Travelogy

If you’ve ever thought of living or investing in the Philippines, but are unsure about how to proceed, the SRRV Visa may be the answer for you! The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) is a special non-immigrant visa for foreign nationals who would like to make the Philippines their second home or investment destination.

This can come in handy in many ways for individuals who wish to reside in the Philippines for the long term, taking advantage of the country’s growing economy and well-governed society. President Duterte has promised to turn the Philippines into a global powerhouse and world leader, and it will be a fascinating and beautiful place to live in, no doubt.

It would also make for a peaceful and joyful retirement, no doubt, to live closer to the lap of nature in the tropics. If all of this sounds intriguing and tantalizing to you, you should consider getting a Special Resident Retiree Visa (SRRV). Some of the benefits of the SRRV are:

1. Indefinite stay with multiple-entry/exit privileges

The SRRV lets you stay on indefinitely in the Philippines. This means you will not have to deal with the hassle of getting your work visa renewed or having to leave the country and apply again for reentry. In addition, the SRRV grants you multiple entry and exit privileges to make your way in and out of the country as smooth as possible.

Why spend time and money dealing with the bureaucratic process over and over again when you can get it all done at once, and never have to think twice about it again? The choice is clear as day and right as rain, and you must know it to be true in your heart of hearts.

2. Exemption from Taxes and Fees

The SRRV also grants you exemption from a lot of taxes and fees, making it an investment dream. You can avoid paying the following taxes or fees:  The Philippine Bureau of Immigration ACR-I Card (Annual Report);  Customs duties & taxes for one time importation of household goods & personal effects worth up to US$7,000.00 Tax from pensions & annuities; Travel Tax, if you have not stayed in the Philippines for more than 1 year from the last date of entry; and Student Visa/Study Permit. This exemption from taxes is sure to save you a lot of hassle and money in the long-term, allowing you to focus on growing your business or company instead.

The Philippines, with its rapidly growing economy but a low cost of operations, combined with these tax exemptions, can prove to be just the place to get a business to flourish and grow into a multi-million dollar global force. Thus, the Special Resident Retiree Visa can and will pay for itself many times over. Even Tantalus in Hades could not lay claim to such a lucrative deal himself!

3. Access to Benefits and Programs

In addition to the above-listed benefits, the SRRV also grants you access to other benefits and programs that can prove to be vital to staying in the Philippines. You will gain, for instance: Access to the Greet & Assist Program at selected Philippine airports; a free subscription to the Philippines Retirement Authority Newsletter; discount privileges from Philippines Retirement Authority accredited Merchant Partners; free assistance in transacting with other government agencies; and entitlement to PHILHEALTH benefits & privileges. This should make your transition into life in the Philippines that much easier. With lower costs, a tempting currency exchange rate, and all these benefits put together, you can live a life of ease, luxury, and plenty in the Philippines, making your twilight years fit for a king. All of this put together in the neat SRRV package make it quite a difficult prospect to turn down such a tantalizing and utilitarian deal!

So what is the application process of IR1 visa, what the eligibility criteria for applying IR1 visa is, and how much it costs; we will look at all these aspects in this article.

Visa application process

Filing petition- The first step to obtain an IR1 immigrant visa for your foreign spouse is to file a Petition for Alien Relative with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Approval by USCIS- Petition is received by USCIS, and after reviewing your petition, USCIS approves the petition and send it to the National Visa Center (NVC).

Application sent to NVC for the next processing phase- USCIS forwards case to NVC. Once your petition is received by NVC, a case number is assigned for the petition, and NVC instructs the applicant to complete required forms. NVC will start processing the applicant’s case and provide the applicant and petitioner with instructions on how to submit the appropriate processing fees. After you pay the fees, the NVC will request you to submit the necessary immigrant visa documents, application forms, civil documents, Affidavit of Support, and other documents required for processing the application ahead.

NVC Contacts U.S. embassy or consulate- After the applicant successfully submitted or mailed the documents, NVC determines whether the file is complete with all the required documents. If they found everything as required, they schedule the applicant’s interview appointment. NVC will contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where the applicant will be interviewed for a visa and sends the file containing the applicant’s petition and required documents.

