ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
PhilippinesAge Conflict?????

As was my point... age difference is NOT part of either equation. A K-1 visa will not be denied because of age along. Fraud is still what is watched for with either... so if the relationship is real, no issues.


The CO is not going to say your visa is denied because a young girl should not be marrying a old man! They just say your visa is denied because you have failed to establish a bona fide finance/fiancee relationship, or we believe the relationship is for immigration purposes only. But really it was because the woman was very young, and the man was older 20 to 40 years older and it's hard to proof the relationship is real if she is young. It my experience with the Manila Embassy over the last 25 years if the woman is 18 to 21 and the man is over 40 years old you have a much better chance of getting a visa approved if your married first and then easier to provide proof a bona fide marriage.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-10-31 19:35:00
PhilippinesAge Conflict?????

If 19 years of age would be a red flag for a K-1, it would be a red flag for an IR-1 as well, marriage wouldn't make things different in the embassy's eyes ... they would still be looking for a real relationship and evidence of same.


Not exactly Hank, being married you then need to prove the marriage is real or course, if you can do that then by law they must grant the visa because you are married and you have the right to bring your family member to the USA, age difference is not in the equation. Being a large age difference getting married gives you more rights than a fiancee visas does. They are still quite a bit of visa fraud with K1 visa's, about 100% of the women are 18 to 23 years old. USEM is a lot better now than it was 20 years ago, but back then with a large age difference and the woman being very young, you had about a zero chance of getting a fiancee visa approved.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-10-31 17:57:00
PhilippinesAge Conflict?????

Hi friends! I would like to ask your opinion in behalf of my sister's friend situation. She and her fiance want to file for K1 petition but very anxious about their age gap. This lady is only 19 years old while her fiance is 44. She never went to college but graduated in highschool. Has any of you here encountered such situation? Do you guys think that their age gap would a red flag of their case?

They really love each other though. The man visited her twice last year.

Thanks ahead for your idea and time. God bless us all!

Xoxo. :)


Yes most definitely a 44 year old man filing a fiancee visa for a 19 year woman would be a big red flag. The red flag does not mean a visa denial, just that the consular officer probably will scrutinize the legitimacy of the relationship a lot more. They need to start to prepare some strong documentary evidence that the relationship is legitimate. Affidavits of friends and family members with actual knowledge of their relationship. Proof of a relationship that has developed over time and included regular visits and correspondence over an extended period of time. Pictures of them together with different dates, times and places. It is not the age difference that is the problem, it is her age (19) that will red flag it.

They may want to consider getting married in the Philippines, then file for a visa for her under CR-1.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-10-30 20:52:00
PhilippinesZero American Pride!!!!

Every time i have went to the philippines i have always flown Korean Air. This time around i choose to go with United Airlines to save a few dimes. That was the biggest mistake of my whole visajourney so far. I am going to venture to say that all American owned Airlines are like this one. I cannot stand these Union Card holding B!tch employee's. They are the nastiest rudiest people i have ever had the displeasure of being served by. Each way there and back i had four legs of flights and on ever flight me and Monreal were disrepected by an employee from United Airlines. I have never had this kind of experience on Korean Air. Who the Hell am i going to call to make some serious complaints, oh what a second. If i call United Airlines i get to talk to someone from the philippines at a call center. How the hell can you chew out a philipina? You just cant. I really hate the fact that when someone holds a union card, they can be a B!tch to you and get away with it because they are protected. I will never fly any American owned airline again.


How exactly did they piss you off? I've used PAL, JAL, KAL, Delta, UA, and Northwest and never really had a problem other than luggage problems, KAL and Delta both one time did not get me and my luggage to Manila at the same time, luggage arrived the next day. I bring my own snacks on them long trips, don't like peanuts and pretzels , and the food sucks on all airlines I am not into tv dinners.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-16 02:26:00
PhilippinesPhilippines=recognition of Divorce Decree

I would like to see the look on the local civil registrar's face when the OP and his wife go in to apply for a marriage license and tell him that they're already married! :lol:


Yeah, he would need to go to Embassy first, and I've heard of people trying to do that. Don't know why people think they can be married in the US and again in the PI,,,,,, :lol:
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-18 19:34:00
PhilippinesPhilippines=recognition of Divorce Decree
Divorce decrees secured outside the Philippines are recognized in certain instances. This is provided in Article 26 of the Family Code, which reads in full:

ART. 26. All marriages solemnized outside the Philippines in accordance with the laws in force in the country where they were solemnized, and valid there as such, shall also be valid in this country, except those prohibited under Articles 35(1), (4), (5) and (6), 36, 37 and 38.

Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall have capacity to remarry under Philippine law.

In mixed marriages involving a Filipino and a foreigner, Article 26 of the Family Code allows the former to contract a subsequent marriage in case the divorce is validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry. A divorce obtained abroad by a couple, who are both aliens, may be recognized in the Philippines, provided it is consistent with their respective national laws.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-17 22:59:00
PhilippinesTSA Approved luggage padlocks

TSA don't just cut if off, if you have the keys. And even if you lost your keys, you just need a pen to split open the zippers.


Yeah they do from TSA website.....http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/baggage-locks

TSA screens every passenger's baggage before it is placed on an airplane. While our technology allows us to electronically screen bags, there are times when we need to physically inspect a piece of luggage. TSA has worked with several companies to develop locks that can be opened by security officers using universal "master" keys so that the locks may not have to be cut. These locks are available at airports and travel stores nationwide. The packaging on the locks indicates whether they can be opened by TSA.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-25 09:21:00
PhilippinesTSA Approved luggage padlocks

Hi once again fellow members, I have a questions about using luggage padlocks.Is it necessary to use TSA APPROVED padlocks for checked - in baggage bound for US? OR regular padlocks will do? Are pastries allowed for hand carry?


Yes and Yes, if TSA can't open locks they will cut them off. I never lock my bags. You can carry snacks in carry on.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-25 08:00:00
PhilippinesCan anyone recommend a good lawyer for my annulment?
If the solemnizing officer who married you was not license to do so, then then could be a reason to void the marriage, but it states in the family civil code: Article 35 of the Family Code of the Philippines enumerates which marriages are considered void.



"Solemnized by any person not legally authorized to perform marriages, unless one or both parties believed in good faith that the solemnizing officer had the legal authority to do so."

The law enumerates who are authorized to solemnize marriages. Beyond the list, the marriage which transpired is considered void. However, if any of the parties genuinely believed that the officer had the authority to solemnize the marriage, then the marriage shall remain valid. Good faith means that the parties exerted reasonable inquiry and investigation on the authority of the officer who was to solemnize the ceremony. If you thought at the time the person was authorized to solemnize the marriage, then found out later he was not, this could be grounds to declare the marriage void.

This is something to discuss with the lawyer.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-26 19:17:00
PhilippinesCan anyone recommend a good lawyer for my annulment?

(Just a little background about me. Arrived in Norway Sept 2006. Married in Philippines July 2006. Separated since December 2011. Applied for separation here in Norway July 2012 and our divorce won't be granted until September-December 2013 as I was told. Married for 5 and a half years. Have a permanent residency already in Norway. But please also let me paste this here again coz I want to find out if this little "lie" on their part below is enough ground to make my marriage considered null and void)

"Our wedding was done in Manila City Hall by a "minister" (more like a fixer approached me in the City Hall when I was looking for a judge to marry us before my then husband arrives for our wedding) The fixer introduced me to this minister, paid about 10,000 pesos coz my groom was a foreigner, while the other filipino couple who inquired also at the same time was charged around 2,000 pesos and voila, I got married without attending marriage seminars which is required for 10 days for every couple. My marriage certificate arrived from NSO within a month. His secretary "fixed" it for us and I was able to leave the country the same month. One more thing, the location of our marriage was changed though. In our certificate, it says we were married in a small chapel called Holy Angel Chapel in San Juan Metro Manila when the wedding took place just in Manila City Hall. Does that mean ANYTHING at all? Them faking our wedding location? Of course we didn't say anything then coz we just wanted to leave to get our MC and get approved in my visa.

Also, if in case I found out the minister who married us was not a real one or has no license or "right" to marry a couple (I am currently researching about him) will that make our marriage automatically invalid since even our wedding location in the marriage certificate, they had to fake?"

