My Starry Night Dreams and US Tourist Visa Application

The Starry Night
image source

In 2017 my husband, knowing my love for Van Gogh, promised to show me (a) Starry Night and the World. The catch? They are all in New York and I need a US Tourist Visa to travel to the USA.

The preparation

Before anything else, my husband and I both spent effort in gathering as much information as we can about a US Tourist Visa application. The first place to visit and get official information about this is the US Embassy in the Philippines website. We learned that for my purpose of travel to the US, I should apply for a Tourist (B-2) Visa. On the website, one can also immediately see the visa appointment wait time and we found out that it is possible for me to apply for a US Tourist Visa before our planned entry date, which was just a month from my target application date.

A big difference between applying for a Schengen Visa and a US Tourist Visa is that, for the latter, the applicant will immediately know during the interview at the US Embassy in Manila if the visa application is approved or denied. I find this better compared with a Schengen Visa application where you have the prolonged agony of waiting for your passport for days after the interview, not knowing if your visa was approved or not.

The biggest thing in common though is that as with a Schengen Visa application, one of the most important criteria for the approval of a US Tourist Visa application is proof of rootedness and financial capacity. This posed as a challenge for me.

With the possibility of a higher income and to be more flexible in travelling to Germany, I registered as a practicing professional (self-employed) and resigned from my job earlier that year. Choosing to prioritize my personal life over career, I travelled twice to Germany in the months following my resignation. I had no chance to work during these months and had no reasonable income to present in support of my US Tourist Visa application. These travels are also evidenced by my passport.

Another challenge is that while a Schegen Visa application has a specific list of documentary requirements, there is no such list for a US Tourist Visa Application. This makes the application result more unpredictable as the basis will just be the data you declared in your application form and the personal interview. Most travel forums will suggest a long list of documents that one may bring to support the application such as Employment Certificate, Bank Statements and etc. I had no such thing. 

For these reasons, I was hesitant to apply. I do not want to waste time and money spent on application fee, hotel and accommodation plus airfare. My husband (as always) encouraged me to give it a try. 

Application items

The following is a MUST to bring to your interview appointment at the US Embassy in Manila:

1. A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form. 

2. A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States.

3. One (1) 2"x2" (5cmx5cm) photograph. 

4. A receipt showing payment of your US$160 non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, paid in local currency. 

5. Interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment.

 

Supporting documents 

Most, if not all, travel forums will tell you NOT to mention if you have relatives in the US. I do not want to hide the fact that I do have a sister in the US. She is married to an American and has a 2 year old son which I have not yet met at the time of visa application. So, I also prepared documents to support this as part of my application. These are the supporting documents I brought with me:

Original copy of old passport 

Invitation Letter from my sister, a photocopy of her residence card and passport data page. I also included a photocopy of the passport data page of my brother-in-law 

My valid PRC Card 

My ITR for the previous year (when I was still employed)

  

The officer who interviewed me did not ask for any other documents aside from my current passport and old passport.

Here you can find very detailed instructions of the application process and I will not discuss it further. I will instead write more about my actual experience on the day I appeared at the US Embassy in Manila.

Interview day

My schedule was at 7.30 am on a Friday morning in the summer of June 2017. My husband travelled all the way from Germany to give me moral support on that day. We stayed at a hotel 10 minutes walking distance from the US Embassy. I chose the earliest possible slot when booking my appointment, but the sun was already high when we arrived at the embassy grounds 45 minutes earlier. I was confused on what to do at first but around 15 minutes before my scheduled time a man in a security guard uniform held up a sign: 7:30AM and shouted, ''Tourist Visa...Tourist Visa''. I took it as cue to queue where he was standing, a number of people also followed behind me. At exactly 7:30AM, our line was told to enter the gated US Embassy grounds and we took turns to do the following procedures:

1st stop - before entering another gate we lined up at a counter for the verification of our appointment time and date. A barcode sticker was put at the back cover of my passport. I was also given a big colored laminated card to distinguish the type of visa I was applying for.

2nd stop - we were ushered (by appointment time and visa type) to sit on a row of seats on a covered courtyard. 

3rd stop - security check before entering another building. This is like the security check at the airport with scanners and X-Ray machines. Be aware that no cellphones and no food is allowed inside. I know this ahead as it was also stated in my Appointment Letter. 

4th stop - checking of DS-160 Application Form and passport picture. Since I was confused about how to enter my middle name, I mentioned it and the lady behind the counter said, she already corrected it based on my passport details.  

5th stop - scanning of fingerprints.  

Finally, I was ushered to await my turn for the actual interview. 

 

I noticed a large waiting area with rows of chairs obviously intended for the applicants but since we were the first or second batch of the day, we were just told to stand in a short line as all the windows for the visa counter were still closed.

At around 8.30AM, the shuttered visa counter windows opened one by one and people ahead of me were slowly called in for the interview.

US Tourist Visa interview questions

The US Embassy visa section is certainly way bigger than that of the German embassy, which has only 5 counters as far as I can remember. I was interviewed by a lady officer on counter 35 and these are the questions she asked me:

Purpose of visit to the USA? – I want to go to New York and at the same time visit my sister in Florida.

What do you want to see in New York? – I want to see the Starry Night by Van Gogh.

Do you have relatives in the US? – Yes. My sister. 

Ahhh, yes. What is her status? - she is a legal permanent resident there. 

