Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Philippines	US Embassy Manila Interview - K1 Visa (On Administrative Processing; Denied Co-sponsorship; Issued 221g; CO on Power Trip?)	Note: I wrote this on June 25th. But posted it only today, July 2nd, 2013. First of all, this is a very lengthy post. For those of you who will take the time to read it. Thank you.       I?ve only decided to write about this US Embassy Manila / Consulate experience today (June 25th and releasing it online after my visa gets issued... [EDIT: still not issued. Still being held at AP]) because I?d like to do this as calmly and objectively as possible (at least try to be), and of course, avoid further possible ?delays? that might arise from me speaking up.   Short story: My fiancé, Christopher, was here for my interview and we showed up at the Manila US Embassy New Office Annex Building (NOX1) and was neither denied nor approved. I (the Beneficiary) was belittled by Consular Officer. They kept my passport and we got a 221(g) sheet asking for more financial documentation from him. Denied co-sponsorship. (Why we opted for a co-sponsor? He's graduating soon and just recently moved to full-time permanent, managerial position.)   EDIT: We sent his updated employment letter, job offer; He's past the 100% poverty guidelines and barely short of 125% but when I called July 1st, the IVUnit Person on the phone said, he doesn't make enough as the CO noted. Asked to call back again on Wednesday but no guaranteed updates.     FULL STORY below.   -------   On June 13th 2013, day after Independence Day here in Manila, we headed to the US Embassy in Manila armed with 19lbs. of paperwork ? copies of our I129F Fiancée Petition, Medical Result (CD), DS Forms, Affidavit of Support, NSO Documents, NBI Clearance, My Education and Work Credentials, and of course, Proof of Relationship (Correspondences) that made most of the 19-pound weight.   We arrived at NOX1 by 7:15am, asked the guard where K1 applicants lined up and were immediately motioned by him go to the Fiancée/Spouse line. The line was quite short compared to the other Immigrants and tourist applicants? lines. I took out my DS-Forms which were labeled by post-it?s on the side for easier viewing, Passport and Appointment letter. The lady receiving the documents at the line placed my passport in a ziplock bag and pointed to the doors where we?re supposed to go through. US Citizen?s pass through a different door than applicants. We both went through separate doors and got scanned, our bags x-rayed, and I was led out through a line outside the security room. Christopher, however, just passed through and was just waiting for me outside where he can see me lining up. Outside was a line to a window where queue numbers are given. I was asked to present my passport, confirmation letter and DS Forms, was given a number (6135) and then was instructed to drop all my documents at Window 39 inside the building. It was the new annex building, clearly different from the one I had my tourist visa renewal at back in Feb 2011. There were 2 doors, and we went in the right-most one. Another security check, bags manually checked by guards and passed through a scanner. After that, I asked where window 39 is and the ?greeter? said he can drop my documents at window 39. He then said, look for seats at the right-most end of the floor and watch the announcement board for our number to be called as well as the window number beside it. It was very spacious, not cramped like the old building. There was ample leg area, too. Time check, 7:30am.   Another ?greeter? was announcing / instructing everyone that there are 4 main steps in the application process.   1. Biometrics 2. Pre-screening (with a Filipino Consular Officer) 3. Interview (with an American Consular Officer) and; 4. Releasing / Instructions at Window 72   The ?greeter? said that Steps 1 and 2 can be interchanged. We might be called first to do pre-screening first, and then do biometrics, or the other way around. By 8:00am, our number was called to Window 43 for Biometrics, Male American (possibly a Consular Officer too) asked for my name, my petitioner?s name and my birthdate. He then instructed me to put 4 of my fingers on my right hand on the biometrics scanner, then my left, and finally my left and right thumbs at the same time. We were then told to sit down. Christopher was with me the whole time, though he wasn?t asked of anything on the biometrics window.   An hour passed by, it was already 9:00am when we were called to the pre-screening window. It was Window 50 this time. We both were greeted by a nice Filipina and asked me for my NSO Certified Documents ? My Birth Certificate and CENOMAR, and my NBI Clearance. She gave me back my personal copy. She asked Christopher if he was my petitioner and he said yes he was. She then asked for the Financial Documents. We handed in his I-134, 2011 and 2012 ITR?s, W2?s from 2010 to 2012. We also had a co-sponsor. It was a very long shot, but nothing to lose anyway. Some CO?s approve co-sponsors and some don?t. Christopher has just got done with school and recently moved to a full time managerial role. He learned of his promotion literally just 2 days before he flew to Manila. The documents that we have, of course reflected a low income in 2012 because he lived with me here in Manila for 3 months, hence our decision to use a co-sponsor. We had an employment letter but it didn?t reflect his promotion either. Our co-sponsor is his fraternity brother. He?s an engineer and was making way above the poverty line. Again, a very long shot, because he?s not related to any of us, biologically speaking. The Filipina Consular Officer didn?t mention anything about not accepting a co-sponsor on a K1 Visa application, so we thought our papers were already good. She asked if we had evidences of our relationship like correspondences and photos. We showed her the bag where the 19-pound papers were and said we had photos too, from 2011 till present. She laughed a bit and told us to just show it to the American Consular Officer who was going to interview us. Then we were asked to sit down and then wait for the next step, the interview.   [INTERVIEW WITH THE CONSULAR OFFICER] We waited more than 2 hours before our number got called again; it was already 11:30am. We headed to Window 62, and were greeted by a Male American Consular Officer, possibly aged late 20?s early 30?s. He immediately asked my fiancé if he was my petitioner and Christopher said yes he was. The Consular Officer proceeded on to talking to Christopher about our financial documents, declining our co-sponsor?s papers (Because we were applying for a K1 visa, that co-sponsors aren?t allowed for that type of visa) and questioned him about his previous earnings (his current pay stubs that we weren?t able to print out because the printer broke the night before) and how he would provide for me "IF" we got married. To which he replied that he's working full time now and was recently promoted and then told the consular officer that I would be working as well after I get my work permit. At that point, the consular officer wasn't really hearing out any of our explanations and Christopher was told to take a seat. The CO then turned his attention to me and told me that my fiancé is not earning much based on his submitted documents. He kept on telling me that we?re supposed to prove his current sustained income. I told him, ?When we get married, I will be working too. We?re going to be working together as husband and wife.? He still wasn?t hearing me