ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
PhilippinesSo...where are the VJ Fil-Am success stories?

great situations, thought we would throw in ours, too. Roda has been in Hawaii for 5 months, we have been married 3 of those. It just keeps getting better and better! So much to look forward to! Before I met her, I thought I had all the time in the world. Now life seems so short. So much to do, so much to experience together! 
 
Our AOS (i-485) just got accepted 3 days ago! Moving on and moving forward!
 
Funny note: The longer she stays in Hawai`i, the shorter her next vacation in the Philiipines becomes! Who can blame her? dancin5hr.gif




Not much culture shock, esp when she learns pidgin good. My wife was the same way.

Psoas10MalePhilippines2014-03-03 13:34:00
PhilippinesCommission on filipinos overseas
I think she will have an easy time at the CFO. My wife had an easy time.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2012-08-02 15:14:00
PhilippinesWhere's your hometown?
My wife is from Laoag City. The infamous Ferdinand Marcos is from Sarrat. I am from Hawaii and that is where we live.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2009-02-26 14:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsSent i-129F to CSC no NOA1
I filed to CSC on April 13th. When I tracked it a 2 weeks later, the USPS website said that CSC recieved on April 17th. Then I checked my bank account couple days later, and the checked was cashed. So it took 3 weeks from them to cash the check. So I assume it may take another week to get the hard copy of the NOA1 in the mail. I live in Hawaii, so it takes longer to get stuff through the mail. So It can take a while. After 4weeks, then I would start worrying more.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-05-08 14:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTraveling when k1 visa is issued to get married in another usa state

Very true, we got married in Hawaii and the day after the wedding, we went to the Department of Health (where they register birth, wedding, death) to request copies of our marriage certificate, we got it in the mail in 4 weeks... make sure if you decide to get married in Hawaii, make time to request a copy while you are there... requesting via mail will take longer... Make sure that your wedding officiate know this too, so that they will turn over your signed marriage license right away after the wedding... Goodluck!!!