Any other relatives in the US? – Yes. I have some distant cousins there but I seldom communicate with them and I also don't intend to visit them.

Are you travelling with someone else? – Yes. My boyfriend.

Does he have a US Visa? – He is a German citizen, he has visited the US several times, I believe he just needs an ESTA. 

Who is paying for your trip? – My boyfriend is paying for the plane tickets and hotel in New York and the rest of the trip we will be staying with my sister and her family.

Have you been to other countries before? – Yes, I have been to Singapore, Malaysia and Germany. Also, France and Luxembourg.

How many times have you been to Germany? – 2 times for a total of 120 days.

Do you like it in Germany? – Aside from because my boyfriend is there? (smiles) Yes. I love Germany, I love that it’s so green. I love the architecture and history.

OK. Let me just type a few things here…

Your visa is approved, have a nice trip.

These questions were thrown in fast. You will not have time to think out your answer, which is probably one way also to see if the applicant is lying or not. The question-and-answer portion lasted less than 10 minutes. The officer took more time typing in her computer, barely looking at me. Three (3) working days later I received my passport with a 10-year multiple entry B1/B2 US Visa.

So, how did I get approved even without a steady source of income?

I know that it helped a lot that I have a travel history. It also helped a lot that I already was in a serious relationship. But most of all, I believe that my honesty paid off and honesty always pays off.

Had I lied about who will pay for the trip, I will probably be denied. Because then I would have to lie to prove it.

Had I declared a 6-digit amount income in my DS-160 Application Form despite not able to prove the source (or worse, faking the source), the result will probably be different. Because then it will also not be consistent with the travels I had in the recent months prior to my US Tourist Visa application. 

If I hid the fact that I do have a sister in the US because most ‘’experts’’ online say that having a relative in the US will mean your visa application will be denied, I would have been 100% denied. Because, believe me, the embassy has its own ways of knowing these kinds of details.

My husband travelled all the way to Manila to be with me on the day of my interview. He was, of course, not allowed to enter the embassy premises and had to wait outside along with all the other applicants waiting to be called in. As soon as he caught a sight of me exiting the embassy gate, he made a thumbs up sign as a question if I made it or not. He said I was poker-faced. Ha ha. I felt it was so surreal as I gave him a thumbs up sign in reply. 

To close my story, I think as in all visa applications (and life in general, really!), just do your thing according to YOU. Do not believe what other people say because their experience will also be based on their own circumstances. Gather information from official sources. Build your visa application according to your own circumstances. Highlight your good points. Think quality over quantity. Stick to simple answers during the interview. Do not ever elaborate unless asked to. The more you talk, the more questions will come, the more mistakes you may make. Quite simply, just try it with all honesty.

That's me at the MoMA!

By the way, my husband proposed in New York. So, a little over two years after I got my US Tourist Visa, and with a plan for a grand honeymoon, I had to re-apply due to change of name in my passport. This time I was absolutely unemployed, but that's a story to share another day.

Integration Courses: What You Need To Know

What are integration courses?

As part of the Immigration Act of 2005, integration courses are mandatory ''if you cannot make yourself understood in German at a simple, adequate level''. Upon issuance of your residence permit, the responsible immigration office (Ausländerbehörde/ABH) will decide if attendance to an integration course is required. If you are entitled to attend an integration course, you will be given a certificate of eligibility (Berechtigungsschein). The general integration course consists of a language course with 600 lesson-hours and an orientation course with 100 lesson-hours.

The language course

The language course consists of modules of 100 lesson-hours each. A total of 6 modules are broken down into:

• Modules 1 & 2: A1 (A1.1 + A1.2) Level
• Modules 3 & 4: A2 (A 2.1 + A2.2) Level
• Modules 5 & 6: B1 (B1.1 + B1.2) Level

In the language course you will learn the vocabulary necessary to speak and write in everyday situations. The topics include important aspects of everyday life in Germany, such as work and career, contact with authorities and interactions with neighbours and colleagues. You will also learn how to write E-Mails and accomplish forms.

At the end of the language course, you will need to take the German Language Test for Immigrants (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer/DTZ). The aim is to achieve the B-1 level of German language skills.

The orientation course

The orientation course starts immediately after the language course. The course tackles such topics as the German legal system, history, and culture, rights and obligations in Germany. Values that are important in Germany such as freedom of religion, tolerance and gender equality will also be discussed in the course.

You will complete the course by taking the Life in Germany (Leben in Deutschland) test.

Registration and attendance

If you are entitled or obliged to attend an integration course, you will receive a written confirmation from your ABH when you receive your residence permit. In my case, I was obliged to attend the course and was given a Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs (confirmation of the obligation to participate in the integration course). 

Once you have received the written confirmation, you need to choose a course provider in your local area thru the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge/BAMF.) Some ABH also provide a list of course providers.

Your chosen course provider will carry out an assessment (Einstufungstest) before the integration course begins. This will help them determine the right course for you and with which module you should start.

It is important to know that your entitlement to attend an integration course will expire if you do not start an integration course within one year after registering with a course provider, or if you stop attendance for more than a year at your own will.

After the final examination

You have successfully completed the integration course if you can prove in the language test that you have reached B1 level and if you pass the Leben in Deutschland test. An Integration Course Certificate (Zertificat Integrationskurs) will then be awarded to you.

Contribution to the costs

Each lesson unit of the integration course costs €1.95, which means for the overall 700 lesson units, you are expected to contribute and pay the amount of €1.365.

