Can my girlfriend travel outside the Philippines for us to meet somewhere and spend time together?

[top_secret 2,421]

Totally separate from COVID travel issues, here is their actual written policy on secondary immigration inspections directly from DFA, although policies are interpreted freestyle by agents on the ground at times.

 

https://lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph/images/pdf/GuidelinesonDepartureFormalitiesforInternational-BoundPassengersinallAirportsandSeaportsintheCountry.pdf

 

Sections that may or may not be relevant are

section 2.3 d

Partners and spouses of foreign nationals intending to depart to meet and/or marry his/her fiancé without the CFO Guidance and Counseling Certificate;

 

And section III. 2

I have a vast amount of experience traveling with my Filipina "girlfriend" but zero experience with CFO or traveling with my Filipina "fiancé" so I could not answer anything about the CFO process or if it is or is not relevant.  We never did CFO seminar, never needed it, feel 100% confident she could leave anytime she wants without CFO at this point but other situations may differ and I'm ignorant about the CFO seminar issue.  All I know is it is required if she actually plans to marry on the trip or is emigrating.  AFIK CFO seminar it is not required for a visit.

[Chancy 6,241]

4 hours ago, top_secret said:

All I know is it is required if she actually plans to marry on the trip or is emigrating.  AFIK CFO seminar it is not required for a visit.

 

Yes, CFO sticker is not required for travel with a tourist visa.  Also, other VJ members have reported that there's no way to get one these days without an immigrant visa in the passport.  Now that CFO interviews are being conducted via video conference, one requirement for setting up an appointment is to upload an image of the applicant's immigrant visa.

 

[Chancy 6,241]

9 hours ago, Cody&Razely said:

Yes and Yes, Though I was not aware of the scrutiny of the "exit police" lol it sounds pretty crazy there.

 

@top_secret already explained well the level of scrutiny your girlfriend could face if she is taken to secondary screening prior to boarding.  Maybe a silver lining out of this COVID travel mess is that the exit immigration officers are less inclined to spend more face-to-face time with other people so they may ask less questions of first-time travelers.  But don't bet your future on this.  I strongly recommend preparing as much as you and your girlfriend can for the exit interview.  Here's a good guide, though some of the info is pre-COVID --

 

https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2014/03/offloaded-philippine-immigration-rules-requirements-airport/

 

Also, remind your girlfriend to answer truthfully but don't volunteer information that is not asked.  For example, that bit about being able to work remotely.  Best to highlight that she has a steady job that expects her back after her vacation and that she has enough money to pay for her own travel expenses.

 

I've never been asked more than a few questions by BI officers, but I always carry my latest credit card statement (showing my credit limit) whenever I travel, just in case.  When I first heard about "offloading", I thought it was just a bunch of exaggerated rumors.  Now I know a number of acquaintances in real-life and online who have actually been offloaded and I personally witnessed two separate cases of people at the NAIA immigration line being turned away.  I also used to think it was overkill, but I've since learned that some of those acquaintances who were offloaded did in fact intend to go TNT (overstay and work illegally) once they got to their destination.

 

[Cody&Razely 134]

5 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

@top_secret already explained well the level of scrutiny your girlfriend could face if she is taken to secondary screening prior to boarding.  Maybe a silver lining out of this COVID travel mess is that the exit immigration officers are less inclined to spend more face-to-face time with other people so they may ask less questions of first-time travelers.  But don't bet your future on this.  I strongly recommend preparing as much as you and your girlfriend can for the exit interview.  Here's a good guide, though some of the info is pre-COVID --

 

https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2014/03/offloaded-philippine-immigration-rules-requirements-airport/

 

Also, remind your girlfriend to answer truthfully but don't volunteer information that is not asked.  For example, that bit about being able to work remotely.  Best to highlight that she has a steady job that expects her back after her vacation and that she has enough money to pay for her own travel expenses.

