CFO Seminar March 30, 2015

[dynb 17]

Big help from VJ once more. I'd be forever grateful. So, for anyone who would be doing a thorough search of CFO threads in the future, here was my experience.

Book an appointment online http://gcp-appointment.cfo.gov.ph

if you arrive with a long line outside already, you can go through the ramp and be allowed in as long as you show your online appointment sheet. They will ask you to leave a valid gov't ID and be given a "F" ID (at least for K1 visa).

Proceed to the 3rd floor, fill out the form with your information as well as petitioner's. (His address, landline, contact number, educational attainment, where you met, previous divorces if any, kids, etc)

Once I was done, I submitted the form to the lady who gave it to me, as well as the forms I filled out/printed prior to coming to the seminar from the pre-registration website: http://pre-registration.cfo.gov.ph and the registration form on PDF file

www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348&Itemid=918 you can use the information here while you're filling out the form on the third floor.

The lady accepted the form she gave and the PDF registration form.

She then asked if I have my visa already, and other requirements such as: photocopies of 2 valid IDs, a copy of my visa and passport bio page.

She didn't ask for my birth cert cenomar but I brought all those too (it's better to be ready). Then she took my picture.

Before the seminar, was the one on one counseling. The counselor was nice and only asked how my fiancé and I met, if we've met in person, if I've met his family. She didn't ask for my fiancé's birth cert, income tax or passport. But again, I brought all relevant documents as if it were a USEM interview. It's better to be prepared because you never know what type of counselor you may get. (Maybe my fiancé and I have only a three year age gap and both of us have never been married?)

The seminar was long, but basically they explained that they give "special attention" to those who have a big age gap with their partner/fiancé, multiple divorces, criminal record, since these are common factors of domestic violence, or unhappy marriages. They do want to help, so they make sure the person going abroad knows what they're getting into. They also gave contact numbers of agencies to call and shared some mechanisms behind human trafficking and mail to order brides and how they often lead to domestic violence since these marriages are not founded on love.

After a topic on culture shock and what to expect from living abroad, the counselor explained what to do upon arriving and the limitations of different types of visas and how to go about the changing of status. We were finished around 12 and was instructed to pay the Php 400 fee and waited for the CFO certificate and sticker. Overall, it was a very informative session and I'm glad I went.

Edited March 30, 2015 by dynm

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck on your travels and be safe. Welcome to These United States.

[dynb 17]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck on your travels and be safe. Welcome to These United States.

Thanks, Greenbaum! Couldn't have done it without you guys!