For Ray Emassy call?

[Peter Lee]

Hi Ray,

I was just chatting with Raquel the other day on yahoo and she has such an incredible story on how she got her visa.   Anyway she started to call the US Philippine Embassy two times a week after the notice of approval for her I-129F.  I told her that I would think that it could put you on the bottom of the list if someone gets upset with so many calls.  It was the idea that it shows you care and it will give you more attention.   The squeaky wheel gets the grease theory LOL.   It seemed to have worked for her but I am reluctant to do that right now.   Raquel called about her package and they said it would be sent in 2 weeks.   That means a total of 3 weeks from the time her husband received the approval notice.  Now I know that was different times but my question is when is it a good time to reasonably call the Embassy to see when the package will be sent?   Tomorrow will mark 2 weeks since the notice of approval was sent to me.  
I have sent my wife the Affidavit of Support along with the DS-56 and assorted emails I had printed out from her web site.   I typed directions for each packet so it would be easier for her and the post office says 5 to 7 days delivery time.  
Raquel confirmed to come at least one week before the interview to go to St. Luke’s for the medical.
That the embassy and St. Luke’s fees with travel, hotel and food expenses would be about $1000 or a bit less
That they will send you the passport after the interview
That the CFO can be stamped in Manila even though the seminar was in Cebu
That the govt. workers there were very nice and seemed to care
That prayer helped a lot
Later Peter Lee

[SteveG]

... in response to For Ray Emassy call?, posted by Peter Lee on Jan 27, 2004

Peter,
 Whenever you mention a specific amount of money somebody will always say it's too much.   $1,000 - $500 - $100 - $10 etc.  For an outragous example, I think if you quoted getting a plane ticket from New York to Manila for $225, somebody will laugh and tell you that you were robbed.    

 My feeling about it is that this is your wife.  Don't put her in a bad situation trying to tighten the budget down to the last penny.   Do you want to send her to Manila and have her run short of money and then call you in a panic telling you to wire more while she waits like a college kid begging daddy for money?  I wouldn't treat her that way if it were me.   Not once you marry her.   Send what you think she needs being liberal in your estimate(which I think you have done well already) and then add in the emergency money.  
     OK, that's all the advice you can get for 2cents.

    SteveG

[Peter Lee]

... in response to My two cents worth, posted by SteveG on Jan 28, 2004

Your advice was worth more than 2cents SteveG.  It is interesting to see what others would do.  Also I wanted to guage if what I was doing is in the mainstream of what others have been doing.  I was calculating expenses for days in Manila and I wonder if just 7 days prior to the Interview is enough.  Times have changed in the past you could go to the medical at St. Lukes and the Interview on the same day.  Now it is done on different days and I was adived to come with plenty of time before the Interview in case there is a mix up with tests results and they have to be redone.  
Later
Peter Lee

[Ray]

... in response to Re: My two cents worth, posted by Peter Lee on Jan 29, 2004

Peter,

A mix-up in test results at St. Luke's isn't a big concern. What often causes a delay in issuing the final medical report is the need for further Tuberculosis testing. If the chest X-ray shows any abnormalities consistent with TB, then the patient may need to return later so they can do a sputum smear test on 3 consecutive days, to determine if there is any active and infectious TB present. That’s the main reason for starting the medical at least a week before the interview.

But I ain’t no MD, so as always I could be wrong :-)

Ray

[Peter Lee]

... in response to Re: Re: My two cents worth, posted by Ray on Jan 29, 2004

Ok thanks,

That confirms that she gets there at least a week early.  So far so good

[SteveG]

... in response to Re: Re: My two cents worth, posted by Ray on Jan 29, 2004

Ray,
 You may not be a doctor but you play one on TV, right?  LOL   Seriously, that's exactly what happened with Melly.  Her X-Ray was suspicious so she had to have the extra tests.  We had to go back 3 consecutive days for the tests and luckily we had 3 days before the interview.   I say luckily because it was purely accident that we went for the medical exam early enough to have 3 days available prior to the interview.  
  SteveG

