Leaving the Philippines on a Work Visa but travelling with Foreign Spouse

[Zoot7 0]

Hi Everyone - I should first explain that I'm not an American citizen (I'm Irish), but despite this the forum has been quite useful to me and my wife over the last year. There are also some very knowledgeable members here that might be able to offer some information about me and my wife's main concern which is with the Philippine authorities instead.

 

My wife needless to say is a Filipina - we got married in the her home city in the Philippines in January. She won't be traveling to my country on a spousal visa, but rather a work visa (since it's much faster and she can start work immediately).

 

I however plan on traveling out to the Philippines and then traveling back together with her. We have no concerns on the Irish side of things - I'm well up to speed with the process and what has to be done. Our concern is what kind of hassle she'll encounter with the immigration in NAIA upon leaving the Philippine given she'll be traveling with me.

 

A few things to explain:

• Her employment agency in Manila will have her sit the PDOS seminar and she'll have an Overseas Employment Certificate so she'll have her POEA clearence and be all ready to go on a work visa, just like normal.
• I had her sit the Guidance and Counseling Program with the CFO in Manila this week so she has the Certificate of Attendance from the CFO. For the reason that she'll want to change her name in the future and just in case she's asked for it at the airport.
• However she won't get the CFO sticker in her passport because her visa is not a Spousal/Fiance visa but rather a work visa - the CFO told her such.
• We'll have separate flight tickets - I have to book them separately, given it's a return ticket for me and a one-way for her. We will also be going to different immigration counters - me to the Foreign Passport lane, her to the Philippine passport lane.

 

Questions:

• Can the immigration officers in the airport know that we're traveling together if were are on separate flight tickets but still on the same flight?
• Will they ask her for the CFO certificate if they don't know we're traveling together? I'm assuming if they do know we are traveling together, it's a given she'll be asked for it without a doubt.
• Attending the CFO isn't an issue (she's that done) so she'll have the Certificate of Attendance but NOT the sticker. Is it possible that if she's asked for the CFO attendance certificate that they could refuse to leave her pass without the CFO sticker in her passport even though she'll have everything she needs to leave on a work visa.? This is our main concern really.

 

It's not the most common situation so I'd appreciate it if anyone has any insight.

[Greenbaum 12,258]

I can't answer all your questions but I can shed some light on CFO. You have the certificate for her to travel based on her work visa. The GCP is overkill but I understand your decision to cover all your bases. There is some good news and that is CFO has offices there in NAIA. So if needed she can make adjustments according to any situation you find yourself in.

 

Good luck. 

Edited February 23, 2017 by Greenbaum

[Sagot 1,548]

13 hours ago, Zoot7 said:

Hi Everyone - I should first explain that I'm not an American citizen (I'm Irish), but despite this the forum has been quite useful to me and my wife over the last year. There are also some very knowledgeable members here that might be able to offer some information about me and my wife's main concern which is with the Philippine authorities instead.

 

My wife needless to say is a Filipina - we got married in the her home city in the Philippines in January. She won't be traveling to my country on a spousal visa, but rather a work visa (since it's much faster and she can start work immediately).

 

I however plan on traveling out to the Philippines and then traveling back together with her. We have no concerns on the Irish side of things - I'm well up to speed with the process and what has to be done. Our concern is what kind of hassle she'll encounter with the immigration in NAIA upon leaving the Philippine given she'll be traveling with me.

 

A few things to explain:

• Her employment agency in Manila will have her sit the PDOS seminar and she'll have an Overseas Employment Certificate so she'll have her POEA clearence and be all ready to go on a work visa, just like normal.    
• I had her sit the Guidance and Counseling Program with the CFO in Manila this week so she has the Certificate of Attendance from the CFO. For the reason that she'll want to change her name in the future and just in case she's asked for it at the airport.  NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS BEING SHE WILL CHANGE HER PASSPORT TO HER MARRIED NAME AT SOME POINT.
• However she won't get the CFO sticker in her passport because her visa is not a Spousal/Fiance visa but rather a work visa - the CFO told her such.  CORRECT!   NO NEED.
• We'll have separate flight tickets - I have to book them separately, given it's a return ticket for me and a one-way for her. We will also be going to different immigration counters - me to the Foreign Passport lane, her to the Philippine passport lane.   DOESN'T MATTER, DOUBT ANYONE WILL CARE.

 

Questions:

• Can the immigration officers in the airport know that we're traveling together if were are on separate flight tickets but still on the same flight?WON'T CARE.
• Will they ask her for the CFO certificate if they don't know we're traveling together? I'm assuming if they do know we are traveling together, it's a given she'll be asked for it without a doubt.  BEING SHE IS TRAVELING ON A WORK VISA THEY WILL LOOK FOR THE PDOS CERTIFICATE.
• Attending the CFO isn't an issue (she's that done) so she'll have the Certificate of Attendance but NOT the sticker. Is it possible that if she's asked for the CFO attendance certificate NOT FOR GCP  ONLY INTERESTED IN PDOS that they could refuse to leave her pass without the CFO sticker in her passport even though she'll have everything she needs to leave on a work visa.? This is our main concern really.   THEY WILL ONLY BE LOOKING A THE WORK VISA AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL CARE ABOUT.  RELAX.

 

It's not the most common situation so I'd appreciate it if anyone has any insight.

Made notes above

[Hank_ 9,173]

Totally agree with Sagot.  You are fine.

 

GCP is good to have done for getting her passport in her married name later.

 

After that the WORK visa is what is KEY!  You have PDOS completed all is good!!

 

Travelng together, being in the same line, not really an issue.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Hank_

[Zoot7 0]

Thanks guys for the posts. You just hear so many stories about people getting offloaded because of not having the GCP done, which my wife HAS done.

 

By the way - regarding the CFO offices in NAIA, the last time I was in NAIA I saw a CFO desk beside the counter where everyone else was queuing to pay the travel tax in the main check-in hall in Terminal 3. Is that where you can get the CFO stickers in NAIA in case there's an issue?

[Sagot 1,548]

7 minutes ago, Zoot7 said:

Thanks guys for the posts. You just hear so many stories about people getting offloaded because of not having the GCP done, which my wife HAS done.

 

By the way - regarding the CFO offices in NAIA, the last time I was in NAIA I saw a CFO desk beside the counter where everyone else was queuing to pay the travel tax in the main check-in hall in Terminal 3. Is that where you can get the CFO stickers in NAIA in case there's an issue?

Yes, that is the counter for CFO.   But that is a NON-issue for your wife as she does NOT have an immigrant visa... and it only applies to those with an immigrant visa.

 

~  I have a good friend that is from Limerick, Ireland.  

[Zoot7 0]

51 minutes ago, Sagot said:

Yes, that is the counter for CFO.   But that is a NON-issue for your wife as she does NOT have an immigrant visa... and it only applies to those with an immigrant visa.

 

~  I have a good friend that is from Limerick, Ireland.  

That's a coincidence! Limerick is actually where I live myself.

 

Anyway, thanks for the replies guys. Even in the event that my wife IS hassled about the CFO GCP at immigration, she'll be able to produce the Certificate so hopefully all will be well.

[Sagot 1,548]

2 hours ago, Zoot7 said:

That's a coincidence! Limerick is actually where I live myself.

 

Anyway, thanks for the replies guys. Even in the event that my wife IS hassled about the CFO GCP at immigration, she'll be able to produce the Certificate so hopefully all will be well.

His brother Christy had a business there, I think installing windows and such.  Christy passed away maybe two years ago

Edited February 24, 2017 by Sagot