ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures221gwith nbi with aka and cenomar
I know the waiting is hell. :clock:

Hang in there! Your worries will melt away as soon as you have the visa in your hand. :star:

Keep calling the Embassy for an update on your case...until they tell you that your visa has been issued. Then 2GO will text you right before delivery.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-11-25 13:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 visa interview inquiry
I agree with Zharren Young.

Manila accepts cosponsors on a case-by-case basis and it's good to have one prepared because you will want to build the best financial case possible for yourselves.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-11-30 00:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 visa interview inquiry
The CO looks at tax returns, but also will look at his current sustained income. For example, at the time of your interview, if your fiancé is making $400 per week gross, the CO will see that he would make $20,800 per year if his income were extrapolated out over a period of a year. Therefore, even if his 2011 income is shaky, he can still get by because of his 2012 current sustained income.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-11-29 14:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures221g

it's just i can't keep from worrying too much! i had my visa if delivered thru 2GO. Is there anyway where I may know if it's there already?

Thank you so much

Your visa should be issued malapit na...in the next few weeks.

You can call the Embassy to find out if your visa has been issued already. After your visa has been issued, you can call 2GO to find out if they have it already. Usually, when 2GO receives your visa, they will text you the day before they deliver it. Good luck. :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-11-16 11:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresExperimental Drug Use :(
I'm just wondering if xtc was still legal at the time he took it. If so, then there may not be a problem.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-10-15 11:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVERY DEPRESSED BADLY NEED HELP

I can't seem to message you here ..I'm hoping I could add you somewhere else where we can talk better :)

Oops...my mailbox was full...but now you can PM me.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-12-01 15:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVERY DEPRESSED BADLY NEED HELP
It doesn't surprise me that the CO decided you might become a public charge in the U.S. It appears that you are missing two very important pieces of evidence. You are missing a letter from his employer, and also you are missing current paycheck stubs which accurately reflect his income. Without this evidence, I don't think you can overcome the public charge issue.

One solution is to get a letter from his employer which accurately states his wages, and to have his employer start paying your fiancé's entire earnings by check. After a couple of months, submit these to the Embassy in order to show them that his current sustained income is above 125% of the poverty line. That way, he can qualify on his own and won't need a cosponsor.

Your fiancé's employer fears an investigation. That's because they are hiding something, and that means it's time for your fiancée to play hardball. Have your fiancé demand that his employer end the cash payments. From now on, his entire earnings must be paid by check. Also demand an employer's letter. Let the employer know that if they don't do it, then he will report their payroll irregularities to the authorities.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-11-30 03:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresim ready to start all over

I see your NOA-2 was 5/17. Before you start all over again have you contacted the Embassy to see if they will extend your NOA-2 expiration?

It is worth an email to see if you can have them perhaps extend the date. If they won't, then you begin all over again.

^^^ :thumbs: Agreed.

The US EMBASSY in Mexico.

^^^ I was hoping someone clear that up. :thumbs:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-12-02 11:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 visa interview

So lets say my gf fiancée showed at 6:15 and she got interview by the CO by 9:30. She gets a 221g. she picks up the mail at 1pm. can she go back there the next day w/o any appointment?

^^^ Fixxored !!! :bonk:

What were you doing instead of preparing for your interview? Did you read the instructions?

^^^ Gary, don't be too hard on OwnerBoy. He only had six months to prepare for it. :jest:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-12-03 14:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfiance has mild tb

Hi. Your Fiancee's VISA might be delayed but only if she has to have 3 day sputum collection and AFB (Acid Fast Bacteria) smear and 2 month culture. Then she would have to wait 2 months for culture results and if the results are negative she can return to SLEC to cmplete her exam and then proceed to her interview (You have to schedule this interview - SLEC will cancel your previous interview but you have to schedule the new one!). If her culture is positive, then she would start the 6 month treatment and she would have to go to SLEC every weekday and take the medicine there in their presence. She would not have to go on weekends because they distribute the medicine for the wekend days on the Friday before.