out. In my mind I was thinking, he?s supposed to look at my age, my capability to work, my education. So I insisted, ?Sir, can you please take a look at my work credentials? These are all addressed to the State Department.? (These were my resume, certificate of employment from my current job stating all the positions I?ve held in the company from Designer to Manager and my current income, Statements from my Clients from US, Dubai and Manila and Portfolio.) He didn?t read any of it, just looked through it and I quote, ?Your work and employment might be good here, but it does not matter in the US. Even your combined income simply won't do.? I was floored. I was furious and couldn?t move. I graduated from one of the country?s prestigious universities; I?ve been working since 2000 (even through college) in my chosen field and excelled in it; I am a manager of a team in a digital advertising / web development company and I was belittled by the Consular Officer. He asked me how many times Christopher has visited me in the Philippines. I said, ?This is the 4th time, and I spent Christmas with his family in the US in 2011.? A lot of things was running through my head at this time, he continued on asking questions, "What's his course in college?" I told him, "He majored in Airport Management. He specializes in that area." I forgot to say "He's from the College of Business and Public Administration with a concentration in Airport Management." I was freaking out, trying to control my emotions. He asked me again, ?What are his hobbies?? I said, ?He likes tinkering with electronics, computers and sound systems. He used to play video games but he already sold his gaming console. He also likes to travel a lot like me.? Then he dropped 2 flyers (1 in English, 1 in Tagalog) about domestic abuse on the document slot. They?re required to inform us about it. And then told me to retrieve my old passport with my US Tourist Visa (which was supposed to expire Feb 2021) and told me that he already cancelled it. I was in shock, again. I didn?t think they?d cancel it already, even if I don?t have the Fiancée Visa yet. He then told me to wait for my number to be called again on window 72 for instructions.   I went back to where Christopher was sitting and held his hand. He was obviously furious. We were talking and he was angry and didn?t realize his voice was getting louder. I kept on telling him to calm down and lower down his voice. I told him that we?re supposed to wait for our number to be called again. He stood up and went back to Window 62. I don?t know what happened here because I couldn?t see nor hear him. I just sank at my seat and was already tearing up. He went back to me and was even more angry and continued to hold his hand. I told him, we?re going to comply with whatever he?s asking of us. And that we should print out his latest pay stubs. We were caught at lunch break and were motioned to get out of the building and wait at the snack/waiting area.   Christopher stormed out of the Embassy trying to look for a Computer Shop where he can print his pay stubs and I was left in the waiting area. The other K1 applicants were asking me about what had happened. Christopher came back after what seemed almost an hour and we headed back inside the building by 1:30pm.   We got inside and took a seat near the releasing window. At 2:00pm, my name was called and we were given a 221(g) sheet at the Releasing Window number 72. The person behind the window explained to us that we need to present proof of my petitioner?s Current Sustained Income, and we showed him his pay stubs. The person asked us why we didn?t show this to the Consular Officer earlier. Christopher said that he had to go out and print it during the lunch break. Our case was then given back to the Consular Officer. We were told to sit down again.   After 10 minutes, the window directly in front of our seats opened and the CO that interviewed us earlier just pointed at me. I guessed that he wanted to talk to us both. We headed to Window 67. The Consular Officer explained that what Christopher printed out is still not enough proof, that he needs more documentation. Christopher again explained that his promotion and pay increase wasn?t reflected in that pay stub. The CO explained that he needs to determine his current sustained income before making a decision and proceeded onto apologizing to Christopher, saying he didn?t mean to demean his status or question his finances, it?s just that he needs proof ? numbers he can calculate to determine if he has surpassed the 100% poverty line. He also mentioned that he, as the Consular Officer, needs to look at the ?totality of the circumstances?. I flared up. I had to say something.    I said, ?I mean no disrespect, Sir, but you have belittled me. I never told my fiancé about what you told me earlier, this is the first time he's hearing this after you made him sit down. You have demeaned and belittled me. I had to practically beg you to look at my credentials. You say you look at the totality of the circumstances, but you clearly didn't. You told me ?Your employment doesn't matter in the US.? I am a graduate of the University of the Philippines. I have a very good job. And on top of that, I do freelance work.?   At that point the CO was shocked about my outburst. I broke down in front of them, then he said, "But the rules are clear with the poverty line." I said, "I know that, And I clearly understand that. But all I ask is an apology from you. You have been apologizing to him, What about to me and how you talked to me earlier? All I ask for is an apology." He said sheepishly, "I apologize and it was never my intention to belittle or demean you. " Christopher was also surprised about this. But he kept his cool. The CO explained to us that we basically have a year to prove or send these financial proofs he's asking of us. Of course, we don't intend to settle this in a year's time. He also said that, it is within his discretion whether the proofs we send are enough. He further explained that the 221(g) is neither and denial nor an approval. He just has to ask for more documents before making a decision on our case. With that, we left the embassy deflated, with a white 221(g) sheet and the instruction letter where ?current sustained income? from petitioner is needed. We got out of the Embassy at almost 3pm. They also kept my passport.   Christopher left the Philippines on June 19th, Wednesday morning. We already requested his employer for an updated Affidavit of Employment stating this current position, that it?s a full-time position, and his hourly rate. He also was able to acquire his Job Offer Document, stating the same and the start date of his position. He scanned these documents and sent it to me through email on the evening of June 21st. The next day, I headed out to 2Go Mall of Asia to send out the 221(g) packet to the Manila US Embassy, Immigrant Visa Unit.   