my wife is in us and her kids are in philippines

[shockazulu 0]

they probably would have to get tourist visas for Japan. I believe Hong Kong is visa free fro Filipino Citizens.

I keep hearing Hong Kong. I liked the Japan route because the normal plane route is from Manila to Japan to USA. But I bet they have a Hong Kong to USA direct flight. Thank you for this info sunandmoon..... This just might be our first vacation spot. I hope it goes smoothly and we are on the plane together with our kids and on our way home to the USA soon.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Let's assume that Mom won't need CFO Clearance...

The kids still do. My little guys were 2 & 7 when they left the Philippines and both had to have the CFO sticker in their passport to be allowed past immigration. True the kids don't get the seminar and individual counseling but someone has to present the passport with their US Visa and when my wife did she was asked who the Petitioner was. The Philippine government won't recognize the relationship of the US Citizen to his wife or her kids.

FWIW, when my wife brought Carlo back last month (25 months after she left the Philippines) PH Immigration did confirm that she had the CFO Exit Clearance in her passport.

Regarding the plan to get the kids to say Hong Kong I just have one question: How will you then get them to the US? For them to be issued a US Visa at the Embassy in Hong Kong they need to meet residency requirements in Hong Kong.

[shockazulu 0]

Let's assume that Mom won't need CFO Clearance...

The kids still do. My little guys were 2 & 7 when they left the Philippines and both had to have the CFO sticker in their passport to be allowed past immigration. True the kids don't get the seminar and individual counseling but someone has to present the passport with their US Visa and when my wife did she was asked who the Petitioner was. The Philippine government won't recognize the relationship of the US Citizen to his wife or her kids.

FWIW, when my wife brought Carlo back last month (25 months after she left the Philippines) PH Immigration did confirm that she had the CFO Exit Clearance in her passport.

Regarding the plan to get the kids to say Hong Kong I just have one question: How will you then get them to the US? For them to be issued a US Visa at the Embassy in Hong Kong they need to meet residency requirements in Hong Kong.

This part with Hong Kong, is for us to visit them there. If we are going to be waiting 2 years before we can bring them to the USA with the other route. Just because right now I am affraid to bring my wife back to the Philippines if they could refuse to let her leave again. Can they still travel to Hong Kong if they have a US Visa in their Passport but no CFO stamp is the question I was trying to ask?

[sunandmoon 450]

This part with Hong Kong, is for us to visit them there. If we are going to be waiting 2 years before we can bring them to the USA with the other route. Just because right now I am affraid to bring my wife back to the Philippines if they could refuse to let her leave again. Can they still travel to Hong Kong if they have a US Visa in their Passport but no CFO stamp is the question I was trying to ask?

with a US Immigrant Visa in their passports, I doubt they'll be able to board the flight. without the visas in their passports, it would be an opportunity for your wife to see the children.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

This part with Hong Kong, is for us to visit them there. If we are going to be waiting 2 years before we can bring them to the USA with the other route. Just because right now I am affraid to bring my wife back to the Philippines if they could refuse to let her leave again. Can they still travel to Hong Kong if they have a US Visa in their Passport but no CFO stamp is the question I was trying to ask?

with a US Immigrant Visa in their passports, I doubt they'll be able to board the flight. without the visas in their passports, it would be an opportunity for your wife to see the children.

Agreed, just having the US Visa in the passport will trigger the CFO requirement at exit.

FWIW, OP if you're resigned to wait the couple of years then don't get the Visas for the kids now, they'll expire in 6 months anyway.

[shockazulu 0]

with a US Immigrant Visa in their passports, I doubt they'll be able to board the flight. without the visas in their passports, it would be an opportunity for your wife to see the children.

Next month when my wife has her green card, would there be any issues for her trying to come back to the USA if we went to the Philippines to visit?

Basically if she has a green card for the USA would she need a CFO stamp?

I am afraid if they denied her a CFO stamp then they would hold her in the Philippines 2 or more years until she completes a annulment in the Phillipines!

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Next month when my wife has her green card, would there be any issues for her trying to come back to the USA if we went to the Philippines to visit?

