Dave Starr

Why Can’t My Filipina Wife Get a Tourist Visa To The USA?

2019-09-04 by Dave Starr 7 Comments

Why Can’t My Filipina Wife Get a Tourist Visa To The USA?

(Updated 4 September 2019)

Updated and corrected to bring it up to date

This question comes up frequently. Often there is a lot of anger attached as a US citizen husband finds out that his lawfully married foreigner spouse can’t get a US B2 Visitor (Tourist) Visa, despite having all paperwork and immigration status documents in order.

The Anger Is Fully Justified, In My View

But it doesn’t matter if you are angry, or even if I am angry in support of your position.

In many cases. the Tourist visa just ain’t going to happen. Why?

The US Visa System Just Doesn’t “Fit” the Way Most Expat Families Live

And it’s not likely to change any time soon.

Everything about the US Immigration system is geared to handle two things:

1. Tourists (Temporary Visitors) Who Have No Attachment To The USA

2. Spouses Of US Citizens Who Want To Come To the USA to Establish Legal Residence (Get a Green Card)

There’s Little Room in the Mind f the State Department For Any Other Category

Top 10 Art Schools – 2019

2019-09-01 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Top 10 Art Schools – 2018

Top 10 Art Schools – 2017

Art Schools in the Philippines.

(Last updated 1 September 2019)

This was originally published many years ago, but it still gets traffic. Obviously some of you are still searching for answers in this subject. I’m trying to “clean house”. There are well over 1000 articles here on PhilFAQS and I want to “clear out the deadwood”. Should I keep this, update it or send it to the trash?

A lot of people search for and ask me direct questions on Art Schools in the Philippines. Most art school candidates in the US never think of the Philippines when it comes to school but there can be some real advantages to attending school here. The Philippines is a world center of artistic talent, especially in the performing arts area.

I Can’t Make Money Online in the Philippines, What Am I Doing Wrong?

2019-08-11 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

I Can’t Make Money Online in the Philippines, What Am I Doing Wrong?

2018/01/01 by Philly

Make Money Online in the Philippines,

(Updated 11 August 2019)

A lot of my readers know that I write often about how to make money online in the Philippines.

In general, I don’t have a big preference for making money online over the more traditional methods, but trying to make money with a job in the Philippines, or a “dirt-based” business here in the Philippines is far, far more difficult than making money online.

But a lot of people firmly believe they CAN’T make money online.

Yes You Certainly CAN Make Money Online in the Philippines

Well, I submit that they can make money online in the Philippines or in any other country, but there are two thoughts that get in many people’s way …
[Read more…] about I Can’t Make Money Online in the Philippines, What Am I Doing Wrong?

10 Ways To Make Money In Retirement — Online Updated

2019-08-10 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

10 Ways To Make Money In Retirement — Online Updated,

(Updated 10 November 2019)

I’m going through old articles about how to Make Money In Retirement from my old Retired Pay blog, deleting some trivia and updating some of the more worthy ones to meet changing times.

I was really struck by this article, written more than 7 years ago … how little seems to have changed … especially the attitude my fellow seniors have about empowering their retirement by learning new things and capitalizing on on-line opportunities. Enjoy.

Ways to Make Money in Retirement

How I Found This Article and Many Others

As I’ve mentioned before I make a lot of use of Google Alerts

(you should set some for yourself and see how valuable this service is)

to find information on things I want to learn about (like Make Money In Retirement) as well as general subjects for the blogs I operate.

This article is from a UK magazine a few summers back.

Still pretty much up to date … and still pretty much behind the times regarding the Internet.

Do they think our brains dry up at age 65 or something?

After 30-odd years of internet use, you’d think they would start to “get it” by now, wouldn’t you?

Read the Make Money In Retirement article if you haven’t already

Read 10 ways to make money in retirement and then come back here and I’ll give you what I feel is the “rest of the story”.
[Read more…] about 10 Ways To Make Money In Retirement — Online Updated

How To Retire in the Philippines with $200,000 of Savings

2019-08-08 by Dave Starr 10 Comments

How To Retire in the Philippines with $200,000 of Savings?

(Updated August 8 2019)

Interesting title, eh? If I had $200,000 USD in savings would I even be retired in the Philippines? Would you?

Well, let’s explore so issues and possibilities.

A while back I posted this article about retiring here in the Philippines with NO money. You might want to read that if you haven’t already. Just click on the link, go ahead, I’ll wait for you here:

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money

As that article says, you absolutely have to have some money to retire in the Philippines, but the actual monthly needs may be very small. [Read more…] about How To Retire in the Philippines with $200,000 of Savings

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money

2019-08-06 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money.
(Updated 6 August 2019)

OK, just on the face of things this is a really silly title for an article. You can’t retire in the Philippines (or anywhere else) with no money.

But since more than 150 people a month come here searching for that exact phrase, I figured I better say something about it.

