Petes Guide to the Role of the Entry Clearance Officers of the British Embassy Manila Philippines.


For the next few weeks I am going to be writing one or two articles mainly for the Filipina to research, the reason I am doing this, is because the Filipina is the Applicant, she is generally the one who has to make a convincing argument that her relationship is genuine and that her application is to be taken seriously, the sponsor, generally the husband/fiance has little to do other than provide evidence of savings, income and accomodation.

Lets take a look at the attitudes to the interview by Entry Clearance Officers at the British Embassy in Manila.

Firstly, Entry Clearance Officers in developing countries such as the Philippines tend to be subjective in their opinions of an applicant, the phrase "They think every applicant is either 1. a Bar girl, or 2. an economic migrant".

But let us deal here with the methodology used in asking questions, which at times is highly suspect, they tend to forget that they are dealing with a race of people who are not used to confrontational style questioning.

Many applicants in developing countries not just the Philippines tend to compain of Police style questioning and intimadation during an interview, naturally the ECO's will deny this, but the applicant feels it nevertheless.

Lets look at the methodolgy of the questions.


Firstly we all know it is the job of the ECO to establish the facts of an application, he or she will do this through a series of questions, the applicant is at the mercy of there own responses to such questions, ECO's are briefed as to the guidelines they may use when asking questions, however, there is no evidence available to prove whether they do this or not.

I will give you one specific example of this.

ECO: So are you telling me..you met your husband on the internet, surely you cant expect me to believe you fell in love with him.

Applicant: Yes Sir I did, we have known each other for 2 years, but we just fell in love !

ECO: Really ? how could that be the case, you had not met ?

Applicant: Well sir, it just happened, We had been communicating so long over the net, and texting and calling, so we fell in love ?

ECO: Rubbish !!!!



Here we have a classic example of the ECO using an abrupt cut off, firstly its a clever way of causing the applicant to be silent, and unless the applicant is more assertive and rebuttles the ECO's statement, he or she may decide the relationship is not genuine.

The applicant has to be more assertive but at the same time without appearing to be rude to the ECO.

For example look at this.


Applicant: Sir you are of course entitled to your own opinion, however I have told you the truth regarding my relationship with xxxxx, we are in love, since then my husband/fiance has been to visit me, we enjoyed a very loving relationship, and now I wish to join my husband/fiance as we intend to live together for the rest of our lives.


Now looking at the above reply, the ECO has little choice than to accept that what he has in front of him or her, is a genuine relationship that fits the rules, no amount of abrupt cut offs; is going to change that, the ECO has to accept that on the balance of probability, that the applicant certainly beleives that she will live with her husband or fiance after marriage permamently in the United Kingdom, remembering of course, that it is unlikely that the husband or fiance is likely to be called forward to be interviewed seperately, therefore, the evidence has been submitted orally and decidedly.

So Fililipina applicants have to be aware of Abrupt cut offs...ECO'S use them very successfully, they should not be allowed to get away with making such abrupt cut offs, but sadly they do, tilt the buoy in your favour, learn how to answer abrupt cut offs.