Do I need to attend CFO - Pre Departure Seminar in the Philippines

[charmingangel 1]

Hello to all. I am a Filipino who is now residing here in Singapore with my family. Our immigration visa applications were processed here since we change consulate from USE Manila to USE Singapore. My visa and those of my 2 kids are already issued while that of my husband is still pending . We are flying to the US next month via Philippine Airlines with an 8 hour lay over in Manila. Just want to know if we will still need to attend the CFO Pre- Departure Seminar in Manila? I've already got the tickets ( my mom bought them for us from a travel agency in LA) when the travel agents reminded my mom regarding the seminar and the CFO sticker. I tried to do some research about what he was saing but can't find a clear answer. In the CFO ( Commission of Filipino Overseas ) website, it says there that every Filipino who is emigrating from Philippines as first time immgrants must attend the seminar, but in our case, we have already emigrated from the Philippines a long time ago but we never went through with it. Besides we are only transfer passengers and in transit. My brother in Manila already talked to one of people in that agency and he said that all Filipinos must under thar seminar even if they are in other countries since US Immigration requires it. But when I called the US Embassy Singapore I was informed that CFO Seminar and sticker is a Philippine policy and not of US. I'm really quite confused with what the guy at the CFO is saying. I 've already travelled to the US wiith a tourist visa and as far as I can remember during lay over in Hong Kong I did not pass through immigration anymore and just waited for our boarding time and showed my ticket to the airline personnel during boarding and only when I arrived in LAX did I pass through Immigration. So I presume that same procedure is done in the Philippine airport or any other airports for that matter so how can Immigration Officers inspect and question us. Though we will have a long wait in Manila, we have decided not to get out of the airport anymore so we won't pass through any IO's anymore. In that case is it safe to say that we don't need to worry or will the airline personnel still ask us regarding that thing? Please enlighten me. I'm kinda worried already since everything is already in order. Hope someone could help me sort this thing out. Thanks for your advice and inputs.

[TBoneTX 45,291]

*** Thread moved from General Immigration Discussion to the Philippines regional subforum for country-specific input. ***

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hello to all. I am a Filipino who is now residing here in Singapore with my family. Our immigration visa applications were processed here since we change consulate from USE Manila to USE Singapore. My visa and those of my 2 kids are already issued while that of my husband is still pending . We are flying to the US next month via Philippine Airlines with an 8 hour lay over in Manila. Just want to know if we will still need to attend the CFO Pre- Departure Seminar in Manila? I've already got the tickets ( my mom bought them for us from a travel agency in LA) when the travel agents reminded my mom regarding the seminar and the CFO sticker. I tried to do some research about what he was saing but can't find a clear answer. In the CFO ( Commission of Filipino Overseas ) website, it says there that every Filipino who is emigrating from Philippines as first time immgrants must attend the seminar, but in our case, we have already emigrated from the Philippines a long time ago but we never went through with it. Besides we are only transfer passengers and in transit. My brother in Manila already talked to one of people in that agency and he said that all Filipinos must under thar seminar even if they are in other countries since US Immigration requires it. But when I called the US Embassy Singapore I was informed that CFO Seminar and sticker is a Philippine policy and not of US. I'm really quite confused with what the guy at the CFO is saying. I 've already travelled to the US wiith a tourist visa and as far as I can remember during lay over in Hong Kong I did not pass through immigration anymore and just waited for our boarding time and showed my ticket to the airline personnel during boarding and only when I arrived in LAX did I pass through Immigration. So I presume that same procedure is done in the Philippine airport or any other airports for that matter so how can Immigration Officers inspect and question us. Though we will have a long wait in Manila, we have decided not to get out of the airport anymore so we won't pass through any IO's anymore. In that case is it safe to say that we don't need to worry or will the airline personnel still ask us regarding that thing? Please enlighten me. I'm kinda worried already since everything is already in order. Hope someone could help me sort this thing out. Thanks for your advice and inputs.

Nope.

CFO is a Philippines only requirement, being you are not in the Philippines its not needed.