You can apply for cost exemptions in certain cases. For example if you receive unemployment benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld II) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe).

You may also be eligible for refunds if you pass the final examination at the end of the integration course within two years of the confirmation of eligibility to attend the course. Half of your payments may get reimbursed.

Rights and obligations

In general, you have the right to freely choose a course provider in your area. Once you register for a course, the course provider is obliged to confirm the estimated start of the course. The course should start at the latest within six weeks of you registering for the course. If it is not possible for a course to start within this six-week period, the course provider is also obliged to inform you. You then can decide yourself whether you wait longer or register with a different course provider.

During the course, you are entitled to: regular instruction, well-trained teachers and well-equipped classrooms. You have the right to receive a certificate if you attend the lessons regularly.

You are obliged to attend the lessons regularly and take the final examination. You also need to pay a contribution towards the costs before the start of a course module. You will have the option to pay per 100 lesson unit, which amounts to €195. If you are entitled to get exempted from the costs, you must submit the application before the integration course starts. ''No-shows'' must also pay for the current course.

Other things you need to know

If you have been obliged to attend an integration course by the ABH, you must apply at your course provider of choice as quickly as possible and attend the course in the proper manner. Failure to do so may have the following subsequences for you:

• It may influence the decision concerning the extension of your residence permit.
• If you are receiving social assistance, payments may be reduced.
• When deemed necessary, you may be called on by the ABH to pay your contribution to the entire integration course in advance in one sum (€1.95 per lesson hours).
• You may be fined.

Immigrants from a non-EU country, which includes those of us from the Philippines, must meet certain requirements if they wish to obtain an unlimited right of residence in Germany. Among these requirements is that they must have an adequate command of the German language as well as basic knowledge of the legal and social system in Germany. These can be evidenced when a person has successfully completed the integration course. Moreover, this also allows them to acquire German citizenship earlier if desired.

The knowledge of the German language acquired in the integration courses also make everyday life easier and improves the immigrants' chances of finding a job in Germany.

Please visit the BAMF website for more info.

Schengen Visa Application (Visit Family/Friends)

In 2019, I invited my favorite cousin to attend my wedding in Germany. She was sponsored by my-then fiancé and she applied for a Visitor Visa. She was a government employee at the time of visa application and submitted a different set of documents as proof of employment. I asked her to kindly share her experience. This is her story.

A couple of years ago I won an all-expense-paid-trip to Europe. Just kidding. Here’s the story. My cousin chose me to be her Maid of Honor and the wedding took place in Germany. The entire trip was sponsored by her fiancé. I was ecstatic. Who wouldn’t be? It was a special family event set to happen in the heart of Europe. So before I get too excited (and nostalgic) and ramble on my dream turned reality Euro experience, let’s start from the very beginning.

Part I: The Documentation

It was in the middle of January 2019 when my cousin told me to make the necessary preparations for the trip which was scheduled at the end of May. There are two things on top of the list. First, I needed to have my application for leave approved by the company so I can secure a Travel Authority. Confident that I have enough leave credits and that my work assignments can be managed, I submitted the application to our head office and two weeks later the documents were released. The Travel Authority is a requirement of the Bureau of Immigration for government employees who will be going out the country either for personal or official business. Yes, I was a government employee at the time and the trip was personal.

If the first one was manageable, the second thing posed a challenge. I needed to apply for a Schengen Visa. I have heard of it but I haven’t tried getting one. So what is it and why is it important? It is an official document which will allow its holder a short stay in the Schengen area, which covers 26 countries or Schengen States, without border controls between them. “Short stay” meaning not to exceed 90 days over a 6 month period starting from the entry date stated in the visa. Since I am a Filipino traveler who will be visiting Germany which is a Schengen State, I needed to have one. Simply stated, the “No visa, No entry” policy applies.

To have a better grasp of the visa application procedure, I visited the German Embassy Manila website where I gathered more details on the type of visa, the documentary requirements and where to submit. It was on the same year that the embassy transferred the receiving of short stay visa applications to VFS Global, a service provider company.

After having a thorough understanding of the type of visa which I needed to apply for, I started gathering documents and most importantly, accomplished the online Visa Application Form. It required some personal information of both my sponsor and I and of course the details of my trip such as:

• Main Purpose(s) of the Journey: Visit of family or friends
• Member State of first entry: Germany
• Number of Entries Requested: Multiple entries
• Duration of intended stay or transit (number of days): 24
• Cost of traveling and living during the applicant’s stay is covered: By a sponsor

While waiting for the VFS Global website to become available and for me to be able to book an appointment, I made sure that I have all the necessary documents based on the checklist (an updated version can be found here). Other than the ones listed, my sponsor went the extra mile by writing a letter addressed to the Embassy to further state in detail the purpose of my trip, my close relationship to his fiancé, our relationship as sponsor and applicant, and additional information proving my rootedness or deep ties to my country. Hereunder is the list of documents we have gathered/prepared:

1. VFS Visit Visa Checklist

2. Passport

3. Two current biometric passport pictures

4. Visa Application Form

5. Declaration according to § 54 AufenthG

6. Formal Obligation (provided by the sponsor)

7. Travel Health Insurance (also provided by the sponsor)

8. Proof of Employment -

• Income Tax Return
• Certificate of Employment
• Appointment Paper and Company ID
• Travel Authority

