Philippine Passport Application in Davao City

July 12, 2013- This day is Saturday, and I'm surprised to learn that DFA Davao is opened on weekend (at least on Sat.) My brother told me that it's because the office is located inside SM City. This is a good thing that they are open on Saturday because some people don't have time to go to the DFA office during weekdays. Anyway, a week before this date, my brother went to DFA but was not granted application because they needed his Form 137 and voter's id or registration receipt.  He had his NSO Birth Certificate, old elementary school id and his college school ID(current) with him but that wasn't enough. He was given a checklist on what is needed besides the one that he has. So he had to come back the next week which is July 12. This time he brought his voter's registration receipt, (my sister got it from our local comelec)and baptismal certificate ( but it wasn't needed).  He didn't have his Form 137 because the school needed a written request to get it so I told him to just go ahead to the DFA and see if they will accept what you have. Luckily, this time  his application was accepted. He paid for the RUSH Processing which is supposed to be  7 working days for P1,200 according to their website.  It's already July 27, it would be 10 working days now but haven't heard anything from the DFA. He went to the  DFA SM Davao to follow-up for his passport yesterday (Sat in Ph), one of the employee told him that it is now 20 working days for express or rush processing and 35 working days for regular processing. So he has to come back next Saturday Aug. 3 to pick up his passport, hopefully they will have it this time.

Lesson learned: We should have him apply for his Passport 3 months ago to avoid this delay. But we didn't know that he will needed it this soon because we thought his petition won't be approved until next year.

For future reference, accdg. the DFA website these are the Requirements:


PASSPORT FEES:

For First time passport applicants:

• Regular Processing (15 working days): P950.00

• Express Processing (7 working days): P1,200.00

For Renewal of passport applicants:

• Regular Processing (15 working days): P950.00

• Express Processing (7 working days): P1,200.00

For Replacement of a lost expired passport:

• Regular Processing (15 working days): P950.00

• Express Processing (7 working days): P1,200.00

For Replacement of a lost valid passport:

• Regular Processing (15 working days): P950.00

• Express Processing (7 working days): P1,200.00

Please take note that there is an additional fee of P200.00 for a lost valid MRRP / MRP or P350.00 for a lost valid e-passport.

PASSPORT GENERAL  REQUIREMENTS:

• Personal appearance

• Confirmed appointment

• Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) or Certified True Copy (CTC) of BC issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and duly authenticated by NSO. Transcribed Birth Certificate from the LCR is required when entries in NSO Birth Certificate are blurred or unreadable. (Report of Birth duly authenticated by NSO if born abroad)

• No need to submit a passport size photo

• Valid picture IDs and supporting documents to prove identity (Please refer to List of Acceptable IDs and List of Supporting Documents)

LIST OF ACCEPTABLE IDS (At least 1 of the following):

• Government-issued picture IDs such as the following:
  • Digitized SSS ID
  • Driver’s License
  • GSIS E-card
  • PRC ID
  • IBP ID
  • OWWA ID
  • Digitized BIR ID
  • Senior Citizen’s ID
• Other acceptable picture IDs such as the following:
  • Old College ID
  • Alumni ID
  • Old Employment IDs

LIST OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (At least 3 of the following):

• Voter’s ID
• NSO Marriage Contract
• Land Title
• Seaman’s Book
• Elementary or High School Form 137 or Transcript of Records with readable dry seal
• Government Service Record
• NBI Clearance
• Police Clearance
• Barangay Clearance
• Old documents issued at least one year prior to date of application that show correct name, date and place of birth, picture and signature of applicant such as the following:
  • NSO Birth Certificate of child / children
  • SSS-E1 Form or Microfilmed Copy of SSS-E1 Form
  • Income Tax Return
  • Voter’s Certification, List of Voters and Voter’s Registration Record (for newly issued VRR, please attach receipt)
  • School Yearbook
  • Community Tax Certificate

Information About DS3032 -Choice of Agent and Address Form

Along with the DS3032 form, NVC will also send the petitioner the infomation about the Choice of Agent form. The petitioner will forward the information to the applicant for next step.

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DS3032- Choice of Address and Agent

July 3, 2013- Mom received an email from NVC for my brother's Choice of Address of Agent. The email contains  6 pages of pdf file , all instructions including the Affidavit of Support (AOS) Processing Fee Invoice .
This DS3032 is for the applicant/beneficiary. The Applicant has the option to email the DS3032 using his/her email address , you can use this template from visajourney in emailing DS3032. Give NVC at least 2 weeks to response on your email. You can also print and fill-up the  DS3032 form that NVC sent on your email (beneficiary or petitioner) Below is the actual DS3032 form from NVC. I covered the barcode, name of the applicant and case # to protect the identity.

