Manila Embassy Interview/Visa Status

[Pinay Wife 47]

I have one quick questions. I'm a little confused on how the CFO works. I noticed there are two offices in cebu. one is the CFO office and the other is the SMEF-COW Cebu office. which one should my fiancee be attending? will she be required to travel to both locations or just going to the CFO office is enough and everything will take place there to get the stamp she needs on her visa?

Yay, I'm not familiar with Cebu. Anybody from Cebu who went through CFO already? Please post. Thanks.

[neenuh 0]

I used to reside in Better Living, Paranaque but I sold my house in November and I'm currently homeless so my sister adopted me. Kawawa ako no?

nah, no such thing as kawawa - you sold your house for a reason

in no time you will have a house of your own once again

and it will be with the right man by your side

what a wonderful thought

god bless your sister's soul for taking you in

i'm sure you and your son will be missed in that house

btw, congratulations on your visa, and your son's (in advance)

Besides, I like my initials PW, you just add "et" and you get PWET! hahaha

ay, bastos!

[Mike_Marivic 0]

Finally, Delbros site is working now. I called them today and it took me 45 minutes to get ahold of someone. I needed to update and change my delivery address so i was so desperate to talk to someone, i learned that i could do it through the text hotline, and any other requests regarding visa status, somehow its a relief cause i really need to keep track of the progress of my visa status. Also told them about about the site and said it's been down but glad its working now.

[mychelle 1]

I have one quick questions. I'm a little confused on how the CFO works. I noticed there are two offices in cebu. one is the CFO office and the other is the SMEF-COW Cebu office. which one should my fiancee be attending? will she be required to travel to both locations or just going to the CFO office is enough and everything will take place there to get the stamp she needs on her visa?

This is the info we found on CEBU:

(Send this to your fiance...if she's lived in Cebu City, the locations should be easy to find)

SMEF-COW (for CFO guidance/counseling seminar):

3d Floor Aya-ay Arcade

Gen. Maxillon Ave.

CEBU CITY

(Fronting San Carlos University Boys High School beside Cherry Building, near corner of Gen Maxillon / R.Rhamann, opposite the intersection from the Family Choice Pharmacy, on the south side of Gen. Maxilom Ave about a block East of the huge Inglesia ni Cristo church, on your right when coming from Osmena circle and heading to Cebu harbor thru Gen Maxillon). No map available but I compiled here all members indications.

Phone: (63 32) 235-3745/46 or 232-1033

CFO Extension office (for CFO pre-departure registration and stamp):

Causing-Lozada Building.

Osmena Blvd. corner Lapulapu St. (near Plaza Independencia). It is located on the 2nd floor in DFA building, not far from Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

CEBU CITY

Phone & FAX: (63 32) 255-5253

MAP => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/mapcebu1.jpg

PHOTO => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/cfo_cebu2.jpg

[sunandmoon 450]

I have one quick questions. I'm a little confused on how the CFO works. I noticed there are two offices in cebu. one is the CFO office and the other is the SMEF-COW Cebu office. which one should my fiancee be attending? will she be required to travel to both locations or just going to the CFO office is enough and everything will take place there to get the stamp she needs on her visa?

This is the info we found on CEBU:

(Send this to your fiance...if she's lived in Cebu City, the locations should be easy to find)

SMEF-COW (for CFO guidance/counseling seminar):

3d Floor Aya-ay Arcade

Gen. Maxillon Ave.

CEBU CITY

(Fronting San Carlos University Boys High School beside Cherry Building, near corner of Gen Maxillon / R.Rhamann, opposite the intersection from the Family Choice Pharmacy, on the south side of Gen. Maxilom Ave about a block East of the huge Inglesia ni Cristo church, on your right when coming from Osmena circle and heading to Cebu harbor thru Gen Maxillon). No map available but I compiled here all members indications.

Phone: (63 32) 235-3745/46 or 232-1033

THIS IS WHERE YAZI WENT TO THE SEMINAR.

CFO Extension office (for CFO pre-departure registration and stamp):

Causing-Lozada Building.

Osmena Blvd. corner Lapulapu St. (near Plaza Independencia). It is located on the 2nd floor in DFA building, not far from Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

THIS IS WHERE SHE WENT FOR THE STAMP AFTER SHE HAD THE VISA AND TO REGISTER HER DAUGHTER.

CEBU CITY

Phone & FAX: (63 32) 255-5253

MAP => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/mapcebu1.jpg

PHOTO => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/cfo_cebu2.jpg

Edited April 26, 2007 by Roy and Yazi

[sunandmoon 450]

It's now 5:02 am Manila time April 27th. best of luck to MarieandBryan with their interview.

