ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Australia and New ZealandHis dad opened the Do Not Open envelope....
Might be good to remind every body about some basic ground rules about letters and packages.

If it does NOT have your name on it DON'T open it.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-05-18 12:50:00
Vietnamblue question
I have filled out tax returns for my children in the past, not because there income was so high but because of the income source. (Investments).
One year there was no income. I started to file a return just to keep a continuous record and after closer reading of the guidelines I did not.

It appeared if you had no income and were not entitled to any kind of refund or credit. You could be charged with filing a frivolous tax return and be fined or jailed.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-09 13:13:00
VietnamCome To The Interview With Fiancee

I disagree. Whose basic rule is this? As long as the relationship is on the up and up there is nothing to fear in the least!!! Posted Image


Lawyers,
It is much better to have the questions presented to you in writing and answered only after consultation with an attorney. USCIS knows this and that is why they don't do it that way. What you say or how you act can have long term legal consequences.
It is rare but innocent people do end up in jail.

During an interview you are not just having a casual conversation with a friend. You are being interrogated by a trained interrogator. In some countries where the rate of immigration fraud is very low they may have the interview just because the rules say they have to. But if you are in a high fraud rate country be assured they can and will us their training as interrogators to look in every crack, to read all you body language. A simple miss speak can cause problems. If you are not there you can't miss speak. Like the time I entered the UK and said I was there for "work" instead of for "business".
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-06-08 09:03:00
VietnamCome To The Interview With Fiancee
As a basic rule you want to avoid being asked any questions in person. The risk of you inadvertently saying something or your body language being misread is to great. Once they get the idea that something is not right you may find that you are trying to defend your self.

But I am sure someone can give you more specific advice for Vietnam.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-06-07 12:26:00
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)DOS lady is a YOU KNOW WHAT!!!!!
Some jobs take a special kind of person. Someone who can sense the customer’s frustration and not take it personal. Just because you can answer a phone and enter data on a computer does not mean you can handle a customer service desk job.



My ex-wife worked for a while at the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles. That is one of those places. NO BODY goes in to the BMV happy to be there. Most are upset about taking the time, spending the money and a lot are told they do not have the correct papers and have to come back later and do it all over again. You just have to be nice and smile because it is not personal.



I don’t have a problem with the lady asking why you call so much if she genuinely wants to know. If she wants to work “the front desk” she has to always do it with a smile.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-30 16:19:00
United KingdomVaccinations needed.
In the Philippines all of the shots needed that could be given were included in the medical exam cost. Once fiance got to the US and we were married the missing shots were coverd by my health insurance.

Her daughter need a few shots as soon as she arrived in the US to enroll in school that we got at reduced price from a local charity clinic.

Total cost for all shots was less then $40 usd.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-04-16 11:25:00
United KingdomThe Healthcare Bill

A lot of people here talk about being christian and stuff but then when it comes to stuff like this they are horrified. Jesus was all about helping the poor. He practiced the "you can't take it with you" mentality. I see people on comments sections on news articles all the time complaining about the prospect of paying for other people's ailments.


You hit the nail right on the head. Charity is you GIVING freely of your self and possessions, not TAKING from you by the government.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-07-10 12:07:00
United KingdomThe Healthcare Bill

that would be a key difference if it were the circumstance. no one gives her cash to pay for her insulin. no one has the cash to buy her insulin. would you be able to raise $2,000.00+ dollars a month from friends and family indefinitely? your fears concerning the government rationing health care is in fact a fear that people who are dependent upon medicines/treatment to survive already harbor. it isn't about who is supplying the healthcare - it's about the healthcare being accessible to everyone - regardless of if they have the money to pay for it. what it comes down to is money.


You make a good point that it all comes down to is money. I see all kind of things in this Obama Tax that move the cost from one person to another. I see things that actually raise costs.
Even without thinking outside of the box there are several simple things that government could do to allow the free market to work and lower prices that are not address in the Obama Tax. (Tort reform, Sale of health insurance across state lines)
So what is being done to lower the total cost of medical care? Because if you do not ultimately lower the cost there will still not be enough money to pay for all the medical care that people will demand.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-07-02 14:08:00
United KingdomThe Healthcare Bill

Honestly, this is blatant fear mongering. You're scared of hugely exaggerated "what ifs" and I understand why, you believe what your political leaders want you to. I'm not arguing that Obamacare is 'good' or 'evil', but it seems silly to say you feel sorry for my sister because her life under Obamacare will be wholly dependent upon the government to supply her with what she needs to survive. Anyway you dice it, her life is wholly dependent upon the amount of money she has at her disposal to pay for the treatment of her disease - be it insurance companies, government, the insulin manufacturers or friggin Fedex. And that is how it has been for her since she was diagnosed as a child, no need to blow it all into Armageddon. Every single one of us will be dependent upon others at some point in our lives when it comes to our health, the question is if we will have the money to pay up when our time comes.


