CFO........... Commission on Filipinos Overseas...

Best wishes for your upcoming nuptials

So I have just been to the CFO today and I will share my experience while it’s still fresh in my head.

I have got my fiancé visa but the validity is on Dec 19th, so I already expected that I won’t get the sticker.

The first thing I did was to log on to: http://gcp-appointment.cfo.gov.ph/
I answered the questions (tick box) and waited for their email. In my case, I waited 3 days for their confirmation email not knowing that it was just in my Spam folder all along. So that’s lesson 1 learned- check Spam folder.

The email I received was from: CFO Manila gcpappointment@cfo.gov.phand I was asked to confirm my email. It took me to a page where I selected my date of appointment. On the next page, I was asked to fill in my information and upload my photo.
Then I received another email containing my appointment form which I printed 2 copies. This is the form that you need to bring with you when you go to the CFO.

CFO address: Citigold Center, 1345 Pres. Quirino Avenue corner Osmeña Highway Manila
This is the building in the corner of Lanuza and Quirino Ave. You will find it easily because this is the building where lots of cars are parked and with lots of people waiting outside.
My schedule was in the morning, 9AM – 12NN. In the confirmation letter, you will be asked to be at the office 1.5 hrs before the start of the session. And you SHOULD be there at least 1.5 hrs.

On the day of my appointment
I arrived around 6:50AM and waited outside until the guard let us in by 7AM. The guard checked our appointment letter (the one I printed off from the email that has my picture and barcode), and my passport. Then at the reception, they again looked at the appointment letter and my passport and I was asked to submit an ID in exchange for theirs. I proceeded to the 3rd flr and went inside. I talked to the lady on the front desk (left side when you enter the room) and she asked me questions and gave me 3 forms to fill out. I got 3 forms because I’m travelling with my daughter. I filled out the information about me and my petitioner.

In the form, I was asked about information regarding my petitioner (fiancé). I’ve noticed that most girls there with me did not know their partner’s info like- mother’s maiden name, Educational Attainment (including course), address, and home phone number. So, it’s better if you have all information handy. One girl could not provide his partner’s mother’s maiden name; she tried calling her partner but he is still sleeping because of the time difference. She still went through the guidance and counseling program but she had a delay in getting her CFO certificate in the end.

After filling out the forms, we submitted it back to the lady at the reception who verified all information. I was asked for a copy of my passport and visa; whereas for my daughter, I was asked to submit a copy of her passport and visa and another copy of my ID’s. (If your child is minor, you don’t have to bring them with you).

Then, another lady took my photo. She also asked everyone about the birth date of our partner (for verification). Then I was designated to room 2 for Europe. It is a small room with 15 chairs. All these happened before 9AM. If there’s still plenty of time, you can buy snacks and drinks from downstairs but you have to be back before 9AM for the guidance and counseling program.

Guidance and Counseling Program
The CFO Officer came in the room by 9AM and explained the process. We first started with the one on one interview. In the interview, I was asked these questions:

• How did you meet your partner?
• How long have you been together?
• How many times has he visited Manila?Have you seen your partner get upset and can you handle that?
• Does he know about your daughter?

She did not ask for any documents whatsoever, not even my 2x2 picture (maybe I will need it on the day I get my sticker- I’m not sure). She proceeded to interview everyone in the room. Then while waiting for others to finish with their interview, I got to talk to other people there.

There was one guy there whose visa validity date is on Dec 5th and his flight is at 12:20AM of Dec 5th. Now, the complication is CFO can’t issue his sticker until the validity date of the visa which is the 5th, but his flight is past midnight and the CFO is closed at that time. Apparently, they only have 1 CFO personnel at the airport who handles Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4. And their operation time (at the airport) is from 5AM – 12MN. The advice he got was to rebook his ticket to a later time.

Most of the girls who attended the CFO counseling where renewing their passports and apparently, DFA (the department who issues passport) requires Filipinos married to a foreign national to have a CFO Sticker whether they are travelling outside the country or not.

We waited about an hour for everyone to finish before another CFO Lady came in. According to her, they had a visitor (Canadian Consul) that she had to assist that’s why she’s late. We proceeded with the Guidance and Counseling Program. She skipped some slides probably because we have limited time.

Getting the Certificate
After the Guidance and Counseling Program, we proceeded to the ground floor and paid Php400 to the cashier. I was given a receipt and waited for my name to be called. After maybe 3mins, I was called and I got my CFO certificate. And that’s it!

