Report of Marriage (ROM) for CFO - Both in Philippines

[Klayzen 5]

Hello!

First off, a quick summary of our situation:

 

• We are currently both in the Philippines (Metro Manila).
• We got married via Utah County's Zoom Ceremony, as we wanted to have the certificate from the US
• We are waiting for the certified marriage certificates, but we have the digital version required for the Spousal Visa
• Now, we're trying to figure out the order of operations and steps required

 

The next step is to either file the Spousal Visa or the Report of Marriage at the San Fransisco Consulate.  I've heard mixed things about how long the SF Consulate takes, and I've heard varying timelines for the Spousal Visa.  I'm concerned that the Spousal Visa could be done before the Report of Marriage is complete and we wouldn't be able to do the CFO in time.  So that'd be my first question -- should I just bite the bullet and submit the Spousal Visa application ahead of the ROM while we wait for the Apostille copy of the Marriage Certificate?

Aside from this, there are many things about the ROM itself that are confusing for someone in my situation:

1. The ROM requires the application to be notarized, with the virtual wedding requiring both spouse signatures to be notarized respectively. 
2. If we are both currently in the Philippines, is it acceptable by the consulate that all notarizations on the documents are done in the Philippines, or would I have to go to the US to do all of this?  I'm hoping this isn't the case as it seems rather unnecessary.
3. The requirement of a Cashier's Check or Postal Money Order as well as self-addressed Priority Mail envelope is also a hurdle if I'm in the Philippines.  I could have my parents do this portion of it, or I could go the DFA route below:
4. The possibility to do all of this through the DFA would eliminate the cashier's check / postal money order as well as the envelope is intriguing, but my understanding is that this just slows the process down as the DFA sends the document to the SF Consulate ANYWAYS and reroutes it back to Manila 
5. I've read conflicting information about the CENOMAR document - is this necessary?  We are already married and my wife has no previous marriage.
6. I've read conflicting stories about the ROM itself -- does the CFO process require the PSA certified copy of the ROM, or will the initial copy we receive from the consulate be sufficient?
7. I have also watched some videos on YouTube (I know, not the most official sources, but there aren't many options) stating that Utah Zoom ceremonies require an extra letter NOTARIZED IN THE US stating that the Filipino citizen was not in the US at the time of the ceremony and held no US Visa - is this true?  If it is, can it be notarized in the Philippines?  😐
8. If we do go forward with the visa ahead of the ROM, would there be an issue getting the CFO stamp if we still hadn't received the certified copy / initial copy of the ROM from the consulate?

 

So, we're juggling some options here as well as just being overall confused about the ROM process.   I know there are a ton of questions here, but from all my exploration on this forum, there's only been one or two cases similar to mine, and there are no further updates on those threads unfortunately (and they don't answer most of the questions we have), as seen in this thread as an example: 

 

 

Any thoughts, information would be super helpful and appreciated.  I'm going to be emailing the consulate itself, but as with a lot of PH government institutions, I don't expect much help there.    I'd prefer to do everything here so that I don't have to spend more time apart from my spouse.

Thank you in advance!

Edited June 25, 2022 by Klayzen

[top_secret 2,128]

File the i-130 for the spousal visa immediately.  The ROM is a Philippines thing and is not relevant to USCIS.  No need to have the ROM first.  You have plenty of time to worry about the ROM while USCIS is working on your I-130.

 

Since you are both together at the same time at the same place, go to a notary and sign the form together.  Getting the form notarized by both parties is half the battle for overseas couples.  If you both go into a notary together it is one notarization of two signatures.  It can be notarized anywhere.  We got our ROM notarized in Peru.

 

If you are remaining in the Philippines you can file the ROM at DFA ASEANA Manila but they will probably require an original apostilled copy of the Utah Marriage certificate.   Alternately if you are returning to the US you can do it through the San Francisco consulate.  I "think" either way requires a CENOMAR.  it's easily ordered online from PSA.