I am seriously considering getting my annulment done in Philippines instead coz the divorce proceedings here in Norway is taking so long plus maybe I could show it to the US embassy here in Norway/Sweden during my K1 interview that I am annulled already there in Philippines (and since we were married there, our annulment there should count more right? Regardless if the divorce filed in Norway is still ongoing or???) And I hope somebody could recommend me a good, but affordable lawyer. If you have a first hand experience with them, much better. Thanks in advance :)


Annulment in the Philippines can take a year or longer....

It is up to the Local Civil Registrar to release the marriage license, the 10 day waiting period can be waived. What makes the marriage legal is the "marriage license". The marriage cannot be void based on not waiting 10 days or not attending pre marriage counseling. The place of marriage makes no difference as long as the marriage was conducted in good faith.

If you still are a Filipino citizen.......

What are the requirements for a Filipino spouse to be allowed to remarry?

A. The alien spouse should file a petition for divorce;
B. The petition is granted by a foreign court and a valid decree is rendered dissolving
the marriage between the alien and the Filipino.
C. The divorce decree capacitates the alien spouse to once again enter a contract of
marriage.
D. After you get a divorce you would need to file for a recognition of Foreign Divorce in court in the Philippines.

Annulments can be expensive.....

Joyce Felisa B. Domingo
5th level, Citi Center Building,
#8741 Paseo de Roxas,
Salcedo Village 1227 Makati City
Philippines
Telephone: (02) 823-1090
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-26 18:52:00
PhilippinesTransit Visa

Perhaps this concern i have is applied to Asian travelers bound for US..Is there anybody here who experienced flight to the US and had lay - over in Japan,Taiwan and Korea? Is a transit visa needed? If yes, how long will it take to have one?
Any suggestion for what airline is best to take from Manila to Philadelphia? thanks a lot fellow members..


You do not need a visa if your simply traveling to the US and need to change planes at a airport in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, or any other country.

If you plan to stopover, leave the airport and visit inside the country then you need a visa.

Edited by Mimi and Gary, 26 November 2012 - 04:31 PM.

GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-26 16:29:00
PhilippinesPlease Help! How can I get a Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage in bacolod!?

Now my next question is.. Do you think or know anybody how i can get a number to a judge or anybody?? Can you ask your philipino.. wife please? I need some number where i can call and inquire about early marriage .. perferably in bacolod or any cities near it. Not manila. Thanks!


Have your Fiancee check with the local civil registrars office, explain to them that you are time limited and cannot wait 10 days and you need to do the marriage application in advance of your arrival to the Philippines. This is up to the civil registrar to allow this, your finance will summit her docs, she will need a copy of your birth cert, passport. When you arrive you will supply your necessary documents and pick up the marriage license.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-26 12:36:00
PhilippinesProblems with Family....need advice
Guess this is something you don't really think about until it happens. Mixed marriages can upset some people, where it may be racism and prejudice, or religious values. Some friends and family may oppose you because it's a mixed marriage or they may have a problem if she is much younger than you. First get used to it, cause you will run into people all the time that will think that way.

The best advise I can give you is learn to not let it matter you, expect it and ignore them and hope when they get to know her they will can change their thinking. What they think or what they say should not matter to you, if it does then maybe you should not be in a mixed marriage to stat with.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-23 22:32:00
PhilippinesTravel to the Philippines with a Baby

Thanks for the info. :thumbs:

So when does the Philippine passport put into use? Is it just a "ticket" so a dual citizen (Filipino-American) can stay in the Philippines for a long time without paying any fee or visa?


Yeah you can stay forever if dual citizen. US citizens who are former Filipino citizens get Balikbayan visa anyway that is good for a year. So about the only reason to be a dual citizen,if your moving there to live, or if you want to buy real property, or work there. You can enter the country on a US passport, or Filipino passport don't make any difference, just need to show that you are a Filipino citizen went you enter, and stay as long as you want too! No visa needed.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-12-03 22:50:00
PhilippinesTravel to the Philippines with a Baby

Hi VJ's...just want to ask anybody who traveled to back in the Philippines the following question:

1. If a baby is only few months old are we required to purchase them a plane ticket too and pay a certain amount.

2. If the baby is bor here in the US, and if his birth is also reported to the Philippine Embassy close to where we are at, will he baby be able to come back and forth the Philippines just like a regular Philippine Citizen?

