ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCEMAR for CR1 visa !
I believe that no matter if you are married or if you are single, either way, you apply for a CENOMAR. Then, if you have never been married, the NSO will issue you a CENOMAR. If you have been married, the NSO will issue you a "CRS Form No. 5 - Advisory on Marriages." I believe the "CRS Form No. 5 - Advisory on Marriages" is also called a "CEMAR" or a "Marriage Index."

CRS Form No. 5 - Advisory on Marriages
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-05 12:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresImmunizations Needed??
1. Your wife does not need an immunization record for her medical at St. Lukes.

2. Don't get any shots before the medical exam. They are included in the price of the medical.

3. Forget the "required" immunizations. Your wife won't be getting 14 shots at St. Lukes. Most of those vaccinations on the "required" list are not age appropriate. She'll get anywhere from two to four vaccinations...TDap...MMR...and Varicella (if she hasn't had the chicken pox before). Also, they'll give her a flu shot if it's still flu season.

4. The vaccinations at St. Lukes will not slow down the process.

5. One vaccination requires two doses. I forget which one it is, but don't worry about it because she can get the second dose when she gets to the U.S.

6. Your wife can complete the medical a week or so before her interview.

7. Your wife can either fly to Manila twice, once for the medical and once for the interview, or she can spend a week or so in Manila and get everything done during the same trip.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-11 00:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCopy of both sides of birth certificate? Nothing on back side

If intructions says copy of front and back then do so even it's a blank page.

Good luck!

^^^ Agreed... :thumbs: :thumbs:
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-18 17:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresShould I Include a CD (for photos) In my I-130?

Make hard copies of everything on the CD and send that instead.

You're kidding...right? :o
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-05 01:20:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOther documents required?
Here is what the U.S. Embassy Manila says:

6. NBI CLEARANCE (Green Form). Applicants aged 16 years and older must have a valid Record Clearance (for travel abroad purposes) from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Clearances should be in the applicant’s current name, birth certificate name, maiden name and any aliases or nicknames used, including different spellings you have used of those names. An official letter of explanation from the NBI is required for any notation of “No criminal record” or "No pending case”. For immigration purposes, an NBI clearance is valid for one (1) year from the date it was issued. The NBI web site is http://www.nbi.gov.ph.

U.S. Embassy Manila link.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-22 08:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHong Kong or Mania Embassy Better
I don't know which Embassy is quicker or easier but, if she goes through the Hong Kong Embassy and she leaves for the U.S. from Hong Kong, she won't have to attend the CFO seminar nor be required to have a CFO sticker in her passport like she would if she left from the Philippines.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-23 19:03:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPrevious K1

I have a friend who had a USC boyfriend in 2004, who filed a K1 and approved, but in an interview she was refused in 2007 because she was still married, too late for her to back up when she found out her cenomar...

^^^ Not true. She could have backed out before her interview. As soon as she got her CENOMAR, she knew that she needed to get an annulment.

From the Embassy's perspective, she misrepresented herself on her G-325a, DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157, and DS-230.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-25 12:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPrevious K1
The Embassy probably sent the K-1 petition back to the USCIS with a fraud marker on it.

My prediction is that she's going to have a rough time with the I-130.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-24 15:39:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresChanging wife's passport Philippines
Your wife can leave her passport in her maiden name if she chooses to do so. You won't have any problem using her married name on any paperwork because that's exactly what you should do. Your NSO marriage certificate bridges the gap between her maiden name and her married name.

However, it's much easier to amend her passport in the Philippines than it is in the U.S. To amend her passport in the Philippines, she needs her NSO marriage certificate, her CFO cetificate of attendance, and any other DFA requirements.

Also, it might be a good idea to amend her passport now to make sure that her green card will be issued in her married name.

Keep in mind that she is not "renewing" her passport, she's "amending" it. If the DFA clerk gives her any problems, ask to talk to a supervisor. She's allowed to amend her passport.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-25 11:31:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespolice clearance
thank you, even i worked in saudi for more than 1 yr?
[/quote]
You won't need it even if you worked there for more than one year.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-02-22 11:37:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespolice clearance
Because you are no longer living in Saudi, the U.S. Embassy Manila will not require you to submit a Saudi police clearance.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-02-22 10:35:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPOLICE CERTIFICATE

No. If he lives in KSA he needs a police certificate from there. You need one from every country you've lived in for over a year after the age of 16.

