. They'd have to grant a tourist visa then, maybe I better draw a picture too illustrating it. They like pictures.



Sounds like a planned attempt to use VAWA so the sister is allowed to stay, denied :rofl:

I'm not sure how much weight the put on immediate family. My wife had a friend who tried multiple times to get a tourist visa and was denied every time until she had already spent time working abroad and returned to the Philippines. She had four kids and a husband, plus owned a home there. But her husband was a seaman and often in the USA. Which is why she wanted the visa, as he was an officer on the ship, his wife could travel with if she could get the visa. She finally got it on the fourth attempt.

I've never seen any clear instructions or guide on what will get a tourist visa for a Filipino.

Edited by Caryh, 25 March 2013 - 08:18 PM.

CaryhMalePhilippines2013-03-25 20:18:00
PhilippinesToday is the day

Congrats. Hope she gets through inbound processing quickly. This is a super exciting day for you.

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-05-22 07:44:00
PhilippinesDid your first green card have your maiden or married name on it?

Did you apply for K-1 visa? Everyone I personally know that entered on a CR-1 had no choice in the matter and the GC was issued under the name present on the passport.

 

Looking at his timeline, they went K-1. So yep, he ran through a different process. My wife and I were K-1 also, so its interesting to hear how it works on the IR-1/CR-1 side. I'm sure its common problem with the spouse coming in with a maiden name passport. They put so many hoops to jump through to get it updated. 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-05-23 10:28:00
PhilippinesDid your first green card have your maiden or married name on it?

My wife's has her married name on it. 

As you said her married name, I'm assuming she does by her married name now, and not her maiden name. So I'd say you missed the boat on getting the right name on the green card. I believe you can correct that when you file for ROC. Or if she already has the 10 year, then when she applies for citizenship.

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-05-22 07:37:00
Philippinespetition for recognition of Divorce Decree

 

A foreigner is not subject to Filipino laws?!?  Tell that to the Filipino police...or to the civil registrar for that matter!

 

 

Jmerce...You really need to contact the local civil registrar to find out their requirements.  Different civil registrars have different requirements.  There are even some civil registrars who will not accept the Embassy's "Affidavit in Lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry" and, instead, require the foreigner to submit a CENOMAR.  

 

 

I should have more properly said Filipino divorce laws. Its one of the reasons stated for changing the recognition of foreign divorce laws, that has been getting discussion in congress there. Article 15 of the New Civil Code, which allows recognition of foreign divorce states it affects Philippine Citizens. 

"Laws relating to family rights and duties, or to the status, condition and legal capacity of persons are binding upon citizens of the Philippines, even though living abroad."


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-05-06 14:37:00
Philippinespetition for recognition of Divorce Decree

A foreigner is not required to get his divorce recognised by the Philippine courts, because as a foreigner, he's not subject to Philippine laws.  

 

This article touches exactly on why some are trying to change that law requiring Philippine courts to review those divorces first.

http://www.manilatim...ce-bill-in-sept

 

?Our jurisprudence [Garcia-Recio vs. Recio] on the issue made it a requirement that a foreign divorce decree be recognized before it can be enforced by the court in the Philippines, thereby putting to naught the concept of equity for the Philippine spouse,? House Bill 4368?s authors said in their explanatory note.

?As such, the Filipino spouse is one again put at a disadvantage considering that the foreign spouse is already free to remarry. This proposed amendment of the Family Code will cure such anomaly. This will put Filipino and alien spouses on equal footing and prevent unintentional discrimination,? the authors added.

 

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-05-03 11:07:00
PhilippinesNew Report of Marriage form

Wow thats a change from the one we used last year, which had plenty of room for the notary. I've found when dealing with the consulate, they've been very helpful about answering questions if the person you need to talk to is in. This form looks like the notary has to sign the back.

But I think you want this form, the one you've attached looks like its for the Oslo consulate, not the consulates in the USA.

 

http://www.philippin...of Marriage.pdf


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-03 14:54:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

 

Would I do it?  No, not just no but Heck NO.   By having citizenship in a foreign country you give up the right of having the U.S. government offering assistance in a "situation" .

