progress report on my life

[bigmac]

2 major obstacles have now been resolved:

ive sold my house and banked the dosh---some of which will be the savings needed to cover the income shortfall in the sponsorship requirements.

( ive rented a superb seafront penthouse apartment till may--a place way beyond what i could afford to buy.)

i got my divorce through last week--a simple uncontested quickie--still took ages to process though.

my partner goes back to the filis in 3 weeks--end of her visit visa--how time flies.

we decided to try the annulment route--and the legal process is now underway. we are hoping this can be resolved by the middle of next year--about the time my sponsorship savings will have been in place for 6 months.

we now have a joint bank account--registered to my current address.

is there anything else we can do now to help expidite the visa application when the time comes ?

[Michael Parnham]

Hi Bigmac, I may not be able to reply regarding your question, but now you've got your divorce just be sensible with your finances and good luck with your future progress!

[gWaPito]

Hi Bigmac, I may not be able to reply regarding your question, but now you've got your divorce just be sensible with your finances and good luck with your future progress!

Wise words Michael.....''A fool and his money are easily separated'' Take your time Bigmac. You are at a major milestone

[bigmac]

we have been in a relationship over 2 years now--including the 11 month separation--living together for 10 months all told.

my last marriage was a bit of a disaster---i married again 5 years ago--after a year of living together. then i started to discover all was far from what the wife had told me--in fact she was a very convincing liar--a complete con artist.

when the truth came out--she offered to leave me--after a year of marriage--but i let her stay on--in a marriage of convenience. she needed somewhere to live and paid the bills. then one day i came home--and she had moved out ! i never saw that coming.

ive now divorced her--2 years separation with consent. shes already moved on to the next sucker.

[Michael Parnham]

Forget the past, now's the time to move forward with your life!

[Terpe]

Bigmac,
Firstly congrats that you got yourself into a good position financially to carry through a visa application.
Secondly, good news that your divorce went smoothly....seriously that is very good news.

Before spending bizillions on an annulment, may I kindly suggest you consider at least 3 professional proposals on how to achieve before embarking on a what could easily evolve into a 'money pit'
I say that largely based on the information you've previously divulged.

Good luck.
You have a great resource here in the forum from many who trodden that same path....listen to their experience and avoid the pitfalls

[bigmac]

Before spending bizillions on an annulment, may I kindly suggest you consider at least 3 professional proposals on how to achieve before embarking on a what could easily evolve into a 'money pit

thanks for that Terpe; things are now underway on that front---it seems annulment is a nice little earner for lawyers out there---unaffordable for the "ordinary" working person out there. its mainly a case of who you know-----say no more.

but we decided against the vegas wedding idea--mainly because we didnt want to risk putting her into a sort of law-breaking category (bigamy ) should she ever decide to return home at some stage.

time will tell. it seems the last 2 years have flown by now.

[Terpe]

Well at least you understand the risks involved. Keep your eye to the 'dosh flow' there can be white water rapids for the unwary.

Hope you'll keep us updated

[RickyR]

Good luck with the Annulment, keep on top of it throughout. We were told that Marvie's would take 6 months and it took 2 years in the end and cost 50% more then expected. However, I think she was unlucky with the court that was used because the judge regularly had medical issues which meant cancelled appointments as well as long annual holidays for the entire court and allocations of 10 minutes per hearing.... Hope this doesn't scare you, but just bear in mind that you really need to push for fast annulment through the right lawyers. Also, expect the judge to ask for a bonus before the process is completed and make sure they never find out that your fiancé has a white partner (or a partner at all). The annulment was one of the most stressful times of our lives.

Great news about everything else and I wish you all the best.

[bigmac]

thank you for that--Ricky R

may i ask how recent that was--and can you PM me the total costs involved ?

is there anyone else reading this who has had RECENT experience of annulment?

[Michael Parnham]

A friend of ours in Dumaguete paid p50,000 for her annulment!

[bigmac]

p50k is a bargain. ive heard the feeding frenzy usually works out a lot more.

