I'm totally amazed

[Bill_McC]

I've been talking to Cris for about 8 months now. At first it was Cris and two others, then Cris and another, then only Cris. Shes a total sweetheart, shes hard working, intelligent, beautiful, and 100% trust worthy. We decided that we wanted to meet face to face so I started looking into hotels, flights, and everything else that it would take for me to spend my 2011 vacation and personal time there in Manila with her. She isn't a property owner, she doesn't have a muliti-thousand dollar bank account, she didn't even have a tax ID until we started this, but she was adamant about trying to get a visitors visa so that she could come here instead of me going there. She can spend 6 months here where as I can only go for 2 weeks. After reading all that there is to read on here I was less than hopeful that she could get a visa, in fact I was convinced that they would laugh her out of the embassy when she applied. Well, she called me voice yesterday, something she almost never does, and she was on cloud 9, her visitors visa was approved. She'll be flying out of Manila on the 7th, she'll be in Atlanta early on the 8th, and we'll be spending the next at least 90 days together here in Savannah.

I'm amazed, I'm floating on air, I'm.. I don't know what I am. I guess the lesson here is to try all avenues no matter how slim the possibility, the worst that can happen is you'll be declined. The best is that she'll get to come visit.

Now what do I do if I don't want to let her go back home!??!?!?!?

Bill

[Jeff S]

Great Bill!

My wife spent two trips for a total of 10 weeks here with me before we got married - and I had two trips there to visit her for a total of 7 weeks of so, so we spent lots of time together before getting married in both places. As many have said here, the more face time you can spend, the more sure you'll be about whether she's the one or not. Holding hands on the beach in an exotic locale for 2 weeks does not a relationship make IMO.

Best of luck to you.

[Ray]

Congratulations Bill!

It should also be noted that the visa only gets you on the plane. The ICE officer at her port of entry makes the final decision on whether she gets in and how long she can stay. Single females form the Philippines are always suspect, but many are still admitted on B1/B2 visas.

Enjoy your time together and make sure you take her to Disney World… 

Ray

[Dave H]

Congratulations Bill! Her last name isn't "Aquino" is it? 

Dave

[Bill_McC]

The two week exotic vacation thing is exactly why she wanted to try the visitors visa route first. If we can't handle 90 days together with me working and her here at home then anything more permanent is out of the question. Did I say that shes pretty sharp? Well she is and shes looking for a permanent relationship just like I am.

I told her that I doubted that she would get the visa and that it was a waste of time and money. I told her that there was absolutely no way she would get the approval, but she wouldn't listen and said she was going to try even if I said it wasn't possible because she thought that it was possible. She was right and I was wrong. I based all of my objections on what I've read here in regards to Pinays and visitors visas being nearly impossible to get. I mean shes dead center in the middle of the danger zone for visitors visas. Shes single, not a property owner, mid 30s, very little money in the bank, absolutely gorgeous, and never worked for anyone but herself. Based on what I've read here that's red flag after red flag after red flag.

This is a serious question for those that know because I have no clue. What if we decide that we don't want her to go back home? What are the legal ramifications? Is it possible to get her a permanent visa once shes here? Her visa is good for up to 6 months. What can be done, if anything in that time to extend the visa if we decide that's what we want? Is that even possible within the law?

Honestly my mind is reeling because I didn't think there was a snowballs chance of her getting the approval. Now I have nothing but questions. I figured that I would be going there in Feb and meeting her for 2 weeks and then we would be talking on line for another year before we could even think about seeing each other again. I'm totally unprepared for this new set of possibilities. In fact I don't even know what questions to ask.

Should I even be thinking about extending this past 3 or 6 months?

[Bill_McC]

Congratulations Bill! Her last name isn't "Aquino" is it? 

Dave

No but her name has serious historical significance in the Philippines, its Katipunan.

Bill

[Ray]

Bill,

Before you start thinking about visa extensions, I would wait and see how long she is admitted for. If she is only admitted for 30 or 60 days for example, then it is “possible” to get an extension later, but I would try to apply early, not at the last minute.

