ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
PhilippinesSetting Interview date..

You or your fiance does the scheduling. First, you have to call the NVC and ask for your case number. After then, you can schedule your appointment for an interview. You must pay the application fee before setting an appointment though. You can go through the US embassy website and they will give you a site as to which you can set an appointment either online or by calling.

Hope this helps.


K-1's schedule their own interview date. CR-1's gets their interview schedule set for them.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-17 08:25:00
PhilippinesJust curious regarding petition being forwarded to Manila

The first few times I called they said the packet would be forwarded to Manila within a few days. The last time I called I was told that our petition is in "Additional Processing"

I asked what that meant and was basically given the "I don't have any further information for you sir" response. The operator I spoke to was very rude and
short with her responses... so I left it at that. So I do not know what their definition of "Additional processing" is exactly.

Thanks,

Jesse


I have been told that the files are scanned and the electronic copies of the files are there very fast. The hard copies take a bit longer to get there, and are shipped in batches to the embassy. If you have your MNL number, the additional processing should already be complete. I think you ran into a case of an acknowledgeable and rude customer service agent blowing smoke up your butt. They seem to have a lot of them, but then I think they get over stressed by all the stressed out petitioners calling to. Their job isn't one I would want. Just call back until you get a good customer service agent and you should get some better information.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-19 09:55:00
PhilippinesCenomar

My CENOMAR was issued last SEP. 2011 and I used it at my interview June 2012 and the CO didn't ask a new one from me. But the lady who had an interview the same time with me, her CO asked her for new CENOMAR hers was only taken 5 months ago.


Which is why its best to have a fresh one, unless you don't mind delays. But rejecting a 5 month old one seems a bit petty.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-18 11:44:00
PhilippinesDo you Believe in Aswang, Mumu or Mangkukulam?
My wife claims not to believe at times, but then she'll be afraid of them to. There will never be a mango tree in any yard we have, thats for sure. She was afraid to visit this one island that is supposed to have witches on it to. I guess they just need to touch you and you'll die and this island was full of them. We was also told her younger brother died because his heart was tied to a snake's heart. And when someone killed the snake, her brother died. Thats all she knows about why that one brother died. I guess you mind can tell you these things are not real, but when you grow up in the culture that believes in them, its hard to get that fear and superstition out of your system.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-19 10:07:00
PhilippinesPassport question

My passport has a crease!!! You can see two folds in my ID PIC. What do I do? Will this thing bring me trouble if I am planning to apply for a visa and enter USA?


Damage to the ID page is a big problem. You could have slight damage to other areas and be OK, but they get really picky about the ID page. This is the area people attempt to alter in order to forge a passport. Rather than take the chance, of getting rejected at the border, you should replace it.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-20 09:49:00
Philippinesapplying new passport using married name

You can complete the seminar at PRISM and then get the CFO sticker at the CFO main office. Or, you can complete the CFO seminar at St. Mary's and also get the CFO sticker there.

You can also complete the seminar and get the CFO sticker in Cebu.

The sticker is also available at NAIA.


Hasn't PRISM already terminated the CFO seminars?
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-21 11:13:00
Philippinestaxes

No, all the "fees" are collected in the Philippines.
There will be no BS entry fee when you arrive in the U.S. There will also be no BS travel tax, terminal fee, security fee when you leave the U.S. to visit the Philippines.

Hope this helps. :whistle:


Gotta love the Philippines, they want tourists but only give you 21 days and then tax you at every turn when you go to leave lol. If you overstay there's a tax and if you leave there's a tax. At least they don't tax your arrival.

And check your ticket, my wife's ticket had the travel tax included.

Edited by Caryh, 21 July 2012 - 11:10 AM.

CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-21 11:09:00
PhilippinesHave you sampled Balut (philippines delicacy duck embryo

Stopped by the Filipino store on my way home yesterday and picked up pasalubong, a package of dried fish and a package of smoked fish. We cooked it outside on the grill in a pan. I ate one dried fish and two smoked. I didn't care for the dried fish as usual. Jena really liked the smoked fish, she said it was the type her Grandfather used to make for her and it was her favorite. We'll probably stick to the smoked fish from now on and I might try smoking some salmon on the electric smoker tonight.


I've introduced my wife to smoked salmon, but she doesn't like it. She loves grilled salmon though. I've also introduced her to walleye, crappies and red snapper. She's like all of them. Our real treat meal is snow crabs. I've seen the smoked fish at the Filipino store, but that apparently isn't something she ate back home and has never shown and interest in it, even when I pointed it out, she just said wala. Personally I wanted to give it a try.