Our 221(g) sheet only asked for "Evidence of Current Sustained Income from Petitioner" but we decided to send in the following:   -Cover Letter from Christopher -Employment Letter stating: Position, Full-time, Hourly Rate and Remarks from Regional HR -Job Offer stating: Promotion, New Position, Full-time, Hourly Rate and Start Date of new position (June 20th) from 2 Managers at the company - Official Work Schedule Screenshots - Correspondence Email between me and Christopher, him just explaining the documents -Previously submitted Employment letter (At the interview; As reference, same Regional HR) -Updated Petitioner's G-325A (information doc) reflecting promotion -Beneficiary and Petitioner's Letter of Intent to Marry (Just in case; they never asked us for this at the Interview -My Current Employment Certification -My International/Offshore Freelance Work Credentials (Letters of Clients from Dubai, US, Manila addressed to the State Department + Portfolio) -My DFA Authenticated University Records   We sent these documents on June 22nd, Saturday and based on 2Go?s e-Trace, it has already been received by the Manila US Embassy yesterday, June 24th, Monday. Now, we currently are waiting for updates on our case. There is no exact time frame on how long this Administrative Processing is supposed to be. We just have to hope that what we sent in is already enough.   ------------------   [EDIT] Still on AP as of July 2, 2013. Posted below is my conversation with the IV Unit Person yesterday over the phone.   This was how it went: (Mostly and Originally in Tagalog; Translated for everyone else.)   Erika: Good Afternoon. I just want to inquire about our case if our 221g documents were already received? IVUnit Person: Do you have a Case Number? Erika: Yes, it's XXXXXXXXXX IVUnit Person: Are you -NAME-? Erika: Yes, -FULL NAME- IVUnit Person: Is this you? Erika: Yes Ma'am. IVUnit Person: Who is your petitioner? Erika: -FULL NAME of Petitioner- IVUnit Person: Ok, well, based on the consular officer's computation when he reviewed your case last Friday (June 28), his annual salary is $XX,XXX (barely shy of 125% poverty guidelines) and it's not enough. Erika: Not enough? IVUnit Person: Yes, His pay rate times 40 hours times 52 weeks in a year. Erika: Excuse me? Wait. The Consular Officer specifically said we should reach the 100% of the poverty guidelines of 2013. Which is 15,000++. IVUnit Person: Yes. that's actually 15,510. Erika: So then, let me get this straight, $XX,XXX is still not enough? IVUnit Person: That's what the consular officer noted here. Erika: Wait, I'm sorry, I really just have to get this straightened out. 100% is 15,510. He computed $XX,XXX plus? (Above 100% obviously) IVUnit Person: Let me look for the consular officer if he's still here. Erika: Ok.   ...waited for 5 minutes...   IVUnit Person: The consular officer is not around anymore. I was advised by the caseworker here to just forward your concern to the consular officer tomorrow. and maybe you should call back on Wednesday. Erika: Ok... but again, he computed $XX,XXX++ correct? IVUnit Person: Yes. Erika: Isn't $XX,XXX++ greater than the 100% which is $15,510?   [IVUnit Person must've realized I was right, after asking her over and over again. It's simple math: 5 is greater than 4. As well as 8 is greater than 7.]   IVUnit Person: Whatever you're contesting with me, is what I'm going to tell the consular officer. I cannot give you any answers. All I can do is recommend it for review again. Erika: Ok. So I'm just going to call again on Wednesday? IVUnit Person: Yes, but I cannot assure you that there would be an update by then. Erika: Ok, then I'll call on Wednesday. Thank you. IVUnit Person: Thank you for calling.   -------------------------   Still on AP as of today. For I don't know how long. This is breaking my heart every single day. To know that we complied with what the Consular Officer said, but still getting pushed away. I can't help but think this is because of me saying my piece during the interview.   Though I do understand that he only cares about what the petitioner makes, he doesn't have the right to tell me that I am worth nothing.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-07-02 01:09:00
Philippines	What Happened to my womans Birth certificate after POE SEattle?	They dont use UPS anymore,,instead you wire the money to a lady at the office and they use a courier who subcontracts to UPS,,,   It seemed shady,,but it showed up in no time! cost about 100 bucks for all 3 copies shipped to USA   LOL   Great to know it worked out for you though! Thanks for the update.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-12-20 21:46:00
Philippines	What Happened to my womans Birth certificate after POE SEattle?	I want to express my appreciation for this information,,I managed to get 3 certified copies of her Birth Certificates inside of a week from Manila Thanks! That was fast indeed. Just curious: Was it through PhilPost? Or did you ask for special courier services? Anyway, You're welcome! Happy Holidays! AND Congratulations on getting married! Edited by Mrs.Presson, 20 December 2013 - 09:25 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-12-20 21:24:00
Philippines	What Happened to my womans Birth certificate after POE SEattle?	You can still order copies from e-Census: https://www.ecensus.com.ph/   They accept credit cards. Through regular PhilPost, the birth certificate will be delivered within 6-8 weeks from payment or so the website says. But you have the option to use other couriers such as FedEx or UPS, just that you have to contact them about additional fees.   I ordered mine online when I was still in the Philippines, within Metro Manila and I got mine 2 days after payment. Hope this helps.     What I mean is, she should have brought multiple copies if her NSO BC (not xerox copy).     We can request as many as we want at NSO, each "copy" will be printed in NSO security paper, so each "copy" is considered original.       BTW, apple21 is correct, those certificate "copies" you request from NSO are treated as originals.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-10-26 00:15:00
Philippines	Welcome to America my love!	Thanks everyone! You are next Eky! (Joan sends maraming salamat to you---and I am so happy that you and Joan were together for the CFO!)   1 week to go for me! You're welcome.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-06-06 05:23:00
Philippines	Welcome to America my love!	Congrats again!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-06-06 00:29:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	i would like to ask....i already have my CFO certificate and just confused after i got my visa packet am i going to go back to CFO for the sticker or they will include my passport with sticker when delivering my visa packet? anyone have idea on it? please...   Your visa packet with your passport will be delivered by 2go, or you'll pick it up from 2Go (depending on which method you chose if it's delivery or pick-up). You will have to go to CFO carrying your passport with you, don't forget to bring the CFO certificate AND receipt.  You have to present it to them and they will affix the Emigrant Sticker on your passport. You don't have to pay anything at this point.   More info on: http://mrsprsn.us/CFO	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2014-04-09 09:56:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	thanks, thats a big help with the time line you provided. she was planning on going around 7 so it would have been too late.  I just told her she needs to be there in 1 1/2 hours to get in line.  I just don't know where she will get passport pics.  She has some left over from the US visa interview so maybe they will accept those.    You're Welcome. I've posted more info about it here: http://mrspresson.com/s/CFO	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2014-01-29 14:38:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	My fiance was working abroad in Canada when she was approved for her visa.  She chose to go home for the holidays and was to leave a few hours ago to fly to Los Angeles.  Needles to say she was not allowed on the plane because of this CFO seminar, which we had no clue about since she was abroad.  