CFO Experience

[somebody]

Have you spoken to the British Embassy and explained the situation? I know normally they say they cant comment or get involved on such matters but maybe if your lucky they can alter the date of the Visa?

Im guessing there was no way you could put back the flight a day or two?

[neallie]

Hi everyone.
I just got my spouse visa and wondering if I still need to get a CFO stictker before leaving the country. I thought its only for Filipinos married to foreign nationals that are going to ammend the surname in their passport.
It seems so ridiculous to get take this seminar as we are already married and for sure you already know your partner well enough. I think the Philippine Government has to sort out some laws and regulations as it doesnt make a sense.

[grahamw48]

Agree....all total nonsense.

Considering that in the UK the only qualification both partners need to get married is to be over 16, single, and capable of saying 'I do'.

Most don't actual trouble themselves to get married of course.

[neallie]

Hi. Just had an email from Smef-cow cebu about the documents that you need to bring along with you to take the seminar. (Copy and pasted below.)


Dear Maam,
Good morning.
About your inquiry just bring your orig and photocopies of your passport,nso marriage cert. and birth cert. 250.00 registration fee, photocopy of his passport or birth cert. wedding pictures,photocopy of legal capacity to marry or divorce paper.
We are open from monday to friday from 8a.m to 5p.m one whole day seminar this is walk-in registration first come first serve basis.


I feel like I am applying for another visa. How many times do we need to go through this performances? We are already married for 2 years and they still question our relationship. If they want to protect the Filipinos marrying a foreign nationals, why it should be done before they give the marraige certificate. This is a JOKE!.

If something is SIMPLE lets make it COMPLICATED!!! Welcome to the PHILIPPINES!!

[Faye_and_Brian]

Hi. Just had an email from Smef-cow cebu about the documents that you need to bring along with you to take the seminar. (Copy and pasted below.)


Dear Maam,
Good morning.
About your inquiry just bring your orig and photocopies of your passport,nso marriage cert. and birth cert. 250.00 registration fee, photocopy of his passport or birth cert. wedding pictures,photocopy of legal capacity to marry or divorce paper.
We are open from monday to friday from 8a.m to 5p.m one whole day seminar this is walk-in registration first come first serve basis.


I feel like I am applying for another visa. How many times do we need to go through this performances? We are already married for 2 years and they still question our relationship. If they want to protect the Filipinos marrying a foreign nationals, why it should be done before they give the marraige certificate. This is a JOKE!.

If something is SIMPLE lets make it COMPLICATED!!! Welcome to the PHILIPPINES!!

You dont have to worry about this seminar as long as you have known your partner so much. They will just only verify if you can answer all their questions and then if there is no problem. You can get the CFO certificate

[axelandpixel]

I feel like I am applying for another visa. How many times do we need to go through this performances? We are already married for 2 years and they still question our relationship. If they want to protect the Filipinos marrying a foreign nationals, why it should be done before they give the marraige certificate. This is a JOKE!.

If something is SIMPLE lets make it COMPLICATED!!! Welcome to the PHILIPPINES!!

I went there last February I think, to attend the seminar. It didn't take long really. We just had to watch short segments of a few Filipinas who got abused by their foreign partners. It took like 15mins only as far as I can remember. After that, the lecturer would just add something and then ask some questions - kinda like group sharing. Then, interviewed one by one and my interview didn't even take 5mins to be honest. She just looked at my application,asked like 2-3 questions (which all can be found on the form),and done. I guess the reason why she didn't complicate things for me was because my boyfriend(husband now)and I have the same age.But oh, before I went, she asked a picture of us and a parental consent. I brought loads of stuff so it wasn't a problem at all.

[tone]

parental consent. I brought loads of stuff so it wasn't a problem at all.

Dont see a letter from parents listed a requirement!
DO they make it up!!

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Tone

[The Wurzel]

What about for settlement unmarried visa...does my partner still need to attend the CFO also????

[grahamw48]

I think everyone planning to settle or work abroad needs to attend.

It is an opportunity for the Phils govt. to lecture the applicant on how to send their money back to the Phils (the real reason behind the seminar ) and how to avoid the perils of living in the wicked west.

[BoholoX]

We had ours in Cebu. I thought I had covered everything with regard to requirements, but we were initially refused. I had forgot to pack Mum in Law who they wanted to interview. So we had to ship her up from Bohol the following week so the nun's could interview her although of course she had already given her written consent for the marriage.

[Arthur Little]

I had forgot to pack Mum in Law who they wanted to interview. So we had to ship her up from Bohol the following week so the nun's could interview her although of course she had already given her written consent for the marriage.

... oh well ... at least you didn't have to "dig her up" to prove she ever existed. Forgive my filippancy ... but the whole CFO concept seems to me to be verging on the ridiculous!

[tone]

Wow
I was just talking to Rina about this.
She has received the SMS/Emails saying she can pickup her passport and documents tomorrow at 3pm. so before this she is meeting one of the girls she met at hopkins and her plan is as follows - does this sound ok??

She is going to the PRISM tomorrow 6am queue up for the seminar.
She has -
-400 php fee (she has more money if required)
-2 forms of Photo ID and
-knows where I work
-my mums maiden name.
-photos of us together
-Copy of my passport
DOES she need anything else?

Then she is going to Makati to get her passport and supporting documents back, her plan is to go to CFO fill in registration document and then get the passport stamped.

Then she has two days of peace before coming to England on friday morning

Is this plan foolproof?