We had dried fish last night as a snack before we went out for dinner. We were going out for dinner at a friend's house and dinner was going to be late. So I got out the dried fish frying pan and put it on the grill and cooked some up. Made some extra for my wife's lunch today to, although she'll keep that in the car rather than bring it inside to eat. She knows it stinks and doesn't want to offend her coworkers :rofl:
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-19 11:28:00
PhilippinesHave you sampled Balut (philippines delicacy duck embryo

Believe it or not, Jena is pretty much over dried fish. She just celebrated her 5 year anniversary of arriving in the USA yesterday. On our last trip to Phils in 2011 she brought back some dried fish and stuck it in the fridge. Just the other day she tried grilling some and ended up feeding it to the dog. We were trying to determine if it had "gone bad" :lol: but how do you tell? I'm sure she'll eat some on our next trip but as far as going out of her way to get it here and grill it at home, I think she's done with it.

We're having about 10 of her Filipino friends over to camp at our place in a couple weeks. She'll try to get rid of the rest of the dried fish on that weekend. :rofl:


Hmmm might be its too easy for us to get dried fish here. And according to her and her friends, I cook really good dried fish. Yes you can tell when dried fish is bad, I really couldn't say how we know, its just not right. Smells stinky in the wrong way I guess. There are so many different types of dried fish, my favorite is actually dried squid. Second is Dangit. They're my wife's favorite to, so we stick to just those two types. There are others I don't really care for much. I would guess if your wife had a source of good dried fish, her interest would jump up sharply. If the dried fish is bad, such as spoiled or poorly made in the first place, then its really really bad. Cooking it wrong can make it bad to. I'm surprised the dog would eat it, we've gotten some our dog refused after we wouldn't eat it. Although normally she's all excited when we finish eating dried fish because she gets dried fish in her dinner afterwards. She usually gets a little treat in her dinner after ours, but she really gets excited when she smells dangit, even resorting to a few barks to remind me to move faster serving her dinner :lol:

I was just thinking about dried fish from 2011, so its at least 7 months old and up to a year and half. I don't think I'd want to try that myself. :no: :P I think you might still be stuck with if after those Filipinos come for the weekend. Or maybe the dog can take of it for you.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-18 11:14:00
PhilippinesHave you sampled Balut (philippines delicacy duck embryo

WOW, kudo's for even trying 2 pieces. I can't stay in the house if she is cooking dried fish. It won't happen in our house in the states.


Thats a loosing battle. Get yourself an outdoor grill and a pan dedicated to dried fish cooking. A camp stove would work to. If she's been cooking it there, she's going to want it when she gets here. She understands it smells strong, she'll understand cooking it outside. But she's not going to be happy if you declare no more dried fish. And if your wife isn't happy, you're not going to be happy either. I totally understand not wanting dried fish to be cooked in the house, and I like eating dried fish.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-18 08:39:00
PhilippinesHave you sampled Balut (philippines delicacy duck embryo

Same experience with durian. Overwhelming smell but the fruit didn't taste too bad.

To store your food to contain the smell use Stash Jars (http://www.weedcity....ins/c-1-56-334/) or smelly proof bags (http://www.puresativ...of-storage-bags)

See also http://www.articlesb...gs-4685395.html


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I didn't think of that, the head shops should have some good smell proof containers. Its fine in the vacuum sealed bags we buy it in, but once you cut the bag to take some out, WOW.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-17 15:34:00
PhilippinesHave you sampled Balut (philippines delicacy duck embryo
I've been to the Philippines numerous times, but never has eating balut come up. I'd certainly try it if it did. I've been faced with Davao durian, something I've never been able to taste over the smell overpowering my senses. I could tell it was mushy and smelled horrible and penetrated every pore in my sinus system. In the USA I tried durian from Thailand, who's smell I could handle. The fruit itself tasted ok, but I still didn't like the mushy texture of it. As to dried fish, I love the stuff. We cook it regularly at home, although always outside. Which brings me to a question, does anyone know the best container to store bulad in? It stinks up the cupboard, and I'm wondering what would make the best container to keep that smell locked up.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-17 13:46:00
PhilippinesPhilippine passport - change of name

If the marriage was done by City Hall in the Philippines and NSO copies are available locally, what other reporting is there for the USA citizen and the Philippine citizen?