If you decide to mail your Choice of Agent form, make sure  you signed and date it . Mail the form  with the original signature and not the photocopy.
I noticed the form has the expiration of 2006 but they just sent it on July 2013 so I guess it doesn't  matter.

F2A Unmarried child of LPR under 21

So, on Jan2012 right after my Mom got her Green Card , she filed Form I-130   to the USCIS  for both my brother and sister who are in the Philippines. . My brother was born on Dec1992 so he was 19 yrs and 1 mos old when the petition was filed.
My sister is over 21 so she is on F2B visa category preference.


Jan. 20, 2012- F2A Priority Date for my Brother
Jan. 20, 2012-F2B Priority Dater for my Sister

FAST FORWARD......

June 11, 2013-  Approval Date (I-797  Notice of Action)  for both categories . But only my brother F2A is                            eligible for further processing.

June 21, 2013- The National Visa Center (NVC) received my brother's case (also my sister's F2B) that                                was forwarded by the USCIS after the approval.
Note: After you get the approval letter in the mail, give NVC at least 2 weeks before calling for your case # and IIN . When calling, have your USCIS receipt # ready, name of the  petitioner and applicant , and their date of birth. Once your case will be in their system, a case number  will be assigned to you that starts with MNL for Manila Consulate. Different Consulate starts with different letters. Once you case number is assigned, you give that number everytime you call NVC for future follow-ups. Also,  have NVC update the petitioner and applicant's email address for future correspondence.

July 3, 2013- The National Visa Center (NVC) assigned a case # for F2A. (brother) with the Identification                            Invoice Number (IIN)
July 5, 2013- NVC  assigned a case # for F2B (sister), which I find it odd since it's still not eligible for                                further processing. But NVC attached  a letter with the case # saying as I quote:

Unfortunately, visa numbers are not presently available for your use. You will be notified when further
consideration can be given to processing your application for immigration. The reason for this delay is that thereare more applicants for visas than there are immigrant visa numbers available under the limitation prescribed by law.

Forward: 

July 3, 2013- By logging in at the  Immigrant Visa Invoice Payment Center , we pay the Affidavit of Support                      (AOS) for $88 .
                      Note: You need you case number and IIN in order to log in and US checking or savings                               account .
July  9, 2013- Affidavit of Support (AOS) status shows "PAID".
July 10, 2013- AOS Barcoded Cover Sheet received via email. (NVC sent it via email this time because the payment portal would not let us  print the  cover sheet. So if this happens to you even after your status shows "PAID", give NVC a call and request for the cover sheet to be sent in your email.

July 11, 2013- Affidavit of Support packet mailed.  

AOS and Supporting Documents that was sent: 

Signed I-864 -Mom
Letter of Explanation of non-filing for ITR ( no job & zero income)
Signed I-864a- Me-household member
Last 3 yrs of Transcript of Records
Last 3 yrs of W2's ( and 1099 if you have one)
Employment Letter (latest)
Paystubs (6 mos worth)

Signed I-864A from my husband as household member since we are combining our income
W2's
His employment letter
paystubs

Supporting Documents:
Joint Sponsor's proof of citizenship( passport and naturalization copy)
Joint Sponsor's birth certificate( orig & photocopy)

7-15-13- NVC received AOS packet

7-18-13- DS3032 accepted

7-19-13- IV invoiced

7-21-13- IV Payment "In Process"

7-25-13- IV bill "PAID"

NOTE: Base on experienced from my previous immigration encounter, for I-864, eventhough, your individual income is above the poverty line of your household size and NVC approves your I-864, but  if you are married and filing jointly, your local consulate will  determine if you need form I-864A from your spouse. Because on my situation when I filed for my mom's visa, manila consulate requested Form I-864A from my husband when my Mom had her interview. So the visa was delayed for 2 weeks, but that depends on how quick you send their request. 

NEXT POST....DS3032

Update: Aug 7,2013, So after 18 business days  my brother got a checklist for his AOS-Affidavit of Support which I posted it here. NVC did not accept my own I-864. The were asking for our I-864a (husband and I). A household contract for Affidavit of Support. We mailed them the next day, Aug 8,2013  together with my brother's Immigrant visa application documents.

Aug 8, 2013- IV packet mailed.

Update: As of Sept 6, 2013, my brother's f2a case was completed at NVC.  We are now  waiting for interview schedule per NVC instruction

Update: Sept 7,2013- Made an expedite request through the assistant of our State Senator.
Sept 30,2013- Expedite Approved . Case File left NVC building this day.
Oct 2, 2013- Case "In Transit" to Embassy per CEAC
Oct 8, 2013- Case arrived at Embassy and CEAC says "Ready" for interview.
Oct 15, 2013- Phone call the US Embassy. Made interview appointment on the Phone.
Oct 17, 2013- One Day Medical Done
Oct 29, 2013- Interview