Embassy proceeds with the visa application process- The applicant, petitioner, attorney or third-party agent will receive all the details of the appointment, including the date and time of the applicant’s visa interview along with instructions on emails or via letters. Applicants need to bring their valid passports and documents mentioned at the time of the visa interview. Applicants will receive their original civil documents back at the time of interview. If you are issued an immigrant visa, you will be given your passport containing the IR1 immigrant visa by the consular officer in a sealed packet. You are not allowed to open the sealed packet as it can only be done by the U.S. immigration officials when you enter the United States. You are supposed to enter the United States before the expiration date printed on your visa.

Entry to the U.S. – IR1 visa allows foreign citizen spouse of a U.S. citizen to travel to the U.S. and request permission to enter the U.S., but it does not guarantee entry into the U.S. The DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials can deny permit or deny admission to the U.S. Therefore, the applicant should review important information about admissions and entry requirements on the CBP website.

Eligibility criteria of IR1 visa

• The U.S. petitioner must be 18 years old

• The petitioner must be a citizen of the U.S.

• The petitioner must be legally married to the alien beneficiary for more than 2 years

Fee charged

• Filing an immigrant Petition for Alien Relative. This fee is charged by USCIS.

• Processing fee of immigrant visa application

• Medical examination and vaccinations fee

• USCIS Immigrant fee for translations; photocopying charges; fees for obtaining the documents you need for the immigrant visa application (such as passport, police certificates, birth certificates, etc.); and expenses for travel to the U.S. embassy or consulate for a visa interview.

So this is all you need to know about an IR1 visa. I hope this post has provided you the basics information on the IR1 visa.

What exactly is this fiancé visa USA, what is the process of filing it, and what are its eligibility criteria? We will look at all in this article.

What is a fiancé (e) visa?

K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows a foreign citizen fiancé (e) of U.S citizens to travel to the United States and marry him/her within 90 days from the date of arrival in the United States.

What are the eligibility criteria for the fiancé (e) visa?

Well, it is not easy to deal with U.S. immigration laws. USCIS has laid strict criteria for granting a K1 visa. If you want to bring your fiancée to the U.S, you have to meet the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen

• You and your fiancée intend to marry each other within 90 days of her admission to the United States on a K-1 nonimmigrant visa

• You and your fiancée are both legally free to marry. It means any previous marriages have been legally terminated by divorce, death, or annulment

• You and your fiancée met each other in person at least once within 2 years before you file your petition. If you haven’t met your fiancée in the last two years, you may request a waiver of this in-person meeting requirement by showing that meeting in person would violate strict and long-established customs of your fiancée’s foreign culture or social practice or result in extreme hardship to you, the U.S. citizen petitioner.
What is the visa application process?

It is a little complex process and involves many steps. Let’s understand it in detail.

Step-1:

The first step is to file a petition for fiancé visa USA with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office that has jurisdiction over the place of residence of the petitioner. It must be filed by the U.S citizen. You have to file the form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé (e). This form request USCIS to recognize the relationship between you and your fiancée. And to do so, you have to provide the list of documents mentioned according to the form instructions. These documents include proof of U.S. citizenship such as a copy of a birth certificate or passport, as well as evidence that you and your fiancée are both legally free to marry, a proof that you have met within the last two years, evidence of the commission of any violent or domestic crimes, and other documents mentioned in the form I-129F. There will be a processing fee that you have to pay to the USCIS to process the application.

Step-2:

Once the petition is submitted and the fee is paid, USCIS will review your Form I-129F and documents. They may mail you a request for additional documentation or information if required. If you establish your eligibility, USCIS will approve your form and sent a Form I-797 Notice of Action acknowledging receipt. After that, USCIS will send the approved Form I-129F to the DOS National Visa Center (NVC).

Step-3:

NVC will forward your petition to the U.S. embassy or consulate having jurisdiction over the fiancée’s place of residence. The embassy will inform the fiancée about their requirements for forms, medical examination, and documents. U.S. Embassy or consulate notifies you when the visa interview for your fiancée is scheduled. If the consular officer approves your visa application, then the K-1 visa is issued to your fiancée, but it does not guarantee admission to your fiancée to the United States. A CBP officer will ask you to present the K-1 visa at the port of entry and make the final decision whether to admit your fiancée, which in most cases they allow to enter the visa holder.

So this is how you can bring your fiancée to the U.S. with the help of fiancé visa USA.

Any type of visa application process requires great care and attention to details. Even a slight error can delay the process and create problems for you. It is especially true when you are applying for time-sensitive visas such as required for weddings. One such example is the fiancée/fiancé K1 visa.