The key difference is that now family, friends or complete strangers can be charitable and give her money to buy insulin. Once all health care is controlled by the government you will not be allowed to "pay cash". It will be like gasoline was back in the late 70's with rationing a limited resource. You will get your fair share of health care when it is your turn and not before.
http://www.conservat...limited-supply/

The government is already banning the charitable feeding of homeless by individuals. Is it so hard to imagine that government will not allow health care with out government approval.
http://philadelphia....ng-of-homeless/
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-07-02 09:10:00
United KingdomThe Healthcare Bill

I don't know too many specifics about this bill, but I do know that this bill affects my immediate family. My parents who are not poor (also not rich), but work full time and have insurance. My sister is 22, recently graduated from VT and has her first 'real' job as a news reporter for our local paper. She also has type 1 diabetes and is dependent on an insulin pump. Because of one of the provisions in this bill she is able to remain on my father's health insurance plan for a few more years because of obamacare - which is imperative because $2,000 a month out of pocket on top of student loans - well that's just impossible to pull off. Also, when she does apply to start her own policy through her job - the insurance company won't be allowed to deny her coverage because of her 'preexisting condition'.

other than these two things - which are kind of life or death for her - obamacare as a whole is like trying to stop niagra falls with a band-aid. the US healthcare system is irretrievably broken, and there is too much of an attitude in our culture that healthcare is a privilege and not a basic human right.

As far as quality of care it is hard to find a country that has better care then here in the US. The part of the system that is "broken" is the cost. There are many simple things the government could change that would bring the cost down. But Obama and the socialist did not want to bring the cost down. They wanted to make everyone dependent on the government for health care.



Let the private insurance companies sell insurance across state lines. I just saw a post that someone’s private insurance went from $300 to $1200 just because he moved to a different state.



I feel sorry for your sister, when the government is the ONLY provider. Obama has stated that he wants to reduce the number of hospitals. He wants s to limit the supply of care as a way to limit the money paid out. It will be illegal to pay for your own care because you will be using a limited public resource. They will eventually have to ration the access and she may find her monthly supply of insulin delayed.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-06-29 09:18:00
ChinaCheap flights to China

Caution if you end up booking segments of a single flight at different time and from different sources. If the first segment gets delayed and you miss the second segment you may not be entitled to a refund or replacement flight.

When you book all the segments together, even if you end up on different airlines, most airlines will treat it as one overall flight and will work harder to get you to the end if you get on the first flight. If you do book separate flights make each airline aware of the booking record locater code.


The first time I became aware of this potential problem was when my Me and my now ex-wife booked flights using frequent flyer miles. I used mine and she used hers. It was booked about 3 months in advance. Later one of the segmenst we were on changed and they had to move me off of that flight to another. They did not move my wife. They did not realize we were flying together because our record locator code were not linked to each other. It was a simple fix, took about 5 mins on the phone. The aliline linked the 2 so our two sepperat booking would be treated as one.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-04-22 20:20:00
ChinaCheap flights to China
Caution if you end up booking segments of a single flight at different time and from different sources. If the first segment gets delayed and you miss the second segment you may not be entitled to a refund or replacement flight.

When you book all the segments together, even if you end up on different airlines, most airlines will treat it as one overall flight and will work harder to get you to the end if you get on the first flight. If you do book separate flights make each airline aware of the booking record locater code.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-04-18 14:37:00
Asia: SouthFiancee just caught dengue fever :-/
my soon to be step daughter had it a few months ago. At first doctor wanted to admit her to the hospital. But with some reasurance that her mom would follow full treatment they let her go home. They said if she start to bleed from nose, mouth, eyes, ears or fever jumps bring her to hospital ASAP ,, DO NOT WAIT even a few hours.
Brian121957MalePhilippines10/8/2011 23:11
Asia: SouthFiancee just caught dengue fever :-/
it is passed person to mosquite then mosquito to person,, to avoid it just avoid the mosquito, it is not passed person to person.

