Quote Originally Posted by Ady View Post
There are lots of things to remember - and I am not surprised that somethings are forgotten by some people (despite all the advice here).

I mean, to be honest Aromulus, what would Stentona have searched for? I only found out about CFO recently by accident (reading loads of messages). Maybe there is somewhere that checklists can be added, instead of quickly saying "Well, we told you so, somewhere in this forum if you cared to search for the CFO that you weren't even aware of"?

Not being funny, but flippancy is the last thing that Stentona wants to see. He has just lost more money (and we know these things ain't cheap), has to reschedule the wedding, and it is very stressful even at the best of times.

I made a post the other day about the VFS - and all I got was "Where have you been? There's been loads of messages on here about it". Is it really a crime to post things that have already been mentioned? Is it also a crime not to check into this forum every few hours? I am sure, just by me posting, some other person in a similar position would have been made aware of the VFS situation just by me making a duplicate posting. Sometimes I don't think it is enough to say "Well, you should have searched on here shouldn't you?". Sometimes there are things we are not aware of, and there is no way of searching about it - unless you read loads of the messages in the archive when you have a spare few hours around wedding arrangements, application documents, and everything else.

Maybe I am speaking out of turn, and I apologise if I am. This forum has a wealth of information, but as more members are cuddled up with their new wives in the UK, we see more of an "I'm alright Jack" kind of attitude.
I take all your points on board, and admit I might have sounded a bit offhand, which was not my intention to be.

The crux of the matter is the CFO....
In the view of the multitude it is unneeded and unwanted, but the PI gov instituted it in the defence of people leaving the country, to give them a bit of info to what they may expect and how to get out of it.


For my wife success in getting here without hitches, I, like many others on this forum have searched online and also by phone to the Phil embassy about anything that was needed.
This site, for me, has been a wealth of information and I will be forever grateful to Keith for its inception.


While we were processing the Marriage Certificate, I did ask Jet to attend the CFO seminar. After she finished, she did get a small certificate of attendance, which she converted into the all important sticker on her passport, after receipt of her Family Permit (which incidentally at CFO Cebu were totally ignorant of such thing exixsting).


I spent hours researching, putting my job in second place where it belongs, like no doubt any others, until nearly goggleyed, so what I cannot understand why some people don't bother doing a little homework before presenting it to Teacher....

I am extremely sorry that the member lost money on a ticket and peace of mind and extra distress for the both of them. And I wish them all the best in a successfull outcome.



2 Days Ago
Quote Originally Posted by Ady View Post
Vfs
Yikes, just realised that you no longer send your application via ABOITZ from the provinces. Instead you have to take your application to the VFS office in Manila - crazy! Considering the nature of the PI, it is difficult and expensive to get from many islands to Manila, and that requires an overnight stay. Are there any plans for regional offices?
You see Ady, you realized just in time about something needed to do, which you were unaware of.
Probably you read something on the site that re-awakened your memory to it, and although it is a pain in the , you are resigned to it, because it is a necessary evil.

It is all down to research and how much you care for a successful outcome.

If I upset the member in question with my remark, I do apologize, but as they say in a Court of Law....

"Ignorance is not an excuse".....