Friday, December 15, 2006

Immigrating To The United States - My Story

I wish I had taken the time to start this blog a year ago, when I first started the process of marriage in the Philippines and processing the never-ending stream of paperwork that is required for my Filipina wife to immigrate to the US under a Spousal Visa.

The process has been a very long, frustrating, and expensive ordeal, and looking back on the path I have taken, I have to say that it would have been much easier and less frustrating if at least a single person at the USCIS or National Visa Center had any idea what they were talking about. A little information would have gone a long way.

As such, I felt that the least I could do is to share my experiences and the knowledge I have gained with others via the world wide web, in hopes of making the process clearer and easier for someone else. While my experience deals with the Philippines specifically, the process is the same for virtually everyone obtaining a spousal or fiance visa, so hopefully I will at least help a few people.

It will take a little time to recount the entire experience from the start, so I will do it in installments, beginning with my next post. I will try to do this as quickly as possible, even though my time is a bit limited these days.

Until next time...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am in agreement with the centers not knowing anything and that goes for making appointments at centers in person. I went though the process and after 6 mths I started calling center and getting same answer "it is being processed" and then finally a suggestion to book an appointment at a immigration center. They couldnt tell me anything more than the calling the center. About a year after filling I got notice that I was denied I-129f do to lack of required information requested. I learned that you have to summit information even if it remote to you and you state you have did none of the above. They never requested any information and not once in the dozens of calls or visit to office did one say they need more information. Being a year since my wife and I had put this in we were upset to say the least. After fighting it for a while thinking that I couldn't have my wife enter US, I resigned to resending the information plus the new charge of $355. The day I was going to send it we got the approval of the I-130 form. It was a happy day then being we didn't expect it.

Anonymous said...

Posts in here were years ago..I hope some one who did the paperworks lately could post and help us who planning to get married these days in the Philippines. Or in the US.thanks

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr.Googleheimer, I'm Aga working in dubai with an American boyfriend .I just wanna ask for ur email account so that I can ask you personally about me and my boyfriend's plan for our big day.I've read alot about ur blog but I still have some queries.thanks