This is my checklist during my k1-visa processing:
I. The petitioner must be (any of the 3 choices):
a. Natural born U.S. citizen,
b. Naturalized US Citizen - in our case, he was naturalized (my hubby is a pure blooded filipino but they migrated here in the US when he was young so he is a naturalized US citizen)
c. Born outside US but with US Citizen parents
Here are some helpful links if you are processing a US visa:
Click here for NSO website - NSO- Birth Certificate/CENOMAR/Marriage Certificate request/s
Click here for NBI Website - NBI inquiries and office locations
Click here for USCIS Website - For checking of petition status and other inquiries/download regarding US Visa
Click here for an Immigrant Visa/FAQ
Click here for DS Forms Website
Click here for the guide of Required Documents for Visa Applications Website
Click here for CFO WebsiteSaint Lukes Extension Clinic (a clipping from Manila USE)
Click here for Delbros Website - Courier used by Manila USE for visa deliveries. You can track the movement of your approved visa on this website.
My medical and interview appointment with the US Embassy in Manila is already posted. We’ve been waiting this schedule for over a month and thank God, it’s already posted.
As I said in my previous posts, Carlo and I started our paperworks way back October of last year. We are on a K1 route since I am on fiancee visa. It took us 2 weeks (after we sent the papers to USCIS) to get our NOA1 (Notice of Action 1 -notice from USCIS that they receive the petition) and had known our receipt number. This receipt number serves as our tracking number, to track the progress of the petition (usually starts with WAC with a number combination).
It took us 3 months to get the approval of the petition; the NOA2. USCIS sent Carlo an email about the approval and after a week, he received the hard copy of the approval. Upon receiving the approval, USCIS at this time also sent the approved petition to the NVC (National Visa Center) for the issuance of Manila Case Number. We waited for 2 weeks before Carlo called the NVC for our case number. Manila Case number served as the guide to know our appointment dates (medical and interview).
And they gave him our case number. Since we already knew the website on where to check the posted schedules, we everyday check our status.
It took us a month again before our schedule was posted. I know, the wait is killing us both, but then what can we do.
In between the waiting period, we started gathering the documents needed for my upcoming medical and interview. 2 weeks before my medical and interview dates were posted, we’ve already completed and gathered the needed documents.
Hurrayyyy..we’re just waiting for my medical and interview dates to come and I have a month and a half to prepare myself.
Here’s my timeline:
16 Oct 06 - submitted the petition
05 Nov 06 - NOA1 (issued receipt number)
16 Jan 07 - NOA2 (Approval of the petition)
06 Feb 07 - Petition sent to Manila USE (issued case number)
15 March 07 - Medical/Interview dates posted on the website
last week of April 07 - Medical at St. Lukes
First week of May 07 - Interview at Manila USE
There is one important lesson I’ve learned with our visa processing time, “patience is really a virtue”.
It’s easy to say “yes i can wait” but as times go by, its so hard to hold on with that phrase. If you’re familiar with the line “HURRY UP AND WAIT”, that’s how it is when you’re doing the paperworks. One thing I can advise though, inorder to minimize delays during the visa processing, supply them (the USCIS) with a well arranged and complete papers, surely, RFE’s (Request For Evidence) will be avoided.
That is how Carlo and I did our visa paperworks. It’s not yet done but we’re almost there….
Date originally posted: March 19, 2007
We made it :), I and my husband passed my Adjustment Of Status interview. It was a big relief for me and Carlo, we don’t need to worry about my status here in the States anymore.
As always, I followed and brought all the requirements needed for the interview and everything went smoothly. The adjudicator was so professional and so sharp but he throws jokes from time to time that’s why Carlo and I felt at ease.
Thanks to all who prayed and who wished us to pass the interview, I give the credit to my husband cause he was asked a lot :). By the way, the only advice I can give to all the readers who’s the interview is coming..bring ALL THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS required by the USCIS because AOS interview is all about re-checking the documents we sent them on our application and proving about the real relationship. Bring pictures too..
Till then..
Here’s a guide for anyone out there who wants some inputs on their k-1 (fiancee) visa processing time. I’ve already posted this with my previous blog but apparently I’m still working on with that blog right now so I have to re-post it here. I hope it helps and I’ll be posting my medical as well as my interview experience soon.
Type of visa: US fiance(e) visa
10-16-06 - Sent I-129f to Texas USCIS
11-05-06 - Recieved NOA 1
01-16-07 -NOA2 approval thru email
01-22-07 - Received NOA2 via snail mail
02-06-07 - NVC forwarded our case to USE Manila (issued our mnl case #)
02-10-07 - Received NVC letter thru snail mail
03-31-07 - Received Packet 4
04-27-07 - St. Lukes/ Medical Exam
05-07-07 - Interview
05-16-07 - Visa Received (GenSan)
*Total time of processing - 7 months.
Terms:
NOA1 - or Notification of Action 1 /a notice stating that the application was already received and entered the USCIS system.
NOA2 - Notification of Action 2 / a notice of approval of the petition. Usually arrives after 2 or more months after the NOA1.
