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[Mrs.JGM613]

Whew! What a long day! Thanks for sharing. I wonder how they will treat my partner, we are not even married, what will they think of that I told him to say to them that we are Common Law.. and to bring all the documents. It sounds a bit intimidating but after a long day it would be even more stressful.. it's even worse that the time is posted from 2-5 but really for you it was 9am-7pm. ??? What a day

It was one of the longest and stressful days I ever had .. I was up at 4am, flight to Cebu and having deal with CFO people. I was there mid March and I dont think Sinulog has something to do why there are lots of people there. They require CFO certificate in change of name with foreign spouse, for filipinos who'll go abroad for work and migrate. Their office isn't equipped to handle a number of applicants each day so release of certificate/stickers is up to 7pm!

Your partner will be ok.. if he can be there 6 or 7am, better... I talked to some people there and some were as early as 5:30am.. He doesnt have the visa yet,right?if the visa arrives,he needs to go back there for the sticker. I need to go back too soon when I have my visa. But I read that they do it at the airport,il call Cfo soon to confirm.

 

[gortandmugs]

For the second part of ECAS you have to log in using your wife's details and not yours. Then if it says "in process" tell the Rooster he's fired!

When I went into my wifes file online it says.. In Process.. beside where it says Application Recieved by Citizenship and Immigration and Decision Made beside medical recieved... since Oct 16/12...

 

[comarxx]

Just checked my wife's ecas. Her address is my address but it still says application received.

Just now? This means a good thing right? It means in 2-3days ecas will update to dm.

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

Thanks! And thanks to Luckyman as well. I don't know what was wrong with my email notifications, I just assumed it was a quiet day around here :

He agreed pretty quickly to go to Cebu.. tee-hee. I'm just looking up flights on Zest and I found a super cheap hotel 1 block away, Sampaguita Suites, although there are 2 different branches and I have to find the right one :-X Rooms are 698P a night so he can deal with no free continental bfast ;D I will just feel less stressed about the final steps when I know he got his CFO mostly out of the way.

I noticed it starts at 2pm - how far in advance do you think he should be there? We only have leeway of 1 day so we have to get in to the seminar

Since he doesnt have his visa now he must go back there to get the sticker in his passport, my wife got hers done in manila so she can get the sticker when she is leaving manila for canada with her passport, your husband will have to take the davao cebu manila flight and run to the office and get his sticker on his way here

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

I've said this already in another thread, but I'm happy to repeat it here, because I think many people need to hear it:

The more you nag the people who are working on your application, the more likely it will be that you will experience unexpected and mysterious delays.

I know everyone wants their application to be processed and approved instantly, but that's not how the system works. Just try and be patient, and instead of focusing on "yet another day without a response", try turning that into "yet another day that brings us closer to being together".

Living in a constant state of frustration will not speed up your application. And nagging people at your visa office or at CIC will most likely INCREASE your waiting time.

Be patient, and don't pay them a visit in person or call or e-mail or send them letters or get your local politicians involved UNLESS you're PAST the 100% processing time for applications at your visa office.

we waited 10 months from ppr and doc request and found out they were waiting for the AOM that we had sent without a file number, they did not make a 2nd request for it during that 10 month period, only after we had our MP call them did they notify us. At least if you contact them asking if something is reqd maybe they will notify you. We could be still sitting here waiting for a request for the AOM. Also we did not know about this forum and what was going on with all the other application we just thought it was first come first serve not the easiest ones first for quota

 

[Luckyman]

Just checked my wife's ecas. Her address is my address but it still says application received.

Wow! That is very very very Goooooooood!
Congrats!

Couple questions:
I thought your wife wasn't doing her medical until today?
Maybe she went to eMedical clinic?
Can't remember if you've got a passport request?
If so, when did she send it?