There's nothing extra for that situation. The extra requirements come in when a Filipino is married abroad. Unless you self report, the NSO has no way to know the marriage took place, and NSO acknowledgement is needed for a Filipina to record her new married name on any documents, such as a passport.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-07-23 08:31:00
PhilippinesRFE from the Philippine Consulate?
Got hit with the last thing we ever expected in this process. Basically an RFE on our Report of Marriage abroad. Double checked the instructions and it does specifically say if the Philippine's Citizen has had a marriage annulled or divorced they need to send copies 1 original and 3 copies, but not for the American citizen. In our case they wanted copies of my divorce, I am a USC. Oh well its the Philippines lol. At least its taking a whole lot less time than the USCIS takes to get anything done. We've been kind of laughing about this RFE all weekend. I have scanned copies I could print out and send. They also asked for our contact numbers, another thing not on the instructions unless I missed it. But just a heads up for anyone filing the report of marriage to the consulate who is previously divorced, send 3 photocopies of your divorce decree if you're an American Citizen. I'm glad we did this by mail, I would not be happy to have traveled eight hours to the consulate and found them asking for something not listed.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-15 17:53:00
PhilippinesFilipina

Yeah i noticed that guys befriend girls from the Philippines and then tell them they will come for a visit i dont blame some of the girls who like me feel in love with our friends and soon become our spouse but there are guys who just want a vacation with a ready partner waiting for them and to accompany them during the whole vacation and them goes back to his country . . and send email to the girl saying sorry . . i guess we are not meant for each other. its such a pity because sometimes this guys leaves the girls with some surprises . venereal diseases and sometimes unwanted pregnancies that leads to abortion . . this is just an observation and maybe isolated cases .. .


That is if they even get an email. Its pretty sad, but common enough. I've seen it happen enough times, and met couples while I've been there where I was pretty sure the guy was going to do just that. Never said anything though in the hope that wasn't what was happening. You could see the woman investing so much hope in them, while the guy didn't seem like he cared if she was there or not. I'm not sure its really that isolated.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-10 11:05:00
PhilippinesFilipina

another pov ?
person or product ?
if the family back in the PI expects 90 percent of her monies each month, like an OFW, then she's considered a product by her family.


Unfortunately that is so true and unfortunately too common. Recently there was a Filipina who died in the USA after an operation. She came here recently on a K1 and got married to a USC. Was at the embassy and CFO at the same time as my wife. The family was then on the new husband, now widower, to keep sending remittances to them to cover their expenses. It appears the family had up scaled their lives and expected the American to maintain that. Sounded to me like he had agreed to help them live this lifestyle when their daughter came to marry him. They also wanted him to send the body back home and pay all the related expenses for funeral and such. Now the cost of sending back a body isn't cheap, and I think they guy was rather broke after bringing her here and getting married. Also suddenly burdened by hospital bills, I'm pretty sure the guy was hurting both emotionally and economically. It appears he decided to bury her here and cut off the family. Which appears to still be trying to raise money to cover their increased expenses due to have a daughter marry a Kano, they even have a facebook site to promote it.

Ever since my wife started relating what was going on, which was big news in at least one of the filipina marrying a kano groups in FB, I couldn't help but think was this their daughter or a product? The poor guy's wife just died and all her family can do is make demands, and demand he keeps paying for their up graded life style. Made me think his response should have been to ask for a refund on his expenses in return, since the product was defective.

Its a shame when families treat their daughters like commodities, and not so good either when the husbands to be agree to that type of arrangement. I'm glad my wife's family has not looked to her to be a fresh gravy train. They understand we have a life to build here together. We have and will help for individual things that come up, but its not asked for or expected. And they are truly grateful when we have helped. They continue on with their lives the way they always have, and are just happy their family member has found a good and happy marriage with someone they know will always take good care of her. They never cared or worried about what it might bring them, they only cared if their daughter/sister/tita was going to be happy with her married life. The only thing the family ever asked from me was made by her mother, who made me promise that if we don't work out, or I ever fall out of love with her daughter, that I would send her home to her family.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-10 10:50:00
PhilippinesFilipina
Talked with my wife the other day about this. She's not offended if I were to say My Pinay or My Filipina, but she does wonder if it sounds like there's an ownership connotation to phrasing it that way. She prefers I use the term My Wife and mention she's from the Philippines. Generally when I introduce her is as My Wife (her name). I've only really used the term My Filipina, mainly to say I'm the American and she's the Filipina in forums such as this one. Lately, strangely enough, there's been people asking if she's Native American when they meet her. We have a lot more Native Americans in my state than Filipinos. Even some Filipinos she was working with called her Pocahontas, lol. I guess she does kind of look like the Disney cartoon character, except shorter.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-09 09:34:00
PhilippinesFilipina

I am curious...what is your defenition of..the "stereotypical Filipina".


