POEA!!! seminar

[trebor]

Well, was extremely frustrated about not knowing, after extensivly serching for information about bringing my g/f to uk, got the marraige visa sorted out, flights all booked, then BAM!!! was told at immigration at manila aiport she needed to attend one of theses seminars, why on earth is this information not freely available on the website.:bigcry: just hope now that the flights can be rearranged, and off course this "seminar" is a quick thing.

Thanks for listening. Rob

[tiger@tigress]

Well, was extremely frustrated about not knowing, after extensivly serching for information about bringing my g/f to uk, got the marraige visa sorted out, flights all booked, then BAM!!! was told at immigration at manila aiport she needed to attend one of theses seminars, why on earth is this information not freely available on the website.:bigcry: just hope now that the flights can be rearranged, and off course this "seminar" is a quick thing.

Thanks for listening. Rob

Yes she needs to attend CFO..... its a one day seminar :doh

[trebor]

just wish i'd knew this before, if so, she would have been arriving in the uk in 17hours

[eljean]

she can have it in manila ....tell her to bring picture of you together her birth certificate,passport, photocopy of her passport and her visa ang payment of 400 pesos the a whole day of seminar and stamping and issuance of CFO certificate.:)

[KeithD]

It does tell you in a lot of places. You are the first one I've come across in 7 years that didn't know.....you should be proud :)

[joebloggs]

:omg: even my wife knew and went on it :xxgrinning--00xx3:
academically she is :xxgrinning--00xx3: but not so good with remembering things :NoNo:

[KeithD]

:omg: even my wife knew and went on it :xxgrinning--00xx3:
academically she is :xxgrinning--00xx3: but not so good with remembering things :NoNo:
She keeps forgetting to support Man U...and gets the LIVERPOOL flag out :xxgrinning--00xx3:

That'll be LIVERPOOL.....you know...the team getting a nice NEW stadium...and has NO DEBT :D

[walesrob]

She keeps forgetting to support Man U...and gets the LIVERPOOL flag out :xxgrinning--00xx3:

That'll be LIVERPOOL.....you know...the team getting a nice NEW stadium...and has NO DEBT :D

Is that the one thats owned by some Americans? :D

[joebloggs]

She keeps forgetting to support Man U...and gets the LIVERPOOL flag out :xxgrinning--00xx3:

That'll be LIVERPOOL.....you know...the team getting a nice NEW stadium...and has NO DEBT :D

nah Mancs only use the liverpool flag when toilet paper is out :icon_lol:

newspapers value liverpool FC at just over £200 million, MANCHESTER UNITED value, is err oh,, bit more than £200 million , hmm what more than £700 million :yikes: :action-smiley-081:

good luck :xxgrinning--00xx3: , your 13 points behind, and your going to need the extra money to buy good players , unless you want to stay in 3rd or 4th place.

:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[trebor]

Thanks for all your comments, pity i hadn't found this site when was applying for everything, But she got the CFo thingmy and just waiting on what its going to cost for the reschedule of her flights and she'll be here. Im sure she'll have some comments on here when she's here.

[KeithD]

Just ignore the Mancs.....I only allow them on here to fill my goverment mentally ill quota :D

[trebor]

anyone know of anything that will try to waive some of the fees for rescheduling the flight, ( costing php15000)

[scotsfiancee]

anyone know of anything that will try to waive some of the fees for rescheduling the flight, ( costing php15000)

My hubby paid for £200 just to rescheduled his flights with the KLM. So not that bad :omg:

[KeithD]

Expensive lesson.......I lose a few grand a year on betting errors :Brick:

[andypaul]

anyone know of anything that will try to waive some of the fees for rescheduling the flight, ( costing php15000)

Doctors note unable to fly for a few days due to a medical condtion?

[5olidsnake]

do have to go to seminar after the fiancee visa has been issued or can you attend before ??

is it valid for a certain time ?

[scotsfiancee]

do have to go to seminar after the fiancee visa has been issued or can you attend before ??

is it valid for a certain time ?

She can attend the seminar in SMEF-COW before or after she gets her visa. But i would suggest her to do seminar when she have the visa, coz after that she will have to go to the CFO for the sticker. Do in one time at all!!

It Save's time and fare!