3. I am just confused also, if we report the baby's birth to the Philippine embassy, do they get like dual citizenship (US & Philippines)?

Thanks everyone!



Baby will need a US passport, check with the airline to see if baby needs to buy a ticket, while domestic flights may not require a ticket flights to another country require a ticket. Some airline offer discounted tickets if baby will be in your lap and not require a seat.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-12-02 15:47:00
PhilippinesMarriage in Philippines

I think what you are missing is that it has been reported to the US Embassy that there are multiple instances of local registrars absolutely refusing to take the affidavit. When you go to apply for the affidavit the consul goes through a long speech of telling you now that not all registrars will accept the affidavit and that there is absolutely nothing else the Embassy can do so you need to confirm ahead of time that they will indeed accept it. These local registrars are insisting on a CENOMAR for a non-Filipno citizen (which we know won't be acquired). If you have previously been married to a Filipino they will however accept a CEMAR and a judicial recognition of the divorce decree.

Just because you and I and a whole bunch of other people have managed to find responsible and helpful registrars when we got married does not nullify the fact that other registrars are either deliberately blocking or making it more difficult for foreigners from marrying in their jurisdictions by refusing to accept anything but NSO issued documents. In those case the applicants have very little legal recourse in a timely manner. In the OP's case his fiance's family refuses to allow her to change residency to another area that might be more inclined to accept the affidavit.


Yeah this is kind of what a Filipino citizen would do if divorced from a foreign spouse. File a recognized divorce decree from the Phills court with NSO and get a updated CENOMAR showing the former marriage then the divorce/annulment of marriage. If that is what they are telling the OP to do, then they maybe they think he is a former Philippine citizen.

I know what the rules say about filing for a marriage application, but this is the way it works in the Philippines. If you have a relative that lives in another municipality then you can use their address for the application. What matters is the address match the district. The Filipina just says she is living with her Aunt, Cousin, Brother, Friend... ect if asked. After you get the marriage license then you can be married anywhere in the Phills. This happens a lot, Filipinas meet their soon to be husband in Manila and they start the process of getting a marriage license there. Funny you mention Quezon City as one place that quit accepting the embassy affidavits, this was the number one place in the Philippines to apply for a marriage license because you could download the application online and fill it out ahead of time, and they were easy to deal with. They would even let only one person file the application if the other party lived far away, like the USA..... :yes: Just don't confuse the local registrar with the facts, that you have a previous marriage to a Filipino.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-11-25 20:16:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsOctober 2011 - I-130 Filers
Approved today!
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-18 00:04:00
PhilippinesManila Airport wife is going home for a visit ?

She has a green card, she is not a U.S. citizen so will be traveling on a Philippine passport. If she were a U.S. citizen and not reaffirming her Philippine citizenship she would have the same limitation of 21 days without a visa as she would be traveling on a U.S. passport.


No visa shall be required for a maximum stay of one (1) year [renewable for an additional 6 months for a total of 18 months] for the following Balikbayan, every time they enter the Philippines to visit, regardless of the frequency of their travel to the Philippines.

1. Former Philippine citizens (including Filipinos who have become naturalized U.S. citizens, and citizens of the Bahamas, Bermuda and other countries within the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Washington, D.C.); Also eligible are Filipino citizens living overseas. A typical situation is that the Filipino visitor to the Philippines is not yet a foreign citizen, but he or she has an immigration card from a foreign nation [such as a "green card" in the USA].

2. Foreign spouses and minor foreign unmarried children of Filipinos and former Filipino citizens.

The balikbayan free visa privilege is extended to former Philippine citizens, the foreign spouse and the foreign minor unmarried children of Philippine citizens.