[Cali Gal CPA 0]

This thread is the place to be Congrats to everyone who received their visas this week and good luck to those waiting for their interviews!

Speaking of, my Mom's turn is coming up on May 23rd. She hasn't received her packet 4 yet but I was told by the NVC that her interview will be on May 23! I panicked, quick! SLEX exam should be done asap! So I told my mom to proceed to SLEX Monday next week armed with her passport, the NOA2 and the interview schedule printout from the website with her case #. I have yet to call the US embassy in Manila to ask them where the heck is Packet 4. But I understand that if they still have it I can request them to send it to SLEX for my Mom to pick it up, right?

Also, will my Mom pay Delbros to have her (God willing) visa delivered? Or is the fee included in the $380 that I paid NVC when the application was lodged? If she has to pay the delivery fee, how much is it and where does she pay for it? I have heard of several successful applicants who were able to pick up their visas the following day after the interview, is there any special reason for this? Can my mom choose to pick up her visa instead of having it delivered to her?

And one more thing, the travel tax (I dunno how much it is currently but when I left in 2004, it was around P1,600) does the passenger pay for this only if the tickets were bought locally? What if I buy the ticket from say, Expedia or any online travel agency, will the travel tax be included so the passenger won't have to pay it at the airport?

Haayyy, so much to think about for now , sorry if I have loads of questions, but thanks in advance!

[StarProg 0]

removed per OP's request.

[ElMasGuapo 0]

Hi Friends!

I am very happy to say that Maricel has passed her medical exam!!!

After 2 horrible, and nerve wrecking weeks, she finally had her sputum tests and they all came out negative!!!

Thanks everyone for including us in your prayers...

God sure has helped us again.

Hopefully now our next interview date will be in a few weeks...

Thanks everyone!

Take care,

[supra23 0]

I have one quick questions. I'm a little confused on how the CFO works. I noticed there are two offices in cebu. one is the CFO office and the other is the SMEF-COW Cebu office. which one should my fiancee be attending? will she be required to travel to both locations or just going to the CFO office is enough and everything will take place there to get the stamp she needs on her visa?

This is the info we found on CEBU:

(Send this to your fiance...if she's lived in Cebu City, the locations should be easy to find)

SMEF-COW (for CFO guidance/counseling seminar):

3d Floor Aya-ay Arcade

Gen. Maxillon Ave.

CEBU CITY

(Fronting San Carlos University Boys High School beside Cherry Building, near corner of Gen Maxillon / R.Rhamann, opposite the intersection from the Family Choice Pharmacy, on the south side of Gen. Maxilom Ave about a block East of the huge Inglesia ni Cristo church, on your right when coming from Osmena circle and heading to Cebu harbor thru Gen Maxillon). No map available but I compiled here all members indications.

Phone: (63 32) 235-3745/46 or 232-1033

CFO Extension office (for CFO pre-departure registration and stamp):

Causing-Lozada Building.

Osmena Blvd. corner Lapulapu St. (near Plaza Independencia). It is located on the 2nd floor in DFA building, not far from Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

CEBU CITY

Phone & FAX: (63 32) 255-5253

MAP => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/mapcebu1.jpg

PHOTO => http://www.cfo.gov.ph/cfo_cebu2.jpg

thank you very much mychelle

[~Chad~ 0]

Hi Friends!

I am very happy to say that Maricel has passed her medical exam!!!

After 2 horrible, and nerve wrecking weeks, she finally had her sputum tests and they all came out negative!!!

Thanks everyone for including us in your prayers...

God sure has helped us again.

Hopefully now our next interview date will be in a few weeks...

Thanks everyone!

Take care,

Congrats!!! Thats great!

[neenuh 0]

removed per OP's request.