Now she has to hope to get in the first available seminar with all the requirements when it is now the middle of the night and how can you get passport pics etc.  We are to be getting married on Friday and very pressed for time.  Phil airlines at least rebooked her for the next flight out but will she receive her sticker and certificate same day?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated   Also, her visa was issued 12/09 and she only went home for a few weeks.  If she would have just come here straight away from Canada she wouldnt have had to do the seminar so why are they doing this?  She hasn't lived in the Philippines in over 8 years   Is she still a Filipino Citizen (Philippine Passport Holder)? If so, that may be the case. Anyway, yes, she will be able to get the cfo certificate and sticker the same day. Provided that she's able to get in the limited slots. It will take a half day to complete everything. -5am line up for a CFO seminar slot -7am registration -9am CFO Seminar / Counseling - About 1:30pm releasing of certificate / cfo sticker   Hope this info helps.   PS. Congrats on the Visa and Best wishes! Edited by Mrs.Presson, 29 January 2014 - 02:20 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2014-01-29 14:18:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	K-1 is a non-immigrant visa, so there is not an Immigrant Data Summary.        Tanong ko lang po kung ano un Immigrant Data Summary?     Yup, what Hank said. Missy Crissy, No need to worry about the Immigrant Data Summary because you're under the K1 category.   Just so you know what it is, when immigrant visa packets (those under other family-based categories like spouses, employment categories, etc.) are issued, there's a white paper attached to their yellow packets that contain necessary information about the immigrant and must not be detached from the packet. This is for CBP's use when they get to their POE.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-10-25 11:50:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Sure thanks!! You need your passport for the cfo seminar. No choice but to wait for your passport with visa on it. good luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-08-26 10:45:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Hello Erika and Chris, does it really requires a landline, or a phone number will do? Thanks   Honestly, I don't think they have a way of checking if it's a landline number or not. It could be anybody's number! JUST KIDDING. It still is for your own good AND safety that they ask you these numbers. They would want to know where to contact you or get in touch with you when sh*t hits the fan. In my case, I used his grandmother's landline in NC. And we're in ND. That's a long way from here. The important thing here is, don't appear to look 'rattled' or intimidated. Be confident and you'd be fine!   Edited by Erika & Chris, 25 August 2013 - 08:11 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-08-25 20:10:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	^Quite possibly what they all mentioned above. This is review thread was posted specifically for fiance(e)'s and/or spouses (and was tagged as K1, IR-1 and CR-1). So, I apologize if I wouldn't be of much help to your situation, ladyheart.  Edited by Erika & Chris, 24 June 2013 - 07:34 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-06-24 19:33:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Note to everyone: Joan and I do not have our VISA's issued yet. Our Interviews are just coming up in June.   Basically, what we did is just the Guidance and Counseling Session, we are not technically "registered" yet. At least that's what I understand from the CFO Website Workflow and FAQ's. We only did Step 1. After visa issuance, we will have to go there to continue to STEP 3.           Hi everyone, I am a little bit confused about this.. My mother will have her interview on July 2nd so I told her to go to the CFO seminar to get it out of the way. When she arrived in Quirino office (that was last week), she was sent back and was told to come back when she gets her visa. They would not let her attend the seminar! I have read from a lot of people having the success of attending the seminar and coming back to get the sticker once the visa is issued. Did they change the policy? Do you have to have the visa before you attend the seminar?      Hi ladyheart2011,   Based on the flowchart from the CFO website, anybody who is applying for a passport or visa can undergo the counseling session. I'm not entirely sure if CFO changed their policies recently, but anything can happen in a month's time. This post was dated May 30th.   Yes, Joan and I are K1 applicants. As far as I know, this also applies to CR-1 Spouse Visa Applicants. We did not have our visas yet during that time.   Sorry to hear about your mom's experience.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-06-24 01:29:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Note to everyone: Joan and I do not have our VISA's issued yet. Our Interviews are just coming up in June.   Basically, what we did is just the Guidance and Counseling Session, we are not technically "registered" yet. At least that's what I understand from the CFO Website Workflow and FAQ's. We only did Step 1. After visa issuance, we will have to go there to continue to STEP 3.     According to the FAQ's on the CFO Website these will be the requirements for STEP 3:   Filipino emigrants are required to present the following documents for registration: * Original valid passport * Original and photocopy of visa * One (1) 2x2 or passport-size photograph * One (1) valid identification card with photograph* * Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary (for USA-bound emigrant)* * Original and photocopy of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (for Canada-bound emigrant)* * Photocopy of Certificate of Eligibility (for Japan-bound emigrant)* * Original and photocopy of letter of approval for Work to Residence visa (for New Zealand-bound emigrants)* * Photocopy of employment contract (for immigrant workers) * Duly completed registration form * Payment of P400.00 registration fee * Attendance in the PDOS, guidance counseling or peer counseling session For youth emigrants aged 13 to 17, the following additional documents are also required: * Photocopy of parent's passport or valid identification card, if accompanied by parent/s during registration * Letter of authorization from parent/s authorizing the guardian to register the child on their behalf (if accompanied by guardian during registration) * Original and photocopy of DSWD travel clearance For children 12 years old and below, the following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant. * One(1) valid identification card with photograph of the proxy * Special Power of Attorney or notarized authorization letter from the parent/s/ or guardian/s authorizing the proxy to register the minor children.   From: http://cfo.gov.ph/in...ions&Itemid=858       Edited by Erika & Chris, 31 May 2013 - 09:08 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 21:07:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Is my 12 years old daughter need to attend for cfo?     This is from the CFO Website.  To everyone else, please read the the requirements and FAQ's on the CFO Website as they are the primary source for information for these kind of questions.   