What is the fiancée/fiancé K1 visa?

The K1 visa is a necessary document that foreign nationals need if they wish to marry their fiancée or fiancé who is a citizen of the United States.

So, for instance, the K1 visa is required for Filipinos getting married to American citizens in the USA. The petition for it needs to be filed by the American citizen with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Upon the approval of the petition by the relevant authorities in the US, it is then sent to the Embassy located in Manila. The process then moves forward when the Embassy contacts the fiancée/fiancé with details about the next steps to take for the visa application.

It is best to clarify the details before sending in an application with erroneous information. A simple mistake in the application can indefinitely delay your visa processing. You can seek information directly from the Embassy or hire a reliable visa service company or provider to help you out with the process and do away with any hassles involved with it.

Consider these five questions to ask in your K1 visa process.

Question 1 –

What is the approximate time frame for processing of the K1 visa?

The time to process the K1 visa can be anywhere from 3 months to 6 months. The confirmation of the time frame will help you plan your trip in a more efficient manner. You will also be free from the stress of not knowing when you can finally get your visa.

Question 2 –

What are the restrictions associated with the K1 visas?

The K1 visa is only valid for a single entry. It is primarily meant for the fiancée/fiancé to enter the US in order to get married to the petitioner who is the US citizen.

The K1 visa is only valid for a period of 90 days since the issuance date. So, if you will need to marry the petitioner within that period or else the K1 visa will become null and void.

Question 3 –

Is it possible to file the petition for the K1 visa in the country of the fiancée/fiancé?

You can file the petition for the K1 visa in the US only. In fact, the US citizen in the situation needs to be the petitioner and file it in the country. The rest of the process moves forward once the USCIS approves it. If the authorities don’t find any problem or fault with the petition then they send it for further processing.

Question 4 –

Can the children of the fiancée/fiancé enter the US on the K1 visa?

The children of the fiancée/fiancé can enter the US along with them but they will require the K2 visa. The children can remain in the US for 90 days on the K2 visa.

If the fiancée/fiancé marries the petitioner, the children can also apply for more permanent immigration status. But if the marriage doesn’t happen within the stipulated 90 days then the children are also required to leave the country within a period of 30 days or as instructed.

Question 5 –

What are some of the common questions to expect during the K1 visa interview?

Some of the common questions will pertain to your name, date of birth, place of birth, previous marriage/s, children if any etc. The next set of questions will pertain to the petitioner. These questions can pertain to some basic information such as the petitioner’s name, occupation, income, family etc. The other questions can be more specific such as the petitioner’s favorite food, interests, known languages etc. The rest of the question can be related to the wedding itself such as the venue, the date etc. The other question can be about your relationship – how you met, where etc. The fiancée/fiancé will need to answer correctly to all the questions.

K1 Visa – Some Basic Points

K1 Visa is for the American citizens who intend to bring their engaged foreign partners (fiancé or fiancée) to the country. Many call this as the fiancé visa because of the practical purpose for which it is used. This visa system came into existence in the year 1970, and the base for the introduction was the Vietnam War. Some of the Vietnamese citizens who got interested in marrying the US soldiers had a terrible time in obtaining the legal papers for entering the US. They first had to get the exit visa from the Vietnamese government and then had to get the US immigrant visa from the American embassy. The entailed processes took a lot of time to fulfill the purpose. Thus the US authorities started to look for an alternative. Consequently, the Congress voted for the amendment of the Immigration and Nationality Act – 1952, and thus K1 visa was introduced. In this modern world, this method assumes a lot of significance, because many citizens are getting married to foreign ladies.

Underlying Factors

However, there are quite a few official stipulations. The couple must get married within ninety days of the arrival of the sponsored partner. If the couple does not comply with this stipulation, then, that will result in the cancellation of the visa. After the marriage, the individual concerned can straightaway submit an application for getting a ‘Green Card’, which is the permanent residence permit. This feature makes K1 visa all the more tempting. The official grade of this visa is non-immigrant; nevertheless, it has certain significant immigration benefits. The processing of this genre visa is usually performed by the immigrant visa departments of the embassies and consulates of the USA globally, because of this practical significance. The process of obtaining K1 is a bit complex and needs keen attention while preparing the documents and submitting the same. Because of the involved intricacies, it is advisable to seek the assistance of a professional immigration company for applying for this visa.

