Refusal after interview - does it ever end

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

13 hours ago, AlaMike said:

***UPDATE***

Passport and visa "in hand". 

CFO done and certificate printed.

Booking tickets for the 23rd!! Ahead of the US covid test restrictions.

 

Congrats!

What did she end up doing to finalize CFO in her passport?  Is it different now due to Covid?

[AlaMike 231]

4 minutes ago, seekingthetruth said:

Congrats!

What did she end up doing to finalize CFO in her passport?  Is it different now due to Covid?

It was a little confusing, but we were able to talk to her original counselor. She simply sent a link to start her registration and it showed she had already taken the class. Everything is online, no in person classes. 

We had previously paid for the counseling but there are added charges "160pps" for delivery of her CFO stamp. and you cannot pay online.

They also send a certification letter to use if the flight leaves before the actual stamp arrives.

Just log om to the cfo website. https://cfo.gov.ph/

You can only register during business hours because a counselor will contact you directly and you work with them thru the process.

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

4 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

We had previously paid for the counseling but there are added charges "160pps" for delivery of her CFO stamp. and you cannot pay online.

So she had to go to the office to pay that?

 

My wife already got the certificate a few years ago.  She was told by someone at DFA she could not change her passport name to her married name unless she took the class.  She went there for the class, and when she told the counselor her situation (married, living in Subic, 3 kids, not leaving country), the counselor just gave her the certificate and she did not have to sit in the class.  So, I hope she is in the system properly.  We will check on it later.  We are planning to move to the U.S. 2022.

 

Since then, some have said the DFA was wrong and she could have got the passport name changed without CFO.  Not sure about that but it doesn't matter now.

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

On 12/29/2020 at 2:37 PM, flicks1998 said:

When getting off the bus she left her small bag on the seat and since we were in the 2nd to last row of the bus, the people behind us must have seen it and taken it.  We tried to find them with the help of security but it was too late.  I was pretty speechless for a day or two and quite angry on why in the world would we bring a passport to Calamba, I didnt even bring mine when we went.  Anyway, it doesnt help to focus on what has happened, but what needs to be done going forward.  I get too angry thinking about all of it.  

Sometimes you just have to things on that "we will laugh about this someday" list!

 

Slightly off-topic , but I will add my bonehead passport story.  I had to renew my U.S. passport while I was still using tourist visas to live here.  I followed the BI instructions and made a trip to BI Intramuros to have visa related info transferred from the old passport to the new passport.  I went to the first window on the first floor to get started.  Waited a while, got started with them, and was directed to an office upstairs.  I got up there, waited a bit, and then sat done with the officer who do the actual work.  Old passport, gone.  Disappeared from my stupid simple file cabinet folder.  It must of slid out somewhere during the journey from the first and second floor.  The officer scolded me pretty good and was having a hard time believing I lost it in the building.  Backtracked, nothing.  Lost and found, nothing.  The officer said I would have to do an affidavit of loss and sent me to an attorney next door.  This attorney is so busy with BI related work that they have outdoor tents set up!  Paid a few hundred pesos and got the affidavit.  Back to the officer and finally got the data transferred.  It was a long day at the crowded BI office!

 

Lesson learned, never carry documents in file cabinet folders!  Now I always use a mini briefcase type of sealed folder.

[AlaMike 231]

***UPDATE***

Finally!!! The light at the end of the tunnel was not a train.

Both made it thru the airport in Manila. No issues with anything, just paid the exit tax and jumped on the plane. She had installed the Traze contact tracing but it was not checked at all.

They arrived in San Francisco, again no issues with immigration. They only asked when and where we planned to get married, then said "welcome to the US".

I met them just outside the exit door. Then it was a turnaround flight to Birmingham.

 

Thank you all for information, guidance and encouragement. This was definitely been a "journey", with all the delays and covid issues.

No to get settled, and head into the next phase of this journey.   

[Adventine 3,196]

6 hours ago, AlaMike said:

***UPDATE***

Finally!!! The light at the end of the tunnel was not a train.

Both made it thru the airport in Manila. No issues with anything, just paid the exit tax and jumped on the plane. She had installed the Traze contact tracing but it was not checked at all.

They arrived in San Francisco, again no issues with immigration. They only asked when and where we planned to get married, then said "welcome to the US".

I met them just outside the exit door. Then it was a turnaround flight to Birmingham.

 

Thank you all for information, guidance and encouragement. This was definitely been a "journey", with all the delays and covid issues.

No to get settled, and head into the next phase of this journey.   

Congratulations!! Enjoy your family!

[Hank_ 9,174]

On 1/25/2021 at 11:07 AM, AlaMike said:

***UPDATE***

Finally!!! The light at the end of the tunnel was not a train.

Both made it thru the airport in Manila. No issues with anything, just paid the exit tax and jumped on the plane. She had installed the Traze contact tracing but it was not checked at all.

They arrived in San Francisco, again no issues with immigration. They only asked when and where we planned to get married, then said "welcome to the US".

I met them just outside the exit door. Then it was a turnaround flight to Birmingham.

 

Thank you all for information, guidance and encouragement. This was definitely been a "journey", with all the delays and covid issues.

No to get settled, and head into the next phase of this journey.   

Glad y'all are finally together ...