# UK Gent Engaged To Filipina Lady, Advice Needed Please



## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

hi, 

i met my fiance online and spent 3 month video chating before visiting for 2 weeks.
thankfully we get on really great and have decided to get married in the near future.

in a few weeks i will be going back to the philippines to visit again but looking for advice on which way to go next, like where is best to get married, there or the uk and then how do i go about getting her to be able to live with me in the uk although after a few years we might both move back to the philippines. 

i'm a homeowner and drive coaches for a living so meet requirements for housing and providing for her but i'm unsure as to what else i'd need to do, how best to go about it and around what time frame it would all take so any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

give it some time..u really dont know her yet.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

lefties43332 said:


> give it some time..u really dont know her yet.


we are not in a rush but i would like to know what i'm letting myself in for as far as being able to live together in the near future


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

If you are planning to bring her to the UK why not do that before you get married?

Getting a Filipina over to the UK is quite complicated, and being married does not in fact make it any easier.

You need to think of the worst case scenario. For example if you get married but can not bring her to the UK, what will you do? 

Also bear in mind that video chatting is a lot different from living together, especially if one of you will be living in a foreign country. This can put strain on a relationship - e.g. if she wants to return to Philippines but you want to stay in England.

You should put off marriage until you have lived together for a few years. By that time you will have been through a lot of ups and downs (if only with immigration, getting used to a new country, etc), and you will know each other a lot better.

Also bear in mind if you marry in the Philippines there is no divorce here so you would be making life very hard for your partner if in the future the relationship does not work out.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mbeast said:


> hi,
> 
> i met my fiance online and spent 3 month video chating before visiting for 2 weeks.
> thankfully we get on really great and have decided to get married in the near future.
> ...


Howdy Mbeast And Welcome,

You are going to get enough replies to your post to fill a large book without doubt. The replies you get may not be what you want to hear but are from experience from members here including me. 
I'm married and have lived here in the islands for 15 years now and have (through friends) seen just about everything both good and bad. Anyway, again, welcome. I'll probably chime in later on.


Asian Spirit


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Simon1983 said:


> If you are planning to bring her to the UK why not do that before you get married?
> 
> Getting a Filipina over to the UK is quite complicated, and being married does not in fact make it any easier.
> 
> ...


hi, thank you for your reply,

to be honest the date for us to marry and location has not been set, from what i have read it looks like getting a visa to stay here in the UK or in the philippines can be a lot of hard work.
as much as we both really want to spend the rest of our lives together, i really don't like the idea of us being apart most of the time as visits to and from can soon start to add up and i don't really fancy selling my house to fund the start of our relationship when we will need it for our home together.


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

mbeast said:


> hi, thank you for your reply,
> 
> to be honest the date for us to marry and location has not been set, from what i have read it looks like getting a visa to stay here in the UK or in the philippines can be a lot of hard work.
> as much as we both really want to spend the rest of our lives together, i really don't like the idea of us being apart most of the time as visits to and from can soon start to add up and i don't really fancy selling my house to fund the start of our relationship when we will need it for our home together.


Don't sell your house. Having a house in the UK will help you if you want to sponsor your partner to live in the UK.
Also helpful are savings and a salary.

You should check the UK gov website for the visa you want to apply for if planning to bring your partner to the UK.

If you want to spend more time in the Philippines, dont sell your house to fund that. If you put any money into the Philippines you will find it hard to get it out again, and nothing will be in your name.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

Oyy, I really urge caution, for your sake. You haven't shared many details about her, your age gap, where she's from, etc.. but in this country two weeks simply isn't enough time to make a decision like that. Things are often not as presented.. Of course I understand from personal experience that one gets knocked over by these beautiful, friendly and (sometimes) caring women.. but all is not always as it seems. There is no woman more efficient at extracting support than a Filipina.

Just as an example, do you know for a FACT that she is not previously married? Many Filipina's will claim to be single (and are for all practical purposes) but upon further investigation are actually previously married and since there's no divorce, the man either has to try to get her previous marriage annulled or give up bringing her back home. Or in a worse case scenario, the husband or local boyfriend is hiding in the background. Ask to see a CENOMAR (certificate of no marriage). There may also be children, whether or not she's married. I'm not trying to scare you but these things happen all the time.

As I said I have no knowledge of your situation but simply urge caution. And I wish you the best. I hope it works out.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Just to straighten out a couple of facts given incorrectly. Get married in the Philippines or get married in the Uk makes no difference, you can still divorce in the UK. You can try and bring her here on a fience visa but you will need to marry within 3 months so you can't just live together for a couple of year to see how it goes. You would need to go to the Philippines to do that. If you arn't able to meet the visa requirements for a fiance vise you won't be able to meet the spouse visa requirements. I think you need 3-4 trips before you are anything like ready for a commitment.


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

Gary D said:


> Just to straighten out a couple of facts given incorrectly. Get married in the Philippines or get married in the Uk makes no difference, you can still divorce in the UK. You can try and bring her here on a fience visa but you will need to marry within 3 months so you can't just live together for a couple of year to see how it goes. You would need to go to the Philippines to do that. If you arn't able to meet the visa requirements for a fiance vise you won't be able to meet the spouse visa requirements. I think you need 3-4 trips before you are anything like ready for a commitment.


Apply as a partner or spouse
To apply as a partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over.

Your partner must also either:

be a British citizen
have settled in the UK (they have ‘indefinite leave to remain’ or proof of permanent residence)
have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

What you’ll need to prove
You must be able to prove one of the following:

you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving
You also need to prove you:

have a good knowledge of English
can financially support yourself and your dependants
If you don’t meet these requirements you may still be able to apply for a visa or extend your permission to stay if:

you have a child in the UK who is a British citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK
there would be very significant difficulties for you and your partner if you lived together as a couple outside the UK that couldn’t be overcome
it would breach your human rights to stop you coming to the UK or make you leave
If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner
You must prove that:

any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
you plan to marry or become civil partners within 6 months of arriving in the UK
You won’t be able to work during your engagement.

How long you can stay
You’ll get permission to stay for 2.5 years, or for 6 months if you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner.

After this you’ll need to apply to extend your stay.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

hi simon,

i'm not sure i understand the prove part....


What you’ll need to prove
You must be able to prove one of the following:

"you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving"

does this mean we have to date for 2 years before we can apply for a UK visa or just prove we are or intend to marry?
also how do you mean permission to stay for 2.5 years or 6 months?


thank you for your help


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Gary D said:


> Just to straighten out a couple of facts given incorrectly. Get married in the Philippines or get married in the Uk makes no difference, you can still divorce in the UK. You can try and bring her here on a fience visa but you will need to marry within 3 months so you can't just live together for a couple of year to see how it goes. You would need to go to the Philippines to do that. If you arn't able to meet the visa requirements for a fiance vise you won't be able to meet the spouse visa requirements. I think you need 3-4 trips before you are anything like ready for a commitment.


do i really need to go 3-4 times?

i was thinking of going over for a few weeks soon and see if i can extend my visa to stay a extra few months or so then hopefully apply for a visa for my fiance whilst i was there with her so she can return to the uk with me.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

mbeast said:


> do i really need to go 3-4 times?
> 
> i was thinking of going over for a few weeks soon and see if i can extend my visa to stay a extra few months or so then hopefully apply for a visa for my fiance whilst i was there with her so she can return to the uk with me.