U.S. immigrations does not require CFO.... U.S. immigrations doesn't give a hoot about CFO.

No one else cares about CFO.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Hank_

[Rahstyles 10]

Nope.

CFO is a Philippines only requirement, being you are not in the Philippines its not needed.

U.S. immigrations does not require CFO.... U.S. immigrations doesn't give a hoot about CFO.

No one else cares about CFO.

IM giving you reputation points for that one...

seriously nobody gives 2 pieces about some dumb CFO here in the USA...

[charmingangel 1]

Ok. Thanks for responses. Hopefully when we stop over in the Philippines, there'll be no problem anymore.

[apple21 953]

Are you going thru immigration in NAIA?

[Hank_ 9,174]

Ok. Thanks for responses. Hopefully when we stop over in the Philippines, there'll be no problem anymore.

When are you stopping over in the Phils? Hopefully not on your way to the USA

If you stop in the Philippines customs will be looking for the CFO sticker before they will allow you to exit.

[sunandmoon 450]

When are you stopping over in the Phils? Hopefully not on your way to the USA

If you stop in the Philippines customs will be looking for the CFO sticker before they will allow you to exit.

that's her concern. the are flying via PAL with an 8 hour layover in Manila.

[apple21 953]

If they go thru immigration in NAIA holding a Philippine passport WITH a US immigrant visa and tickets bound to the USA, chances are the CFO sticker will be asked.

Anyone correct me, though.

Edited July 17, 2013 by apple21

[charmingangel 1]

Actually as far as I know we are just transfer passengers and as transfer passengers we won't go through the Immigration if we just stay inside the vicinity of the boarding gate unless we go outside the airport and come back again for our flight to USA that's when we are going through the Immigration. Am I correct or not? Please enlighten me. Thanks

[Darnell 8,478]

that's 2 international flights. one incoming, one outgoing.

won't you be checked for the sticker for international outgoing?

if there's anyway you could redo yer ticket, I highly recommend you not transit through Manila, at all.

[Hank_ 9,174]

that's her concern. the are flying via PAL with an 8 hour layover in Manila.

.... missed that at the end of her posting... oops!

Personally I would go with your suggestion... don't go to Manila. Sort of like running with the bulls and hoping not to get gorged.... going to be very nerve racking until the moment of truth.

Actually as far as I know we are just transfer passengers and as transfer passengers we won't go through the Immigration if we just stay inside the vicinity of the boarding gate unless we go outside the airport and come back again for our flight to USA that's when we are going through the Immigration. Am I correct or not? Please enlighten me. Thanks

IF you fly into NAIA, don't leave the gates area (staying there for 8 hours will not be fun) and don't pass through customs, so no customs agents check passports. Logic says you should have no issues, but that is just an opinion.

If they go thru immigration in NAIA holding a Philippine passport WITH a US immigrant visa and tickets bound to the USA, chances are the CFO sticker will be asked.

Anyone correct me, though.

IF ..... (that is a big if) .... if at NAIA they stay in the international gates area and they do not pass customs I would think they would be fine. IF

Edited July 17, 2013 by Hank_

[charmingangel 1]

Hello Mr. Hank, thanks for your reply. It gave me some relief. As I've said we will not go out of the airport anymore so as not to pass through the IO's. we will just stay close to the boarding gate of our flight . Though it would be a long and very tiring wait for us, it would be better to be safe than sorry. We would rather wait that long without anything to do than be delayed in our trip to the US. Hope everything turns out fine. I'll surely update everyone about our experience. Thanks everyone who responded to my query

[Hank_ 9,174]

All the best to you in your travels.

Look forward to a posting when you arrive in the USA!!

[charmingangel 1]

Sure I will Mr.Hank... Just to share what my brother in the Philippines told me when he called up the Bureau of Immigration and asked for some clarification regarding my predicament. He was informed me that everything will be fine when we have our transfer flight in Manila. Well that's really a good news. Really looking forward for a hassle-free travel to the US. Hope everyone here in the VJ forum will also have a smooth journey