 

That's assuming the US government would help you out if you had trouble in the Philippines. Get in trouble with the law, and nope it ain't going to happen. Get kidnapped, US doesn't negotiate with terrorists. Run out of money, hey there this ain't no welfare office. I've never heard of the embassy in the Philippines ever helping an American in trouble over there. Yes they might process paperwork and such for you, but help if you got in trouble? You better be in the military or otherwise it appears its hand's off.

 

Need help, here a list of people you can hire.

"ACS also assists U.S. citizens in distress, such as those arrested or destitute. It maintains a list of doctors, dentists and attorneys for reference"

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 13:41:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

 

 

Here's one reference which states the Oath of Allegiance in the Philippines.

"...renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity..."

 

 

This is still a slippery slope, in my opinion. 

The risks greatly outweigh the rewards.

 

If you look at that oath, you'll also see this part of it. This is a commonwealth law, pre-independence from the USA. So how its applied now of modified is a big question. And can a country really say you're not a citizen of another country? I suppose they could say you have to renounce it first, then become a citizen, but I'm not seeing that in any of the requirements.

 

"and I hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the United States of America in the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto"


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 12:01:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

 

You don't have to dump your U.S. citizenship to acquire Philippine citizenship if that was your desire.  Read my post just above yours.

 

I didn't think you would lose it, but it did make me think I should really look closer into the issue. But given its so far away, I haven't looked much deeper into the Philippines side of things besides the basic requirements.


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 11:52:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

 

Foreigners cannot get dual citizenship.  Dual citizenship is only for former Filipinos.  Not their spouses.

You can get Philippine citizenship by way of renouncing your U.S. citizenship.  You will lose your U.S. citizenship, and will become a Filipino citizen...not a dual citizen.

 

I agree, the 13A visa is great if living there long term.  For me, even the Balikbayan visa is adequate. 

 

There is one important thing to remember for foreigners getting Philippine citizenship and giving up their U.S. citizenship.  If ever you needed to return to the U.S. (e.g. death in the family), you will most likely need to apply for a tourist visa.  Remember, you will be a Filipino now...even if you are white.  laughing.gif  U.S. will treat you like any other citizen of a foreign country.  And you will need certain types of visa to lawfully enter the U.S.  Just something to consider.  unsure.png

 

Hmmm now reading the dual Citizenship law, it does only apply to natural born Philippine citizens, but that deals with reclaiming Philippine Citizenship. I'd definitely not dump my US citizenship. I'm trying to see where the Philippines requires renouncing other citizenship, but I'm not finding it. There are still multiple references to the USA in their naturalization laws yet.


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 11:23:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

I have lived there a while, plan on moving back and retiring there early... But I will never give up my US citizenship, not needed!!!

 

 

The USA allows you to pick up citizenship in other countries. You just can't fight in their military against USA interests or I believe run for national office in the second country. 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 08:14:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

First half is my wife coming here. Second half is when we return there to live, with me going through the process. So basically we'll both go through an immigration process. 

My wife never really wanted to leave the Philippines, and if she didn't think I wanted to return to her country eventually, I doubt she would have came at all. 

But I am looking forward to the day I can mess with the locals that a tall blonde guy is a Filipino rofl.gif

 

 

Are you referring to you?  Or your wife?

 

Once your Filipino spouse reaquires Philippine citizenship, the person has dual citizenship (U.S. citizen and Philippine citizen).

If you're referring to yourself, you most certainly can attain Philippine citizenship.  BUT...this would require renouncing and giving up your U.S. citizenship. 

The dual citizenship is only for former Filipinos.  These applicants do not renounce their U.S. citizenship, but do swear allegiance to the Philippines.

IMHO, renouncing your U.S. citizenship for Philippine citizenship is not a good idea.  Just my thoughts. 

 

 

I do like the idea of free beers, though!  laughing.gif

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-05 15:08:00
PhilippinesQuestions about my Wife's Philippines citizenship

K-1 entry

Marry

Report marriage to Philippine consulate

AOS

ROC

Citizenship

Take oath to reaffirm citizenship with the Philippines

 

Retire

Repeating a reverse process

You apply for permanent residence status before going to the Philippines

Get Conditional Residency 1 year

Get multi-year residency

After 5 years, if you've learned a major native language, you can get citizenship in the Philippines.