If you are going to stay for a few month than that's ok. The problem is with people going on a 2 week vacation then going back a few months/year later to marry.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mbeast said:


> do i really need to go 3-4 times?
> 
> I was thinking of going over for a few weeks soon and see if i can extend my visa to stay a extra few months or so then hopefully apply for a visa for my fiance whilst i was there with her so she can return to the UK with me.


While every country has different laws, most Western countries can be almost alike in many areas.

For example, The United States requires you to come here once or prove you have been together somewhere and that you have a working relationship. Also, as US citizens we must apply for the fiancee visa AFTER we return home to the US. It Can NOT be done here in the Philippines. It is quite possible that it is the same for the UK.

Laws and conditions change all the time. Best thing to do is to pay a visit to your immigration agency office there closest to your home -- IN PERSON.The information is answers to legal questions and concerns so it is in your best interest to get the information from those agencies where you are to insure no mistakes are made ..


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

mbeast said:


> hi simon,
> 
> i'm not sure i understand the prove part....
> 
> ...


I took the text from gov website. I think it means you must either a) be married abroad, b) have been living together and in a relationship, or c) be intending to marry in the UK.

If a or b the partner can stay for up to 2.5 years but if c only 6 months. This means if you are intending to marry you get 6 months. Once you are married I guess there is another visa that you would be apply to apply for in order to extend. They are just saying you cant come over saying you'll be getting married in the next 2 years - should be within 6 months.

It's easy to extend your tourist visa if you want to stay in Philippines for an extended time.

Also worth looking at a tourist visa for your partner. A short stay visa to the UK is valid up to 6 months, which is definitely long enough for a first visit.

Why not stay in philippines a couple of months then apply for her to come to UK for a month or two? The problem is the tourist visa is just as strict as the longer term visas, especially if your partner doesn't work and has few ties to the Philippines (property, business, etc)


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I think you will find that the government is a bit leary about giving visit visas to people in a relationship with a UK citzen as they may try and change their visa status once thay are in the UK


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

We had to prove we had been living together in a de facto relationship for 12 months, condo lease in both names, joint bank account, mail addressed to both of us or individually but to the common address, photos over that time with friends and family, 2 preferably 3 sworn affidavits (888 form) from Australian citizens declaring our relationship as bona fide, my flights in and out of PH.

Then it gets interesting, extracts from our social media. FB, Messenger, Emails for the prior 9 months to us living together, some 350 pages printed off to add gravity to our application. Plenty of other bits and pieces as well. Then the fees, Now I believe in the vicinity of AU $ 7,000.00 plus a migration agents fee if you go that way. 

This was a partnership visa and for Oz, not sure about the fiancé visa requirements nor how different things are in the UK but I am sure there are other contributors here that have done this and can offer correct advice and procedures.
As others have suggested take your time with this relationship, slow and steady wins the race.

BTW, welcome to the forum and good luck with your endeavours.

Cheers, Steve.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

bigpearl said:


> We had to prove we had been living together in a de facto relationship for 12 months, condo lease in both names, joint bank account, mail addressed to both of us or individually but to the common address, photos over that time with friends and family, 2 preferably 3 sworn affidavits (888 form) from Australian citizens declaring our relationship as bona fide, my flights in and out of PH.
> 
> Then it gets interesting, extracts from our social media. FB, Messenger, Emails for the prior 9 months to us living together, some 350 pages printed off to add gravity to our application. Plenty of other bits and pieces as well. Then the fees, Now I believe in the vicinity of AU $ 7,000.00 plus a migration agents fee if you go that way.
> 
> ...


which is totally outrageous...Aint many filipinos earning anything close to that...typical as they inherit everything they get,14 yrs there,,not worth it! Saw americans ripped off time and again in the military,,then u pay to get them overseas and when the money is exhausted they divorce and run for another...


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

mbeast said:


> do i really need to go 3-4 times?
> 
> i was thinking of going over for a few weeks soon and see if i can extend my visa to stay a extra few months or so then hopefully apply for a visa for my fiance whilst i was there with her so she can return to the uk with me.


Doesn't work as simple as you have envisioned. You are contemplating entering a minefield. Do a lot of research and reading before you go further. Best of luck.

Fred


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

i was hoping to find someone in the UK that has recently got a spouse visa to advise me how they went about it so i know what i would need to do and what to watch out for


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

fmartin_gila said:


> Doesn't work as simple as you have envisioned. You are contemplating entering a minefield. Do a lot of research and reading before you go further. Best of luck.
> 
> Fred


Exactly!!!


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

You know my dearly loved but departed dad always said "God helps those that help themselves" the twist to that is "and Christ help those that get caught".
The OP clearly seems to be relying on feed back from this and possibly other sites, perhaps I am wrong, maybe this can be clarified?
I certainly ask lots of questions here and other sites but I usually consult my best friend "google" for a bit of an idea and perhaps facts (though confusing at times especially government departments) and information before I ask the learned.

For our OP I simply typed into google " Fiance Visa from Philippines to United Kingdom " and got over 120,000 hits, then I typed in partnership visas and got nearly 1.5 million hits.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating and while I and others hear your heart/the love strings softly playing the reality is simple. Walk softly but always carry a big stick. 
While lefties and others opinions may appear cynical I see they are quoted from experience and the realities of dating and experiences in a third world country, most have been there, we are going back to live soon. Your wish is achievable as ours was, Bengie is a permanent Australian resident, has worked here for nearly 4 years and will maintain his residency in case I kick the bucket, better life and options for him, me also.
While wholesomely difficult to secure, marriage and living in the OP's country has a many fold effect and one I am glad I/we pursued for the betterment of our relationship in Australia. My better half has blossomed.

mbeast, if this is what you want and where your heart is (as long as the other brain is not making the decisions) then there is no hurry, relax, enjoy as you may have the next 30/40/50 years together. Scour the net, sure ask questions here but best to thoroughly read the law with your countries immigration policies. Do yourself the cutesy of simple education with the law and spend more time in the Filipino culture, some hate, most love.
Again, good luck.

Cheers, Steve.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

bigpearl said:


> You know my dearly loved but departed dad always said "God helps those that help themselves" the twist to that is "and Christ help those that get caught".
> The OP clearly seems to be relying on feed back from this and possibly other sites, perhaps I am wrong, maybe this can be clarified?
> I certainly ask lots of questions here and other sites but I usually consult my best friend "google" for a bit of an idea and perhaps facts (though confusing at times especially government departments) and information before I ask the learned.
> 
> ...



you hit the nail on the head, whilst google can help, it is a minefield of what is useful and what is outright fiction and with so many hits when searching it sure takes a lot to go through.
Via my search i found this forum which i thought would be the best place to talk to people that have already made the move to getting to know and marry a filipino women and bringing her to live with him in the UK


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Mbeast I'm not familar with the UK and I've never been there but have you tried to meet Philippine or Asian women in the UK? This might sound like a silly question but as an example I met my wife in the US, the Asian women have spots where they hang out or meet up and usually they are bars but not always, maybe church activity such as Ingesia ni Christo or Mormon. 

JRB_NW mentioned make sure she's not married, this is a real concern and especially if she has kids, you'd be surprised how fast your world can be turned upside down and get even more complicated, you don't want to mess with lawyers or Immigration here.

