This page is dedicated to help other aspiring Filipino immigrants in the US. Just like you, we were in limbo at the beginning of the whole visa journey, and even had bumps along the way, which were all lesson well-learned. With the help of the world wide web, we were able to pass our visa process with flying colors. Though it is not yet the end of the journey, we confidently say that – it is a piece of cake, if you pay attention to details.
Our sincerest gratitude to VisaJourney.Com and Ray Bacon of Mag-Anak Forum for the valuable information that we got from them. To help you out, below is the step-by-step of the visa application process:
But before reading forward, I want you to read “Preparing For the Visa Interview“.
Steps in K-3 and K-4 Visa Petition (Updated Regularly)
Fees: $ 355.00 per applicant , thus if you have a child (K-4 derivative beneficiary), you need to send a separate form and payment
Once you receive the Notice of Action (I-797) of your I-130, you can now file for I-129F. Do not forget to include a copy of the NOA in your I-129F package. It is a requirement to prove that I-130 is already submitted and in process.
Fees: no fee, (only one form for all – K3 & K4; do not forget to include K-4’s name, if you have, in the form)
This is the long wait of the process. The wait is over whenever you receive the Approval Notice (I-797). If you register in USCIS case online service, you will receive an email the very moment the adjudicator approves or rejects your case. Even then, your USC petitioner will receive a paper copy in the mail. There will be a separate approvals for the I-130 and the I-129F. In most cases, approvals happen at the same day. Take note – at this stage, you can still change your route to a CR-1 / CR-2 application. If you do, inform NVC and USCIS, and most importantly, file form I-824. But if you wish to proceed with K-3/K-4, do nothing and just wait.
3. Approved case will be forwarded to the National Visa Center. NVC will send a notification to the USC petitioner to inform him/her that the case will be now forwarded to the embassy for the visa application. If you do not have an idea on what is the status of your case, you can call NVC at 603- 334-0700 (then 1, 5) or email at NVCInquiry@state.gov.
Your I-130 form will be retained by the adjudicating service center (for your Adjustment of Status application in the US), while your I-129F will be forwarded to the embassy.
4. Interview and medical appointment dates.
When you receive the letter from the embassy confirming that the case is now “documetarily qualified” and is now ready to be scheduled, you need to call them. As of March 19, 2008 onward, the embassy has implemented a new scheduling process. Click HERE .
At this stage, you need to start with you document gathering for your interview. Click HERE.
5. Medical Examination at St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic.
The new medical exam fee is US $213.35 for adults (15 years and older) and US $185.35 for children (under 15 years of age). SLEC does not accept dollar payment. Be prepare to pay in peso equivalent of the said fees. Payment is done during the first day at the SLEC cashier. Do not worry at the first stage of the process they will give your a flowchart sheet for your guidance. You need to bring the following: appointment letter from NVC or the email print-out sent by the embassy Call Center, passport, 2 pcs. 2×2 colored picture in white background, and the fees.
The medical exam will take two business days. Do not forget to have a copy of your appointment letter from NVC or the email print-out sent by the embassy Call Center. It is recommended to undergo the exam two-three weeks before your interview date. If something goes wrong with your result, at least, you have the time to correct it. Like for example – if your X-Ray will show some signs of TB, you have to udergo another X-Ray and sputum test which will take another 3 days. Also, do not forget to have your immunizations even before the med exam. SLEC will only give you one shot of each kind of vaccine. Remember – most of the vaccines require 2 or more shots to complete. If SLEC will give you one shot of a 3-shot vaccines, that means that you have to complete your shots in the US. I tell you, it is very expensive here in the US. Go to your local physician or health center, and complete your vaccines as early as possible. Be ready to show you chickenpox scar, if you have. If you have the proof that you had a chickenpox before, you will be exempted for varicella shots. DO NOT forget to bring your immunization record, medical certificate (if you have major surgeries-but not really required), and previous X-Ray film within 6 months (if you have). These two days will test your patience. Be prepare for a very long wait. Have a little bit of food and water in your bag especially when you have a kid with you. When you are done with the whole medical exam, your passport will NOT be given to you. SLEC will forward it directly to the US embassy for your interview. You can call them at (632) 521 – 0020 , 521 – 8647, 524 – 6083.