It can be a lot worse the a bad cold. there are several strains of it,, just depends on which strain she has and how good her imune system is. dont want to alarm you but it realy is not something to take lightly.


Brian121957MalePhilippines10/8/2011 23:04
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTo book or not to book flight
I read the followwing post.
http://www.visajourn...too-much-on-us/
The documentation he provided reads about like mine. It is a diffrent country and maybe they are toughter then the Phillippines. But it seams that his CO just picked at random and said, "It has been a slow day, lets have some fun with this guy". Do the CO's ever get a GOD complex just because they can.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-22 17:16:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTo book or not to book flight
I am lookinf for insight and others experiances when they book flights and mark the ds-157 line 18 as Yes.

I have already booked the fligths with frequent flyer miles. A lot of times you have to book several months in advance to use them. I know it is a calculated risk that there will be no delays and I put in some extra days in the timetable for that.

My real question is, Are there sadistic COs who will delay and request extra info just because they see you have flights book to screw you over? That is something I did not factor in. I am guessing it is not good to lie and say we dont have flights. If I thought it was a real posibility to cause problems I would cancel the flights and say NO on line 18.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-22 16:17:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLetter of employment
I did contact "The Work Number" and they did understand the level and type of documentation required by USCIS. I was told me that my employer has not paid for or contracted with them to provide that level of documentation.

The local HR office is so parinoid that they may say something that might have a negative impact and open them to a law suit that they have refused to directly provide anything unless ordered by the courts.

I maybe able to get a mid level supervisor to sign a document but something from HR does not look good.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-03 13:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLetter of employment
I have worked over 25 years for a major US employer. For employment verification they use a service call "The Work Number".
I have pdf files of paystubs.
I have a pdf file from the verification service. I can get this once a year. Last one is dated in May.
I have a pdf of my current employment status. It shows as "active" only.
I have pdf files of bank statements showing payroll deposits.
But none of these are signed by any officer or representatinve of any company.

I have asked my local personel office for a "signed" letter and that have verbaly told me that for legal reason they will not provide it. The service they use, The Work Numer, meets any requiremenst thay have to verify employment. It will take a court order to get anything more from them.

Does any body have a sugestion?

Will the unsigned documents I have be enought?
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-03 09:00:00
US Citizenship General Discussionapply passport
Fees you should have paid if paying at the Post Office.

What are the passport fees?
Basic passport fees are…

Adult first time – $110 with an acceptance fee of $25

Minor (under 16) – $80 with an acceptance fee of $25

Passport card – add $15 for minors, $30 for adults

Adult renewal – $110

To renew your passport, you must be 16 or older and eligible to use Form DS-82.

Check requirements on the State Department’s web site ›


How should you pay?
If you’re paying an acceptance fee, you’ll need to pay it separately and directly to USPS®.

Application and any Optional Service Fees:
Pay with a check (personal, certified, cashiers, travelers) or money order, made payable to “Department of State.”

$25 Acceptance Fee (paid separately):
Pay with cash, a check (personal, certified, cashiers, travelers), a money order (U.S. Postal Service®, international, currency exchange), or a credit or debit card.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-27 16:41:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow do new USC's register to Vote / Jury Duty??

Contact your registrar of voters to register to vote. Jury duty is pretty random and you do not need to sign up for it.


Indiana, Allen county used to use voter records to pick from for Jury duty. Some people did not vote just so they would not be pick for Jury duty. The list of names was just to small and people were being call back up every few years. So they expanded the list of name to include drivers license, property ownership, city utilities, pet registrations, library cards. Basically any place the county can get a list of names you are now in the mix for jury duty.

It is an honor to do jury duty but don't be in such a hurry. It can be quite traumatic to know you hold some ones life or at least there future in your hands.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 12:35:00
US Citizenship General Discussionunusual attitude

Yours is a prime example.
I have asked the question before if The COs ever gets a "God Complex" and just be mean and "screw" people over just because they can.
I have been told CO never does that because they have no reason to do that. So if they were tough on you it must have been because there was errors in your documents or you did something wrong.


I guess my sarcasm got lost.
First; I do not think you did ant thing wrong and I assume your papers weren't totally disorganized like maybe the dog chewed.
I was told by others on VJ that something like you experianced would never happen. I think they were wrong and you are proof that it does happen.