9. Approved Application for Leave Abroad

10. Employee Clearance

11. Proof of Real Estate Property – Land Title

12. Letter addressed to the Embassy (prepared by Sponsor) and copies of the following:

• Wedding Invitation
• Marriage Registration (Form 11/121)
• Birth Certificate of my cousin and I
• Marriage Certificate of our parents
• My cousin’s passport
• Flight and hotel bookings (proof that my cousin and I are traveling together to Manila for our respective visa appointments)
• Sponsor’s passport (proof of his travels to the Philippines)
• My roundtrip airline ticket (Manila to Frankfurt and vice versa) --- note that this is not a requirement, an Itinerary will suffice. It just happened that my sponsor has decided to buy the airline tickets for me and my cousin ahead of our visa applications.
• My Certificate of Registration to the University of the Philippines Open University (I was enrolled in a master’s program at the time)

The process of booking an appointment at the VFS Global website was easy. First, I created an account which required an email address. After the email validation, I was redirected to the booking page to fill in the application details, personal information and pick an appointment date. Upon successful booking, I received an email confirmation with instructions and a pdf copy of the Appointment Letter.

Part II: The Visa Application Experience

The day came for me to personally submit my application for visa at VFS Global Manila. It was an estimated 15 minute taxi ride from the hotel we were staying but considering the traffic in the area, I traveled early. When I got there, I noticed that the ground floor was a bit crowded. It wasn’t a surprise though since they cater to visa applications for several countries.

The Visa Application Centre (VAC) is on the mezzanine floor and applicants will only be allowed at the entrance 5 minutes before their scheduled appointment time. There was no designated waiting area but there were cafés and food stalls at the ground floor. Some went in for coffee, others sat on the stairs while most just stood by the rails. I opted to find a corner spot and waited until it was my turn to come up.

At the entrance, we waited in line for instructions from the security personnel. I made sure to have my Appointment Letter and Passport ready. After the security check, we were directed to the Reception Area where documentary requirements were pre-screened. I was also notified that per security requirement only a clear envelope containing application related documents will be allowed inside. I had with me a shoulder bag so I rented a locker.

The VAC was divided into small offices with signs as to which country. After the baggage deposit, I went directly to the Germany Visa Application Centre. I was given a priority number and was advised to get inside, take a seat and wait for my number to be called. It was also at this point that the Courier and SMS Request Form was given for us to fill in while waiting.

When it was my turn, I handed over the documents to the screening officer at the counter. She began checking it and notified me that my application needed to be re-typed and reprinted since I missed to indicate details on Item No. 2 Surname at Birth (former family name). I told her that I left it blank considering that my civil status is single however she said I need to indicate therein my middle name. I had the option to do it myself but that would certainly cause much delay.

After signing the updated application form, there was a brief interview. The questions as far as I can remember were as follows:

• Saan pupunta?
• Purpose of travel?
• Sino ikakasal? (repeated a couple of times during the conversation)
• Lalabas ng Germany?
• First travel overseas?
• Ano na ang mga napuntahan? (while browsing my passport)

When the interview was completed, she started removing some documents from the set I’ve submitted but I politely informed her that those were supporting documents as mentioned in the letter addressed to the German Embassy, hence they must be included. Fees were paid then I was instructed to proceed to another counter for the collection of biometric information (finger print and digital photo). This was the final step in the document submission process at the Germany Visa Application Centre. The processing would normally take about two to three weeks.

To give you an idea of the processing cost, below is a rundown of fees at the time:

• Visa                             Php 4,650
• VFS Service Fee                   960
• Re-typing Fee*                      480
• Courier Service                     400
• SMS Tracking Service*         150
• Baggage Fee                          75

      *optional

Four days after I submitted my documents, the German Embassy Manila contacted me through my mobile number. After confirming that it was I on the line, she mentioned my application and threw in some questions.

• What’s the purpose of your visit?
• May role sa wedding?
• You are working at…do you have an approved application for leave?
• Is it “with pay”?
• How many leave credits in a year? Paano ba ma-earn?
• How old?
• Civil status?
• May anak?
• Sino kasama papunta?
• She applied for what type of visa and when?
• Who will shoulder the expenses?
• Lalabas ng Germany?
• May other relatives in Germany or in Europe?
• Ikaw lang ba invited?

She ended the interview by saying that my passport will be delivered via courier to my address. Nine days later, I received the pouch containing my passport with the approved 30-day, multiple entry Schengen Visa in one of its pages.

For a first time visa applicant I must admit that there was some sort of anxiety while I anticipate the process and how it would turn out. Fortunately, everything went well. It took preparation and a lot of valuable inputs from my cousin and her fiancé. You have to know your documents by heart, answer truthfully and it might be a cliché but remember to always be your (awesome) self.

Do I Need the CFO - GCP Certificate When I Travel With A Schengen Visa? - Offloading Series Part 3 of 3

DISCLAIMER: The current Corona pandemic situation has resulted in many changes, including but not limited to additional requirements for travelling abroad, which I may NOT have discussed here. This article is just based on my own experience and should NOT be considered as legal or official advice.

It is commonly known that Filipino spouses and partners of foreign nationals going to Germany with a Marriage Visa or a Family Reunion Visa are required to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, attend the Guidance and Counseling Program (CFO - GCP) and secure the CFO Emigrant sticker before departure. This is part of the departure requirements for emigrant Philippine citizens.

