stuartfarm
17th January 2008, 16:33
Lanie and I got married in the Phills on January the 7th.
Things went remarkably well – we even managed to get our marriage certificate on NSO paper the next day
As an added bonus we also managed to visit the UK visa centre in Manila together to submit her application for her spouse visa . Of course they wouldn’t let us both in at the same time but at least I was there to help out with issues ( and there were a few )
Top 10 tip - if your wife / gf goes to the UK visa centre , she will need to take another form of ID other than her passport – they keep this ID until you return the pass
When I first posted our plans a few months back , I too didn’t think that it was going to pan out ok . but god must have been happy with us on those days
Heres how it worked out
Dec 21 – arrive Manila
Dec 27 – go to Embassy for local CONI ( you must get one in the UK first ) – pick up same day
Dec 28 – Fly to Mindanao
Jan 3 – Visit Mayor to ask him to marry us
Jan 4-6 – Arrange reception , cake , Lechon etc
Jan 7 – Marriage and reception
Jan 8 – Pick up Marriage certificate
Jan 9 – Return to Manila
Jan 10 – Pay 45000P to get Managers cheque from bank
Jan 11 – Submit application to UK visa centre
Jan 15 – Return to UK
Well that’s it , its just now waiting for the wheels of bureaucracy to turn and for them to issue Lanies visa , which with god’s help we get before too long – what’s the current average time ? 5 to 6 weeks ?
So I guess now I’m now an official member of the Filipino – UK team
Thanks to everyone who has offered me advice in the past , no doubt I’ll be looking for more advice soon
Things went remarkably well – we even managed to get our marriage certificate on NSO paper the next day
As an added bonus we also managed to visit the UK visa centre in Manila together to submit her application for her spouse visa . Of course they wouldn’t let us both in at the same time but at least I was there to help out with issues ( and there were a few )
Top 10 tip - if your wife / gf goes to the UK visa centre , she will need to take another form of ID other than her passport – they keep this ID until you return the pass
When I first posted our plans a few months back , I too didn’t think that it was going to pan out ok . but god must have been happy with us on those days
Heres how it worked out
Dec 21 – arrive Manila
Dec 27 – go to Embassy for local CONI ( you must get one in the UK first ) – pick up same day
Dec 28 – Fly to Mindanao
Jan 3 – Visit Mayor to ask him to marry us
Jan 4-6 – Arrange reception , cake , Lechon etc
Jan 7 – Marriage and reception
Jan 8 – Pick up Marriage certificate
Jan 9 – Return to Manila
Jan 10 – Pay 45000P to get Managers cheque from bank
Jan 11 – Submit application to UK visa centre
Jan 15 – Return to UK
Well that’s it , its just now waiting for the wheels of bureaucracy to turn and for them to issue Lanies visa , which with god’s help we get before too long – what’s the current average time ? 5 to 6 weeks ?
So I guess now I’m now an official member of the Filipino – UK team
Thanks to everyone who has offered me advice in the past , no doubt I’ll be looking for more advice soon