Greetings to one and all. Old Down Under Visa clients, new clients and those still in the Australian visa from Philippines to Australia (eg Partner Visa, Tourist Visa) planning stages. New about tourist visa and partner visa processing times, and news about CFO changes and requirements.

Just a normal day in the Down Under Visa office April 2022. Tourist visa news and CFO updates and requirements.

How are we? BUSY! Could do with some new staff members in the office to keep up, but we’re on top of everything. Thanks all for your patience if you don’t get updates on your To-Do Lists as fast as you want. We always will and always must put accuracy and quality work ahead of speed.

But yes, busy! We’ve had three excellent months in a row since the start of the new year. The days of border closures and those horrible travel ban exemption applications seems like a bad dream. Couples are meeting finally. Had three client meetings in the office over the last week. First time in two years, would you believe! 

And nothing better than being able to tell people straight-out that yes we CAN help you with a visa application RIGHT NOW! Not at some distant date. Not conditional on getting past the travel bans. All so NORMAL! Love it!

Now, what is new?

Tourist visa processing times – new applications

New applications? You can expect 1 – 2 months (average) processing time. So if you want to be together this way, give yourselves plenty of time. Don’t tell me “I’m flying back in 3 weeks and I want her on the plane with me”! NEVER book flights without visa-in-hand even at the best of times! And definitely not while processing is slow.

Tourist visa processing times – applications from 2020 or 2021

If your application wasn’t refused…..and if it WAS, we would have sent you the refusal notice…..then it’s still in the system. Can I ask them how long it will take? No, sorry. It doesn’t work like that. (And whilst I DO sympathize, asking for updates is a waste of everyones time). I would get a template response if I was lucky! They are getting to them! They are being granted. But expect to have to wait a bit longer while they work through the backlog.

ANY visa applications lodged in 2019, 2020 and 2021

Same deal as above! If it’s been really long, let us know and we can send a polite followup. It sometimes helps. But anything, say, less than a year? I can’t see yours getting put ahead of older applications. So again, please be patient! And hey? Hop on a plane and come over! Spend some time together now that you can!

CFO (Commission for Filipinos Overseas)

If you’ve checked your To-Do List you will realize that they are now CLEAR about the situation of tourist visa applicants and whether they need to attend the CFO.

Do you need to attend CFO with a tourist visa grant?

• Filipino Citizens married to Australians – YES you need to attend the CFO seminar! And that’s the Guidance and Counseling Seminar (NOT the PDOS). Details https://www.cfo.gov.ph

• Filipino Citizens with boyfriends/girlfriends/fiancees who are Australian – NO!

CFO and Report On Marriages (ROM)

I think all or most know that you need to have a marriage that is recognized by the Philippines Government to get through a CFO Seminar and get a certificate! Unlike places like Australia (which just openly accept overseas marriage certificates), the Philippines wants marriages registered with the PSA/NSO (ie Philippines Statistics Authority, aka National Statistics Office). They will NOT accept a marriage certificate from Australia, nor will they accept a marriage certificate from Utah (for those who married online).

Yes, they DO accept the marriages. But you need to do some paperwork THEIR way!

If you marry in Australia, we tell you to contact the Philippines Embassy in Canberra and register your marriage. In a few months your marriage will be registered at the PSA, and you can actually get your own Philippines marriage certificate. And this will be acceptable by the CFO!

If you married online via Utah? A little more complicated, because they want it to go through the Philippines Consulate in San Francisco. And this is a bit of a paperwork headache!

Probably most who did this have got us to organize their ROM (Report On Marriage) for them! (Email me!)

Now, how about the CFO? What are they asking for?

1. They want a PSA marriage certificate if you have one
2. They WILL accept a ROM certificate in its place!
3. They have indicated that they will accept a RECEIPT for a ROM application, ie the receipt issued when the ROM application has been lodged and paid-for!

Can I guarantee that the CFO will accept the receipts in lieu of a completed ROM? Well, we’ve heard from clients that they have! Will they accept the next person who walks in with a receipt? We hope so! However we have no clout with the CFO, and they truly are a law unto themselves. They are allowed to make decisions and requests based on their own judgement at the time!

We email out receipts as we lodge ROM applications.

If you haven’t started organizing this, we suggest that you do!

Now, for some rehashing of information I’ve given before, but never hurts to have a reminder!

Tourist visas – 6 or 12 months?

Don’t bother hoping for long stays! Despite what the Department website say (and yes, it looks like an online shopping cart where you may freely choose your visa length!), it won’t happen.

• 3 months – This is the standard
• 6 months – They are likely to grant this to older relatives, but to no one else
• 12 months – If the applicant is from a rich country and can afford to take a one year holiday? Sure! But for Maribel from Mindanao? It won’t happen.

We can usually extend your stay with a further tourist visa application lodged INSIDE Australia before the first visa stay runs out. Keep this option in mind.

Multiple Entry Tourist Visas

These exist. We may apply for them. They may grant them…..or they may not. It’s at their discretion.

Is this a 12 month visa? No, definitely not.

The Department have a strong aversion to anyone trying to live as de facto couples on tourist visa, and will refuse in an instant if they think this is what you’re trying to do.

This is how it works!

1. She visits and stays 3 months
2. She goes back
3. She comes back at LEAST 6 – 8 weeks later, and stays 3 months
4. She goes back
5. She DEFINITELY doesn’t come back too soon, or risks getting stopped at the airport, visa cancelled and deported!
6. And on it goes until the visa runs out
7. Think carefully before trying to apply for another one straight away. Wait 6 months or more!

Again, it’s not a 12 month visa. You will spend plenty of time apart between visits, and you need to accept that. Costs are the same and we’re happy to help you.

Tourist Visas or Partner Visas?

I think there’s been plenty to read already. We will get to that in the next exciting installment. Keep watching this space!

Jeff Harvie is a Registered Migration Agent from Australia, but resident in Philippines since 2010 with his Filipina wife Mila and large extended family. Experienced with the Philippines culture, cross-cultural relationships and bureaucracy as well as Australian visas and Australian Migration Law, he writes with authority and fortunately with enough informality and humour that the average Aussie gets it! Down Under Visa specialises in visas for Australians in relationships with ladies and gents from Philippines, Thailand, China and Vietnam. Read MORE