I bet your wife never wanted to leave. :unsure: Being that Hawaii is closer to being like PI than the mainland. I can see why people think we are not a part of the US.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2012-07-22 14:08:00
Asia: East and PacificEnough money for sponsor for K1 for PI
Yeah that is what i have been hearing, thnaks for the info. If they CO looks at what I will make in the future, too then no problem. Also with that job I have to be very law abiding or loose my job. Yeah by then i should have saved over 10,000 dollars as well.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-04-01 03:49:00
Asia: East and PacificEnough money for sponsor for K1 for PI
I have lurked alot, but now i need the advice of the VJ members. I live in Hawaii and filing a K1 visa for my fiance in PI. The thing is from 2001-2006 i was kinda poor, and no where near the 20,000 threshold for the 134. However I will most likely get a job with the TSA in may or june. So i was wondering if they would look at job at its 35,000 a year salary and approve the visa? I can get my parents to co-sponsor, but it seems that the consulate does not approve of this. Therefore should i worry about that, which would be 9 months down the road, and just file and pray?
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-25 17:15:00
Asia: East and PacificHomesickness and Adjusting to America
Hmm i expect my wife to fit in quite well here. In fact she we be able to translate for me when we goto walmart or taco bell,haha. I think she will be shocked to see how much Hawaii is like the philippines. It will be like she never left. So I am not worried. I think the hardest part will be learning how to drive.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-04-01 03:55:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
Hmm that is interesting that some people say co-sponsor is not allowed, while some say you can. Also a surrogate is allowed. So i can use my parents then? Well I just got my new job, and I shall make over 20,000 by her interview. I just hope they view my future potential earnings, and by then I should have about 8-10,000 in the bank. Of course my new problem is that makes seeing my sweety impossible now. Will one trip be enough to prove a bonafide relationship? I heard 2 or more is the norm.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-04-04 02:36:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
Hmm thanks for the information, PW. So I should be worrying about the NOA1 and NOA2 instead. Hmm Have not even filed yet, sobrang stress ko. Well good luck to your interview, and everybody else having their's too.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-27 18:26:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
Yeah i would not worry either, esp if you meet all the requirements. Like for me i might sweat bullets, coz i was poor for the last 3 years. Yeah Filipinos are the best, esp since most of my friends are Filipinos, and my future wife will be too. Also they seem more maganda in PI then here in Hawaii. Well no offense to the ones coming here,hehe.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-27 02:19:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
I would like to introduce myself to this thread, and to everybody who this thread has helped. My name is Jay and I was born and raised on Kauai, which is one of the main Islands in Hawaii. I posted about income and avadavit of support problems earlier. Thanks to starprog for giving me a good answer. I have learned alot on this labis thread. Anyway if any of you have questions about rasising bi-racial kids, i can be of some advice, because I am half asian half white. I intend to participate in this thread.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-26 18:11:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
Hmm thanks for the advice. It seems that is what I am hearing from everybody else too. Yet i hear different things about the co-sponsor. Also it seems like if I am not approved, then i can just refile if I need too, like PW did. I wonder how much pull the OFW has with the consulate, or if they have some kind of love/hate relationship. My mom made a contact with a high ranking person during they visit to the state of Hawaii during the sakada celebration we just had. Well just thinking out loud here. I have 8-9 months to wait until a potential interview. Starprog, so your wife is Ilocano too? Where is she from? My my fiance is from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-26 15:58:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionManila Embassy Interview
I posted this in the sub-forum of asia, but got no response. And as i browsed through all 460pages of this thread i will post it here. I have lurked alot, but now i need the advice of the VJ members. I live in Hawaii and filing a K1 visa for my fiance in PI. The thing is from 2001-2006 i was kinda poor, and no where near the 20,000 threshold for the 1-34. I only averaged 8000 a year. However I will most likely get a job with the TSA in may or june. So i was wondering if they would look at job and it's 35,000 a year salary and approve the visa? I can get my parents to co-sponsor, but it seems that the consulate does not approve of this. Therefore should i worry about that, which would be 9 months down the road, and just file and pray? Also congrats to everybody who was approved, and good luck living in America. I know my wife will fit in rather easy, coz they are many Filipinos here, and she is Ilocano, which the majority of them here, plus her aunty and cousin live here.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-03-26 02:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionA special thread for PatientlyWaiting...
Yeah I just joined the old thread, and don't even have a NOA2 yet, not even the NOA1. So good luck PW, you have helped alot of people on both sides of the pacific and even in the middle of the pacific. Hmm maybe you should have POE here in Hawaii, or get married here. I can hook you up with free or very cheap spa massages here. I am a LMT in Hawaii, and you and your husband deserve some pampering. You have me alot too. Salamat Po.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-04-12 03:11:00
PhilippinesNew Philippines Regional Forum .. WoOhOo .. :)
Yeah this sub forum will be great. Coz that other thread became so big being the place to go fo everything about PI and such. New bahay, woo hoo
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-05-23 01:01:00
PhilippinesTrying to learn Visayan, any tips?
Well the one thing that helps me, is to watch tagalog movies with subtitles. They probably is not much visayan movies per say. The best thing to to is write and speak it as much as possible with your wife. There is alot less resoureces to learn visayan compared to tagalog. For me ilocano is the dialect spoken here more, and my fiance speaks that. We decided to have me learn tagalog first. One last tip is the write snail mail in visayan her. Use a dictonary an write to her, and she can correct you.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-05-23 02:15:00
PhilippinesCancelling petition
I find it odd that he would this person would start a thread about sending jewelry through the mail, and cancelling the petition.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-07-22 15:48:00
Philippinescultural differences
The only problems my fiance will have is driving and some of the Appliances, like oven and turning on the tv system here. The foods are the same here, and hot dogs and rice are breakfast foods here. In fact she will help adjust to the culture here, haggle for me at the farmers market etc. There is TFC here for her too watch. Also the weather, yeah she will be cold here when the temp drops to 70 at night,hehe. Of course in the mainland it can be way different and harder for her to adjust.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-07-22 15:44:00
Philippinescultural differences
Wow the money goes to the family. Hmm glad I dont have that problem. I send her some money and it goes straight into the bank, after paying the phone bills. Yeah she showed her bank statement. In reality she will help me alot with dealing with all the filipinos here. Coz there are alot here. She will make sure they dont talk bad about us.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-07-20 22:00:00
Philippinescultural differences
Hmm the money thing was a new one too me. Then my fiance is ilocano, so that explains why she is so tight with money sometimes. I think I will have to adjust more than my fiance. She will be right at home here.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-07-19 22:39:00
PhilippinesAny good Filipino restaurants in Vegas?
Wow it is nice to see that there is Joilbee and Chow King in Vegas. Hmm i wonder why there is none in Hawaii yet. Of course the best filipino food is home cooked kind. It is party season here in Hawaii, time to eat alot of filipino food.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-06-18 19:04:00
PhilippinesFilipinos in Texas
I used to live in Texas, San Antonio. So spurs all the way. I might move back if the fiance does not mind lving there. She may throw a fit moving from Hawaii to Texas. But the cost of living is so cheap there.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-05-23 02:26:00
PhilippinesSending Money Home
700 dollars a month? Wow that is a good salary for 2 people with college degrees working in PI, or one very good job. My fiance used to work for the HR dept at 5 star hotel and only made 200 dollars a month. She has a bachelors degree, too. Also if she cant say where to money is going then that is another red flag to me. Everybody situation is different, and mine is not very common, where most of her family works at good jobs. I would have a very good discussion with her, and try and dig around these forums for posts on this topic.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-08-08 02:57:00
PhilippinesSomeone please help me with Philippines Addresses
Have her mail something to you. When my fiance did that, she wrote her return address as it would be on the envelope. Also I got her address and phone number from her cousin here, and it was in the correct order.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-08-20 02:49:00
PhilippinesGoing to have a cruise
Hawaii would be a good place to visit. It seems alot of people forget that Hawaii is a state in the US, which is why plenty of filipinos are here and are US citizens. In fact we just celebrated our admission day, which is a holiday this past Friday. Also the cruise here allows ample time to see all the main Islands in Hawaii.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-08-20 02:52:00
PhilippinesWhat is CFO?
Yeah abuse can happen, and alot of pinays dont realize how different most of the US is compared to PI. However if they goto hawai, or the west coast, then it is like they never left, with all the filipinos here. Heck where I work it is 90% filipino. I get to speak tagalog everyday.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-09-10 03:51:00
PhilippinesNovember Interview Date
QUOTE (irene @ Oct 9 2007, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
just want to add mine for the november interview
Case Number: MNL2007xxxxxxx
Visa Classification: K3
St. Luke's Appointment Date: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 (7:00:00 AM)
Embassy Appointment Date: Thursday, November 08, 2007 (7:30:00 AM