Make bar bets with Filipinos that you're a Filipino to, then show your Philippine passport to win free beers.

 

Well at least thats my 20 year plan rofl.gif

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-05 10:43:00
PhilippinesCD from medical...bring to interview?

Probably was trying to figure out what it was and what to do with it .... laughing.gif

 

Or trying to decide if he needs more coasters.


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-07 09:23:00
PhilippinesCD from medical...bring to interview?

 

Sometimes POE grabs the CD sometimes they don't, has nothing to do with visa time... I think some agents don't have a clue so they take it, later someone circle files it!  LOL!!

 

 

yes.gif yes.gif yes.gif  There's nothing on it but the x-ray image. And seriously, the possibility that will be useful for anything in the future is pretty slim.  


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-06 08:11:00
PhilippinesCD from medical...bring to interview?

St Luke's will forward all the results you need to the embassy for the interview. The vaccination records you'll need when you adjust status in the USA. The CD is your x-ray. Its your's to keep, but we've never found a use or need for my wife's.

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-05 07:10:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

When we were in Cebu at the mall, I pointed out the Forever 21 store and she said it was to expensive. Now it's her favorite place. It's inexpensive here and the clothes fit her. She would be in heaven if she could find a show store with her size. Shoes are her weeknes.


My wife has a shoe size of 5, which is tough to find. Most stores don't carry that size. But DSW and Sketchers will both have her size. Its funny when we walk into Sketchers at MOA, they already know us when we walk in. My wife will pick out a few styles and the guy will go in back and start grabbing every size 5 in similar styles he can find :rofl: On occasion she'll pick something out, they won't have her size, but can get it from another store. So we buy them there and they ship them to our house for free.

There was one woman there that kept telling people to just go online and order it, when a size wasn't available. If I was a manager I would have fired her on the spot. When you have someone in your store who wants to buy, you don't tell them to leave and order it on your online web site. Odds are that person will go to the next door down and buy shoes there. You make the sale and get it shipped to them. I heard her say that to about 4 people while we were there one day, she was actually a manager to! Who teaches these idiots? Marketing 101, first rule, make the friggen sale! A person who has left the store is a lost sale 99% of the time. Had they wanted to shop online, they would have already been shopping from home.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-04-25 07:53:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Burnsville J.C. Penny's has a good choice of smaller clothes. A couple filipina's working there and I think they kerp a good selection going.


We're in the northern burbs, but have found a decent selection of jeans at the Rosedale Penny's. She'd still rather buy Levis though. She was really disappointed when we visited the Levis store at MOA that their sale shelves were gone last time we were there. Hope they bring it back, those 60 to 100 pairs of jeans are much nicer when they're being sold for 10 and 20 bucks.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-04-23 13:02:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Ya getting clothes to fit is the "forever" challenge here.


We've had some luck at JC Penny's to. They've got sizes 0 and 00, which will fit her. Those are hard sizes to find in a country were the average woman's size is over 10.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-04-23 11:03:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

My wife actually wasn't all that crazy about the Mall of America when we were up there last summer. She is not a shopping addict... thank goodness!


Mine wasn't a big shopper either when she got here. Having extra money to go shopping was never really part of her life, and she didn't like looking at all the things she couldn't afford to buy. Now that she's discovered we can afford it, she loves to shop. Even when something she wants has to save up for first before she can buy it. She's really good at saving her money for big purchases. She mainly likes the Mall of America because she can buy jeans by waist size at the Levis store that actually fit her small frame and they also have a Sketchers store. We still need to bring most pairs of her jeans to a tailor to make them short enough though.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-04-23 09:11:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

I had read where you need to give your wife time to examine all 65000 items in the grocery store. She did. I laughed. Last week at Costco, she was smelling the detergent and fabric softener. After it was in the cart. Life is always an adventure with her......woo hoo!