''For the past three decades, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has implemented the Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) for fiancé(e)s, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals or of former Filipino citizens. Republic Act 10906 (“Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act of 2016) and Republic Act 10364 (“An Act Expanding the Anti-Trafficking in Person Act of 2012”) require the conduct of mandatory pre-departure counseling services for Filipinos in intermarriages.

The GCP is also a requirement under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act for Filipino fiancé(e)s, partners and spouses of foreign nationals or former Filipino citizens who are applying for a passport for the first time or adopting the surname of the foreign spouse.

The main objective of the program is to assist the integration of Filipinos in their host countries by counseling them on the realities of international migration, and preparing them to meet the practical, cultural and psychological challenges in cross-cultural marriage and migration.''

However, we also read of travellers with a Visitor Visa or Tourist Visa who have been offloaded because of failure to present a CFO-GCP Certificate upon exit from the Philippines. Of course we are not privy to the entire circumstances of why these people were offloaded, still it pays to be in the know of why a missing CFO-GCP Certificate may be a reason for being offloaded.

What is CFO-GCP Certificate?

A CFO-GCP Certificate is a document that proves you have attended the guidance and counseling program and have satisfactorily provided all the supporting documents as required by a CFO counselor. You can attend the counseling program even when you do not have an emigrant visa. I did attend the CFO counseling while I was still waiting for my Marriage Visa.

Offloading due to failure of presenting a CFO-GCP Certificate (with a Tourist Visa), does it have a legal basis?

As I discussed in Part I here, if and when a passenger who travels with a Tourist Visa is subjected to a Secondary Inspection, the Immigration Officer may ask for more documents aside from the standard travel requirements; one of which may be a CFO-GCP Certificate.

Does it have a legal basis? Yes. The legal mandate of CFO also includes implementaion of Memorandum Circular No. 036 - Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities of International- Bound Passengers.

Part of the guidelines state that, TOURIST PASSENGERS --- that includes holders of Schengen Visa (Visitor or Tourist Visa, Unmarried Couple Visitor Visa), may be required to present a CFO-GCP Certificate whenever it is shown that the passenger:

1. Is the spouse of a foreign national intending to depart for the first time to join the foreign spouse or

2. Is a partner of a foreign national intending to depart to meet and/or marry his/her fiancé/fiancee.

image source: https://cfo.gov.ph

To be honest, I also did not know these guidelines when I was still travelling to Germany with a Visitor Visa.

I only became aware of these guidelines at the time I attended the CFO-GCP at CFO - Davao Satellite in relation to my Marriage Visa. Majority of the attendees were ladies who intended to travel abroad with a Schengen Visa. Even when I did read about it, the words "Join", ''Partner'' and the ''to meet and/or marry" clause caused some confusion at first reading.

So, should you register yourself and attend the CFO-GCP even when you have a Schengen Visa?

I believe that the most critical factor is when the passenger is intending to depart (the country) for the first time to meet his/her foreigner sponsor ---- with this, I would highly recommend that you secure a CFO-GCP Certificate.

Failure to present a CFO-GCP Certificate when travelling abroad to visit a foreign national boyfriend, partner or spouse does not necessarily mean you will be offloaded; having one is also not a guarantee for being allowed to board. The decision of the Immigration Officer (IO) at the point of exit will depend on your overall traveller profile, your travel documents and your answer to the interview questions. It is important that you can convince the IO that you know and trust your sponsor and that you will not be put in harm's way when you travel abroad, no matter you have a CFO-GCP Certificate or not. After all, the main objective of the Bureau of Immigration is to prevent that you become a victim of human-trafficking, illegal recruiters and other crimes.


While it takes time and money, I believe that it is an advantage to all Filipinos with foreign national partners to attend the CFO-GCP. In these uncertain times when you may get stuck abroad due to the unpredictable border restrictions brought about by the pandemic, it is also to your advantage to know what to do and who to ask help from if you find yourself under unfortunate circumstances. These and other issues will be addressed thru the CFO-GCP.


The CFO-GCP Certificate is valid for a lifetime, so long as you intend to marry and stay married to the same Foreign National entered in the registration form. If you don't have an immigrant visa such as Marriage Visa or Family Reunion Visa, you will just be given the CFO-GCP Certificate. Once you get your immigrant visa, you can go back to any CFO Branch to have the Emigrant sticker attached to your valid passport.

TIP: When interviewed by a CFO Counselor or an Immigration Officer, be careful when using the word ''hubby''. The word is supposed to be a short form of husband. Don't call your male sponsor as your ''hubby'' when you are not married. For that matter, don't call him your fiancé when you are not engaged. The word ''hubby'' may very well be an innocent term of endearment but it can also subject you to more stringent guidelines in certain situations.

Please go to the CFO official website for more info.

Affidavit of Support for Sponsored Visitor Visa (Schengen Visa) to Germany - Offloading Series Part 2 of 3

DISCLAIMER: The current Corona pandemic situation has resulted in many changes, including but not limited to additional requirements for travelling abroad, which I may NOT have discussed here. This article is just based on my own experience and should NOT be considered as legal or official advice.

I travelled to Germany for the first time with a Visit Visa in 2016. I was sponsored by my now-husband. My previous experience, with the Immigration Authorities left me a little paranoid and because of this, I tried to dig deeper into what else should I prepare aside from the standard travel requirements.

