Philippines - Seminar before visa is issued

[mygrc 0]

My soon to be sister in law is from the Philipines and had to attend a seminar in Cebu for girls who are marrying a foreigner. The seminar was put on by a bunch of really mean nuns who told her that my soon to be broter in law was going to sell her as a sex slave because he owns a restaurant and bar (Because all bar owners sell their wives as sex slaves in the USA). She cried and ried and her father had to go to Cebu and argue with the nuns.

Apparently, she needed some kind of certificate from this seminar to process her visa.

I am engaged to her sister and we are trying to get ready for her interview. I went through the Manilla guideline and do not see any such seminar listed. They have the semiar in both Cebu and Manila and are supposed to be nicer in Manila.

Does anyone know anything about this? I will contact my sister in law but can anyone tell me if this is even necessary? Obviously I would rather not subject my fiance to this sort of treatment if possible.

[TnJ 131]

It's called the CFO (Commission on Filipinos Overseas). There are a lot of horror stories in the threads here, but that isn't always the case. Look in my signature for the links. The 'Wally G!'s Manila after NOA2' guide will have links and requirements for CFO. You can attend the seminar before you have the visa and get the certificate. You would then go back to get the sticker in the passport once visa is received, or you can do both at once after visa is received. It seems they give the younger women a harder time sometimes. I can't really determine what the issue is with the treatment of some attendees. It seems to be some mandatory propaganda that all Filipinos must go through in order to travel abroad as far as I can tell, and fiancee/spouses get their own version.

Edited August 9, 2012 by ToddnJessa

[Scott & Annie 19]

My soon to be sister in law is from the Philipines and had to attend a seminar in Cebu for girls who are marrying a foreigner. The seminar was put on by a bunch of really mean nuns who told her that my soon to be broter in law was going to sell her as a sex slave because he owns a restaurant and bar (Because all bar owners sell their wives as sex slaves in the USA). She cried and ried and her father had to go to Cebu and argue with the nuns.

Apparently, she needed some kind of certificate from this seminar to process her visa.

I am engaged to her sister and we are trying to get ready for her interview. I went through the Manilla guideline and do not see any such seminar listed. They have the semiar in both Cebu and Manila and are supposed to be nicer in Manila.

Does anyone know anything about this? I will contact my sister in law but can anyone tell me if this is even necessary? Obviously I would rather not subject my fiance to this sort of treatment if possible.

Yes, It's required to leave the country.

"As a Filipino emigrant, or those who have been granted an immigrant-class visa, you are required by the Philippine Government by virtue of Article 19 of Presidential Decree No. 442, , to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas before leaving the country to settle in a foreign land. An emigrant who has properly registered with the commission will have in his passport the CFO sticker which will be inspected by the Bureau of Immigration upon departure."

And yes, the nuns are a bunch of BITC... See the links below:

CFO Homepage

CFO Requirement

[mygrc 0]

Thank you!!

[SteelFaithU2 3]

Wow, this is scary.... I wonder if the Nuns talk about leaving a country with one of the corruptest governments in the world, and how the departed will finally be free from the disgusting poverty....

[Bri & Mar 12]

There has been MANY horror stories about CFO, especially from Cebu. The guidance and counseling sessions were contracted out by the Commission of Filipinos Overseas but they are now held by CFO in house (effective July 16). Hopefully this will take the personal/religious ideals out of the sessions.

[inlababo 1]

My soon to be sister in law is from the Philipines and had to attend a seminar in Cebu for girls who are marrying a foreigner. The seminar was put on by a bunch of really mean nuns who told her that my soon to be broter in law was going to sell her as a sex slave because he owns a restaurant and bar (Because all bar owners sell their wives as sex slaves in the USA). She cried and ried and her father had to go to Cebu and argue with the nuns.

Apparently, she needed some kind of certificate from this seminar to process her visa.

I am engaged to her sister and we are trying to get ready for her interview. I went through the Manilla guideline and do not see any such seminar listed. They have the semiar in both Cebu and Manila and are supposed to be nicer in Manila.

Does anyone know anything about this? I will contact my sister in law but can anyone tell me if this is even necessary? Obviously I would rather not subject my fiance to this sort of treatment if possible.

I think different CFO Office are not the same, the one in Manila is not like that...

[Starflyer 59 16]

My fiancee just went through this seminar yesterday in Cebu. After reading all of the horror stories on here she had mentally prepared herself for the worst. As it turned out, even though they did talk about the usual cases of things having gone terribly wrong after the fiancee's arrival in the U.S., much to the surprise of both of us, they also mentioned a few cases where things worked out happily. My fiancee told me that aside from the expected cases they discuss, that there are parts of the seminar that would actually be pretty informative for those who do not have access to the type of resources that help guide them through the visa process (such as this wonderful website does). She told me that they talked about what to expect as far as government paperwork once she gets here - such as applying for an SSN, adjustment of status, etc...

The seminar was broken into two parts with the morning time consisting of a group lecture, and in the afternoon was the one-on-one counseling session. This part could be somewhat beneficial for those that have not received their visa yet as it is sort of a "practice run" of some of the types of questions one may encounter during their interview.

All that being said, I realize that not everyone had a decent experience there (and I truly feel bad for those that came away terrified because of a not-so-friendly lecturer or counselor), but I just wanted to relay my fiancee's experience and say that my advice would be this: Prepare yourself mentally for the worst and apply your own good judgment to anything they tell you. If you happen to get a lecturer/counselor that is somewhat friendly, consider it a bonus!

[mygrc 0]

My fiancee just went through this seminar yesterday in Cebu. After reading all of the horror stories on here she had mentally prepared herself for the worst. As it turned out, even though they did talk about the usual cases of things having gone terribly wrong after the fiancee's arrival in the U.S., much to the surprise of both of us, they also mentioned a few cases where things worked out happily. My fiancee told me that aside from the expected cases they discuss, that there are parts of the seminar that would actually be pretty informative for those who do not have access to the type of resources that help guide them through the visa process (such as this wonderful website does). She told me that they talked about what to expect as far as government paperwork once she gets here - such as applying for an SSN, adjustment of status, etc...

The seminar was broken into two parts with the morning time consisting of a group lecture, and in the afternoon was the one-on-one counseling session. This part could be somewhat beneficial for those that have not received their visa yet as it is sort of a "practice run" of some of the types of questions one may encounter during their interview.

All that being said, I realize that not everyone had a decent experience there (and I truly feel bad for those that came away terrified because of a not-so-friendly lecturer or counselor), but I just wanted to relay my fiancee's experience and say that my advice would be this: Prepare yourself mentally for the worst and apply your own good judgment to anything they tell you. If you happen to get a lecturer/counselor that is somewhat friendly, consider it a bonus!

That is good to hear. They were going to deny my sister in law (not sure of the basis or if there is even any sort of due process). Her father had to travel from Toledo to Cebu. He demanded that the nuns give her the certificate. By teh way, my brother in law treats her very well, and even though he owns a restautrant and bar I have not seen one sex slave.

[Fight for Love 98]

this is horrible. but kind a funny.(sorry but it is)

what the heck their thinking??? we are human here not animals?? :bonk:

i thought ALL alone petitioner are more likely to be the victim here in this process. we don't benefit anything. but the beneficiary will most likely benefits out of this process..at the end. when it comes to worst..we end up we are the loser esp.if the beneficiary end up used the petitioner just to gain green card...i have since a lot. to begin w/my brother was once a victim.

but hey we are ready to take that risk because we love our fiance/s not to abused them.