More info HERE.
Payment of Visa Application Fee
A visa application fee of US $131.00 is required for EACH applicant, which shall be paid IN ADVANCE at designated 210 branches of the Banco De Oro and Citibank. All fees may be in Philippine pesos equivalent to the prevailing exchange rate. Do not forget to bring the receipt during you interview.
6. Embassy interview.
This is your big day. Relax and enjoy. If you are a senior citizen, pregnant or with a child or children during the interview, rejoice. You will be given priority over other applicants not stated above. After the interview, you will be require to pay Delbros, even if your case in put in Administrative Review. At the end of the process, a pink slip means outright approval. If you are given a white slip with “wait until you hear from us” note, most likely, your case is under Administrative Review. A blue slip means outright rejection.
7. Issuance Of Visa
Once your case is approved, the embasy normally asked you to pay in advance the courier, which has a booth inside the embassy itself. However, if you have gotten a 221(g) document at the end of the interview, this means that either you have to submit additional documents or your case in under adminstrative review. If you are required to submit more documents, follow this instructions from the embassy. If it is adminstrative review, the embassy will contact you when a decision is made.
Payment of Visa Delivery Fee
The embassy is using Air21 in all approved visa delivery. The fee is usually paid at the end of the interview at the embassy. The amount varies from based on the delivery destination. If you have K-4 derivative applicant, you have to pay for EACH. Example – Php. 300.00 (K3) + Php. 300.00 (K4). You can track your visa delivery using their website. It usually takes from 7-10 days from issuance to delivery of the visa to your address.
CFO Registration / Guidance & Counseling Seminar
Before you can leave the country, you need to attend a seminar and have a CFO sticker in your passport. This is a must. You can either do this at their Cebu or Manila Office. Take note — the seminar will be held at a different venue than the CFO registration where the sticker will be posted in your passport. Here are some important links for this process:
*Guidance and counseling requirements
*Guidance and counseling flowchart
In my case, I used my married name in all my USCIS application. Since the CFO seminar certificate is a requirement in getting the passport for spouses/fiancees of foreigners, I attended the seminar even before we started our petition. Basically from I-130 submission, we submitted my passport in my married name. I went Cebu to attend the seminar, and had the CFO sticker in Manila a day before my international flight. All went well. My 5-year old daughter did not attend any seminar. I only paid for her registration fee.
8. Port of entry.
Welcome to America! At your POE (port of entry), you will be asked to fill up your I-94 (Arrival and Departure Record). After this, the immigration officer will staple the half of the document in your passport. BE SURE to have this attached in your passport. In case the officer forgets it, ask her/him. You badly need this document in almost everything you do here in the US –like application for AOS, EAD, SSN, Driver’s License, State ID, etc.
Oooppps! you are not yet done, you have to apply for adjustment of status to Legal Permanent Resident. At this stage, I am pretty sure that you will be an immigrant expert yourself, so may no longer need my guidance. Good luck, friends.
For more details, here is a FLOWCHART and TIMELINE of the process.
POINTERS IN SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS TO USCIS:
*To make your submission package organized, a cover page is recommended. This shall state the content of the package. Like in a book, it is the the “table of content”.
*In submitting your I-130, I suggest that you will use a personal check. In this stage, your case has no reference or NOA receipt # yet, hence, it is hard to follow the status of the case using USCIS case status online (highly recommended to register) or their toll free 1-800-375-5283. Basically, when your check cleared, it is a manifestation that your case is “touched”. By this time, most likely, you do not have the NOA yet. You can check your case number by checking the back of the cleared check. It is there — it starts with three letters and followed by 10 number digits.
*In your I-130 and I-129F submission, a copy of your marriages certificate, birth certificates (you and your children if you have) will suffice. The certified copy in NSO security paper will only be required during the interview.
*Do not forget to include proof of relationship in filing I-130 and I-129F. It does not have to be too much, because you will need the most of your proofs in your interview.
* HERE are more pointers.
Below are sub-pages that chronilcles our personal experiences and websites that are worth looking at
Sources: US Embassy In Mania website, USCIS.Gov, VisaJourney.Com, CFO.GOV.PH, DELBROS,NSO,
This page has the following sub pages.
