Philip & Marivic New to the site

Hello all,

My name is Philip and my partner is Marivic, We have been together for 8 years and have 3 beautiful children together.

Currently I am living and working in Shanghai China while my partner (Not Married) is in Tarlac with our kids, as the schools in China are very over priced and not a good standard.

Oldest son is Seven
Middle daughter 18 months
and our youngest is 3.5 months.

We joined the site to seek advice on several aspects including UK visa, Annulment and of course to meet like minded British Filipino couples.

We are truly blessed with love and happiness but we are also truly frustrated with the challenges that face a mixed relationship trying to live a life together in the UK.

Anyway, thank you for reading and for the advice and support we hope to give and receive.

Phil & Vic

Welcome Phil and Vic

I'm a tad surprised to hear that Chinese educational standards are not good. That would suggest that standards in English schools are now appalling if the results of a recent experiment are true. Three teachers from China taught in an English secondary school and their pupils out-performed their peers taught by British teachers, especially in Maths.

Thanks for the reply, well maybe I should have said that the cost compared to quality of education is huge unless we were able to send our children to a local Chinese School which is not permitted due to local Chinese insurance issues.
As a average international school cost around 30,000rmb (3,000GBP) per quarter.
We did find a local Philippine school here in Shanghai but that was much better in terms of cost but the standard was plus/minus due to the fact that many of the teachers also had to come and go due to china visa issues.

Thanks again for the reply

Hello Phil and Vic,
Welcome aboard.

The UK immigration journey can be a challenge.

Thanks Micawber,

Yea and the crazy thing is that my kids have British passports all processed from outside the UK, but still my partner needs the Visa...Maybe now I realize why I left the UK all those years ago... too politically correct unless i arrive on an inflatable boat and claim asylum.

Hi and you mentioned annulment?

Yes we are desperate to get that done but always stunned at the cost and with three kids we have to budget

Any comment or feedback welcome
My partner has been separated for almost 10 years and her EX has no interest in contesting

hi--and welcome. my partner got her annulment earlier this year----took 15 months and cost me £2000. it could have been quicker --but would have cost more to grease the machinery.

Welcome Phil and Vic

if your partners ex---or anyone involved in the legal process----knows of your existence the cost will shoot up.

Welcome Phil and Marivic.

Hello Marivic & Philip. Welcome to British Filipino

Thanks for the info Bigmac , hard to escape the fact the ex. Already knows ESP as they had a child together which he has at weekends and although the child never wants to go marivics ex in laws demand.

So your comment regarding the increase is that because the ex may contest ?
Or other reasons

We have been told that the cost will be 300k peso and take 2-3 years and I am like WTF but we have also been told that my partner can register in another barangy it could be done in less time and slightly cheaper but all sounds a little iffy

Why would it take so long, is it due to the lawyers dragging their feet

Sorry so many question

Thanks Howerd

Thanks deanobeano
Awesome username

Thanks timmers

Dig around the forum for information on annulments, we have discussed this subject quite a few times here, my wife got an annulment, it is a lengthy and costly process as you have found. Unfortunately no two annulment cases are the same and it still seems to be a grey area for us all here at the forum.

@bigmac is our most recent member who's missus went through the annulment process, I'm sure he can give you some pointers.

Having had an annulment in the Philippines also requires extra proof on non marriage when you get round to applying for the settlement visa.

Good luck with it

Hello Phil and Marivic,

I can relate to your position as my Filipina ex and I lived in Beijing, 1996-2001. It was the school issue that made us move back to the UK.

My ex sister in law., see post 12 here...

http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/sending-allowances-to-the-philippines.11134/

may hold the record on quick annulments - she was drugged and date raped as a teenager, found she was pregnant, married her rapist so that her child would not suffer the stigma of illegitimacy, and got an annulment as soon as her son was born. He is now the same age as my elder son - 2o. Mind you, she has a rod of steel running down her spine, possibly because she is part Japanese. Still, it shows it can be done.

I think it is absolutely worth shopping around.

ask all and any questions you like--we're all on a learning curve and others reading this will benefit too.

its not that her ex might contest it-----its in his interest too if he wants to be single again. but he must not be seen to collude with it. shop around for a good lawyer with a proven track record of success with annulment cases.

ive read that some ex's see it as hitting the jackpot if theres a western boyfriend in the picture----the going rate for his backhander is a million peso. in which case her becoming a widow would be a lot cheaper.

300k peso is very steep---ours was half that--but would have been higher if we wanted a result in 6 months. ours took 15 as the judge wasnt there for 3 court appearances---and had to be rearranged--which lost us 3 months.