Basically if she has a green card for the USA would she need a CFO stamp?

I am afraid if they denied her a CFO stamp then they would hold her in the Philippines 2 or more years until she completes a annulment in the Phillipines!

I've heard it going both ways...

A couple of years ago there was a thread where a Filipina who had got divorced in Hong Kong came to the US on a K-1 directly from Hong Kong to marry her USC Husband. When she returned to the Philippines she couldn't leave because Immigration saw there was no CFO Exit Clearance in her passport. In the end they obtained a CFO sticker by questionable means as they had a friend with the right connections. I'll point out they they were very lucky to know the exact right person who cold get them help, the rest of us would have been stuck without the option they exercised to get the Sticker.

Then I hear about people like beejay in this post in earlier in the thread, didn't have the same issue. It comes do to how lucky do you feel and can you handle it if things go sideways for you?

[shockazulu 0]

with a US Immigrant Visa in their passports, I doubt they'll be able to board the flight. without the visas in their passports, it would be an opportunity for your wife to see the children.

I wonder if we can get the CFO Certificate now. (before we have the Visa’s for our children) Then we can just return to the CFO after the visa is issued to get their CFO sticker by just showing them our certificate.

This way if we get this far (having the CFO certificate in our possession) we can go forward with the fast route we are currently on since the Visa's for the children are already paid for and in process. if we cant get the CFO certificate before we have the Visa's then we will hurry up and plan a visit with our children in Hong Kong before we have to wait 2 years for the back up plan.

I just figured out that many people do it this way. They do all their Medical exams and get their CFO certificates (buy not their CFO stamp) all during the same trip to Manila. Then later when they have their Visa ready they return and only need to return and give them the certificate and get the stamp.

Here is one story of someone else who has done this. I am not sure what the rules are about posting a link to another site are here so I have just copied the portion of the girls story where she goes to the two separate CFO buildings, on a day between her 2 day medical exam. Then I added a question someone asked her about how she got her CFO without having her Visa yet. And last I added her reply that she now only has to go back with her certificate when her Visa is available.

CFO GUIDANCE and COUNSELING SEMINAR

I ate lunch and rushed to the PRISMF in malate for my guidance and counseling seminar.

Address: 2nd floor equitable PCI bank building 2422 taft avenue malate, metro mnl.

tel. nos. (632) 525-3114

(632) 525-3783

(632) 525-4314

fax no. (632) 525-3114

in front of de la salle university; along taft avenue.

I arrived at 12:40. The guard let me sign in a logbook.I went to the second floor. The lady asked for a photocopy of my NBI and BIRth cert. and its originals for their references..gosh! i brought everything and they only have asked me two documents? i wanted to tell them hellooo! i brought with me a notarized letter of parental consent...aren't u going to ask them to me? ..duhhh!. They gave me forms to fill up.

Sample questions:

educational attainment of your fiance: (what courses finished?)

maiden name of your fiances mother

address of fiance in US

nearest relative in the philippines: (i putted mama's name)

is your fiance divorced? how many times? citizenship of his previous wife?

when the forms are completely filled up, I went to a guy in a room for picture taking and you will be paying 250 pesos for the seminar. Be sure that you smile to be pretty on the photo for this is meant for a lifetime...hehe

at 1:30, all of us were made to watched a reported case from Magandang Gabi Bayan, a case of a 27 years old filipina who married a swiss? if i am not mistaken, her penpal upon meeting him for just a month....she came to be a past time favorite toy of her husband. she was made to posed for pictures completely disrobed. she dedided to wrote a letter for her family about her situation... once, her husband made her posed to an igloo for hours naked, where she was freezing in death. hmmm after the film viewing.. we were seperated based from the country of our interests. US bounds were taken to the US room where a very cool and kind woman, the counselor chit chat with us. we are all 3 . the other 2 was already married. then another one came in. the counselor told us that this 23 years old lady was there since monday. they dont give her a certificate because she had inconsistent stories. she was asked about the the job of her fiance, she would answer "sabi nya po ganito ang trabaho niya ngayon. yan ang sabi nya. is he divorced? "sabi nya po di naman", she would also answer you different from what you've been asking her. the only thing we're askin' is why she has been issued a visa. yes..she already had a visa. she was done with her interview and she made it...hmm..curious... on the counseling..its not so formal because the counselor is only talking about the procedure in NAIA on the day of our flight. what not supposed to be brought on the plane....what should we do in case our partners change.....domestic violence, verbal abused....where to go to..what number to call...etc..etc....age differences....MY GIRL...haha..yes..the couselor is also fond of watching MY GIRL..hmm

