CFO, what is their purpose, can an interviewee fail ?

[johncar54]

I sent this as an email to CFO but so far have not had a reply. Can anyone else give me the answers please?

The email:-

Hello, I would be grateful if you are able to answer a couple of questions for me.



I am married to a Filipino and we live in Spain. We have a male friend who is intending to marry his girl friend in Philippines next February. He has been asking me lots of questions and I an anxious to help him all I can.



Re the CFO interviews:-



1 What is the purpose of them?

2 What happens if the interviewee cannot answer some question ?

3 What happens if the interviewee considers the questions to be too personal and refuses to answer ?

4 Can a person ‘fail’ the interview ?

5 Our male friend lives in Spain where he has ‘Residencia’ status. When married he would bring his wife to Spain to live. He has dual nationality, Irish and British. Which interview should his fiancée attend, the Irish, British or Spanish?



Many thanks, best regards John

[johncar54]

I asked last question because when my wife attended the CFO interview we went on the day for Spain, as she was going to live in Spain.

She was told to go back on the day for UK was she was marrying an Englishman.

We emailed CFO and they confirmed she needed to go on the day for UK. However, when my wife went to CFO to get the stamp, after she had her Spanish visa, she was told she should have been interviewed on the day for Spain. It was only when I showed the officer the email from CFO saying she should attend the UK course they put the stamp in her passport.

[menchkin]

You may want to check out this site - http://www.cfo.gov.ph
As far as I know, the CFO is just a seminar and no interview. Once you're done with the seminar you are ready to get the CFO stamp on your passport.

[benb]

I sent this as an email to CFO but so far have not had a reply. Can anyone else give me the answers please?

The email:-

Hello, I would be grateful if you are able to answer a couple of questions for me.



I am married to a Filipino and we live in Spain. We have a male friend who is intending to marry his girl friend in Philippines next February. He has been asking me lots of questions and I an anxious to help him all I can.

Re the CFO interviews:-



1 What is the purpose of them?

2 What happens if the interviewee cannot answer some question ?

3 What happens if the interviewee considers the questions to be too personal and refuses to answer ?

4 Can a person ‘fail’ the interview ?

5 Our male friend lives in Spain where he has ‘Residencia’ status. When married he would bring his wife to Spain to live. He has dual nationality, Irish and British. Which interview should his fiancée attend, the Irish, British or Spanish?



Many thanks, best regards John

Hi John,

My wife went to CFO office about a month ago. There was no interview, its just a short seminar, no hassle and she got a stamp afterwards, same day. It was 250 peso + 400 Peso, in total I think.

First come first serve basis.

Just choose the husband's nationality stated on the NSO wedding certificate.

Cheers,

[menchkin]

Hi John,

My wife went to CFO office about a month ago. There was no interview, its just a short seminar, no hassle and she got a stamp afterwards, same day. It was 250 peso + 400 Peso, in total I think.

First come first serve basis.

Just choose the husband's nationality stated on the NSO wedding certificate.

Cheers,

This is the same info I got when I phoned CFO Manila 2 weeks ago.

[johncar54]

Thanks for the two very quick replies.

My wife was at atned the 'interview' at the Good Shepherd Convent at Caticlan. Taht was two and a bit years ago. All the people attending were subjected to what they perceived to be 'hostile' questioning. Hopefully things have changed or maybe other centres are more friendly.

[A_flyer]

Thanks for the two very quick replies.

My wife was at atned the 'interview' at the Good Shepherd Convent at Caticlan. Taht was two and a bit years ago. All the people attending were subjected to what they perceived to be 'hostile' questioning. Hopefully things have changed or maybe other centres are more friendly.

If your wife passed it 2 years ago, what's the use now to ask them something?
You don't need to do it several times. Once is enough.

[andypaul]

If your wife passed it 2 years ago, what's the use now to ask them something?
You don't need to do it several times. Once is enough.

Hes asking on behalf of others as they are in a similar postion.