I understand the concept of an officer being tough to try and "shake you up" maybe you would make a mistake and say something wrong. But unless they want to hold you over night and not let you go to the bathroom or something they need to back-off. To not let you answer their questions but instead make you wait weeks or months more to file more papers is just "cruel". That's when they git the "God complex". They know they have you life in there hands. They are just low level paper pushers with no control over there own life. But in your life they have more power to inflict pain and suffering on you and your family then any court or judge ever could.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-03 14:22:00
US Citizenship General Discussionunusual attitude
Yours is a prime example.
I have asked the question before if The COs ever gets a "God Complex" and just be mean and "screw" people over just because they can.
I have been told CO never does that because they have no reason to do that. So if they were tough on you it must have been because there was errors in your documents or you did something wrong.




Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-02 13:25:00
CanadaStudent Loans in the U.S.
If there is any way to get a "personal" loan go that route.
Maybe your wife can take 1 class to qualify and then apply for grants to pay living expenses so you have money to take your classes.

Take a lesser job and take classes at night.

I am not saying that going in to debt for education is a bad thing. Just saying that "student" loans are not all that great and they have some real negatives if your personal finances turn for the worse.
This comes from a 50+ year old with 4 kids in or through collage.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-12-01 09:22:00
Canadayet another Evidence related question
I think the requirement is to have meet. Not what country you have met in. Just proving you were in the same city and had opportunity to meet is not enough. It only helps support your claim. It is the photo with both of you in it that is the proof.

I still like the staged photo of both of you and the front page of a local newspaper with the date showing. Some say it is a bad idea and it may be if you don't have other photos to.

The random purchase receipt does not insure it was you who purchased it. The hotel receipt usually has the name of the person on it. Combine the hotel receipt with a picture of you by the hotel sign I would think would be good.

bottom line, You want to show evidence a loving relationship but you really need to think like a lawyer and build you case of evidence.



Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-05-23 14:46:00
CanadaUHaul Fun!
I don't want you to take any risks you do not feel comfortable with , but. If you stay on I-75 and just don't get in a hurry you should be fine.
Are you towing or trailering a car too?


Brian121957MalePhilippines2012-07-12 13:45:00
PhilippinesQuestion On Booking Plane Tickets For Fiancee
I just purchased the tickets with American airline miles. Only had to pay about $130 in tax and processing tees. I could not pay for them over the phone. They required the payment to be made in the Phillipeans. At first they asked for payment in person at the ticket office in Manila. After we talked to the person at the manila ticket office we were told that if a deposit was made to the Tacloban branch of there bank, we could FAX or email the receipt and passport pages and they would email back the eticket info.

The online American Airlines agent said that the Phillipeans is the ONLY country in the world that has this "local purchase" requirement.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-23 08:13:00
PhilippinesQuestion On Booking Plane Tickets For Fiancee
Slightly off topic but related.
I booked hotels with Agoda.com using my online secure citi credit card.
The card number used does not match the physical card number. If you have used online numbers you know what I am talking about.
They ask for you to give a copy of the hotel voucher, received in an email and present the physical card for verification at checkin.
I used a screen print of the online card and the voucher with no problems.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-06-06 23:52:00
PhilippinesVisa RECIEVE from 2go courier
Approved October 7th, 2011 in Manila. Were told 4 to 5 business days.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-08 19:13:00
Philippinesvisa delivered
i dont beleive the exact city POE matters, You may know in advance of the interview and have stated it during the interview that Hawaii would be your POE. But you are not required to use that location for the actual POE.

Only thing to remember with location like Hawaii is that you cant leave the USA untill you have green card. Some crusies ships might take you in to international watters and some flights may use a forign country in between. im sure there are other post about this issue
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-09 08:31:00
PhilippinesWhat % people have to do sputnum test
Not sure where i herd this, The women with the long hair should have it tied up very well. Some have had their hair down there back and it caused a "mark" on the x-ray and then they had to do more tests.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-10 08:21:00
PhilippinesWhat % people have to do sputnum test
My fiancée had an x-ray a few years ago for an OFW job. She had just gotten over a case of pneumonia. There was some cloudiness on the x-ray and she was rejected. No alternative test, just you fail.