My wife isn't like that at the grocery store, but get her to the mall when she's looking for some shirts or jeans, and we need to visit every store in the place. I take her to the Mall of America on occasion just to watch her run out of gas trying to see every item in every store :rofl:
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-04-23 07:23:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

I hope the growler isn't collecting dust?????

No si man. It gets its use!
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-03-29 14:32:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Almost six years later, and I am still teaching the wife the difference between returnables, recyclables, compostables, burnables, and garbage.


My wife has been pretty good at that, but some things that hit recycling are the wrong type of plastic that can't be recycled here. I just pull it out and move it to the trash, as I usually don't catch her doing it. But once she knows, she's pretty good and remembering. Of course we only have garbage and recycling, so its easier. Can't compost, the townhouse community doesn't allow it. Can't burn, same reason. Don't get many returnables here. My growler is about the only thing that's returnable, or should I say refillable. :dance:
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-03-29 08:24:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Okay, we just got home to the US this week so things should be interesting here on out. I know we are wasteful here, and many in Philippines waste not one morsel of food. She cracked me up because she took the individually wrapped bread we got on airline flight but did not eat and put it in her bag. They are not sitting on the dinner room table. She was painfully watching me cutting the tops off strawberries because she thought I was cutting too much off. I told her that part is bitter and tough. I thought she would faint when I started cutting the pineapple up. Will this change?

The first thing I did was take her to get new shoes. The shoes she was wearing were fake leather high heels. The plastic was peeling off and the underneath showing. I bought her a pair and good heels, keds, and some sneakers. She did not want but one pair, but I convinced her she needed more for different occasions.

She was very happy though when we went shopping and I bought her fish, rice, and a rice cooker. :P


That will change with time. My wife had nothing but a pair of sandals to wear to the USA. Some housebreakers had gotten into her place and stole her tennis shoes, she never replaced them. But I knew she'd be too cold on the flight to the USA, so I made her buy a new pair. Jump to the USA and she thought she was just fine, a pair of sandals and a pair of tennis shoes. Well we live in Minnesota, you don't get by with just that, so I took her out and bought her appropriate shoes for different weather conditions. So now she had a 4 or 5 pairs of shoes. Jump forward a year and half. I'm not to sure how many pairs of shoes she has, its more than she ever dreamed she would in the Philippines. We're watching Kris TV on the Filipino channel and they're at some actress' home who is showing off her Imelda closet and my wife mentions she now wants a 100 pair of shoes :rofl: I told her when my daughter is grown and no longer needs her room, just a couple years away, I'll turn that room into an Imelda closet for her and she can collect away. She's really good at using her weekly allowance to buy clothes and shoes, even for me to, that how many she wants to get is fine with me. Its a little strange, she refuses to use the check card and access our money directly, instead she wants me to take it out of the ATM and give it to her in cash. I guess saving cash in hand feels more real to her than dollars in the bank accessed with the card.

At first every little left over table scrap my wife would try to find a way to use. A year and half later she comments how we throw away more food every day than she ate back home, said as she was throwing more away. Back home every bit of that extra food would have gone to feeding the dogs, and if still extra saved for some neighbor who was raising a pig or two. Here the dog, gets her own special food and just a bit of scraps as a treat. Failure to do so will get her sick and no one wants to deal with that mess.

As it dawns on her you can afford to cut a little more off the strawberry because that part is not as good, it won't bother her so much. You can't go from not having enough regularly, to I'll just cut off and throw away a third because its not as good overnight. But it doesn't appear to take that long to adjust. Also its easier in the Philippines to buy just the amount you need, where here we're often forced to buy in prepackaged sizes. I'll still see that Filipino frugality come out at times. We were at the Asian grocery getting a few things. As we were checking out I notice one carrot being rang up in a plastic bag :o I had no idea it was even possible to buy a single carrot, I know in the American grocery stores I never see that, its a bag or a bunch. I really love the big Asian grocery stores here. We can leave with a ton of food for much less cash than at the American style grocery.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-03-29 08:17:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

She has had two instructors so far, one was so scared, he didn't bother to show a second time. The second took her out a few times, and there was no noticeable improvement in her driving skills. My wife's problem is she freezes under stress.(She has PTSD, and her family really messed her up.) When she t-boned a car entering a driveway, I decided the lessons would not continue until I get a car where I have my own brake pedal.