Actually, my blogging colleague Dave Dewall said some more about it, word for word.

Two sandwiches shy of a whole picnic I think was one of his expressions.

Made me laugh. Go read what Dave had to say here, it’s good stuff:

<h4 “How_to_Retire_in_the_Philippines_with_No_Money”>How to Retire in the Philippines with No Money

(Go ahead and read it now, I’ll wait here for you)

Now you might think that Dave’s article upset me.

How To Visit the USA From the Philippines

2019-07-29 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

How To Visit the USA From the Philippines.

(Updated 29 November 2019)

Recently I published sw]everal articles about the difficulty of Diliinos getting approval for a US Visitors (Tourist) Visa, also known as a B1/B2 Visa.

Here are just a few:

I’m A US Citizen — Why Can’t My Filipina Wife Get a Tourist Visa To The USA?

Can My Philippine Friend Visit Me in the USA?

How Hard Is It To Get a Tourist Visa to the USA From the Philippines?

These will give you the idea of the problem, in case you weren’t already familiar.

What’s the common thread that runs through all tourist visa discussions?

You Wanted Help Finding An English Teaching Job? Be Careful What You Ask For!

2019-07-24 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

You Wanted Help Finding An English Teaching Job?

(Updated 20 November 2019)

People write to me frequently for help in finding a job in the Philippines. Normally I just refer them to this article:

10 Reasons You Don’t Want A Job In The Philippines

(Go, ahead, read it, I’ll wait here for you).

But I’ve decided to make an exception to my rule of “No Help On Finding Jobs” because the market is so huge and the need is so great.

Both for foreigners here in the Philippines and for those who are thinking about moving here and need extra money to save up for the move.

These are jobs you can do from home, wherever home can be. And you can start in the USA and then transfer your work seamlessly to the Philippines (taking into account the time zone differences).

Finding Jobs That Pay You To Teach English Online … In Any Country

How Hard Is It To Get a Tourist Visa to the USA From the Philippines?

2019-07-12 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

How Hard Is It To Get a Tourist Visa to the USA From the Philippines?

(Updated 12 July 2019)

Here’s a typical comment that gets posted here at PhilFAQS, where you can learn how to move to and profit in the Philippines. Over the past 15 years, I have heard and seen so many stories like this that it makes me sad.

There’s nothing I can do except to try to clarify the way the US laws are written and how they seem to be applied to Filipinos applying for visitor visas (tourist visas) to the USA.

Disclaimer: Remember that I am not a lawyer and I have no connection with the US Embassy or any other agency or company involved in granting or denying US tourist visas. These are my own personal opinions and are not legal advice. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.

A Typical Reader Story

Happy Fourth Of July — Temporarily on US Soil

2019-07-05 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Happy Fourth of July

(Updated 4 July 2019)

Yes, indeed I have been AWOL from the site here a long time.

As we were taught in the military, the “excuse” is, “No Excuse, Sir”. Everything is going well for me, but life has been happening … that’s all I can say

Took A Little Vacation/Rejuvenation Trip

Today is the 4th of July, 2019 and I am in the good old red, white and blue USA. Mt. Dora, Florida to be specific.

My wife and I arrived here in the very wee hours of 2 July after flying MNL-NRT-BOS-MCO. (Google is your friend)

The trip was not too long (delayed two hours or so by weather in Tokyo, but our JetBlue flight connecting Boston to Orlando was three hours late so everything worked out well (except for the other 180 people who had to wait an extra 3 hours in Boston, just for us ;-0

I’m in the Orlando Area now

and even though I’ve only done a little shopping and dining I am still shocked by the prices here. Rather than belabor the point I’m going to refer you to an article I wrote last October when we were last in the USA:

Dave Starr

(Updated 4 September 2019)

The Anger Is Fully Justified, In My View

The US Visa System Just Doesn’t “Fit” the Way Most Expat Families Live

1. Tourists (Temporary Visitors) Who Have No Attachment To The USA

2. Spouses Of US Citizens Who Want To Come To the USA to Establish Legal Residence (Get a Green Card)

(Last updated 1 September 2019)

(Updated 11 August 2019)

Yes You Certainly CAN Make Money Online in the Philippines

(Updated 10 November 2019)

How I Found This Article and Many Others

(Updated August 8 2019)

Now you might think that Dave’s article upset me.

(Updated 29 November 2019)

I’m A US Citizen — Why Can’t My Filipina Wife Get a Tourist Visa To The USA?

Can My Philippine Friend Visit Me in the USA?

How Hard Is It To Get a Tourist Visa to the USA From the Philippines?

(Updated 20 November 2019)

(Updated 12 July 2019)

A Typical Reader Story

(Updated 4 July 2019)

Took A Little Vacation/Rejuvenation Trip

Still Keeping Me Rudely Awake 2018