after the seminar..only the three of us were given the yellow certificate of attendance. be sure that your name is correctly spelled on the paper. after that. the counselor directed us to go to the main office of the CFO in quirino for the real lifetime GREEN certificate.

Address: CFO main office

citigold center-1354 president quirino avenue corner south superhighway manila.

- the guard asked us for a valid ID in exchange for an ID card. they dont have any priority number here as what ive thought. I directly headed to the counter. the guy asked for a photocopy of the yellow cetificate from the PRISMF.... and another photocopy of my birth certificate. there is a xer0x machine on the left side of the road outside.....

you will be paying 400 pesos for the green guidance and counseling certificate. after that i went back to the hotel and rested.

Julie,

Thanks for posting your experience but i do have one question. I always thought that CFO will not give you your certifcate unless you have your visa with you?

Thanks

dmanace

They will give you your certificate. Visa requirement is needed when you are about to leave the country and you need the CFO sticker thus you need to get back to CFO office for this once your visa is released.

[sunandmoon 450]

I wonder if we can get the CFO Certificate now. (before we have the Visa’s for our children) Then we can just return to the CFO after the visa is issued to get their CFO sticker by just showing them our certificate.

This way if we get this far (having the CFO certificate in our possession) we can go forward with the fast route we are currently on since the Visa's for the children are already paid for and in process. if we cant get the CFO certificate before we have the Visa's then we will hurry up and plan a visit with our children in Hong Kong before we have to wait 2 years for the back up plan.

I just figured out that many people do it this way. They do all their Medical exams and get their CFO certificates (buy not their CFO stamp) all during the same trip to Manila. Then later when they have their Visa ready they return and only need to return and give them the certificate and get the stamp.

Here is one story of someone else who has done this. I am not sure what the rules are about posting a link to another site are here so I have just copied the portion of the girls story where she goes to the two separate CFO buildings, on a day between her 2 day medical exam. Then I added a question someone asked her about how she got her CFO without having her Visa yet. And last I added her reply that she now only has to go back with her certificate when her Visa is available.

CFO GUIDANCE and COUNSELING SEMINAR

I ate lunch and rushed to the PRISMF in malate for my guidance and counseling seminar.

Address: 2nd floor equitable PCI bank building 2422 taft avenue malate, metro mnl.

tel. nos. (632) 525-3114

(632) 525-3783

(632) 525-4314

fax no. (632) 525-3114

in front of de la salle university; along taft avenue.

I arrived at 12:40. The guard let me sign in a logbook.I went to the second floor. The lady asked for a photocopy of my NBI and BIRth cert. and its originals for their references..gosh! i brought everything and they only have asked me two documents? i wanted to tell them hellooo! i brought with me a notarized letter of parental consent...aren't u going to ask them to me? ..duhhh!. They gave me forms to fill up.

Sample questions:

educational attainment of your fiance: (what courses finished?)

maiden name of your fiances mother

address of fiance in US

nearest relative in the philippines: (i putted mama's name)

is your fiance divorced? how many times? citizenship of his previous wife?

