The Cook Book
(Step by Step to the Visa for Germany)

Time
(In weeks)
Duration
D (Days)
W (Weeks)
Activity (Moron for the Brides activities)
            (Black for the grooms activities)
            (Green for other activities)
0 2W Apply for a Philippine passport. Usually the Filipina does not have a passport, so this has to be done first. Requires a correct birth certificate and die Voters ID. Hopefully your Filipina has been properly registered at birth, otherwise this step might take a few month to go thought the cycle of a late registration
+2 6W Organize all documents required for the Visa (The longest time typically is spent for the single certificate). In case of a wedding in the Philippines you have to wait for the wedding certificate. This can take 3 month and more. This time has to be added to the waiting time for the visa. The same applies when you need the birth certificate for the baby and the German Passport.
+8 1T Try to get an appointment with the German Embassy. There are special phone numbers (Call Center), and it is recommended  to arrange such an appointment via these number. These numbers cannot be dialed from abroad. But attention, it is very difficult to reach those numbers. Typically you will spent up to two handy loads (600 Pesos), until you succeed. And you should be prepared well, because quite a few personal data will be questioned.
)
PLDT/Smart;       1-909-101-7777 (Stationary /Touch Card)
) Bayantel;           1-903-101-7777
) Globe Telecom;   1-900-101-7777 (Stationary/Public Phone).

An alternative for the arrangement of the appointment the applicant must appear personally at the Embassy with the passport that is to contain the required visa (only Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ).

+8 1D Apply for the visa at the German Embassy (Hopefully all are correct, and everything required is available, otherwise some time may be spent to organize the rest of the papers or correct the wrong papers). Costs in the moment 60 Euro, to be paid in Peso.
+8 3M Organize the German seminar with the <A1> certificate. You will need that on pickup of the visa.
+8 1D Do the CFO seminar. This seminar is only required once the visa is granted and in the passport. This is the time the officials at the CFO office will stamp the passport accordingly. But as the Filipina is in Manila anyway, it makes sense to do this during the same trip, especially when she comes from a far off province. (By the way, there is another CFO in Cebu as well). Furthermore we have seen cases when this certificate was rejected because the future husband never has seen his Filipina in person (Mail order?), so there will some time needed to fulfill their requirements
+8 2W The Embassy sends copies of all documents to the Alien Office responsible for the groom  in Germany. This is done visa courier, and will be sent every Thursday.
+10 1W Start calling the Alien office in Germany if the documents have arrived. This will guarantee that not to much time is wasted on case the local officers puts the new documents at the bottom of his in basket.
+11 1D Do the Interview at the Alien Office, contact your Marriage office and arrange the paper verification there.
+11 2W The marriage office will forward your documents to the High Court for verification. The High court tells to wait for 6-8 weeks, but usually this is done within 2 weeks. The typical result is that either the High court or the marriage office will request a check of the papers from the German Embassy in Manila.
+13 1W Transfer 11250 Pesos to your bride, she needs to pay this for the German Embassy (Post transfer, and mail the transfer slip to the embassy, or cash over the counter), otherwise they will not start the check of the papers with the local attorney.
+14 12-24W The paper check is done by some detectives contracted by the German Embassy.  This can take between 3 to 6 month. This would be the time to amend any problems which might have occurred in the CFO.
+14   Think about having the Filipina making a drivers license. This is very cheap in the Philippines. A Philippine drivers license can be converted into a German driving license with 6 month of first arrival. without the costs of the driving lessons in Germany. Only the exam is required.
+26 2W (The shorter time frame has been taken). Some strange people do interviews in the neighborhood of the bride. Finally the detective has arrived and is checking if all information in the papers are true and correct. he will then produce a corresponding report and forward that to the embassy.
+28 1W Call the embassy and find out if the report has arrived. (Visa Hotline: (0063 2) 8459200) This typically should happen within 3 weeks after the interview has been done with the investigator. Is nothing happens after 4 weeks, call the <Ausländeramt> in Germany with the following number: 030-50003713 Mon,Tue,Thu,Fri 9:00 - 12:00
+29 2W The embassy will forward the results of the check to your Alien Office
+31 1W Call your Alien Office to find out if the results have arrived. When arrived ask them to fax the OK for the visa asap to the Embassy
+32 1W The Embassy sends a letter to your bride to bring in her passport and the CFO Certificate (receipt). This typically should happen within 3 weeks after the interview has been done with the investigator. Is nothing happens after 4 weeks, call the <Ausländeramt> in Germany with the following number: 030-50003713 Mon,Tue,Thu,Fri 9:00 - 12:00
This can be done personally (Mo-Fri, 9:30AM-11:00AM, counter 4, no appointment required), or can be send by courier (Has to be requested through the call center, and will cost 320 PHP roundtrip). Holders of the new electronic passport the visa have to pick up the visa in person to be able to sign it.
+32   Book a one way ticket with a reasonably priced airline. The Embassy needs to know the departure date to be able to date the visa for the exact day of arrival.  Schedule the flight for a day 2 weeks later. This ticket will be deposit in the city office of the respective airline. The bride can pick it up after having herself identified with her passport.
+32   Go to the ADAC office (or any other insurance companies offering these kind of insurances) to do the health insurance and a risk insurance for foreigners coming to Germany. The starting validation for these insurances will be the actual day of arrival of the insured person.
+33 1W The Embassy mails the passport back with the visa stamped in. (takes usually 1 week, and will cost 160, payable upon pickup).
Holders of the new electronic passport the visa have to pick up the visa in person to be able to sign it.
+34 1D Go to the CFO to get the passport stamped with the CFO certification
+35 1W Departure for Germany (Remember to keep 750 Pesos for the airport tax and 1620 for the travel tax (Only when not included in the flight ticket))

After 35 weeks, which is more than 8 month, your bride will be together with you. This time period may be shorter when the passport already exists, or when some of the activities can be done faster. But it can be longer by up to 3 month when the check up of the detectives takes a lot longer.