CFO PDOS - Before or After Visa?

[Hank_ 9,174]

To be honest, doing it while you have a coupe weeks is great. She may need to know her fiancee's maiden mother's name. Sometimes this is a gotcha before passing her in the interview.

I prefer CFO At St. Mary's -- good shepherd convent. Behind a green gate. Great place to go if you are catholic. (run by nuns at both Manila and cebu) Also, you can get the green certificate, and all paperwork WITHOUT having to make extra stops like you do for PRISM. St.Mar's has a cantina with soda and food (soda is 8 php). with PRISM you have to go to the main CFO office after the seminar completion to get your green certificate. Please note you can attend the CFO without your passport and visa in hand with just your NBI and postal ID.

the "other" documents can also be the consent or counseling letter from the parent or guardian. the laws are different in Philippines. Sometimes they can even ask for the parent or guardian to come to CFO. (rare, but sometimes it happens.) The CFO can also help her to prepare for the embassy interview making sure her packet is ready and prepared. the one-on-one interview is similar to the embassy. Please note, it may be 4 hours. but typically, you have a seminar class in the morning, then are called back for a one-on-one interview later on in the day. If done in the afternoon, you usually go back the next day sometime.

Once you have your money paid and green certificate, you can get you sticker at the international airport counters. If flying Philippine airlines terminal 2, this is just after the first security check next to the ticket counters. (Terminal 2 is always manned from 7 am to 11 pm) If you opt to get at the airport in terminal 1 and no one is there, just call the number listed on the CFO page to have them come to you at the terminal. We were done in 15 minutes at terminal 2 with the CFO sticker.

I highly recommend doing while she has free time in manila. It will save time of the flight to the USA. It did for at least me and my fiance.

Best of luck.

My fiancee is not catholic so I was not giving those at St. Mary's a target.... PRISM was very easy and everyone was very nice. CFO is just a few blocks away so no issue going over there at all.

Seminare are not done typically in the morning at PRISM, they have three times scheduled through the day; the seminar and interview are all completed within those times... no BS of having to come back for an interview. Not sure I would ever go to St. Mary's if that is how they do it there..... but then I don't do CFO anyway.....

[Tahoma 2,292]

...no BS of having to come back for an interview.

[gretchen_darren 67]

Each person has their preference, that is why we have choices on which place we can buy a hamburger from plus which toppings we want on it.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Each person has their preference, that is why we have choices on which place we can buy a hamburger from plus which toppings we want on it.

OK...I see...you prefer to buy the hamburger and then come back later for the toppings. No problem.

[gretchen_darren 67]

Nope, get the hamburger, toppings, fries, and drink all at once. Don't have to go to one stand for the hamburger, and one stand for the toppings, another stand for the fries, and another for the drink.

At good shepherd convent/St. Mary's in Manila you do everything while you are there including paying CFO and getting green check card. (One stop shop, if you have visa, you can even get CFO sticker as well. We opted to get the CFO sticker at airport when we left the country.)

At St. Mary's in Cebu, they break for lunch and have you come back.

At PRISM, you get your processing done quickly because of the number of people going through. But you have to go to CFO to get your certificate (green check card). PRISM takes 2 separate location to do the same thing as St. Mary's. You misunderstand St. Mary's in Manila. It may take 3 to 4 hours, but you do EVERYTHING onsite including CFO sticker if you have your visa. PRISM cannot do this.

We took longer because 1) she did not have her visa yet, 2) she was under 21 3) we brought her parents as well 4) I was also there on site 5) we had time to spare that day, no rush in getting done.

[sunandmoon 450]

Nope, get the hamburger, toppings, fries, and drink all at once. Don't have to go to one stand for the hamburger, and one stand for the toppings, another stand for the fries, and another for the drink.

At good shepherd convent/St. Mary's in Manila you do everything while you are there including paying CFO and getting green check card. (One stop shop, if you have visa, you can even get CFO sticker as well. We opted to get the CFO sticker at airport when we left the country.)

At St. Mary's in Cebu, they break for lunch and have you come back.

