Things to remember before leaving the Philippines

This was one of the most exciting part. When my husband sent me my Electronic Confirmation Ticket. I already made a checklist for the things I need to bring and need to do a week before my departure.

MY CHECKLIST

Important Documents
- Transcript of Records from University of San Carlos
- My Diploma
- NSO Copy
- NBI Clearan Copy
- Employment Certificates
-Training Certificates
- Medical / Health Records


I also have a checklist which I got from the CFO the Departure Checklist or Immigrant Checklist. Click the image to enlarge.

Tips on what Clothes to Bring
Check the country or state that you are going to, if it has long winter. If long winter, bring most of your Jeans!

Visa Application: Medical Exam at St. Lukes does not need a schedule

I had to send an email to the US Emabassy Manila. If I need to make an appointment. 

This was my question for them:

I would like to know, how do I get a schedule for my medical exam? Should I wait for a letter from the embassy stating the dates for the Interview and and Medical Exam?

I received a response quickly and was advised to proceed to St. Luke's Extension Clinic on any workday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with your valid passport to have the required medical examination. St. Luke's Extension Clinic is located at 1177 J. Bocobo Street, Ermita, Manila. The phone numbers are (632) 521-0020, (632) 521-8647, (632) 523-8258 and (632) 526-4327. 

I am from Cebu, so I flew to Manila and went to St. Lukes at 5:30 in the morning the following day. My interview date is 6 days after my medical exam. 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

(1) Valid passport
(2)Photocopy of Passport Biographic/Data Page, the page in the passport that contains the applicant's photo and information
(3) 4 pieces recent 2x2 visa photos
(4) Appointment letter from the Embassy or Instruction letter from the National Visa Center (NVC), if available,
(5) 2 photocopies of your Appointment Letter/ Instruction Letter

Whenever applicable, please bring the following:
•Old chest x-ray films not less than 3 months prior to the medical examination
•Immunization record

SELF-REPORTED VACCINES WILL NOT BE HONORED.
Your vaccination documentation will only be honored if it contains the following details:
>>personal copy (e.g. baby book)or copy of medical chart indicating received vaccines
>>complete date of receipt of vaccination
>>must include signature (license number, if applicable) of doctor or health worker who administered vaccine

•Detailed medical certificate regarding a previously-treated or currently managed clinically significant illness which should contain the following information:
>>duration and date of treatment
>>surgical procedure or medical intervention done
>>complete final diagnosis
>>outcome of treatment or treatment plans and prognosis, if available

Applicants are also required to provide the name, address and contact number of their petitioner in the U.S.A.

Medical Examination Requirements
>>Physical Examination - Required for all applicants, regardless of age
>>Tuberculin Skin Test - Required for applicants 2-14 years of age
>>Chest X-ray (CXR) - Required for all adult applicants aged 15 and above, or children who had exposure to TB Cases or history of TB disease
>>Syphilis Test - Required for applicants 15 years old and above
>>Pregnancy Test - For women of child-bearing age (15 to 40 years old)

Visa Application Tips (Important Reminders)
I. Female applicants of child-bearing age cannot undergo medical examination during their menstrual period. Applicants who have their menstrual period should come back one week after the last day of their period.
II. Since Tuberculin Skin Testing requires an observation period of 48-72 hours, applicants 2-14 years old are advised not to come for their medical examination on a Thursday.The clinic is closed on weekends, so the TST cannot be interpreted before it expires.

Applicants are advised return to the clinic at least an hour before the time indicated on the TST return slip, to prevent expiration of TST.

 

You need to attend a CFO Seminar

At first, I really did not have an idea about a CFO Seminar, my friend had to tell me about this. 

So, I received this message from my her:

"Hello! Jelly I hope everything is well there with you and to your family. Here everything seems alright. Anyway yup! soon I'll be having my Medical Exam and Interview, and we decided that Tyler will be the one to e-mail and tell you about it. I'm looking forward that everything will turn great in GOD's will. Well about your question, I and Tyler received the Letter of Appointment from NVC at the same time, you'll see there the schedule of the Interview given by the US Embassy in Manila. Now you said Joe already received your Letter of Appointment from the NVC/US Embassy, he must now then send it to you so you can make a copy of it, because you'll need to show that on your Medical Exam and Interview. But before you'll go for your Medical Exam you must take a CFO Seminar, there's one place in Cebu in where you can take CFO Seminar I know it's in PEOPLE'S REFORM INITIATIVE FOR SOCIAL MOBILIZATION INC.(PRISM), but in Manila there 2 places in where you can take a CFO Seminar in SMEF-COW Manila and PEOPLE'S REFORM INITIATIVE FOR SOCIAL MOBILIZATION INC. (PRISM) in Taft Avenue. Here's the website for you to find out more infos. like how much you'll going to pay for the Seminar, the Requirements & etc."

