CFO in Cebu

[Kevin- 13]

Howdy,

I'm getting ready to send Bel to Cebu for the CFO. We have a very, very tight schedule this week and next week. She'll fly from CDO to Cebu tomorrow afternoon. She'll do the CFO thing Thursday, and then I should be arriving in Manila on Friday, so hopefully I can have her scoot over to Manila after the seminar, stay at the NAIA hotel, then meet me at NAIA on Friday and we'll both go straight back to CDO right away. Then we'll do church on her last Sabbath in the Philippines, and then fly to the US together Sunday or Monday

She's asked me to post here to find out a few things about the CFO. She probably knows most of the details, but wants to be certain. Some of these are my own questions too, heheh.

1. Where is the CFO seminar place/building/location/thing?
   
2. What does she need to bring to the seminar?
   
3. What is she not allowed to bring there, if anything?
   
4. How early should she line up to guarantee a spot in the seminar?
   
5. What time does it actually start?
   
6. What time does it usually end?
   
7. What is a good secure, affordable hotel near the seminar location?
   
8. Any other tips and pointers appreciated.
   
9. If you know the power of prayer, please pray for us to meet our goals these next two weeks
   

Thanks everyone!

[John+Lourdelie 28]

Have you been to the CFO website yet? See link below. Hope this helps. Maybe someone that has been there can elaborate more.

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=329&Itemid=78

John

[David & Kezia 25]

Doing the CFO is quicker in Manila, if that's all she has to do in Cebu. Flying to Cebu is very expensive, if just for the CFO. But if she has other business in Cebu, it will be okay then.

I advice that she go straight to Manila, and to the CFO near Taft Avenue where the whole CFO process could be done within 3-4 hours.

-Kezia

[Kevin- 13]

The trip to Cebu and then on to Manila (to get me when I arrive) is a total of $46. DIRT CHEAP I estimate the lodging may be cheaper for the 1 night in Cebu than 1 extra night in Manila. She has a strong preference to do it in Cebu as well. It's something to consider though. Anyone know if the Cebu seminar is in Cebuano?

Also, we see that it asks for the NBI... she no longer has a current clearance (6 month validity?), but she already has the US Visa in hand. Will they still want the NBI clearance if she has the Visa?

[David & Kezia 25]

I'm not sure about the NBI clearance, but she might still need it.

As for the trips being cheap, keep in mind that the rates are always changing, and there's the taxi fares to consider (at least $5 each way) and the terminal fees (also almost $5), and the most important thing is the stress of traveling and trying to keep the schedule. Personally, I don't like long-distance traveling too much in a span of hours or within a few days, as it's stressful and the pollution is also bad (though not so much in Cebu). As I said, it might be worth the whole trip though, if she has other business in Cebu, like the renewal of her NBI clearance, and if she's meeting friends there.

-Kezia

[Kevin- 13]

Yes, I understand all the extra little costs We have done much running around through this whole process. I was with her for much of it, including the interview and some follow up items. Just was mentioning about the airfare being so cheap, because I was very surprised by the bargain fares.

Now we've found more confusion. It seems there are some people posting here early this year (maybe just one person?) that reservations are needed for the seminar. Is this true? We both thought it was first-come-first-served. And saw some other posts that it is, but don't know how recent they are for sure.

[Joan >3 Bob 20]

check the CFO web site....as of 2 years ago "NO RESERVATIONS"

TAKE EVERYTHING TO THE CFO SEMINAR YOU TOOK TO THE EMBASSY INTERVIEW. CFO AT TIMES WILL ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION OF THINGS YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED TO THE EMBASSY. Example... if your BF was divorced they frequently require a copy of the divorcee decree or "No Sticker" Not fair but that is how CFO people get.

Also if you decide to go to one of the CFO places in Manila...STAY AWAY from Taft Avenue PRISM PLACE. It was an all day affair for us there and then we had to go to a different building in a different part of Manila to then wait 2 more hours for the sticker. Go to St Marys if you go to CFO in Manila. Not sure how teh CFO Office is in Cebu but can not be worse than Taft Ave. Once again...Take Everything to CFO that you took to the Interview. Good Luck.

[eya214 2]

Yes, I understand all the extra little costs We have done much running around through this whole process. I was with her for much of it, including the interview and some follow up items. Just was mentioning about the airfare being so cheap, because I was very surprised by the bargain fares.