[5olidsnake]

thanks
regards martin

[Jay&Zobel]

do have to go to seminar after the fiancee visa has been issued or can you attend before ??

is it valid for a certain time ?



yep it is a must that anyone who will travel outside the country must attend that CFO / PRISM thing just to secure the sticker and certificate of attendance (that will be attached in the passport)

well, the UKVACS will not tell you what to do next after the visa has been sorted. or will never advice you to attend such seminar. all they care is your visa application.

coz when i was applying for the visa i phoned the UKVACS and asked what other steps that should be done and asked about the CFO seminar (which i just heard and learned from the forum) and you know what did they tell me:
"Maam, once you have the visa you can fly anytime you like etc... and sorry we dont know about that seminar thing, we are only concerend with your visa application..":Brick:

and when i was in the seminar too, there was this guy who was bound for US but he failed to secure the CFO sticker (coz he did not know & was not adviced to do so):bigcry:

so yeah, its a prerequisite that you know the seminar, do researches etc, just stick with this site and you'll be in good hands...

Thank you again!!!
God bless this forum!:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[andypaul]

The CFO though people not realising they need to do it or getting an adviser on the wrong day seems to cause as much worry and grief as the Visa application. it seems from what i have read and experienced over the last few years.

My Wife had to go before the visa application to get a letter so her name could be changed in her passport.

As i have mentioned before the wife met a lady who had her us visa but was turned away at the airport. Also a lady applying to go to the UK who had not followed the correct procedure with regards their wedding (the reason escapes me now).
My Wife and another young lady had no problems during the seminar (there were only three on that day) Basically they had both done everything asked of them correctly and could prove a knowledge of their husbands and where they were from. Knowledge of middle name, where they live in the UK and what they do for a living are three examples of questions which were asked at the time.

Like any who have been though the process will know, research and following the procedure to the letter, are very important in reducing the chances of having any problems.

[Mrs Daddy]

I was surprised Mr.Trebor when you and your g/f specially not know about this cfo seminar thing.maybe you not done your further research in this site.because i really know about seminar thing because of filipinouk site.and in fact i was the one who told my hubby about it and explain to him everything.well,anyway you get everything sorted,just wish your gf a safe and comftable journey and good luck to both of you.God Bless!

[trebor]

Well, if i knew about this site before hand, she would have been here by now, but think (Hope) she's got everything and arrives here Tuesday.

[KeithD]

Well, if i knew about this site before hand, she would have been here by now, but think (Hope) she's got everything and arrives here Tuesday.
That's the day we leave for Florida.......:xxgrinning--00xx3:

Wednesday Headlines on Sky: Mickey Mouse punched by Scouser, and nailed to McDonalds sign by testacles :D

[fontain]

Hi all,

Now that my girls visa has finally been issued, its a mad rush and I am just trying to cover everything and anything b4 I book the flight.

I have just been reading this post and about these seminars etc etc and have been trying to find out exactly what we need to do via the Phils gov website but frankly thats like looking for a needle in a haystack :Erm:

If someone with recent experience of bringing their fiancee to the UK could kindly tell me exactly what we need to do to avoid any more problems then I would appreciate it

My fiancee has just been issued her visa so I am looking to book flights ASAP but need to be sure whether or not she needs to go to one of these seminars or not and if she does, whats the best way to go about it

Thanks in advance

[KeithD]

She needs to attend the seminar or they won't let her out!!

[IainBusby]

My fiancee has just been issued her visa so I am looking to book flights ASAP but need to be sure whether or not she needs to go to one of these seminars or not and if she does, whats the best way to go about it
Thanks in advance

She does need to attend a seminar or she won't be allowed to board a plane. Here are the websites for SMEF-COW at both Manila an Cebu...

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/fs_cebu.htm

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/fs_manila.htm

[andypaul]

From what i remeber you need to go along on the correct day for uk visa holders.
Get there real early and speak to the guard. At the moment my expert on CFOs (the Wife) is away at the moment. But im sure she had to book in or obtain a ticket. The you queue up this will be real early, the Wife and a Tita of hers said in a nearby Hotel to get there early.

Your wife is then let in and the seminar take the best part of a day. Then you need to obatin the stamp and paperwork for the passport.

The latest details others will know but its best to take all the evidence you had for the Visa application in case you are asked for it.

Whatever you do don't try to fly with out geting the stamp. You may get away with it if the first leg of the flight is local or the airport imgration is not paying attenion. But it unlikely they will let you though most phils passports are checked by both the airline and the airport in great detail.

I have seen people randomly picked on for passport checks while going though the departure area of manila airport.


If you did manage to get out of the airport, it could possibly cause problems in the future if your wife wanted to fly in and out of manila.

[fontain]

Thanks for the tips,

I just have a couple of questions.

Does she have to registar before she goes there or can it all be done on the same day (registration and counselling fees)

Also she is not my wife yet, its a fiancee visa, so is the process exactly the same as if we were already married

Also any tips on one way fares, the best I got so far is 749 dollars on Singapore airlines which at todays rates is about £370 which I think is quite reasonable

[5olidsnake]

http://www.emirates.com/uk/
http://www.emirates.com/ph/index.asp
same price on both (1200 dollars in febuary)


saturday 3 march USD 575.27
sunday 4 march USD 575.27

manila / dubai / birmingham

[andypaul]

Thanks for the tips,

I just have a couple of questions.

