Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[Step]

Thanks for the heads-up on that Edgehead, that's definitely a disappointment. Also my first choice to date. Unfortunately not too many alternatives at the same price point. Considering what our spouses have endured until now (and given the 'stiff upper lip nature of Filipinos) it may be one final small price to pay. I'm a bit more concerned about this CFO seminar now, a dumb little hurdle imposed by the money grubbing government.

Gumper, applicant can take CFO Seminar in advance no need to wait for COPR. My wife took seminar when we started process( almost a year ago). CFO will give certificate upon completing course, once VISA comes it only takes a couple hours at CFO Manila. Take certificate and Passport with VISA attached, relatively quick process.

 

[Step]

Thank you for sharing the information.....
for a half a day in the air this is not acceptable...
I also will reconsider my options....

Do you know if that is effective immediately ???

From what I've read,September is when downgrade will be in effect.

 

[Edgehead78]

Thanks for the heads-up on that Edgehead, that's definitely a disappointment. Also my first choice to date. Unfortunately not too many alternatives at the same price point. Considering what our spouses have endured until now (and given the 'stiff upper lip nature of Filipinos) it may be one final small price to pay. I'm a bit more concerned about this CFO seminar now, a dumb little hurdle imposed by the money grubbing government.

Yeah we are not done with the money grubbing Philippine government. We will still have to pay the travel tax for our spouse, which is 1680 php and 500 php X2 airport tax. Not much but still a hassle.

 

[Edgehead78]

Gumper, applicant can take CFO Seminar in advance no need to wait for COPR. My wife took seminar when we started process( almost a year ago). CFO will give certificate upon completing course, once VISA comes it only takes a couple hours at CFO Manila. Take certificate and Passport with VISA attached, relatively quick process.

His wife is in province so its hard for her to get to Manila only for that.

 

[Hwseyl]

No, the applicant can land on their own. You should probably meet them at the airport though! ;D

Thanks. Actually I'll still be in japan. I'll plan is not to move to canada until the spring but he will have to land before then or his visa will expire.

Heather

 

[Step]

His wife is in province so its hard for her to get to Manila only for that.

My wife lived in the provinces too, why she took so far in advance. She had to go to Cebu for other things and took while there. But if not travelling to either Manila or Cebu I can see how that could be a problem, not worth the trip just to take CFO Course.

 

[Christoph100]

About the CFO procedures...
My wife has already a CFO completed many years ago when she left the Philippines to begin working in Thailand. She is under the impression that it will be needed to be redone when she receives her papers to come to Canada. Does anyone know if she will to have CFO redone? And if its not required can she leave directly from Thailand to come here or is there a procedure in place that she must first arrive in the Philippines and visit a Government office?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Edgehead78]

About the CFO procedures...
My wife has already a CFO completed many years ago when she left the Philippines to begin working in Thailand. She is under the impression that it will be needed to be redone when she receives her papers to come to Canada. Does anyone know if she will to have CFO redone? And if its not required can she leave directly from Thailand to come here or is there a procedure in place that she must first arrive in the Philippines and visit a Government office?

Thanks
Chris

I checked the CFO website and it is stated in the FAQ that the Guidance and Counseling Seminar certificate and sticker are valid for a lifetime so if she still have her sticker, she's fine. Anyway she should not really need it since she left Philippines already.
I don't think she needs to transit through Philippines to get to Canada unless she has business to do there. If so, she will need the sticker.

 

[melon82]

Hey guys, quick question, does CFO instructions and the date to take it arrives along with VISA and COPR in one package from CEM. Please let me know, thank you so much

 

[Gumper]

Hey guys, quick question, does CFO instructions and the date to take it arrives along with VISA and COPR in one package from CEM. Please let me know, thank you so much

I haven't heard anything of CEM sending CFO info out as part of the visa issuance; far as I know once CEM is finished processing your visa the only next step in their (CIC's) eyes is the landing of your spouse in Canada. CFO is simply imposing an extra step on their part, ostensibly a cash grab but they say it's to 'educate' their citizens going abroad.

 

[Gumper]

His wife is in province so its hard for her to get to Manila only for that.

That's right Edgehead, this is why it's causing me consternation. On the one hand, if scheduled correctly we should in principle be able to do the 'seminar' / get the stamp the day before my wife's flight to Canada. On the other hand it's the Philippines where Murphy's Law needs to be taken into account at all times! To be safe I think we're going to have to swallow another financial outlay & fly her to Manilla once she gets the visa & do it all well in advance of the flight to Canada. (Just so she can be fully aware of the perils of the Canadian wild that await her! )

 

[xxdieselxx]

I haven't heard anything of CEM sending CFO info out as part of the visa issuance; far as I know once CEM is finished processing your visa the only next step in their (CIC's) eyes is the landing of your spouse in Canada. CFO is simply imposing an extra step on their part, ostensibly a cash grab but they say it's to 'educate' their citizens going abroad.

Exactly, nicely put Gumper. You hit the nail on the head. My wife did not have to do it because she was already in Canada (on a tourist visa) when she received her COPR and then we flagpoled at a border. If one's spouse is in the Philippines at the time of getting the COPR, then they must pay the money, take the seminar and get the sticker. If one's spouse is living elsewhere in the world at the time of getting the COPR (such as Singapore, or Dubai or wherever), they can just fly straight to Canada bypassing that whole process.

 

[Gumper]

Exactly, nicely put Gumper. You hit the nail on the head. My wife did not have to do it because she was already in Canada (on a tourist visa) when she received her COPR and then we flagpoled at a border. If one's spouse is in the Philippines at the time of getting the COPR, then they must pay the money, take the seminar and get the sticker. If one's spouse is living elsewhere in the world at the time of getting the COPR (such as Singapore, or Dubai or wherever), they can just fly straight to Canada bypassing that whole process.

As they say "more fun in the Philippines" right! That's what my wife & I say every time we encounter stuff that seems so silly. Oh well. On other fronts, just looked at OCT, NOV & DEC & seems CEM is keeping busy. Very 'at a glance' but looks like most PPR-to-visa at not much longer than 6 weeks. Of course still some stuck at PPR, either longer wait for them or they haven't reported back here. What isn't evident (without searching each individual on the forum) is how many are from the Philippines & how many from the other Asian countries that go through Manila. That could actually skew things I suspect less in the favour of the Phils applicants? OK, enough obsessing for today LOL! ....

 

[Edgehead78]

Exactly, nicely put Gumper. You hit the nail on the head. My wife did not have to do it because she was already in Canada (on a tourist visa) when she received her COPR and then we flagpoled at a border. If one's spouse is in the Philippines at the time of getting the COPR, then they must pay the money, take the seminar and get the sticker. If one's spouse is living elsewhere in the world at the time of getting the COPR (such as Singapore, or Dubai or wherever), they can just fly straight to Canada bypassing that whole process.

I think everybody that is leaving Philippines is required to attend the CFO seminar. Christoph100 mentioned that his wife had the seminar before going to work in Thailand so its not only aimed to foreigner's wives. I guess she had it before meeting him.

 

[melon82]

I haven't heard anything of CEM sending CFO info out as part of the visa issuance; far as I know once CEM is finished processing your visa the only next step in their (CIC's) eyes is the landing of your spouse in Canada. CFO is simply imposing an extra step on their part, ostensibly a cash grab but they say it's to 'educate' their citizens going abroad.

i agree just another step for government to sukc money out of your pocket