when the forms are completely filled up, I went to a guy in a room for picture taking and you will be paying 250 pesos for the seminar. Be sure that you smile to be pretty on the photo for this is meant for a lifetime...hehe

at 1:30, all of us were made to watched a reported case from Magandang Gabi Bayan, a case of a 27 years old filipina who married a swiss? if i am not mistaken, her penpal upon meeting him for just a month....she came to be a past time favorite toy of her husband. she was made to posed for pictures completely disrobed. she dedided to wrote a letter for her family about her situation... once, her husband made her posed to an igloo for hours naked, where she was freezing in death. hmmm after the film viewing.. we were seperated based from the country of our interests. US bounds were taken to the US room where a very cool and kind woman, the counselor chit chat with us. we are all 3 . the other 2 was already married. then another one came in. the counselor told us that this 23 years old lady was there since monday. they dont give her a certificate because she had inconsistent stories. she was asked about the the job of her fiance, she would answer "sabi nya po ganito ang trabaho niya ngayon. yan ang sabi nya. is he divorced? "sabi nya po di naman", she would also answer you different from what you've been asking her. the only thing we're askin' is why she has been issued a visa. yes..she already had a visa. she was done with her interview and she made it...hmm..curious... on the counseling..its not so formal because the counselor is only talking about the procedure in NAIA on the day of our flight. what not supposed to be brought on the plane....what should we do in case our partners change.....domestic violence, verbal abused....where to go to..what number to call...etc..etc....age differences....MY GIRL...haha..yes..the couselor is also fond of watching MY GIRL..hmm

after the seminar..only the three of us were given the yellow certificate of attendance. be sure that your name is correctly spelled on the paper. after that. the counselor directed us to go to the main office of the CFO in quirino for the real lifetime GREEN certificate.

Address: CFO main office

citigold center-1354 president quirino avenue corner south superhighway manila.

- the guard asked us for a valid ID in exchange for an ID card. they dont have any priority number here as what ive thought. I directly headed to the counter. the guy asked for a photocopy of the yellow cetificate from the PRISMF.... and another photocopy of my birth certificate. there is a xer0x machine on the left side of the road outside.....

you will be paying 400 pesos for the green guidance and counseling certificate. after that i went back to the hotel and rested.

Julie,

Thanks for posting your experience but i do have one question. I always thought that CFO will not give you your certifcate unless you have your visa with you?

Thanks

dmanace

They will give you your certificate. Visa requirement is needed when you are about to leave the country and you need the CFO sticker thus you need to get back to CFO office for this once your visa is released.

the certificate is only given to those who need to attend a seminar. the children will not be receiving any certificate from CFO. the sticker is not issued until after the visa is in the passport.

[shockazulu 0]

the certificate is only given to those who need to attend a seminar. the children will not be receiving any certificate from CFO. the sticker is not issued until after the visa is in the passport.

That answers that question. Thank you sunandmoon.

I cant think of anything else. So if we have 3 options.

1. We risk it big time and just go to the Philippines when the Visa's are ready and try to get on the plane without any CFO stamps at all. If we fail my wife may have to stay till a annulment is completed and then a hole new mess trying to get them all to the USA after the annulment is completed.

2. We go to the Philippines when the Visa's are ready and try to get the CFO stamps before we go to the airport to get on the plane.

3. We wait 2 1/2 years for them to come to the USA by getting their Visa's through my wife. If this is the choice we will only be able to visit the children in Hong Kong during a time when they don't have a valid Visa in their passports.

Can you think of any other options?

[shockazulu 0]

That answers that question. Thank you sunandmoon.

I cant think of anything else. So if we have 3 options.

1. We risk it big time and just go to the Philippines when the Visa's are ready and try to get on the plane without any CFO stamps at all. If we fail my wife may have to stay till a annulment is completed and then a hole new mess trying to get them all to the USA after the annulment is completed.

2. We go to the Philippines when the Visa's are ready and try to get the CFO stamps before we go to the airport to get on the plane.

3. We wait 2 1/2 years for them to come to the USA by getting their Visa's through my wife. If this is the choice we will only be able to visit the children in Hong Kong during a time when they don't have a valid Visa in their passports.

Can you think of any other options?

OK maybe a 4th option. I found this. It looks like a method for the Philippines to accept a US divorce and a US marriage. It says we have to report our marriage within 12 months. So we better hurry since we are getting close to that date now. If we miss the deadline there is a bunch more paperwork for explaining the delay in filing the application.

I found this at the Consulate General of the Philippines in Chicago.