I had a long rant on what I've experienced, seen and read on these expat forums from guys that bring their bride to their countries, but I'll shorten down to you'd be better off if your an older gentlemen retiring to the Philippines vise bringing her to the UK so If not possible I wish you well with perseverance you can make it happen.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

mbeast said:


> you hit the nail on the head, whilst google can help, it is a minefield of what is useful and what is outright fiction and with so many hits when searching it sure takes a lot to go through.
> Via my search i found this forum which i thought would be the best place to talk to people that have already made the move to getting to know and marry a filipino women and bringing her to live with him in the UK


The laws are securely in place, your embassy/immigration spells it out in black and white. You and your fine lady need to understand the immigration laws that apply to your particular circumstances and little else if you are both serious. Though a short time to know each other if that is what you both want then go for it and as said do your research well, here say and opinions offered on most of these sites could or could not be valid relating to your particular circumstances and while we all appreciate input/advice from fellow members one needs to validate the advice and or opinions and make an informed decision possibly derived from input but verified by yourself.

Members can only try to point you in the right direction but the ultimate decision is yours.
I have to add that 3 months chatting in social media and then a 2 week meet up? That's quick and potentially fraught with danger. Go by the book legally as you have no choice, when it comes to the heart? been there, been burnt, back again, been burnt, back again to finally find the one, together now for over 6 years, hope you guys are together for 50 years. Gods speed.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> hi,
> 
> in a few weeks i will be going back to the philippines to visit again but looking for advice


I recently posted how my neighbor down the street who operates an Internet Cafe found a sucker (American) via chat. He also visited for 2 weeks while her husband hid in the neighbors house. The American is sending wheel barrels full of cash to build their 3 story apartment building where the American thinks he will retire with her next year. Her Philippine husband has other plans to tell the American to beat it.
I frequent Angeles City and sometimes go into the Internet Cafes to use the Internet. One can see the girls, some with 6 chat sessions going on with Foreigners from all over the planet. They laugh and will boast to you that all are sending them money. The crowds at Western Union and other places don't dispute that.

I know of a girl who is milking a Brit right now. She has a large scar on her cheek. She used to work in the Bars, eventually married a local security guard, has 2 kids to him. Spends her time now ripping off foreigners via internet chat. She is very beautiful and clever. When the Foreigners visit, the husband lets her spend time with the foreigners. The husband just wants the cash. One Foreigner tried to break off the relationship after he found out she had kids, she had her husband call the foreigner, said he was a Doctor, needed P20,000 to do emergency surgery to scrape her belly lining because she took poison because of the break up or he would be liable. The foreigner saw her dancing a week later, no surgical scar, only the stretch marks from her kids.

Here is some advice: If she has a "legitimate " Job, and you are *not *supporting her then "perhaps" she is legitimate because she had to go through NBI/Police/Barangay Education level clearance to get the legitimate job. 

If she is jobless, has stretch marks, and you are sending her money, Don't spend another centavo on supporting her until you have a private investigator here provide you details on her background.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

i'm 40 and she is 25, i know she has so marks etc to show she has ever had a child. my ex wife is 28 from the UK but never understood the word commitment.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> i'm 40 and she is 25, i know she has so marks etc to show she has ever had a child. my ex wife is 28 from the UK but never understood the word commitment.


Girls here use Coconut Oil to rub on their belly during pregnancy. It actually works and hides the stretch marks.

25? Surely she has a job, where does she work? 

Are you sending her cash?


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Hey_Joe said:


> Girls here use Coconut Oil to rub on their belly during pregnancy. It actually works and hides the stretch marks.
> 
> 25? Surely she has a job, where does she work?
> 
> Are you sending her cash?


at the moment she is in collage and baby sits to pay for it.
i've brought her a mobile phone but don't send her money other than to buy herself a valentines gift and flowers as i didn't know who to order from to be sure they would arrive on time and in good condition. (i have seen them and receipts that she insisted on showing me).


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

mbeast said:


> at the moment she is in collage and baby sits to pay for it.
> i've brought her a mobile phone but don't send her money other than to buy herself a valentines gift and flowers as i didn't know who to order from to be sure they would arrive on time and in good condition. (i have seen them and receipts that she insisted on showing me).


good she insist. Pinas in the land of deception..


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> at the moment she is in collage and baby sits to pay for it.
> i've brought her a mobile phone but don't send her money other than to buy herself a valentines gift and flowers as i didn't know who to order from to be sure they would arrive on time and in good condition. (i have seen them and receipts that she insisted on showing me).


What city is this girl living in? Ability to pay for living expenses and College on a Yaya's salary alone is a Red Flag story.

Is she is going to college for one of the 3 or 6 month certification courses such as Culinary? 

A Yaya's (babysitters) salary is not enough anywhere in The Philippines to pay for a or 2 or 4 year College Degree. Even a Maid/Yaya/Cook can't afford a 4 years college. 

I highly suggest you have her checked out.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey_Joe said:


> What city is this girl living in? Ability to pay for living expenses and College on a Yaya's salary alone is a Red Flag story.
> 
> Is she is going to college for one of the 3 or 6 month certification courses such as Culinary?
> 
> ...


Just happened to think, the president signed into law a deal where many colleges are tuition free now. That may be what she is doing. I have a niece that is already enrolled at a college to become a teacher. Pretty cool and I think most of the books are included too.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Asian Spirit said:


> Just happened to think, the president signed into law a deal where many colleges are tuition free now. That may be what she is doing. I have a niece that is already enrolled at a college to become a teacher. Pretty cool and I think most of the books are included too.


OP indicated she was attending College using YAYA wages, not RA 10931.

Hope it works out for your niece. RA 10931 is not working out for others, tuition is still being demanded.

Source:
State colleges, universities, collecting tuition, other fees despite Free Education Act - Bulatlat


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey_Joe said:


> OP indicated she was attending College using YAYA wages, not RA 10931.
> 
> Hope it works out for your niece. RA 10931 is not working out for others, tuition is still being demanded.
> 
> ...


Ah,,,, okay. Now I have it. Well hope the OP does ok with this girl for sure. with so many gold diggers it can be hard to tell.

Hope also they get the tuition free education thing worked out. Will see when my niece starts in June. Thanks for the correction.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

JRB__NW said:


> Oyy, I really urge caution, for your sake. You haven't shared many details about her, your age gap, where she's from, etc.. but in this country two weeks simply isn't enough time to make a decision like that. Things are often not as presented.. Of course I understand from personal experience that one gets knocked over by these beautiful, friendly and (sometimes) caring women.. but all is not always as it seems. There is no woman more efficient at extracting support than a Filipina.
> 
> Just as an example, do you know for a FACT that she is not previously married? Many Filipina's will claim to be single (and are for all practical purposes) but upon further investigation are actually previously married and since there's no divorce, the man either has to try to get her previous marriage annulled or give up bringing her back home. Or in a worse case scenario, the husband or local boyfriend is hiding in the background. Ask to see a CENOMAR (certificate of no marriage). There may also be children, whether or not she's married. I'm not trying to scare you but these things happen all the time.
> 
> As I said I have no knowledge of your situation but simply urge caution. And I wish you the best. I hope it works out.


