CFO Question

[DavidandJenny 1]

OK, here goes: I have been married before. And a freind of mine (filipino) said that CFO would drill my fiance to death and try and cause problems.....is this true? I have original documents showing divorce/marriage that I sent to USCIS as well and we were approved all the way so far.

What can she expect from CFO? Is this a real problem? THANKS ~ David

[SMOKE 1,426]

*bump*

i keep hearing the same horror (interrogation) stories. help me & david out here. whats gonna happen at CFO?

eta: maybe this should be in the philippine forum.

Edited November 27, 2007 by tapout

[john_and_marlene 162]

OK, here goes: I have been married before. And a freind of mine (filipino) said that CFO would drill my fiance to death and try and cause problems.....is this true? I have original documents showing divorce/marriage that I sent to USCIS as well and we were approved all the way so far.

What can she expect from CFO? Is this a real problem? THANKS ~ David

Divorce is frowned upon--to the extent that there is no divorce in the Philippines. Those who are marrying someone that was previously divorced are given a harder time. The CFO has nothing to do with USCIS approval. The USCIS does not make moral judgments, but the CFO will.

She can expect a more difficult interview than those that aren't marrying someone that is divorced.

[spidergirl 0]

OK, here goes: I have been married before. And a freind of mine (filipino) said that CFO would drill my fiance to death and try and cause problems.....is this true? I have original documents showing divorce/marriage that I sent to USCIS as well and we were approved all the way so far.

What can she expect from CFO? Is this a real problem? THANKS ~ David

I have heard of that especially if the benificiary is too young (below 25 years old). When i did my CFO, i didn't have any problem at all. I memorized everything about my then Fiance (now my husband), so when a counsilor asked me a question i have a straight forward answer, i brought along his divorce decree but they didn't asked me for it or any documents at all. I guess the outcome of the CFO depends on how the benificiary knew about his / her petitioner and how they answer the counsilors questions.

[djcess 0]

CFO in manila is more strict than in Cebu. My friend, who's also a visajourney member got "denied" or something like that there because they don't accept cliche answers like "because I love him" stuff. If you're girl shows that she's confident about your relationship, then she should be fine. Somehow, they can sense when you're nervous so that's when they give you a hard time. Good luck!

[Dakine 26]

CFO in manila is more strict than in Cebu. My friend, who's also a visajourney member got "denied" or something like that there because they don't accept cliche answers like "because I love him" stuff. If you're girl shows that she's confident about your relationship, then she should be fine. Somehow, they can sense when you're nervous so that's when they give you a hard time. Good luck!

I've never heard of anyone being "completely denied at CFO .

Lots have been delayed by having to get additional evidence but eventually get the sticker.

Years ago on the old Asawa site one fiancee claimed she flew to the US without having attended CFO.

Said she didn't know she had to take CFO until she signed up on Asawa!

Easy to understand as there are mostly tourist who don't need CFO stickers and very few immigrants on flights.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Haole

[Bill B 0]

OK, here goes: I have been married before. And a freind of mine (filipino) said that CFO would drill my fiance to death and try and cause problems.....is this true? I have original documents showing divorce/marriage that I sent to USCIS as well and we were approved all the way so far.

What can she expect from CFO? Is this a real problem? THANKS ~ David

Divorce is frowned upon--to the extent that there is no divorce in the Philippines. Those who are marrying someone that was previously divorced are given a harder time. The CFO has nothing to do with USCIS approval. The USCIS does not make moral judgments, but the CFO will.

She can expect a more difficult interview than those that aren't marrying someone that is divorced.

I have heard this also several times, but it seems to make sense as the Philippine's is vastly a Catholic society and those of you who are Catholic (and some other religions) know how Divorce is looked upon in general. Those of us in the United States are not used to having religion impact many aspects of our personal lives. I can understand how the common person in the Philippines would think this way; just as if you were in the middle east, their religion impacts just about every aspect of their lives even more so than the Philippines.

[Joe&Ghe 0]

CFO in manila is more strict than in Cebu. My friend, who's also a visajourney member got "denied" or something like that there because they don't accept cliche answers like "because I love him" stuff. If you're girl shows that she's confident about your relationship, then she should be fine. Somehow, they can sense when you're nervous so that's when they give you a hard time. Good luck!

I've never heard of anyone being "completely denied at CFO .

Lots have been delayed by having to get additional evidence but eventually get the sticker.

Years ago on the old Asawa site one fiancee claimed she flew to the US without having attended CFO.

Said she didn't know she had to take CFO until she signed up on Asawa!

Easy to understand as there are mostly tourist who don't need CFO stickers and very few immigrants on flights.

