Leaving the Philippines on a Spouse/Fiancee visa

Please be aware that when leaving the Philippines to join your loved one that you may still be asked questions relating to your visa at immigration. The loved one was asked the following at the passport desk;

1. Proof of relationship with sponsor (luckily she had a lot of our visa application stuff in her hand luggage and showed them an email from the registry office and some pictures)

2. Where she was travelling to

3. How long she had been in a relationship for

UK immigration just asked her my name, apparently the VFS office in Manila told her that she would have to show her TB certificate at the UK border but they didn't ask her for it.

Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water

Its not over until they are walking out the door at immigration, which is quite a pleasant experience

Yes. I got my wife to carry a heap of stuff in her hand luggage just in case. As I discovered from reading about the plight of some leaving the Philippines. Fortunately she cleared them OK.

I went through UK Immigration with my wife. It was a piece of cake.


Does that mean your Mrs has arrived, Timmers?

Yes, she is asleep next to me now, happy days

Job done.

I think the fat lady has just sang

LOL

what a result. so pleased for you mate

Yes; it is not uncommon for Philippines citizens to be stopped from travelling abroad, on almost a random basis, by their own Immigration people, on the pretext that they are being "trafficked" and/or will be working abroad illegally.

very happy for you Timmers.

And yep, my other half got interviewed at manila immigration when he was coming to meet me in Morocco. No visa required there even! He had to answer questions and show evidence. He showed our chat logs on his phone and they let him through, but it was touch and go for a while

Mrs Me hd no problems at Manila when she came, but had a few questions at Heathrow. nothing drastic though.

She wants us to go Philippines for a coupl of weeks in the near future, and I'm still nervous about her being let back out again!

I would feel the same. Can they still question and prevent people from leaving even when they have an FLR or ILR?

They ought not. But sometimes they are a little over exhuberant in their duties or are looking for you to give them an incentive to let you through. Sometimes.

Hmm. I can see a lifetime of paranoia ahead

Its such a relief when they actually arrive.

My wife had to do a bit of typhoon dodging to fly that day. But the plane took off on schedule and I met her as she disembarked at Schipol Airport Amsterdam. What a relief!!

I think its just luck of the draw which immigration officer you bump into, some are real smart arses as you probably know, they are just jealous cause they are not leaving the Philippines and they'll be stuck in that little plastic cubicle for the rest of their lives

Honestly, I think that's right - get a moody one on a bad day and you might really have your work cut out.

It is down to luck. But you just dont know who is going to be unlucky one on any one day. I know they can refuse people on flights and have done so, rightly or wrongly. They tend to pick on younger and less travelled Filipinas travelling alone. The only thing we can do to prepare for it is to ensure our wives ( husbands in Lisas case ) or fiancees are equipped for the worst case sceanario. I gave my wife a few extra quid just in case she needed it.

I just don't understand why you can have such a hard time when leaving the country, you've been through the visa and CPO process why on earth do they want to start asking the same questions and asking you to produce the same documents over again right at the last minute when you are leaving the country.

As I mentioned yesterday, you're not home and dry until your loved one is walking through that arrivals door at the UK airport.

Just another example of corruption or misplaced overdiligence of duty. I was grateful that my wife got through OK.

I wonder if many people are actually refused at Manila, even with the Visa and CFO sticker? And if this happens what can you do about it?