Yes there is JRB and it is Thai women. If they were put in a race together, there would only be a short half head in the result. Good idea about asking for proof of divorce if relevant.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

I welcome you to the forum also. These types of posts are regular occurrences here and other similar sites.
I am married to a Filipina but took over 12 months to make the committment for all the reasons and more stated in the replies you have received to date.
Some sound advice here, I hope you take it into consideration. Otherwise you may regret it.


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## pigeonpete (Jan 19, 2014)

Hello Everybody, I am english lived in aussie for 47 years. Married philippino 37 years ago we have 2daughters and grandchildren. I met my wife as a pen pal ,went over to philippines after 1year for weeks then went back again after 6 months and got married. It is all a matter of luck even if you make all the investigation you like you are likely to have a failed marriage. onthe other hand you could be lucky like me, Do you feel lucky?


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

back from a lovely few weeks in the philippines.
i'm more sure than i was my ex wife that this is the women i hope to spend the rest of my life with 

now the pain in the A$$ part....
passport and visa to the UK sure seems hard for her to get any time soon  

looks like it would be easier for me to fly over and then keep extending my visa every 2 months but surely there has to be a limit to this and I really don't know how long to expect it to take to get her passport sorted and then apply for a tourist visa to start with.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

i know it is going to take time etc but the fact that so many people have already managed to get their lady into the UK from the philippines show that it is possible.

I'm sure my lady is worth the wait but I really have no idea what to expect along the way and how best to deal with this to make this as pain free as possible.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mbeast said:


> i know it is going to take time etc but the fact that so many people have already managed to get their lady into the UK from the philippines show that it is possible.
> 
> I'm sure my lady is worth the wait but I really have no idea what to expect along the way and how best to deal with this to make this as pain free as possible.


Congratulations for sure. Yes it will take time but usually not too bad. Visit with your immigration office there where you live and they should be able to give you a time frame.

In the US, a fiancee visa usually takes between 3 and 5 months to get done. In the US they look at the previous two years of income and makes no difference how long you have known each other. Mostly through letters, emails, photos together, receipts from expenses here they just want to be sure you have a true working relationship.
You might decide to move over here and stay also. Cost of living here is much lower than your home country and none of that cold fog all the time.

Again, visit or call your immigration service there to get accurate requirements and other information.

best of luck for sure..


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Asian Spirit said:


> Congratulations for sure. Yes it will take time but usually not too bad. Visit with your immigration office there where you live and they should be able to give you a time frame.
> 
> In the US, a fiancee visa usually takes between 3 and 5 months to get done. In the US they look at the previous two years of income and makes no difference how long you have known each other. Mostly through letters, emails, photos together, receipts from expenses here they just want to be sure you have a true working relationship.
> You might decide to move over here and stay also. Cost of living here is much lower than your home country and none of that cold fog all the time.
> ...


thank you.

I guess I will have to visit or call the UK immigration services soon but hoping someone from the UK might be on here to give me a idea, as a bus driver i spend most of the day working.
I did email the UK philippines embassy for some information but still not had a reply.

If cash wasn't a problem then I think I could live in the Philippines easier than getting my lady to the UK but i could only last around a year until funds ran out and i don't have a clue what i could do to make a living etc there.


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

mbeast said:


> thank you.
> 
> I guess I will have to visit or call the UK immigration services soon but hoping someone from the UK might be on here to give me a idea, as a bus driver i spend most of the day working.
> I did email the UK philippines embassy for some information but still not had a reply.
> ...


Here are the UK government website spouse visa requirements:
https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

I'm sure there are other requirements such as having somewhere to live, earning enough money to support your partner, proving your relationship is genuine, but you would need to speak directly to the UK embassy or other government agency or an immigration lawyer.

Many of the expats I know here spend a couple of months here and then back to their home country to work. They do this for a few years until eventually settling/retiring.
It sounds like you need to keep working in the UK but maybe you can visit often. 

As to making a living here, don't try. Unless you have been living here several years you will lose a lot of money, fast.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

mbeast said:


> thank you.
> 
> I guess I will have to visit or call the UK immigration services soon but hoping someone from the UK might be on here to give me a idea, as a bus driver i spend most of the day working.
> I did email the UK philippines embassy for some information but still not had a reply.
> ...


Glad you had a good trip and things are looking well for you and your lovely lady.
Can I firstly suggest that your partner applies for and secures her passport, she can do this by herself and will take 4 to 6 weeks from memory.

We all see your dilemma and I certainly sympathise as we went through the same thing but different country. Initially I looked into applying for a partnership visa myself, studied and studied more the requirements to be fulfilled and for me it became too confusing and convoluted to say the least, perhaps I am not educated enough when it comes to bureaucracy. 
So we searched out what we thought to be good and reliable migration attorney and it was the best thing we did on our journey to be together, our attorney laid out our options and gave us hope. Now understand that we still had to do a lot of legwork, supporting documents etc. but the attorney made it easy to follow and did all of the applications and correspondence with immigration, we applied offshore (in the Philippines) as we were living in Manila through this process.

The attorney we met with did not charge us for the initial meeting as he said if our case was hopeless there would be no point applying and wasting his or our time,,,,, he vetted us because he has and maintains a very high success rate with visa applications. BTW he only does partnership/spousal visas and if he considers the application meets the requirements then also applies for a 12 month multi entry tourist visa for my better half to come to Australia. Once all the paperwork was received by immi he was granted the tourist visa, this took about 4 weeks. It took a further 11 months for temp residency to be granted and this meant Benjie had to go back to PH for about a month to complete the rest of the requirements etc etc.

Sorry for the long winded post but just a bit of an idea that things are possible.
The attorney charged about AU $2,500.00 and there was about 3.5k for visa application.
now I think it's over 7K but not sure of the fees in your home country.

Others here have advised your success highly unlikely and I can understand their points of view but if you are serious about this lady then you probably should research a good immigration specialist and see what your options are.

Good luck and we hope you find some positive answers.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mbeast said:


> thank you.
> 
> I guess I will have to visit or call the UK immigration services soon but hoping someone from the UK might be on here to give me a idea, as a bus driver i spend most of the day working.
> I did email the UK philippines embassy for some information but still not had a reply.
> ...


These forums are good for getting "ideas" but where legal issues are involved going immigration agency and consulate is the best bet.
Emailing any Philippine agency is likely a lost cause as they usually don't reply.

You're driving bus? City or charter bus? I drove the Los Angeles city transit (RTD) for years as well as charter bus and 18 wheelers. Hard to give up and stay off the road-but sure glad to be retired here in the islands.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> back from a lovely few weeks in the philippines.
> i'm more sure than i was my ex wife that this is the women i hope to spend the rest of my life with
> 
> now the pain in the A$$ part....
> ...


Getting a Philippine Passport not difficult. Requirements are here: At her appointment, she can pay an additional Fee to Expedite the passport.
https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/passport/10-passport/61-passport-requirements-new-adult

Is she hesitating to get a passport? Why I ask is I know an Expat from my area who moved here a few years ago from Thailand. He hooked up with a girl, she moved in with him. He kept asking her to get her passport because he wanted to take her to Thailand for a vacation. He finally got wise and hired a private investigator who after a few days found out she was married and he immediately evicted her.

