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

true--but i would think very few Brits have taken advantage of the arrangement. and they still need to jump through hoops if they want to return to the uk--plus wife.

Wife done the seminar today, and changed surname to mine. Next appointment for passport and English test

She could have smiled

I am a British citizen that has been living and working in Spain for approximately 19 years now and have been living here for the past few years with my Filipina wife and daughter.
The cost of the Schengen visa for Spain was free .
Her Spanish residence card application fee was no more than the cost for anyone else, less than €50 I can't remember the exact amount.
She can and does work since her card was issued.
Has access to the Spanish health care system and the same is true for her daughter who is also working.
Have we any intention to live in the UK?
No

Good for you. Seems like you’re enjoying your time there.

Having just received the life-changing news today, that our fiance visa has been approved (yipee!), I'm looking at flights to get over there and bring her home.

Now, we've already attended the CFO and got the certificate, so we just need the green stamp.

I'm planning on landing in Manila on Monday Dec 3rd (meeting her at the airport), then returning to the UK on Thursday Dec 6th.
I've checked the Philippine national holidays, and nothing appears to be taking place on Dec 4th or 5th, so I am hoping we can drop into the Manila office on either of those dates to get the stamp (as she was advised during her seminar/interview).

From personal experience, does anyone predict any issues with that plan? Don't want to trip at the final hurdle now!

Thank you!

When is the visa valid from?

good point--the 30 day travel window ?

My wife came here May 18.
From What I remember you can only get the sticker once you have entry visa date. And that date is current.
My wife had flown from Davao. and was told to come back three weeks later for the blue sticker(cfo) when the 30 day entry was operational(visa had been valid for 6 months prior).
I told her to see a manager and eventually she got the sticker without returning the three weeks later.
Generally the first person on the desk can mess you around.

Just persist.

Fwiw. I don't think you can take the seminar and get the sticker the same day....

It's valid from 27th Nov.

She wants to celebrate her Nephew's birthday with him first, on Nov 30th. So we're looking at the first workable dates (for us) following that.

I thought I'd read it was a green sticker? Have they changed it, or is the colour significant for different types of CFO approval?

No issues then on the above question about getting the stamp.
Have a great trip

Yes you can.

yep--my wife did, after she got her visa.

If the visa is valid from 27 Nov, will CFO issue the stamp/sticker on 27 (if we arrive at the office on that day)? Or is it the days following which they deem as valid? Personally I would expect it to be okay, but what I expect and what happens are typically different things

Does it not say valid from? therefore thats when its valid from 00.01 on that day.

That's how I would read it too, but as we will only have a day or two in Manila, I wanted to be sure that's also how CFO will treat it.

You will be fine,,,,,,,,,,,,, If not bribe them with a JollieB

Have you got flights yet

No, not yet. This is why I was asking about the CFO, so we can arrange the flights to suit.

At the moment I'm looking at flying out on Sunday 25th Nov, landing (and meeting her) on Monday 26th, dropping into the CFO office on 27th, having 28th as a buffer/contingency day, then flying back to UK on Thursday 29th.

Nov 30th is a national holiday, so I expect CFO will be closed on that date, so need to avoid it where possible.

But these plans keep changing Hoping to book something in the next 24 hours though.