+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
scos said:
That reminds me, I have to remind my wife to get me more card holders. They are small metal card holders that look kind of like a Samsonite briefcase (metal shell, comes in silver and many colors), but pocket sized to hold credit cards. So cool and really cheap there.
Sounds cool!
 

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
Also, pearl earrings are such a nice cheap pasalubong.. for any difficult mother in laws :D
 

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
Also the native cloth.. what is that one you take to the beach - Malong?
 

scos

Champion Member
Jun 11, 2012
1,026
48
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
2012-08-01
AOR Received.
2012-10-16
Med's Request
2013-05-02
Med's Done....
2013-05-07
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
2013-05-02, In-Process: 2013-06-04, Decision Made: 2013-07-25
VISA ISSUED...
2013-07-30
LANDED..........
2013-08-18
Steph C said:
Oh and don't forget the deals to be had in outlet malls in the States.. I think it's cheaper then the Philippines. You never get deals there. Raise your hand if you think your lady would like a shopping trip to the USA once she has her PR card :D :D :D :D
She might. But I won't. I don't going there anymore. I think she would get a kick out of a flea market. I think there are a few regular ones around here. She was talking about shopping for "old stuff". I explained "old stuff" here is often referred to as antiques and usually cost more than "new stuff". ;D
 

Tagum-N.B.

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2013
2,231
47
Category........
Visa Office......
manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
11-01-2012
AOR Received.
manila 20-03-2012 in process july1, 2013
IELTS Request
remeds request july11 remed complete july17-aug 1
VISA ISSUED...
AUGUST 31.2013
LANDED..........
SEPTEMBER 25, 2013
Steph C said:
Yeah the shorts thing is funny.. I was thinking, you only need two pairs, but I don't care, he can bring 20 pairs if it makes him feel comfortable :D Summer in Victoria is never extremely hot. There's always a strong breeze off the water. We might get one week of 'air con' weather.
air con weather to him will be still chilly
 

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
I have some Filipino friends that come into Victoria every year on the ship. Every year the first thing they do is go to Value Village. They love that place. For me it's smelly and overpriced - you could get new stuff for the same price. (Thrift store prices in the West are ridiculous)
Last year I organized them a boat tour.. with seal watching and crab fishing. They were like "yeah but can we still go to Value Village?" :eek: :eek:
 

GoonerClank

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2013
787
18
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
15-03-2013
File Transfer...
11-04-2013
Med's Done....
24-01-2013 (Expires 24-02-2014)
Interview........
N/A
Passport Req..
04-09-2013<br />DM: 23-01-2014<br />COPR expires: 20-02-2014
VISA ISSUED...
Visa Issued: 24-01-2014
LANDED..........
15-02-2014
Steph C said:
Oh and don't forget the deals to be had in outlet malls in the States.. I think it's cheaper then the Philippines. You never get deals there. Raise your hand if you think your lady would like a shopping trip to the USA once she has her PR card :D :D :D :D

My wife likes to shop by herself... Which frightens me...
 

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
Tagum-N.B. said:
air con weather to him will be still chilly
Yeah, it's so cold in the house that it feels like air con.
 

Steph C

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2009
3,052
71
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
April 30 2012
Doc's Request.
N/A
File Transfer...
Sep 27 2012
Med's Request
April 15 2013 (re-med)
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
March 18 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 22 2013
LANDED..........
June 6 2013
GoonerClank said:
My wife likes to shop by herself... Which frightens me...
Me too. But in the Philippines I make him hold all the money. So I have to run and get him to ask to buy something if I don't have enough :-[
 

Tagum-N.B.

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2013
2,231
47
Category........
Visa Office......
manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
11-01-2012
AOR Received.
manila 20-03-2012 in process july1, 2013
IELTS Request
remeds request july11 remed complete july17-aug 1
VISA ISSUED...
AUGUST 31.2013
LANDED..........
SEPTEMBER 25, 2013
Steph C said:
Also the native cloth.. what is that one you take to the beach - Malong?
Dont forget the best deal 2 dollar rum 10 cig,,,,if my wife dont bring them im sending her back 8) 8) 8) 8)
 

GoonerClank

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2013
787
18
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
15-03-2013
File Transfer...
11-04-2013
Med's Done....
24-01-2013 (Expires 24-02-2014)
Interview........
N/A
Passport Req..
04-09-2013<br />DM: 23-01-2014<br />COPR expires: 20-02-2014
VISA ISSUED...
Visa Issued: 24-01-2014
LANDED..........
15-02-2014
Tagum-N.B. said:
Dont forget the best deal 2 dollar rum 10 cig,,,,if my wife dont bring them im sending her back 8) 8) 8) 8)

Lol .. right I couldn't believe that a bottle of rum was 78 pesos. I bought some 151 at one place and it was only 450 peso I think
 

scos

Champion Member
Jun 11, 2012
1,026
48
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
2012-08-01
AOR Received.
2012-10-16
Med's Request
2013-05-02
Med's Done....
2013-05-07
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
2013-05-02, In-Process: 2013-06-04, Decision Made: 2013-07-25
VISA ISSUED...
2013-07-30
LANDED..........
2013-08-18
I was trying to see how to bring back non-duty free purchased alcohol and saw that you can put it in your checked baggage (fun, had a bottle break in there last time...). But then I saw this which I never saw before...

•The percentage of alcohol by volume is 70 per cent (140 proof) or less.
So it would seem 151 is out unless you buy it at a duty free shop.
 

CanadianJeepGuy

Champion Member
Jun 24, 2012
2,666
99
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
NOC Code......
N/A
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
10-05-2012; "In Process" 26-04-2013
Doc's Request.
docs and pics resent 04-09-2012
AOR Received.
16-08-2012 (Unofficial. Received email missing docs)
File Transfer...
09-10-2012
Med's Request
April 14th 2013
Med's Done....
Dec 2011; re-med May 06 2013
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
May 06 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 27 2013
LANDED..........
June 15th 2013
180-flyer said:
Maybe a dumb question ?
Are the people processing our applications in Manila , Canadian or Pinoy ?
Just curious :)
Canadian. They are foreign service workers or diplomats if you want to be fancy about it.
 

CanadianJeepGuy

Champion Member
Jun 24, 2012
2,666
99
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Category........
Visa Office......
Manila
NOC Code......
N/A
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
10-05-2012; "In Process" 26-04-2013
Doc's Request.
docs and pics resent 04-09-2012
AOR Received.
16-08-2012 (Unofficial. Received email missing docs)
File Transfer...
09-10-2012
Med's Request
April 14th 2013
Med's Done....
Dec 2011; re-med May 06 2013
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
May 06 2013
VISA ISSUED...
May 27 2013
LANDED..........
June 15th 2013
Now for the latest update.......

I believe we last left off where the dumbass panel physician had left my wife's med results sitting in the office for 17 days. Sunday I fired off another email which I will post later. Within 12 hours they had finalized her visa and sent it via DHL. She should have it before noon their time today. They had notified us both of it and included the waybill number in the email.

So anyone tells you not to complain you can tell them to fook off. The only progress I have ever got during this process is when I have complained. So if I could go back and do it all over again I would have complained after 1 month of stage 1 and after 6 months at the VO. They do not need more than 6 months total. If everyone flooded their MP's office with emails after the 6 month mark then maybe they would adjust the staffing to meet the need instead of telling everyone to suck it up and we will process it at our leisure.