I don't know how it works now..but me & my family migrated to US in mid90's..when we attended the CFO we thought it was something important or something mandatory that you have to attend..but actually it's just a SEMINAR just to let the people know the difference of life, society (school system, etc.), and culture..they don't really drill people about anything coz it's not their business. After the seminar they put a sticker on your passport. When we got to the US, we found out that the sticker IS NOT even look upon by the immigration officer, in short that little white sticker on your passport is NOT REALLY IMPORTANT...Ofcorz in the Philippines & the US Embassy would really like for people to attend the seminar just to give people knowledge about going to the US & what to expect..sort of. Plus ofcorz so the CFO agency(PI Government) can get more money..more red-taped I guess. It's really an OPTIONAL THINGY..but OVER THERE they don't tell you that...I would say if you are planning to stay for good in the US, attending the seminar would help out a little bit with the culture shock once your settled in. If you are a tourist, it's all up to you to attend or not.

Don't take my words for it, attending the seminar whether you like it or not..wouldn't hurt you at all..So just to avoid any problems I suggest attending the seminar..A-OK?

[Jasman0717 8]

I was married before and they didn't drill Claudeth about it.

[djcess 0]

CFO in manila is more strict than in Cebu. My friend, who's also a visajourney member got "denied" or something like that there because they don't accept cliche answers like "because I love him" stuff. If you're girl shows that she's confident about your relationship, then she should be fine. Somehow, they can sense when you're nervous so that's when they give you a hard time. Good luck!

I've never heard of anyone being "completely denied at CFO .

Lots have been delayed by having to get additional evidence but eventually get the sticker.

Years ago on the old Asawa site one fiancee claimed she flew to the US without having attended CFO.

Said she didn't know she had to take CFO until she signed up on Asawa!

Easy to understand as there are mostly tourist who don't need CFO stickers and very few immigrants on flights.

Well not completely, I mean denied in the sense that she had to take another CFO seminar.. but it all worked out for her in the end. We flew here together and it was a great feeling to know that we finally made it. IMHO, I dont even think that the CFO can stop you from entering the US. I know that it's in our (filipino) policy to attend it, but the US couldnt care less, all they need to see on their part is the approved visa. And yeah you're right, tourists don't need to attend CFO. Lucky them hehe!

[Pineapple 0]

CFO in manila is more strict than in Cebu. My friend, who's also a visajourney member got "denied" or something like that there because they don't accept cliche answers like "because I love him" stuff. If you're girl shows that she's confident about your relationship, then she should be fine. Somehow, they can sense when you're nervous so that's when they give you a hard time. Good luck!

I've never heard of anyone being "completely denied at CFO .

Lots have been delayed by having to get additional evidence but eventually get the sticker.

Years ago on the old Asawa site one fiancee claimed she flew to the US without having attended CFO.

Said she didn't know she had to take CFO until she signed up on Asawa!

Easy to understand as there are mostly tourist who don't need CFO stickers and very few immigrants on flights.

I don't know how it works now..but me & my family migrated to US in mid90's..when we attended the CFO we thought it was something important or something mandatory that you have to attend..but actually it's just a SEMINAR just to let the people know the difference of life, society (school system, etc.), and culture..they don't really drill people about anything coz it's not their business. After the seminar they put a sticker on your passport. When we got to the US, we found out that the sticker IS NOT even look upon by the immigration officer, in short that little white sticker on your passport is NOT REALLY IMPORTANT...Ofcorz in the Philippines & the US Embassy would really like for people to attend the seminar just to give people knowledge about going to the US & what to expect..sort of. Plus ofcorz so the CFO agency(PI Government) can get more money..more red-taped I guess. It's really an OPTIONAL THINGY..but OVER THERE they don't tell you that...I would say if you are planning to stay for good in the US, attending the seminar would help out a little bit with the culture shock once your settled in. If you are a tourist, it's all up to you to attend or not.

Don't take my words for it, attending the seminar whether you like it or not..wouldn't hurt you at all..So just to avoid any problems I suggest attending the seminar..A-OK?

I salute you on that joe in ghe my family also migrating last 1992 and you are absulotely right about that just i didn't make to join them because of my age reason!!

[Joe&Ghe 0]

To the ORIGINAL POSTER of this thread...As I mentioned, the CFO is just a seminar to let the FILIPINO citizens learn about the WOLRD..The INTERVIEW is not really an interview that you have to be scared about. You have your VISA approved by the US, not the CFO agency...hehe..so don't worry ok. What was funny was that it says CFO-OCW on that white sticker...As far as I remember we are not an OCW (oveseas contract worker), me & my family were immigrants going to the US, so just from right there it already tells you that it's not really special to have that sticker, they don't even know the difference between an immigrant to an OCW..hehe.

[DavidandJenny 1]

All posts are appreciated. Thanks.

[irene 0]

I agree in some post here it does not matter if ur married once or ur fiance , husband its really depend on how u know ur fiance or husband and how straight and fast u answer on the question .

[jessel chris 0]

I suggest to have CFO here in Cebu than in Manila because CFO in Manila is so strict unlike here in Cebu no hassle..I just had my CFO seminar yesterday and it went well.