If you're one of my beloved kababayans, salamat po sa pagbisita. Sana makilala ko kayo at magkakwentohan tayo paminsan-minsan. Pagpalain Nawa!
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Guest Messages
Thank you for visiting. I'm not so sure why and how you reach my U.S. immigration journey blog but I am happy and very thankful that you are here. I hope you find our site useful. This blog welcomes all questions, suggestions and helpful comments. Please leave a message. I'd love to know and hear from my visitors but if you'd rather stay anonymous that's alright. Just know that I am happy for your visit.
If you're one of my beloved kababayans, salamat po sa pagbisita. Sana makilala ko kayo at magkakwentohan tayo paminsan-minsan. Pagpalain Nawa!
If you're one of my beloved kababayans, salamat po sa pagbisita. Sana makilala ko kayo at magkakwentohan tayo paminsan-minsan. Pagpalain Nawa!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Application For Removal of Conditional Resident Status
If you come in the United States through K1 Visa, known as the Fiancee Visa, after your wedding you need to apply for your Adjust of Status using Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence. You can download application forms from the official U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services website. You can also download the instructions and the checklist as your guide in filling up the forms. You need to submit your application to the USCIS Service Center that handle applications from your resident address. You can find that in the form too. Then, you will have to have another Biometrics. Don't worry they will send you a letter for this, as to when and where. You may be called for an interview too. If your Adjustment Of Status (AOS) application is approved, you will be given a Green Card under Conditional status. That conditional resident card is good for two years. You can renew that card and submit your application ninety (90) days before it's expiration date. If you will be approved, your new Green Card or new Permanent Resident Card is good for ten (10) years.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
About Us
Hello! Welcome to our US immigration journey blog. I am from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. My dear husband is a natural-born U.S citizen. We met in 2004, fell in love and started our K-1 Visa Process on May 2005. I arrived in the United States five days before Valentines day 2006. We got married on the third day of March 2006. I got sworn in as a United States Citizen last October 2009.
When my sweetheart and I were just starting our paper works for my K-1 Visa, we were searching different information about the whole K-1 Visa process. I remember myself reading some amazing web sites that helpful people, who have gone through the whole K-1 Visa process, have put together. Learning about their experiences, reading helpful tips and knowing the possible scenarios have somehow helped us in the process.
This site contains information about our experiences, our application timelines (K-1 visa, Adjustment of Status, Removing Conditional Status, N-400 Naturalization), and links to visa information sources that we found useful and more online resources for my beloved kababayans. We are hoping that we can pass all the help we can give by sharing our experiences to others who are now undertaking the same journey.
I am the sole author of this blog and I am not very good in using proper English grammar. Sometimes I ask my husband if my English grammar is correct or not and when I do, he helps me a lot. But I don't bug my hard-working husband all the time. In most instances, I just go ahead and write things. So please excuse any grammar mistakes.
Anyways, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions that I might be able to help. I would love to hear from you. I would also appreciate any helpful comments and suggestions. My husband and I both wish you all the best. May the good Lord Bless us all and grant the desires of our heart. Keep the faith burning!
Thank You For Visiting and I hope you come back often.
When my sweetheart and I were just starting our paper works for my K-1 Visa, we were searching different information about the whole K-1 Visa process. I remember myself reading some amazing web sites that helpful people, who have gone through the whole K-1 Visa process, have put together. Learning about their experiences, reading helpful tips and knowing the possible scenarios have somehow helped us in the process.
This site contains information about our experiences, our application timelines (K-1 visa, Adjustment of Status, Removing Conditional Status, N-400 Naturalization), and links to visa information sources that we found useful and more online resources for my beloved kababayans. We are hoping that we can pass all the help we can give by sharing our experiences to others who are now undertaking the same journey.
I am the sole author of this blog and I am not very good in using proper English grammar. Sometimes I ask my husband if my English grammar is correct or not and when I do, he helps me a lot. But I don't bug my hard-working husband all the time. In most instances, I just go ahead and write things. So please excuse any grammar mistakes.
Anyways, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions that I might be able to help. I would love to hear from you. I would also appreciate any helpful comments and suggestions. My husband and I both wish you all the best. May the good Lord Bless us all and grant the desires of our heart. Keep the faith burning!
Thank You For Visiting and I hope you come back often.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Tips for K-1 Visa Applicants During Interview
Getting anxious for your big day? Don't be nervous. The best thing to do is to have the right preparation. What preparation? Your documents and yourself. Just relax and try to make the Filipino Interviewer and the Consul happy with how you organize your necessary documents.
Before you go to the U.S Embassy for your Fiance' (K-1) Visa Interview,
1. make sure you have all your documents, and make sure you have your documents neat, well organized, and presentable;
2. you can use side tabs (color coded or not) for easy reference.
Before you face the US Consul, you will be called first in the Filipino Interviewers booth. When you get to the Filipino interviewer window,
3. Smile and greet your interviewer.
Nothing better than a confident, warm smile. The Filipino interviewer is going to check all the needed documents.