First, let's talk about the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI). What is the BI's function in relation to Filipino citizens travelling abroad and what is its mandate?

One of the many functions of the Bureau of Immigration is the:

Monitoring of the entry and exit of Filipino citizens in compliance with Philippine laws and other legal procedures;

BI is mandated to be:

principally responsible for the administration and enforcement of immigration, citizenship, and alien admission and registration laws in accordance with the provisions of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. It also plays a role in the enforcement of RA 9208, also known as the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act of 2003.

Before we can board a plane and leave the country, we need to pass and get the approval of the Bureau of Immigration Official (IO) at our point of exit, i.e. Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The standard screening is as simple as presenting your travel documents and answering a few questions such as:

1. Where are you travelling and duration of stay?

2. Where are you going to stay in your country of destination?

3. Have you met in person the sponsor of your trip? Did he visit you in the 

Philippines before?

4. How long have you known this person?

TIP: Be confident and composed when you answer the IO. Prepare to prove your answers with documents such as: Invitation Letter, pictures of you and your sponsor together, copy of your sponsor's passport data page and pages stamped by IO upon entry to/exit from Philippines, and others.

For purposes of Immigration Officials, a Schengen Visa (Visitor/Tourism) falls under Tourism and outbound travellers will be required the following standard documents.

1. Unexpired DFA-issued passport (at least six-months valid;

2. Unexpired visa (if visa-required at final destination); and

3. Return ticket.

and...WHAT ELSE?

My previous travels abroad were all self-financed and I also based my preparations on that. For my first sponsored visit to Germany, my sponsor was equally involved in making sure that my travel will be as smooth as possible and also made his own research. He was the one who found out that in case of a secondary inspection, an Affidavit of Support for a Sponsored Visit Visa may be asked for.

image source: https://immigration.gov.ph

What is an Affidavit of Support

An Affidavit of Support is a document executed and signed by the sponsor to accept financial responsibility for the person invited. This is not to be confused with Verpflichtungserklärung (Formal Obligation) as required for the Visit Visa application. Legally speaking, the Formal Obligation is a different document that is only honored by the German government. 

My sponsor formulated his own affidavit but you can also use, with modifications according to your circumstances, these templates provided by the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

Affidavit General Form

Affidavit of Support

IMPORTANT: The Affidavit of Support needs to be bilingual (with a built-in English translation) or translated by a certified translator.

How to Secure an Authenticated Affidavit of Support 

Step 1. Write an Affidavit of Support with the following required details:

• relationship of sponsor to the traveler
• financial status of sponsor (indicate work, salary)
• complete residential address and contact details of the sponsor.

Step 2. Go to a Notar to have the affidavit notarized.

Step 3. Go to the Landgericht to have the notarized affidavit certified

Step 4. Submit the affidavit to the Philippine Embassy in Berlin for authentication. This was in 2016 and my sponsor sent the Affidavit of Support for authentication thru post. 

My sponsor then sent via courier the original copy of the authenticated (red-ribboned) Affidavit of Support to me. He spent more or less 100 Euro in total (2016).

Do I Really Need an Affidavit of Support?

Confusion arises because, while it is legally required based on the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Passengers, not all travellers with a sponsored visit visa will be required to present this. It will only be asked for "when deemed necessary" by the IO. I travelled several times to Germany on a sponsored visitor visa between 2016 - 2018 and I personally was never asked to present an Affidavit of Support, although I was always ready to present it whenever I exit the Philippines.

In addition, a cousin of mine who also travelled to Germany for the first time on a sponsored visit visa did not procure nor was asked to present an affidavit of support upon exit from the country.

Confusion is also brought about by this press statement from BI itself, qouting part of it (emphasis mine): 

''Tourists must prove their financial capability for the trip, present proof of work or support in the Philippines, or submit an affidavit of support if they are visiting relatives overseas, to prevent being offloaded from flights.'' 

Some people understood it to mean that you only need the Affidavit of Support if you are visiting relatives who sponsored your trip.

Do I secure one or not?  That judgment will be your own as a traveller. I would strongly recommend it though if you are travelling to Germany on a sponsored visitor visa under any or all of the following circumstances:

1. You are travelling abroad for the first time.

2. You are unemployed or you have no proof of income; you can't present proof of financial capacity.

3. Your sponsor is your boyfriend or fiance.

4. You and your sponsor has never met in person.

Is there MORE? Yes, I will write about the Commission of Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Program next.

Offloading - What Does It Mean And How to Avoid It? - Part 1 of 3

DISCLAIMER: The current Corona pandemic situation has resulted in many changes, including but not limited to additional requirements for travelling abroad, which I may NOT have discussed here. This article is just based on my own experience and should NOT be considered as legal or official advice.

This article is based on my personal experience only for a self-financed travel to a visa-upon-arrival country for the purpose of tourism. You may be asked different and/or additional documents depending on your purpose of travel and/or visa and your answers to the interview questions. Preparing these additional documents is your personal responsibility. Offloading can still happen even if you already have a valid visa such us, but not limited to, Sponsored Visit Visa, Student Visa, Working Visa (OFW) and Immigrant Visa (Family Reunion Visa and Marriage Visa). I will try to write more on this soon.

I have heard and read a lot of horror-stories on the subject of offloading, so when I had the chance to travel abroad for the first time, I spent time to research about it.

