US Visa thread 13

[teejiko]

^thank you so much sis! Dizziszit! We're on our way now. Waaahhhhhhhhh!!!

[akesanchez]

We had our interview last Aug 16. Sobrang nakakakaba talaga. Ang dami kong iniisip na pwede itanong samen tas baka yung isagot ko ang maging cause pa ng pagka-deny namin ni hubby. Mabilis lang ngayon yung buong process compare dati (pre-screening, biometrics then interview na), kasi ako usually taga-hintay sa labas kapag may magpapa-interview samen. Pero ngayon ko lang na-experience yung ako naman yung interviewhin. Super thank you mga sis kasi dami kong nakuhang tips dito. Parang maganda nga simoy ng hangin nung day na un kasi mostly lumalabas na naka-smile and puro family sila. During our interview mabilis lang, puro nga siya type sa computer medyo awkward moments na. Hahaha.. Tinanong niya unang-una purpose of going, sabi ko I'll join my husband sa cruise kasi he's working there, I was asked about my work sabi ko housewife then ano daw degree ko, shoot! Dun ako kinabahan then sabi ko Nursing. Wala ng specific tanong saken puro si hubby nalang sumasagot. Ayun, success naman! Sarap pakinggan nung "your visa is approved, expect your passport within a week". Hininging docs samen is marriage cert kasi maiden name pa yung sa passport ko then yung letters from my hubby's company. God-willing, 10 yrs. multiple entry makuha namin.

[simang]

Good luck sis teejiko! Let us know how it went.

Congratulations akesanchez! ME yan!

[akesanchez]

We received our passports today, kaso valid for 6 months lang. Sad, pero iniisip ko nalang its better than being denied. Our only problem ngayon is the annotation. Nakasulat Vacation on board cruise ship Carnival, Baltimore, Maryland, Dec 4, 2016-Jan 4, 2017. Does this mean na yun lang pwede namin gawin with our visa? Hindi kasi namin plan na 1 month ako mag-cruise with hubby, sabi namin siguro mga one cruise lang then tour around other states na. Pero yan lang sinulat sa annotations. Problem pa baka ibang ship na ko mag-cruise and not on board Carnival.

[binggay]

We had our interview yesterday. Family of 5. Expedited sa line because I have a 3-yr old.

We were approved. I got worried pa because the family before us was denied. Baby pa naman kasama nila.

I was worried na ma-question ng bongga kasi ang buong family ko ay nasa US. As in parents and all my siblings. I was only asked if they were US citizens. Sabi ko yung isang sis ko lang, the rest are all permanent residents.

Then the questions were all about me and my husband na. We were asked about our jobs, how long we've been working there, monthly salary, and if we have traveled as a family.

I think ang pinaka-factor for them to approve our visas is our job, salary and tenure. I was also asked pala about my previous US visit which was 15 years ago pa. Tinanong lang ako how long I stayed.

What I'm praying for now is that we get 10 years multiple sana. 

[Gaysha]

@akesanchez

I suggest sundin mo na lang kung ano nasa annotation. It's a start. Apply na lang din next time. For sure malaki na ang chance mo nun if you stick to the conditions of the first. I mean, mag cruise, not necessarily for one month. For sure, you can visit naman other places basta within validity ng SE visa mo. Validity is when you arrive sa port of entry mo. Ex. when you arrive in NYC, ang immigration officer ang mag dedecide kung ilang months or worst, days, ibibigay sayong period of stay, nakatatak sa passport mo.

[huit]

We received our passports today, kaso valid for 6 months lang. Sad, pero iniisip ko nalang its better than being denied. Our only problem ngayon is the annotation. Nakasulat Vacation on board cruise ship Carnival, Baltimore, Maryland, Dec 4, 2016-Jan 4, 2017. Does this mean na yun lang pwede namin gawin with our visa? Hindi kasi namin plan na 1 month ako mag-cruise with hubby, sabi namin siguro mga one cruise lang then tour around other states na. Pero yan lang sinulat sa annotations. Problem pa baka ibang ship na ko mag-cruise and not on board Carnival.

Ohhh...akala ko minimum na yung 10 years na multiple entry. May 6 months pala. Paano yun,
kapag gusto ko lang kumuha visa para anytime na magka pera ako, aalis ako. Pero hirap pala
kapag 6 months lang nabigay. Need mag-ipon agad in that span of months. hehe

[binggay]

^ The first time my officemate applied for a visa, she was only given single-entry, 3 months. Kasi ang reason niya attend lang ng conference.

The second time, she was granted 10 years multiple. Nakita kasi na the first time, talagang she stayed lang for 2 weeks and came back.