From the experience my Wife and I had John a lady on her interview was so ill prepared had no idea where she was going to and the couple of the whole didn't have the correct paperwork.
A lady my Wife met going on the US interview while waiting had been denied the right to travel at the airport, because she didn't have the CFO stamp Sso as well as any usefullness of protecting phills traveling abroad due to the importance of the stamp. Im sure many jobsworth and little hitlers get there kicks from hoop jumping)

Many clued up or with contacts with recent prior experience will be ok but there are some out there who for their own sakes shouldn't travel.
But i can remeber that there were big issues on a us board where the CFO was causing loads of grief due to the issue of the applicant not being able to answer simple questions such as her hubbys middle name or where she was to live (which town) and this was before mobiles were as common and when to call back from the west was far more expensive

[johncar54]

If your wife passed it 2 years ago, what's the use now to ask them something?
You don't need to do it several times. Once is enough.

Sorry but I had made it clear in my opening post that I was enquiring for a friend who will mary in Feb 2009.

In a subsequent post, I was explaining how my wife's experience had been different from that of others, who had replied to my post.

[Ana_may365]

cfo is a seminar for all the woman who marrying the foreighner.they watch a films about filipina who marry a foreighner that if she go to his hubby's country somes filipina became a slave,hubby makes her punching bag,some push to became a prostitute.in seminar,they told u to make a diary since u arrive in ur hubby's country,so that u have a prove that ur hubby's hurting u[it depends if what did u write in ur diary/if its true that ur hubby hurting u or what he did when u live with him]but no body's failed there,its not like in british embassy.they want to see ur photo w/hubby also.

[johncar54]

Anna May365.

Thanks for your post. The photo is a new one to me, but from the replies so far it would seem what happens is different, probably from office to office, maybe day to day and who conducts the process.

I will post the reply I get from CFO, assuming that I do!

[johncar54]

cfo is a seminar for all the woman who marrying the foreigner

I think its for all Filipinos (male and female) who are going abroad to live or to work, whether married or not. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I have an email from the Immigration Dept. that it does not apply to those going on holiday to another country.

[johncar54]

Sorry, :-

"cfo is a seminar for all the woman who marrying the foreigner"

was a quote from Ana's reply. I am new here I thought I had shown it in italics

[andypaul]

HI guys,

I'm just wondering how much it cost to get married in England?

Ta!

Thats a big question

Church or cvill?

just a wedding or reception as well?

How many guests?

What area of the country?

Give us a few clues and im sure people could give you a rough estimate

[Geraldine]

It depends how much your are willing to spend for the wedding, you can have a grand one -a church wedding and hotel reception or just a simple one - civil wedding and home reception. Plus other miscellaneous expense of course. But for sure more expensive here than having it in Phil.

[johncar54]

It seems ANDYPAUL posted his question, on cost of marriage in UK, here by mistake. He has reposted in Legal under the thread

"How much does it cost to get married in England"

I would be grateful if this thread could continue as started, i.e. the CFO interview

Thanks Guys

[andypaul]

It seems ANDYPAUL posted his question, on cost of marriage in UK, here by mistake. He has reposted in Legal under the thread

"How much does it cost to get married in England"

I would be grateful if this thread could continue as started, i.e. the CFO interview

Thanks Guys

um i just replied to the person who first posted the question was not sure if it was a question relating to what they ask at CFO.
From what my wife mentioned was asked of her group (some fairly leftfield questions in among the expected) it didn't seem impossible they might ask a similar question.

Many topics on here meander a little, normally with help from Mr Admin

[Ana_may365]

its my reply to johncar54.sorry coz when i attend the seminar in cfo at that time.i didnt see any male there.and when we go to one room we are all woman.and at that time i fetch all my papers even all our pictures together wherever we go[thai & phils]and also at that time my hubby's original b.cert is together with all my papers work,so i shown it to the woman who is incharge to seminar us.and she shown it also to all in that room.

[johncar54]

I have just been chatting with my wife about her interview at the Good Shepherd Convent (CFO). As a result, I have found a web site that refers to:-

"CFO – SMEF-COW procedures".