First, it creates a lot of confusion that we don't have a definitive rule about offloading. The term ''Offload'' itself is not mentioned in any guidelines available online for outbound Filipino travelers. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI), a government agency tasked to monitor that the exit of Filipino citizens from the country is in compliance with Philippine laws and other legal procedures, said in a press statement that there is ''no such thing as offloading policy.''

So, what is offloading?

Offloading technically means to unload (a cargo or a passenger) from the plane. In the context of Philippine Immigration Authorities and this article, offloading means that a traveler is, at the point of exit, not allowed by the Immigration Officer to leave the country and board the plane. 

At any International Airport in the Philippines, international travel departure is mostly straightforward with the following steps:

Step 1. Check-In with Airline

Step 2. Immigrations Screening

                  Step 3. Security Check

Step 4. Waiting or Boarding Area

Offloading may happen during Step 2. This can be a big torment on the part of the offloaded person. At this point you already have a boarding pass and checked-in your luggage. Once offloaded, you will have to face the issue of claiming your baggage. Since no one ever planned for this kind of eventuality, you may be left stranded at the airport with no immediate access to accomodation and transportation, and worse not enough money to get by. The airline will most likely not care and also NOT refund your airfare. You may also have the possibility of dealing with the financial burden of non-cancellable and/or non-refundable hotel payments, attraction tickets, onward journey tickets, and other costs.

Standard travel requirements for Filipino Citizens traveling abroad for Tourism Purposes

During immigration screening, the immigration officer (IO) may just ask for the following:

                Standard Travel Requirements (1)

1. Unexpired DFA-issued passport (at least six-months valid;
2. Unexpired visa (if visa-required at final destination); and
3. Return ticket.

After examining these documents, the IO will ask a few questions, chop your passport and you are good to board the plane and enjoy your trip.

BUT. There are cases wherein the IO, when deemed necessary, will ask for more documents and/or inform you that you need to undergo a secondary inspection. It is during this secondary screening that offloading may happen.

Basis for secondary inspection

Here is a direct quote from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration website,

Consistent with anti-human trafficking, -human smuggling, and -illegal recruitment laws, additional documents shall be required after (1), when:

a. Passenger discloses a doubtful, false or suspect travel intent;
b. Passports and travel documents/visas are counterfeit, fraudulent, falsified, simulated or tampered; and

Passenger’s totality of circumstances manifests a well-founded certainty of human trafficking, smuggling or illegal recruitment.

2.1. What are considered under 2(c)?

1. Age/Health;
2. Educational attainment;
3. Financial capability for travel;
4. Travel history, if any; and
5. Final destination.

I believe that the main purpose of these guidelines and regulations is to protect the traveler, but it also leaves a lot of room for interpretations and may be subjective on the part of the Immigration Officer.

I personally experienced the dreaded secondary inspection and despite my diligent research on the subject, it still turned out to be a nerve-wracking experience.

At that time, I was traveling to Singapore for tourism purposes. I booked a red-eye flight via Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Ours was the only flight scheduled to depart at that time and the half-lit departure area was almost empty except for the personnel responsible for preparing our flight and my co-passengers. Only one Immigration counter was open.

After the standard screening procedure, I was told (along with 5 or 6 other passengers) to wait aside behind the IO counter. I waited in a semi-dark corner without any other clue what will happen next. Two immigration officers arrived to settle us as our boarding time neared.

TIP: It is best to be early for check-in and go to the Immigration counter as early as possible. This way, you have at least additional time to spare if you get the secondary inspection.

How to avoid being offloaded

Read the entire BI guidelines for outbound passengers here. Prepare all documents you need based on your purpose of travel including supporting documents that may be asked for, even if it is not listed on the BI website. 

Having done a lot of readings, I was ready with all the other documents the IO asked based on my stated purpose of travel. These documents are NOT listed in their website:

1. Invitation Letter from my friend --- stating pertinent details, such as her address, her status in the destination country, my duration of stay, etc.

2. Certificate of Employment signed by my employer, Approved Leave of Absence --- all in original copies

3. Company ID, PRC Card

4. Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Bank Passbook

5. Itinerary, Bus tickets, bookings for attractions I wanted to see

I was required to fill-up a Border Control Questionnaire which included the question of how much money I have with me. I was also ready to present the CASH I had in my pocket but the IO didn't ask me to. The actual screening lasted 10 - 15minutes, but waiting for my turn to be screened seemed forever. The IO made photocopies of the documents I presented.

Answer the IO questions with confidence. Be clear and be honest. Prepare to support your declarations with documents. 

What are supporting documents that I need to ready?

1. Proof of financial capacity

As a tourist, you are expected to travel for leisure. The term itself suggests that you should be able to afford the trip and prove your financial capacity when asked.

As a basis,  I looked up how much the average travel cost is in Singapore and I multiplied that amount with the number of days I intended to stay there. I readied to prove that I have this amount by bringing my credit cards, debit cards and even my bank passbook.

2. Itinerary

Tourism is the act of travelling or sightseeing. As a tourist, you should also be able to answer when asked which places you want to see, for example. I prepared a simple itinerary of my planned daily activities. I also booked ahead the attractions  that I wanted to see (Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Zoo, etc.) so I can show proof of bookings as needed. 

3. Proof of hotel bookings/accomodation

For tourism, you are also expected to have your accomodations arranged ahead of the trip. The IO might ask you to show confirmed hotel bookings in your own name. 

