CFO seminar

[StraightShooter 62]

With the stories I've been reading about the CFO mess lately, my fiancee and I are wondering if the experience is easier if she already has her US visa in hand.

Would it make an actual difference?

[Magic Power 7]

Is this regarding PRISM versus St. Mary's?

[sjr09 155]

With the stories I've been reading about the CFO mess lately, my fiancee and I are wondering if the experience is easier if she already has her US visa in hand.

Would it make an actual difference?

. Yes, the difference is if she has the visa in hand, after the CFO she will not need to go back a second time for the stamp. "Would it make an actual difference" Not if going back is a big deal for her?

[TropicalRose 0]

Thanks for the replies.But me and my fiance would like to know if the experience will be

smoother, if I already have my visa on hand to show to the people concerned during my

CFO seminar. Wondering if they will still give me a hard time with their questions,etc, even

if they already know that I was approved by the USEM.

Prism or St.Mary's, would it make a difference to them that the attendee already has a visa?

[TropicalRose 0]

Thanks for the replies.But me and my fiance would like to know if the experience will be

smoother, if I already have my visa on hand to show to the people concerned during my

CFO seminar. Wondering if they will still give me a hard time with their questions,etc, even

if they already know that I was approved by the USEM.

Prism or St.Mary's, would it make a difference to them that the attendee already has a visa?

[Wally G! 58]

My wife explained, when she went to St. Mary's for her CFO seminar and sticker (She had her visa and passport in hand). Those attending the seminar without the visa were given a hard time from the Consular than those who had the visa in hand. This is just her experience and observation.

From the stories here it seems like Prism has less hassle then St. Mary's.

[StraightShooter 62]

My wife explained, when she went to St. Mary's for her CFO seminar and sticker (She had her visa and passport in hand). Those attending the seminar without the visa were given a hard time from the Consular than those who had the visa in hand. This is just her experience and observation.

From the stories here it seems like Prism has less hassle then St. Mary's.

Thanks, that's the answer we were seeking.

The question is about having vs. not having a visa in hand.

We've already surmised that a specific PRISM location has the least hassle. Or the least that can be expected. Ugh.

Anyone else have experience with the visa/no visa scenario?

[Hank_ 9,174]

Don't know about doing the CFO before the visa arrives, we waited until after the visa was in hand, PRISM was no problem. Being my fiancee is not catholic we decided to stay way from St. Mary's .... didn't want to give them "issue ammo" .. may mean nothing.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Hank_Amy

[Tahoma 2,298]

Chinook completed the CFO seminar at PRISM before she had her visa, and she had no problem at all.

[renecherubs 18]

I went with visa and passport too.there was no problem. Bring some important docs with u,like birthcertificate of fiance/fiancee and they asked for pictures.they took 4 pictures of my fiance(husband now) and I.they kept it. So be sure to bring those. Gud luck for the rest of ur journey.

[chrismanilyn 4]

I went with my fiancee (waited outside...) at PRISM...she didn't have her visa yet, and because of my divorce they grilled her a bit...it was more about the documents though, as she didn't have them in hand. Once we retrieved the docs, it went ok. Would suggest just to bring everything you would have to the interview and you will be fine. They copped a bit of an attitude with her, but she bit back (gently...).

[StraightShooter 62]

My fiancee is currently planning on bringing a wheelbarrow load of stuff with her!

From what I'm reading in this thread, it does sound like having the visa already in her passport could indeed make things go more smoothly.

[Azteca143 9]

My fiancee is currently planning on bringing a wheelbarrow load of stuff with her!

From what I'm reading in this thread, it does sound like having the visa already in her passport could indeed make things go more smoothly.

i have my seminar at PRISM,i don't have my visa yet when i attend.but they never give me

hard time.when my visa arrived,i went back last week to get my sticker at CFO...God bless!

[Tahoma 2,298]

...Once we retrieved the docs, it went ok. Would suggest just to bring everything you would have to the interview and you will be fine.

:thumbs:

My fiancee is currently planning on bringing a wheelbarrow load of stuff with her!

:thumbs:

[Mogambi 96]

My fiancé just did the CFO a few days ago. I had somehow been under the impression that it was a simple 2 hour class that she had to sit through. I'm thinking, oh, it's like traffic school, you just go and sit there and listen. Hah! Poor Lyn. She was there all day long. Interviews, forms, etc. Back and forth texting me, needing to know my college degree and mother's maiden name.... It was much more intense than the actually interview at the Embassy! And she had Visa in hand. Not 'hard' in the long run, but certainly more intense than I had thought it was going to be.

I'm still unclear of the purpose of it. Can they 'deny' her the CFO if they suspected we weren't 'right' for each other or something? Does anyone know what power exactly they have? If for example, you have a visa, can they deny the CFO certificate on any grounds they choose? What happens then?

So strange, but glad it's over.