ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionMy latest call center experience
Still cant schedule online so I called the call center. After 5 minutes of them collecting my information she told me that I cannot get an visa interview scheduled until after the medical exam has been completed. WTH? Did I completely not know this or is she wrong? I told she was wrong regardless. lol
She tries to schedule and guess what? Case invalid. I explain to her that the NIV said that we could schedule online after 2 days( actually end of business today) and I still cannot. I get put on hold comes back and tells me to call back Wednesday for results from Embassy they submitted. Uhhhhhhh.... Next Wednesday... 7 days from now???? Your joking right?
She said that she expedited the case and embassy will respond within 48 hours. I was supposed to be able to schedule today.How is this expediting?
That was as far as I could go. You know how sweet these poor girls are just as I(thats why we are marrying them). They aren't educated or trained to answer questions when scheduling doesnt go right. Meaning they were thrown into a position to quickly.

I'll try tonight and have my girl call NIV again. She has a cell and can't call landlines so when she uses a calling card and the phone connects but the ext. is busy... chaching!! $1.00 dollar gone.
I guess I ll call tomorrow.
Rant over.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-15 08:48:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionNervous with over seas mailings
I would think that there are many many more people within the U.S. with the intent and means to utilize your info to ruin you than there ever will be in most foriegn countries.

Your girl is from the Philippines just like mine is. I assume that you have been there then you understand that there are more people who have never really used a computer in their lifetime.

Important documents you should send Fedex or DHL so the likelyhood of it being lost or delayed in shipping is minimized. I Fedex'd documents from Kansas to the middle of BFE Bohol last month and it arrived in 6 days completely safe.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2011-01-08 18:52:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila interview date w/o file
Richard, good question. Her email address isn't anywhere but mine is on the I-129F unxer my signature on the last page.
My girls cousin supposedly recieved an email about here eligibilty to schedule her appointment. I am trying to confirm this now and i'll post it here.

I still get the case number error.Grrrrr!!
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-08 23:21:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila interview date w/o file
I just tried again and it didn't give me the passport error this time only the case file error. I'm pretty sure that indicates that my payment is tied into the system just our file hasn't arrived. I'll keep trying daily.

On the same site it does state that if you make an appointment before you recieve the letter, you may not be seen on your scheduled appointment. Prob. just trying to scare us.

The letter btw will be an email so have your girl check often, SPAM folder too. Unfortunately, my girl is in a fairly remote area of Bohol so checking is a little more difficult for her. I hope they email me also.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-07 10:30:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila interview date w/o file
I got thru multiple times but took 54 minutes of bein on hold to get an agent. Have you recieved an email that your file has arrived at the embassy yet? I got my NVC letter today dated Dec. 02 that says my file will be sent to the embassy within one week.

I am having the same issue with case number or passport number error.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-06 22:28:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila interview date w/o file
She said she got 2 . One was a small teller verification and another with bpi account number and mrv payment fee etc.

What do you mean" number for the counter"?
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-06 07:26:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila interview date w/o file
My fiancee paid the$ 350 in Tag. today at the BPI.The girl said they no nothin more than to accept the payment and give the reciept. UID WHAT??? LOL. After a few hours I call the appointment line to try to get some answers. I literally corrected everything that she told me.Example.. Sir you need to fill out the DS160 form to make appointment.... Me.. The K1 doesnt use the DS160 form. Her.. Yes sir, you do not fill out the DS160 form.Lol. Uhhh, what???? It got worse.

She told me to wait for the letter to make the appointment. Anyone able to get appointment before the embassy letter arrives and how long did it take to get the letter if you did recieve one?
Also she said that she wasnt aware of K1 visa appointments restrictions for after the 16th.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-06 05:22:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionmore questions
If you want to assume in this process, go buy a comfortable couch, put your feet up cause it is gonna be a long ride.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2011-01-17 06:19:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionOne way ticket from Manila to the U.S.
Well the airlines will still screw you and they always have the upper hand. Only one worse than airlines is the IRS.
Anyways, I understand your point about pilot traing. But the article, even though it says chinese pilots, is referring to domestic smaller airlines and aircraft just as the Embriar discussed in the article. I really doubt that any pilot that can and does fly a heavy ( 767,777,747,AB 320,340 or 380), is doing that on a fraudulant license. Matter of fact, my pilots werent Chinese anyways but Caucasian.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-09-26 03:04:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionOne way ticket from Manila to the U.S.
one way is very much cheaper than roundtrip. The old ways of airlines screwing doesnt work anymore. Go to china airlines. I flew there round trip to Man-SFO for under $1000 in May 2010. I checked recently, same flight was $575 plus tax, under $700 with. I thought they were a phenominal airline.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-09-20 21:10:00
PhilippinesFinal Rule: Schedule of Fees
But of course!!!
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-09-30 10:05:00
PhilippinesFinal Rule: Schedule of Fees
Well that bites. Cost me an additional $115.00. Question. When they raised the 129-F fee in June to $455, all filed petitions not approved by June 04, 2010 I believe, would have to pay the additional amount to equal the $455.
Does this mean the rule works both ways and us who paid the $455 but aren't approved by the November date will get a refund???