At PRISM, you get your processing done quickly because of the number of people going through. But you have to go to CFO to get your certificate (green check card). PRISM takes 2 separate location to do the same thing as St. Mary's. You misunderstand St. Mary's in Manila. It may take 3 to 4 hours, but you do EVERYTHING onsite including CFO sticker if you have your visa. PRISM cannot do this.

We took longer because 1) she did not have her visa yet, 2) she was under 21 3) we brought her parents as well 4) I was also there on site 5) we had time to spare that day, no rush in getting done.

so, St. Mary's is like of like a ....

[Hank_ 9,174]

Nope, get the hamburger, toppings, fries, and drink all at once. Don't have to go to one stand for the hamburger, and one stand for the toppings, another stand for the fries, and another for the drink.

At good shepherd convent/St. Mary's in Manila you do everything while you are there including paying CFO and getting green check card. (One stop shop, if you have visa, you can even get CFO sticker as well. We opted to get the CFO sticker at airport when we left the country.)

At St. Mary's in Cebu, they break for lunch and have you come back.

At PRISM, you get your processing done quickly because of the number of people going through. But you have to go to CFO to get your certificate (green check card). PRISM takes 2 separate location to do the same thing as St. Mary's. You misunderstand St. Mary's in Manila. It may take 3 to 4 hours, but you do EVERYTHING onsite including CFO sticker if you have your visa. PRISM cannot do this.

We took longer because 1) she did not have her visa yet, 2) she was under 21 3) we brought her parents as well 4) I was also there on site 5) we had time to spare that day, no rush in getting done.

Hmmm, choose a place that gets it done quickly, even if you have to take a 60 peso taxi ride around the corner and down a couple blocks, or choose a place that takes all day and has you come back after lunch? The second doesn't sound too much like a one stop shopping experience... plus the added time.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Hmmm, choose a place that gets it done quickly, even if you have to take a 60 peso taxi ride around the corner and down a couple blocks, or choose a place that takes all day and has you come back after lunch? The second doesn't sound too much like a one stop shopping experience... plus the added time.

Darren forgot to mention that he tried to go to St. Mary's the previous day. On that excursion all the way across Manila, he gave the cab driver bad directions, the cab driver couldn't find it, and so Darren stiffed the cab driver out of his fare. When everyone pointed out his ugly-american behavior, Darren then claimed he gave the cabbie half of the fare.

[Shane and Lovely 22]

You can get your stamp at the airport after taking the class? This is the first I hear of this. And Darren, we are Catholic as well, but I'm with Hank SunandMoon and Tahoma on this one. There is no way I am sending Love to a place that takes a 3.5 hour excursion and turns it into an all day affair. She'll go to PRISM and get it over with. This whole process takes enough time as it is without making it longer by choice.

[Hank_ 9,174]

You can get your stamp at the airport after taking the class? This is the first I hear of this. And Darren, we are Catholic as well, but I'm with Hank SunandMoon and Tahoma on this one. There is no way I am sending Love to a place that takes a 3.5 hour excursion and turns it into an all day affair. She'll go to PRISM and get it over with. This whole process takes enough time as it is without making it longer by choice.

Yes you can get the CFO sticker at the airport, but you have to call ahead to make sure someone is in the office to issue the stamp, not sure I would chance that route. After the seminar at PRISM just pop over to CFO down the street, the address will be on the form they give your fiancee after the seminar, it takes about 30 minutes and its all done.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Darren forgot to mention that he tried to go to St. Mary's the previous day. On that excursion all the way across Manila, he gave the cab driver bad directions, the cab driver couldn't find it, and so Darren stiffed the cab driver out of his fare. When everyone pointed out his ugly-american behavior, Darren then claimed he gave the cabbie half of the fare.

That's the blind leading the blind, (we looked up the address for PRISM then looked at the map so we knew exactly were it was before heading out).... and then not man'ing up so stiffs the taxi driver... hmmm.

The fun part of the CFO adventure for us was that Amy left her folder on the coffee table at home and didn't realize it until we were just stepping out of the taxi... too funny. Luckily her best friend was with us and she grabbed a jeepney and headed home, Amy had her passport in her purse so we went around the corner to get copies made then she did the seminar. By the time Angie got back Amy was almost done with the seminar, then she came down and retrieved the folder went back in to do the interview and we were on our way.

