AboutBill and Lorna Collings Expertise Feel FREE to ask us about traveling, living, relocating, retiring and investing in the Philippines. Guests from 83 countries make our place in Manila an incredible meeting place for world travelers who exchange travel stories and information. We understand both the joys and the hardships of living and traveling in the Philippines.
Experience I arrived in the Philippines in January 1980 to travel for 2 months; I stayed 4 months before reluctantly leaving. I met my Filipina wife, Lorna. an incredible stellar, "one in a million" individual in 1983 in Seoul and we moved to the Philippines in 1986 and opened our 3BR house to world travelers on a budget. After welcoming thousands of guests from 83 nations our place has grown to 30 bedrooms but will never lose its "Home away from Home" atmosphere. Almost everyday at The Townhouse Hotel there's a party-like social scene with vibrant, almost magical energetic conversations between our guests who have the pleasure to meet each other and share their life's many experiences. Sometimes. three groups with conversations in different langauges are going on at the same time.
So we've been exposed to every kind of person from all over the world and shared their experiences.
Publications Suite101.com, eDreams.com, expertcentral.com ( who asked me to apply with allexperts.com since About.com has bought both companies and are in the process of integrating them)
Education/Credentials some college 2-1/2 years - no degree - I've been traveling since I was 18, almost 30 years.
Awards and Honors Luckily, my wife and I have been semi-retired since we were 30 years old, more than 15 years.
Expert: Bill and Lorna Collings Date: 7/14/2008 Subject: marrying a permanent resident in U.S.
Question QUESTION: Hi good day! I' wonder if you could help me. anu gaAs a permanent resident here in the U.S. what would be the quickest way for me to petition my spouse from the Philippines, and how much time does it take for me to get her?
.....thankyou for your time...
ANSWER: Hi Frence, So you are holding a USA Resident card aka Green Card, right? It takes an American citizen passport holder from a few months to 2 years to get their Filipina fiancee or wife an immigrant visa. It really varies on a case to case basis but if your taxable income is high enough to qualify it should be a bit easier and faster as her spouse AND guarantor. Try looking at the following websites and forums where there are thousands of members, some of who are involved presently in the USA petition process because the USA embassy policies seem to als change frequently, issuing spouse visas more easy and fast during certain periods of time and at other refusing and rejecting and delaying all requests and petitions. http://www.mag-anak.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MAG-ANAK/ http://www.asawainternational.com/forum/archive/index.php/f-45.html
http://www.filipinawives.com/
You will get the MOST updated information from these website and yahoogroups also you are welcome to join my yahoogroup to ask questions.
GOOD LUCK and CONGRATULATIONS to both of you. Bill and Lorna
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QUESTION: hi! thank you for answering my previous queston...I have another question here about V1 visa which I read from the U.S. ctizenship immigration services.., as a permanent resident here in the U.S. it says that my spouse can remain in the U.S. while she waits until she is able to apply for lawful permanent residence status (Adjusting Status), or for an immigrant visa, instead of having to wait outside the United States as the law previously required.....If I may ask you how can I be Qualified for this V1 Visa?....thankyou for your time...
Answer Sorry that is a USA visa question which I am not familiar with but there is a famous lawyer Attorney Garfunkel a specialist in Filipino USA visa processes. He has 3 offices in the USA and a TV show on Sundays and I think even allows a couple of telephone / email questions to be answered. He's in San Francisco, CA and his show is very informative about helping Filipinos with their many USA visa problems.