http://cfo.gov.ph/in...ions&Itemid=858       Who are exempted from pre-departure registration? All Filipino emigrants leaving the country to settle abroad permanently are required by law to register with CFO. No one is exempted from pre-departure registration. But the following are not required to attend the pre-departure orientation seminar and to be personally present during the registration (they can also be registered by proxy):   * Minors 12 years old and below * Senior citizens 60 years old and above * Those with mental illness or psychiatric disability, and incapacitated due to permanent or long-term ailments	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 20:52:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Hello Ericka. Thank you for this very informative post. I have a question,i only have an NBI. Dont have any other government ID. Will it be a problem? Thanks for your reply. God bless you.    UPDATE: You guys can use your Passport as one of the valid ID's required. It is after all a government issued identification. Check out this post. His fiancee is the "Joan" I mentioned on my topic/thread post. Apparently, she just used her Passport AND Postal ID.     http://www.visajourn...-cfo-in-manila/	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 10:19:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Thanks a lot:) After reading that CFO horror story blog here in VJ I'm a bit concerned about attending CFO LOL!   HAHA! Exactly what it did to me! I was really nervous about the whole thing. That's why I wanted to post this review to help, I guess, neutralize the anxiety of readers of that thread. I mean, I was searching for recent CFO reviews and all I found was the "horror story".  Hehe.   But yeah, If you have complete documents, you know your fiance(e)/spouse well, answer the questions asked of you and you present documents that are requested, you will be fine. Edited by Erika & Chris, 31 May 2013 - 10:03 AM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 10:01:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Thanks Erika, I might do the CFO 2nd week of June because I still need to deal with my medical exam this coming June 3&4. One last thing Erika, did they asked you about what to do next once you get to the US? did you put your parents or siblings under contact person in the Philippines, and did they ask you for their birth certificate? I'm concerned about the birth cert thing because my mom don't have her NSO BC and it's so hard to get a BC in the province it took a month before you'll get it. Good luck with your interview too...   In the form, you will be asked what you're going to do in the US. Like I said, the counselor "promotes" doing self-studies, working, being productive on top of being a housewife. Of course, it's just their opinion. Just mark the "box" on which situation applies to you.   I put my father as the contact person in the Philippines, and no I wasn't asked about his birth certificate. Thank you very much.. Im happy to read your post. I am aware now.   You're welcome, Eloisa.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 09:29:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Thank you very much Erika. By the way I just want to make sure that I got it correctly because I'm a bit confused, you mean I can take the CFO even if I'm not yet done with with USEM consulate interview? We already scheduled our interview this coming July 3. Is it possible to take CFO beforehand? Thank you very much, you've been very helpful.     Yes you can. My interview date is on June 13th, actually. I already got my CFO Certificate. i wanted to get it out of the way so I did it before my interview.   All we have to do after we get our Visas approved is go there so that our passport would be "stamped" with the emigrant sticker.   Good luck with your interview!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 09:12:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Hello Ericka. Thank you for this very informative post. I have a question,i only have an NBI. Dont have any other government ID. Will it be a problem? Thanks for your reply. God bless you.    You should probably get a postal ID. That would work too. They are pretty strict about the 2 valid government ID policy.    NBI Clearance + Postal ID works.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 08:57:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	yea, my name is janice :-) thank you so much for immediate reply :-) God bless :-)   You're welcome! You too.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 07:05:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	ah so we can take the cfo seminar even if we don't have the visa yet? and speaking of id's, would a postal id be fine? and lastly, if the applicant is 23 or 24 years old like me, will the cfo councellors aks for a paren s consent? btw, thanks for the review. very useful :-)   Hi, I'm assuming you're Janice?   Yes, you can take the CFO Seminar before the interview. You just have to go back there after you get your Visa and have them put the emigrant sticker on your passport.   Yes, a postal ID is accepted.   Joan is 23 and wasn't asked of any parental consent letter/form. But it won't hurt to bring one. Just bring all the docs you can bring, it's a case-to-case basis. It really depends on the counselor.   You're very much welcome. Glad to help out.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 06:58:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	thank you!!   You're welcome.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-31 06:16:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Hello again Erika, I was just wondering if they will discuss all those stuff during the seminar or not? I mean when to file ssn, aos, green card and etc. sounds like the CFO is very crucial. Thank you very much for your quick response. What Hank_ said above. They just mention it in passing. And JUST stressing on validity of things not HOW to get it exactly. Research online. Read up on it here on VJ. Go to the USCIS Site for forms and instructions.   Basically, what CFO does, is taking care of immigrants. They explain that while we do have intent to leave the country for good, they are still there to help. You may call them for advice/repatriation. They're not the primary source for all processes. They just mention it briefly.   thanks for sharing your review with CFO.   i just wonder what does "nearest relative" means to CFO... does it means like, his relative who is living close to my fiance's place??  because they ask the neighbor's number too..   So if fiance's mom is living in Indiana, his mom is living far from him (in Arizona)..but his mom is his immediate family member..  they probably needs the neighbor's number incase something would happen to us the beneficiary, atleast the neighbor is living close to us.. and they can easily get information.. hummm ok...maybe a landlord's number will suffice too?? lol.. i wonder if they would really know if the number that we will give to them is really our fiance's neighbor's number.... how will they know if the number we will give to them is true? lol. anyways..     in regard's to fiance's educational attainment, do they ask "when" our fiance graduated or finished or got the degree?  my fiance can't remember that date because it was a longgggg time ago since he graduate and didn't even bother to get his diploma.. and he is not really working using his degree... he is trying to contact ISU and ND to get those dates since i was telling him to get it for me..for CFO actually..lol..  but on the form, is it also needed? the date of graduation or what...   