[Shane and Lovely 22]

Yes you can get the CFO sticker at the airport, but you have to call ahead to make sure someone is in the office to issue the stamp, not sure I would chance that route. After the seminar at PRISM just pop over to CFO down the street, the address will be on the form they give your fiancee after the seminar, it takes about 30 minutes and its all done.

She is going to do the seminar a week before her embassy appointment. So I guess she'll just go the CFO after her visa arrives to get the stamp.

[Hank_ 9,174]

She is going to do the seminar a week before her embassy appointment. So I guess she'll just go the CFO after her visa arrives to get the stamp.

That will work, she will have the certificate, only takes about 30 minutes for them to print out the sticker (looks a lot like the visa sticker) and affix it to the passport.

[gretchen_darren 67]

ok, let me answer these things:

1) the cab, I gave him fare to get us there. I told him where we wanted to go. St. Mary's OFW-CFO. I even gave him the street address. The taxi driver got hung up on the St. Mary's ROAD, not the street address: Good Shepherd Convent, 1043 Aurora Boulevard

Quezon City, Philippines 1108 . I did not pay him return fare because

a) he did not get us to the address I gave him.

b) I told him to take us back to the hotel

c) the taxi drive did NOT discuss or quote a price for return fare before taking us back to the hotel.

d) I paid him the given price to take us there and was very be-grudging on paying that since he focused on the St. Mary's Road and not the actual address I gave him.

e) I also DID tell the taxi driver Good Shepherd Convent.

(because of this I think I did post a picture of the front gate on Aurora Blvd. It is at the top of a hill and next to a 5 story building. The LRT entrance is opposite the gate at the Top of the bridge. Please note the convent is on the Hill and the entrance slopes us significantly.

2) PRISM, over the 16 months, I have read both on VJ and elsewhere plus heard personally while in Manila of Prism not being a good experience. It may be closer, but I have heard the process is nearly intolerable. (From what I have been told, PRISM paints the USC as a very, very bad person, and basically states going to live with a foreigner is horrible.) As always, YMMV, but this is up to you. Maybe PRISM HAS improved, but then again, I suggest reading the reviews of PRISM Before deciding yourself. PRISM stands for People's Reform Initiative for Social Mobilization, Inc. (PRISM). I still cannot find out much about this organization. Not much is published. I DO know PRISM is a PART of USAID funded organization. I DO know PRISM is a part of the Family planning services of USAID (Hence Planned Parenthood, NOW, ACLU, A link which helped me on PRISM: PRISM = Confusion

a) YOU must be at PRISM at least 2 hours early as the sessions fill up quickly.

b) if you are there less then one hour BEFORE the session starts, expect NOT to get in or sit and wait for a them to tell you a position is open.

c) I have read many times, where the Guards at PRISM hassle the girls about attending.

d) I have also read many times where girls had to go outside, make a phoen call or two to get the information verbally they did not have, only to go back in and be asked to bring in paperwork anyway. I have read several stories like this about PRISM.

e) I read one really bad story where a girl was FORCED to bring in her parent/guardian to PRISM BEFORE getting her certificate of attendance. Plus HAD to call her fiancee after getting her parent/guardian there because of needing a copy of his birth certificate, passport, and proof of singleness since his previous tax forms were filed under married but filing separately which did not prove he was single.

f) I have read several stories where PRISM verbally attacked the girls for seeking foreign husbands. actually TRYING to convince the girls not to leave the country to the point of doing nearly anything to find a way to deny the CFO cetificat eof attendance.

g) I have also read and heard, the bigger the age gap in the couple or relatively youthful couple age (mainly the couple is both in their 20's or the girl between 18 to 24 and the guy older then 40), the more intimidating the process becomes at PRISM. (I have also heard this of SMEF-COW in Cebu, but never at SMEF-COW in Manila.)