Maybe you could say she's very concerned about cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry. Feeling its her role to take care of those items around the house. Also asking permission to do certain things, and to buy certain things. She knows, I think, she'll get a yes all the time. But its like the asking is her formalized way of telling me what she wants and making sure I'm ok with it to. She has things she just expects she needs to do for me to be a good wife to me. On the flip side there are things she just expects me to do for her to. To her, she should never need to ask for those things to be done, she expects me to realize it and take care of it. Its been a bit of a learning process myself to understand and know the when and what, but I've gotten fairly good at interpreting what is unspoken.

So I guess when people stereotype the Filipina as being a 50's type American woman, something that probably never truly existed as that, she's in some ways fitting that mold. But she's also very hard working, determined to help the family in financial matters as well as care giving. So besides feeling the home is a responsibility, so is bringing home some bacon by working to. She's emotional, funny, always ready to laugh and have fun, and of course make and eat too much food whenever we have guests.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-04 21:22:00
PhilippinesFilipina

Sadly, one thing I've seen on here many times is where the older American feels the need to "teach" the younger Filipina a lesson, and these lessons are usually demeaning and humilating. Very seldom do we hear where the American man learns anything from his partner.

I'll confess that, because of my marriage, I've learned to be a better person; I try to be more polite and understanding. And definitely, because of my wife, I am now closer to the rest of my family.

Of the two of us, she is by far the better person. :thumbs:


Maybe we don't want to admit how much a younger wife has taught us! :lol: I'll admit my wife has taught me many things, and I hope she continues to do so. I value her insight into different situations. At times that insight has been very helpful, at other times its just good to think on another point of view. Dealing with someone who is going through homesickness and from a different culture can be a great lesson in listening and thinking before reacting.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-04 16:28:00
PhilippinesFilipina
I'll have to ask my Filipina unit what I think about this topic. Sorry, just yanking your chain with that term. Although she doesn't mind being called my Filipina in the least. Our gap is not far off the 20 year gap. But we're a great match. Took me a while to get her to understand that we are total equals and partners. Still she prefers I make certain decisions, and I've given up trying to change her mind about it. She's happy enough that she can ask for something and I say yes. To me its her making the decision, she just wants confirmation it fits in our budget. Can she be childish? Yes, she certainly can at times, but I'm sure theres been times I've been a bit childish to. My wife is a very traditional Pinay. She wants the man leading, the man protecting her and taking care of her. In return she takes care of me. But she's also learned I expect an equal partner. If there's house work to do, who ever has the least to do at the time steps in to do it. While she cooks most of our meals, when she's tired or busy I jump in and get it done. In other words she prefers we each do the tradition roles, but likes that we need not be locked into them 24/7. That we work together on whatever needs doing to maximize the time we can just enjoy our time together. That said, I do believe she would also be happy with 100% traditional roles. She could easily fill the bill and match the stereotypical Filipina. But that wouldn't mean I'd disrespect her for an instant. She's an incredibly gifted, intelligent and strong woman, no matter what role she fills. She can do things that totally amazes me, then act like the simplest thing is beyond her, because she wants me to do if for her. It just makes her feel good and loved when I do some things for her. Its what she grew up expecting, and now that she is a married woman, she just wants some things the way they were between her parents. Its just how she sees the world should be.
I understand your point about disrespecting their wives, I've seen it here and its just plain wrong, but I'm a little worried you might be telling couples how their relationship should be to. What roles each should play, and the woman should never take the submissive role. My wife loves taking the submissive role, but that does not mean there is anything submissive about her. Its just her comfort zone to operate out of as a base. I accept that as who she is, and she accepts me as who I am. Which is a guy who expects his wife to be his partner and equal.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-04 10:04:00
PhilippinesMost marketable degree for the Philippines?
oops read the question wrong :bonk:

Edited by Caryh, 17 April 2012 - 11:01 AM.

CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-17 11:00:00
PhilippinesTravelling to the US with pet/s

Many thanks for these nuggets of information. I have already done a preliminary google search and there is a good deal of info there. A few google pages will tell you that you need a permit from the local Bureau of Animal Industry also. However, I am looking for more anecdotal/experiential replies from those who have actually done this, if there are any out there.

Also, forgot to ask for vet references.


One thing to remember as you're going through the requirements, the Philippines is a location your pet must get the screw worm check. Also every country your plan stops in will have its own requirements the airline needs to deal with. From someone checking this out on another forum I belong to, they found their least headache on flights passing through Japan. Hong Kong had some really killer requirements, which was where there first airline choice stopped in.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-19 16:33:00
PhilippinesTravelling to the US with pet/s

The biggest obstacle is they too must do the CFO seminar, and in our case fluffy had a hard time, and had to go back three times before they gave her the certificate. Good Luck

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-19 16:26:00
PhilippinesNever Given up before, but its becoming an option

It is very hard to reason with someone who is being unreasonable.


