THANK YOU- Fiancee Visa Approved!:)

[skye]

I just wanted to give everyone at this forum a great big heartfelt THANK YOU!!!

Just got my fiancee visa today and it was approved!! Thank you for all the advice, useful information and tips. I lodged my application on September 20 and got a text after office hours last Friday to come and pick it up today, the 30th of October so all in all it took 5 weeks and 5 days.

I'd like to share a few tips for the next ones who are planning to go through the same thing...

1. Put original documents and xeroxes in separate piles already as they will ask you to do this (I just saw cinmickey also put this in a recent post). I spent an extra half hour separating the whole stack I brought.

2. For financial documents, the sponsor's financial documents are most important. Whatever financial documents belonging to the applicant are segregated and put together with all the other "supporting documents" and placed at the bottom of your application. I asked "Why?" and the checker replied that it is mainly the sponsor's financial capacity that they consider.
My fiance was worried that his salary alone might not be enough to show so I transferred money into our joint account and showed that. Not entirely sure but I think presenting it this way helped our application a lot since I had a bit more savings than my fiance.

3. Make sure you recheck everything before you get to the fingerprinting/biometric area. I had to go back since I noticed that some of my submitted documents were not ticked in the checklist that was about to be submitted.

4. They don't take the xerox of your VAF2 Form, in case you would like to save a couple of bucks on that! Also, bring an extra xerox copy of the first page of your passport because that is where they will attach your claim stub.

6. I had a post before regarding existing visitor visas. I was wondering if they revoke existing visitor visas once they grant a fiancee visa-- they didn't revoke mine in case anyone else was wondering!

5. Basic stuff: It's cold in there. Bring a shawl, light jacket or something. They have a water fountain inside so no need to bring water. You are not allowed to bring anything apart from your docs into the room anyway. All in all, the new process has cut the waiting time so I'm pretty chuffed about that!

Hope this helps! Good luck to everyone else applying!
I'd also like to ask about the CFO seminar that I have to attend? They just handed me my documents and didn't tell me anything.

Now I know how the other happy couples in this forum feel. I can't think straight! I'm so happy and excited to talk to my fiance... he should be arriving home from work shortly! Time to celebrate!

Warm Regards,
Skye

[Tiggers0608]

Congratulations to you skye! glad to hear that you got your visa.

about the CFO, some embassy don't really tell you that, even some girls are already buying tickets after they got their visas and finding out at the airport immigration that they can't leave the phils bcoz they dont have the CFO stickers on their passport and even the CFO cert. so get them first before you book a flight.

if your in metro manila:

SMEF-COW manila
st. mary euphrasia foundation
center for overseas workers
good sheperd convent
1043 aurora blvd. q.c
(its infront of PSBA ... corner katipunan and aurora)

just bring:
birth cert.
passport
photocopy of your visa
valid id's
divorce papers
etc.

don't forget to bring 250 for the counselling fee and 400 for the registration fee. hope somehow this info will help and read some other threads here about the CFO too.

Again congratulations to both of you

[andypaul]

Congrats to Skye and Hubby to be and great advice from you and Tiggers for others

[kimmi]

congrats skye, i am happy for u finally u will be with ur hubby..

[Bridget]

Thats fantastic...! Congratulations..!

[empott]

Congratulations Skye

CFO sched is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am. Better go to St. Mary Euphrasia Foundation-Center for Overseas Workers (SMEF-COW)This is what i got from their website: "ONE STOP PROCESSING for Guidance and Counseling Services for Filipino Spouses, Fiance/és and other Partners of Foriegn Nationals". You can get your CFO Certificate and Sticker at the second floor within the SMEF-COW building after the completion of your Guidance and Counseling Session.(Guidance and Counseling registrants at SMEF-COW do not need to proceed to CFO Main Office at Citigold in Manila to claim their CFO Guidance and Counseling Certificate and Registration Sticker).

Easier isnt it? Good luck.

[cinmickey28]

Congratulations Skye!!!! Another Happy Couple!

