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

Ur welcome methersgate

Tip: Friday is the best day to attend the seminar coz it's not so crowded what I mean only few people attended,,,and bring all the documents that to prove your relationship is genuine coz it's hassle when you go back again,,GOOD LUCK GUYS

Hi guys! Do you happen to know if there is a CFO seminar for European countries tomorrow in CFO Cebu office? Can you suggest what time I should come?

Hi everyone.

Just want to share my experience with CFO 2 days ago.

First, you have to apply for an appointment online: http://gcp-appointment.cfo.gov.ph

You will receive an email confirming your appointment with the link. You need to present either a printed copy of your confirmation form or you can show it digitally through your mobile phone/tablet, which I did! There were some applicants who did not register online so they were put on hold and were given a different schedule. In their website they say "STRICTLY FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS". Well, it's not true and glad I still did the appointment!

There are only 15 slots available for Europe.

My schedule was 9AM but I got there at 6AM with my mum. They start letting the applicants in by 7AM. Unfortunately, my mum had to wait outside.

When you arrive at CFO office, you will notice two queues, you need to line up in GCP queue by the ramp. That is for fiancé(e)'s, spouses, families, relatives of European nationals.

You need to surrender one valid ID and they will give you an ID pass with a pink "F" in it.

Prepare your Marriage contract, Passport/Visa (if you already have), valid IDs. Make sure you have at least two copies of all documents.

We were then told to go up the 3rd floor to fill out forms. I suggest you take the stairs! It's way faster that their elevator! LOL.

After answering the form, your picture will be taken.

Make sure you answer ALL questions/fields. Information needed:
- Basic information about you, the fiancé(e)/spouse (Name, Address, Birthdate, etc.), your birthplace is important too, specify which (City/Town/Area/Province),
- Basic information about your petitioner
- FULL MAIDEN NAME of fiancé(e)/spouse's MOTHER
- Contact person in the Philippines, specifically immediate family.
- Contact number of Petitioner
- Petitioner's educational attainment, Degree/Course, Occupation
- Information of Petitioner's Divorce/Annulment/Death of previous wife or husband. You must have a copy of the Decree Absolute.

There were two parts of the session, one was a forum which lasted for only 1.5 hours (thank goodness!), the other was the one-on-one session.

The counsellor might ask for more documents during the one-on-one session, it's not a specified list of documents. Just whatever the counsellor wants to see. As for me, I brought everything!

Don't appear rattled or nervous. Just relax and answer all the questions truthfully. Remember: Honesty is the best policy! HAHAHA!

Then you need to go to the ground floor and wait for your name to be called for the payment. Prepare PHP400.00. Wait again for the releasing of your certificate and sticker (if you already have your passport and visa)

If you don't have your passport and your visa yet, you can still attend the seminar and you will only get the CFO certificate but you have to go back once you have your passport and visa so they can attach the sticker.

You might also want to read this: http://cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=...40:guidance-and-counseling-program&Itemid=833

So that's it! It wasn't as bad as my VFS experience hahaha and I met some new friends! Feels good to be with people who are in the same situation as mine

I know it's hard getting all the paperworks done and painful to be living apart from the person you love but I also know it's all worth it

Lenny

Probably the best and most comprehensive write up I have read on visiting the CFO.

Slightly off-topic I know, apologies... but why does my wife worry about her English! It's flippin' excellent!!

My wife has just been to CFO In manila. She flew all the way up from Davao . Got their early in the morning. Its a joke she had all the documents and photos. Nso marriage certificate. Only to be told by some women who enjoyed making her cry that she needs to see more photos. The Marriage License and photo id and signature of her mother. I cant believe it and when she told her she was flying out next week . She laughed and said that may not happen. Who the hell are these people to control someones life like that. Its a stupid ridiculous system that is run by hard bitches who need to get over there power control.

Well, unfortunately you have been the victims of the power that the CFO has to abuse. And confirms that it still remains an issue and isnt solely part of their past. It is doubly difficult for you both owing to having to travel from Davao.


The only thing I can suggest is for your wife to revisit and with what they asked her for.


In my wifes case only one photo of the two of us together was sufficient, likewise for most others.

Part of the problem is that never have issued a definitive list of what they want to see. And it varies from person to person and day to day, almost like they make it up as they go along.