Had she got her passport, it would have revealed her married name versus her birth record name.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey_Joe said:


> Getting a Philippine Passport not difficult. Requirements are here: At her appointment, she can pay an additional Fee to Expedite the passport.
> https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/passport/10-passport/61-passport-requirements-new-adult
> 
> Is she hesitating to get a passport? Why I ask is I know an Expat from my area who moved here a few years ago from Thailand. He hooked up with a girl, she moved in with him. He kept asking her to get her passport because he wanted to take her to Thailand for a vacation. He finally got wise and hired a private investigator who after a few days found out she was married and he immediately evicted her.
> ...


Yep,,,, that type of thing does happen here more than you would think. Pays to really take is slow. You can't be too careful.


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## pigeonpete (Jan 19, 2014)

It is wise to know what her exspectations are after you get married. You will be expected to look after her family in the philippines and may be asked to also help family members to also join you in england, Most philippino families are expected to all help each other, it is not easy being married to a girl from another country, the cultures are different. I speak from experience. I do wish you all the best.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Hey_Joe said:


> Getting a Philippine Passport not difficult. Requirements are here: At her appointment, she can pay an additional Fee to Expedite the passport.
> https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/passport/10-passport/61-passport-requirements-new-adult
> 
> Is she hesitating to get a passport? Why I ask is I know an Expat from my area who moved here a few years ago from Thailand. He hooked up with a girl, she moved in with him. He kept asking her to get her passport because he wanted to take her to Thailand for a vacation. He finally got wise and hired a private investigator who after a few days found out she was married and he immediately evicted her.
> ...


Good info Joe, interesting story also.....busted.
You can also find out if your lady or man is married without going through the hassle of engaging an investigator.
But you need to have the following info set out here:

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/requesting-civil-registry-document/cenomar

Then the application and fee of PHP 415.00 here: Click on CENOMAR not marriage.

https://m.nsohelpline.ph/order/type

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

pigeonpete said:


> It is wise to know what her exspectations are after you get married. You will be expected to look after her family in the philippines and may be asked to also help family members to also join you in england, Most philippino families are expected to all help each other, it is not easy being married to a girl from another country, the cultures are different. I speak from experience. I do wish you all the best.


Yep, those can be true words or no. Really depends on your partners views, your views and striking an agreed balance from very early in the relationship, be a hard ass like me, we do help mum and dad but to a limit set 5 years ago, we have helped others as well but not for years.
We were back with family visiting for a month recently, staying in our own accommodation as their house is too small. The day we arrived the first thing discussed and brochures produced on A/C units, this one is 40K that one is 34K,,,,,,,, and? Well as we are getting older we are feeling the heat, yep sure I understand that but I pointed out to them that installing an A/C unit also costs money to run, say 1K per month, can you afford that? Never heard boo after that.
Today Ben and I were talking about businesses in PH. He mentioned that his mother had asked him a few times, son why are you not buying tricycles and licenses and contract them out? The figures look good, about 15% return and still holding the bulk capitol for the license. He simply told his mum that yes while we make good money in Oz it is also very expensive to live there and we don't have that kind of money to risk when we are not there in control. The family knows we have a few dollars but also now understand that we are not stupid and wish to maintain our lifestyle when we move to PH. and realise now that we are not the cash cow. One just has to draw the line/set the boundaries that you are both comfortable with and don't waver.
Building a trusting and loving relationship takes time, lots of patience on both sides and the willingness to be humble when needed but also strong are prerequisites to say the least. Trust and honesty first or you will sabotage any chance of life long partnership. 
Sorry for the rant and hope it's not really off topic.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

The Uk applications for spouce and fiance are all done on line now and handled by an agency on behalf of UK gov. You need to earn something like £18000 per year now to sponsor a spouce. You shouldn't need an immigration advisor but if you think you need the help I could pm you the name of one in the UK both partner of which are married to filipinas. Immigration advisors don't have any better success than a personal application, they don't get any preferable treatment. What they can do is make sure your application is all in order.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Gary D said:


> The Uk applications for spouce and fiance are all done on line now and handled by an agency on behalf of UK gov. You need to earn something like £18000 per year now to sponsor a spouce. You shouldn't need an immigration advisor but if you think you need the help I could pm you the name of one in the UK both partner of which are married to filipinas. Immigration advisors don't have any better success than a personal application, they don't get any preferable treatment. What they can do is make sure your application is all in order.


Good and true advice Gary, there is no favouritism with an immigration lawyer when it comes to border control but when these guys do their job properly the only downfall will be on the applicants side for insufficient or inaccurate submissions/information. The info given to the specialist has to be vetted by them, I remember that in our application one of the many documents required had a spelling mistake in his name,,,,, a hyphen was missing and while frustrating had to be corrected as inaccurate info can not be submitted, something we would have missed in a multitude of paperwork was picked up quickly by professionals.
Good point you raised here was that the immi lawyers you mentioned have Filipino wives, they are most likely well versed in UK/PH immigration law and definitely would be my choice as was our choice with an Aussie immi specialist married to a Pinay running their business out of Alabang in Manila and specialising in partnership/fiancee and marriage visas.

Remember that if you take this on yourself and it fails it is very well recorded and the second application will be scrutinised to the max. Do it once and do it correctly.
I recall that a failed application had a waiting time of 12 months from memory before reapplication could be submitted, mind you my memory is not what it used to be.

Again as said there are plenty of immigration companies out there that will give a free appraisal of your situation "Google as I did for UK immi" and advise accordingly, remember no lies or embellishments.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Gary D said:


> The Uk applications for spouce and fiance are all done on line now and handled by an agency on behalf of UK gov. You need to earn something like £18000 per year now to sponsor a spouce. You shouldn't need an immigration advisor but if you think you need the help I could pm you the name of one in the UK both partner of which are married to filipinas. Immigration advisors don't have any better success than a personal application, they don't get any preferable treatment. What they can do is make sure your application is all in order.


Good and true advice Gary, there is no favouritism with an immigration lawyer when it comes to border control but when these guys do their job properly the only downfall will be on the applicants side for insufficient or inaccurate submissions/information. The info given to the specialist has to be vetted by them, I remember that in our application one of the many documents required had a spelling mistake in his name,,,,, a hyphen was missing and while frustrating had to be corrected as inaccurate info can not be submitted, something we would have missed in a multitude of paperwork was picked up quickly by professionals.
Good point you raised here was that the immi lawyers you mentioned have Filipino wives, they are most likely well versed in UK/PH immigration law and definitely would be my choice as was our choice with an Aussie immi specialist married to a Pinay running their business out of Alabang in Manila and specialising in partnership/fiancee and marriage visas.

Remember that if you take this on yourself and it fails it is very well recorded and the second application will be scrutinised to the max. Do it once and do it correctly.
I recall that a failed application had a waiting time of 12 months from memory before reapplication could be submitted, mind you my memory is not what it used to be.

Again as said there are plenty of immigration companies out there that will give a free appraisal of your situation "Google as I did for UK immi" and advise accordingly, remember no lies or embellishments.

