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

After seeing your post, I got a bit nervous, because she is also flying with Singapore Airlines. I called up their London office and they confirmed my credit card was verified upon booking so there is no requirement for me to travel there with my card and ID. But thanks for the tip that there might have been a potential problem.... better to head it off now instead of finding out when she got to the airport and they wouldn't allow her to check in!

Hi guys,

Do you know how to commute to the CFO office in Manila?

My appointment is on Friday and I have no idea how to go there lol.

Hi @johnboy999 , just want to clarify that you got the fiancée visa approved without submitting the NSO stamped null and void marriage cert? What are the annulment papers she submitted for visa approval?

I don't know for sure as I didn't see the final document pack she submitted. I think just all the correspondence from the courts. I haven't been in the Philippines throughout this whole process, last time I was there was 1 year ago and we were still awaiting the confirmation from Manila that it had all been sent to Manila.

Anyway, she's been back to the CFO today and presented this document and now has her certificate and sticker. Happy days! Next stop, Heathrow airport

We didn't use the Manila CFO, but the Cebu one so I can't say for sure, but the CFO website lists the address as Citigold Center, 1345 Pres. Quirino Avenue corner Osmeña Highway (South Superhighway), Paco, Manila, 1007 Metro Manila,

There is a map on their website showing the location

Depends where you're coming from. Try Über or Grab

I got the CFO certificate.
Although I'll be coming back on August 5 to get my sticker.

Hi everyone,

Just to check that the CFO requirement will just be for spouse of a Filipino/Filipina that is not a Filipino citizen? So if you are both Filipino, you won't need this requirement? Just wanted to clarify this. Thanks and appreciate your inputs.

I'm not clear about your situation but you will find the answer below;

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/faqs/2014-06-20-06-35-41.html

If your spouse in the UK is Filipino and does not have dual nationality or has taken up British Citizenship then you will not have to attend, the CFO, its for people who are marrying or married to foreigners.

Hi Timmers,

Thanks for the info. We are both Filipinos and do not have dual nationality so I guess that answered my question. Appreciate your response.

Regards,

I was wondering about one thing that maybe one of the other members on the forum could answer.

Once you apply and get the UK spouse visa you will get a vignette in your passport, it is normal then to go for the CFO sticker which then allows you to pass through Philippine immigration without problem on exiting the Philippines. I am thinking that if you do not have the CFO sticker then you would not be allowed to leave the country. It may be difficult to prove at immigration that you are leaving the Philippines to join your husband who is a Philippine citizen in the UK.

Maybe there is some provision on the vignette to state you do not require CFO counselling but this I do not know.

I think it would be a good idea if you contacted the CFO (contact details in above post) just to clarify, its not the end of the world if you have to do the counselling and just get the sticker for peace of mind.

Hi @AJEP, have a look at this link. The PDOS might be the one for you. Would be better if you contacted them and clarify.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/program-and-services/pdos/emigrant.html

Thanks @Dav3&Ai5a , I will probably call their hotline to check. Seems needs to have the VISA first prior to any appointments, which is a pain. Cannot see why you can't attend whilst waiting for the VISA to be issued. Appreciate your comment.

Thanks @Timmers , I think that would be the best thing to do. Cheers!

Just another question if you would allow, as i haven't seen this in the FAQ page of CFO, how long it would take for you have the sticker/document for attending such requirements from CFO? Would it be the same day? or it would take again ages? Thanks.

First of all you need to enquire and find out exactly which seminar you need to take.

For the people with foreign spouses they attend the CFO seminar then go back for the all important CFO sticker once the visa is issued and valid, so in other words if your visa starts on the 1st September you can get the sticker on the 1st September not before. Note also that you only have 30 days in which to leave the country after the visa is valid.

And remember that you may have to go through a slightly different process, please let us know how you get on when you have spoken to someone at the CFO/PDOS then we know for the next person who asks the question

Useful. Thanks.

Hi everyone,

Tried to contact CFO today but I did not remember it is a Saturday. However, the voice recorder from their trunk line gave already the information that you would need. In my case, both myself and my wife are Filipino, so she is required to attend the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) instead of the GCP in any of the two CFO offices. The requirements that you need to bring are the following:

1. Original valid passport
2. Original and photocopy of the UK Visa
3. 1 x coloured passport size photograph
4. Payment fee of P400.00
5. Printed accomplished reservation and registration (R&R) form
6. Valid ID

Since I haven't spoke to any CFO staff, I'm just curious when all these requirements took place? I did not remember going through all these process when our family migrated to the UK in 2010.

Appreciate all who have shared their information! Have a great weekend!

Thanks for the information AJEP, back in 2010 I'm sure things were a lot easier, the UK spouse visa certainly was, as you probably know immigration is a huge issue in the UK and successive Governments have been pressured to do something about it finally culminating in the UK voting to leave the EU in June of this year.

Thanks for the enlightenment Timmers. I cannot believe how so much documentation is required to support your VISA application now compared before. The likes of TB test, Health Surcharge, English requirement, etc were not required before but now it is and it is costing the applicant a lot. =)

I'm hoping that the wife's VISA will soon be issued as she just passed the application in VFS Manila last July 26. Every single week waiting seems to be forever. (T.T)