Like to SMEF-COW

This link helped me to decide on SMEF-COW. (It seemed appropriate since the church in Phoenix is named St. Bernadette.)

3) time, We took our time, we were in no rush. Plus we were not schedule to leave for America that day or the next day. St. Mary's processes those with immediate travel plans first. Many were done my noon to 1 pm leaving the Good Shepherd Convent with Visa stickers in their passport. No second stops for them.

4)If you are not at NAIA Terminal 2 international, Check the desk in your terminal of departure. Then use the following number to call them and let them know which terminal you need if not manned: NAIA Office: (+632) 879-5685. (Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 may or may not be manned. (I have been told, but never confirmed, there are usually lines between 9 am and 7 pm at Terminal 1 CFO NAIA desk.) (Terminal 3 was normally local departures, but may have international departures now.)

Terminal 2 (Philippine Airlines) desk IS always manned from 7 am to 11 pm. The desk in Terminal 2 is straight ahead from the security check point as you walk in. (next to Philippine airline business check in counters) There are chairs next to the desk for people wishing to sit and wiat for check in, or needing to wait while a person in their party is at the desk.

The following Filipino emigrants may be allowed to register with the CFO-NAIA Desk Office:

* Filipino spouses and other partners previously granted permanent residence status in the country of destination

* Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals who have completed the pre-departure counseling requirements, as evidenced by a genuine counseling certificate

* Filipino emigrants exempted from attending the PDOS or peer counseling under special circumstances

* Filipino emigrants with permanent residence visa issued abroad who will be exiting from the Philippines

* Emigrants whose visas will expire within three (3) working days of their issuance

* Other emigrants under meritorious circumstances, as may be approved by the Executive Director or the duly authorized representative

FAQ naia desks

5) Please note: Mainly, I chose to take my then Fiance and her parents to St. Mary's -- Good Shepherd Convent BECAUSE of the deep catholic roots in the family. the second reason was BECAUSE of all the bad reviews of PRISM. By taxi it takes an hour to get there, and an hour to get back. We started at 9am and was back at ~4 pm. total time on site was 10 am to ~3 pm. Because we chose to take a taxi back, it took us some time to find a taxi willing to take us BACK to Ermita. (we probably should have taken LRT to get closer to Ermita first.) But I enjoyed seeing the "sights" along the way. business, schools, traffic cop direction, etc, Plus seeing lots and lots and lots of jeepneys.

We were one of the first to arrive and was THE last to leave. Most girls were there around 11 am and gone by 1 pm to 2 pm. ( because Gretchen, both of her parents, and I were on site, the nins and SMEF-COW took advantage of the situation.)I must say, I HIGHLY recommend SMEF-COW in Manila to anyone wondering which site to attend.

Please note this was also because I WAS interviewed on site as well with translation being done between me, the parents and the CFO parties. We talked for nearly an hour once I was called in, mainly because we liked to talk, plus I could give much detail of where she was going, and details with information the local catholic church near the home as well. There were many signed Letters of Agreements, much in verbal agreements in cluding my promise in front of the nuns to take care of Gretchen to her and her parents. (This is tantamount to making a covenant before God in a convent.) Plus written documentation of follow-up and letters to be sent at certain times from us in the USA to the CFO. My wife and I are probably ONE of the long term follow up cases at Good Shepherd convent. Since her family is devout catholic. I already have a working relationship with the local catholic church in Phoenix BEFORE going to bring my fiance home. The Padre at the Church in Phoenix is FROM central Visayas area. BECAUSE I brought her parents to manila, plus waited on site with everyone keeping my distance, plus the fact I brought BOTH her parents to the CFO and not just one plus we had just completed St. Lukes on Monday and Tuesday, Plus the US Embassy on Wednesday, the day before the CFO. (We could have done the CFO on Wednesday afternoon at St. Mary;s, but did not because of the rain, and the fact all of us were up at 4 am heading to the Embassy without breakfast.) Please note: very, very, very few attend the afternoon session at St. Mary's. It seems to morning session is the most attended.

[gretchen_darren 67]

so, St. Mary's is like of like a ....

I think of it more as SM Mall of Asia.... everything under one roof...