Yes, I think ECOs are deliberately obstructive, especially in cases where the english guy has been living in England and the filipina in the philippines.Do we have any feedback for the reasons for refusal ? thats the problem its ok saying "They were refused" what we need is details of why such a visa was declined, in any event a written reasons have to be given for any refusal, and it has to be reviwed in 24 hours.
By a line Manager, or is this a case of the Embassy ECO's being deliberately obstructive, I wonder ..... Manila and Bangkok are paticiularly known for being obstructive.
Although I was told they are getting better, although according to Rockman his only took 15 minutes to be issued.
Its a shame we cant get any feedback from people who have been declined, in other words, what were the written reasons for refusal.
The only reasons should be either:
The ECO is not satisfied that the couple intend to live together as man and wife, or the applicant has not satisfied the ECO that they intend to settle as man and wife.
Or that they applicant may be a burden on public funds.
Or has not got adequate accomodation to live in.
I cant see any other reasons for refusal, if the paperwork is wrong regarding the marriage procedures in the Philippines I see no reason to refuse a visa, other than to get the applicant to reapply with the correct paperwork.
Hmmm we need some honest feedback from people.
I am a lawyer in the uK - I have friends who are immigration lawyers and manila and bangkok embassies are known throughout the profession as being particularly obstructive and harsh and downright unpleasant. They have also told me that a good proportion of successful appeals are overturning ridiculously harsh decisions of manila and bangkok ECOs, more than other embassies. If there is the slightest reason they can find to refuse an application, they will. Not following the correct procedure in the philippines in terms of getting married will mean they will definitely refuse, even though they know it will most likely be overturned on appeal. Firstly, they know that appealing is ery time consuming and expensive for the applicant - if it's a genuine marriage, they reason that the couple will pursue it and if it's not, they'll just give up (a very harsh approach) and secondly, when their decisions are overturned, I was informed by a contact at the Manila embassy itself that they will then AUTOMATICALLY issue the visa, even though the ECO has the right of appeal against your appeal, and that they NEVER challenge a court overturning their decision - which must mean they know their decisions are so harsh that they expect them to be overturned.
For those who've been told to come back in three weeks, it's probably because the Embassy is making a direct check with the NSO for the filipina's marital history, to ensure there are no previous marriages lurking about. They know a lot of (poorer) filipinas marry someone when they're about 18 having got pregnant, then, as there's no divorce, marry a foriegner later to escape to a better life. In a country where education is so poor and prospects for improvement are about zero, and there is no divorce and anullment is financially out of reach for the average filipino, it seems a particularly harsh way of penalising the poorest and the less educated, who are nothing but victims of their own country's appalling education system.
Occasionally, a decent ECO slips through the net, or an application is so well presented that not even they can find a flaw - in which case, a visa gets issued pretty quickly. It does happen - sadly, the whole process is a lottery and it seems that equitable treatment is not on the agenda.
Applications are refused because of accommodation, finances, procedure flaws, previous marriages, lack of contact/evidence to prove a genuine relationship, all sorts. If they can find a flaw, they'll use it, sadly.
The British embassy in manila does not make one proud to be British. It makes one quite ashamed.
) I returned to the Embassy to ask on progress. Now because of security, I was forced to call one of the ECO's from the downstairs lobby (I was not even allowed into my own Embassy!!
, and I was given a predictable answer "Sir the issue of your wifes visa has been deferred until local checks are completed. We will call your wife in about 3 - 5 weeks". 