As we now applied for the K1 she was a little nervous. She went to her local doctor and asked for the x-ray a few months early just to see how it would be. It was clear and so was the one at Saint Lukes Medical Center. It was well worth it for the peace of mind.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-07 20:29:00
PhilippinesSLMEC in Manila
Dont go crazzy early, just go in the morning. Any time you go you will be there several hours. And assume that you will get nothing else done on that day.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-21 22:40:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms
Talked to fiancée and she confirmed that they did in fact move my real middle name to a second first name and add my mothers maiden name in my middle name spot. So they have me with 4 names.

First 1 = real first name
First 2 = real middle name
Middle = mothers maiden name
Last = real last name

Mystery solved. Thanks every body
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-28 12:13:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms

Which CFO office is this so I have an idea what to expect. I'll be having my seminar soon but i'll do it in Cebu.

It was in Manila
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 20:55:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms

No way that there will be no middle name. Filipinos always got middle name. it's only spelled out on official documents though


Sorry that the passport page is a little hard to read but you can see where the Middle name goes it is blank and the same on birth certificate. And it does show that she is Filipino.

Attached Files


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 15:28:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms

Filipinos use their mothers maiden name as their middle name, if you're parents aren't married and your are born before 2000, your middle name can be your fathers last name or your grandmas maiden name so all your siblings share the same middle name unlike foreign countries whose second name can be anything and you may have none. just FYI for filipinos so don't get confused...if your fiance's name is Mark Anthony- Anthony is the middle name.


As a side note, She did not marry her daughters father. When written out it looks like the daughter has 3 names, first, middle and last. But in reality she has 2 first names, NO MIDDLE name and 1 last name. I warned her it may cause all kind of confusion here in the USA not having a middle name.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 14:49:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms
My fiancée explained the whole middle name in regards to how it is done in the Philippines. And how the womans last name becomes her new middle name and she takes the last name of her husband. Unlike the USA where first and middle do not change and she only get a new last name from the husband last name.
Fiancées name was correct on the form.

But why did the lady at the CFO think she new better then all the other documents including my birth certificate that shows my full name and indicates each correctly (first, middle, last).
Does any body know where that form will go or what it is used for. It might help us figure out what kind of problem could arise and what to watch for in the future. This form was filled out after the visa and the packet was in hand so unless the Philippine government forwards it the US government, nobody in immigration here knows about it.




Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 14:41:00
PhilippinesPhilippines CFO forms
This is a Philippines specific question.

When my fiancée went in for her CFO seminar she filled my First, Middle and Last name correctly on the forms. During the interview the lady asked her my mothers maiden name . Which she did know. The lady was still slightly confused so she was shown my birth certificate. She could clearly see my full name on the document but she said that my middle name was actually a second first name or something. She then erased my correct middle name and change it to my mothers maiden last name. Like it would be if I was Filipino or something.

Will this cause us problems in the future?
I see post about people trying to fix mistakes in documents that were done by some clerical / office person.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 12:25:00
PhilippinesBooking plane ticket from Philippines
I got this email back from Korean Air after sugesting they at least let you see the price even if they cant sell you the ticket.

Dear Mr. Roth,

This is Hyoung Bae Kim, Deputy General Manager of Korean Air Manila office.

I’m writing this because the earlier mail from one of my staff, may not be the answer to your inquiry.

First of all, we really appreciate your valuable suggestion on displaying fares for the flights from Philippines.

We completely agree with your opinion, and will take necessary action to get it done.

We’ll make an official report to our headquarter in Seoul requesting change in our website to display
fares for the visitors. Though we cannot give you the exact timeline for this moment.

Again thank you for your interest on Korean Air. We look forward to serve you on our flights.

Sincerely

Hyoung Bae Kim

Deputy General Manager

Regional Office Manila

Korean Air


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-25 13:03:00
PhilippinesBooking plane ticket from Philippines

Paid with my CC. Got FF (SkyMiles) miles for the card, but you can't get miles for her travel on any airline I don't believe.


I think you are part correct, The person flying is the one who earns the miles, not the person who pays for the ticket.
Most airlines give you the ability to transfer miles. But the first thing you have to do is earn the miles. Sign every body up for an account so at least you can lock in the earning of the miles. Make sure the airline knows about her number before the boarding pass is printed . To have miles credited after the flight has started is a major pain. You may never have enough for a free airline ticket but might have enough for a car rental discount or a free hotel night.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-18 12:20:00