[QUOTi="JohnAsh, post: 56313, member: 608"]Well, unfortunately you have been the victims of the power that the CFO has to abuse. And confirms that it still remains an issue and isnt solely part of their past. It is doubly difficult for you both owing to having to travel from Davao.


What is harder to belive 3 other girls with visitor visa and going to see there boyfriend's all got their stickers. Say no more.

The only thing I can suggest is for your wife to revisit and with what they asked her for.


In my wifes case only one photo of the two of us together was sufficient, likewise for most others.

Part of the problem is that never have issued a definitive list of what they want to see. And it varies from person to person and day to day, almost like they make it up as they go along.[/QUOTE]
What I

Your wife's unhappy encounter with the CFO is, I'm afraid, an all too common occurrence and is further testament to the fact that the CFO has not improved either its service or its image since it retook responsibility for conducting the seminars from a religious order who were infamously known as the "Nazi Nuns". It can - and does - refuse to issue its stickers if its so-called counsellors are not satisfied with the applicant's documentation and answers - and they can ask for absolutely anything and often hard-to-obtain items. They are particularly aggressive if the would-be traveller is under 26 - which may be the case here as I note they're requiring your mother-in-law's details.

Your wife will have to re-attend, regardless of inconvenience and cost, and she should take with her every conceivable scrap of evidence that she can lay her hands on. Items that they are known to have asked for include:

• Local Marriage Certificate - as well as the NSO "official" one
• Marriage License and Certificate of attendance at a pre-nuptial marriage counselling session
• Recently issued Police/FBI Clearance in respect of the foreign spouse
• Copy of foreign spouse's Passport
• Copy of foreign spouse's CNI
• Applicant's Cenomar, Birth Certificate and Baptismal
  
• Proof of assets, earnings, housing and employment (foreign spouse)

It has to be said that the CFO's demands do, to a very large extent, depend on how the applicant answers the counsellor's questions, including on intimate issues. If the applicant is hesitant or evasive, then she will be targeted. They are also harder with applicants married to persons considerably older than themselves.

I do know of one case where the Filipina wife of a US Serviceman was told that she could re-apply once she had lived with her husband for a year!

I wish you and your wife better fortune for her next visit.

Exactly. What has happened to you is what I was afraid might happen to my wife, but didn't. I think there is a bit of luck involved.

[QUO. ="JohnAsh, post: 56346, member: 608"]Exactly. What has happened to you is what I was afraid might happen to my wife, but didn't. I think there is a bit of luck involved.[/QUOTE]
Just an update. My wife obtained her marriage license today and we have emailed the official in charge of her case and askef for a new appointment. Also asked if we need to change flight as she flys on Wednesday. Her reply was thank you for getting the information please wait for my next email with appointment. Nothing said about rearranging flights. Typical.

I like to ask if anyone has given the official a back hander. Ie some cash. Because the official where she got the marriage license said its quite common. Has anyone done this. ?

I strongly recommend that you do NOT do this but that has to be a value judgement made by your wife. It could very easily all go wrong for her as the official concerned may be ethically opposed to bribery and decide to not only refuse to issue the sticker but also file charges against her.

Some help please!

My wife needs to apply for a passport, but she can't get one without a CFO - is this correct?

But once she has her passport she needs it to be stamped with a CFO? So she needs 2 CFOs?

We're in Cebu, so she's planning to visit the CFO office tomorrow. The session is 2-5pm but there are only 12 slots - what time should she arrive?

And what docs does she need?

Also, do I need to go too?

Thanks for helping!

You need your passport before you can get final CFO clearance. They put a sticker in the passport. You can get the CFO stuff done in one day. But some people take more than one visit if they haven't got their visa the first time or if there is something missing that they ask for.

You cannot get final CFO clearance until you have the visa.
As far as I know you dont need to visit the CFO before you apply for a passport.

Your wife will be asked lots of questions about you. She will need your divorce papers if relevant. And one or two photos of you together.

You dont need to go. But it isnt a bad idea. I heard that husbands have been in the past but I don't know if that is possible now.

We'll be using the Surinder Singh route and going to Ireland under freedom of movement rights. So there won't be a visa. So how do we get the final CFO?

Surely she still needs a visa to go to Ireland? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean.

Your wife will need a Visa to enter whichever country you select as your launchpad for the "Surinder Singh" route.