Pre Departure Orientation Seminar

[Margaret2009 0]

Hi, I'm leaving for US with IR-1 visa this coming May 14.. and I just read this Predaparture Orientation Seminar. Am I required to attend this PDOS? My husband (Filipino/US citizen) we're married for 6 years. My children are already in the US. pLEASE HELP..

[Jon and Gay 3]

What is your departure time? Be there at 4am so that you can get the first 15 slots. The line is so long, I arrived 5am at CFO and i was numbered 25th already. Because of that I attended the afternoon session. Check the website. cfo.gov.ph the schedule and requirements are listed there. Your passport needs CFO certificate so that you can pass through immigration at the airport. If not you cannot enter the plane, they will not accept you inside. Get it the day of your travel, if your flight is at night. If not you need to rebook your flight. Mind you, i have a good friend who was thrown out of aiport because she did not have CFO sticker in her passport and CFO counseling certificate at hand. Good luck.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Philippines regional forum; topic is country specific.

[Hank_ 9,174]

CFO requires all immigrating to attend

CFO:

ALL exiting required to attend. There have been changes regarding CFO so for sure read through their website.

Update: Please check the schedule of the counseling session before proceeding to CFO because it is country-specific and the slots are limited only to 15 per session (two sessions per day) for Manila and 12 per session (only one session a day) for Cebu. It is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

CFO Online Registration Form: http://www.cfo.gov.ph/pdf/downloadable%20forms/registrationform.pdf Complete this and print a couple copies to bring to the CFO seminar, it will save you time.

http://www.philembassy.no/sites/default/files/downloads/new_gcp_flyer.pdf

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: originals & copies of; CENOMAR (CEMAR and marriage certificate if married), certified birth certificate. Passport and copies of bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together. From USC (copies of) - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common requests. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

[let-it-be 36]

I'd suggest you go to CFO the day before your flight. You are going to be really exhausted at the end of that day. Having to get up early so you can be there at the crack of dawn to make it for the limited number of slots & the seminar taking up the whole morning or afternoon. Then another long line for the registration. It doesn't matter if your flight is later at night. Get a good night sleep & relax prior to your flight.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Maybe you already have a CFO sticker in your passport. Did you ever amend your passport to your husband's name?