Oh wow almost the same as my fiance. Her medical is on Wed 31, and her interview is Nov, 8 too.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-10-12 03:13:00
PhilippinesFinally Here!!!!!
QUOTE (JimA1971 @ Oct 12 2007, 05:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, the journey is finally over. (or just beginning!) I picked Aubrey up yesterday at Orlando International and today was her 1st full day here. We spent the day grocery shopping (at Wal-Mart and the Filipino store!)


Hehe, Those two stores are one and the same here, well the workforce at our walmart is 90% Filipino. Also she won't have to adjust to the weather much. Yeah so good luck in your future life together, and maybe Honeymoon in Hawaii, where it is really like PI.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-10-14 03:54:00
PhilippinesSuggestions for adjustment in the US
Yeah no culture shock here for my fiance. She has family here, the Island is about 40% filipino. Also she is not white, so she will fit right into the local culture here in Hawaii. Heck she wil fit in better than me, esp when we go shopping at wal-mart or go the the farmers market. Also the climate is similar here, just a little colder.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-10-28 04:26:00
PhilippinesBest Airfare
Yeah and I think PAL has a first time visa price. My fiance has a price of about 550 from Laoag to Honolulu. But to the Mainland I am not so sure of the price.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-18 17:37:00
PhilippinesAcclimatization, Philippines to USA
Yeah alam ko that filipinos like to sing. We had a demo magic sing mike at the wal-mart here. We had to take it down cos all the workers would sing and nothing would get done. I thought I was back at theSM mall back in PI. I guess when the workforce is 90% Filipino, that would happen. The only real big difference here, is the cost of living and the prices. Other than that I expect she will miss her parents, but she has family here.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-18 17:35:00
PhilippinesAcclimatization, Philippines to USA
I expect no culture shock at all. She will think she is in PI still, esp Laoag,hehe.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-16 16:30:00
PhilippinesNovember Interview Releases
My fiance interview was on the 8th of november. She got a text from delbros that her visa was released on the 13th. Now she has to wait. Grr it seems that delbros waits until they get a decent amount of visas to deliver to outlyling provinces. My fiance called and they have it, just that they need more to Laoag visas to deliver it. Hmm kuripot to me.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-19 04:59:00
PhilippinesCFO experience
Well if you mean Fil-am and Filpino, than I am not. But I was never married and have no kids and so was my fiance. So for her it was pretty easy. Also she is going to to Hawaii which is as close as you get to being PI without going there, no offense to those in Cali. Also the age gap was 8 years so not so bad. But main thing is it seems our SO passed and will be coming to America soon, or here already.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-28 04:36:00
PhilippinesCFO experience
Hmm, my fiance had an easy time with the one on one counselor. Maybe just good luck, or the fact that I live in Hawaii. Oh well good luck to us all who went to this process.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-27 05:03:00
PhilippinesSurvey Says?
Well my fiance is from Ilocos Norte, so she speaks Ilocano, and Taglog and English, Which most Filipinos speak or understand. She will be fine in Hawaii where there alot of Ilocanos here, about 85% of the filipinos here. Weird thing is people in Manila though we were a tagalog couple. coz she speaks fluent tagalog and I look like a meztizzo
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-10-28 04:20:00
PhilippinesNovember Interview at US Embassy Manila
Yeah my fiance was approved today too. She said the female consul was real nice and approved alot of people. So good luck to everybody approved today.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-11-08 05:23:00
PhilippinesNovember Interview at US Embassy Manila
Nov 8th for my fiance.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-09-18 05:36:00
PhilippinesHow can I make her transition easier?
It all depends where you live in the US. I live in Hawaii, and well there alot of Filipinos here. Hmm somtimes I feel she is at home more than me, esp where I work. Most of my friends are filipino, so she has fun meeting them too. Also she has some family here as well. But try and see if there are Filipinos around she can chat with, and get TFC for sure.
Psoas10MalePhilippines2007-12-22 06:14:00