[Gaysha]

^^As I've said, it's not guaranteed na 6 months minimum ang ibibigay sayo. If the embassy will give you a single entry visa, yes, 6 months max yun (for any kind of tourist visa actually). Pero ang ultimate na magdedecide kung ilang araw o buwan ka talaga is the immigration officer na magtatatak ng passport mo pagdating mo sa destination mo sa America.

So sa mga naka kuha na ng visa, whether SE or ME at first time (or even lagi), be prepared din sa interview sa inyo pagdating sa point of entry. Minsan marami tanong, minsan konti lang, and worst is ma hold for questioning. Actually, minsan nga dito pa lang pag paalis sa Immigration dito mas mahigpit pa nga.

[teejiko]

Hi mga sisses! Good news and bad news: Dad ko approved, kami hindi 

Pero excited din naman ako na na-approve Dad ko. Hindi ako masyadong nalungkot (konti lang kasi nanghinayang ako sa 15k!) kasi top priority na makarating Tatay ko then sabit lang naman kami.

I think the reason na na-deny ako dahil kasama ko daughter ko. Being a single mom, baka naisip nila na hindi na ako babalik or wala ng babalikan. Baka may chance ako kung ako lang nag-apply pero hindi ko naman pwede iwan daughter ko.

Oh well, sa susunod nalang siguro  Thank you sa inyo especially sa napaka-tyagang si sis simang. Ang dami kong nakuhang tips

[naturallyposh]

is it hard to get a US visa now? if you were denied, do you recommend to reapply again like the next day or 2 days after? I'm in a rush to be issued a visa since i want to attend a convention. so sad that we got denied

btw, i applied for b1/b2. i plan to tour narin since it will be my 1st time.

[akesanchez]

Sis Gaysha, yun nga e. Kelangan sundin yung annotation. Madali naman for the dates, yun naman talaga plan (kahit ngayon naging definite plan na instead na tentative lang). Yung point of entry lang and yung cruise line na sasakyan ko. Kasi mag-iiba talaga ng barko si hubby. We'll call the embassy nalang to confirm. Ganun pala yun, the immigration officer sa US mag-dedecide kung ilang days ka lang pwede mag-stay at may interview portion pa rin talaga.

[binggay]

We got our passports back, and thank God, we were all given 10 years multiple entry! I'm so happy I can go visit my family sa US anytime.

^^ Sis naturallyposh, I read sa mga FAQ na when you are denied, you must have significant changes sa personal details mo pag nag reapply ka,  otherwise kasi if same pa din, made deny lang ulit. Like job tenure, salary, properties owned, family details, etc.

[naturallyposh]

^ thanks binggay! happy that yours got approved! sige, try ko nalang if meron ba akong ma-add na di ko na-add before.

[Gaysha]

@akesanchez

Sundin mo na lang sis kung ano nasa annotation, para good record ka. Sayang din, yun na ang chance mo to prove na susunod ka, para next time approved and ME ka na.

Btw, ano ba ang new plan mo? 1st week of Dec. din ako to the US uli. Galing ako dyan last May sa Baltimore. Nakita ko nga yung Carnival Cruises from I95.

[adsli]

is it hard to get a US visa now? if you were denied, do you recommend to reapply again like the next day or 2 days after? I'm in a rush to be issued a visa since i want to attend a convention. so sad that we got denied

btw, i applied for b1/b2. i plan to tour narin since it will be my 1st time.

Sis,  baka hindi mo lang na explain ng maayos sa vo yung purpose mo, or  mga documents mo.  Baka pwede mo ishare kung ano yung transcript mo para makapagbigay kami ng opinions.

[akesanchez]

Sis @gaysha yun talaga plan namin mag-birthday ako with him sa cruise. Kaso hindi namin expected na ilalagay sa annotation yung company ni hubby pati port of entry. Yun kasi tentative, lilipat na kasi siya ng company sa next contract niya. Iniisip nalang namin na mag-book pa rin ng cruise with Carnival para may mapakitang booking reference sa immigration.

[naturallyposh]

well, i just filled up the application based on what i will do there -- attend convention and tour. ok ba if magpatulong sa travel agency to get a us visa? meron ba silang ganong service? if so, what travel agency?

thanks!

[mama squeak!]

^not worth it since they can not help you get your visa approved. All they will do is help facilitate your papers/documents and probably get you an appointment. And that's it!

[And1moon]

^ True. My mom availed the services of a travel agency for her 2nd visa application, pero waley. They claim to having coaching sessions pa nga about the types of questions the embassy officers will ask LOL pero prerogative naman ng officers to approve your application or not.

Agencies will only help you with filling up and submission of the application, give you a checklist of usual requirements, printing out ng required documents, get you a schedule, and to some extent, sila na din pipila for you right up until the first checkpoint so you don't have to wait a long time. That agency also had a "partner" hotel/hostel for people from the provinces, and hatid/sundo services na din. Convenient, yes - but can they help you have a higher chance of approval? The answer is isang malutong na NO