CFO - WIll this work to skip it

[malenliam 18]

Beside your fiance will learn something from that seminar. Especially the DOMESTIC VIOLENCE part lol.

[Hank_ 9,174]

an Pinay (or Pinoy) CANNOT leave without a CFO stamp. No matter which destination they are going to. Since the Visa says K-1 and is for USA, there is no point EVEN attempting to get around this requirement. It is a LAW in the Philippines, just like the laws in the USA. Your son to be asawa is required to fulfill the requirements of her country of residence UNTIL the person becomes a citizen of another country with a valid passport from said country.

Trying to skip, or go around Philippine Law might work, but CFO is NOT something to try and skip out on. there are exceptions, but they are very very few and far between. It is so damn cheap, and a day or two at most.

Trying to skip out on it can prevent your pinay or pinoy from EVER leaving the country. Just because you have a visa from the USA (or some other country) does not guarantee admisison to the USA to ability to leave their country of residence. Skipping the CFO is a Federal crime in the Philippines. You could be held liable as much as they are for attempting it. The CFO would make an example of you if caught, and use your case for examples to other Pinoys/Pinays leaving the country.

It may be a rip-off, but it is the Philippine law. How many rip-offs do you tolerate in the USA on daily basis??? Just get gas in your car, or go buy groceries, or go get take out??? How much do people mark up items to make a profit, and just how many times are you taxed on your dollar?

please see this page for penalties: http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2013/ra_10364_2013.html

You could face anywhere from 6 years to 20 years in prison and anywhere from 500,000 php to 5,000,000 php in fines, not to mention other international issues. Plus you would never be allowed to file with USCIS for another foeign spouse for life. The few measly pesos and time is not worth risking this type of penalty in a foreign prison.

Or the reality, the person is simply told they can not exit without attending CFO, and to go attend the seminar. No one is charged or sent to prison for missing the CFO sticker in their passport.

Hey Darrin. ( Look Darrin's back!!! )

[gretchen_darren 67]

Hank.... that is truely possible. You always hope for the best and prepare for the worst. The reality is you never know who the person is you run into when you go to leave. There is always the "mexican pinch". Better to have "t"'s crossed and "i"'s dotted in philippines, you just don't know HOW those in charge will re-act until they do. (Just like in CIS countries, you see Police, keep eyes down to ground and away from them. Looking them in the eye is seen as a challenge to authority.)

thos in Visa Journey NEVER advocate skipping, avoiding, or breaking laws of any country for the sake of emigration from one country to another.

[sweet cakes 326]

CFO in my opinion is just a rip off to make money. I assume nothing has changed in the last few years.

Once you get your visa, Why not just fly to Singapore and then buy a ticket there to USA?

USA does not require a CFO stamp

Cost: CFO - PhP 400 vs. SGP air ticket - US$ 300 - 400

Duration: CFO ~3.5 hours (minus waiting time to secure a slot) vs. Singapore flight: ~3.5 hours (minus time going to the airport)

Cost and duration-wise, the plan won't work. Success rate passing through immigration: 1 out of millions. (That one case reported here in VJ was a fiancee who has multiple passport stamps going in and out of Bangkok where the USC fiance was working and if I remember it correctly applied for some sort of Thailand visa for her to stay more than 30 days.)

Edited April 6, 2014 by sweet cakes

[novedsac 355]

USA does not require a CFO stamp

And other countries should follow what the USA does ?

The CFO is such a small part of the overall process , both in terms of money and in time, that it's not even worth worrying about how to get around it.

Besides, it's good information for those planning to immigrate abroad.

[gretchen_darren 67]

THE CFO is for the government to track their citizens travelling abroad outside of the Philippines, and knowing HOW to get help in the country they are going to, should they need it. Trying to skip this makes me wonder if YOU really care about YOUR spouse. It is IMPORTANT for your spouse to attend for their SAFETY abroad. If you really and truly care, this is but a small pittance to pay for doing things properly.

Are you also going to wait until the drop dead "deadline" of 90 days before marriage as well?

Are you also going to wait years to pay the AOS or ROC, and maybe never go for citizenship for your spouse????

Wanting to skip something so cheap and so inexpensive which is so beneficial and required by Filipino Federal Law, makes me wonder how truly in love you are with your betrothed.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Al422, on 05 Apr 2014 - 6:29 PM, said:

Look at the greand scheme of things. If the Singapore route would let you bypass the whole visa route, I mean the petition, the police clearances, the med exam , the interview and all those hundreds of dollars and months of waiting, we would be talking about a substantial prize here.

But a half day seminar and a few bucks? Chump change if you ask me. Just do it and get it done. And you know what? Some ladies who went there grudgingly actually learned a few things. You never know.

I agree with you. I think there is something to be learned at this seminar and from some of the horror stories out there it just might come in handy for some.