Website: http://www.cfo.gov.ph or click here:  

Fiancee, Spouses and Other Partners of Foreign Nationals

 

"As Filipinos going abroad as fiancé(e)s, spouses or other partners of foreign nationals, you are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling session in order to secure the Guidance and Counseling Certificate (GCC) and the CFO sticker. You need this certificate to renew or apply for a new passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs (per Department of Foreign Affairs Order Nos. 11-97 Implementing Rules and Regulations for Republic Act 8239, "Philippine Passport Act" and 28-94). You will also need to present this certificate together with your spouse/partner visa, at the Immigration office at the international airport on your day of departure."

Why apply for CR-1 Visa and not K-1 Visa?

As I have said in the Visa Application Tips Page. 

"K1 Fiance Visa will cost you more money.K1 Fiance Visa will take so much time to get your application for Permanent Resident Status approved. Once you get your Adjustment of Status approved, coming in the United States with a K1 Fiance Visa, the Permanent Residency you get is still "Conditional", this would mean that the time of waiting going back to Philippines to visit your family gets longer because you are not allowed to travel outside the United States if your Permanent Residency is on Conditional Status, unless you applied for a Re-Entry Permit - Form I-131 which will cost over $400 (2012 Year), plus the application is subject for an approval by the USCIS, so NO Guarantee!

I have been here in America for almost a year now, but I still don't have my Green Card (Conditional Permanent Residence). I received my Employment Authorization Document, after 2 months when I applied for it, it means I can start applying for a job? BUT, you need to have a Social Security Number to get an employment. 

I went to the Local Social Security Office to apply for a Social Security #. Most people get it on the same day. Unfortunately, not for me, weeks, months, have passed and I still did not get my SS#. I was told there was a problem with the system, still waiting for verification, still waiting for authorization -- all that stuff. I almost get to the point of getting sooo frustrated of waiting. I called like almost a hundred times to follow up, and I get the same answer.

There were just too many issues going on and almost everything is taking like forever... If only I can turn back time, I would have gotten married in the Philippines and applied for a CR-1 Visa."

On the other hand, if you come to the United States with CR-1 Visa, you automatically have a Green Card or Legal Permanent Resident after entering the United States and NOT CONDITIONAL. Meaning, you can work and visit Philippines anytime you want. After two years of stay in the United States, you can apply for Citizenship. Although it takes like approximately 10 months to get the visa,  but what is just 3 months difference when you can save money, time, and less hassle.

Advantages of Getting CR-1 Visa

1.) This is categorized as an  "Immigrant" Visa and will as such allow the filipina girl to arrive in the US as a Legal Permanent Resident.

 2.) After entry into the US, as a Legal Permanent Resident they may seek employment without restrictions. No Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is required.

3.)  After entry into the US, as a Permanent Resident they will not require special permission to leave the US for travel. No Advance Parole (AP) document is required. 

4.) CR1 Visas often do not take much longer than the K-3 Visa option. The benefit of entering the US and immediately becoming a US Legal Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) to many people is worth the additional small wait in time.

To read more visit: http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

How to set an appointment for the K1 Fiancée Visa Application?

Visa Application Tips: How to set an appointment for the K1 Fiancée Visa Application?

In my experience, I paid the visa application fee at BPI Bank and kept the receipt. When you apply for an appointment it will ask for a reference number which can be found in the receipt. After I scheduled my appointment for my visa interview online through the USIC website, I received a confirmation letter thought e-mail. The letter said that you must bring the confirmation page, passport, evidence of approved I-129F with you at all steps during the application process.

Visa Application Tips: Staple the payment for the visa receipt to the Confirmation Letter.

Visa Application Tips: If you make your appointment via the call center, please bring your bank receipt to the interview.

You’ve got other way too of scheduling your appointment by calling U.S. Embassy in Manila call (632) 982-5555 or (632) 902-8930. The Visa Information and Appointment Service is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., except on Philippine and U.S. holidays. Callers may speak with an English-, Tagalog-, Ilocano-, or Cebuano-speaking operator. Applicants, agents or petitioners calling from the United States may also use this service by calling (214) 571-1600.

