CFO, Green card, and Passport Renewal

[Cain30 0]

Hello all, I was hoping you can help provide guidance to my situation. I am currently in Manila for my wife to attend the CFO Seminar. She is a legal permanent resident of the US (10 year green card holder). We have been married for five years, and her Philippine passport with amended surname expired a few months ago. She flew out to the Philippines before it expired so she could spend some time with her family and friends. When she went to get her passport renewed she was informed that she needed to attend the CFO seminar when they glanced over her application and saw that her husband was listed as a US Citizen. In another post I read here in the forums someone posted the following:

The following are exempt from attending the counseling program:

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

So does my wife need to attend the CFO? If not, what way can we get her passport renewed with her married surname to a foreigner? There seems to be a disconnect between some local and government agencies here in the Philippines. Any insight or information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Cal

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

Yes, she will need the CFO certificate and before she can have the certificate she needs to attend the Seminar.for her to be able to change her name on Philippine passport.since she been in the U.S im sure she has CFO certificate.but, if she lost it..thats the problem. coz, they give only one certificate. DFA requires..CFO certificate. and NSO marriage certificate..or SECPA. for further information about CFO Certificate...please call CFO hotline :

CFO Manila Location Tel. (+632) 552-4700

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

Hello all, I was hoping you can help provide guidance to my situation. I am currently in Manila for my wife to attend the CFO Seminar. She is a legal permanent resident of the US (10 year green card holder). We have been married for five years, and her Philippine passport with amended surname expired a few months ago. She flew out to the Philippines before it expired so she could spend some time with her family and friends. When she went to get her passport renewed she was informed that she needed to attend the CFO seminar when they glanced over her application and saw that her husband was listed as a US Citizen. In another post I read here in the forums someone posted the following:

The following are exempt from attending the counseling program:

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

So does my wife need to attend the CFO? If not, what way can we get her passport renewed with her married surname to a foreigner? There seems to be a disconnect between some local and government agencies here in the Philippines. Any insight or information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Cal

They used the word exempted.. because, you cannot leave the country without the certificate and the sticker on her passport. so for sure your wife has a certificate already. and she just forget to change her surname before she left Philippines... am i right?

[Cain30 0]

My wife never had a CFO certificate done before. She's been using the passport with surname amended on the third or fourth page in the passport for years before it expired. So during those years she probably went to the philippines 3 or 4 times with no issues.

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

My wife never had a CFO certificate done before. She's been using the passport with surname amended on the third or fourth page in the passport for years before it expired. So during those years she probably went to the philippines 3 or 4 times with no issues.

hi..then just give CFO a call and tell them the situation... but really the DFA requires CFO certificate.. like what i did so i was able to changed my surname.. using my husband surname.

Edited December 15, 2013 by rinoa

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hello all, I was hoping you can help provide guidance to my situation. I am currently in Manila for my wife to attend the CFO Seminar. She is a legal permanent resident of the US (10 year green card holder). We have been married for five years, and her Philippine passport with amended surname expired a few months ago. She flew out to the Philippines before it expired so she could spend some time with her family and friends. When she went to get her passport renewed she was informed that she needed to attend the CFO seminar when they glanced over her application and saw that her husband was listed as a US Citizen. In another post I read here in the forums someone posted the following:

The following are exempt from attending the counseling program:

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

So does my wife need to attend the CFO? If not, what way can we get her passport renewed with her married surname to a foreigner? There seems to be a disconnect between some local and government agencies here in the Philippines. Any insight or information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Cal

"When in Rome... do as the Romans do"

Your wife "may" be exempt but I don't see that on the DFA website, I see she is required to have the certificate. Question I do have is; Did your wife ever attend CFO? Didn't she attend to get her sticker to leave the Phils initially? She only needs to attend once, if she lost her original CFO certificate she can request a new copy - have them look her up in the computer.

http://www.passport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/renewal

For spouse of foreign national who would like to use their married surname:

• Marriage Contract (MC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) or Certified True Copy (CTC) of MC issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and duly authenticated by NSO. Transcribed Marriage Contract from the LCR is required when entries in NSO Marriage Contract are blurred or unreadable.
• Report of Marriage duly authenticated by NSO if married abroad
• Original and photocopy of Commission of Filipino Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Certificate of Attendance (required for first time applicants or renewal of passport to be used for the first time the surname of the husband)

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

I don't see why she would need to attend CFO again, if she attended it before. The whole CFO thing is just a money-making scam to begin with, and once you get a new passport, you won't have on-hand proof of attendance... so if a person goes to the PI with a new passport, how can they prove (on the spot) that they attended CFO before? The GC should do it. If a PI official is too ignorant to understand that, then you may well be stuck attending again. I would fight it though, should be able to win with an expired passport and a GC, especially the 10-yr GC.