[London_Manila]

I do realize that you are in love at the moment but with all the hassle involved with an annulment and all the added extra costs i would probably take the easy option and i find someone who was not married in the first place

There is no lack on suitable candidates out there

You have only recently been divorced and you want to dive in fast into another marriage

Take your time and enjoy yourself a bit before getting married would be my advice

Some women can change big style once they get that ring on their finger and their feet under the table

[bigmac]

i would probably take the easy option and i find someone who was not married in the first place

ha ha--yeah right. lol

but--seriously--thanks for all the well-meant advice!

they say theres no fool like an old fool--well--i'm 66 in a couple of months---and--unlike some--i like being married, and what man of my age wouldnt like a much younger--very attractive--woman to look after him in his old age.

ive been married 3 times before--1st ended after 14 years in a very acrimonious divorce. undeterred--i married again 3 years later--and had 24 years with a wonderful lady. i was with her in hospital when she died after a long illness 6 years ago.

my 3rd marriage ended after 1 year--through no fault of mine whatsoever.

i can't marry my partner till late 2014--by then we will have "been in a relationship" for 3 years.

maybe someone here can tell me just what i've got to lose?

[Terpe]

......maybe someone here can tell me just what ive got to lose?

Nothing to lose imho

Stay positive, be happy.....some folks enjoy the dark lonely comfort of defeatism.

[RickyR]

thank you for that--Ricky R

may i ask how recent that was--and can you PM me the total costs involved ?

is there anyone else reading this who has had RECENT experience of annulment?

This was finalised in 2010 and took 25 months all in all at a total cost of 300,000 php. Originally we were told it would cost 150,000 php. There was nothing complex about the case, but I just believe we were unlucky with the lawyer and also with the court. The lawyer 'forgot' about several hearings and the judge was an absolute pain. We had to provide the judge with an assistance fee at the end which partly explains the increase in fees and had he known that a 'foreigner' was involved that would have been larger.

I have been told that 150,000 is the norm, we were possibly unlucky. I have heard of cases been finished for less then 100,000 and in less then 6 months, yet I've also heard of cases lasting 5 years...

A good lawyer and a good court are what is needed.

[bigmac]

This was finalised in 2010 and took 25 months all in all at a total cost of 300,000 php. Originally we were told it would cost 150,000 php. There was nothing complex about the case, but I just believe we were unlucky with the lawyer and also with the court. The lawyer 'forgot' about several hearings and the judge was an absolute pain. We had to provide the judge with an assistance fee at the end which partly explains the increase in fees and had he known that a 'foreigner' was involved that would have been larger.

I have been told that 150,000 is the norm, we were possibly unlucky. I have heard of cases been finished for less then 100,000 and in less then 6 months, yet I've also heard of cases lasting 5 years...

A good lawyer and a good court are what is needed.

thanks for that ricky--we have been told of the " no boyfriend" advice--and the need for the bung to the judge--sorry--that should be "assistance fee"

we have been quoted 150K P all in--using a lawyer friend of the family, with good experience in annulment cases. and a timescale of 6 months.

ive also heard that unsuccessful lawyers have a habit of not living to a ripe old age. so it pays to use the right lawyers

so--only time will tell. if its not resolved by the end of 2014 we will take Terpes Las Vegas route.

by the way--we got engaged yesterday--christmas day!!

[SimonH]

Congrats

[RickyR]

Congratulations! It sounds like you have things in hand.

[grahamw48]

Congratulations on your engagement bigmac.

[Terpe]

....by the way--we got engaged yesterday--christmas day!!

Congratulations

[bigmac]

my fiancee flew back home yesterday--heard she was on the bus from manilla about an hour ago.

so--next phase begins.

[hawk]

well good luck am doing surrinder singh route to ireland least its all free and wife can be there same time and working too and only 3 months instead of waiting and lots of money i could save

[bigmac]

please keep us posted with that Hawk

[Arthur Little]

--i'm 66 in a couple of months--

... 31/2 years younger than me.

-and--unlike some-- i like being married

... me too!!

had 24 years with a wonderful lady. i was with her in hospital when she died after a long illness

... twenty~four years ... ... exactly the same length of time I'd been wed to my first wife when she died with me beside her - the same circumstances as well - except her death occurred at home.

maybe someone here can tell me just what i've got to lose?

Nothing at all ... ... at least as far as I can see.

by the way--we got engaged yesterday --christmas day!!

Congratulations ... and best of luck!

[Michael Parnham]

Only just come across this Bigmac, Congratulations on your engagement also good luck in the future!

[hawk]

wife filled application for ss today will let all know how it goes good luck to everyone this year

[grahamw48]

Good luck with the application mate...fingers crossed for you both.

[Terpe]

wife filled application for ss today will let all know how it goes good luck to everyone this year

Good luck from me too hawk
Hope this will be a happy year for you both