I read in a recent thread here on VJ that St. Lukes doesn't always wait to start treatment until the two-month culture comes back positive. Apparently, St. Lukes will sometimes start treatment shortly after the smear tests come back positive. I don't know the reason for this.

So, since you have your MNL Case #, you are ready to schedule her interview and once you've done that you can proceed to SLEC for her Medical Exam. I recommend/suggest that since you are so near to the Medical Exam, just go there and let SLEC drive your actions from there. That's just my recommendation/suggestion. Its up to you.

It's not necessary to schedule an interview before the medical. You can be admitted for the medical using your NOA2 and your MNL case number.

I agree that she should go to St. Lukes for her medical and let them handle the diagnosis and potential treatment. It would be faster. Also, more importantly, she may have been misdiagnosed by her private doctor.

It will go like this:

- At your fiancee's Medical Exam they will do a Chest X-ray
- If it is clear and they tell her to proceed to immunization, your worries are over - at least for the Medical Exam
- IF they find any abnormality or scar or spot on the chest X-ray, they will ask your Fiancee to come back to SLEC at another time they will schedule for her for 3 day sputum collection AFB smear and Sputum collection for culture test.
- They will give her a date to call SLEC to get results of her culture test. This date will be about 2 months out.
- If her culture test results are negative, she will go back to complete her exam and get immunizations and can then proceeed to the interview that you guys scheduled during the two month wait.
- If her culture test is positive, they will probably call her before the end of the 2 months and have her start treatment. This will take 6 months minimum and then at the end of the 6 months she will again have a 2 month wait for another cutlure test! So you're looking at 8 months total if her first culture test is positive after 2 months.

During the interview at some point they will ask about her medical history. If I were you I would tell her to reveal everything including her local Pulmonologist's findings and diagnosis of ptb. At that point you may as well tell the truth because either way SLEC has the last word in determining your fiancee's condition and what treatment will be administered. And if you tell the truth you will have one less worry (as opposed to lying and then worrying if that lie will come back to bite you at some point!). Because your worst case is the 8 month wait if her culture test is positive.

At Embassy interviews, consular officers rarely ask anything about medical history. However, St. Lukes will ask her about her medical history, including her TB history. If she lies to St. Lukes and she's caught lying, she's risking her visa approval. Always tell the truth.

You could have your Fiancee start treatment now with her local physicians. Since you are so close to having Medical Exam, I don;t know what you would gain by doing that. Maybe 2 months or so because she would be taking medicine while you wait culture test results? But they may make you complete the treatment (4 more months in that case) before they do a culture, which is what happened to my fiancee and I. She was already 3 months into treatment when she had her medical. Then she came back for sputum about 2 weeks later as we knew they would find spot on her lung cuz of previous x-ray before her medical. But we though they would just do sputum and it would be negative and we would be on our way to interview! NOT!! They said since she was already on the medicine they would have her complete the treatment at SLEC (she was taking medicine by her local physician for the 3 months prior) first and then they would do culture. So again, that's up to you. But we feel my fiancee did not have ptb and would have passed negative on the 2 month culture but her being on the medicine already delayed us for another 5 months! Of course I don;t know for sure if she would have been negative on the culture test, but we can't help feeling that she might have. But then again, if she hadn't started the medicine back in March and she did have positive culture then we are 5 months ahead because the end of the 2 months culture for my fiancee would have been end of July and if it were positive we would be looking at the 8 months (6 months medicine treatment and 2 months culture after that!) instead of the 3 months we are now down too. (Complicated - I know!)

Choice is yours of course. I just recommend and suggest and tried to explain why. Still I think the easy and less complicated way is to just let SLEC make all the calls on what you do cuz you are so close to having the exam anyway.

