Disclaimer: All procedures and requirements that I will share in this post are my own experience when I obtained my CFO Certificate. I am not, in any way, affiliated with Commission on Filipino Overseas office.
Hi beautiful people! Another day, another blog! Last week, I went to Manila to attend this Guidance and Counseling Program because I am flying to Europe again next month. And since this will be my very first flight without anyone, I do not want to take the risk of being offloaded just because I do not have this specific certificate (which I supposedly applied for the past 5 years already).
Why do you need to get one?
If you are leaving as fiancé(e) / spouse or partner of a foreigner or a former Filipino, you need to attend the Guidance Counseling Program (GCP) at Commission on Filipino Overseas' office.
Things to know:
- Seminars are conducted according to your partner's citizenship. There are rooms for US, Europe, AsPac (Asia Pacific), etc.
- Fifteen attendees (for CFO Manila) and twelve (for CFO Cebu) are accommodated per session.
- Secure an appointment through the GCP Online Appointment System (GOAS).
- It is important to bring the confirmation letter or form on the day of the appointed seminar.
- The certificate costs Php400.
- It is valid for as long as you are married to the petitioner that you've applied for, the first time you attended the seminar.
- Even those who will fly as tourist needs to attend the said seminar (given that you are in a relationship to a foreign national).
Procedures on securing an appointment online:
1. Log in to https://cfo.gov.ph/ and register at the blue tab that states "Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP)".
2. Secure an appointment according to your location.
- Red for Manila
- Blue for Cebu
- Green for Clark
- Yellow for Davao
3. Once you finished answering the first form, check your email and look for "CFO GCP-Manila Online Appointment" (if Manila) to confirm your e-mail.
4. After confirmation, click the link at the bottom left of the page to input your data. Log-in with your e-mail address and answer the following questions about you and your partner/petitioner.
5. Print the confirmation and bring all the necessary documents on the day of your appointment.
Here are the requirements:
1. Two (2) original valid identification cards with photograph;
2. Duly completed guidance and counseling form to be secured at the CFO;
3. If married in the Philippines, original Certificate of Marriage on security paper from the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA);
If married overseas, original Report of Marriage duly registered by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate or the Department of Foreign Affairs; and
4. Payment of Php 400.00 counseling and registration fee.
What to do next?
1. Go to the CFO office of your choice on the day of your appointment. (Others said that it is better to arrive an hour before the seminar time.)
2. Guards will call on those who have the seminar and will ask for the confirmation letter and an Identification card. You will not leave the letter but you will leave your ID in exchange with a visitor pass or tag.
3. You may now proceed to the third floor (CFO Manila), and show your appointment letter, another ID card or your passport and marriage certificate (if married already). They might ask additional identification or certificate.
4. They will give a 3-pages form (CFO-MIE-FR-GRF-001) to be filled up before the seminar. They will verify it and ask for more details to make sure you've completed the answers in the form.
5. The seminar will proceed at the time of your appointment and can last up to three or four hours.
6. After that, names will be called for a one-on-one interview. Interview time depends on the person and the relationship they are in.
Here are the questions they asked me (most, if not all):
- How did you meet?
- How long have you been courting before getting married?
- Why don't you have babies yet? (upon knowing that we are married for almost two years)
- Can I see photos of you together?
- Does he have an Alien Card? (I mentioned that he is living in The Philippines for almost five years already)
7. After the interview, you need to go down to the first floor and wait for your name to be called.
8. Pay Php400 for the certificate and wait until it is released. Check the spelling of your name before leaving.
And there you go, you now have your CFO certificate. You cannot laminate it for it has a chip or a QR code where Immigration Officers can see the record of your partner or petitioner. However, folding it in half may do. A lost certificate will cost Php800, though you do not need to attend the seminar anymore. You just need to present an Affidavit of Lost.
requirements source: https://cfo.gov.ph/filipino-spouses-and-partners-of-foreign-nationals/
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