BI eases departure requirements for Pinoys with foreign partners

[Lee]

Quote

 

MANILA, Philippines — Beginning yesterday, Filipino fiancées, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals holding tourist or other limited period of stay visas are no longer required to undergo the Commission on Filipino Overseas’ guidance and counseling program.

In a statement, the Bureau of Immigration said that they started implementing the CFO’s new regulation after receiving a letter from commission chairman Romulo Arugay last Thursday.

The new regulation intends to lessen the requirements previously imposed on Filipinos with foreign partners departing to meet or marry abroad.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the new rule has been disseminated to their immigration officers nationwide.

He added that the streamlined requirements were actually also part of the 2023 Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities released by Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, but which implementation was suspended.

The inter-agency is committed to continuously review departure requirements for departing Filipinos to adapt to current trends,” said Tansingco.

“The BI, as an implementing agency, is ready to implement changes in departure guidelines, as deemed fit by members of the inter-agency,” he added.

Meanwhile, the BI yesterday warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) not to be involved in the “third country recruitment” scheme because the government would have difficulty tracking their location.

In a statement, Commissioner Tansingco explained that third country recruitment happens when the visas of legitimate OFWs expire and they are recruited and transported to another country.

The recruitment would mean that the OFW would not return to the Philippines upon expiry of his contract, and would instead directly transfer to a third country.

But Tansingco said that once the OFW transfers to another country without their knowledge, the Philippine government would not have records of them being transferred to a different country. — Evelyn Macairan

 

 

BI eases departure requirements for Pinoys with foreign partners (msn.com)

[hk blues]

"MANILA, Philippines — Beginning yesterday, Filipino fiancées, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals holding tourist or other limited period of stay visas are no longer required to undergo the Commission on Filipino Overseas’ guidance and counseling program".

I assume this highlighted part means the Filipino fiancees, spouses and partners who hold tourist or other limited stay visas rather than foreign national?  It is worded ambiguously IMO.

[baronapart]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:37 PM, hk blues said:

"MANILA, Philippines — Beginning yesterday, Filipino fiancées, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals holding tourist or other limited period of stay visas are no longer required to undergo the Commission on Filipino Overseas’ guidance and counseling program".

I assume this highlighted part means the Filipino fiancees, spouses and partners who hold tourist or other limited stay visas rather than foreign national?  It is worded ambiguously IMO.

It is concerning the visa held by a Philippine citizen to traveling to a foreign country (ie, USA, UK). It means if they (Filipino) have a K-1(fiance) or Ir1-Cr-1 (spouse) they still have to go through CFO. This has no effect on Foreign Nationals or Filipinos holding green cards or are dual citizens traveling out of the country. They used to try and mess with Filipinos holding tourist visas going to a foreign country and making them go through CFO courses.

Edited September 8, 2023 by baronapart

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, baronapart said:

It is concerning the visa held by a Philippine citizen to traveling to a foreign country (ie, USA, UK). It means if they (Filipino) have a K-1(fiance) or Ir1-Cr-1 (spouse) they still have to go through CFO. This has no effect on Foreign Nationals or Filipinos holding green cards or are dual citizens traveling out of the country. They used to try and mess with Filipinos holding tourist visas going to a foreign country and making them go through CFO courses.

That's what I assumed as the alternative makes no sense but it's so typical of the wording of things here that it's not clear. 

So, If I understand correctly, If my wife and I wanted to take a short trip abroad she would no longer need the CFO stamp/certificate. Is that correct?

This has been an ongoing discussion on the forum with different opinions on the requirements - I have always been of the view that the old regulations required the sticker/certificate for the scenario I described above.  

[baronapart]

On 9/8/2023 at 12:17 AM, hk blues said:

That's what I assumed as the alternative makes no sense but it's so typical of the wording of things here that it's not clear. 

So, If I understand correctly, If my wife and I wanted to take a short trip abroad she would no longer need the CFO stamp/certificate. Is that correct?

This has been an ongoing discussion on the forum with different opinions on the requirements - I have always been of the view that the old regulations required the sticker/certificate for the scenario I described above.  

That Is my understanding as well.

[Snowy79]

On 9/8/2023 at 1:17 PM, hk blues said:

That's what I assumed as the alternative makes no sense but it's so typical of the wording of things here that it's not clear. 

So, If I understand correctly, If my wife and I wanted to take a short trip abroad she would no longer need the CFO stamp/certificate. Is that correct?

This has been an ongoing discussion on the forum with different opinions on the requirements - I have always been of the view that the old regulations required the sticker/certificate for the scenario I described above.  

In line with most regulations in the Philippines I would read it differently. If you are married I guess you could be on a 13A or SRRV which isn't a tourist or temporary stay visa, thus meaning you will require a CFO.

 "MANILA, Philippines — Beginning yesterday, Filipino fiancées, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals holding tourist or other limited period of stay visas are no longer required to undergo the Commission on Filipino Overseas’ guidance and counseling program".

[Mike J]

I am wondering who/what to classify as "partners"?  Common law marriage, longtime girlfriend, partner in business?  Someone I met outside the airport. 

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

In line with most regulations in the Philippines I would read it differently. If you are married I guess you could be on a 13A or SRRV which isn't a tourist or temporary stay visa, thus meaning you will require a CFO.

 "MANILA, Philippines — Beginning yesterday, Filipino fiancées, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals holding tourist or other limited period of stay visas are no longer required to undergo the Commission on Filipino Overseas’ guidance and counseling program".

This takes us back to my opening post where I questioned whether the visa type comment applied to the Filipino or foreign partner.  It would make much more sense if the visa type refers to the Filipina rather than the foreign partner bearing in mind the purpose of the CFO i.e. to prevent trafficking. The CFO is not required for the foreign partner, but for the Filipino.  

Everything points to the visa type being applicable to the Filipino save the ambiguous wording of the sentence.

[JamesBond]

I wasn't sure I understood it until I read the CFO's Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/CFOGovPH/posts/pfbid0agswKmh7sgniiFoQbtxCH1MrUyqXCs8j9wtP2DYWZxuEThyq2vZXmGfg1NAbi7Lsl . They answer various questions in the comments too.

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, JamesBond said:

I wasn't sure I understood it until I read the CFO's Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/CFOGovPH/posts/pfbid0agswKmh7sgniiFoQbtxCH1MrUyqXCs8j9wtP2DYWZxuEThyq2vZXmGfg1NAbi7Lsl . They answer various questions in the comments too.

Yep...the middle para. makes it pretty definitive.