cfo requirements (cebu city)

[sarah&randy 0]

Hi! can anyone help me about some "other supporting documents" that cfo lists on their website for the requirements.. We're applying for a CR-1 visa, and i;m currently on the process of applying for my passport. But DFA here says to get/attend a GCP at CFO. I wanna know too if i'll still need a copy of our CENOMAR, i had this document but i had submitted it for our marriage license and i was not able to make a copy of that. SHOULD i be needing this document for CFO counseling? We're already married, and i have with me our NSO marriage certificate already.. This CENOMAR is the only document that confuses me with regards to this. But if there's anything else that you guys can suggest, I would really appreciate it.. THANKS so much !!!

sarah

[missing_tulips 4]

did you pass your CR1 already? if not yet you dont need to get a CFO. cuz you only need that IF you going to changed your status in your passport and AFTER the interview.

[Hank_ 9,171]

I have read some posts recently on this topic, don't know if you can find them or not, or maybe one of those that just got their passport will chime in. You will need a copy of the CENOMAR/CEMAR at CFO for the exiting seminar so you may want to request one from NSO

CFO:

ALL exiting required to attend. There have been changes regarding CFO so for sure read through their website.

Update: Please check the schedule of the counseling session before proceeding to CFO because it is country-specific and the slots are limited only to 15 per session (two sessions per day). It is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

http://www.philembassy.no/sites/default/files/downloads/new_gcp_flyer.pdf

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: copies of; CENOMAR, certified birth certificate, bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together, from USC - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

[newbster 4]

They can really ask for anything they want to ask for at CFO. And CFO in Cebu is very bad from what I've heard. My fiance went 1 day a couple of weeks ago and wasn't early enough to get 1 of the 12 spots. Then she went back a 2nd day with all her papers and they asked for a bunch but there was no copy machine. She said the 1 on 1 counseling sessions are an hour now and the lady asked her all sorts of silly questions. What was she wearing when she met me? Things like that. The lady doing her 1 on 1 counseling also tried to do the job that USEM is doing - verify my income and ability to support my fiance. So she wanted all of my financial documententation haha. Goofy.

They wanted her to come back a week and a half later with a lot of papers copied but she was able to negotiate an earlier appointment and return for the _third_ time to finally get through the CFO requirement. She said there were people reduced to tears at CFO Cebu.

The CENOMAR I'm almost certain they will want by the way.....but you might as well bring your entire Visa packet and every paper you have.

Edited October 2, 2012 by newbster

[sarah&randy 0]

did you pass your CR1 already? if not yet you dont need to get a CFO. cuz you only need that IF you going to changed your status in your passport and AFTER the interview.

yes we already submitted our app for the cr1..

[Tahoma 2,291]

They can really ask for anything they want to ask for at CFO...

...you might as well bring your entire Visa packet and every paper you have.

:thumbs: Very good advice.

[sarah&randy 0]

They can really ask for anything they want to ask for at CFO. And CFO in Cebu is very bad from what I've heard. My fiance went 1 day a couple of weeks ago and wasn't early enough to get 1 of the 12 spots. Then she went back a 2nd day with all her papers and they asked for a bunch but there was no copy machine. She said the 1 on 1 counseling sessions are an hour now and the lady asked her all sorts of silly questions. What was she wearing when she met me? Things like that. The lady doing her 1 on 1 counseling also tried to do the job that USEM is doing - verify my income and ability to support my fiance. So she wanted all of my financial documententation haha. Goofy.

They wanted her to come back a week and a half later with a lot of papers copied but she was able to negotiate an earlier appointment and return for the _third_ time to finally get through the CFO requirement. She said there were people reduced to tears at CFO Cebu.

The CENOMAR I'm almost certain they will want by the way.....but you might as well bring your entire Visa packet and every paper you have.

thanks!! i was suppose to go tomorrow and attend the counseling on Thursday, but I decided to check more about CFO here on VJ, cuz i was really concerned bout the CENOMAR, if i'll need that or not.. but i might wait till Monday next week to go, and just check thoroughly on the requirements cuz i don't wanna go on a wasted trip and spend a lot on the fare and expenses there. .... THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP,,,

But did they really ask your fiance to show them a copy of your financial documentation? or anything related to that, like the affidavit of support or the i-394 (not sure of that 394 though)?