Cheers!
This is seriously the home stretch for you guys! (pun intended)

 

[truesmile]

It was one of the longest and stressful days I ever had .. I was up at 4am, flight to Cebu and having deal with CFO people. I was there mid March and I dont think Sinulog has something to do why there are lots of people there. They require CFO certificate in change of name with foreign spouse, for filipinos who'll go abroad for work and migrate. Their office isn't equipped to handle a number of applicants each day so release of certificate/stickers is up to 7pm!

Your partner will be ok.. if he can be there 6 or 7am, better... I talked to some people there and some were as early as 5:30am.. He doesnt have the visa yet,right?if the visa arrives,he needs to go back there for the sticker. I need to go back too soon when I have my visa. But I read that they do it at the airport,il call Cfo soon to confirm.

So we went to Manila for this, about 20 in all were there. We arrived at 8:10 am and EVERYONE was done by 12:30. Now we all had to go downstairs to "pay", but we were all otherwise "done" by that point.

 

[Luckyman]

Steph.....I'm thinking there are different requirements for different things at CFO. Wife was just there and it did start at 2pm as stated on the website.....but based on the blog link previously posted...and the experience noted by Mrs.JGM613.....they both had a full day, starting earlier.

Maybe it's because they needed passport renewal...or maybe things changed in the last month....or maybe things might be different for your man because your "common law".

I think you have to get him to call to confirm time and requirements. Just let him know, that my wife also tried calling and couldn't get through several times.

Cheers!

 

[hawks]

Whew! What a long day! Thanks for sharing. I wonder how they will treat my partner, we are not even married, what will they think of that I told him to say to them that we are Common Law.. and to bring all the documents. It sounds a bit intimidating but after a long day it would be even more stressful.. it's even worse that the time is posted from 2-5 but really for you it was 9am-7pm. ??? What a day

Hi Steph! This is my experience at the CFO manila. It wasn't a good experience at all. I left our place at 2am to make sure i get to Manila at 6am since its 4 hours drive from where i live. So i was up at 12 midnight to make sure i was ready for the long trip going to manila. I got there at 6am. There was a lot of people already in line. The security guard opened the CFO information at 6:30 and started to check documents and got my valid ID and gave me a visitors ID. Waited inside the office till like 7:30 am. Then those that will attend the GCS was sent at the 3rd floor. Then another line up inside the room. The lady gave us the GCS application form that we had to fill up. Then after answering all the questions you will have to submit the papers to another lady. There the lady will check all documents they want. She started asking me questions about my ex. and again asking me about my divorce. telling me it isn't valid and all that. But then she still let me attend the seminar. So i attended the seminar that took 2 hours. Then after that was the one on one interview. The seminar was informative but the interview was really intimidating. They act like they are visa officers. They will ask u a lot of questions, try to interrogate you. In my case she focused more on how again my marriage wouldn't be valid here. I showed supporting papers to convince them that even my ex husband even knew about the divorce. But she said it was expired! How come an affidavit would be expired! They could not believe that Canadian embassy approved my application. So then the counselor could not decide if she will give me the GC certificate. I tried to be nice and real patient. But i was thinking....do they have the right to stop me from leaving the country? when i have a visa? Then she told me to come back at 1pm she said she will have to ask seniors about my case. I came back at 1pm. We went in a room that was just me and her. Told me same thing that my marriage isn't valid. But what the heck! WHo are they to tell me that, when I was already granted visa! I didn't really know if she wanted something else like money when we were there in that room. I wanted to ask of she wants money but i didn't want to intimidate her. So i was still patient and asking her what i can do for them to give me the certificate so i can get the sticker. she said she couldn't decide yet and she have to ask whoever else and told me to come back on Monday and for me to bring new affidavit of my ex husband stating that he knew about the divorce and all. Since she said the one i have is expired! If ever they will not give the sticker on Monday, i don't really know what i will do. do they really have the right to stop me from migrating? when i already have the visa? I still hope they will give me the sticker on Monday so I can leave this country! Will see what happens on monday....