They say that the certificate has lifetime validity. No one in our batch got their CFO sticker as most don’t have their visa yet.

How will I get my CFO sticker?
Since my visa validity date is on the 19th which is also the day of our flight, I have 2 options:

1. Go back to CFO Office- Proceed to the ground floor office and give them my passport and certificate for them to issue my sticker before I travel to the airport, or

2. Get the sticker in the airport- Call in 2 days before my flight so they could coordinate and issue my sticker at the airport. It is important that I call in 2 days before because again, they only have 1 personnel who handles all four terminals.

Lessons Learned:

1. Always check Spam Folder for CFO confirmation email
2. Arrive at least 2 hrs before your appointment time to sort the forms out.
3. Don’t bring your partners with you. They will be asked to wait outside for hours. I saw a couple of foreigners outside waiting for hours. The worse thing was that the day started really hot and then it rained. One foreigner was particularly upset when I got out of the building, probably got impatient.
4. Make sure you know all the details about your partner.
5. Don’t book a flight on the midnight of your visa validity date (if you still don’t have your sticker).
6. Be confident and truthful in asking the questions during the one on one interview.
7. Bring tissue for when you use the ladies’ room. Of course, you need a pen too.
8. Photocopy your documents, they don’t accept original papers.
9. Enjoy making friends and talking to other people there.

I will post again when I get my CFO sticker.

Very good update - thanks a lot, PIPC!

Because I had been married before, K was also asked if I have custody of my children (I do) and whether she had met them - she said she had met them both on Skype and the younger boy in person. This was a good answer.

This raises a question in my mind!

What if we go to the Philippines? What happens upon coming back to the UK?

Would my wife still need her previously shown CFO sticker? What would happen if she has since renewed her passport?

ive never visited the philippines--and have no wish to.

Can she not take her old passport?

I thought you were deliberating marriage in Pinas at one point Bigmac.

Sure she could, but is this ridiculous sticker still needed a second time?

I honestly don't know but some one will reply who has visited home with a renewed passport. We've visited a few times but asawa is still on her original passport. An interesting question nonetheless.

Did she still have to show the CFO when leaving each time?

They looked at her passport of course but can't say conclusively that they knowingly eyed the CFO.

Worth keeping in mind that they might do, I guess. Even if just as a money making scam.

So probably a good idea to take old passports along if neccesary.

yes--i was--months ago--it was a knee jerk reaction to the change in her circumstances--but hopefully thats all sorted now--i hope to hear better news any day now.

Ah hopefully good news to come before to long then.

Thanks for the update, PTPC. We got the same list of questions from the counsellor apart from if I've seen my partner if he gets upset. But she took a copy of our childhood photo. I don't know why.

Like you, I also had the seminar weeks before my visa validity date so I had to go back to have my sticker attached to my passport. Just went straight to the reception in Cebu and waited for a few minutes.

Anyway, glad to hear your CFO experience went well. You have a great journey to the UK.

Smashing update from PTPC, perfect, well done young lady, certainly more detailed than anything I've ever posted for sure.

And you're right, "strike while the iron is hot."

Hi guys, and so now I'm booked for CFO in Cebu a day after my visa validity and 4 days before my flight.Hitting 2 birds with one stone.I am flying from Cebu ...The countdown begins @13.....

Another informative and helpful post.

Well done for your efforts

Great post Juby went through the very same and as pointed out she knew and was prepared with detail about me zip code etc etc

Continuation of my post about CFO...

My flight was on Dec 19th, Saturday at Terminal 3.
I called CFO NAIA 2 days before my flight to ask what they need from me to get my sticker.

The CFO contact numbers in NAIA are:
Terminal 1: 879-5685
Terminal 2: 879-5160
Terminal 3: 877-7888
When you call, you just ask to get connected to the duty officer of CFO.

That day, the duty officer in Terminal 3 is only until 4PM, while the duty officer for Terminal 1 & 2 is from 2PM - 12AM. So, you can get your sticker from either Terminal but you just need to call them first so they could wait for you before they transfer to another terminal.

Requirements:
In my case, I already attended the seminar and paid Php400.00. I was just asked to bring the following:
- Passport and Visa
- CFO Certificate
- Copy of Passport and Visa
- Copy of CFO Certificate
- Php400.00 payment for my daughter's sticker.

Everything took about 10mins and we got our stickers.