Yes, it would be possible for her to stay here legally on a visitor visa by marrying and adjusting status. I think most of these are approved, depending on the particulars of your case. HOWEVER, I would advise against it. That is EXACTLY the reason that it is so difficult for Single Filipina women to get visitor visas, because so many violate the terms of their visa and never go home. Some have tried to use that tactic to short cut the visa system and avoid the long delays involved with fiancée & spouse visas.

My advice would be to follow the rules and have her return home in a timely manner. It is still possible for you to marry her here and have her return home to go through the CR-1 or K-3 visa process. But then you would miss out on the very important step of visiting her home turf and meeting her parents, family, and friends, and following the cultural tradition of asking her parents for their blessing in marrying their daughter while looking them in the eye.

Ray

[Bill_McC]

Thank you Ray, thats exactly the advice Im looking for. I want to do this right and only if its right. She does too. I'll be asking a lot more questions as they come up. I seriously appreciate the experience and the advice even if its not what I want to hear.

Bill

[Jedironin]

WOW! Congratulations Bill! That's terrific! 

[throwawaydad]

Holy crap, Bill!

What can you say?

Happy New Year!

Go out and buy a few lottery tickets.  Congratulations on your good fortune.  I wish it were all you guys.

I know it's not a perfect world by any means, but I wish somehow the system could be adjusted to be more realistic.

1.  Woman comes to U.S. and decides she wants to stay.
2.  Man helps her hide.
3.  ICE realizes that she's overstayed her Visa and goes looking for her at her LKA (last known address).

ICE finds Man and questions him.  "I thought she left."

"Why didn't you call us?"

"Uhhh."

"Dude, turn around and put your hands behind your back" while the ratcheting sound of handcuffs is heard.

No bail / general jail population.  If he knows anything, he'll cough it up real soon now.

We're all happy for you, and some of us are jealous, Bill.  Let's all try to figure out exactly what she said / did that got her to this point.

[piglett]

wow Bill congrats 



best of luck
pig

[Bill_McC]

We're all happy for you, and some of us are jealous, Bill.  Let's all try to figure out exactly what she said / did that got her to this point.

When I talk to Cris again tomorrow I'll try to find out what was said at the interview. I was so positive that the visa would be declined that I really didn't ask her about the interview or what documentation she took to it. As it is right now, I haven't a clue. I talked to a local FilAm couple tonight for quite a while on the phone about this and she said that she had heard that they were loosening up the requirements for the visitors visas because of our current economic situation. Maybe that's it. Honestly at this moment in time I have no idea how or why she was approved but I will add any and all pertinent info as I gather it.

Can't seem to sleep tonight.... I wonder why

Bill

[piglett]

When I talk to Cris again tomorrow I'll try to find out what was said at the interview. I was so positive that the visa would be declined that I really didn't ask her about the interview or what documentation she took to it. As it is right now, I haven't a clue. I talked to a local FilAm couple tonight for quite a while on the phone about this and she said that she had heard that they were loosening up the requirements for the visitors visas because of our current economic situation. Maybe that's it. Honestly at this moment in time I have no idea how or why she was approved but I will add any and all pertinent info as I gather it.

Can't seem to sleep tonight.... I wonder why

I hate to throw any cold water on ya Bill but i just had a thought.................
have you ever met this lady?
this could be a scam
"Oh i got a visa send me plane ticket money"
"no don't buy the ticket for me i can get a better price here"
it HAS & DOES happen so keep your eyes open Bill

Ray,WIII what say you?

real deal or scam city ?


i hope i am wrong
pig

Bill

[william3rd]

Now why would they loosen up visas for a country with a history of visa overstays and working under the table in light of our economic difficulties??? So they can steal more jobs at a lower pay rate than the locals would get?

You need to figure out what she said and what she presented to the consulate.

You could marry her here if you wait a few weeks. But- not if she told them she was coming here to research something or attend something or visit relatives somewhere a thousand miles from you.