i understand there's no way you can change information in any certificate once filed in the civil registry

i would suggest you doing something about it, especially if you still have time

i mean it's the same thing - if you will be put on AR, you will end up having to fix the problem by proving that the information you have provided is the truth

i had a similar expirence with inconsistent information in my legal documents

the name reflected in my birth certificate was different from my college and post grad transcript of records and diploma

i had to fix this discrepancy in order to get my professional licensure exam

i submitted a notarized affidavit of discrepancy together with affidavits prepared by two people unrelated to me to support my claim

another similar situation was when my mom applied for her passport and she had to do the same thing

i would think you would have to prepare the same type of affidavit as a couple, stating all the correct information

also have affidavits from third parties - probably from the same people who signed your marriage certificate as witnesses

i hope this helps

[StarProg 0]

i understand there's no way you can change information in any certificate once filed in the civil registry

i would suggest you doing something about it, especially if you still have time

i mean it's the same thing - if you will be put on AR, you will end up having to fix the problem by proving that the information you have provided is the truth

i had a similar expirence with inconsistent information in my legal documents

the name reflected in my birth certificate was different from my college and post grad transcript of records and diploma

i had to fix this discrepancy in order to get my professional licensure exam

i submitted a notarized affidavit of discrepancy together with affidavits prepared by two people unrelated to me to support my claim

another similar situation was when my mom applied for her passport and she had to do the same thing

i would think you would have to prepare the same type of affidavit as a couple, stating all the correct information

also have affidavits from third parties - probably from the same people who signed your marriage certificate as witnesses

i hope this helps

Yes that helps, thanks. And after thinking about it for a couple of hours, I believe you are correct. I'll tell Fely to try to gather whatever affidavits she can, maybe one from the priest also. Hopefully they won't be needed but guess its likely they will. She's got a mistake on her birth certificate too, but we're already prepared to back up that one with other paperwork.

[neenuh 0]

i can't find the post regarding the I-134 "co-sponsoring" in manila embassy

i read it a couple of days back, now i can't find it

so i thought i'd post this here instead...

feelicks, my USC husband, just got off the phone with "shawna" of manila embassy

we wanted to know what to do with our case

our financial support will come from my USC aunt, and not a direct relative of my husband

according to my husband, "shawna" said that for the K3, anybody can do the I-134, as long as US citizen and willing and able to support

now what confuses me and my husband is the part when "shawna" said that if my husband submits an I-864 and my USC aunt submits an I-864A, then no need for the I-134

we understand that I-864 is used for adjustment of status and not the K visa application

what the frick, right?

at this point my husband was already getting all confused

so to get back to the purpose of the phone call, he asked again and again in different ways if we could get help from my USC aunt

"so my wife's aunt will be considered valid?"

"so youre saying that if my wife's aunt fills out an I-134, it will be ok?"

"ok so anybody, even if its not one of my own relatives, is eligible to fill out the affidavit of support?"

and according to "shawna", we should be able to use my aunt's I-134 and her financial documents

further, my husband asked if he could attend the interview

"shawna" said that he could and it shouldn't be a problem

we shall all find out months from now if "shawna" knew what she was talking about

[island_princess 2]

When your fiancee arrives in Cebu City, let her go directly SMEF-COW, this is where the seminar will be held. As for the CFO Office (DFA Bldg.), she will need to go there when she already have the certificate of attendance from SMEF-COW. This is where the CFO certificate and sticker be given.

I have been there too. Below is the sched for the whole CFO thing.

7:30am Registration

Do not forget to register at the guard. He will monitor the number of attendants, since only 15 participants are allowed in a day. If you are the 16th onward, you have to come back the next working day.

8:00am Filling Up of Form

When submitting the filled out form, you have to submit the required documents too (as stated in the list,along with the seminar fee of Php.250.00). After sorting your document and paying the fee, SMEF will take your picture (same counter for payment) using a webcam. This picture will be used/posted in the Certificate of Attendance that they will give you, in which is required in getting the CFO certificate.

9:00-12:00nn Seminar

As a group, about three documentary films from "Magandang Gabi Bayan" will be shown. Then, after 2 hours, the participants are divided according to country of destination.

12.01-1:00 Lunch Break

1:01pm Individual Counseling

The counselors will call you one by one to have your individual counseling. The counselor will ask you personal questions concerning your relationship with your foreign spouse. The hierarchy will be according to the order of registration list (the one, at the guard).

2:00pm CFO – Certificate

After the seminar, you have to go to the CFO Office (at the DFA Building) to get your

CFO certificate or visa/passport stamping. Do not forget to photocopy your attendance certificate, the Official Receipt from SMEF, your passport and your visa so you don't have to go downstairs just to have it done. Payment of Php.400.00 is required at this stage. You will wait (it depends on the number of people their with the same purpose) for your queue.

Hope this helps.

glad to hear you got your visa finally patientlywaiting

I have one quick questions. I'm a little confused on how the CFO works. I noticed there are two offices in cebu. one is the CFO office and the other is the SMEF-COW Cebu office. which one should my fiancee be attending? will she be required to travel to both locations or just going to the CFO office is enough and everything will take place there to get the stamp she needs on her visa?