K-1 FIANCE VISA TIMELINE

We always say that this is a case-to-case basis. No visa timeline is alike. This is just a guideline. If yours happened to be longer than everybody else, take the time to eat the food you like and bond with your family, because you will certainly miss them on your first year in the US.

Here's my timeline:

APPLICATION SENT ---- February 2, 2016 NOTICE OF ACTION 1 (NOA1) ---- February 4, 2016 - This is when they received your application. And it took us more than a month to received the second notice. NOTICE OF ACTION 2 (NOA2) ---- March 26, 2016 - This is to notify you that your case has been approved. You just need to wait ten days before you start calling the National Visa Center to obtain your Manila Case Number. In our case, we got it at exactly a month. Yeah, it's a lot of waiting time. But it's worth it. MCN OBTAINED ---- April 26, 2016 - After obtaining the case number, it's time to pay the fee. But before doing that, first you must print a deposit slip that can be found directly from this site. The fee for K visas during our time was $265, that is only payable in peso. Now that you've printed it, time to go to Bank of the Philippine Island or BPI to pay the MRV fee. After paying the fee, keep your receipt, you will need it. If it is lost, they can't replace it. Wait at least 4 hours before trying to set an interview schedule. While waiting, it is also a good time to work on your DS-160. MEDICAL ---- May 10-11, 2016 - Before going to your interview, you must first go to your two-day medical at St. Lukes Medical Center Extension Clinic where they will do several tests and give you two to four shots (I had three). Check their SLEC site for all other information related to K-1 application. If you will notice, my medical was so close to my interview. That is not advisable, according to me. It was stressing, tiring, nerve-wracking, I was the last to come out of the clinic. Oh my! INTERVIEW ---- May 12, 2016 - Before heading to the interview, you must have your DS-160 confirmation page printed, it has a bar code that will help them retrieve your DS-160 online. A printed NOA2 is also needed to confirm that your case was approved. You should also have all of the original documents of the photocopied ones that you've sent when you first applied. These include the petitioner's income information and your proofs of relationship. If you have recent proofs, bring them as well. Additional requirements to bring are your medical result and Form I-134, Affidavit of Support signed by the petitioner. We went there 6am, already kinda late, the line outside the embassy is already long. But still able to get in on time. Once you're in, there will be signs on where to go, you just got to follow that, next thing you'll know you're on a queue for the final step --- the interview. Questions should be easy and about you and/or your fiancé. The questions I was asked are the following: 1. When did we meet? How? 2. When is my fiancé's birthday? 3. How many times did he visit? 4. Previous marriages? 5. Kids from previous wives? ages? 6. And, if my family approved my relationship with him? You'll more likely to get a cue whether your visa is approved or not. If they don't return your passport, congratulations! In some cases, they might ask for additional evidence or missing documents.

APPROVED - I forgot when I got officially approved, can't find my copy. Maybe about a week after my interview. :P

VOH ---- May 21, 2016

- Got 2go's text in the morning that my visa packet is ready for pickup. Picked it up at 2go-Mall of Asia around 3 pm with my son. Need to get the passport out of the plastic without opening it too much, make a cut/slit that is big enough to get the passport out. Now check if all the information in the visa is correct, some cases they get names misspelled. If that happens, call the US Embassy on how to get it corrected. If it is all correct, you can book your flight anytime you want. Congratulations!

Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) ---- May 23, 2016 - This is the last step. Prior to going to CFO, you need to set a schedule. Slots are limited and most of the time, full. During our time, the slots were full for almost two months. Glad I had my spot saved since March. Here, you'll attend a seminar called Guidance and Counseling Program. Once your done with the seminar, they will give you a certificate. Take note, if you don't have the certificate, they will not allow you to leave the country. Check on the CFO website on how to get a schedule and what to bring, including the fee. FLY ---- May 25, 2016 - This is it! We're finally closing the distance. It was a mixed emotion. Sad that I am gonna leave the life I have lived and the people I love. Happy that we are ending our long distance relationship and build the family we have been planning this whole time. Nervous that I will go to a strange place I will soon call my own. So, this is going to be a fresh start. We left around 10 pm with Philippine Airlines. Arrived in California 8 pm, same day, it was like we went back in time, LOL. Took us about four hours from landing to custom check to immigration security to getting our luggage. Wow, that was a long wait! When we went out, fiancé was there waiting nervously and was so worried why it took us four hours. But all in all, this experience ended with a BIG SMILE and a HAPPY HEART. P.S. Philippines is a tropical country. So you know when I stepped outside the airport, my first thought was, "Wow, it felt like even the outside has AC." xx

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DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A LEGAL ADVICE. This article and other visa related posts in this site are all based on our personal experience. And does not guarantee visa application approval. Proud Palaweña is not responsible for a declined application.