Cheers

Tone

[sars_notd_virus]

She is going to the PRISM tomorrow 6am queue up for the seminar

I didnt attend seminar ,its one on one interview for uk spouses/fiances(unless it changed) ...why not get her passport and visa first then attend cfo for interview/certificate and cfo stamp?

[Lady_Ivy]

CFO--Commission on Filipino Overseas

Here's a link...

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?opti...visa&catid=139

[Terpe]

Tone,
You must know now that not much is foolproof
Looks like a tight plan, it should all be OK.
Good luck to both

[scott&ligaya]

how did her day go Tone? did all go as planned?

[tone]

Hi Guys
I'm not entirely aware what happened only that Rina turned up around 6.30am and there was a lot of people there! She didnt eat!

She finished the seminar and got her certificate by 2.45pm!
Just got to VFS in time to collect her documents and passport but the visa isnt valid until next tuesday so she aint gonna be coming this weekend!!!
She was so dead by the time she got the passport back that she has gone for food and home to get some rest and will go to the CFO tomorrow and do the registration bit and hopefully get her passport stamped! Unless of course some idiot says no cos the visa is not valid yet!!!

What do you think - will she get the CFO stamp tomorrow if the visa isnt valid until Tuesday 16th?

Thanks for the warm words.. she is most of the way there!

Tone

[Terpe]

What do you think - will she get the CFO stamp tomorrow if the visa isnt valid until Tuesday 16th?

Thanks for the warm words.. she is most of the way there!

Tone

I wouldn't count on it for tomorrow Tone.
Although having said that I recall a couple of people on here reporting that they were able to complete a couple of days before visa validity.
Maybe they will post here how.

[tone]

I wouldn't count on it for tomorrow Tone.
Although having said that I recall a couple of people on here reporting that they were able to complete a couple of days before visa validity.
Maybe they will post here how.

So really its not worth her trying to go there tomorrow? Maybe I'll suggest she goes there on Monday in that case cos theres no point wasting time and money to travel there..

Scott - Not booked the ticket yet mate as I didnt wanna go through yet more stress of changing a ticket so as per advice on this thread I decided "get the CFO stamp" then book the ticket

I have also noticed the price of flights to LHR are nearly 40% cheaper than to Brum! Kuwait airlines £381! Are they that bad!

Again thanks for youre help gents!
Cheers
Tone

[scott&ligaya]

She will be fine with Kuwait as long as she is not next to one of the many Arab gents who do not seem to know what deodourant is , what is the stop over time? seems like it is overnight in Hong Kong

[scott&ligaya]

that is a shame Tone, but keep your chin up, just a couple more hurdles, I do hope her ticket is easily changeable and does not cost you yet again.

[scott&ligaya]

might be worth checking Hong Kong to London , send her to HK with a cheap Cebu Pacific ticket

[lastlid]

Hi All,

My wife is going to the CFO on thursday. She isnt confident she will even be seen as she is struggling for ID right now. She has her passport and has just got a Voters Certficate and is waiting on a Postal ID. Anyhow she is going to give it a go.

We are both a little worried as we both get the impression that she might well be subject to close scrutiny / refused a CFO sticker as there is a significant age gap between us and she is quite young (virtually 24 years of age) and also we have only known each other for just about 6 months with 2 visits from myself to her and her family. We are married.

Any crumb of comfort out there on this? Do you think she is likely to be given a hard time? Ours is a genuine relationship and we get on very very well.

Thankyou.

[grahamw48]

Sounds about normal to me.

Stop worrying.

[GraceAdam]

hi everyone,

Can anyone help me..

what are the requirements in getting the CFO? Thank you so much

Grace from Cebu xx

[Davao lani]

Hello, GraceAdam! Here are the list of requirements for CFO: Requirements for Attendance to Guidance and Counseling Program

Two (2) valid identification cards (IDs) with photograph;
Duly completed guidance and counseling form;
If married, certified true copy and photocopy of marriage contract on security paper from the National Statistics Office, or Local Civil Registry Offices; or original and photocopy of marriage contract duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy/ Consulate (if married abroad)
Other documents as may be required by the
counselors; and
Payment of P250.00 counseling fee. AND Requirements for Registration

Original and photocopy of Passport;
Original and photocopy of visa;
Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary for US bound/ Confirmation of Permanent Residence for Canada bound/ Certification of Eligibility (for Japan-bound);
Original CFO guidance and counseling certificate;
Duly completed emigrant registration form; and
Payment of the authorized registration fee. This is the website-http://www.cfo.gov.ph. Hope this will help you...

[Davao lani]

Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary for US bound/ Confirmation of Permanent Residence for Canada bound/ Certification of Eligibility (for Japan-bound);

I did "copy/paste"...these two definitely not included

Additional info for the fee:

You will pay a fee totaling PhP 650.00. The PhP 250.00 is paid as counseling fee at SMEF-COW or PRISM while the PhP 400.00 is for registration at the CFO.

[lastlid]

Link for St Mary Euphrasias CFO Quezon City

http://www.smef-cow-phil.org/index.p...id=1&Itemid=53

It looks like she is okay to go on thursday. I phoned the CFO this morning, the one in Quezon City and they have said that a passport and voting certificate is good for ID

We have no idea if this is any better or othewise than the PRISM option but she is going to this one (St Mary Euphrasias) as her chums are going there too.

[Davao lani]

Hello, lastlid! I got my certificate at SMEF-COW in Quezon City. It's mainly because I stayed in Cainta, that's the nearest one. But it's fine..

[lastlid]

Oh Good. Any difficulties? Or did it all go smoothly?