[newbster 4]

thanks!! i was suppose to go tomorrow and attend the counseling on Thursday, but I decided to check more about CFO here on VJ, cuz i was really concerned bout the CENOMAR, if i'll need that or not.. but i might wait till Monday next week to go, and just check thoroughly on the requirements cuz i don't wanna go on a wasted trip and spend a lot on the fare and expenses there. .... THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP,,,

But did they really ask your fiance to show them a copy of your financial documentation? or anything related to that, like the affidavit of support or the i-394 (not sure of that 394 though)?

Yes they really asked that. It makes no sense to normal humans but CFO doesn't seem to apply logic to what they are doing there.....

[lkjj30 1]

About the Birth certificate,is it just me or also my husbands? We are both Pilipino..I am also planning to take Cfo at Cebu!

[newbster 4]

About the Birth certificate,is it just me or also my husbands? We are both Pilipino..I am also planning to take Cfo at Cebu!

I think it's your birth cert, not your sponsor's. But of course at CFO they are able to ask for anything so you never know. My birth certificate was part of the K-1 packet so my fiance had that in case they needed it anyway.

[AlohaBabes 5]

I think it's your birth cert, not your sponsor's. But of course at CFO they are able to ask for anything so you never know. My birth certificate was part of the K-1 packet so my fiance had that in case they needed it anyway.

Thats a good advice you have.. Bring all the visa packets.. all documents you have.. coz thats what I did.. You never know what they will ask from you.

Im glad your fiance is finished with CFO.

I went back there for the sticker.. and they ask me another 400 pesos for the sticker.. kidding me! 400 pesos for the sticker!! arrgghh!!

no choice but have to pay so no more problems!! arrgghh!!

[sarah&randy 0]

Yes they really asked that. It makes no sense to normal humans but CFO doesn't seem to apply logic to what they are doing there.....

I can understand how you feel. And we appreciate you sharing your fiance's experience with CFO. But I'd like to ask again, cuz my husband and I are confuse about what to present to them with regards to the financial documentation or affidavit of support, is there any kind of form that he needs to fill out for this?

Thanks so much again for being informative on this.

[Hank_ 9,171]

About the Birth certificate,is it just me or also my husbands? We are both Pilipino..I am also planning to take Cfo at Cebu!

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: copies of; CENOMAR, certified birth certificate, bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together, from USC - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

[newbster 4]

I can understand how you feel. And we appreciate you sharing your fiance's experience with CFO. But I'd like to ask again, cuz my husband and I are confuse about what to present to them with regards to the financial documentation or affidavit of support, is there any kind of form that he needs to fill out for this?

Thanks so much again for being informative on this.

Hi, you're welcome. There is no form that I'm aware of. All that you can do is go there and then see what they ask for. You will return another day a week or 2 later with copies of the paperwork they ask for. Of course even when you return they are free to ask for other paperwork and make you return yet another day. I've heard stories of people who go there being asked to return 4 or 5 times with different family members needed to speak to the CFO counselors each time they return (i.e. next time bring your father. Then the next time bring your mother, etc). I think this is rare but the point is that you can never know exactly what to expect at CFO.

So the best way to handle this is to attend with every paper you possess related to Visa processing and go very early so you have plenty of time to return there again and again. Don't wait to go to CFO - go immediately. Maybe you'll get lucky and they'll ask for nothing - you can never tell. See Hank's post above for good advice about specific papers they are very likely to want. Good luck.

Edited October 3, 2012 by newbster

[Hank_ 9,171]

What really gets me about CFO is the seminar that all are required to attend is for guidance consoling of the person immigrating, yet each time I turn around they are asking for more and more documentation regarding the USC - like they are pretending to be interviewing the person instead of providing consoling. As for financial information I would be very leary of what I gave to them at CFO, blacking out certain info for sure.