US Embassy/US Visa (Thread 9)

[*mAtAhUm*]

What's the cheapest hotel or pension house near the US embassy? thanks..

[NightSky]

@sis mcflaura: Sis, same situation natin. My bf and his family wants me to visit them in Missouri. Dapat this May ako kukuha ng visa pero moved na sa October na lang kaya sa May siya na lang muna ang dadalaw. Let me know kung ano naging experience mo sa pagkuha ng visa. 

[McFlaura]

^sis, i don't have an appointment yet.. kasi hinihintay ko pa yung passport ko..(na cancel kasi nag file si tita ng bagong appointment.. this monday pa tuloy ako makakapagpa gawa ng passport) nako.. kinakabahan ako.... meron ba dito sinuwerte na naka kuha ng early schedule.... talaga bang laging.. super tagal ng schedule of appointment sa pag file ng application for US Visa?


Tourist visa (and first time application) lang po..
  panu na yan?? T_T

[vain_kixie]

I suggest dont tell them you will visit your bf!! Kasi they might conclude that you might get married there, thus your bf should file for fiance visa instead.

Whenever kasi I enter the US, the immigration always asks where my bf is, my bf is manila based but he's a US citizen and I always claim I am traveling alone and he's in the Philippines, I disclose the fact that he's from the US kasi nga they might think I am entering their territory to get married.

[McFlaura]

^Then what if they ask what is my relation with the person i'm going to live with? would it be better to lie and tell them that he's only my friend?


and ask ko lang rin po what are the chances na makakuha ako ng appointment for interview ng around MARCH or early this april? paano ba malalaman kung may available pa silang slot?

sorry .. paranoid na talaga ako... eh.. T_T

[NightSky]

^ Sis, in my case, mukhang di pwede. Lol. Sabi ko nga kay bf, if I'll try to get the Visa, I told him I have a slim chance kasi nga the embassy will always assume na the interviewee will go to the US and become an illegal alien. Pero I'd rather just be truthful. Kung di man makuha, then hindi. 

Back on topic, although October ko pa siya balak dalawin doon, is it better na magpa-appointment na ako sa September ng maaga and pay for it?

[kimarc22]

@sis *mAtAhUm*: Maganda sa Soriente Hotel, walking distance from the St. Lukes Extension. Pwede din lakarin papuntang U.S. Embassy. 1.6k+ at next day 12pm checkin-checkout. Pwede din yata maaga check-in.

Not that in-advertise ko siya, just giving out the hotel we've stayed in during my bf's medical and interview.

Hope this helps!

[NightSky]

@McFlaura: di pa ako nakakapag-appointment for the tourist visa. After na lang ng May, pag may ipon na ulit ako for the visa payment. Ipon muna kasi for our vacation lol. Sa September ako papaschedule for the visa. I've been reading this kasi a lot of stuff online regarding the tourist visa kaya feeling ko slim ang chance talaga. Pero you just have to prove daw na you'll be returning sa Pilipinas.

[glacy_rein]

mas marami bang available dates sa call center kesa online? may scheduled travels kasi ako sa available dates online..

[vain_kixie]

mcflaura, don't you have relatives in the US? Put your relatives name instead. If they live in the same state as your bf then well and good. Trust me sweetie, malaki ang chance mo ma deny if you will say you will visit your bf as your sole reason for entering the US. (unless you have lots of assets here in Manila and a very good employment record then you just might have a chance).

[*mAtAhUm*]

@kimarc thanks sis!..will check on soriente hotel..

[kimarc22]

@sis *mAtAhUm*: You are most certainly welcome.

Speaking of visa, maybe 5 years from now na ako magpakuha sa bf ko since kailangan daw within 3 months na punta ka dun (with a fiancee visa) mapakasalan mo na ang fiancee mo. And nabasa ko dito yung tungkol sa tourist visa just to visit your hubby. Natakot tuloy ako kaya yung fiancee visa nalang in the right time!

Good luck sa mga kukuha ng visa nila!