Yikes! good call
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-23 13:19:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

I taught my wife. She scared me to death, especially when she slowed down to around 20 MPH on the interstate at the same spot where a truck ran over a slow moving car and killed everyone just the day before. But now she is a much better driver than I am, and drives and drives and drives every day. I remember how it took her 3 times to pass the driving test. The 3rd time we had to go to a town far away where she wouldnt run into the same tester again, and we had her practice the same route for the driving test too. She barely passed, but the tester gave her the benefit of the doubt. Now she drives great.



my wife passed on her first try. but she drove in the Philippines. So basically she just needed to learn to drive based on rules, and freeway driving. And that slowing way down on the freeway was a hard habit to break.Scared the piss out of me a few times to. She's a great driver here now.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-23 11:46:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Guys,
I just wanted to say this thread is awesome,really good to see into another persons culture. And you men certainly seem to be dealing well with your wives. I have to say though.........I'm SOOOOOO having a word with my husband about him getting me a Coach handbag,I wonder if that Tempo thing will work for me :thumbs:

Seriously though, nice to read :D


You'll never pull off the tampo thing. Its truly and art form taught from birth. Doesn't mean you can't figure out a way to get your husband to get you a Coach bag though, I hear females on every part of the planet come equipped with methods to get their husbands to do as they want.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-21 16:10:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

I can see when she upset or has something on her mind, and I ask her what it is. It may be something that she needs reassurance with, my wife isn't materialistic, she is amazing, and I don't see her changing (I hope not :unsure: LOL)
We fit each other completely. I mean it we Really do.(L)


I can see through my wife fairly easily to. Although when I ask whats the matter, I usually get "Nothing". If it drags out for too long, then I'll start prying to get her to open up. That can piss her off and then the tampo kicks in. But then she'll normally get over it and finally open up. Which is better than having her pouting for days on end.

My wife started out pretty non-materialistic when she got here. But I can see that changing already. She never had more than one pair of shoes when she was in the Philippines. Now she's building a collection. She had one small hand bag, now she's building a collection. She had a couple pairs of jeans in the Philippines, now she has a collection :rofl: I really don't mind though, I like the look on her face when I spoil her. And she's usually looking for a good bargain in anything we get for her. Except those dang Coach bags, those never seem to be a deal but at least she's not asking for LV bags.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-21 14:58:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

just a question. Why do American husbands or husbands tend to ignore their wife. But was so sweet when still dating. Don't get offended guys. Just asking.


I don't know that its specific to Americans, but couples can often get too comfortable and forget to do those sweet things for their spouse. I try to specifically remember not to let that happen, but it can still happen. Like a few days ago before we left for work I forgot to fill her travel mug with milk and give it to her. I didn't even realize I'd forgotten until she mentioned it when she got home. Its one of those taking care of my wife things I like to do for her.

On the opposite side, a spouse may just start to expect those things after a while, and no longer show the reaction they once gave. That can make spouse doing the special things feel like their spouse really don't care about it any longer. When that special smile or excitement no longer shows up in reaction, inside they just start thinking it no longer matters and stop.

Both are reasons that the sweet things that were once done fade away, and people can start to feel unappreciated or ignored. Its best to remember every day how lucky you are and make sure not to forget to show it to your spouse. And also act surprised or at least happy when they do those special things for you.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-21 14:05:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

Hi everyone. I was just wondering what part of Minnesota you guy's are from? I was born and raised in Eastern South Dakota and attended many Fiipino parties there with people from both states. I've been living here in Pangasinan now for a few years but will be coming back to the US with my wife later this year, I don't know if we will go to SD or Florida as I have family in both places


I'm from the Northern Twin Cities area, near Circle Pines. My wife was from Davao City. One of her friends here was from Pangasinan.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-21 08:45:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

"I want blonde girls."

"You can't have them!"