[Peter Lee]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: My two cents worth, posted by SteveG on Jan 29, 2004

K

[Dave H]

... in response to My two cents worth, posted by SteveG on Jan 28, 2004

Hi Steve,

Personally, I don't care how much money Peter sends. He did ask for advice and $1000 sounded high to me at the time. My wife went through the process several years ago and spent less than half of that, even though she had access to more money. But, she is very good at budgeting and is quite simple. After reading what Peter has later posted $1000 might be reasonable for what he expects to occur...along with St. Lukes and the Visa fee, his wife and her mother will fly round trip to Manila, they will arrive 7-10 days before her interview and stay at a nice hotel, and probably won't be eating rice. ;o)))

Dave H.

[Ray]

... in response to My two cents worth, posted by SteveG on Jan 28, 2004

I guess "some people" think Peter is taking money out of "their" pocket to send to his wife. It's HIS money and it's HIS wife.

But I really think Peter gets a kick out posting these questions and watching the weird reaction he gets. Right Peter? :-)

Ray

[Peter Lee]

... in response to I agree!, posted by Ray on Jan 28, 2004

Well about me watching the weird reaction.

I did think it was a worth while post with the pupose to drain the brains of those who have gone through it I didn't expect the same answer from everyone.  I have gotten a lot of information from this already.  It is hard to hold back and not make fun of my post coz it is really not a life and death subject.  So having an attitude or having some fun specially when they know I can take it is sometimes very funny.  But after the funny stuff is said they always come back with their experiences and I get lots of help.  Mostly I have an idea of what I think is ok to do.  I pass it on to this forum and see how far off I am compared to others.  Sometimes I am way off and I change my mind and sometimes I am way off and do my way anyway.  But at least I know the consequences.  Or sometimes I am doing what most of you think is the right course.  
This forum has given me confidance to do things knowing that others have done them before.  
At the same time I have doubled up in laughter in some of the posts.
So yes I do get a kick out of some of the answers to my posts.  It is a big mix of information and fun.
The ATM idea was from this forum and it has been invaluable to me.  So simple idea and I would never have thought of it myself.  I get on the internet banking and as long as I can get access to a computer I can send any ammount from my savings to my ATM account in seconds.  Since she has the ATM card she can withdraw from Iligan, Cebu and I am sure Manila.  This way she can withdraw as she needs it before or during the trip.  I can budget how much I have to expect to transfere and the rest is easy.  The ATM only lets her withdraw 20,000peso per day and I have instant notice of any transactions.  This way she doesn't have to travel with lots of money on her just the
ATM card.

[Dave H]

... in response to I agree!, posted by Ray on Jan 28, 2004

...well then, send $5000! )))

Dave H.

[Jimbo]

... in response to Not My Money..., posted by Dave H on Jan 28, 2004

Hi Dave,

You can't win :-)  $500 is not enough and $5000 is too much.  The only advice these guys are going to agree with is a line of credit -LOL

Jim

[Ray]

... in response to Re: Not My Money... ROFL!, posted by Jimbo on Jan 29, 2004

TNTPIMMFP!

But I think Dave H had it right Jimbo.

Best way to keep her happy: calculate to the dollar how much she really needs to get by and then send her 10 times that amount. Five grand sounds about right... :-)

Ray

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: Re: Not My Money... ROFL!, posted by Ray on Jan 29, 2004

Hey Ray,

How can you go wrong using my new and improved
"Manila Embassy Formula?" Everybody HAPPY...HAPPY...HAPPY!!!  Well..please don't tell my wife about my new formula!!! She no be HAPPY...HAPPY...HAPPY!!! )))

Dave H.

[Jimbo]

... in response to New Formula..., posted by Dave H on Jan 29, 2004

Well guys, my old formula didn't work out too well: "If she needs money, she'll ask."  She didn't ask so I didn't send it.  I still hear about that little oversight from time to time......... :-(

Jim