4. It will help you if you will have all my needed documents compiled in a flexible plastic folder.
Why does the folder have to be flexible? There is a glass between you and the interviewer and there is only a foot long and thin open slot (at the bottom of the glass) where you will pass your documents. It's thin enough for only papers and flexible plastics to go through.
5. Organize your documents well. Separate them by categories, for easy access. Stack all your identification documents, another group would be the proof of your relationship, and all the financial documents together.
6. Stack your documents well, possibly thin, maybe maximum thickness would be half an inch thick. Don't stack it too thick, remember the slot of the window is thin. If you can't help make them thinner, you can separate them, make 2 folders instead, just remember to stack them by category.
7. Do not use a thick and hard side binders because it will never go through. Use button fasteners, instead of long fasteners or straight folder sliders.
I saw some applicants there had to take it off from their folders so that they can pass it to their Filipino interviewer.
8. Another thing, have your pictures ready. Don't give the entire photo album, remember that it won't pass through the slit of the window glass.
You don't want to annoy your interviewer for waiting on you taking your photos off your albums one by one. Some of them get annoyed or grumpy. I saw a lot of applicants that done that and some of them had a "not so" pleasant experience from their interviewer.
9. Most importantly, make sure that you got all the needed documents. Some applicants are put in AR (Administrative Review) because they lacked important documents.
When all your documents are ready, the Filipino interviewer is going to tell you to wait for your number to be called. That's for your consul interview.
When your number is called, they will tell you which room number to go.
10. Smile and greet the consul.
He's going to make you take an oath, before the interview is going to start. You will see that the consul is holding your documents (those that you submitted to the Filipino interviewer). The consul also has the documents submitted by your sweetheart during his petition. Why I know? Because during my interview, the consul showed it to me. I had a wonderful consul interviewer, told me that he was impressed by the organization of my documents, and by how my sweetheart organized his. (He showed me that documents submitted by my then fiance').
11. When the consul ask you questions, don't be nervous.
There's really nothing to worry about. Just relax and be truthful. The more you get nervous, the more you might mess up.
12. Remember important dates and information that were on your forms.
The Consul will ask questions about you, your fiance' and your relationship. Some Consuls are going to ask more questions, while others will just ask 3 or 4. In my case, the consul only asked me 3 questions. I heard other applicants were asked a lot of questions by their assigned Consul. I think your paperwork helps a lot. Show them that you really mean business. Give them a Complete, Well-Organized documents along with the genuineness of your relationship and intentions.
Most of the time, the U.S Consul will not tell you if you pass or not. On his table, he has two (2) kinds of stickers. One for approve, one for AR. Take a peek as to which sticker he's holding. He's not going to give that sticker to you, he will stick it to your folder, after the interview. If the U.S embassy is still using the same color codes of their sticker, green means passed.
If you miss which sticker the Consul got for you, you will know that you passed the interview later. When you're done with your interview with the consul, he will tell you to go wait for your number to be called and go to another Window. That window is going to give you back some of your documents, like pictures and others. If the personnel of that window is going to give you a pink slip, and will tell you to pay at the cashier, it only means that you passed.
Good luck!
Before you go to the U.S Embassy for your Fiance' (K-1) Visa Interview,
1. make sure you have all your documents, and make sure you have your documents neat, well organized, and presentable;
2. you can use side tabs (color coded or not) for easy reference.
Before you face the US Consul, you will be called first in the Filipino Interviewers booth. When you get to the Filipino interviewer window,
3. Smile and greet your interviewer.
Nothing better than a confident, warm smile. The Filipino interviewer is going to check all the needed documents.
4. It will help you if you will have all my needed documents compiled in a flexible plastic folder.
Why does the folder have to be flexible? There is a glass between you and the interviewer and there is only a foot long and thin open slot (at the bottom of the glass) where you will pass your documents. It's thin enough for only papers and flexible plastics to go through.
5. Organize your documents well. Separate them by categories, for easy access. Stack all your identification documents, another group would be the proof of your relationship, and all the financial documents together.
6. Stack your documents well, possibly thin, maybe maximum thickness would be half an inch thick. Don't stack it too thick, remember the slot of the window is thin. If you can't help make them thinner, you can separate them, make 2 folders instead, just remember to stack them by category.
7. Do not use a thick and hard side binders because it will never go through. Use button fasteners, instead of long fasteners or straight folder sliders.
I saw some applicants there had to take it off from their folders so that they can pass it to their Filipino interviewer.
8. Another thing, have your pictures ready. Don't give the entire photo album, remember that it won't pass through the slit of the window glass.
You don't want to annoy your interviewer for waiting on you taking your photos off your albums one by one. Some of them get annoyed or grumpy. I saw a lot of applicants that done that and some of them had a "not so" pleasant experience from their interviewer.
9. Most importantly, make sure that you got all the needed documents. Some applicants are put in AR (Administrative Review) because they lacked important documents.
When all your documents are ready, the Filipino interviewer is going to tell you to wait for your number to be called. That's for your consul interview.