[joyce]

Congratulations Skye! At last you can join with your fiance....

[skye]

Thank you so much for everyone's well-wishes! Yes, at long last we finally got the visa after over a year of preparation. Such a relief!

I will attend the CFO seminar asap, it doesn't really help that everyone is on a very long holiday in the Philippines now but I hope to do it as soon as Monday or Tuesday next week. I called the website and they said that they now have 3 seminars per day in the Quezon City location, two in the morning and the last at 1:30pm

I was asked to bring the following:

2 copies of the front page of my passport
2 copies of the fiancee visa
information about my fiance (photocopy of passport and the like)
P250 for the counselling
P400 for the CFO certification/ sticker
P100 for the handbook

I asked about the Tues and Thu UK schedule as well, it was mentioned earlier and on their website but the lady on the phone said I could come Mon-Fri regardless of which country I was flying to. Hmm... it does sound a bit too general but I will definitely let everyone know how it goes!

[charlwill]

Congrats, Skye!!

[vbkelly]

congratz skye!!!

[empott]

Wow that's good news for me, Skye! I need a CFO seminar too and i'm driving to Manila for 6 hours to get it. So thank u very much for the info.

[Durkhaima]

Congrats! When you are ready for your CFO Certificate, just take the MRT going to Marikina and get off at Kalayaan. Its about 50 steps away from the Kalayaan station. I got my CFO certificate in about 3 hours. God bless.

[eula mackay]

i think you mean katipunan station towards santolan durkhaima. santolan towards marikina not santolan in greenhills though. you still in the phils durkhaima? when you off? congratulations skye!

[gracia143]

Congratulations and good luck to the new life ahead!

[Durkhaima]

Hi Eula. Yes youre right its Katipunan not Kalayaan. Im in the UK now just arrived last Friday and still suffering from jet lag. Im not yet homesick but i would love to meet Filipinas who live where i am now: POOLE, DORSET. Thanks again. God bless.

[kimmi]

hi Durkhaima,

I am glad that u arrive in UK safe and finally with ur husband..

take care and God bless.

[eula mackay]

glad to hear youve arrived sage and sound durkhaima!!! kimmi youre visa is arriving soon! i think youd hear the news on thursday! dont know why but i just think you will and hopefully i am right!

[Missyalice]

Hello Durkhaima, its nice to hear that you arrive safe. I am sure you happy now being with ur hubby!!!!

[charlwill]

Hi Eula. Yes youre right its Katipunan not Kalayaan. Im in the UK now just arrived last Friday and still suffering from jet lag. Im not yet homesick but i would love to meet Filipinas who live where i am now: POOLE, DORSET. Thanks again. God bless.

Welcome to the UK. Rest then explore the beauty of Dorset. Cheers.

[kimmi]

I am praying and hoping Eula, thanks for the best wishes..

take care and God bless always..

[aug06_2006]

CONGRATS SKYE!

[JAMZ]

COngratulations Skye.

I am sure your happiness reaches the sky now...

So much blessings!!!

[tiger@tigress]

I am praying and hoping Eula, thanks for the best wishes..
take care and God bless always..

You will get yours too in no time

[jmlbp]

hi guys!!!balik pinas na ako..

applying for settlement visa...

do i need to have that CFO u talked about?

for ano yan ang whats that mean?

[kimmi]

hi sis,

CFO is needed for immigration purposes they wont allow u to go out of the country without it..

i remember there's a nice post here about it..

u can also visit their website for more info..

[jmlbp]

hi kimmi!!

but can get after or am sure already that am going have my new visa?

or need it first?

[joyce]

If you will change your passport with your husband's surname you will have to attend first the CFO seminar bcoz one of the requirement in getting a passport for those who got married to a foreigner is the CFO certificate, but if you will still use your old passport you can have the CFO after you will get your visa.

[Mjaes]

congratulations, skye. :-) is there a minimum amount of savings required when you submit the application?

[KeithD]

congratulations, skye. :-) is there a minimum amount of savings required when you submit the application?

Last Post: Nov 2007?