OP - if you are doing the NVC route you send it, and a photocopy to the NVC with the other original documents. They will forward it to the embassy. You do not need to bring the original if the original was submitted to the NVC.

You're right, NikiR. Thank you for the correction. :thumbs:

I mistakenly thought this was a fiancé(e) visa case where the beneficiary was going to leave the KSA and move back to the Philippines.

@OP...According to the U.S. Embassy Manila, your fiancé will need to submit a copy of the KSA police clearance at the Embassy interview. Also, It's not necessary to get a local police clearance from the Philippines. However, an NBI clearance is needed. USEM link.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-03 11:37:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPOLICE CERTIFICATE

Yeah but he is still in KSA ..and wont be going home till the time of interview. Thats why I was asking if we still need to submit the original police certificate if he is able to get one and just keep a photocopy in hand just in case they as for it on interview

Because he's interviewing in Manila, he won't be required to submit a police clearance from the KSA.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-02 02:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPOLICE CERTIFICATE
The U.S. Embassy Manila's interview preparation instructions for spousal visas and for fiancé(e) visas do not say whether or not a police clearance has to be an original. Link to U.S. Embassy Manila interview preparation instructions for spousal visas.

You will be fine. Take a photocopy of your KSA police certificate with you to your interview. That's more than most people submit. The consular officers understand that you can't get a KSA police clearance if you aren't in KSA. Many people submit no KSA police clearance at all to the NVC or to the Embassy and they don't have any problems.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-01 13:25:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNBI and passport
You should change your passport to your married name and use your married name going forward. As part of the process to change your passport to your married name, you will be required to attend the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) seminar and to submit the CFO certificate of attendance to the DFA. You can attend the CFO seminar either in Manila or in Cebu. For more information on the CFO: CFO website.

You will need to get one NBI clearance which includes your married name, your maiden name, and any other aka's which you have used.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-06 10:04:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWife's Passport biographic page DS230 IV Package
She wouldn't have any problem at the POE if her passport were in her maiden name and her visa were in her married name.

As part of the process to amend her passport, she'll need to attend the CFO seminar. The DFA will require her to submit the CFO certificate of attendance.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-06 10:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespreparing for my interview.

Scanned copies are fine. Good luck! smile.png

^^^  good.gif good.gif

 

 

 

 

Could you fill out your timeline? 

 

All the best with the interview!

^^^  good.gif good.gif


TahomaMalePhilippines2013-04-30 10:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMedical Exam is about to expire before Interview date

Did u just had the sputum tests or did u had the sputum culture?

If St. Lukes sees anything on your x-ray, they will require three sputum smear tests and the sputum culture too.


TahomaMalePhilippines2013-05-04 12:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPrevious k1 visa, no divorce, now CR-1- problem?

It is irrelevant where he lives now. You can file for divorce in any state/county. Your friend needs to get in touch with ex and get copies of the divorce documentation, or at least where it was filed and granted.

^^^ :thumbs: :thumbs: ...+1

She is not single, she is married. Just because she didn't register the marriage in the Philippines/ did not file AOS does not mean she is/ was not legally married to husband 1. There are three possibilities here, none good but some better than others:
- The US ex-husband got a divorce from her in-absentia. If this happened before she got re-married in 2010, she is ok. She will be in some trouble for not declaring the first marriage on her spousal visa paperwork, but she can submit a corrected copy and copy of the divorce papers and while they will give her a hard time, she will probably be ok.
- The US ex-husband got a divorce from her in-absentia, it was final after she married husband 2. That means she was not free to marry and thus the current petition is invalid. She needs to cancel the interview, admit she made a mistake, get properly married to husband 2 and have him re-petition her.
- She is still married to husband 1, no divorce was ever finalised. Big trouble for both her and husband 1.

= essentially, she needs to get in touch with husband 1 asap and find out what the story is. She should NOT go to the interview untilo this is sorted, she will be slapped with a material missrep which is a lifetime ban.

^^^ :thumbs: :thumbs: ...+1
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-24 16:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVaccinations

Don't worry, St. Lukes will give your wife only the usual, age-appropriate shots: Varicella, tDap, MMR, and maybe HepB.  They also give a flu shot during flu season.


TahomaMalePhilippines2013-05-18 12:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFilipina previously married in Phil. and remaried in Canada with US citizen man with out undergo the annulment in Phil. anyone can advice ?

The U.S. Embassy will accept your friend's Canadian divorce.  In that regard, she won't have any problems getting a spousal visa.  

 

The CFO is the one who may have a problem with her lack of an annulment. However, If she gets her spousal visa in Canada, she won't have to worry about completing the CFO seminar.  


TahomaMalePhilippines2013-06-06 10:02:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespreparing for interview

What are the possible questions will ask? My husband had a criminal record...

 

 

...he went to jail for 4months because of criminal domestic violence and he is on probation...

 

The consular officer will probably ask you the same questions that you should be asking yourself.


Edited by Tahoma, 05 July 2013 - 04:22 PM.

TahomaMalePhilippines2013-07-05 16:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespolice clearance

thank you! =)


You're welcome.

TahomaMalePhilippines2013-08-07 11:37:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespolice clearance

Is police clearance/criminal background needed for the petitioner or just for the beneficiary or for both?

If the beneficiary (spousal visa) is going to interview at the U.S. Embassy Manila, they will need an NBI clearance, not a local filipino police clearance.

If the beneficiary lived overseas for a year or more after the age of 16, they will be required to submit a police clearance from that foreign country (with a few exceptions, such as KSA).

For K-1ers, a foreign police clearance must be submitted if they lived in a foreign country for six months or more after the age of 16. Some exceptions apply.

,

Edited by Tahoma, 07 August 2013 - 10:15 AM.







TahomaMalePhilippines2013-08-07 10:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresRegistered marriage in Philippines or In USA
You don't need to register your marriage in the U.S. if anyone needs to see your see your marriage certificate, just show them your NSO marriage certificate.
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-09-20 09:32:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAffidavit Of Support property and bank account
You can use your own liquid assets, or you can use a joint sponsor.
TahomaMalePhilippines2014-01-15 10:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMy cousin's very complicated process..we need your advice...

Will she be able to come back with a different kind of visa?

It would be a snowy day in Manila before she ever got a work visa, a tourist visa, or a student visa.

Her only hope might be a fiancée visa or a spousal visa.

She had better get started on her annulment.
TahomaMalePhilippines2012-10-09 12:39:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresChange of Address at POE
Here is the USCIS info regarding change of address: http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange
TahomaMalePhilippines2014-02-17 16:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-864 co sponsor
They will look at the amount on line 22 of the 1040 form.
TahomaMalePhilippines2014-02-18 11:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedureshusband lost tax return... help ..what we need to do?

He could get his tax transcripts online now.
http://www.irs.gov/I.../Get-Transcript


^^^ This!

TahomaMalePhilippines2014-02-19 15:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduressuggestion is highly needed....

yes ... but she has this anxious feeling because of that previous denial and also it has been two years plus  since they just met in person and got married right away.... 


The couple will need to demonstrate a bona fide relationship to the consular officer. Maybe it's time for her hubby to visit again.

TahomaMalePhilippines2014-03-14 15:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHusband admits during medical he smoked weed 4 years ago

My fiance first went to St Andrews Medical and that is where the physician put false information but when he went to Banbury for the second medical he was super nice n gave him a good report...wish we would have gone to him first...even though they charge more

Did your fiancé actually read the first medical report? The doctor may have entered the correct information in your fiancé's medical report, and the consular officer might have been testing your fiancé through the use of misinformation. I've seen this approach by consular officers at the U.S. Embassy Manila. Just saying...
TahomaMalePhilippines2013-03-30 12:26:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurespassport type phot?

according to the I-130 instructions the photo should be no more than 30 days old.


Then she better not send them via PhilPost...lol

TahomaMalePhilippines2014-04-03 11:28:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresforgot to bring CENOMAR document during the interview!

You will fill up the CENOMAR slip even if you are married. Afterwards you will receive the what they called "CEMAR" or Advisory on Marriage.


^^^ Yes! This!

TahomaMalePhilippines2014-03-07 17:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInput on type of Visa as well as what I should do?

Fair question but if they "can't register their marriage in the Philippines" and he is asking if the Consulate will check with NSO as part of a background check you can bet your britches she married and is married in the Philippines.  Otherwise, they could register the marriage as the only marriage on record with NSO.

The way I read his post, he did not actually try to register his marriage in the Philippines. Instead, he assumed that the previous marriage was reported, and that he could not register his marriage in the Philippines because his wife did not get an annulment. We'll have to wait for the OP's reply on this issue.

If her previous marriage took place in the Philippines, the NSO would have a record of it. If her previous marriage took place outside of the Philippines, the NSO would have a record of it only if the couple reported their marriage to a Philippines Consulate. If the previous marriage was never reported, her CENOMAR would not show the marriage.


TahomaMalePhilippines2014-04-25 12:01:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInput on type of Visa as well as what I should do?
If a marriage involving a Filipino takes place outside of the Philippines, the NSO would not know about it unless the married couple reported the marriage to a Philippines Consulate. If the marriage was never reported, it wouldn't appear on an NSO CENOMAR / CEMAR. If both marriages took place outside of the Philippines and neither were never reported, your wife would get a clean NSO CENOMAR.

However, if her first husband never divorced her, she would be a bigamist. Also, as pshbrk said, she would not be able to get a visa without lying on the immigration forms.

Where did her previous marriage take place?




TahomaMalePhilippines2014-04-25 11:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAWA and the Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage

All they did was say you were legally able to marry.

  ^^^ This.


It is also clear that AWA is not an impediment to marriage, since you are now married.

^^^ And this.



TahomaMalePhilippines2014-04-28 20:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAWA and the Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage
The purpose of the affidavit is to fulfill a Filipino requirement for you to get married in the Philippines. It doesn't mean that your wife will get a U.S. visa. Those are two very different issues. You have the option of living in the Philippines with your wife.

Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage: http://manila.usemba...e/marriage.html


TahomaMalePhilippines2014-04-26 11:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOUR AP =(
QUOTE (XR600SM @ Sep 25 2009, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Tahoma @ Sep 25 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sorry about the AP. I know how stressful it can be. I also got the white slip after my interview last February 2009. The CO requested that we submit again the 3rd page of the I-129F petition. I submitted it to the Embassy after 3 days.

The next day, they called me and informed me that our I-134 and other financial documents were missing. I argued with him that I had already submitted the originals and told him that the photocopies I have with me are incomplete.

Anyway, I submitted my incomplete photocopies of the financial documents the same day. My fiance also made a call to the embassy within the hour that they called me. He told them that it is their responsibility to find the missing financial documents. He must have scared them because I got my visa after 3 working days.

Don't give up. Keep calling the embassy every 3-5 days. Know the reason why they put your husband on AP.

~Chinook


Who did you request to speak to when calling? My fiancee got the white slip today because they did not have my divorce decree because our entire package is missing somewhere after leaving the NVC (but we got the letter to schedule the interview?). It's there fault they lost the paperwork and she is very depressed. Of course she will send it through air21 today to be there Monday, but who's to say it won't sit on someone's desk for weeks? I won't to keep it moving as it wasn't our fault.


My husband talked with Grace and with the case worker in-charged of our documents. I am not sure if Grace is still working there. If not, you can ask for someone who is handling your case. I can just imagine what a mess it is in the Embassy with all the missing documents. The petitioner/beneficiary should be assertive in making calls to them.

Good luck.

~ Chinook

Edited by Tahoma, 25 September 2009 - 09:12 PM.

TahomaMalePhilippines2009-09-25 21:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOUR AP =(
Sorry about the AP. I know how stressful it can be. I also got the white slip after my interview last February 2009. The CO requested that we submit again the 3rd page of the I-129F petition. I submitted it to the Embassy after 3 days.

The next day, they called me and informed me that our I-134 and other financial documents were missing. I argued with him that I had already submitted the originals and told him that the photocopies I have with me are incomplete.

Anyway, I submitted my incomplete photocopies of the financial documents the same day. My fiance also made a call to the embassy within the hour that they called me. He told them that it is their responsibility to find the missing financial documents. He must have scared them because I got my visa after 3 working days.

Don't give up. Keep calling the embassy every 3-5 days. Know the reason why they put your husband on AP.

~Chinook





TahomaMalePhilippines2009-09-25 13:48:00