Packet 4 - is a package from US Embassy, includes all the forms for the interview. The most important content is the letter containing the medical and interview dates.
mnl case # - (Manila Case Number) this is given after the NOA2, to track the schedule of medical and interview dates.
Medical Examination Day
I remember my medical exam at Saint Lukes (SLEC) was a pain in the butt. If you happen to hear the phrase ‘ hurry up and wait’, well, you’re in when doing the medical test.
I stayed in San Carlos Mansion, a few blocks away from SLEC and is a 5 minute walk from and to SLEC. I and 2 girls (who are also processing their fiancee visa) got up at 3 30am to prepare for our medical exam day.
Here are the things we prepared:
*Note: Memorize your fiance’s biographic information and the manila case number as you will need these information to fill up the PDS (Patient Data Sheet). If you do not know how to fill it up or doubtful of what to answer, do not hesitate to ask the SLEC staff. They may not be that friendly but they will help you fill it correctly. Also DO NOT leave any question blank, if it is not applicable to you, write N/A or NONE to minimize (if not prevent) delays.
We got at SLEC around 4 30am (and of course our agony starts at this very hour..lol), there were already 20+ people that are ahead of us. The guard give us priority number (priority numbers are used in the processing inside the SLEC), the guide on the medical test and the PDS. The medical test guide is a complete guide for the entire process of the medical exam. It shows direction and the time those designated offices (inside the SLEC) will open.
We filled up the PDS and left it to the guard (hence they don’t allow us to bring it outside the premise) because we are starving and besides, the SLEC operation starts at 5 30am. The priority number and the PDS forms are only a start up for the whole process..I may say.
We went back to SLEC around 6am and viola, there are more than hundred people who are inside the building. It was a chaotic, we gave our priority number to the guard inside the building and near registration booth. The function of the registration booth is to register us to their machine, they collect our PDS, the copy of the appointment letter and cued us for the picture taking. This is their copy of photo of all the applicants (I think for their database).
The next steps were to get all the needed medical tests; medical tests includes x-ray, urine test, physical exam, vaccination, eye test, etc. SLEC is a 4 story building and each of this test are taken on each of the floor. All of these tests need a lot of patience because SLEC is catering more than 1 country ( USA, Canada, Australia, etc) and each country holds lots of applicants, not to mention the 2nd day taker and also the re-taker (re-taker are those who failed the first test and needs re-test). So can you imagine how chaotic it was?
We weren’t able to get all our test on the first day so we went back again to SLEC on the next business day. At long last, even if we spent two days for our medical, our result was good.
I admit, I was OVERLY exhausted..the waiting period killed all my patience. Not to mention that I skipped meals just because I want to be there when they called my name. It wasn’t a good idea though but during that time, that’s the only possible thing that I can think of to minimize any delay.
Saint Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic Information:
Saint Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic
1177 J. Bocobo Street
Ermita, Manila
Contact Numbers: (2)-521-0020 or (2)-521-8647 or (2)-524-6083
Website: http://www.stluke.com.ph/
WOW..until now I’m still in cloud 9. For all those sleepless nights of arranging and filling the documents, it pays a lot.
Thanks again to all the people who supported me all the way, kabalo ko nga nalipay gyud mo sa akoa. And to all those who are currently applying or going through the process (K1/K2 visa), don’t get nervous, just get your documents ready, have faith in yourself and you will surely pass the interview and will get your visa.
Thanks again for the support and if you have question regarding the processing, fire it away, I am willing to help.
I got my NBI clearance 2 weeks ago (sorry for late posting), and thanks to Lauren for that. Last March 23rd, I filed a request for my CENOMAR and I can have the result this coming April 11, 2007.
It was funny when I went to request my CENOMAR, I was bragging about the “OFFLINE” NSO service here in Davao with my previous post and then when I went there (last March 23), I saw the big sign “OFFLINE” again on the entrance desk (that is where the security personnel’s desk too).
Instead of riding back to the taxi, I gambled and tried asking the guard (as if di ba na hindi alam kung ano ang offline).
Me: Hello, kukuha ako ng CENOMAR, I have here the form na na-filled up ko na, is this correct?
Guard: Maam, sorry po pero close na kami but let me see your form…
(So I gave him the filled up form)
Guard: Maam, tama ho lahat ng ginawa nyo, punta na ho kayo sa itaas, baka tanggapin pa nila.
Me: Cge ha, salamat.
So I went up, (NSO-Davao is located at 3rd floor) and viola..I went directly to the cashier to pay. I even shared a little chit chat with the cashier as she was asking where would I use it and such. I also saw lots of people there that are filing requests and also claiming. After awhile, she gave me my receipt and then I went downstairs to thank the guard.
Realization..
It’s worth the try to ask and be makulit, but then I was wishing and hoping na sana NSO will change their ways. It was a lil bit deceiving and unfair to all of us. Kasi di ba, what if I did not bother to be makulit and did not ask the guard? What if ang guard is just in the mood to let me go up to the office on that time and the next time around hindi na, gayong its not offline naman pala? Kunsabagay, what else is new with them?! Opps, some people may find this post offensive but I’m speaking of my own experience, bato bato sa langit ang tamaan, talagang magagalit :-D.