 

I've never been asked more than a few questions by BI officers, but I always carry my latest credit card statement (showing my credit limit) whenever I travel, just in case.  When I first heard about "offloading", I thought it was just a bunch of exaggerated rumors.  Now I know a number of acquaintances in real-life and online who have actually been offloaded and I personally witnessed two separate cases of people at the NAIA immigration line being turned away.  I also used to think it was overkill, but I've since learned that some of those acquaintances who were offloaded did in fact intend to go TNT (overstay and work illegally) once they got to their destination.

 

Thanks for all the helpful info and links I am using all of it for us to get ready for the Exit interview. We talked about it and we are preparing everything right now, hoping she'll be ready to get out before the end of the month. We definitely do not intent to do anything underhanded. Just looking to re-unite for a few months and then she will return as required. Hoping things will have changed for inbound or at least with USEM K-1 Processing by then but if not at least we'll have gotten to (hopefully) have seen each other again in the mean time.

 

Thanks again

[Chancy 6,241]

14 minutes ago, Cody&Razely said:

Thanks for all the helpful info and links I am using all of it for us to get ready for the Exit interview. We talked about it and we are preparing everything right now, hoping she'll be ready to get out before the end of the month. We definitely do not intent to do anything underhanded. Just looking to re-unite for a few months and then she will return as required.

 

I didn't mean to imply that you and your girlfriend are planning anything underhanded.  Just sharing that I used to think that there was not much point to the BI exit interviews.  I've realized since then that they actually serve a valid purpose and in some cases, are effective in fulfilling that purpose.

 

Before I forget, let me also second @top_secret's tip about presenting an aura of confidence.  Whenever I line up at airport immigration, I always remind myself to be friendly, relaxed, confident, and concise.  Of course, being prepared plays a big part in pulling that off.  It's good that you and your girlfriend are doing what you can on that front.  Good luck and safe travels to you both!

 

[Allovertheworld 355]

3 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Yes, CFO sticker is not required for travel with a tourist visa. 

 

I agree, but if you contact CFO they may tell you different. Just be aware they do give out incorrect information.

 

I know a guy from Australia whose gf got a tourist visa and the incorrectly made her do CFO a few years ago.

[Broccoli Girl 19]

@Cody&Razely just to add about CFO being a grey area nowadays, I've read many accounts of people leaving PH in the past months on a visitor's visa (US or Europe) to reunite with their partners/fiances for a few months with the intention of returning, and the CFO certificate made a difference with the way the immigration officers treated them. Since CFO is good forever (as long as it's with the same petitioner-fiance haha) and will be required anyway once your fiancee gets her K-1, it might be worth looking into to get it before she leaves. She can explain her case to the CFO counselor anyway and the counselor will determine if CFO is really needed for her travel (it might be different case since you are meeting in a 3rd country).

[Chancy 6,241]

5 hours ago, Broccoli Girl said:

Since CFO is good forever (as long as it's with the same petitioner-fiance haha) and will be required anyway once your fiancee gets her K-1, it might be worth looking into to get it before she leaves.

 

If you know of a way to get the CFO sticker without an immigrant visa on hand, I'd love to hear it.  Since CFO counseling is booked and conducted online now, I cannot get past the requirement to upload a copy of the immigrant visa in the passport.  It would be great to get the sticker without having to travel to the CFO office.

 

[Cody&Razely 134]

21 hours ago, Broccoli Girl said:

@Cody&Razely just to add about CFO being a grey area nowadays, I've read many accounts of people leaving PH in the past months on a visitor's visa (US or Europe) to reunite with their partners/fiances for a few months with the intention of returning, and the CFO certificate made a difference with the way the immigration officers treated them. Since CFO is good forever (as long as it's with the same petitioner-fiance haha) and will be required anyway once your fiancee gets her K-1, it might be worth looking into to get it before she leaves. She can explain her case to the CFO counselor anyway and the counselor will determine if CFO is really needed for her travel (it might be different case since you are meeting in a 3rd country).

Yes this is true and my thoughts are also better now than later, also, they have now split it into different online categories or maybe it was already that way. There is one (It's a blue color button to click on the online registration) which is for meeting your Foreign National Partner/Fiancé abroad prior to having received a visa (although it still asks about the visa type, country of destination, etc... before being allowed to register) Besides which leaving the country to meet up with a Foreign national Fiancé/partner with out a CFO Cert. is an automatic 2nd Screening required. There are a lot of Filipina's on the FB groups who just say "Lie with confidence that's what I always do" - but we are not willing to risk it. 

 

@Chancy We are going through the process right now, but My Fiancé went out to eat before she will finish, I'll update here once she is done and let you know the steps. Though for now we did contact the CFO and they responded saying to click on the blue button for registration and they said just to skip that section or to throw the information in there of which will ultimately be the visa type and destination once acquired, then when contacted by the CFO counselor they will talk about it. idk, more to come.  Btw yeah CFO said in our case it is required for her to get the Non-immigrant visa CFO certificate (This is different from the Immigrant visa one which is pink though both still ask for which Immigrant visa you have lol ....... Philippines) Since she will be meeting up with me (her Partner) in a foreign country and especially with it being her first time traveling abroad and having to be sponsored by me. 

 

 

[Adventine 3,196]

1 hour ago, Cody&Razely said:

There are a lot of Filipina's on the FB groups who just say "Lie with confidence that's what I always do" - but we are not willing to risk it. 

 

And then when they run into trouble down the line, they come back to the FB groups crying for help  🙄

 

 

@Cody&Razely

Please do let us know how the CFO process works out. My fiancé had to return to the US recently and I was planning to visit him using my existing B1/B2 visa. My understanding was I don't need the CFO sticker for the visit, because I'm going back to the Philippines to complete the K1 process. 

[flicks1998 1,044]

33 minutes ago, Adventine said:

And then when they run into trouble down the line, they come back to the FB groups crying for help  🙄

 

 

@Cody&Razely

Please do let us know how the CFO process works out. My fiancé had to return to the US recently and I was planning to visit him using my existing B1/B2 visa. My understanding was I don't need the CFO sticker for the visit, because I'm going back to the Philippines to complete the K1 process. 

You won’t need the CFO going out on a tourist visa.  I also know many Filipinos leaving on a marriage or fiancé visa who actually flew to a 3rd country (singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong etc) with a return trip to Manila but once getting to destination, taking a flight to the US or Europe, wherever their spouse or fiancé was. The problem with this though is when the Filipino goes back to the Philippines to visit family or whatever, when they leave again they will need to have the CFO. 
 

If your planning to meet your fiancé in a 3rd country, he or she must be armed to the max with financial information. Cash, credit cards if have that, debit card with bank balance, hotel booking, etc etc etc. Philippine immigration is ridiculous at times and offloading has always been a very serious problem. It’s very very common. I can’t even count all the people I know who were offloaded (wrongly offloaded) and lost everything because of it. Don’t lie but don’t volunteer info. And 100% have a return ticket from whichever country your going. You may want to even print out the country entry requirements because of COVID. Have your fiancé’s phone number ready to call if any issues.  you’ll be asked questions such as have you met your fiancé before, where did you meet, how long you know each other. Things like that. They are checking for the safety of the traveller that you just didn’t recently meet online and she is being conned. Bring pictures together, show them your Facebook etc. Things like that will help. 
 

The last time I flew out with my fiancé was for a 4 day trip to macau to visit her mom and immigration checked her files to make sure her mom was really working in Macau. 
 

Previously when I would travel outside the Philippines with my son and his mother, we never got a single question. However, the first trip out without the son always had the most questions so on that first trip I even had letters notarized from a lawyer from her parents saying it was ok to travel with me outside the country. She was only 21 at the time and this was 10+ years ago. I never had to use them but I had all kinds of documents for their ridiculous questions. 

[Adventine 3,196]

57 minutes ago, flicks1998 said:

You won’t need the CFO going out on a tourist visa.  I also know many Filipinos leaving on a marriage or fiancé visa who actually flew to a 3rd country (singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong etc) with a return trip to Manila but once getting to destination, taking a flight to the US or Europe, wherever their spouse or fiancé was. The problem with this though is when the Filipino goes back to the Philippines to visit family or whatever, when they leave again they will need to have the CFO. 
 

If your planning to meet your fiancé in a 3rd country, he or she must be armed to the max with financial information. Cash, credit cards if have that, debit card with bank balance, hotel booking, etc etc etc. Philippine immigration is ridiculous at times and offloading has always been a very serious problem. It’s very very common. I can’t even count all the people I know who were offloaded (wrongly offloaded) and lost everything because of it. Don’t lie but don’t volunteer info. And 100% have a return ticket from whichever country your going. You may want to even print out the country entry requirements because of COVID. Have your fiancé’s phone number ready to call if any issues.  you’ll be asked questions such as have you met your fiancé before, where did you meet, how long you know each other. Things like that. They are checking for the safety of the traveller that you just didn’t recently meet online and she is being conned. Bring pictures together, show them your Facebook etc. Things like that will help. 
 

The last time I flew out with my fiancé was for a 4 day trip to macau to visit her mom and immigration checked her files to make sure her mom was really working in Macau. 
 

Previously when I would travel outside the Philippines with my son and his mother, we never got a single question. However, the first trip out without the son always had the most questions so on that first trip I even had letters notarized from a lawyer from her parents saying it was ok to travel with me outside the country. She was only 21 at the time and this was 10+ years ago. I never had to use them but I had all kinds of documents for their ridiculous questions. 

 

Thank you for the advice. I have indeed heard the horror stories.

 

Fortunately, I've never experienced any of it myself, even though I've travelled mostly solo for many years (Asia, Schengen area, US). But then, I was always prepared with good documentation, as you mentioned.

 

I think confidence helps a lot too, both with Philippine and US immigration. When I first went to the US and had already passed the initial CBP inspection and had my passport stamped, I got in the next line for another inspection (the one with the full body scan machines). While I was waiting for my turn, another officer casually came up to me, started walking beside me and started asking questions about who I was visiting, was it the first time I was in the States, etc. After a few minutes conversation, he wished me a nice trip and left me alone.

 

If I had answered any less confidently or consistently, I would have probably ended up in secondary, to face a much harsher line of questioning.

Edited October 21, 2020 by Adventine

[flicks1998 1,044]

2 minutes ago, Adventine said:

 

Thank you for the advice. I have indeed heard the horror stories.

 

Fortunately, I've never experienced any of it myself, even though I've travelled mostly solo for many years (Asia, Schengen area, US). But then, I was always prepared with good documentation, as you mentioned.

 

I think confidence helps a lot too, both with Philippine and US immigration. When I first went to the US and had already passed the initial CBP inspection and had my passport stamped, I got in the next line for another inspection (the one with the full body scan machines). While I was waiting for my turn, another officer casually came up to me, started walking beside me and started asking questions about who I was visiting, was it the first time I was in the States, etc. After a few minutes conversation, he wished me a nice trip and left me alone.

 

If I had answered any less confidently or consistently, I would have probably ended up in secondary, to face a much harsher line of questioning.

US immigration can be just as bad except the good thing is there is no immigration on leaving the country. Every time I have returned to the US I am always taken to the back room for 45 minutes to answer questions. This has gone on for decades. But due to countries I have traveled, I also don’t qualify for global entry etc etc.  When coming in from an international flight to the US I always need to leave enough time between connecting flights so I can do my 45 minutes of questions.  In January when I entered the US I was asked how long my trip overseas was. I said 10 years. The guy thought I was being a smart aleck. But it was the truth. Then he started asking about certain countries I’d been. This is also when I released that the bar code in your passport stores information on countries you have been as they knew I’d been to some countries even with no stamps. 
 

the best answers to any immigration in any country should be short and sweet. Unless they ask you how long you’ve been gone. 👍👍. Every question they ask has a purpose. 

[Adventine 3,196]

@flicks1998 I didn't know it could be that crazy for US citizens returning to the States! 

 

Guess it's nice to be lucky, but better to be prepared. So much can go wrong.

[Allovertheworld 355]

6 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

In January when I entered the US I was asked how long my trip overseas was. I said 10 years. The guy thought I was being a smart aleck. But it was the truth.

I wish I could of  been there to seen that, It would of been greatness.....