Visa Application Tips: To schedule for an appointment online you need to register and create a profile. And you need to have some documents or the following information available:

A passport valid for travel to the United States (with validity of at least 6 months)

Your visa application (MRV) fee payment receipt

Your DS-160 confirmation page

Your e-mail address

Approved Petition (Form I-129F) – My husband sent me a scanned copy of the approved petition

Visa Application Tips: You need to complete the Form DS-160 and submit online prior to your interview at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. The barcode number on the DS-160 confirmation page is required in order to book your interview. It must be submitted online because Embassy does not accept handwritten or typed DS-160 and you will not be permitted in your interview without the DS-160 confirmation page.

Read more>> Visa Application Tips: The step-by-step guide to the K1 Fiancée Visa Process

Helpful Link:

Find DS-160 Form and Information about it here: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-ds160info.asp

Visa Application Tips: Proof of Relationship

When applying for a K1 Fiancée Visa. The petitioner (US Citizen) needs to submit the evidence of your relationship or proof of engagement.  And when the beneficiary (Alien Fiancée) applies for the K1 Fiancée Visa in the Philippines she also need to bring the documents or proof of relationship.

Visa Application Tips: You must be prepared to prove to the consular officer that you have a genuine relationship with your petitioner and a clear intention to marry within 90 days of admission into the U.S.

I submitted thefollowing documents as proof of evidence during my interview for the K1 Fiancée Visa Application:

Taoist Temple Cebu, Philippines

Photographs of me and my husband together and with my family

Letters

E-mails (I copy and pasted to a word pad and printed out our email conversations)

Chat Messages (I took a screen shot of our Cam-to-Cam conversation and printed out)

Phone Text Messages or Call Register Records (I did not erase his text messages or call registers in case the consul will ask for it)

Remittance records (Western Union, Xoom)

Letter of Intent to Marry

Sample:

Fiancé Letter of Intent

[Fiancée’s or Petitioner’s name]
[Fiancée’s or Petitioner’s address]

United States Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[ADDRESS OF FILING LOCATION]

United States Department of State
United States Consulate, [name of country where Embassy is located]
[Embassy Address]

(Date mm-dd-yyyy)

Dear Sir:

I, (Fiancée’s or Petitioner’s name), do hereby state that I am legally able and willing to marry (Fiancée’s or Petitioner’s name), and intend to do so within 90 days of my arrival into the US using the K-1 visa.

Yours truly,

(Signature)

(Print name)

I had to put all my documents in a binder to make sure I don’t miss anything. But you have to take it all out of the binder when you hand it to the first consular.

Visa Application Tips: Make an extra copy for you to keep in case you’ll need them in the future.

Read more>> Visa Application Tips: The step-by-step guide to the K1 Fiancée Visa Process

K1 Visa Application Timeline

This might help you visualize the entire process. Although the application process may vary from one applicant to another, so please double check the USCIS processing times. Also if your application is past the due date based on the processing time, I would suggest calling USCIS. 

Dec. 5, 2010 - Petition for Alien Fiancée

Dec. 8, 2010 - Notice for Petition received

May 11, 2011 - Petition was approved

Jul. 7, 2011 - Medical Exam at St. Luke

Jul. 15, 2011 - Interview Date

Jul. 19, 2011 - Visa was issued

Aug. 14, 2011 - Arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada

Feb. 13, 2012 - Application for Adjustment of Status (Conditional Permanent Residence)

Feb. 12, 2012- Notice of Application for AOS received

Feb. 27, 2012 - Notification for Biometrics

Mar. 12, 2012- Biometrics

Mar. 17, 2012- Transfer Notice (California Service Center, 2nd Floor, 24000 Avila Rd. Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-0111)

Apr. 23, 2012- EAD received (6 weeks after biometrics)

Apr. 25, 2012- Applied for a Social Security Number

Oct. 02, 2012 - Permanent Residence Card Conditional Status was received

Jul 02, 2014 - Applied to remove condition

Feb. 2015 - Received Permanent Residence Card with no Condition

Visa Application Tips: “You could actually apply for a Social Security Number as soon as you arrive in the United States, just present your I-94 Card (Arrival/Departure Document) with your passport.

Read more>> Visa Application Tips: Thestep-by-step guide to the K1 Fiancée Visa Process