We plan to settle in Bangladesh after the church wedding,
and apart from the wedding preparations, I’m also busy preparing all my
documents.
I already updated my SSS and I hope I will receive my new
ID before I leave for Bangladesh. Next is my passport. I plan to renew it using
my married name before applying for Bangladesh Visa so that I will have
an official ID with my married name already.
I’m glad I checked the DFA Passport Appointment schedule already to book an
appointment because I found out that the earliest available date in DFA
Megamall is April 11 while in Robinson’s galleria is April 18. I Decided to
book the April 11 and applied for rush processing which will take a week instead
of the regular processing which will take 15 working days. And as soon as I
will get my passport, I will apply for my "Dependent Visa". I need a "Letter of Financial Support" from my husband address to the Bangladesh Embassy for this one.
But, renewing passport for me is not as easy as others
again, just because I’m a “spouse of a foreign national”. Aside from the Report
of Marriage Copy from NSO, I need to present a “Commissionof Filipino Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counselling Certificate of Attendance”.
This is required for first time applicants or renewal who will use their married
name for the first time.
What is this? At first, I thought it’s just
another unnecessary “money-making scheme” and additional hassle, but when I
went there yesterday, I found out that the main purpose of this is to protect
the welfare of the Filipino women who will get married to a foreigner or who are
married to a foreigner who will migrate to another country. If POEA is after
the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers, CFO is after the welfare of the
Filipino Migrants. In the Guidance & Counselling, the counselors are
checking that the marriage is legit and not just a case of human trafficking or
a mail-order bride. Though I feel that I don’t really need this, it will be
tougher for them to monitor if there are exceptions in the rules, that’s why
they require all women with foreigner spouse to attend this counselling.
It's sad to hear stories about the women's struggles in their married life while leaving in another country. And yes, there are still cases of mail-order-bride and human trafficking. Most of the victims are the non-educated women from the far-flung provinces, the innocent women who fell in love to a wrong guy, women who wants to go to another country. But there are some cases also of women who were not able to adjust to the intercultural relationship and marriage.
It's sad to hear stories about the women's struggles in their married life while leaving in another country. And yes, there are still cases of mail-order-bride and human trafficking. Most of the victims are the non-educated women from the far-flung provinces, the innocent women who fell in love to a wrong guy, women who wants to go to another country. But there are some cases also of women who were not able to adjust to the intercultural relationship and marriage.
The office opens at 630am, but I went there
around 9am even if the schedule for the counselling is at 2-5pm because they
have a quota per day. My whole day was spent only in CFO. I had a one-on-one interview
with the counselor. They asked about my relationship with H, it’s like sharing
our love story to them. Then, after that, I’m advised to have my lunch first
and be back by 130pm for the group guidance and counselling session. The session is group according to categories and country. My group is under "Fiancees/Spouses/Other Partners of Foreign National from Asia Pacific Countries". I really
don’t find it educational for me anymore because it isn’t my first time to live
in Bangladesh, or my first time to meet my husband and the in-laws. I have
adjusted to the Bangladesh life and I know married life is another adjustment
regardless whichever part of the world you will live. After the session, my
certificate was given to me since according to my counselor; she didn't find
any issues with my status or my documents. This counselling is once in lifetime only unless you will have a new petitioner and you will have to leave from the Philippines again.
After I get my Dependent Visa, I will have to go back
to CFO to have my passport stamp with the Emigrant seal.
2 comments:
It's a long time ago, but I remember this guidance and counselling session I attended when my petition was approved. We're a big group, probably 50 people in a conference room in Makati. I thought it would be quick, because my bff was waiting for me outside. The "counselor" told us (I believe we were grouped according to the country you were going to because his lecture is only about USA) never to be picky in choosing a job. He said garbage pickers earn good salary. But he was quick to add that we should not all apply for a garbage picker's job.
Peachy Furtado - sounds Pinoy, just like Maria Roy no?
haha! the counselor asked me twice why the family name doesn't sound foreign, and i kept on answering because my husband is a catholic. Ilang beses din niya tinanong, in random, kung gaano ko na katagal kakilala ang aking asawa. Alam mo yun, checking if your previous answer will still be the same with your latest answer :-) haaaay! i'm teasing alvin already, he owes me a lot coz i have to face all this hassles heheh!
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