I agree. Let St. Lukes handle it since you have your NOA2 and you are so close to the medical. And again, it's a very good idea to let St. Lukes handle it because there's a very real possibility that she could have been misdiagnosed by her local doctor. On what basis did her local doctor diagnose her TB? Was it simply a chest x-ray and a skin test? If so, I would definitely get a second opinion which included a smear test and a culture because skin tests are extremely unreliable for Filipinos since most of them have had the BCG vaccine.

I hope this helps! God bless on the Medical and the rest of your VISA journey!


TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-03 11:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfiance has mild tb

yes the doctor we went to is a pulmonologist. Can she have her treatment with her doctor? or does she really have to go through st lukes? Can she continue treatment here in the us? or is the whole treatment going to happen in manila?

She will have to complete her treatment in Manila. She will not get a visa until she passes her medical at St. Lukes. She will not pass her medical at St. Lukes until her treatment is complete and her subsequent culture comes back negative.

Can you tell me how the pulmonologist determined that she has TB?
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-03 10:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresfiance has mild tb
You should be happy that her TB was detected, so that she can start treatment and get healthy again.

She can be treated in her hometown if she wants to. Then she can take the documentation of her treatment with her to St. Lukes.

Or, if she goes now for her medical at St. Lukes and they determine that she has TB, they will require her to take the medicine daily at St. Lukes.

You may want to contact the U.S. Embassy Manila in the near future, so that they can extend the validity of your approved petition.

May I ask how the doctor determined that she has TB? Is the doctor a pulmonologist? What tests were done? Did she have any symptoms?
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-03 02:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIgor's list how reliable?
Like the other poster said, ignore Igor's List. Instead, look at other people's timelines.

We got our NOA2 when we were still number ninety-something on Igor's List. Sheesh... :rolleyes:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-03 11:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresManila Applicant: "How Do I Follow up?"

My case should already be at the US Embassy.

Yes, but that doesn't mean that your physical case file has been entered into their system yet. From the time your case leaves the NVC until the USEM enters it into their system can take two weeks or more.

Why waste time waiting for the USEM to return your email? If you want to save time, pay the visa fee at BPI today. Tomorrow, start trying to schedule an interview either online or through the call center. Try every day. You will be able to schedule an interview as soon as the USEM enters your case into their system...which should be any day now.

Good luck! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-04 13:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPast Arrest for Drug Posession-Visa Denial?

From somewhere I read, is yes the USCIS does background checks on applicants from the FBI and from Interpol. Currently there are 188 member countries for Interpol. I know I read this somewhere and will try to find the link. It may not be true but being we are trying to protect our borders, it only makes sense.....

This thread is about the beneficiary, not the petitioner. I'm sure you remember the NBI report your fiancée was required to submit at her Embassy interview. The USCIS had nothing to do with that.

@OP...I don't know about the U.S. Embassy in Peru, but at the U.S. Embassy Manila a record of drug arrests or admitted illegal drug use will prevent the beneficiary from getting a visa.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-05 10:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPast Arrest for Drug Posession-Visa Denial?
Maybe he wasn't formally arrested. Instead, maybe he was simply detained until he greased their palms.

I don't know anything about Peru, but I heard stories about "arrests" when I lived in Mexico. If you paid the "mordida," you would discover that you were not under arrest after all. :o :whistle:

Just saying...
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-04 14:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPast Arrest for Drug Posession-Visa Denial?

And the reason it takes months to get an approval is because the USCIS cross checks from law organizations from around the world.

Uhhh...I don't think so.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-04 13:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresvisa packet

just cut the middle of the plastic, long enought that the passport fit when u take it out. so its clean and its still sealed.

:thumbs:

Do no worry about it Preciousone mine had a tiny cut too and I did not have any problem(thank God) when I get to my POE.
Your visa is printed inside your passport. You can open the plastic and get your passport.
God bless and Good luck

:thumbs:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-05 12:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCFO Seminar Manila

I will be with her at the CFO so if they insist on that info I'm going to ask why they need it.

The CFO folks won't allow you to attend the seminar.