Now we've found more confusion. It seems there are some people posting here early this year (maybe just one person?) that reservations are needed for the seminar. Is this true? We both thought it was first-come-first-served. And saw some other posts that it is, but don't know how recent they are for sure.

Cebu CFO should be walk in, my parents are stuck in Manila because of this very inefficient, time consuming "reservation" they have at the Manila offices. I would recommend you go to cebu it's faster and quicker. My moms said that some people that were there in Manila even flew to Cebu just to get the Sticker/Seminar asap.

Goodluck.

[Matt and Evieve 1]

Howdy,

I'm getting ready to send Bel to Cebu for the CFO. We have a very, very tight schedule this week and next week. She'll fly from CDO to Cebu tomorrow afternoon. She'll do the CFO thing Thursday, and then I should be arriving in Manila on Friday, so hopefully I can have her scoot over to Manila after the seminar, stay at the NAIA hotel, then meet me at NAIA on Friday and we'll both go straight back to CDO right away. Then we'll do church on her last Sabbath in the Philippines, and then fly to the US together Sunday or Monday

She's asked me to post here to find out a few things about the CFO. She probably knows most of the details, but wants to be certain. Some of these are my own questions too, heheh.

1. Where is the CFO seminar place/building/location/thing?
   
2. What does she need to bring to the seminar?
   
3. What is she not allowed to bring there, if anything?
   
4. How early should she line up to guarantee a spot in the seminar?
   
5. What time does it actually start?
   
6. What time does it usually end?
   
7. What is a good secure, affordable hotel near the seminar location?
   
8. Any other tips and pointers appreciated.
   
9. If you know the power of prayer, please pray for us to meet our goals these next two weeks
   

Thanks everyone!

I had my CFO last July in Cebu.

1. Where is the CFO seminar place/building/location/thing? - St. Mary Euphrasia Foundation, Inc., Center For Overseas Workers. It's along Mango Avenue. It's beside Cherry Court Building. Across University of San Carlos Highschool.

2. What does she need to bring to the seminar? I was there for a spouse visa but most are in K1s so here are their documents in hand, CENOMAR, letter of intent, her passport, your passport, pictures, her 2 valid IDs, birth certificate, your birth certificate. Just bring anything that you think she will need it. That's basically it.

3. What is she not allowed to bring there, if anything? - Nothing is not allowed.

4. How early should she line up to guarantee a spot in the seminar? - At 7-7.30, she should be there already.

5. What time does it actually start? - 8am. But it will start with filling out the forms.

6. What time does it usually end? - She will have her lunch break. Then she will be back for a one to one interview. She will be done at 2pm if there's few only or she went there early that her name is called first.

7. What is a good secure, affordable hotel near the seminar location? - Mango Park Hotel. It's walking distance where the seminar is held. I don't know the prices though.

8. Any other tips and pointers appreciated. - She should know a lot about you. Where you work, what you do, where you live. Any basic thing about you.

Some were denied at CFO but very rare cases. If got denied, the beneficiary cannot travel. So they play a vital role too.

God go with you, her, and all throughout the remaining process!

[Kevin- 13]

Thanks a lot!

[Kevin- 13]

Hey all, the Embassy collected the NBI and Cenomar documents during the interview process. They might still ask for them at the CFO? She will have to get new ones then. We've ended up moving the CFO to manila on Monday anyhow.

A problem is it takes a whole day of sitting around to get the cenomar, ugh. Plus the 3+ hours of travel each direction. I am very frustrated at Filipino civil paperwork stuff.

[David & Kezia 25]

Hey all, the Embassy collected the NBI and Cenomar documents during the interview process. They might still ask for them at the CFO? She will have to get new ones then. We've ended up moving the CFO to manila on Monday anyhow.

A problem is it takes a whole day of sitting around to get the cenomar, ugh. Plus the 3+ hours of travel each direction. I am very frustrated at Filipino civil paperwork stuff.

NSO papers like CENOMAR and Birth Certificate can be ordered online and delivered right to your doorstep within 2-3 days (usually, after the verification that takes a few days also). It's the NBI that you really have go to personally. If you want the papers right away, you need to go and apply personally at the NSO.

Edited October 13, 2010 by David & Kezia