Here is the link.

http://www.chicagopcg.com/forms/newromform1.pdf

[sunandmoon 450]

OK maybe a 4th option. I found this. It looks like a method for the Philippines to accept a US divorce and a US marriage. It says we have to report our marriage within 12 months. So we better hurry since we are getting close to that date now. If we miss the deadline there is a bunch more paperwork for explaining the delay in filing the application.

I found this at the Consulate General of the Philippines in Chicago.

Here is the link.

http://www.chicagopcg.com/forms/newromform1.pdf

you do not want to do that. you would only file the Report of Marriage with the Philippine Embassy if she had received an annulment in The Philippines, then married you. The judicial recognition of foreign divorce only applys when a foreign citizen inititates the divorce of a Filipino Citizen.

http://jlp-law.com/blog/judicial-recognition-of-a-foreign-divorce-decree/

Edited January 20, 2012 by sunandmoon

[LSnBigBear 61]

Ok many posts since i logged in last night. But was your wife married to a Filipino or in the Philippines prior to her departure to USA? If so, then I believe from my understanding that her marrying you in USA is not legal correct me if I am wrong as when marriage applications are filled out it clearly states if married prior etc. Years ago USA did not recoignize many foreign marriages. But now they do as many do a K3 Visa if I am not mistaken. Trouble you may have is two fold. One she may risk her USA Visa both tourist and marriage if she is found fraudulant (hate that word as I am sure I did not spell it correctly). I do not want to make accusations but in my opinion you are risking your marriage validity is she exits. I know circumstances change over time and I am not throwing stones. My suggestion is as much as I hate to admit it is to pay a few hundred bucks for an Immigration Attorney to review your case. Then get back on the forum to brainstorm. I dont care for Attorney's but know from past experience with friends' wives that they can help in tight immigration statuses... You are risking regardless..... The only other option is if somehow you can gain legal custody minus adoption fees to go yourself to Philippines and leave your wife in USA or Hong Kong. They will not keep you as an American. They will mess with their own kind and at minimum cost you a lot of money to get out. I lived there in Philippines for 5 years and traveled throughout SE Asia. You are in a tough position my friend. Sorry for the rambling. I hope it makes a little sense.. Best wishes.

[shockazulu 0]

Ok many posts since i logged in last night. But was your wife married to a Filipino or in the Philippines prior to her departure to USA? If so, then I believe from my understanding that her marrying you in USA is not legal correct me if I am wrong as when marriage applications are filled out it clearly states if married prior etc. Years ago USA did not recoignize many foreign marriages. But now they do as many do a K3 Visa if I am not mistaken. Trouble you may have is two fold. One she may risk her USA Visa both tourist and marriage if she is found fraudulant (hate that word as I am sure I did not spell it correctly). I do not want to make accusations but in my opinion you are risking your marriage validity is she exits. I know circumstances change over time and I am not throwing stones. My suggestion is as much as I hate to admit it is to pay a few hundred bucks for an Immigration Attorney to review your case. Then get back on the forum to brainstorm. I dont care for Attorney's but know from past experience with friends' wives that they can help in tight immigration statuses... You are risking regardless..... The only other option is if somehow you can gain legal custody minus adoption fees to go yourself to Philippines and leave your wife in USA or Hong Kong. They will not keep you as an American. They will mess with their own kind and at minimum cost you a lot of money to get out. I lived there in Philippines for 5 years and traveled throughout SE Asia. You are in a tough position my friend. Sorry for the rambling. I hope it makes a little sense.. Best wishes.

My wife was in the Philippines and married when she left to the USA 4 years ago. She should have started the annulment back then and by now it would have been done. instead she filed for a divorce here in the USA and her x signed the papers and it was completed in a matter of months. After her divorce I proposed to her and we married shortly afterwards. A few months later we started the Process for her Green Card and now the interview is coming up. 3 weeks ago we filed the i130's for the children.

[shockazulu 0]

The only other option is if somehow you can gain legal custody minus adoption fees to go yourself to Philippines and leave your wife in USA or Hong Kong. They will not keep you as an American. They will mess with their own kind and at minimum cost you a lot of money to get out.

O.K. how would I go about doing this option?

I was told earlier in this thread that the addoption route would not be possible.