Does she have to registar before she goes there or can it all be done on the same day (registration and counselling fees)

Also she is not my wife yet, its a fiancee visa, so is the process exactly the same as if we were already married

Also any tips on one way fares, the best I got so far is 749 dollars on Singapore airlines which at todays rates is about £370 which I think is quite reasonable

Just turn up on the day unless its changed (which it might so hopefully those more up to date will advise in more detail)

From what i read over the years from peoples posts the process is the same for both. Im sure the Ladies on the site can advise better than me.

370 sounds good also singapore are a good airline from what others here and elsewhere have said/written. If your fiancee is flying on her own its probably better to use a decent airline than one which has longstop overs and maybe not so good a service from the staff.

If your in london might be worth checking with one of the numerous specliaists uk-phill travel agencies based here.

[5olidsnake]

or this one if your girl is good at airports (210 quid i think, may be)

http://www.cebupacificair.com/

manila / hong kong
28 feb PHP 6,770

http://www.oasishongkong.com/gb/en/home.aspx

hong kong / london gatwick
28 feb GBP 130.37

[fontain]

Thanks chaps, will look into these in depth tomorrow and let you know how I get on.....

:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[fontain]

Hi all,

Managed to get a good deal on a one way phils to London

All flights are now booked and my girl is due to arrive next Friday morning.. :xxgrinning--00xx3:
Total cost for one way flight Manila to Gatwick apprx £190.00 at under two weeks till flight date

She booked Manila to Hong Kong through cebu pacific for just under 5000 peso including tax, leaves Manila at 19.10 and arrives HK 21.10

Then flies Oasis Hong Kong to London which I booked for £130.00, which leaves HK at 01.30am and arrives Gatwick 06.20am

Shes also gotta pay 1600 peso exit tax when she leaves manila!

So shes got about 4 hrs turn around time in HK but she is quite a seasoned traveller and has been through HK before so that shouldnt be a problem

I wouldnt recommend this for someone travelling abroad for the first time as they will have to navigate HK and re-check in there but compared to the other prices I was being quoted for a one way this rocks

Although I somehow told her she could spend the difference once she gets here :omg:

So i've shot myself in the foot anyway:bigcry:

[5olidsnake]

good news !!! great price

hope it goes well

im travelling the other way next friday morning 2 march , with KLM from birmingham (too far to travel down to gatwick)

regards martin

[fontain]

Thats the same day my missus arrives !

I was out there just before xmas and flew KLM via amsterdam, pretty good journey, but I flew via London city rather than one of the biggies

The long haul between Ams & manilla was nice though, had 3 seats between two people on the way out and 3 seats all to myself on the way back.

What I would suggest is if you are almost ready to take off and you spy an empty 3 seats either jump in them prior to take off or as soon as the seatbelt light goes out get in there, that way you can get some sleep laying out.

But you gotta be quick and a bit cheeky but 13 and a half hrs of comfort is worth it

[5olidsnake]

will look out for the spare seats,

i was there 26 dec n new year !!

but never saw any empty seats plane was rammed and in october

could do with the sleep, can never doze off sitting upright

[A_flyer]

Well, was extremely frustrated about not knowing, after extensivly serching for information about bringing my g/f to uk, got the marraige visa sorted out, flights all booked, then BAM!!! was told at immigration at manila aiport she needed to attend one of theses seminars, why on earth is this information not freely available on the website.:bigcry: just hope now that the flights can be rearranged, and off course this "seminar" is a quick thing.
I'm just jumping lately on this, but all the foreign Embassies knows this as it's required by Philippines laws. When I inquired first at French Embassy to get a Fiancé visa for my now wife, it was indicated in the package of documents to get for the visa with addresses (including opening hours and web site) where to get the CFO seminar. I just asked some complementary informations from the Consul Secretary, so I had the full infos when I got the papers to fill-in for the visa request.
The British Embassy didn't warn you about it?

[andypaul]

I'm just jumping lately on this, but all the foreign Embassies knows this as it's required by Philippines laws. When I inquired first at French Embassy to get a Fiancé visa for my now wife, it was indicated in the package of documents to get for the visa with addresses (including opening hours and web site) where to get the CFO seminar. I just asked some complementary informations from the Consul Secretary, so I had the full infos when I got the papers to fill-in for the visa request.
The British Embassy didn't warn you about it?


Knowing the Brit Embassy they probaly put a small passage of text on the web site, saying please make sure your aware of the local goverment regulations and procedure blah blah.

[fontain]

Not their problem I guess, already got your money :Erm: