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

Hi Eliz,
No. My daughter did not attend the seminar. She got her sticker at the airport.

Hello everyone

I had done my CFO seminar in November, and then flew to UK to get married (on a marriage visitor visa). During that trip, I did not need a CFO sticker in my passport.

Now, I am back to Manila after getting married (yay!) and have just got my Tier-2 Dependent visa today.

The visa is valid from 4 February 2016 to 3 Mar 2016, and I will get my residence permit after landing in the UK.

Do I need to wait till at least the 4th before I can go to the CFO again to request a sticker?
Or can I go on 1st February even if my visa is valid from 4th Feb?

Thanks
Carlnathan.

You need to wait until the visa is valid.

I wonder what you would do if the flight was in the morning of the 4th ?

You can actually get the sticker at the airport if you give them notice but I would find that a little risky for a cautious British Filipino member

Hello

I went to the CFO today, and the lady there told me that I do not need a sticker since I am on a Tier-2 Dependent visa.

Are there any Tier-2 dependent visa holders here who can confirm the sticker is not required? I am a bit wary of the immigration at airport having different information from the lady in CFO so just wanted to check other forum members experience with this.

Thank you!
Carlnathan.

Its probably due to the fact that you are joining family in the UK and they do not have the same concerns as those who are joining foreign spouses on the settlement route.

In principle you're not holding an immigrant visa. (means not able to apply for ILR/Permanent Resident) so the lady at CFO is correct in that no sticker needed.
What validity does your visa have ?

On the other hand, from April 2016 the UK immigration rules will allow Tier 2 visa immigrants from outside the EU to qualify for ILR if they are earning a minimum £35k pa after completing 5 years UK residence.
I recall that the dependant could also apply for ILR after 5 years UK residence if the main visa holder already held ILR

So it seems that settlement for some Tier 2 holders will remain a possibility.

Might be worth some digging into the rules if UK settlement is a goal

Thank you Micawber and Timmers. I have only an entry clearance for now - valid till 5 Mar 2016.

When I reach London, I will be going to a Post Office branch to collect my residence permit which would be valid till 7 Jan 2021.
I am eligible for ILR after 5 years.

Yes thats the way the current procedure is. The visa I get on my passport is just an entry clearance, and I need to go pick up the residence permit from a Post Office branch (as part of my application they asked me which branch I will be picking up my residence permit from).

From https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/apply - "You’ll have to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you’d arrive in the UK."

I hope I will not have trouble with the immigration during my flight on Wednesday. I will just try and convince them I am not on a settlement visa, and that the CFO office told me I dont need a sticker.

My wife is having trouble contacting the CFO in Manila. They are not responding to her emails and calls. Anyone else had this issue? I've suggested she go down tomorrow to try to talk face to face with them.

you go online to book an appointment

Any appointment at all? She's done the CFO, she has had extra info given to her and was told to email it in...

ah--that i dont know

I have not tried the contact details in their website but I was able to schedule an appointment online for the CFO seminar yesterday. Perhaps she could go tomorrow if she still could not call them.

my fiancee booked appointment online--earliest date was the 19th--so it was 2 weeks delay--yet another !

I booked for March as I want to wait til I am actually resigned from work. I'll be giving my notice next week.

my fiancee just wants to be on a plane ! but--we arent booking a flight till that cfo thing is done.

If they answer the email, and accept the proof of ROM we have sent them, my wife could be here this weekend.

If not, then maybe end of February if they keep their promises, otherwise maybe April or May.

Very frustrating but the plight of others puts it into perspective. My wife is very cross and frustrated.

And we haven't been waiting anywhere as near as long as others. I don't know how we'd cope!