What about if "divorced" do they also need the "date of marriage" aside from the "termination date of marriage"??? coz this is also a problem for me and my F... i asked him about it and ofcourse he donn't remember it.. so he called the place where they got married.. were told that the papers were burnt since it was almost 20 yrs ago already when they married... and were told to call the court blah... so it might take time for us to get it?.. question is, on the form, does it ask for the "date of marriage" with the previous wife?   thanks! For me, I put his nearest relative in the US, his grandmother landline number in North Carolina. Why they are asking this, is because they want to be able to know where to look for you first is things go awry. As for verification, I wouldn't know how. LOL. But seriously though, that bit of information IS important for it could be one of your lifelines in the future.   With the educational attainment, no, the form doesn't ask for the years/date graduates. It's just a "check box" (But actually it says mark with X) of the educational attainment (High School Level, High School Graduate, College Level, College Graduate...etc.) then a blank with "degree/course/specialization/concentration" after. If he's not done with college, it should be "College Level" then state the degree after. Same information will be asked of you, too.   Honestly, I'm not too sure with the "date of marraige" for the previous wife. (I skipped that part, I should've paid attention to the other questions. Sorry!) But don't think they would be concerned about his previous marraige that much. They just want to know if the marraige is really null/void if Divorced, and if they're really allowed to re-marry because he/she is widowed. Divorce decrees should have those dates anyway.   If they have children from previous marraiges, make sure you know their info too, like name, birthdates and ages.         ... not the best source for information on SSN, AOS, etc.       ... and for sure not crucial. ^THIS Edited by Erika & Chris, 30 May 2013 - 06:07 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-30 18:06:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	Hi Erika & Chris, Thank you very much for sharing your experience during the CFO Seminar, this is very informative and helpful. I started to get so worried about the CFO because I read that horror story with a lady during her one on one counseling and she got denied and need to go back to do the CFO again. Does it mean you will only undergo one on one counseling if you will be "put on hold"? and it will only happen if you will not fill out the form correctly and will not be able to provide documents that they will be asking from you? Thank you:)   Hi! It's Erika, btw. (I'm the one who usually posts topics/replies. He just reads. LOL.)   You're welcome!   Anyway, it really depends on how well you know your fiance based on the information you provide, the completeness of your documents, and the confidence you show. Most counselors are on the lookout for those timid/shy people who don't establish eye-contact. Those who do not respond to their questions. Most especially, those who cannot provide whatever the counselor asks for.   So you see, it's really hard to tell what documents are actually needed, because it varies. I, myself, brought EVERYTHING I could bring. All the documents, all the evidences, photos most especially. So it's best to come prepared with everything, than risk being turned away or be on-hold.    Also, you must know what you "plan" to do after you get to the US. Get married. Work. Be a housewife. (The counselor promotes self-study, work, being productive on top of being the wife)   You must also know what steps you're supposed to take after getting married: like Report of Marraige to the Philippine Embassy/Consulate. etc. You must be knowledgeable on those things. Adjustment of Status, Green Cards, etc. Research online.           Good job on the reviews, congrats!!     Thank you! I actually would like to apologize if I have misspellings or whatnot because I have been up since 3am. It's already 10:44pm here and ... well, I'm still up. LOL	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-30 09:44:00
Philippines	CFO Seminar in Manila (May 30, 2013)	CFO Manila   Citigold Center, 1345 Pres. Quirino Avenue corner Osmeña Highway (South Superhighway) Manila, Philippines 1007   -------------   I've been reading threads here on VJ.com saying that there are only 30 slots for Fiance(e)'s and Spouses everyday at the CFO HQ. I checked the website, it said 15 in the morning and 15 in the afternoon. Though it said it's country-specific and has "allocations" of 15 slots for each countries, I didn't want to risk it.   I got there at 4:15am. We were only 5 at the time, and we sat on the steps leading to the CFO entrance. I met Steve previously in a Facebook Group and learned from him that his fiancee, Joan, would be attending too. She got there at about 4:30am and immediately called her.    It was about 5am when people started to show up and one lady (I suppose she owns the "mini-store" outside CFO), told us to line up by the ramp instead. This is where fiance(e)'s and spouses line up. There would be separate lines for other types of immigrants. (So make sure you tell your fiance(e)'s to line up at the ramp.) It wasn't country-specific at all. Some people in line were fiancee's of European nationals.   CFO opened at about quarter to 7, but they only let the other immigrants in first. We were the last line to enter the building.   Also a REMINDER: Make sure to bring 2 valid GOVERNMENT ID's. Whether it's a Driver's License, Unified ID, SSS, PhilHealth, NBI Clearance. As long as it's a goverment issued ID, you won't get turned away. One lady was turned away because she only had one "valid" ID. They should've just stated that what they want are government ID's in the first place. Make sure you have at least 2 photocopies of it, just to be sure.    When I got inside, at the reception desk, I was only asked for my: Passport, 2 Valid ID's, Checked if I have my photocopy of those valid ID's, and I was given an ID with a Lanyard with a Pink "F" on it. For Fiancee, I guess? We were then told to go up the 3rd floor to fill up forms.   Word of advice: Take the stairs. It's faster than the so-called elevator. LOL   When you get to the 3rd floor, You'd be asked to fill up an Information Sheet. (Yes, you have to fill it up there, It's not the downloadable one on the CFO website.)   Make sure you answer ALL questions/fields. Rendering this incomplete will be one of their criterias for you to be "HELD/ON HOLD" for one on one counseling.   Information Needed on the Form: - Basic Information about you, the fiance(e)/spouse (Name, Address, Birthday, etc.; Your Birthplace is important too, specify which city/town/area/province)   - Basic Information about your petitioner (Sometimes you are going to be asked for the Birth Certificate copy)   - FULL MAIDEN NAME of fiance(e)/spouse's MOTHER   - Contact person in the Philippines, specifically immediate family as in Father, Mother, Siblings. (I forgot what happened to the other one who listed her cousin. I think she was asked for her cousin's birth certificate. Which got her on "Hold" status.)   - Landline Number of Petitioner. (I know, I know, most of you guys don't use landlines now. That's what was running through my mind too.) If no landline is available, Landline of Petitioner's Nearest Relative or Petitioner's Neighbor. (IKR!? Neighbor?)   - Petitioner's Educational Attainment, Degree/Course, Occupation   - Information on Petitioner's Divorce/Annulment/Death of previous wife or husband. You must have a copy of the Divorce Decree. (One lady was asked to show the Death Certificate of the petitioner's previous wife.)   - ZIPCODES. Yes, people were given a few minutes to find out their Zipcodes. Both the petitioner and the beneficiary. Never forget to write those.   So far, these are the ones that stuck out from the tedious checking of individual forms by the counselor.    People were asked to show documents. It's not a specified list of documents. Just whatever the counselor wants to see. So better go there prepared! As for me, I was just asked for photos of me and my fiance, Christopher.   By that time, she was already saying, If you don't fill up your forms properly, I will put you on "hold". She already mentioned 3 names that were on hold. Then she said, those of us who are "OK'd" by her, can now go downstairs to the first floor to pay at the Cashier.   So we did. We paid PHP400. Roughly $10.   We then went back upstairs and the counselor was still checking forms. In the end, the room full of 16 people, 10 were put on hold. Meaning, one-on-one counseling with her.   Mind you, we're not all US fiance(e)'s/spouses in the seminar "Session" as prescribed in the CFO website info. At first I thought it would be 15 from US, 15 from Canada, and so on. NOPE. In the same session, some were fiance(e)s/spouses from other countries. So I HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting there very early in the morning to secure a spot.   So when everything was already checked, we started with the lectures. She, of course, started with the history of CFO (which is in the website). The CFO Certificate and stickers. The CFO Certificate is valid for life. It doesn't expire. So make sure you take care of it and make copies. Never hand in the original to anyone. You can show them the original, but they may not keep it. It's a HUGE hassle to get it replaced.   And then explained at length who their CLIENTELE are. Meaning, they serve those family-based petition immigrants, the fiance(e) and spouses, etc. etc. Honestly, she didn't have to explain those in detail, adding up stories. Most especially going into lengths about the Filipino Au Pair Visa. This part draaaaagggggeeeed for so long.    After that, Domestic Violence was discussed, which organizations to contact, who to call. (She gave her personal mobile number, she says she's the only one who does that.)    She then covered what documents to bring when traveling, baggage allowances, airport fees, travel tax, embarkation cards, customs forms, etc.   Showed a visa packet brought by one of the spouses, and that the IDS (for IR/CR1's) shouldn't be removed from the packet.   She then proceeded to explaining what you should do when you get to the US: getting married, filing for adjustment of status, stressed on the validity of green cards, report of marraiges, amendments to passports, etc.   By this time, we were done. And those "OK'd" people can claim their certificates downstairs on the First floor, and those who were "On hold" will have their one-on-one counseling with her.   We got our certificates and got out at 1:30pm. We will have to go back there after the Visa is issued so we can get our passport CFO sticker.   So there, good luck to everyone who are going to take the CFO Seminar. Just remember, be armed with documents. Be prepared.    And go there early!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-30 08:36:00
Philippines	US Embassy Manila - Available Interview Dates as of May 10, 2013, 5:30pm	Wow thanks. We're hoping we could still get a July slot when I can schedule an interview.   Try to call NVC next week and inquire about your case number. Who knows? You just might get lucky and would be able to schedule your interview right away.  Good luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-11 08:54:00
Philippines	US Embassy Manila - Available Interview Dates as of May 10, 2013, 5:30pm	Hope to get in by 3rd week of June before next week ends. Thank you!     You're welcome! And Good Luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-10 12:24:00
Philippines	US Embassy Manila - Available Interview Dates as of May 10, 2013, 5:30pm		Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-10 04:57:00
Philippines	NVC to US Embassy in Manila	I have my MNL#, I paid the visa fee ($240), I have all the documents needed for the interview, and I even scheduled an interview appointment for May 28 but I am worried that I will have to rescheduled because they don't have the approved application yet.   Track your case here! https://ceac.state.g...ker/Status.aspx   Just choose "Immigrant visa" and input your MNL Case Number.   There are 3 possible results: "At NVC", "In Transit" and "Ready" (Meaning it has been received in USEM.)   Good luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-17 01:18:00
Philippines	NVC to US Embassy in Manila	I have my MNL#, I paid the visa fee ($240), I have all the documents needed for the interview, and I even scheduled an interview appointment for May 28 but I am worried that I will have to rescheduled because they don't have the approved application yet.   Track your case here! https://ceac.state.g...ker/Status.aspx   Just choose "Immigrant visa" and input your MNL Case Number.   There are 3 possible results: "At NVC", "In Transit" and "Ready" (Meaning it has been received in USEM.)   Good luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-17 01:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	Ericka,             Can I ask a Night Manager although I am the Beneficiary?DO they allow me to ask a Night MAnager?..THe congressperson not yet give any call to my Fiance..and I called the USCIS already,they said that they already sent the package to the NVC. Do you have your MNL case number now?..TIA..Goodluck..     I'm sure you can try and ask. My fiance the USC was the one who kept calling and asking for managers though. For NVC, the Call Center Night Manager is Maria. She is nice and very helpful.   Yes, We got our MNL Case Number on the 9th.   Good luck!	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-10 22:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	We haven't heard yet..The Congressman will call us or call them back after two days.We ask for help last Monday so hopefully we will hear some good news from them..I  will call the NVC again tonight our time..   Any luck with contacting an NVC Manager?   Chris got an update on ours. He got a callback from an NVC Night Manager "Maria" saying that our case file was located and they were able to acquire it from NRC. Soon we will be issued a MNL Case Number. -Crosses Fingers-	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-09 01:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	We haven't heard yet..The Congressman will call us or call them back after two days.We ask for help last Monday so hopefully we will hear some good news from them..I  will call the NVC again tonight our time..   Any luck with contacting an NVC Manager?   Chris got an update on ours. He got a callback from an NVC Night Manager "Maria" saying that our case file was located and they were able to acquire it from NRC. Soon we will be issued a MNL Case Number. -Crosses Fingers-	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-09 01:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	Same here sis Ericka..I got my NOA2 last April 8 ,2013 ..We dont have yet our MNL case number..We called them everyday and they said "our case is not in the system yet"..We tried to ask help to the Congressman..Did you received a call from NVC that your case was shipped in the NRC?...   