Quote Originally Posted by IainBusby
Hi Rob & Elsa, Don't get me started on money, its not just the Philippine government, it seems to be everyone who has even a thimbleful of authority.

Do you know, because of some legal stuff that had to be tied up, my wife and I only just managed to get married just before my return. Well, we managed to find a judge (and I use the term very loosely, you understand) who said it would cost us P5,000 and we would have to pay this up front. Well because it was all a bit last minute and he had us over a barrel so to speak, I aggreed to pay this. but as we were in the cab going to the wedding venue, with all the invited family and guests also on their way, we got a call from the judge's secretary saying that the judge wanted another P5,000 to come and marry us, otherwise he wouldn't be there. This of course had to be paid before the ceremony took place. You know its hard getting married when you have an almost irresistable urge to punch the man who is marrying you in the face.
I don't know quite what my little part of the Philippines does so well, but my wife has had two passports over there, with no hassle, no bribes, she has had two different UK visas, we then got married, by a nice judge, thus three CFO visits, we got our daughter christened, got her birth certificates, (UK and Philippines) got her passport, got her immigration clearance sorted (because she was born there), all with no real hassle.

We also got my mum in laws passport, her visa, her CFO visit, her clearance and there was never a hint of a cock up with any of it.

Either we got real good luck, or the god of immigration was in a good mood those days.

I've heard real nightmares about girls just trying to get passports, but my wife applied, and they gave it to her, both times, no bother at all, no questions, no bribes or BS

Maybe she has a nice smile?