But it doesn't matter, because I can already tell you what their answer would be:

"No CFO sticker / no flight to the U.S."
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 11:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresRecent passport photos?

guess this means nothing then.

http://www.kodakexpr.../USCIS-INS.html

I'm only trying to help Mike with his questions. I don't beleive everything on VJ because look at your own posts. You can be a rude crowd and self gods.

So, heres something Again, you never seen on VJ.

http://www.visahq.co...sport_photo.php

I agree with you, both of your links mean nothing. They deal with how to apply for a U.S. passport. They have nothing to do with the immigration process.

Posting misinformation is not "helping" anyone. Correcting misinformation is not being "rude."
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 13:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresRecent passport photos?

Recent Passport Pictures are 6 months or less. (maybe even 3 months or less) It depends on how "picky" the CO is.

I've never read anything here on VJ, or anywhere else for that matter, about a beneficiary being handed a 221g at their USEM interview for having old passport photos. Where did you get the information about "picky" CO's?

You are not dealing with the eyes of the United States Goverment but dealing with a separate Entity and that Countries Rules.

You are dealing with the United States Department of State.

For the Interview and what comes next requireing Pictures. Recent.

I don't think I'd take a chance and (not) spend the few dollars required for new pictures and save the reciept which is dated.
On a safer note: her pictures will be updated for Arrival in the US and for AOS.

That wasn't our experience. Chinook used the same passport photos for the I-129F petition, St. Lukes medical, the CFO seminar, AOS, and ROC. Her passport photos were about three years old by the time she filed for ROC.


TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 12:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDriver license
My insurance company didn't ask whether or not Chinook had a previous driver license, nor did they ask about her previous driving experience. I just gave them the info about her current WA state driver license.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 11:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresshould the passport be really valid for at least 5 years when filing i-129F
The instructions for what?
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-05 12:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedureshow do we get married?
All the info I needed was on my county's website.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 11:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan we go to Hawaii?

...she should carry a copy of your marriage certificate with her, along with her passport.

...I booked our trip with her current last name (same as mine) Her passport has her "Maiden name"

No problem. Just follow TBone's suggestion.

Have a nice trip! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 11:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresA question, I need help please....someone :X

My opinions aren't revised, they are expanded.

:lol:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-08 14:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresA question, I need help please....someone :X

Agreed. I know they do make exceptions. But the problem with any unwritten policy is inconsistency and unpredictability. Why they are allowed to hold US citizens to a different standard is beyond me.

"I know they make exceptions," is not the same thing as, "they do not allow co-sponsors."

However, I would strongly disagree with your revised opinion. Based upon my personal experience, and based upon what I have read here in VJ, my opinion is that Manila accepts cosponsors in K-1 cases more often than not.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-08 00:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresA question, I need help please....someone :X

I know that some consulates do not allow co-sponsors (e.g. Philippines, Vietnam and Nigeria) but some also limit the use of co-sponsors to immediate family members.

The U.S. Embassy Manila (USEM) allows cosponsors for K-1ers on a case-by-case basis.

A coworker of mine successfully used a cosponsor at the USEM. Several other VJ members have reported successfully using cosponsors at the USEM.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-07 17:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresRFE reply sent 43 days ago and still nothing
Congratz on finally getting your approval, Joe and Korda !!! :thumbs:

Best of luck on the rest of your visa journey! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-08 16:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI-134 Question 11: Intend or Not Intend?

No, even in Manila the question is not applicable for K-1 applicants. Neither yes nor no should be checked and "N/A K-1 visa" indicated.

I checked "intend" and wrote a pleasant one-liner about how I plan to support Chinook with room, board, and any other needs she may have throughout our married life. It worked for us.

By the way, there was a thread a couple of months ago where the consular officer at the U.S. Embassy Manila put a K-1 beneficiary on the spot during her interview when he asked her why her fiancé didn't intend to support her. I believe she was approved anyway.