Hi Laressa,   Yes, Chris received a call from a Manager at NVC saying that it was shipped to NRC and they're trying to solve the situation. Tomorrow, he's going to contact his representatives for help.   Have you heard from yours yet?	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-08 00:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	UPDATE: Just what I feared. My fiance got a call from a Night Manager in NVC and our petition was shipped to NRC!   The NVC is a busy place.  You'll have to wait your turn to get your MNL case number.  Right now, the only thing you should do is to call the NVC every day until they give you your MNL case number.  You should be able to get your MNL case number malapit na.     It was shipped to NRC. Edited by Chris & Erika, 07 May 2013 - 09:40 PM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-07 21:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	If the NVC just received it on May 4th, you're expecting results too quickly. They can't process everyone the minute the petitions hit their door. It is definitely much too soon to panic or worry. Ours took about 15 days for NVC to process.   I know it doesn't seem like it, but the process is going to start moving really fast for you within the next week or so.  For now, you should start getting your interview documents in order.   Thank you! Yes, like what I have said, I know it might be too early to say. It's just that the ping-pong of responses by USCIS and NVC is confusing and makes me paranoid.   Similar situations back in 2010/11, took weeks/months to get their case numbers or been sent to storage.   Appreciate the input.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-07 02:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Missing Approved I-129F Petition?	Hi Everyone,   I'm Erika, and I'm the Beneficiary.   First of all, I'd like to thank the admins for creating these forums. It really is a big help to everyone who's thinking of / are already undergoing their own visa journeys. It's a huge support system. Special thanks to those who are done with their journeys and are still helping out, responding to "newbies" (like me!). Even though I seldom post comments on threads, I must say, these forums that you've built have been more than helpful during the first few months of me and my fiancé's journey.   We were part of the CSC Blackhole Months (October filer). Now that we have gotten our NOA2 (April 25th approval), I thought things would run smoother... faster. I was wrong.    Apologies if there have been posts like these before me, but I haven't seen a post like this dated recently.     Situation is... We got our NOA2 on April 25th. Hard copy was delivered on May 6th. It states: The above petition has been approved and forwarded to the listed consulate.   Based from what I've read on here, no matter what the NOA2 says, everything goes through NVC, gets issued a case number, and then forwarded to the consulate. We have been calling NVC everyday, twice a day to check if we have already been issued a MNL Case Number.    The morning we got the NOA2 hardcopy, I told him about what I've read, but he decided to check with USCIS. Tier 1 replied with: No, it's been sent to the Consulate! He asked for Tier 2 and he got: We sent it to NVC! It was received on May 4th.   But tonight, as my fellow October CSC K1 filers (with April 25th NOA2) got their MNL Case Numbers, Chris (my fiancé) called NVC and was given a "No, we don't have your case in our system yet."    We are confused as to what is actually going on. So I tried calling US Embassy Manila just to check, and the gentleman on the other line told me they have no "capabilities" to check USCIS Receipt numbers and that NVC should be the ones to issue a MNL Case Number. Well, I already expected that response, but I just wanted to check. You know, just in case it is there. The gentleman on the line really tried to help with cross-checking my name on their IVO (?) list. So I hung up and thanked him.   I also sent an email inquiry to NVC a few days ago even before we got the NOA 2 hardcopy.       Long story short: USCIS sends confusing NOA2. (Confusing on our part, at least.) Points to US Embassy Manila. Retracts statement. Points to NVC. NVC still claims they don't have the case yet.        I know it's probably still premature. I mean, for all we know, we would be able to get our Case Number tomorrow. But we decided to be pro-active on this. We still plan on calling NVC everyday, but I'm afraid that it got lost and been sent to NRC (as mentioned on a previous thread with a similar situation). Or am I just being paranoid?   What steps should we take now? - Do we just keep calling NVC? - Do we call the DOS Visa Specialist? (Can't seem to find that particular thread, I'll try again later. If you have the number, please leave a comment.) - Do we contact a representative? (Though we tried contacting them during the height of the CSC Blackhole, they weren't much help.)   Anybody who has gone through the same thing? Someone who is going through the same thing? What are the steps you've done / planning to take?    Anyway, thank you for trying to read my long post. Hopefully, when everything is solved, this thread will be helpful to those who are going through the same situation / those who will find themselves in the same shoes. (I wish nobody would go through this unnecessary stress though!)	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-07 02:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	NVC letter	Sorry I couldn't edit my previous post. The Online Registration for the Medical has the MNL Case Number, not the Appointment Confirmation for the Interview.     Has your fiancee scheduled her interview at the US Embassy Manila yet? If so, she can proceed with the Medical already. No need for the NVC Letter / NOA2. When asked about where she got her MNL Case Number, she can say you guys got it by phone.   She only has to show the following at the SLEC.ph guard by the door:   - SLEC.ph Online Information/Confirmation sheet (This is only if she registered online. If not, no biggie. She can fill up her information there. I'd suggest that she register online though. It saves time. www.slec.ph) - Passport - 2 photocopies of her passport bio page - US Embassy Manila Interview Date Confirmation. (Either the email or the Confirmation page when she scheduled her interview. The one with the barcode.) - 2 photocopies of this Appointment letter / Confirmation page. - 3 2x2 photos (White Background) - Black Ballpen (Not a Gel pen or Sign pen) - Payment of Php 9143.00   That's it.      Side note: If you really want a document stating the MNL Case Number, You can do this through NVC Inquiry. Email them at NVCInquiry@state.gov and put your USCIS Receipt Number on the Subject line, and your name as Petitioner. In the body of the email, provide again your USCIS Receipt Number, Petitioner's Name, Petitioner's Date of Birth, Beneficiary's Name and Beneficiary's Date of Birth. Ask for the MNL Case Number the the Case Status if it has been sent to US Embassy Manila already.   They would reply 10-12 days after you sent it. So I guess, if you do it now, you'd have a reply before June 4. She can then print this out and bring this with her to the Medical. This is optional though. She can still take the medical without this.     Edited by Chris & Erika, 19 May 2013 - 09:54 AM.	Mrs.Presson	Female	Philippines	2013-05-19 09:48:00