I bet not.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-09-30 06:06:00
PhilippinesLearning my fiancee 's culture
Reading this post put a smile on my face....... well in the beginning that is. My fiance speaks English well, works for an American company doing customer service. She does make mistakes often, I usually understand what she is trying to say and I do find it absolutely adorable. We even have an enormous laugh after I tell her what she said/should have said. English is a difficult language to learn and is commonly thought to be one of the hardest. Tag is a basic language. I can learn Tag much more easily that she can English and speak it reasonably well. The amount of words in the Tag language is miniscle compared to the multi millions of words in the English language.
I had a guy on my flight that said he learned Chinese easier than English. The millions of combinations of symbols was very confusing to me. Pick a symbol and what it means alone or with symbol a or b completely changes the meaning of that symbol.

Being supportive and having lots of patience with help alot.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-09-13 01:06:00
PhilippinesDoes your wife think the US is too cold ?
I am in Kansas where the winters get pretty cold and 30 mph winds make it viscious. When I tell my girl who is from San Miguel Bobol the temp. here is negative 0 f, she can't even concieve what that feels like. I said to go to the store and ask to go in the walk in freezer for 10 minutes then double that feeling and you are close.

More importantly, she never asked where I was from or what it was like here. She only answered that she will love me wherever that I am at because that is easy. Hell of a woman.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-09 21:51:00
PhilippinesPlane ticket
So question is is a K1 an immigrant per their requirements? I read here before about an immigrant fair but the airline refused to honor the ticket price at check in because K1 isnt an immigrant visa.
Any thoughts?
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-09 22:28:00
PhilippinesPlane ticket
China airlines has been the cheapest. About$ 700 with taxes included.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-08 23:40:00
PhilippinesDid I do the right thing? K1 trying to schedule for December interview
No more in a hurry than the rest of us are right?
On another thread (maybe this one) another VJ member with the same dates as mine recieved his letter and email on the 8th and 9th. With that info yes I am really in a hurry!!

With the holidays I am hoping to get a 1st week of Jan. Appointment but sooner the better. Everyday, January is slipping away!!! I just made that one up!!
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-10 13:03:00
PhilippinesDid I do the right thing? K1 trying to schedule for December interview
Still cant schedule online.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-10 05:34:00
PhilippinesTried Online Scheduling
I did the same just a minute ago. I saw that I mixed up the passport numbers. Did it again........Case number Invalid
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-20 04:56:00
PhilippinesPAID P15,750 @ BPI TODAY!
Yeh, I paid on the 6th and still cannot make the appointment. File has been sent twice to Embassy.I hope yours goes better than mine has.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-20 04:49:00
PhilippinesCase Number Invalid!!!
I happened to try again to log on this evening and Holy Batballs Robin, i'm in!!!

Warning!! Once you input the benificiaries information, continue thru until you have scheduled the appointment which is when you will get your UIC number. If not you won't be able to get back to schedule online. You will get a new error message of " visa payment reciept number has already been used. Contact the call center." They can give you your UIC but prepare to be on hold for 15 minutes while they access it.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-23 03:58:00
PhilippinesCase Number Invalid!!!
Welcome to the club. i paid on the 6th, spoke to Embassy on the 8th and said they sent us a letter asking for her to call before they sent her the appointment letter. Nothing was wrong and she was told that this is the normal procedure. file sent over immediatly and can schedule 2 days later. It has been 9 days and still cannot. My case was expedited twice and embassy was emailed twice from the call center. Todayn I was supposed to call and get the embassys reply which I am sure hasnt been given. I', pretty PO'd right now.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-21 20:38:00
Philippinestime between med. exam and interview
I am leaning towards 5 days in between. The time of the month I was looking at is well, her "time of the month" and I guess she cannot have her exam done then.
The medical exam can actually be completed without the interview scheduled as long as she has recieved the letter from the Embassy stating she is now approved to schedule the interview. You just need to bring it to St. Lukes.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-23 11:13:00
Philippinestime between med. exam and interview
What is the least amount of time in between and still have the med. results in time for interview in Manila?
I am thinking a Mon. and Fri.
I dont want to keep her away from family any more than needed since they work far away/ she won't see them for a while after coming to States.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-23 06:43:00
PhilippinesTraveldocs server down?
Anyone else getting this error that the server is down for PH? I'm assuming they are working on the program during the holiday.I can get on the site but not to the scheduling.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-25 22:10:00
PhilippinesUSEM SERVER STILL DOWN?!
Wow! Another familar point in our cases. Our file took about 13 days to finally be uploaded in the system. I sent an email to the embassy and the call center did so twice as well. They never got an answer. I did and they only answered part of my question. Call the embassy non immigrant section. There is a U.S. number that you can call. My girl got through twice with the woman who said she was our adjudicator( true or not).