Cheers, Steve.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Gary D said:


> The Uk applications for spouce and fiance are all done on line now and handled by an agency on behalf of UK gov. You need to earn something like £18000 per year now to sponsor a spouce. You shouldn't need an immigration advisor but if you think you need the help I could pm you the name of one in the UK both partner of which are married to filipinas. Immigration advisors don't have any better success than a personal application, they don't get any preferable treatment. What they can do is make sure your application is all in order.


hi Gary, 

I'd be grateful if you could PM me some details please.

thanks....




also thank you to everyone else, i'm sure i will get there in the end, just each step seems to be so slow like ID for a passport is a SSS card that can take 6 months, a driving licence that i have no idea about yet but will soon or a voters card or something like that.
also seems she needs to travel from her island to manila to get her birth certificate sorted as well :/


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> hi Gary,
> 
> I'd be grateful if you could PM me some details please.
> 
> ...





mbeast said:


> at the moment she is in collage and baby sits to pay for it.
> i've brought her a mobile phone but don't send her money other than to buy herself a valentines gift and flowers as i didn't know who to order from to be sure they would arrive on time and in good condition. (i have seen them and receipts that she insisted on showing me).


She has no Birth Certificate or Birth Certificate Issues?

In an earlier post, you indicated she was in College. Where you aware Colleges here by law are not allowed to Issue Diplomas without a Valid Birth Certificate to prevent Fraud?

Something isn't right here. I mentioned it before, you better have a Private Investigator check her out before you get too emotionally/financially involved with her.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Gary D said:


> The Uk applications for spouce and fiance are all done on line now and handled by an agency on behalf of UK gov. You need to earn something like £18000 per year now to sponsor a spouce. You shouldn't need an immigration advisor but if you think you need the help I could pm you the name of one in the UK both partner of which are married to filipinas. Immigration advisors don't have any better success than a personal application, they don't get any preferable treatment. What they can do is make sure your application is all in order.


Agreed. Back when we were in the process, I felt it was worth the money to ensure that all was done properly and not be dismissed because of some minor technical thing that one may neglect to comply with. Those people do it all the time and their livelihood depends on doing it right the first time.

Fred


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

For some reason I can't see any further than page 5 of this topic. 51-54 won't come up.?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Gary D said:


> For some reason I can't see any further than page 5 of this topic. 51-54 won't come up.?


I saw the same thing also. Just a glitch I guess. When signed in open page 2. When there the rest of the pages should be visible. Hopefully It will work when you try.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Hey_Joe said:


> She has no Birth Certificate or Birth Certificate Issues?
> 
> In an earlier post, you indicated she was in College. Where you aware Colleges here by law are not allowed to Issue Diplomas without a Valid Birth Certificate to prevent Fraud?
> 
> Something isn't right here. I mentioned it before, you better have a Private Investigator check her out before you get too emotionally/financially involved with her.


she has a birth certificate but in her mother's maiden name, when she went to get SSS so she could use it as ID fore her passport she was told by them that as her dad is named on the certificate she should be under his name, as he is dead and her mother unable to travel she has got to travel from ****** to manila to sort it out and then try again to get her SSS sorted for ID.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

mbeast said:


> she has a birth certificate but in her mother's maiden name, when she went to get SSS so she could use it as ID fore her passport she was told by them that as her dad is named on the certificate she should be under his name, as he is dead and her mother unable to travel she has got to travel from ****** to manila to sort it out and then try again to get her SSS sorted for ID.


There is an NSO office in Cebu where she can take care of that. At least that's where my Asawa gets all the birth certificate issues taken care of. No need to fly to Manila, she can just take the ferry to Cebu, which is next island over, and a V-hire to the City. Unless she wants to go to Manila.

Look, I'm with Hey Joe on this, you ought to at least check her out. Ask for the CENOMAR, it's not hard to get (same office). So many of these women are married from an earlier age and just don't want to admit it as most foreigners will leave. Getting "unmarried" is not for the faint of heart and takes a few years.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

JRB__NW said:


> There is an NSO office in Cebu where she can take care of that. At least that's where my Asawa gets all the birth certificate issues taken care of. No need to fly to Manila, she can just take the ferry to Cebu, which is next island over, and a V-hire to the City. Unless she wants to go to Manila.
> 
> Look, I'm with Hey Joe on this, you ought to at least check her out. Ask for the CENOMAR, it's not hard to get (same office). So many of these women are married from an earlier age and just don't want to admit it as most foreigners will leave. Getting "unmarried" is not for the faint of heart and takes a few years.


Fully agree. There is also a NSO Office here in Iloilo that my Asawa does all her business with. She has been able to obtain any needed documents concerning her birth, marriage, his death cert, etc with no problem. No need to go to manila. Almost seems as if you are being given a runaround, enough in my opinion to be very skeptical & suspicious.

Fred


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> she has a birth certificate but in her mother's maiden name, when she went to get SSS so she could use it as ID fore her passport she was told by them that as her dad is named on the certificate she should be under his name, as he is dead and her mother unable to travel she has got to travel from ****** to manila to sort it out and then try again to get her SSS sorted for ID.


Regarding her Birth Certificate is in her "Mothers" maiden name.

That is quite common here. It's because her mother and father were not married at the time of her birth. Then the birth certificate must be in the woman's name "who gave birth to the child".

She simply has to tell them all she was born out of wedlock. Have her show the date of Mothers marriage certificate and compare to the birth certificate and if needed a notarized letter stating the circumstances. No need to travel to Manila, just another excuse for you to send more money for a not needed trip to Manila. Then she'll add a few friends or relatives to the trip as an excuse so she will be safe. (More money needed) LOL. All can be taken care of at her nearest NSO Office where she lives. 

Be alert for stall tactics like the ones she's giving. They will give many to get all they can until they are busted. I'm not saying this is the case but just be aware of stall tactics.

You asked for advice, my best advice to you as it was mentioned here, have her spend 150 pesos for a CENOMAR (Certificate of non marriage) and tell her to take a picture of it or scan it along with her original birth record and email it to you. Tell her it's needed on your end to start the process.


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## JoshBlue82 (Mar 25, 2018)

Guys you are giving him very good information but its clear he isn't here to listen, he keeps skipping over all of the posts where people post warnings or doubt and only replies to the immigration posts. it's clear he is in love and blinded by it, which happens to alot of foreigners in the Philippines. Let him find out the hard way.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

mbeast said:


> hi Gary,
> 
> I'd be grateful if you could PM me some details please.
> 
> ...


Post your questions and circumstances in the British forum as you are a Brit wanting to marry a Philippine citizen and take her to the UK.

Plenty of people on that forum will be able to tell you what you need to do with regard meeting financial requirements, relationship proof and accommodation requirements. Also how to apply.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

JRB__NW said:


> There is an NSO office in Cebu where she can take care of that. At least that's where my Asawa gets all the birth certificate issues taken care of. No need to fly to Manila, she can just take the ferry to Cebu, which is next island over, and a V-hire to the City. Unless she wants to go to Manila.
> 
> Look, I'm with Hey Joe on this, you ought to at least check her out. Ask for the CENOMAR, it's not hard to get (same office). So many of these women are married from an earlier age and just don't want to admit it as most foreigners will leave. Getting "unmarried" is not for the faint of heart and takes a few years.


we was looking at both meeting at Manila as thats where my 1st flight from the UK lands and spend time with her relative that lives there (somewhere we can stay for free) to sort out her birth certificate and whilst there i will be sure that we get a CENOMAR done as well before flying back to dumaguete.