 

The ROM is most important if your wife wants to use your name.  She needs the ROM to get her Philippine passport changed.  It will save hassle later if she can get this done before her interview but is not critical to the visa process.  CFO would also raise a fuss if there is no ROM but that is way down the road if you are just filing now.  USCIS, NVC and the Embassy don't care about the ROM so don't delay filing your I-130 over the issue.

[Klayzen 5]

1 hour ago, top_secret said:

File the i-130 for the spousal visa immediately.  The ROM is a Philippines thing and is not relevant to USCIS.  No need to have the ROM first.  You have plenty of time to worry about the ROM while USCIS is working on your I-130.

 

Since you are both together at the same time at the same place, go to a notary and sign the form together.  Getting the form notarized by both parties is half the battle for overseas couples.  If you both go into a notary together it is one notarization of two signatures.  It can be notarized anywhere.  We got our ROM notarized in Peru.

 

If you are remaining in the Philippines you can file the ROM at DFA ASEANA Manila but they will probably require an original apostilled copy of the Utah Marriage certificate.   Alternately if you are returning to the US you can do it through the San Francisco consulate.  I "think" either way requires a CENOMAR.  it's easily ordered online from PSA.

 

The ROM is most important if your wife wants to use your name.  She needs the ROM to get her Philippine passport changed.  It will save hassle later if she can get this done before her interview but is not critical to the visa process.  CFO would also raise a fuss if there is no ROM but that is way down the road if you are just filing now.  USCIS, NVC and the Embassy don't care about the ROM so don't delay filing your I-130 over the issue.

Thank you for the detailed reply!  We will start working on the spousal visa.

[Jordan & Jenet 48]

We just went through this with the CFO, Ultimately the receipt of the ROM you get is fine to apply for the CFO and you don't need wait the current "16" weeks for PSA ROM for CFO.

 

Jordan

[Klayzen 5]

2 hours ago, Jordan & Jenet said:

We just went through this with the CFO, Ultimately the receipt of the ROM you get is fine to apply for the CFO and you don't need wait the current "16" weeks for PSA ROM for CFO.

 

Jordan

Thanks for the reply.  

We've gone ahead and filed the I-130 and will begin the ROM journey when we get our apostille version of the marriage certificate.

[JeanShane 0]

Hello,

Thank I found this google upon searching a concrete answers of our confusions that the Philippine government agencies failed to assisted applicants like me who got married online during pandemic in UTAH. The confusions are;

° CFO GCP requires to submit the ROM which I do have a hard copy signed by both but not PSA copy since we are just starting and about to register the marriage certificate hard copy we got in both countries Australia and here in the Philippines under late filling in DFA. Happened my husband just have one copy in Australia of the Apostille Marriage Cert original and we are apart sending here will take long just to comply the requirements for GCP OF OURS and will have a short for the plan of flying back in Australia this April holding multiple entry and my daughters new approved Sponsored Visa that surely has a domino  delayed effect regarding our plans since we are also about to lodge onshore the partnership visa in Australia. 

Q: Does photo of apostille marriage certificate enough and be acceptable to meet the requirements, or the digital copy signed of the ROM be enough or needed to still submit the registration of marriage first in DFA to gain the CFO requirement?

° Another requirement in CFO is the Affidavit of Support that needed to notarized and authenticate by Philippine embassy in the destination or host also may take long time to just simply have a copy if send to courier? What would be the alternative or acceptable to them aside from that?

° Another is the Letter of invitation, does asking a soft copy from immigration agency who took part in our visa to get approved will be acceptable and have it notarized here in the Philippines, since we also submit that to them last year?

 

These questions that really confused and gaining concrete answers looks so hard to find and stressed us for months and containing GCP certificate for the forth time still troubled us and fearing to get offload was the reason I keep finding answers coz we might not caught up previously in the immigration for 2x I flew but not an assurance that I will not be this April since my husband planning to pick us up in the Perth airport and not with us. It would be stressful for me if that happens knowing I'm with minor pwd flying back.

 

This site I found it more closer to answer my confusions from comments red. I really appreciate the answers from you here soon. Thanks in advance and more power!