When I called, I just talk to the cleaning man I think in Tag. Funny, he had alot more to say to me than I did him.


By the way...... I don't speak Tag.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 01:36:00
PhilippinesOnline scheduling.
Of course I can't open it.Jeez.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 02:01:00
PhilippinesOnline scheduling.
Holy Bat Balls Batman!! I just got the email/confirmation letter.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 01:55:00
PhilippinesOnline scheduling.
You just have to tell them that you will pick. I wrote down what was available(most of Jan.)and I'm going off of that.Now how many time slots are open I don't know.

At least if you get a date you can always change it. At least your scheduled.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 01:39:00
PhilippinesOnline scheduling.
When did you talk to them? Today? He asked me what days would I like to choose from.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 01:29:00
PhilippinesOnline scheduling.
I learned something today. You can only log into the online scheduling and view the calander ONCE. I dide this to see what is available, make notes and discuss with Sheena. Now that i picked a day and I try to schedule, it won't let me/I get various different errors(reciept previously used, code input is different).

Also , PH traveldocs is down and calls are currently being sent to Maylaysia. He tried to schedule but the exectutive system is down(no suprise there).

My password was reset and should get the new one in 48 hours(long time) and he will try to schedule and email me the confirmation letter.

I'm not holding my breath and I will call back in a few hours.

Does it really have to be this hard?????
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 00:56:00
Philippines2nd letter with appointment confirmation
Anyone have the attached letter that comes with the appointment confirmation email? I think it is just a letter telling about the next steps, what to bring and such.

If you do, can you email it to me at fireman53d@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 05:35:00
PhilippinesCan the Medical exam occur during period/
Interesting. I might be able to bump her interview ahead since you is going to just stay in Manila for medical and interview(about 10 days.)
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 05:38:00
PhilippinesCan the Medical exam occur during period/
As the title says. I cannot find anywhere that says that it cannot happen during menstruation and I don't know if they still perform a "female" exam in Manila. If they did then I'd assume that the exam needs to occur before or after.
Anyone?
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 05:11:00
PhilippinesMet a rude fellow Pinay
Pinay or not, rude people come in all colors. Look at everyone as an indivigual and judge them so. She is not the norm for Filipinas or Americans in general.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-28 00:47:00
Philippineswhats next?
My girl lives in San Miguel, the middle of Bohol. She says she has never recieved any mail while living there. No appointment letter nor did she recieve the letter from the Immigrant Visa Unit that said she needs to call.

It was 13 days after Manila recieved our case file that we were finally added into the system.

I think there should be a sticky about "what and how to do" after NVC forwarded your file.


Also, the fee at BPI can be paid before interview or medical. I paid ours 1 day before our file arrived at the embassy. It is tied to her passport.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-29 18:22:00
Philippinesphone cards
The Majic Jack is everywhere. Radio Shack pushes them pretty hard on the TV commercial.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-29 18:43:00
Philippinesphone cards

Hi!

Have anyone here used phone cards on calling someone in the Philippines?

I need some suggestions on what phone card to used and see if it's cheaper to do so than using our landline. I'm calling my Mom in the Philippines from US every other day for 30 minutes each time. We are paying over $200 every month on the landline which includes other services but most of it is from my long distance calling. I am trying hard to save a bit from a bill but still be able to talk to my Mom regularly, so I wanted to try the option of using phone cards instead if it's worth it.

Hope anyone can help. Thanks! <img src="http://www.visajourn...IR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />


I have played the calling card game and most of them suck. You get half of what is advertised due to the hidden fees. Let me save you time and money. Go to Pingo.com. The price per minute is what you pay period, lots of local access numbers and all of my calls have had good to excellent sound quality. I think PH is .16 cents per minute but you actually get that minute at that price. All the other cards that advertise .16 cents per minute ended up costing me .26 cents a minute. I could call her on my Verizon cell for much less than that. www.pingo.com

I have used Yahoo for calls but her internet is poor at best. In Manila that would be fine I believe.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2010-12-29 18:40:00
PhilippinesVisa Approval...
Visa is delivered a few days to about 2 weeks are the normal delivery time. Christmas slowed down some recent deliveries.
If your in Manila you should recieve it in a few days. The more distant and remote the longer it will take.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2011-01-08 19:13:00
Philippinesairline ticket
China airlines offers that flight for $645.00 including taxes. I looked at the santraphel site. The first time immigrant visa rates are not good for a K-1 visa. They offered the same china airlines flight for $160 more than you can get directly from the airline yourzelf.
sheenaspapiMalePhilippines2011-01-09 00:17:00