Australian holiday with my GF

[OnMyWay]

47 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Yes, I believe it is not needed for a tourist trip.  When Lyn was in the office getting her CFO guidance I was sitting outside and noticed people who were leaving on semi-permanent basis also getting the CFO.  Not tourists but people who planned to be temporary residents in countries like Canada.  (The CFO seminar was different for each country and on the day we were there it was a Canadian seminar).

A lot of people who get CFO seminars are OFWs leaving for the first time.  Different seminar than the partner one.

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 9/22/2022 at 7:54 AM, Colsie said:

Now the next challenge is for her to get through immigration in Manila... 

As posted before on second trip with GF out of the country. Since your woman has been out before you know there wont be an issue. Just ensure you have travel insurance for her and print it to show immigration.

As for the rest of the topic it is really off topic now as tourist dont do the seminar thing and this topics not about changing names on a passport.

From what you posted the process of her visa was much faster than what online tells you. Good thing.

[Colsie]

On 9/22/2022 at 2:22 PM, OnMyWay said:

Reading between the lines, she probably has only travelled to Asian destinations as a tourist, and you are wondering if travelling to a Western country as a tourist might cause an immigration officer to ask for CFO?

Technically, never.  However, nobody can give you a definitive answer because this is the Philippines.  They can deny her boarding without ever mentioning CFO, and you know the routine, so follow it.

Just a hunch, but I would imagine that they get grilled more at the airport when going to countries known for a lot of human trafficking, like Middle East, Hong Kong, etc.

Exactly, I've taken my partner to half a dozen different Asian countries but never a western country, so just trying to understand if there's anything else I need to sort out before going through the dreaded immigration 

[Colsie]

On 9/22/2022 at 3:32 PM, hk blues said:

My understanding was that the CFO lecture was required when a Filipina woman changed her family name on her passport after marriage to a foreigner rather than when actually leaving the country.

Thus, in theory if the passport was issued in the new name it would be reasonable to assume the lecture was attended so no need to show anything when leaving. In theory...

I wasn't aware the CFO was needed for unmarried woman leaving but I never looked into that circumstance. 

 

I'd ask the BI the script on that as the folks on here will have different experiences as per usual here and I'd hate to rely on Joe Blogg's say so at the airport when challenged.

 

I was of the understanding that it was filipina married or in a de facto relationship who were leaving the Philippines and emigrating to another country...the main reason being that they were emigrating.. .but I could and most probably be wrong... 

[Colsie]

@Jollygoodfellowyes the online information suggested 90% applications done within 112 days...but I guess, some applications are better prepared than others and can be reviewed much quicker...

After spending half an hour in the biometric centre then getting the visa granted the next day, my girl said "don't know what all the fuss is about, it's easy to get the visa" 

I don't think she even knew I'd spent hours completing the 19 page online application and scanning, uploading documents 

[Clermont]

Isn’t it bloody ridiculous, 19 pages plus scanning, uploading when most of it is stored on your passport, and people reckon the PI,s are backwards, all for a tourist visa, good on you Australia I wonder how many tourists you’ve put off going for a holiday.

[OnMyWay]

3 hours ago, Clermont said:

Isn’t it bloody ridiculous, 19 pages plus scanning, uploading when most of it is stored on your passport, and people reckon the PI,s are backwards, all for a tourist visa, good on you Australia I wonder how many tourists you’ve put off going for a holiday.

That is only for high risk countries like the Philippines.  I had to do a similar process the first time our family went to NZ.  My wife and step-daughter are Filipinos, while my two younger daughter are U.S. citizens.  The paperwork for my wife and step-daughter was a pain, and my wife's brother (NZ citizen) also had to fill out sponsorship paperwork.  For me and the 2 kids, I think there was just one quick online form to be filled.

That is much better than the U.S.  The applicant has to be interviewed at the Manila embassy and there is a very high denial rate.  The $160 application fee is non-refundable.  I watched a whole family get denied.  You could tell by their faces.

[hk blues]

12 hours ago, Colsie said:

I was of the understanding that it was filipina married or in a de facto relationship who were leaving the Philippines and emigrating to another country...the main reason being that they were emigrating.. .but I could and most probably be wrong... 

Agreed - it was only when the DFA said it was needed before they would change the name on the passport that it became an issue.  In the end, they didn't push it which would suggest it wasn't actually needed.  

[OnMyWay]

7 hours ago, hk blues said:

Agreed - it was only when the DFA said it was needed before they would change the name on the passport that it became an issue.  In the end, they didn't push it which would suggest it wasn't actually needed.  

In our case, DFA Angeles did insist, but CFO Angeles kinda laughed and gave my wife the certificate without taking the seminar.

[hk blues]

16 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

In our case, DFA Angeles did insist, but CFO Angeles kinda laughed and gave my wife the certificate without taking the seminar.

Makes perfect sense given where we are- left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing but they make it work.

I was kinda surprised how easily they relented at DFA given they had already sent my wife away to buy a top which they considered more appropriate.  My wife is far from the type who would wear anything less than modest so that made me smile.

An aside - if the stamp is in the passport that means that passport would need to be taken for every exit even after expiry. PITA. Anyhow, it has been "confirmed " by some posters that it's only needed for someone leaving permanently so all's good. Maybe...