K1 Visa – Everything You Need to Know

• The marriage must be genuine. In other words, the filing of the document for K1 must not be for the simple purpose of getting an entry visa to the USA. In case any fraud is detected, the visa will become invalid.

• The applicant will have to file the Form 1-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé (e), duly filled. Filing this document is the primary step for getting this visa.

• One condition is that only American citizens can sponsor the K1 visa. This practically means that the other permanent residents (the Green Card holders) are not entitled to apply for this visa.

• Another condition stipulates that the foreign fiancé will have to enter the country within 4 months from the approval date of the visa.

• There is also another condition regarding the marriage between the sponsored individual and the sponsor. According to this, the marriage must take place within 3 months of arrival. If not, then that will lead to cancellation of the visa.

• In addition, if the individuals concerned decide against getting married, the visa will be quashed. In such a situation, the sponsored fiancé will have to leave the country straight away.

• If the marriage has already taken place, one cannot apply for the K1 visa.

• In the same way, if the couple plans to marry outside the country, this visa is not applicable.

• In addition, if the fiancé is already a legal resident of the USA, the couple is not entitled to apply for this visa.

Pick a Professional Visa Service Provider

Professional help will reduce the intensity of the effort required for applying for the visa. Individual efforts will often lead to time-delay, which will make conditions miserable for the partners. However, one must not approach an amateur company, as it may cause time-delay and also, unnecessary wastage of money. Make sure that the agency with whom you plan to have a tie-up is well experienced and reliable. Practically, this will be of much help to the individuals who need K1 immediately.

CR1 Spousal Visa is the immigrant visa granted to the foreign spouses of the US residents. CR represents the conditional residency. This means that the holder has the legal right to stay within the boundaries of the United States of America continuously for a period of 2 years on certain predetermined conditions. The good part of this visa is that the individuals concerned can apply for the removal of the conditions, before 90 days of the expiry date of the visa. Here, they will get a regular 10-year Green Card. The spouse who stays in America is the petitioner, and the spouse who lives in another country is the beneficiary.

However, for applying for the CR1 Spousal Visa, there are some main conditions. Only when these conditions agree, the visa process will be carried out.

• The applicant must be an American citizen or a permanent resident. For Green Card holders the process will take much more time.

• The applicant must be an adult. He or she must be more than 18 years of age.

• The applicant must be officially married. Remember, the new trend of ‘living together’ is not considered for issuing CR1. Of course, bachelors and bachelorettes are not entitled to this visa.

• Minimum income requirement is a must; however, this varies according to the state laws. The other factors considered are the number of members in the house and the number of sponsored people.

ApCR1 Spousal Visa – Things to Consider

When the applicant follows the required processes for applying for the CR1 Spousal Visa as it should be, the spouse who lives in another country can finish the entire procedures even by staying outside the US. The affidavit of support that one must use is 1-134. The embassy will ask for the original petition and the related documents from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You will have to file only the I-130 form. One can file the application for the CR1 Spousal Visa by staying abroad. The processing time can be anywhere between 5 to 10 months. There will be an interview at the embassy for finalizing the visa proceedings. A consular official will conduct the interview, and the venue will be the nearest American embassy in the spouse’s country. The main thing that the interviewer will want to make sure is the authenticity of the applicant. When the officer gives the consent for the same, very soon the passport of the applicant will be stamped the allotted visa.

The entire proceedings are very simple and if you have the assistance of a professional immigration specialist, things will become less complicated. Moreover, the applicant will get the status of ‘Permanent Resident’ on arrival in the country. When the beneficiary arrives via a US POE (Port of Entry), he or she will be entitled to the ‘Green Card’, which they will receive in the given US address, very soon. In all probabilities, this will happen within a few weeks itself. Having said that, doing all the related works will be really an onerous task for individuals. Therefore, it will be practically helpful to the applicants to hire a professional immigration company. However, the company must be experienced and must possess in-depth knowledge regarding the paperwork and all other related formalities. By this way, you can stay away from the possible flaws that may creep into your application or the other documentation.

CR1 Spousal Visa – How to Hire an Experienced Company?

The main thing that one will have to take note of while hiring a specialized company for immigration is the practical experience. When a company possesses rich experience in dealing with the various formalities that are related to the immigration process, one can take the company as dependable. One can find such companies easily: just search through Google. Within seconds, you will get the web addresses of various companies. However, you must visit the websites and pick a professional company by taking into consideration the experience and the costs involved.