[dimplesgon]

http://www.manilamaildc.net/2012/02/19/us-embassys-visa-okay-rate-for-pinoys-70-30/

US Embassy’s Visa Okay Rate for Pinoys: 70-30

MANILA – The US embassy in the Philippines gets 700 to 1,000 applications for nonimmigrant visa every day and about 70 percent are approved. “It’s a 70 percent approval rate, which is pretty good,” according to Consul General Michael R. Schimmel.
But with the order of President Obama to liberalize the grant of visas for those wanting to visit the US, the percentage of visa grants is expected to dramatically rise. Under the Obama tourists’ plan, those who have already had US visas in the past don’t have to be re-interviewed if they reapply to visit the US.
“We very much want to see Filipinos visit the US. It’s in everybody’s interest for Filipinos to travel to the US,” Schimmel, who assumed his post in October, tells the Inquirer. He says international travel is the best way to promote a solid bilateral relationship.
The US embassy in the Philippines gets 700 to 1,000 applications for nonimmigrant visa every day. About a third are disapproved for various reasons.
Previously, out of every 10 tourist or business visa applications filed with the United States embassy in Manila, about seven get approved.
“It’s a 70 percent approval rate, which is pretty good,” according to Consul General Michael R. Schimmel who was interviewed by the Daily Inquirer last year.
The Philippines is not among 36 countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Nationals of countries covered by VWP can travel to the US for tourism or business purposes without a visa and stay for not more than  90 days.
Only four Asian countries are in the VWP: Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
To be admitted to the program, a country “must meet various security and other requirements, such as enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the US.” For a country to qualify, the rate of visa application refusal must be less than two percent. The Philippines’ is around 30 percent.

[khat]

sis ano dapat ang mauna after paying ng MRV fee,fill up the DS-Form ba yun or schedule an interview appointment? TIA sissies

[theflygirl]

^Fill up the form first, then schedule the interview appt.

[khat]

^ thank you sis another question lang, pasensiya na, nabasa ko kasi dun sa manila-us embassy site, after na fill-up yung DS-160 form,and na gather lahat ng documents,including 2x2 photo/passport etc.. ipapadala ba yun sa embassy? or dadalhin yun sa mismong day ng interview? may nabasa din ako na kailangan dalhin yung interview appointment letter and confirmed/approved DS-160 form? ipapadala ba sayo yung interview appointment letter? pasensiya na mga sis,dami ko tanong

[theflygirl]

^dadalhin mo on the day of your interview all of your documents. Yung appointment letter, you'll receive it through email after confirming your appointment date online.

[Xia_babygurl]

Hi mga sis! May ask lang po ako tungkol sa pagkuha ng US VISA. Balak ko po kasi visit si bf soon. Taga Texas sha, dual citizen (Phil-Am), nurse sha dun. Ano po bang magandang reason for purpose of travel? Kung B2 po ang ifafile ko, ano po kayang reason na pwede kong ilagay? Sa mga nabasa ko po kasi parang negative po kapag visit lang yung purpose of travel. Though wala naman talaga akong balak mag stay ng matagal kasi i'm working din here. Siguro kahit 1month lang pwede na. My background pala is Single, 23yrs old, working full-time and lahat naman ng family ko nandito sa Pinas.

Hmmm.. Okey naman si bf kung fiance visa.. Pero i think kasi hindi pa kami ready for that. Hehe! 23 pa lang ako and 25yrs old naman sha. siguro kung yun lang yung choice para ma-visit ko sha sa US, we will risk it. Pero gusto ko muna sana itry mag tourist. Kasi gusto ko lang talaga makita yung way of living niya dun. And kung magiging masaya ba ko sa pag stay ko dun.. Kasi i love PINAS, nandito lang ng friends and family ko. Advice naman po please. Thank you so much!

[khat]

^dadalhin mo on the day of your interview all of your documents. Yung appointment letter, you'll receive it through email after confirming your appointment date online.

Thank you so so much sis

[gcarrie]

hi mga sis,
is there another way to see the schedules online, without cancelling your booked appointment? di ko na makita yung calendar for open skeds. been waiting for open skeds for March kaso puro April na ang earliest sked. Last night was April 30 na, so when i checked this morning again, meron April 10, binook ko na si mother. kaso bitin kasi we're leaving on April 19. biglaan kasi na sasama siya. medyo nagsiguro na ko sa April 10 kaso better if mas maaga.
pwede ko din araw-arawin ang tawag sa hotline, di ba? to know the new skeds and for re-scheduling?
but mas ok sana kung sa online. makikita ko pa ba yung calendar?

thanks!