My wife is so jealous the blonde girls comment would get me in the dog house for at least a week. But the rest of the conversation is totally spot on. Except with my wife "No! I want you to buy it for me." would be "But I'm saving that money for something else". On the plus side though, its not unusual for that something else to be a gift for me.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-21 08:41:00
PhilippinesHow is your Filipina / Filipino Adjusting?

How is your spouse adjusting to the American culture / way of life for those who brought their lovers here. My love comes next week on Friday and am just curious as to how it is working out for you all?
She's adjusted pretty well after a year and half.


I assume after sometime the rice dinners start to minimize and more of a cuisine is acclamated.

We eat rice every day


Notice any struggles from your love?

She doubts herself a lot, but is getting better about it with her career successes


Was your love homesick?
Very homesick many times. It still raises its ugly head on occasion, but short duration and not as intense


How are you the petitioner / American dealing with the transition?
It took a lot of patience on my part. I had to learn not to be sensitive to negative reactions from her when she had homesickness.


Just general info to start a discussion would be excellent in things you have noticed.


My wife was very very close with her family. Also it was never her desire to leave the Philippines. Many times she asked me to move there, and she would support me. The good side of this is I knew a thousand percent my wife would only come to the USA for love, and not a green card. The bad side is, it has taken her much longer to adjust with being away from family and her country than your average Filipina probably would. I knew this going into our visa journey, but I really didn't expect as much trouble as it really was. Homesickness was a big issue for at least the first 12 months.

As to the food, I liked Filipino food from the first time I tried it. After enough trips to the Philippines, my wife's friends took to calling me a Kanoy, because I ate and did things just as they did. So me changing to a primarily Filipino food diet was not an issue for me, plus my wife is a fantastic cook. I've converted her some American ways of cooking to, chicken is usually baked not fried now. She loves American hamburgers on the grill and sweet potato fries, which I make for her. Which is also one of the few meals we don't eat rice with.

But now she drives, and knows her way to work and the mall. She has a decent job she enjoys with her own cubicle, phone line, computer, etc... She knows how to write a check, and use the ATM card, but prefers to use cash. She can log into our bank accounts and pay the bills. She loves not having to buy loads for her phone and can talk, text and browse all she wants. She does not like the Minnesota cold, but we got her a car with remote start and heated seats which keeps her warm enough. She's also learned to layer her clothes and check the weather before getting dressed in the morning. At home we keep the house pretty warm, so she can run around in skimpy clothes.

We also got a subscription to TFC.tv so she can get her favorite programs from back home. The online streaming subscription was really pretty cheap compared to what our satellite company wanted, and they didn't carry the ABS-CBN network, which is what she likes. If I ever get away from my wife long enough to get those Rosetta Stone Tagalog lessons done, I might actually understand the shows a bit better.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-02-20 16:11:00
Philippinesflight on june 18 by delta airlines

I bought the ticket for my wife directly from Delta, and the travel tax was included. His receipt for the ticket should show there were taxes paid to the Philippines for the ticket. Much will depend on where and how the ticket ticket was paid for. But the idea of carrying some USA Dollars is a good one. You should have some money with you while you're traveling. 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-10 09:03:00
PhilippinesFlights to US - specials and any restrictions

Only restriction I found was that I could make the reservation online, but had to call up a Philippines based agent to purchase it (some law about having to purchase the ticket in the Philippines if the travel originates in the Philippines).

 

I've heard of people mentioning that before, but never had any problem purchasing from the USA when I bought through the airline. Maybe its because they have offices there and accept payments directly. What airlines were you trying to book through?


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-12 15:28:00
PhilippinesFlights to US - specials and any restrictions

If you can find a flight that leaves the Philippines from Cebu, then she can leave from there. But if she flies to Manila, she's probably going to come into the domestic terminal, then change to the international terminal.

Planes land and people transfer international flights in countries all the time. If it happens in Canada, it should be no big issue.

 

http://www.santraphael.com/home.php Is an outfit I've heard about for years, but never used.

I just booked my wife's flight directly with Delta, and they have the shortest route from the Philippines to my city in the USA. It had a one stop and plane change in Japan. I wanted to keep her first international flight as simple as possible, even if I could have saved a few bucks on a longer route.