If nothing else, "intending" to support your fiancée may put the consular officer in a good mood for the interview. How could that hurt?
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-08 19:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresUnderstanding Igors List?
Hang in there! :star:

Chinook and I got our NOA2 when we were #99 on Igor's List. :thumbs:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 00:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCFO Pre Departure Orientation Seninar
And don't forget to have her bring a bunch of passport photos to the U.S. It seems like we needed them every step of the way.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 17:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat to do????
Here is what I would do...

1. Use your MNL case number (from the NVC) and your NOA2 to complete your medical at St. Lukes.

2. Don't wait for the Embassy to send you an email telling you that you are eligible to schedule an interview. If you wait for their email, you will waste a lot of time. Instead, you can read the eligibility letter if you click here.

3. It may take a week or so for the U.S. Embassy to receive your physical case file and enter it into their system. You won't be able to schedule your interview until the Embassy enters your case into their system. But go ahead and pay your visa fee at BPI. Then, next week, start trying to schedule your interview either online or through the call center. Keep trying every day. As soon as the Embassy has entered your case into their system, you will be able to schedule your interview.

4. Complete the CFO seminar.

5. Complete the interview.

6. After you receive your visa, go to the CFO main office to get the CFO sticker for your passport.

7. Welcome to the States! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 00:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAdvice for Manila applicants
Taft is a street in Manila where an NBI office is located.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 17:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2+Case Number..Sent to Manila...Now What?

can we use the E-mail noa2 and our manila # they gave us over the phone for the physical? or should I scan the actual noa2 they sent me in the mail? another question if we get or physical done before the interview is scheduled, will there be a problem matching them up at the time of the actual interview? has anybody had problems getting there physical done before scheduling interview ?

Thanks Jay

Give her both NOA2 documents and the MNL case number. That should be fine.

There won't be any problems with matching the medical and the interview.

Good luck!!! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 17:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2+Case Number..Sent to Manila...Now What?

Good day, I understand the above mentioned but how do we get the MNL number?

You can call the NVC, or the petitioner can wait for it in the mail.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 10:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2+Case Number..Sent to Manila...Now What?
Here's the Cliff Notes version...

1. Use your MNL case number (from the NVC) and your NOA2 to complete your medical at St. Lukes.

2. Don't wait for the Embassy to send the beneficiary an email telling her that she is eligible to schedule an interview. If you wait for their email, you will waste a lot of time. Instead, you can read the eligibility letter if you click here.

3. It usually takes a while for the U.S. Embassy Manila to receive your physical case file and enter it into their system. You won't be able to schedule your interview until the Embassy enters your case into their system. But go ahead and pay your visa fee at BPI. Then start trying to schedule your interview either online or through the call center. Keep trying every day. As soon as the Embassy has entered your case into their system, you will be able to schedule your interview.

4. Complete the CFO seminar.

5. Complete the interview.

6. After you receive your visa, go to the CFO main office to get the CFO sticker for your passport.

7. Welcome to the States! :star:
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-09 00:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresevidence to marry at us city hall

Just a warning many states require a social security number. Missouri, where I live currently, does and the social security office said my fiance would not be eligible for a social security number until a government entity says one is required for their purposes-not terribly helpful. I have heard on here that other people are able to get social security numbers for their fiance(e)s.

Chinook and I are K-1ers. We went down to the local Social Security office about one week after Chinook arrived in the U.S. Chinook didn't have any problem getting a Social Security number. Her card was in the mailbox a week later.

Some employees at the Social Security office don't realize that K-1ers are allowed to get a Social Security card. If you run into one of those employees, just ask to speak to a supervisor. Also, there's a Social Security Department bulletin somewhere on VJ which shows that K-1ers can get a Social Security card.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 13:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresevidence to marry at us city hall
Check out the web site for the county you live in.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-06 11:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat to bring to BPI for visa fee?
Just to play it safe, bring a color copy of the passport's bio page.
TahomaMalePhilippines2011-08-11 10:58:00