In my case, I intended to stay at a friend's apartment for the duration of my stay in Singapore. So, she sent me via E-Mail an Invitation Letter to this effect. I simply printed a copy of the E-Mail and brought it with me. 

TIP: If you are traveling to stay with or meet a friend, make sure that you know the person's personal data such as full name, address, and contact number. It would also be best if you already have met the said friend in person and able to prove the acquaintance, e.g. by showing a picture of you together.

Profiles of passengers that may be subjected to secondary inspection

As I mentioned above, the interpretation for the guidelines for secondary inspection and subsequent offloading may be subjective on the part of the Immigration Officer.

Based on stories that I read on the internet, most offloaded passengers claim that they were treated unfairly and were asked for documents that are not even listed in the Bureau of Immigration website. 

On that fateful day, I cannot help but hear bits and pieces of conversations (we were all interviewed in an open hallway with no privacy) and was able to put together the circumstances or profiles of passengers that may be subjected to a secondary inspection:

1. A single female, solo-traveler going abroad for the first time.

2. A young, unemployed female who claims to go abroad for 5 days but has a 50kg worth of luggage.

3. A government employee who said he will go abroad to attend a birthday party but cannot present an Invitation Letter and Authority to Travel.

4. A young lady going abroad to met a foreigner boyfriend for the first time.

I heard enough to know that Passengers No. 2 and 3 were offloaded. Passenger No. 4 was still pleading her case with a lot of tears as I, Passenger No. 1, was allowed to board the plane. I ran to the boarding gate as I heard, ''last call for boarding, last call for boarding...''

How to Learn about Germany as Your Future Home

One of the best ways to learn about a new country, its culture and people is to visit the country itself. Live the life of a local and see for yourself how they go about their everyday lives. For most countries, including Germany, this would involve time, money and visa. It is mostly easy to find solutions for time and money, but the visa issue proves to be the bane of most Philippine passport holder. It is almost near to impossible to get a visit or tourist visa approved.

This is perhaps one of the reasons why most Filipinas who come to migrate in Germany, especially due to marriage, experience a big culture shock. They never had the chance to test the waters, so-to-speak, before having to plunge in. It is common to read stories of loneliness, being home-sick, frustrated about learning the language. Feelings of being discriminated, being out of place --- stories of difficulty in integrating into a new life in general.

Is there a way help us prepare for a new life in a new country if we cannot visit there before moving?

No one can be totally prepared to live a new life, in a new place, but some factors can be helped. Most of us just focus on the visa requirements to be able to come here and forget the practical details of the actual conditions that may await us. Know the bigger picture. Life in Germany is not just about learning the language and integration courses and all that is required of us by law to be able to get a permanent residency. Prepare yourself by having some ideas about things such as the climate, the common German-traits or clichés, transportation, food, taxes, religion and political topics, etc.   

Needless to say, for those coming to Germany to marry, your No.1 source of information should be your partner! Ask him/her EVERYTHING you want to know. Dig deep by asking questions. Don't be afraid or embarrased or shy. Explore as much topics as you can talk about. This also goes, without saying, about ALL other personal questions you may have for your partner. 

The following ways can also help:

1. Use the internet.

The internet has an unlimited source of information that you can learn from and it is mostly for free! Read about useful information such as geography, history, infrastructure and climate statistics. Look up specific websites dedicated to specific topics you want to learn such as fashion or food. Read books written by German authors and check out German-made films. 

2. Look up YouTube videos

There are a lot of official (and non-official) tourism YouTube videos that can also give you an excellent glimpse of certain places. You can also simply write the name of the town or city your husband or future life partner lives in and you may be able to find videos that showcase local sceneries of that town. Type into YouTube search, ''Life in Berlin'', and it will come up with a lot of videos about different topics; Life as a Student, 8 Things I Hate about Berlin, What it Costs to Live in Berlin, etc.

3. Use Google Map

Search the address of your future house in Google Map and you may even have a 3D view of your soon-to-be home and see the neighbour’s cat in the backyard! Google map can also give you some perspectives about the lay-out of the place. Is the place remote or is it in an urban area? Are there shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants nearby? How far is it to the nearest city? Do they have schools nearby? Can you tell that your future home is far from any nearby neighbours? 

4. Use Social Media

There are Facebook groups and online forums that accept questions and conversations. Some FB groups surprisingly provide authentic insightful answers to specific questions you ask. You can learn all sorts of practical information like how to find a job, how to get your driver’s license and even on how to prevent itchy skin when the cold season comes.

As you get to know a different culture, you will learn to realize that not everyone is the same. Then you can ready yourself on how you can adapt this to your own values, beliefs and personal biases. You can develop a keen sense of self-awareness.

I have been lucky to be given a chance to visit Germany a few times and be able to experience all its season before moving here to marry my German. Still, it is not enough to ready myself for all the changes that I have to go through and are still going through.

At first it feels like I am losing myself, losing an orientation on where to start and what to do first. Then, I asked myself, WHY am I here? The answer fires me up time and time again. The answer to my INNER WHY always give me the inspiration to go on. The answer is the anchor.

I realized, moving to Germany also gives me the opportunity to get a new perspective in life, evaluate my interests and find out who I really want to be. There are no old routines and no set rules. I have the opportunity to turn the page and start writing the story from the beginning.

The learning process won’t be a one-year thing, or not even a decade thing. Finding yourself to be a better human being is a lifetime journey.

It is awesome to go through that journey with the one you love.