 

[Steph C]

Since he doesnt have his visa now he must go back there to get the sticker in his passport, my wife got hers done in manila so she can get the sticker when she is leaving manila for canada with her passport, your husband will have to take the davao cebu manila flight and run to the office and get his sticker on his way here

Whaaaaat! He can't pick it up in the airport! Oh no :'( :'( That was the whole point of doing this. Because it's too annoying to travel with the dog, so he can get the CFO over with and pick it up in the airport. I thought the certificate would indicate that he is ready for the sticker.

 

[Steph C]

Hi Steph! This is my experience at the CFO manila. It wasn't a good experience at all. I left our place at 2am to make sure i get to Manila at 6am since its 4 hours drive from where i live. So i was up at 12 midnight to make sure i was ready for the long trip going to manila. I got there at 6am. There was a lot of people already in line. The security guard opened the CFO information at 6:30 and started to check documents and got my valid ID and gave me a visitors ID. Waited inside the office till like 7:30 am. Then those that will attend the GCS was sent at the 3rd floor. Then another line up inside the room. The lady gave us the GCS application form that we had to fill up. Then after answering all the questions you will have to submit the papers to another lady. There the lady will check all documents they want. She started asking me questions about my ex. and again asking me about my divorce. telling me it isn't valid and all that. But then she still let me attend the seminar. So i attended the seminar that took 2 hours. Then after that was the one on one interview. The seminar was informative but the interview was really intimidating. They act like they are visa officers. They will ask u a lot of questions, try to interrogate you. In my case she focused more on how again my marriage wouldn't be valid here. I showed supporting papers to convince them that even my ex husband even knew about the divorce. But she said it was expired! How come an affidavit would be expired! They could not believe that Canadian embassy approved my application. So then the counselor could not decide if she will give me the GC certificate. I tried to be nice and real patient. But i was thinking....do they have the right to stop me from leaving the country? when i have a visa? Then she told me to come back at 1pm she said she will have to ask seniors about my case. I came back at 1pm. We went in a room that was just me and her. Told me same thing that my marriage isn't valid. But what the heck! WHo are they to tell me that, when I was already granted visa! I didn't really know if she wanted something else like money when we were there in that room. I wanted to ask of she wants money but i didn't want to intimidate her. So i was still patient and asking her what i can do for them to give me the certificate so i can get the sticker. she said she couldn't decide yet and she have to ask whoever else and told me to come back on Monday and for me to bring new affidavit of my ex husband stating that he knew about the divorce and all. Since she said the one i have is expired! If ever they will not give the sticker on Monday, i don't really know what i will do. do they really have the right to stop me from migrating? when i already have the visa? I still hope they will give me the sticker on Monday so I can leave this country! Will see what happens on monday....

Oh no.. :'( I'm wondering if you should contact the embassy. They don't have a right to do that.. do they?

 

[Luckyman]

If you have your certificate....I don't see why there would be a problem.

Geesh....That's horrible! What some people do in positions of power...YUCK!

 

[hawks]

yeah it sucks we waited this long to get the visa and now the people at the CFO is giving us a hard time......it is sad and horrible :'(

 

[Steph C]

Just checked my wife's ecas. Her address is my address but it still says application received.

That seems like good news! At least there's some activity there, all in the right direction Maybe a PPR and a DM next week?

 

[Steph C]

yeah it sucks we waited this long to get the visa and now the people at the CFO is giving us a hard time......it is sad and horrible :'(

I wish you could make a complaint. It's not right that they should do that. I can't believe how much judgement you have had to face just because you had a divorce. If you were in Canada that might have been the attitude no less then 100 years ago. It's totally ludicrous. I understand they want to council young women who might not be prepared for the big wide world, but to judge other people's relationships - who already have a visa! How can they even ask for affidavits? They are not visa officers or lawyers. Isn't there somebody you can complain to ???