It would seem that they are different from CFO, as described by others here. Also, my wife has now told me that some of the other women at her interview had failed to get the 'pass' on a previous occasion or failed when she was there.

Amongst the questions my wife was ask was, what was the full maiden name of my mother and what was her telephone number ( I was 66 at the time) what schools had I attended, what were my grades, what was the reason for my divorce ...........

After seeing the films about Filipino wives being beat up and even killed by their foreign husbands she was ask, did she really want to get married and go to live abroad.


Sorry but I am getting more and more confused CFO, SMEF-COW et al.

As I said earlier, I have sent an email to CFO, I just hope they reply and clarify things.

[Ana_may365]

as for me johncar54,ur wife should knows all about u.even about ur family,if do u have kids in ur past?even the names of ur mom & dad?u should both talk about that b4 like what we did with my hubby.yes it is right also,they want to know if ur wife knows ur no.[landline or cp]she should knows about it.i dont know coz b4 i attend that seminar i have a friend who attend a month ago first b4 me.and she is the one who told me all about the simenar,thats why im ready at that time.and they need also a contact landline no.from ur wife[i give my bestfriend landline no.]

[johncar54]

Ana


My wife did know the answers, although whilst waiting for her I was chatting with another guy who was waiting for his wife/fiancée. He said, as the interviewers do not know the answers to the questions the interviewee can say anything she likes, they will not know if it’s correct or not.

If that is true and I guess it must be, because where would they get the info, it seems to detract from the purpose (I think that is to give some protection to Filipinos when they are in foreign lands).

I see on the list of items required, which includes two IDs and completed forms etc there is:- 'and any other document which may be required by the counselor.' That seems to open the door to almost anything !

[andypaul]

Ana


My wife did know the answers, although whilst waiting for her I was chatting with another guy who was waiting for his wife/fiancée. He said, as the interviewers do not know the answers to the questions the interviewee can say anything she likes, they will not know if it’s correct or not.

If that is true and I guess it must be, because where would they get the info, it seems to detract from the purpose (I think that is to give some protection to Filipinos when they are in foreign lands).

I see on the list of items required, which includes two IDs and completed forms etc there is:- 'and any other document which may be required by the counselor.' That seems to open the door to almost anything !

Im sure you can tell porkies and get the ok. Thats truth of many things. Look how many people had self certified

From what i have seen and read many Women who fail its not due to nerves, but for reasons like they really dont know where they are going or much about the guy they are going to be with.

Im sure many of the ladys interviewing can see if a applicant was mature and knew her own mind and about you/the palce she is going she would not have too hard a time.
The Lady who took my Wifes interview had been abroad and to the UK i dont know if all have. This might catch out some who made up parts about where they were going possibly?

Yesterday there was a post about interviews at the embassy being tough. I presume many of us Brits are interviewed or in meetings as a regular part of our education and working lives. But it may not be for many phills it will be a new experience I'm sure.

I noticed many of the women who have worked in office type jobs etc in phill and/or other countries barely mention the CFO so it maybe a case of what people have experienced in their pasts possibly?

[A_flyer]

Sorry John, I didn't see that you were asking question for another person.

CFO is no more organising seminars and interview for years, they subcontracted it to SMEF-COW and PRISM.
It should be similar in both location, but with their different spirit.

You can fail the seminar if at the end they do not release you the CFO certificate (it happend to my wife who had to go there 2 times as at the interview they were requesting some extra documents translated in English). By the way getting a false CFO certificate is not useful as it's recorded in their computer system... and they check it before issuing the stamp.

Whithout the certificate, you can't get the CFO stamp after you get the visa and so you can't travel on a Fiancé or Spouse visa (usually you're blocked at immigration, even if some escape and were able to travel anyway). But they may be blocked on the next travel...

By the way, I may be wrong but I wouldn't expect they e-mail you back... Better let the Fiancé/Spouse to call them from the Philippines as the "foreigner" is not at all involved in the process. I was even not allowed to enter the CFO when we came back there together.

