This is a very helpful and encourageing site! Thanks to everyone in here!
Oh, now's the hard part, waiting for interview date.
We recieved our NOA 2 on Dec. 13, 2006 with Case #MNL2006845129,
saying they will send to Manila soon. My sweetheart has not heard a word
or recieved packet 3 mail from them. It's okay..I need to take this time and really prepare
the support I-134 papers and continued evidence of our romance, lol. Gonna add addtional
things now that I've read some of the comments you folks are saying. She's now going to Cebu (by boat, plane, train or swim) for the CFO course. Wishing her a safe trip there of course! She hopes to take first course
then return back home to pick up her passport.

If she is going to the CFO in Cebu, she had better come with more documents than what is listed on their site like id, NSO birth certificate, and the fee for processing. A number of the ladies have traveled a great distance only to have to go back home for more documentation. They have asked for such documents as parent consent, a statement of the relationship from the fiance, and in a few cases a 1040 with the W2. Consider it a pre-interview at the embassy and bring the same documents you would there. I gave my lady a copy of the petition I filed here in case they asked for anything that was in it. She should also have plenty of pictures, and emails from you and any other evidence of your relationship. I happen to be in the PI when she had her interview. They wanted a copy of my passport, so she came back to the hotel to get it from me and then made a copies and went back and gave it to them. Pray she gets a good interviewer because there are a few that are totally out of line with what they ask for. Tell her to go there very confident and don't show fear. If they will take that as she is not sure of what she wants, then they will give her a hard time.

Good luck

Hi George,

The Manila Embassy only sends the beneficiary, packet 4 - there is no packet 3. We received ours just under 8 weeks before the interview date, so be patient.

I would suggest going to the Manila Embassy's website and there you will find a printable copy of the packet 4 with all the instructions.

The CFO is a Philippine Gov't. requirement which is not mentioned in the packet 4. If she attends the CFO seminar before she has her Visa in hand, she will have to return to the CFO location to have the Visa stamped before she can fly to the U.S.

If you haven't already, check out the Manila Embassy Thread here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=181

You'll find a wealth of information and people whom you can for advice from.

Good luck!

The CFO is so inconsistent. The letters od consent are only for ages 18-21; legal age to marry in the Philppines is 18. Letter of Advice is required for ages 22-25 and they asked for it at the Manila CFO. My fiancee just completed her CFO and it was really painless, only asked for the Letter of Advice, NSO BC, Pics of us and my divorce decree. A few questions and she was out of there in 2 hours flat.
To be safe, she brought her entire package with her as if she was going tot he interview but did not need any of it. As I said, the CFOs are very inconsistent and personality driven when it come to what they ask for. Like a few have already recommended, go to the Manila Embassy Interview Thread. Lots of info and helful people there.
If Manila just got ur NOA2 you can estimate 4 months from the official receipt date for an interview. The average time for Packet 4s has been 3-4 weeks from Embassy receipt. Be patient... Ken

Hi,

"first course"? she doesnt need the cfo to get her passport, only to leave the country, there's only one seminar needed. As the others here have said, she needs her bc, other form of ID, any annulment or divorce papers and perhaps other proof of relationship. Cebu is easy if you have required papers. You will have to return after the visa is issued to get stamp in passport.

Jazzy