BTW- the final decision on her length of stay is set on her actual entry to the US.

[william3rd]

Ask her to fax or email you the visa page.

[jm21-2]

Man...you've got some amazing luck going there, hope it keeps up. The visitor visa refusal rate is 2.2% for Taiwan and my fiance still got refused :/.

[piglett]

Ask her to fax or email you the visa page.

Do you smell a rat





pig

[Bill_McC]

I guess this could be a scam of some sort, but I think the odds of it being one are about a billion to one.

I've talked to her and her family extensively over the past 8 months. I just can't see a scammer taking 8 months to snap the trap shut, I can't see a scammer allowing me to talk to her mother, sisters, and brothers. I can't see a scammer sending pics of themself sitting at the election tables helping with the local elections a couple of months ago.

This is the woman that wouldn't even let me send the costs of the internet cafe time to her. This is the gal that when I did finally send $50.00 for internet time, that was the least amount I could send, the next day she had a laptop and a webcam and apologized about 100 times for using the money to add to what she had already saved to buy a laptop instead of just paying for internet cafe time. Then explaining how we would have more time to chat with the lap top and then apologizing some more. This is the woman that asked me if it was OK for her to spend her own money on a new camera.

We talk twice a day everyday unless there is a brown out or something is going on, something like All Saints Day when she spent the night at the cemetery with her family. The pictures from there were fantastic with all of her family; cousins and aunts and uncles around, all the food and the festive atmosphere.

We've talked today again but the internet was a POS so she was cut off several times. Its' New Years Day there now and she was trying to photo share new pictures of her with her hair curled and her special occasion white dress. She'll email them when she can get back on line.  Maybe its a scam, but I doubt it with every fiber of my being.

This started slow and built over the past 8 months. It went from talking and getting to know one another to like to what it is today. This was never the flash in the pan scammer junk that all the others tried to pull. This visa didn't just suddenly appear either. Shes been gathering medical records, police reports and other documentation for a couple of months. Her interview was about three weeks ago and shes been as nervous as a cat on linoleum for this entire time while shes waited for the results. No this isn't a scam, scammers aren't real people like this.

She didn't say that the visa requirements were being relaxed because of the economic conditions here, that was said by a friend of mines Filipina wife making a guess as to why the visa may have been approved when everything that we've read and heard says that it should have been denied.

OK, enough defending her. She is not a scammer and I'm 100% positive of that. Thank you for the advice in regards to getting my hands on a copy of the visa page. That makes good sense even thought I have no doubt in my mind that everything shes told me is 100% true. Also TY for the wait a few weeks advice. I'll find out exactly what she told them in the interview and we'll move whichever way we do from there. So the visa is good for 6 months but length of stay is decided upon arrival here in the US. I wasn't aware of that. I guess we'll have to be flexible in regards to return air reservations.

Bill

[Bill_McC]

Do you smell a rat





pig

Nope only a Pig

[piglett]

Nope only a Pig

he he he 

[piglett]

I guess this could be a scam of some sort, but I think the odds of it being one are about a billion to one.

I've talked to her and her family extensively over the past 8 months. I just can't see a scammer taking 8 months to snap the trap shut, I can't see a scammer allowing me to talk to her mother, sisters, and brothers. I can't see a scammer sending pics of themself sitting at the election tables helping with the local elections a couple of months ago.

This is the woman that wouldn't even let me send the costs of the internet cafe time to her. This is the gal that when I did finally send $50.00 for internet time, that was the least amount I could send, the next day she had a laptop and a webcam and apologized about 100 times for using the money to add to what she had already saved to buy a laptop instead of just paying for internet cafe time. Then explaining how we would have more time to chat with the lap top and then apologizing some more. This is the woman that asked me if it was OK for her to spend her own money on a new camera.

We talk twice a day everyday unless there is a brown out or something is going on, something like All Saints Day when she spent the night at the cemetery with her family. The pictures from there were fantastic with all of her family; cousins and aunts and uncles around, all the food and the festive atmosphere.