My experience is there is little chance of reasoning with any jealous person while they are jealousy mode. Some filipinas can really get in that mode to. Wait it out and try reason later. Then try to avoid letting them getting fully into the mode. Hopefully in time, it will get easier. At least thats what I keep telling myself :rofl:
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-24 15:35:00
PhilippinesNever Given up before, but its becoming an option
My wife, also a filipina, has strong jealousy issues with my ex-wife also. I rarely every talk with or see my ex, but I do drive by her house to pick up my kid. This drives my current wife crazy. Its not my kid being here, its just that I was at my ex's house. I can't say I totally understand it, I know my wife tries to make it not bother her, but she just can't seem to help the reaction. It has gotten slightly better over time. But I have learned I have to make a real effort in every way I can so my wife's subconscious reaction doesn't gain control of her. Your wife was probably a lot better with the situation when your ex lived out of state.

Here is how I see my wife views the situation with my ex. Now that she is back, your wife is seriously afraid your ex is really here to get you back. It seems us guys have no choice in the matter, the women decide who we will go with and the first woman gets dibs. After all she was the mother of your children, so she can get you back because she got you once before. You will go back with your ex for the sake of your children. Your children will one day beg you to go back to their mother. Your children will one day threaten to have no relationship unless you go back to their mother.

I think many filipina have no rational way to deal with these feelings some get about ex spouses. Just look at the Philippines, divorce isn't legal and guys tend to keep a wife and multiple mistresses if they can afford it. You are judged subconsciously as living to that standard. When a couple does split, its not common for the spouse that is gone to stay in contact with their kids. She has no reference point to allow herself to be comfortable with the divorced parents that are both involved with their kids relationship. But she's not a rock, she can learn, just don't expect it to happen fast.

I'm not sure if you've had to deal with the dreaded tampo yet, but you certainly are getting it now. One thing I've learned to do is be very open with my wife and try to reduce how much communication I have to do with my ex. My ex prefers not to talk anyway, so that makes it easier for me. Communication I must have, I try to do via email now, and I let my wife know or even read what was said. I also keep my wife on the cell phone when I pick up my daughter. I use a Bluetooth ear piece when ever I go there, so my wife truly realizes I really don't run into my ex very often. Eventually I expect my wife will get used to this situation and feel more comfortable with it. I've seen some headway already, not a lot but some, but she's only been here 7 months now. Find the ways that will allow your wife to feel more secure in what is going on. I'd go to pretty long lengths to make my wife feel secure, that's why I always have the phone on now when I'm getting my daughter. Actually last time I didn't have her on the phone as my wife was busy at the mall and failed to hear my call. I think after a couple of months of me not even running into my ex, she's beginning to realize there's nothing to worry about in that regard. I'll still keep doing it for however long it takes my wife feel secure though. It took me a while to get a handle on exactly what and where the tampo was coming from, as my wife was never really willing to explain what the problem was, I actually don't think she really understood either, she just knew she was scared and jealous. But together we've slowly learned and we're working on getting her past it.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-23 13:30:00
PhilippinesHow much do you send to your wife's family monthly ?
We do not send anything on a regular basis. What we have done is cover some things that have came up. My wife has two younger adopted siblings. When she was there, she paid their high school tuition. Now that my wife has started working, we picked that up again and will continue to do so. I think they have two years of school left. They will not go on to college, because they are special needs children. Although there is a program they will go into that helps them to survive on their own after high school if they get a diploma. We want them to have that chance. We also bought her mother a good set of false teeth. After my wife left her mother's teeth were giving her so many problems, that she had them all pulled. Her family understands we're working hard here and don't really have a lot extra now. They also believe in everyone working hard and making do with what they have. Sending the tuition that had fallen behind got a big thank you of gratitude. So did the money for Momma's teeth. My wife is happy to because her mother looks like her mother again. I love my in-laws, they are family to me. But one of the reasons I became so close with them is because of their values. They believe in hard work and doing for yourself. That doesn't mean you don't help out family when they need it, but it doesn't mean when daughter marries a Kano they've hit the lottery. My wife and I discussed it, and our budget comes first. We'll try and set so much aside each month, but this isn't for just sending monthly cash to them. This is for us to be able to send money when something happens that the family cannot cover.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-19 15:20:00
PhilippinesUGENT Many do not know about this!!!!!!!!