 


Edited by Caryh, 12 June 2013 - 02:08 PM.

CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-12 14:07:00
PhilippinesSt Luke's medical warning

What is CFO?

Commission on Filipinos Overseas, its your government yaya deciding if you're allowed to leave the country. They can be tougher than the US embassy for some, for others its a breeze. Read about what people have needed to bring, get educated on it, and don't take it for granted. Really listen during the lecture session, because they'll most likely test you on what they taught in the private counseling part. Are you under 25? Have your proper documentation of parental advice or consent with you, they do ask for it. Get to know their latest gotcha questions to. When my wife went in 2011 it was what is your fiance's mother's maiden name. Something she never would have known had we not become aware they were asking this.


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-21 14:58:00
PhilippinesFunny thing Old filipino lady said and filipinos say and this i love and hate about the PI!?

There are some interesting phrases Filipinos use that have thrown me in the past, but I've gotten so used to them, I'll even use them myself with my wife.

Until now, really threw me for a loop, because in American English it sounds like you did something but stopped now. In Filipino English it means that you do something and continue to do so. Theres a ton of words that aren't pronounced the same and can throw you to.

Beach is just so wrong and embarrassing when taxi drivers were all calling out White Beach one day and shocked some a few Kanas that had just arrived in that town!

soup sounds like soap and soap sounds like soup

Lettuce really cracked me up when I finally realized what they were saying. It was pronounced Lee Twos and I just couldn't understand what they were saying. Even asked my wife to translate it into English and she told me that was English. 

I love how they say the letter H, which comes out like etch. 

 

On a reverse side I was saying Mayor to my once wife and she kept hearing the word as mirror. Then when she replied to me sounded like Mayor. We went back and forth for while until we figured out what each of us was saying, Turns out a bit of a regional thing here, we don't pronounce mayor correctly, basically dropping the OR sound for R and the A more of an eh sound, which I'd never noticed it before. Oh and we also don't say mirror correctly either. 

I've taken to using a bit of Filipino in my everyday language here in the USA now. Bakit is a word that has totally replaced Why in my head when I think, and I literally have to translate to say the word Why. I first noticed this at work, I was debugging a new machine design and frequently talk to myself when doing so. I was stuck on something that made no sense, the program looked correct, but the machine was doing what I wanted. The  workers on the machine were heard me say bakit bakit bakit, and thought I was saying fukit fukit fukit. rofl.gif

 

 


CaryhMalePhilippines2013-06-27 13:26:00
PhilippinesRenew Passport in DC instead of area embassy
Now its just a matter of spending the time while in DC to do it, or wait until much later in the year to do it. I'm sure its good to know for the future that they do come Oklahoma on occasion to.

Thanks for all the responses. I have recieved the following email from the Chicago Consulate on my question of being able to renew my passport in Washington DC instead of my local consulate which is in Chicago.

Dear Sir,

You may renew your passports at either the Consulate in Chicago or the Embassy in Washington DC, as long as you make a personal appearance. You may also opt to wait for our consular outreach to Oklahoma sometime during the 3rd quarter of the year (actual date and details to be announced on our website).



Please see our website for the application form and list of requirements: http://www.chicagopcg.com/forms_eppt.html.





Sincerely,

XXXXXXX,XXXXXXXX

Philippine Consulate General

122 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 1600, Chicago IL 60603

www.chicagopcg.com



To answer a few of the other questions asked:

Yes we have reported our marriage and have amended my wife's passport with the Philippine consulate already. But that paasport will expire before we can gain USA citizenship. Thus needing to renew her passport.

Yes, i realize you can not get a USA passport before gaining USA Citizenship! Posted Image



CaryhMalePhilippines2013-01-10 13:50:00
PhilippinesRenew Passport in DC instead of area embassy
The Chicago consulate has a lot of out reach programs traveling to cities in the area they cover each summer. If you can wait, they may be coming to your city. You may want to call them to see when they will be back in your area. I know they come to Minneapolis every two years, which is where my wife renewed her passport in her married name. You can do the entire process of registering your marriage and getting a new passport all at one time.
CaryhMalePhilippines2013-01-08 08:49:00