We've talked today again but the internet was a POS so she was cut off several times. Its' New Years Day there now and she was trying to photo share new pictures of her with her hair curled and her special occasion white dress. She'll email them when she can get back on line.  Maybe its a scam, but I doubt it with every fiber of my being.

This started slow and built over the past 8 months. It went from talking and getting to know one another to like to what it is today. This was never the flash in the pan scammer junk that all the others tried to pull. This visa didn't just suddenly appear either. Shes been gathering medical records, police reports and other documentation for a couple of months. Her interview was about three weeks ago and shes been as nervous as a cat on linoleum for this entire time while shes waited for the results. No this isn't a scam, scammers aren't real people like this.

She didn't say that the visa requirements were being relaxed because of the economic conditions here, that was said by a friend of mines Filipina wife making a guess as to why the visa may have been approved when everything that we've read and heard says that it should have been denied.

OK, enough defending her. She is not a scammer and I'm 100% positive of that. Thank you for the advice in regards to getting my hands on a copy of the visa page. That makes good sense even thought I have no doubt in my mind that everything shes told me is 100% true. Also TY for the wait a few weeks advice. I'll find out exactly what she told them in the interview and we'll move whichever way we do from there. So the visa is good for 6 months but length of stay is decided upon arrival here in the US. I wasn't aware of that. I guess we'll have to be flexible in regards to return air reservations.

Bill

i didn't know that you had been chatting with her for so long so maybe things are on the "level"
i really hope they are Bill, i just can't figure out how she got the visa.
I guess you will know more as time goes on.



pig


 

[Ray]

This visa didn't just suddenly appear either. Shes been gathering medical records, police reports and other documentation for a couple of months.

 

Bill,

I have never heard of any requirement for medical records or police clearances for a visitor visa.

The normal documents required consist of your passport, photos, any previous passports, and evidence of ties and financial means to pay for your trip expenses.

Are you sure it was a B-1/B-2 visa she applied for?

Ray

[Bill_McC]

 

Bill,

I have never heard of any requirement for medical records or police clearances for a visitor visa.

The normal documents required consist of your passport, photos, any previous passports, and evidence of ties and financial means to pay for your trip expenses.

Are you sure it was a B-1/B-2 visa she applied for?

Ray

Ray,

She had to have proof of no criminal record (police report), a health checkup from a Dr approved by the US embassy, her passport, recent bank statements showing the balance of her account/s, and airline and hotel reservations. I do know that the reservations that she had when she went to the interview were for the week before and the week following Christmas. Honestly I was so convinced that she wouldn't have a chance of getting an approval that I didn't ask any of these questions when she was applying. As soon as we get a decent connection, either YM or Skype, I'll find out more. She says its a visitors visa and that its good for 6 months from the date of issue. That is all that I really know about it at this point.

Bill

[Bill_McC]

i didn't know that you had been chatting with her for so long so maybe things are on the "level"
i really hope they are Bill, i just can't figure out how she got the visa.
I guess you will know more as time goes on.



pig

Pig,

I'm probably as amazed and surprised as anyone here. I was totally 100% convinced that the application was a total waste of time and money because I knew positively that getting the visa was out of the question, impossible, and not gunna happen. I was full swing looking for air fares and hotel rates so that I could go there in Feb. When I find out what all happened at the interview, what questions were asked and how she answered, I'll report back here for all to see.

Bill

[Ray]

She had to have proof of no criminal record (police report), a health checkup from a Dr approved by the US embassy, her passport, recent bank statements showing the balance of her account/s, and airline and hotel reservations.

 

That’s all new to me. They must have recently changed the requirements (?).

Normally they insist that you not make reservations or purchase airline tickets until after you have the visa in hand.

She says its a visitors visa and that its good for 6 months from the date of issue.

If she has a single entry visa, then the 6 months is how long she has to use it to travel here. It has nothing to do with the authorized length of stay, which will be determined later. It sounds like she already requested a 2-week stay on her application?

What did she list as her purpose for the trip? Just curious...

Ray