I am baffled for the need for this beyond just good information for filipinas and their security. But to have so much power to *exit* the country is really baffling... However, I've hung up the challenge,question and answer part of my brain and I'm simply going with remaining few steps - if they ask us to stand on our heads, you bet.... Eat bugs..you bet....


I think standing on your head and eating bugs come into play at the AOS stage. :whistle:
When my now wife was asking for all these things, I was like why do they need that? Then I realized of course they don't need it, its a power play because they can ask anything and hold her up if she doesn't have it. I told her make a list of everything you think you'll need and I'll send it. I had two packages sent via Fedex to make sure anything she might need was there in her hands before the CFO and embassy interviews. I thought their recommendation for what to do was pretty poor to. They told my wife to go to her local consulate if she finds herself being abused or in trouble. That's an eight hour drive away and like many new arrivals she has no license or car yet. I know many are even further from their local consulate. There are a lot better first step options for help that are local in every community and they could help get them to a consulate if it was truly needed. Plus many of these options are there 24/7, and not just the bankers hours the consulate is open.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-18 16:27:00
PhilippinesUGENT Many do not know about this!!!!!!!!

Really? I was under the impression it was more of a seminar that only creates awareness of foreign travel to Filipino citizens. This is the first time I have read of it being compared to the visa interview. Also, the first time I have read the suggestion of bringing the petition to the CFO. What is the need for that?


There is a seminar part and an interview part of the process. Note below the "Other documents as may be required by the counselors". Thats where they send some girls home to get more or wait on more documents. Some of the counselors seem to think they are gods to judge and lord over all who come before them. Its like some counselors want to make the girls give up and not leave the country. You might get a nice one, and little is needed, or you can get a bad one who will try to trip her up. The counselor my wife had even asked for my (the USC) SSN. We were prepared as she had my SS card with. She had been warned about that one being asked for at the time she went. She told me afterwards that some women left crying because they were missing things and did not get a certificate or a stamp. Another she talked with was back after getting documents her finance had to send from the USA. Another had to return with her mother because she was under 25. If you're well prepared, I don't think there's much of an issue. But don't take it lightly either. My wife breezed through the embassy interview, they looked at nothing she brought saying the petition included everything they needed to see, but the CFO was a different story. Luckily she had everything under the sun with her.

Requirements for Attendance to Guidance and Counseling Program

Two (2) valid identification cards (IDs) with photograph;
Duly completed guidance and counseling form;
If married, certified true copy and photocopy of marriage contract on security paper from the National Statistics Office, or Local Civil Registry Offices; or original and photocopy of marriage contract duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy/ Consulate (if married abroad)
Other documents as may be required by the counselors; and
Payment of P250.00 counseling fee.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-18 13:17:00
PhilippinesUGENT Many do not know about this!!!!!!!!

question, do you necessarily have to have the visa before attending the CFO and getting the sticker? If you attend before the Visa, do you have to back once you have the visa?


You don't need the visa at the time of the seminar, they will give you a certificate. Then when you get your visa, you return and get the sticker with this certificate. The CFO interview can be pretty demanding, as much as if not more than the embassy interview. Be prepared with copies of everything that was included in the visa petition plus the things you'd bring to the embassy interview. Also make sure you know his mother's maiden name.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-18 08:25:00
Philippinesk1 denied

I notice this statement haunts me: phone bills, itinerary, letters, emails,chat logs and pictures. She kept on asking me, "Anything else you can show me to prove your ongoing relationship?".

What I don't see mentioned are: airline bills, airline boarding passes, airline baggage tags, hotel bills, restaurant bills, tangible evidence of meeting in person. This is what the CO was looking for. These have to be original and not photocopies. I suspect this lack of evidence at the interview caused the denial. There was a mountain of evidence, but airline boarding passes and hotel receipts are liquid gold (or platinum) in this process. You can answer everything right, have everything right. But missing those key pieces can cause issues.

Hopefully you got a 221g and can appeal. I would suggest contact the embassy to determine what lack of evidence. From the sounds of it, you were prepared, but not completely prepared. I hope you can get through this.


Lack of evidence of meeting in person then, and not that they did not have a valid relationship? Could be that is where she got caught. How to prove the person in the pictures was who she claimed it was. Without an official document, its hard to be 100% sure on the reason. The CO says one thing, the beneficiary hears another thing, then it gets typed up in a and interpreted in a forum in yet another way. I know I had a RFE because I didn't not include a copy of the entry and exit stamps in my passport. Had boarding passes of us both together, itineraries of us together, hotel bills together, pictures together, etc, etc, etc, but that meant nothing without the photocopy of the passport stamps. Guess they all could have been faked.