[Cain30 0]

Thank you all for your insight and help! We stopped by the CFO (Manila) this morning, and she is currently undergoing the seminar process to receive the certificate/sticker.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Thank you all for your insight and help! We stopped by the CFO (Manila) this morning, and she is currently undergoing the seminar process to receive the certificate/sticker.

Why? Just because it is easier, or because she didn't take it before?

I mean, what's the point of them warning her of all the dangers of marrying a USC, and of the horrors of the swinging lifestyle, when she's already been married to you and living in the US for a while?

[biaobiao 40]

even if the passport has been amended?

i too had my passport amended in dubai since they refused to have it renewed to my new last name.. so that would mean i also need to attend this cfo..

sucks there is no cfo in mindanao.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Why? Just because it is easier, or because she didn't take it before?

I mean, what's the point of them warning her of all the dangers of marrying a USC, and of the horrors of the swinging lifestyle, when she's already been married to you and living in the US for a while?

Apparently she never attended CFO before, so according to the DFA website the CFO certificate is required. Would have avoided all of this had she re-newed her passport while still in the states as well.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Apparently she never attended CFO before, so according to the DFA website the CFO certificate is required. Would have avoided all of this had she re-newed her passport while still in the states as well.

I got that, if the folks are just being honest. But since the CFO cert is in the OLD passport (and assuming she did not bring it), the fact that she has a passport in maiden name (which would NOT have CFO entry) and a GC in hand, and is a LPR of the US of A, should negate the CFO requirement, shouldn't it?

We don't know why she didn't attend CFO years ago, but that should be moxnix at this point, shouldn't it?

[Hank_ 9,174]

I got that, if the folks are just being honest. But since the CFO cert is in the OLD passport (and assuming she did not bring it), the fact that she has a passport in maiden name (which would NOT have CFO entry) and a GC in hand, and is a LPR of the US of A, should negate the CFO requirement, shouldn't it?

We don't know why she didn't attend CFO years ago, but that should be moxnix at this point, shouldn't it?

Well IF it were only regarding exiting the Philippines yes the GC would be adequate but in this case she is renewing her passport in her married name and on the DFA website it states they want a copy of the CFO certificate being she is married to a foreigner (no exception listed for already having a green card - which is understandable as that normally is yet to come). Not sure how she accomplished getting out of the Phils without a CFO sticker before unless she was working in another country at the time.

Sort of like watching "As the world turns" here some times

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Well IF it were only regarding exiting the Philippines yes the GC would be adequate but in this case she is renewing her passport in her married name and on the DFA website it states they want a copy of the CFO certificate being she is married to a foreigner (no exception listed for already having a green card - which is understandable as that normally is yet to come). Not sure how she accomplished getting out of the Phils without a CFO sticker before unless she was working in another country at the time.

Sort of like watching "As the world turns" here some times

Yeah, I can see how that might have been invisible to us... when Roxy got her new passport in maiden name, the CFO thing was in there, so perhaps we just "checked that block" unknowingly. They probably didn't ask about it since it was in there.

[Rara & Chym 3]

I want to join this topic. I left from Dubai to US as K1 visa and I didn't attend any CFO seminar as it is not required. Now, my husband and I are planning to go for a vacation in the Philippines next year. Should I need to attend the CFO Seminar to be able to get the certificate and sticker even if I will be holding a 10 GC by then? I have renewed my passport here in US using my husband's last name and of course reported my marriage. I have read so many posts with different answers. Some said don't need for those GC holders, some said it is still required for those who never attended CFO seminar. Which is really true? Thanks in advance everyone for answering.