When your number is called, they will tell you which room number to go.
10. Smile and greet the consul.
He's going to make you take an oath, before the interview is going to start. You will see that the consul is holding your documents (those that you submitted to the Filipino interviewer). The consul also has the documents submitted by your sweetheart during his petition. Why I know? Because during my interview, the consul showed it to me. I had a wonderful consul interviewer, told me that he was impressed by the organization of my documents, and by how my sweetheart organized his. (He showed me that documents submitted by my then fiance').
11. When the consul ask you questions, don't be nervous.
There's really nothing to worry about. Just relax and be truthful. The more you get nervous, the more you might mess up.
12. Remember important dates and information that were on your forms.
The Consul will ask questions about you, your fiance' and your relationship. Some Consuls are going to ask more questions, while others will just ask 3 or 4. In my case, the consul only asked me 3 questions. I heard other applicants were asked a lot of questions by their assigned Consul. I think your paperwork helps a lot. Show them that you really mean business. Give them a Complete, Well-Organized documents along with the genuineness of your relationship and intentions.
Most of the time, the U.S Consul will not tell you if you pass or not. On his table, he has two (2) kinds of stickers. One for approve, one for AR. Take a peek as to which sticker he's holding. He's not going to give that sticker to you, he will stick it to your folder, after the interview. If the U.S embassy is still using the same color codes of their sticker, green means passed.
If you miss which sticker the Consul got for you, you will know that you passed the interview later. When you're done with your interview with the consul, he will tell you to go wait for your number to be called and go to another Window. That window is going to give you back some of your documents, like pictures and others. If the personnel of that window is going to give you a pink slip, and will tell you to pay at the cashier, it only means that you passed.
Good luck!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
My AOS Timeline
Here's my Adjustment of Status Timeline (US Immigration). Please note that AOS timeline is not the same for everyone. It's a case to case basis.
After our wedding, the immigration paperworks continues. It's time to adjust status and be able to get the United States resident card. My sweetheart and I prepared all the papers and finished all the required shots that are required ( Tetanus Dyphteria and MMR). Those were the two shots that weren't given at St. Luke Hospital Extension, Philippines and are required for me to get here in the USA. I am posting my adjustment of status timeline for reference to those who are also applying for their adjustment of status. In our case, I was not interviewed anymore. After my biometrics, the USCIS service center just sent me my US green card. I know some Filipina's who were interviewed, and there were also some that were not interviewed. I guess it depends on who's handling your case. For those who were interviewed, I heard that The US Immigration Services send them (applicant) a letter and set appointment time for interview and location.
We sent our application to Chicago. It was forwarded to Missouri Service Center and then forwarded to California Service Center.
My AOS Timeline:
2-09-2006 Arrived in the US (POE: Detroit)
3-03-2006 Wedding day
3-15-2006 Applied for SSN under Married Name
4-03-2005 Sent AOS Applications
4-14-2006 Received AOS 1st NOA (Receipt Notice)
4-17-2006 Received AOS 2nd NOA (Biometrics Appointment Notice)
4-20-2006 Received Social Security Card
4-25-2006 Biometrics (USCIS Atlanta, GA)
6-03-2006 Received Notice of Transfer to California
6-15-2006 Received Case Status Email that Application been APPROVED!
6-16-2006 Received Case Status Email that Welcome Notice was mailed
6-19- 2006 Received Welcome Notice by Mail
6-22-2006 Received Green Card
After our wedding, the immigration paperworks continues. It's time to adjust status and be able to get the United States resident card. My sweetheart and I prepared all the papers and finished all the required shots that are required ( Tetanus Dyphteria and MMR). Those were the two shots that weren't given at St. Luke Hospital Extension, Philippines and are required for me to get here in the USA. I am posting my adjustment of status timeline for reference to those who are also applying for their adjustment of status. In our case, I was not interviewed anymore. After my biometrics, the USCIS service center just sent me my US green card. I know some Filipina's who were interviewed, and there were also some that were not interviewed. I guess it depends on who's handling your case. For those who were interviewed, I heard that The US Immigration Services send them (applicant) a letter and set appointment time for interview and location.
We sent our application to Chicago. It was forwarded to Missouri Service Center and then forwarded to California Service Center.
My AOS Timeline:
2-09-2006 Arrived in the US (POE: Detroit)
3-03-2006 Wedding day
3-15-2006 Applied for SSN under Married Name
4-03-2005 Sent AOS Applications
4-14-2006 Received AOS 1st NOA (Receipt Notice)
4-17-2006 Received AOS 2nd NOA (Biometrics Appointment Notice)
4-20-2006 Received Social Security Card
4-25-2006 Biometrics (USCIS Atlanta, GA)
6-03-2006 Received Notice of Transfer to California
6-15-2006 Received Case Status Email that Application been APPROVED!
6-16-2006 Received Case Status Email that Welcome Notice was mailed
6-19- 2006 Received Welcome Notice by Mail
6-22-2006 Received Green Card
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