Visa appointment and CFO seminar timings

Hi all,

I'm just a little bit confused regarding the timings for various steps in our spouse visa application, can someone shed some light please?

Can you choose an appointment date at VFS for submitting the documents or is one allocated?
Also how long is the time between applying and the appointment?

How important it is to be accuate with the date of travel on the application?
Does the visa start on this date?

Assuming my other half is granted her visa, does the 30 day window to travel start on the start date of the visa or from the date of travel entered in the application?

I think I read somewhere on here that we can 'cheat' and state we all ready have the visa when booking the CFO appointment, I am trying to minimise the waiting time.
Does anyone have any idea please of the wait time for a CFO appointment?

I hope my questions make sense, it's getting late and my poor ole brain is complaining about thinking!

Remember to smile everybody

You make your VFS appointment as part of the online application, I have heard here on the forum that you only have to wait a week or so for an appointment at the VFS.

If you are using the premium 10 day visa service then I would put the earliest travel date a couple of weeks later, if you are using the regular service then I would put a date of around 3 months just to be sure.

If its a spouse visa you are applying for then the 30 days starts on the day the visa is valid, remember you can only get the CFO sticker once the visa is valid.

Look at the website below, it will inform you of appointment timings etc.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/

You're a star Timmers, thanks very much.

Hi @uklove! the CFO website Timmers has given should be helpful to you. From their FAQs page,

Question 5.: When can I attend the guidance counseling session?
Answer: You could attend the guidance and counseling program base on any of the following cases/situations:

1. Before lodgment of visa application;
2. Before the required medical examination;
3. Before the visa interview;
4. Before the release of the visa or while waiting for the visa;
5. After lodgment of visa application;
6. After the medical examination required by the Embassy;
7. After receiving the visa (spouse, fiancé/e or partner visa);
8. Requirement for passport application; and
9. If you successfully reserved an appointment for yourself for the appropriate counseling session.

Note that most certificates are given after the counseling sessions whilst the sticker is issued once visa is valid. Good luck with the application

How important it is to be accuate with the date of travel on the application?
Does the visa start on this date?
When I applied spousal visa online last March 07 2016 I've put my date of travel is June 07,2016 then my visa was approved April 22, 2016 and the validity of it was June 01-30, 2016. So i guess the validity of your visa will depend on yout date of travel

Can I assume my lady could attend the CFO seminar after - hopefully - getting the visa and get the magic sticker on the same day?
She has to travel from Mindanao each time to I'm trying to minimise the pesos and time spent.
Cheers.

The whole process would be a million more times stressful without this forum...thanks to everyone.

She can apply after securing the visa- saves her an extra trip.
Note that CFO also conducts mobile seminars. I have seen Davao and Pangasinan as venues. You could check their website for details.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/#

Good luck with the application.

Hi again...I'm still confused.

OK, so we can book the seminar, at the present there is plenty of availability but how do we get the last hurdle sticker?
I'm thinking that Mrs W could attend do both on the same day.

Cheers,

To do the CFO seminar and and get the all important sticker on the same day you would have to wait until you got the visa, no visa no sticker.

Most people do the seminar then go back for the passport sticker once the visa has been granted.

I did the seminar and got my sticker on the same day. I booked in advance and selected the intended date of travel I stated in my visa application as my CFO appointment. Worked for me. I just planned and hoped everything would go smoothly- lucky it did. I then booked for my actual flight a few weeks later.

We thought of getting the seminar out of the way then going back for the sticker...but the journey to Manila involves a five hour busy journey and a bought, and of course two nights in a hotel
Mrs W is more familiar with Manila so that is our choice.

You could consider doing the seminar then getting the actual passport sticker at the airport when leaving for the UK, from what I have read you need to give the CFO a few days notice for this service.

For me though I do not like leaving it to the last minute and would much rather have the sticker before leaving for the airport.

I think plan B is to go to the seminar just before the visit to VFS and then a short trip just for the sticker.
Thanks for the ideas...

Best that way even if it will cost a few quid more, she will cost you a small fortune when she gets to the UK so don't worry about small sums of money

VFS website states you can pay 2000p to go there without booked appointment

Walk in without appointment
The Walk in without appointment service is designed for applicants who want to pay to walk in to the Visa Application Centre in Manila without an appointment. It’s an optional service which means that the applicants are able to:

• Pay a fee to access the VAC on a walk-in basis without having made an on-line appointment or ,
• Attend the VAC on an earlier date than their scheduled appointment or;
• Access the VAC after their appointment time (45 minutes or more) within that same day.

This service will cost Php 2,000 per application and is available in Manila only. This can be paid online or by cash when you attend your appointment at the visa application centre.