I don't think she is married due to me being able to check up on her facebook and messenger, I gave here my old phone which turns out isn't waterproof as salt water has corroded the usb port contacts and stopped it from charging so i brought it back with me, i've since used my wireless charger and been on it and taken photos of her chat logs and had the fun of putting them into google translate which included a conversation from her ex boyfriend that was on and off for 3 years until he cheated on her saying he was upset she never married him and that he still loved her but hopes i treat her better and talking about his regrets.

I kind of feel bad for doing this as i feel like i should trust her but with all the advise on here it has made me very suspicious. so far she doesn't know i have access to her account / apps on the phone because she knows i'm waiting on parts to get the usb port fixed so it can be charged by cable so she can have it back when i return soon.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Hey_Joe said:


> Regarding her Birth Certificate is in her "Mothers" maiden name.
> 
> That is quite common here. It's because her mother and father were not married at the time of her birth. Then the birth certificate must be in the woman's name "who gave birth to the child".
> 
> ...


thank you, do you know if she can do this in dumaguete?

i was going to meet her in manila but if she can do it there then she can do that before i fly back to save spending time at her relatives in manila with me when i fly over next and speed up the process of getting her passport etc.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> we was looking at both meeting at Manila as thats where my 1st flight from the UK lands and spend time with her relative that lives there (somewhere we can stay for free) to sort out her birth certificate and whilst there i will be sure that we get a CENOMAR done as well before flying back to dumaguete.
> 
> I don't think she is married due to me being able to check up on her facebook and messenger, I gave here my old phone which turns out isn't waterproof as salt water has corroded the usb port contacts and stopped it from charging so i brought it back with me, i've since used my wireless charger and been on it and taken photos of her chat logs and had the fun of putting them into google translate which included a conversation from her ex boyfriend that was on and off for 3 years until he cheated on her saying he was upset she never married him and that he still loved her but hopes i treat her better and talking about his regrets.
> 
> I kind of feel bad for doing this as i feel like i should trust her but with all the advise on here it has made me very suspicious. so far she doesn't know i have access to her account / apps on the phone because she knows i'm waiting on parts to get the usb port fixed so it can be charged by cable so she can have it back when i return soon.


They are likely texting in their Dialect, how are you able to read/understand it? If it's in English and they are communicating in English then she had/has another Foreigner Boyfriend.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> thank you, do you know if she can do this in dumaguete?
> 
> i was going to meet her in manila but if she can do it there then she can do that before i fly back to save spending time at her relatives in manila with me when i fly over next and speed up the process of getting her passport etc.


Yes, Google NSO Dumagete and you will see their websites.

What is she telling you that she needs to do regarding her birth certificate in Manila? 

Regarding her lack of ID's, birth certificate. You mentioned she's in college. One has to take a college entrance exam, birth certificate, Id's to get enrolled in college same as where you are from. So she already has those or she would not be enrolled. More red flags.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Crawford said:


> Post your questions and circumstances in the British forum as you are a Brit wanting to marry a Philippine citizen and take her to the UK.
> 
> Plenty of people on that forum will be able to tell you what you need to do with regard meeting financial requirements, relationship proof and accommodation requirements. Also how to apply.


I think Crawford hit the nail on the head, this is more a question for the Brit site as many there would have accomplished this.
Though we all wish mbeast the best of luck I and only my opinion feel he is besotted and no matter the advice and cautions simply does his own thing. Obviously on the net but appears not to do any personal research, picks and chooses info given to him on this tread, appears very naive to the goings on of someone he wants to marry.
You can lead a horse to water.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

My wife had a problem with her birth certificate, basically she did't have one. The mothrr in law took the certificate given her by the midwife and kept it instead of lodging it with the municipal hall to produce the birth certificate. We had to go to her place of birth, General Trias Cavite 
to get an affidavit sign by someone who remembered her birth to get a certificate issued. Luckily the young secretary remembered the event with remarkable clarity. Also with luck my wife's family have moved to Bataan so we didn't have to fly in from Dumaguete.

Another common problem is when a birth certificate is produced they find the name they have been using all of their life is not their true name. It is common in the Philippines to change the name of a sickly child because they considder the old name to be unlucky.

Spelling mistakes are common and getting the sex changed can be a big problem, yes they do get it wrong more often than you would hope.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

bigpearl said:


> I think Crawford hit the nail on the head, this is more a question for the Brit site as many there would have accomplished this.
> Though we all wish mbeast the best of luck I and only my opinion feel he is besotted and no matter the advice and cautions simply does his own thing. Obviously on the net but appears not to do any personal research, picks and chooses info given to him on this tread, appears very naive to the goings on of someone he wants to marry.
> You can lead a horse to water.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


i am besotted with this woman and i really do hope for the best so plan for that but i also want to protect myself.

i guess i hope that she really is the really deal, If she is not then she is one hell of a actor.
maybe i should hire a investigator but to be honest i do not have a clue how to go about doing that from the UK and fear if she ever found out it would ruin what could be a amazing relationship.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Hey_Joe said:


> They are likely texting in their Dialect, how are you able to read/understand it? If it's in English and they are communicating in English then she had/has another Foreigner Boyfriend.


Bisaya translator, lots of typing but seems to work fairly well.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Gary D said:


> My wife had a problem with her birth certificate, basically she did't have one. The mothrr in law took the certificate given her by the midwife and kept it instead of lodging it with the municipal hall to produce the birth certificate. We had to go to her place of birth, General Trias Cavite
> to get an affidavit sign by someone who remembered her birth to get a certificate issued. Luckily the young secretary remembered the event with remarkable clarity. Also with luck my wife's family have moved to Bataan so we didn't have to fly in from Dumaguete.
> 
> Another common problem is when a birth certificate is produced they find the name they have been using all of their life is not their true name. It is common in the Philippines to change the name of a sickly child because they considder the old name to be unlucky.
> ...


spelling mistakes was the problem she has and also her birth certificate she has is in her mothers name, she has now found out she can be registered in her late father's name with all the paperwork she has but has been told in dumaguete she needs to go to manila to do it.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Honesty goes a long ways*



mbeast said:


> i am besotted with this woman and i really do hope for the best so plan for that but i also want to protect myself.
> 
> i guess i hope that she really is the really deal, If she is not then she is one he*l of a actor.
> maybe i should hire a investigator but to be honest i do not have a clue how to go about doing that from the UK and fear if she ever found out it would ruin what could be a amazing relationship.


At least mbeast your honest on your intentions and nobody will be able to stop you even hiring a lawyer so good luck and best wishes. Good luck with your romance I hope it all works out.

I sort of lost an Expat friend, he kept asking me for help on his many troubles with his woman here sort of similar to yours only it kept getting worse, the signs were there soo many and I knew exactly what was going on and warned him, he had me translate also and showed me his girlfriends Facebook channel, she had so many other's I was able to find, but he failed to listen, the guy was so badly used he lost this nest egg, got a huge loan on his home he spent decades paying off and stuck in his homeland most of the year until he can save up and do it all over again, but to this day he's still dating her... LOL.

