Any docs needed to pass through immigration?

Hi all,

I have a feeling I read of some couple's experience where they were asked for proof-of-relationship documents when leaving Philippines by the immigration officer. Not sure if this was normal, or the officer had some particular reason to be suspicious.

I'm going over to get my fiancee at the end of next month - are there any documents (apart from her CFO-stamped passport and entry clearance visa) which I should ensure we have to-hand when we pass through immigration (at both ends I guess)?

Has anyone else experienced any difficulty during their first flight to the UK?

Thank you

There are examples of philippines imigration stopping people travel and they have authority to do so. I never had any problems on two ocasions when my now wife and I left the philiipines although it was a risk that I thought about.

On both ocasions I brought along all the supporting documents from visa application just in case as they provided pretty much anything that they might want to know.

Key thing they are likely to want are to see if your fiance has money to support herself.

Think if your fiance has been outside the counry previously and returned then risk is significantly lower.

In theory if first time leaving philippines then risk if her and you getting grilling on your intentions and relationship. I was expecting this but sailed through manila airport when did trial run to singapore before marriage visa application. Not sure if having stepson and wife holding all three passports made things easier (I was carrying stepson as he was about 18 months at time).

Hmmm okay, so CENOMAR, photos of us together, evidence of marriage booking, all original docs we included in the settlement visa evidence?

Some of these documents might be over 3-6 months old by the time we fly. Is it likely we'll need a newly issued CENOMAR for instance?

Oh, well my fiancée does not have money to support herself, which is why I'm sponsoring her and why she didn't just apply for a tourist visa to begin with.

You should be ok with the visa supporting documents - answers any questions they potentially have. May not ask for anything as was the case with my wife both times we left the philippines. Turned up at manila airport first time and went straight through with no questions. Same the time after to UK on marriage visa.

Turn up at the airport early in case does get pulled in for questioning. Dont want questions to result in missing flights. They are mainly doing it to avoid people trafficing but takes a bit of getting used to the concept that immigration can stop you leaving the country.

Best of luck and best wishes for the future.

I expect that will be fine. I had all that just in case and never needed.

Rather annoying that the CFO is supposed to be doing all these checks. If immigration are going to insist on doing it too (when the mood takes them), then surely the CFO is pointless.

Good point and was thinking about general exit from Philippines. May be an advantage and we got cfo certificate as an additional bit of evidence for when we were leaving on short term visits (up to six months).

From what I've heard they can do a full grilling but we have just sailed through so my experience has been the opposite. Having stepchild each time and me being there may have made it easier.

Arrive early and have all the evidence and should be ok. We aimed to arrive the full three hours before an international flight to give maximum time for any issues.

I also made sure we were carrying the info from visa applications and with regards to money had the bank statements from when we were doing the visa application. Also made sure was traveling with her on both ocasions and was fully prepared but no interest what so ever from migration and stamped straight threw.

Be prepared, both dress smartly, expect the worst, be polite and remain calm if pulled in for questions and probably won't have any issues like us.

Settlement visa exit (hopefully as we are waiting for response from home office) will be next exit and I'll be bringing the full application in hand luggage just in case.

I'm assuming that this will be first exit for your wife which is supposed to be the highest risk of questioning. If she has left and come back previously without overstays then again less of an issue for them and again lower risk.

I'm sure it will be fine although does add to the final hurdle stress.

Personally think the process is outrageous and nanny state but the line on this is it is to protect Filipinos from exploitation.

Thank you for the info.

We are not married yet. The visa is granted as entry clearance as a fiancée for marriage in the UK.

So yes, it's the first exit for her to the UK, and I'll be traveling with her.

She has traveled before to Bahrain as an OFW. Her Bahrain visa is still valid.

Expect you will be fine if she has has been in and back to Bahrain as an OFW.

I would not worry to much in your situation.

Can find out from her what it was like leaving previously to see if that removes your worries.

I did trip to Singapore before trip to UK to see what experience was like and test for any problems. If my wife had been out of country before and been an OFW then probably would not have done trip for that purpose.

Your partner holding a British visa and CFO will be under far less scrutiny than a girl waltzing off to Bangkok or Hong Kong with her foreign boyfriend.

You can never guess with 100% certainty how the immigration official you meet at the airport will carry out his/her duties, so it is always wise to carry evidence of old photos etc, plus old passports if they have evidence of prior overseas travel.

I would not expect any difficulties for you, especially with you partner having already travelled to Bahrain.

I have picked out all relevant originals of TB test, IELTS, NBI, CENOMAR, CFO certificate, Birth Certificate, as well as my CENOMAR, notarised documents of single status declaration and intentions, recent HMRC tax summary, my last P60, my land register, my mortgage letter, council tax bill, my driving license, employment letter, three examples of WU transfers and 19 pages of photos of us together.

Not sure whether to print Facebook chats, as we can just show them our phones if they really want to interrogate us?

Have I missed anything which anyone else might think is crucial?

This talk about grillings at the airport is nonsense and asking if your fiancee can demonstrate funds to support herself is further nonsense.

Reading the posts above its like the airport officials will go through the whole visa process again,which they dont.

You have a valid visa,you have the CFO stamp the people that issued these are employed to do a job and that is what they do

Yes expect to be asked a few questions (maybe) but you have a genuine relationship that any questions asked you can handle with confidence and this could be when she departs or before she is landed in the UK.

Yes by all means carry the application folder in your hand luggage for your own reassurance.

Relax as I say you have a genuine relationship you have the correct documents

It's not nonsense whatsoever about "grillings". I read that 1000 women are turned back at Manila Airport each month. The first time a single woman leaves Philippines, she will have a short interview at immigration. If travelling together, they asked her if she could prove our relationship and I showed them old photos.
An ex girlfriend of mine was stopped on her way to meeting me in Bali, all tickets, hotel bookings were wasted.
America is giving Philippines government money to stop "people trafficking" (women trafficking) so Philippines government has an interest in increasing the number of women stopped.
Leaving Philippines is a major worry for me when she leaves Philippines. She is supposed to have a notarised letter from philippines embassy in England.

How can she have a notarised letter from the Philippines Embassy in England? For it to be notarised she has to sign it, in person, after sufficiently proving her identity to the notary. She's obviously not in the UK yet to do this.

1000 each month really,thats an average of 33 a day ........ really!
Short interview at the airport, my wife wasnt subject to one, as I said in my post a few questions maybe asked but a grilling nonsense, Notarised letter does that super cede or exclude the visa?

correct its a nonsense

Relax your in a real good place enjoy the build up to your journey!

https://www.silent-gardens.com/air-departure.php

https://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg/consular/invitation-letter/

Theoretically, she is supposed to have a letter of invitation from the sponsor in UK notarised by the Philippines embassy in London. I don't know if this applies to fiancee visas. My ex gf was offloaded at Naia, but that was 10 years ago.

But every woman has a short interview in my experience, the first time is a grilling.
It seems a huge expensive rigmarole to get the invitation letter. I don't know what to recommend TBH. I don't think many people apply for the invitation letter.