[johncar54]

Hi Yves

Without the certificate, you can't get the CFO stamp after you get the visa and so you can't travel on a Fiancé or Spouse visa (usually you're blocked at immigration, even if some escape and were able to travel anyway). But they may be blocked on the next travel...

By the way, I may be wrong but I wouldn't expect they e-mail you back... Better let the Fiancé/Spouse to call them from the Philippines as the "foreigner" is not at all involved in the process. I was even not allowed to enter the CFO when we came back there together.
__________________

I have lived in Spain for 20 years so I am accustomed to accepting that what countries do varies, but I must say I am a little ruffled when a democratic country can prevent its citizens, who have committed no crime, from leaving. In this case I do not see any tremendous difference between a person going for say a 3/6 month holiday, visiting a friend in another country, no seminar or stamp needed, with a person who is going to visit a fiancée with a view to getting married.

I did experience being totally excluded both at the seminar and then when we went to CFO to get the stamp, however, on that occasion I was allowed by a guard to sit at the back providing I did not say anything.

I have on a previous occasion had a reply to an email from CFO, but as you say, I don’t necessarily expect one this time, but it would be civilised.

[A_flyer]

I have lived in Spain for 20 years so I am accustomed to accepting that what countries do varies, but I must say I am a little ruffled when a democratic country can prevent its citizens, who have committed no crime, from leaving.

That's just their law (Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Orders No. 28-94 and No. 11-97). That's the same everywhere: if you do not have the correct papers to travel, you will be blocked at immigration. It's not unusual, I saw it several times.

I have on a previous occasion had a reply to an email from CFO, but as you say, I don’t necessarily expect one this time, but it would be civilised.

I agree.

[johncar54]

That's the same everywhere: if you do not have the correct papers to travel, you will be blocked at immigration


Hi Yves


I don't want to split hair but in most countries, one does not pass through any Government check (Emigration) to leave ones own country. At airports the checks made to ensure you have the correct travel documents are made by the airlines, as they are responsible to return you to the country of origin if the country you are travelling to will not admit you.

That is, at say UK or Schengen airports there is in effect no Emigration Dept, (people leaving) only Immigration, as the country is interested in who is arriving, not who is leaving.

[A_flyer]

That is, at say UK or Schengen airports there is in effect no Emigration Dept, (people leaving) only Immigration, as the country is interested in who is arriving, not who is leaving.

That's totally false. In all airports having international flights (to outside Schengen space for a Schengen country) you have to pass thru immigration control at departure. An a person who is banned leaving the country will not pass thru (an bann is valid from all Schengen countries as the immigration database is shared between Schengen states).

You are mixing countries borders and Schengen space: NO immigration fort travelling between two schengen countries, but immigration control for going in a country outside Schengen space. I pass immigration control in Toulouse airport each time I fly to England...

[johncar54]

Yves

I think you mean when you leave France, going to a country outside Schengen, you go through passport control. Have you ever been questioned about why you are leaving France ? Did you ever need any special paperwork to allow you to leave France?

That was the point I was making.

In an effort to agree with you I have searched yahoo, ask etc for any reference to a UK Gov Emigration Dept, without finding one. Maybe you can find one and let me know what it is so I can read up on it.


Thanks John

[johncar54]

Yves,

Just to clarify.

I am making a distinction between Emigration, leaving a country and Immigration, entering a country.

I know that the Philippines blur this distinction and use Emigration to include Immigration.

Regards John

[andypaul]

Yves

I think you mean when you leave France, going to a country outside Schengen, you go through passport control. Have you ever been questioned about why you are leaving France ? Did you ever need any special paperwork to allow you to leave France?

That was the point I was making.

In an effort to agree with you I have searched yahoo, ask etc for any reference to a UK Gov Emigration Dept, without finding one. Maybe you can find one and let me know what it is so I can read up on it.


Thanks John

You may soon have one.

As part of the reason in the huge rise of Visas a year or so ago was at the time claimed to be part to fund stamping and checking British visas on the way out. Also generally tighten up the borders, from the very brief explantion i read.
It may effect only non british/eu passport holder but i would think they would want to check all passports.

We all need another goverment agency dont we