All you have to do is come here and vacation in a tourist trap and a woman will find you, there's no need to search online just get out and make yourself available by breathing... almost all of these women will be knockouts or drop dead gorgeous there's soo many of them, they all have overseers or boyfriends your just gonna have to overlook that fact but the most important fact you won't want to miss is that... is she married, you can set yourself up for a very agonizing life if she still is married you could be set up for blackmail and incarceration if caught, so if no blackmail money the husband reports you, you won't be leaving the Philippines for decades. 


-Mark


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Most girls will go with the name they've got and not try and change the paperwork as it's a lot of hassle. The girls usually will not know how to do it so will listen to friend who don't know either.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> spelling mistakes was the problem she has and also her birth certificate she has is in her mothers name, she has now found out she can be registered in her late father's name with all the paperwork she has but has been told in dumaguete she needs to go to manila to do it.


She does not need to go to Manila to correct her birth record! Repeat, she does not need to go to manila to correct her birth record. All can be done in Dumagete.

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/birth-certificate

Google Private Investigator, Dumagete. Spend a few thousand pesos to have peace of mind.


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## cyberfx1024 (May 21, 2015)

Asian Spirit said:


> Congratulations for sure. Yes it will take time but usually not too bad. Visit with your immigration office there where you live and they should be able to give you a time frame.
> 
> In the US, a fiancee visa usually takes between 3 and 5 months to get done. In the US they look at the previous two years of income and makes no difference how long you have known each other. Mostly through letters, emails, photos together, receipts from expenses here they just want to be sure you have a true working relationship.
> You might decide to move over here and stay also. Cost of living here is much lower than your home country and none of that cold fog all the time.
> ...


Sorry but at this point in time a K1 fiancé visa is taking roughly about 9 months right now for the USA.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

cyberfx1024 said:


> Sorry but at this point in time a K1 fiancé visa is taking roughly about 9 months right now for the USA.


I was going to say shocking. But then remembered the changes in immigration laws and the backlog it will create. Things do change. Thanks for the update..


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

Hey_Joe said:


> She does not need to go to Manila to correct her birth record! Repeat, she does not need to go to manila to correct her birth record. All can be done in Dumagete.
> 
> https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/birth-certificate
> 
> Google Private Investigator, Dumagete. Spend a few thousand pesos to have peace of mind.


i've contacted some PI's and await responses and forwarded the link to help my lady with her birth certificate problem.

thank you


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

mbeast said:


> i've contacted some PI's and await responses and forwarded the link to help my lady with her birth certificate problem.
> 
> thank you


I give you credit for seeking advice from others. "Many" do not and have no clue that they are being taken advantage of big time and there are cases when even when they hear the advice, they are in denial about what they hear or see.

Here are 2 options below where you can request a CENOMAR (Certificate of Non-Marriage) based on your claim as her Fiancée. I suggest you still pursue the PI though especially after her saying she needs to go Manila to fix something that all Filipino's know can be done where they live. (Sounds like a delay tactic).

CENOMAR:

You can order it online and pick it up after you arrive or If you have a friend here, they can pick it up at "any" NSO office "anywhere" in the PI then use this. Click on order now, then click on CENOMAR.

https://nsohelpline.ph/

If you don't want to wait until you arrive then you can order it here. • FOREIGN REQUEST: delivery destination is outside the Philippines; USD 20.30 per copy for copy issuance and USD 25.30 per copy for CENOMAR.

https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/OnlineApplication.aspx


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I posted this 5 days ago:

Good info Joe, interesting story also.....busted.
You can also find out if your lady or man is married without going through the hassle of engaging an investigator.
But you need to have the following info set out here:

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration...cument/cenomar

Then the application and fee of PHP 415.00 here: Click on CENOMAR not marriage.

https://m.nsohelpline.ph/order/type

Cheers, Steve.

I stand corrected as the fee appears to be PHP 465 now.
Regardless of this post and your post joe I doubt the OP will have enough information to apply for this as he will need info from his lady and could be told many or any thing that suits.
I think as the OP has looked into a PI then perhaps his answers will come that way whether good or bad, it is then his decision.
A difficult situation as only the OP knows all the info with regards to his lady and shares little of that knowledge with this forum or appears to be somewhat guarded.
Good luck with the PI mbeast and I do hope all is good, I am also glad that you have pricked your ears after all the replies here.

Cheers, Steve.


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## mbeast (Mar 9, 2018)

bigpearl said:


> I posted this 5 days ago:
> 
> Good info Joe, interesting story also.....busted.
> You can also find out if your lady or man is married without going through the hassle of engaging an investigator.
> ...


i'm going back in 4 weeks for a month and informed my lady i could extend my visa to stay a year which she is delighted about even though i've told her we would have a strict budget and hopefully i will then know everything i need to know and have everything sorted so i can get her a visa when i return home and have proof of our relationship etc.

sorry if i've seemed a bit guarded, to be honest i don't know what information would help to give on here that would also help.

regards
mark


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Do have a chat with a migration agent in your country so you are fully aware of the requirements and time frames.
I wish you good luck Mark and I'm sure every thing will work out, take care.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

mbeast said:


> i'm going back in 4 weeks for a month and informed my lady i could extend my visa to stay a year which she is delighted about even though i've told her we would have a strict budget and hopefully i will then know everything i need to know and have everything sorted so i can get her a visa when i return home and have proof of our relationship etc.
> 
> sorry if i've seemed a bit guarded, to be honest i don't know what information would help to give on here that would also help.
> 
> ...


Are you aware of the financial, relationship and accommodation requirements that YOU need to fulfill in order to obtain a settlement visa for your girlfriend/fiance/wife? (whatever she will be when you apply)

You should read the following website carefully:

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa

Your "partner" would be applying as partner or spouse.

Basically, YOU as the Brit, will need to be earning 18,600 GBP per annum or above to qualify under the financial requirements.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Crawford said:


> Are you aware of the financial, relationship and accommodation requirements that YOU need to fulfill in order to obtain a settlement visa for your girlfriend/fiance/wife? (whatever she will be when you apply)
> 
> You should read the following website carefully:
> 
> ...


I am sure,,,,, one would hope after all the feedback within this thread to the OP, he has taken relevant info onboard and acts accordingly. Hope so. (see a migration specialist, do yourself and your lady that simple curtesy)
Interestingly though I see that the UK requires an IELTS test for residency,,,,,, a good call perhaps but one that was not required for my partner in Oz,,,,,,, It would have been another hoop to jump through, mind you my better half has good english and comprehension or he wouldn't be working within the government here in Oz. Do hope that Mark is aware of this requirement to get his lady to the UK. His lady has a year or two to accomplish IELTS so head down etc.

Only from my experience and one similar in Oz and the UK apart from IELTS. Time, lots of time is required to fulfil immi requirements, this time spent requires lots of love, plenty of patience, commitment and plenty of cash.
Now while I see the requirement of GBP 18K some 33 or 34K aussie dollars this is a very low requirement and should be easy to surpass. 
What skills does the OP's lady have? Is she going to be the proverbial housewife or can she work and contribute to the relationships future and her own betterment/independence? Or just wait at home until the OP passes on? What then?

Regardless we or most of us have been there etc and did what we did, got burnt or not, Mark has to do what he thinks is now right for them but one hopes it's not the second brain controlling the decisions, as said good luck and it's probably time to put this thread to bed (poet and I don't know it) and let the originator of this thread move forward and prosper, I am sure if his lot is a winner we will hear about it.

Cheers, Steve.


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