I hope she gets clarification on why and gets the chance to make things right. I can't even imagine how much it would suck to start from scratch again.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-11 15:29:00
PhilippinesJust got married - name change confusion though!

I was wondering if what you are saying is the social security office let you change your wifes middle name on her card? They told us we couldnt do it, that they could only change the last name, they said they had to go by what was on the birth certificate and passport for the middle name...


We had no problem getting the SS card with my wife's paternal name (former last name) as her new middle name. But in my state, the marriage certificate showed that as her new name. There is no reason they cannot set the name the way you want it, other than the bias of the person you're dealing with at the SS office. Moving the Paternal name to the middle name is an established tradition in many places in the world.

The Philippines also has legal restrictions on what she can change her name to after marriage. The USA has no laws on how your name is formatted after marriage. I know two of the legal names a woman can have after marriage are her original name as before marriage, and the traditional change with the Paternal name moving to the middle and the husbands name being at the end. There are either one or two others, although I forget what they are. But choose a name change that is not legal, and she will never be allowed to change her passport name to it. Changing it to anything else requires a court order in the Philippines.

Until you get some documents showing her name is now FirstName FormerLastName HusbandsLastName you may never get the people in your local Social Security office to accept that as her middle name. If you forgo the SS number now, and get her EAD or Green Card in the name you desire, then they would accept that. But its a delay in being able to work to. And it could be trouble with your work insurance. My work insurance did not want to accept her with no SSN, but I made the insurance company look up their policies and they were able to do it. But out of the gate it was no you can't insure her without it.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-26 13:32:00
PhilippinesJust got married - name change confusion though!

Hi, we got married yesterday in New Hampshire. I turned in the marriage certificate today and just got two shiny new certified copies of it... with her old name. We want her name to change (Last becomes Middle, mine becomes her last... the usual Filipino way). However, NH does not have a way to change names on the marriage certificate. The town clerk suggested I see a lawyer... we have no time or money for that, we need to apply for her SSN tomorrow as well as I have to put her on my health insurance and beneficiary at work, and we have to file for AOS... like right away! So, what name do I put for all of this? How can we change the name and still do all these things? Work isn't going to like it if I try to change the name sometime later since that's not a "life event"... I have one shot at getting the name right, and I have to start updating everything today or tomorrow.

And the whole point of us waiting for the SSN until after we were married is so we don't have to update it twice. But, now we have to update it twice anyway?

And what about her passport? Is a trip to consulate in NYC necessary or can we leave that alone? We can't really make that trip anytime soon, certainly not before 90 days are up on the visa.

What do we do?


New Hampshire has you just tell people what the new name is, they do not make an official record of the name change. I like my states method better, you enter what you want the name to be when you apply for the marriage license.
http://www.ci.concor...siteindx=L0a,13
How do I change my name after marriage? Is it taken care of for me when I complete the license application?
Name changes are done by the couple and usually require presenting a certified copy of the marriage certificate, which is available after the officiant [person performing the ceremony] files the marriage license with the city clerk. The certificate is presented to any agency where the name change would be recorded; social security, driver's licenses, creditors, etc.


You can register your marriage at the Philippines Consulate handling your area by mail. There's no rush in this, and you can get the form from their web site. She cannot change the name on her passport until she registers the marriage, and I believe the passport needs to be done in person. Might be exceptions if you have the new style passport already though. I just know my wife has the old style and we would have to travel to Chicago, about 8 hours way. We just found out they're coming to our city this August though, so we'll make the passport name change and renewal then. We've already been through the registration of marriage through the mail. If you're divorced, send a copy of your divorce certificate. Its not in the instructions, but they requested that from us after we sent in the report of marriage abroad. I'm glad we didn't drive 8 hours to Chicago to find out we did not have something!
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-26 11:34:00
Philippinesmy interview today
Congrats. I remember how happy I was when I heard my now wife had been approved. She was so excited when we talked after she got out! I'm sure you're feeling just as good
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-27 20:05:00
PhilippinesLocal Woman Shots Attacker
I want this woman to teach my wife how to handle herself! :thumbs:
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-27 09:08:00
PhilippinesMarried to a Filipina

I thought I am the only one who got confused about that, but that's funny. Made my day. Lol





What is Filipanaeese English?? Never heard of that, I even looked at it in the dictionary and never find that word..LOL..Btw, since elementary our English teachers teach us how to construct a sentence..for sure it's just an auto correct...LOL


Thats what I call some of my wife's English sentence structure when it's gone through her Bisaya thinking process. Kind of like your phrase "at it in the dictionary and never find", its often technically correct, but its not how a native English speaker would say it. Or the her for him and she for he that sneaks into many conversations. BTW my mother in-law was a teacher in the Philippines. Her English writing skills are excellent, rarely do I see any of the unfamiliar phrasing used by many Filipino's when writing English. But her speaking skills are way behind my wife's. Any way, back to point, I just put it down to her thinking "daughter, child and ex bf" all at the same time while writing and she substituted in the wrong word. I think my thought process was "Huh??? Oh she meant ex bf, not daughter" and moved on.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-26 14:24:00
PhilippinesMarried to a Filipina

Since you asked, this part didn't :)



"Years back, I had this american ex bf (daughter of my child)"


Guess you haven't had enough practice reading Filipanaeese English yet? :rofl: That different sentence structure can make some real strange typos at times as they're bouncing between thinking in one language and writing in another.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-25 15:37:00
PhilippinesMarried to a Filipina

Years back, I had this american ex bf (daughter of my child) and we were together in Cebu. One main thing our relationship didn't work out because he always see the bad things, complains and insult. I mean, most of what he said was true coz that's what he saw but the thing was RESPECT. I am a filipino and I know how bad it is, how people live in squatters area, etc. But one thing I learned when I moved to Thailand, if you go to other country, have/show respect. We all have different cultures, lives, attitudes, etc so we can't judge everybody like the same.

He always say how poor filipinos are, cheap, monkeys or whatever he likes calling it, it hurts and bothers me coz I am a filipino. When I got pregnant he left. I asked for child support and he tells me why not let my cheap parents take care of us. First, why would my parents do that, where they there at the time we made the baby? I worked hard for me and my daughter to live. At times I ask help from him, he gives but he tells so much ####... so everytime I had this fight conversation with him, I told him... well, guess you are the cheapest stupidest worst person.. you complain how things are in Philippines and your blood your daughter, you wanted her to live a life like that (we are not poor, we are not rich). He always say how good things are in US but he never even wanted to help to get her a US passport coz it COST MUCH, he can't even spend 100 or 200 dollars for her daughter, how cheap is that?

Most americans or wherever they are from may have bad experience with filipinos, we (some) filipinos too. We all have different stories here. There's just one thing, RESPECT. You wanted to marry a filipina, try to be open-minded, know what you are getting. if you love the person, accept everything. why marry someone then if you have all this issues coming through your mind.

I'm married now, he came to Thailand and not to Philippines. He met my parents online and maybe a year or 2, will visit Philippines. Everytime we had to go somewhere, I tell him stories about Philippines specially, roads, food, traffic, and people. I show him how I like to eat and everything I can show that he could atleast expect and tell him Im worried maybe you won't survive in Philippines lol (that was just a joke). He tells me, it doesn't matter. All he cares is us together, our family and meeting my parents. If we are happy and safe, then there's nothing to worry about.

Do I make sense here?


You make perfect sense. Glad you dumped the cheap ignorant bf to. Sounds like you have a good guy now.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-25 09:27:00
PhilippinesPinoy Planning
The most frustrating thing about this type of event planning, is when you forgo other events thinking you've made a commitment to this, only to have the entire event cancelled lol. I'm slowly learning to never cancel other plans based on a changing target for an event. Instead I keep it in mind and make it if we're free.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-30 08:47:00
PhilippinesPinoy Planning

Before everyone gets all worked about stupid american Men thinking they know Pinoy Culture. I agree People are people except for this.


I call it the Pinoy Planning committee- It's the most Bizarre phenom I have ever seen. One Pinay has an idea to all meet somewhere. It's passed on to the others who then further the plans without consulting the original planner. Often times you end up with groups of people at the wrong place at the wrong time, and no one quite knowing where to meet. .


What I get a kick out of, the planning can often start a week in advance and still end up that way. And its not only different places, but different times and different days. Over the course of a week, its been yep we're going, nope we can make that, ok but don't like the food there, ok we're going and at the last minutes suddenly its at our house. :rofl:
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-27 09:06:00
PhilippinesNeed help with interview next week

Did they request an "Consent to Marry" signed by her parent(s) at the CFO?


When my wife was at the CFO, they sent a woman home and told her to come back with her mother. She wasn't from Luzon either, and was expecting to fly to the USA the next day. The CFO can be easy one day and a total pain the next. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Why not let her mother accompany her there, then you're sure not to run into the problem and your fiancée can enjoy some time with her mother. The entire process is stressful enough, its helpful if they have a little moral support on the ground with them. At a minimum I'd have that signed letter from the parents stating its OK for her to get married.
CaryhMalePhilippines2012-04-30 16:16:00