The former Philippine citizen shall declare before a Philippine Immigration Officer at the port of entry that he/she is availing of the balikbayan privilege and shall present his/her valid passport in addition to any of the following documents:

1. cancelled Philippine passport;
2. birth certificate; 3. naturalization papers to show former Philippine citizenship; or
4. certification from the adopted country.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-01-24 15:59:00
PhilippinesFraud wife being removed from US

who's she legally married to depends on where she is residing. in the Philippines, she is still legally married to husband #1,. the subsequent marriages woud not be recognized. the US does recognize other countries marriages. she obtained a divorce, so in the US, your marriage is the one that would be considered valid.



In general, unless the marriage breaks U.S. state laws, marriages which are legally performed and valid abroad are also legally valid in the United States. Inquiries regarding the validity of a marriage abroad should be directed to the attorney general of the state in the United States where the parties to the marriage live.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-01-24 16:14:00
PhilippinesSevere arm bruising a week after medical
This happens sometimes, just bleeding under the skin. A small egg like lump may appear. Just take some tylenol for the pain, don't rub it, use ice to reduce swelling. Take a couple of days for the pain to go away, and a few weeks for bruising to fade. Happen to me one time, could not use my arm for 2 weeks, if pain is severe maybe have a doctor look at it.

Edited by Mimi and Gary, 18 February 2012 - 03:22 PM.

GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-02-18 15:16:00
PhilippinesTrip to Manila

bring candy from home that they dont have here. Bring Reese Pieces, Junior Mints, York peppermint patty, starbursts!



That's ok for the kids, but the adults think if you don't give them Toblerone bars your cheap.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-08 22:33:00
PhilippinesRequirements for CFO Seminar
This is what the CFO says is required:
Requirements for Attendance to Guidance and Counseling Program

1. Two (2) valid identification cards (IDs) with photograph; NBI, passport, postal ID.
2. Duly completed guidance and counseling form;
3. If married, certified true copy and photocopy of marriage contract on security paper from the National Statistics Office, or Local Civil Registry Offices; or original and photocopy of marriage contract duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy/ Consulate (if married abroad)
4. Other documents as may be required by the counselors; and
5. Payment of P250.00 counseling fee.

Here is what number 4 can be other documents:

1. Original and Photocopy of Birth Certificate (From NSO or CTC from Local Civil Registrar duly authenticated by NSO).
2. Photocopy of Birth Certificate of Husband/Fiancee.
3. Photocopy of Passport of Husband/Fiancee.
4. Photocopy of a Divorce Decree of husband, if he is divorced.
5. Photocopy of Proof of Singleness of Fiancee {CENOMAR).
6. Photocopy or copy of picture together (you and your husband/fiancee.
7. If under 23 years of age a notarized/certified letter from parents giving permission to leave the Philippines.

Also you need to know about your husband/fiancee complete name, birthday, address, mother's family name, how many times he/she got married/divorced (reason of divorced), how many children he had (if there is any), kind of work/job/salary, address of workplace, husband/fiance's educational attainment, course, when, where and how did you met, etc. Be sure to be able to text husband/fiancee for other information they may ask.


It just depends I think on the CFO office you go to, the CO you get for interview, if you already have your visa or not on what other documents they ask for. My wife when to CFO Cebu, and they asked for all above. Caused another trip from Leyte to Cebu to deliver the letter from her parents before they would grant the counseling certificate.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-14 11:45:00
PhilippinesThis CENOMAR insanity

Anyone from this site? I'd like to see their timelines if they have one.


Some don't update their timeline, but if you read the forums you will find that some passed the interview, but were ordered to get a updated CENOMAR or CEMAR before the visa would be issued. This most times is about a 2 week delay in getting visa in hand. A friend of mine had to do this last year. Sometimes they will accept documents that are 6 months or even a year old at time of interview, but they like them to be 3 months old or less from time of the issue date at the interview, just depends on the the officer doing the interview.

Has she when to the CFO yet? That process is the biggest joke. If you go by what the CFO website says the required documents needed are then your really going to be upset!
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-13 13:33:00
PhilippinesThis CENOMAR insanity
I can't say that I know of any married person that was asked to provide a CENOMAR at the interview. I do know of several people who was requested to summit a updated with current date CEMAR before the visa could be issued.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-13 10:27:00
Philippinesis it possible?
I did a civil wedding in 14 days.....Plan ahead.
GaryKOMalePhilippines2012-04-18 11:58:00