Basics On Staying In Cebu Over A Longer Period

[Curley]

As far as the throw-away ticket. Should it be an out of the RP ticket but within 21 days? If so, doesn't this mean one should keep buying throwaways every time a renewal comes along?

No, once you have your first VISA you just renew it. Don't forget your 21 day stay is not a visa

[OnMyWay]

Questions...

As far as the throw-away ticket. Should it be an out of the RP ticket but within 21 days? If so, doesn't this mean one should keep buying throwaways every time a renewal comes along?

Frankly, I am finding this to be a cumbersome way of staying? It's like, one has to plan for the next renewal as soon as he/she lands!

What if they there was no one way ticket? What if prices went up? What if the RP Immigration changed the rules? It doesn't look like one can plan on it!?

I know other countries would give you some 90 free days (instead of the 21) and have some residency rules that would let you plan ahead, but then it could be just me?

Or may be it's just the Philippines!? :help56:

When you check into the airport for your flight to Phils (or any int'l destination) the airline is the one who checks to see if you have a the proper visa. Delta questioned me on it last week and I had to show them my Tiger Airways $22 throwaway ticket. I was good for 21 days in Phils and I had to prove I was leaving within 21 days or they would not have let me board.

When I arrived my passport was stamped indicating I have to leave by Nov 10, which is 21 days. They did not check for the onward ticket. Within that 21 days I can extend for an extra 60 days at a time at a BOI office, up to 16 months, I think. There are other threads on this. You don't need to worry about a throw away again until you leave the country and want to come back in, which might be in 16 months or sooner.

I agree that it could be better, but it is what it is.

[Dr. Cockroach]

Thanks Curley and OnMyWay for the explanation!

It surely sounds like doing too many hoops to have something that is beneficial to both?

So, the PI Immigration don't really require it (or care) but the airliner has to and does.

Hence, I will need to look at it as, satisfy the airliner, do the bimonthly renewals for another 16 months then start all over again after flying out. Ah...not to forget the Exit Certificate extortion!

I will be hitting Cebu next month to investigate but it seems the PI immigration policy is not as welcoming as say, the Malaysian My Second Home visa program.

Unfortunately, I didn't like Malaysia as much as I did the PI when I visited few years ago. May be coz of the effect a Flippina had on me? :dance:

[Jollygoodfellow]

Thanks Curley and OnMyWay for the explanation!

It surely sounds like doing too many hoops to have something that is beneficial to both?

So, the PI Immigration don't really require it (or care) but the airliner has to and does.

Hence, I will need to look at it as, satisfy the airliner, do the bimonthly renewals for another 16 months then start all over again after flying out. Ah...not to forget the Exit Certificate extortion!

I will be hitting Cebu next month to investigate but it seems the PI immigration policy is not as welcoming as say, the Malaysian My Second Home visa program.

Unfortunately, I didn't like Malaysia as much as I did the PI when I visited few years ago. May be coz of the effect a Flippina had on me? :dance:

Its been posted about 100 times, the airline are held responsible for immigration matters such as allowing one to depart from point A. If their passengers do not satisfy the proper immigration requirements the airline can be fined and also bare the cost of removing one from the country because they must ensure their passenger has the appropriate documentation and in this case an onward ticket.

That's it, the law is for an onward ticket or return so before anyone heads off for an adventure make sure you have it.

[Dr. Cockroach]

Thanks Jollygoodfellow for the confirmation!

[MikeB]

it seems the PI immigration policy is not as welcoming as say, the Malaysian My Second Home visa program

From what I have read you can only renew your Malaysian tourist visa a max of twice for 30 days and the renewal process is anything but welcoming. It's described as a convoluted mess.

You can bypass all that by getting the Malaysian 2nd Home visa but the financial requirments are much higher:

"Applicants aged 50 and above may comply with the financial proof of RM350,000 in liquid assets and off shore income of RM10,000 (about $3300USD or p135k) per month."

So if you have substantial foreign income to spend in their country then, yes, you are welcomed.

http://www.mm2h.gov.my/conditions.php

[Dr. Cockroach]

it seems the PI immigration policy is not as welcoming as say, the Malaysian My Second Home visa program

From what I have read you can only renew your Malaysian tourist visa a max of twice for 30 days and the renewal process is anything but welcoming. It's described as a convoluted mess.

You can bypass all that by getting the Malaysian 2nd Home visa but the financial requirments are much higher:

"Applicants aged 50 and above may comply with the financial proof of RM350,000 in liquid assets and off shore income of RM10,000 (about $3300USD or p135k) per month."

So if you have substantial foreign income to spend in their country then, yes, you are welcomed.

http://www.mm2h.gov.my/conditions.php

Thanks MikeB!

Frankly, I wouldn't have considered any move had I not been able to comply. I don't like getting stuck in any situation.

The only lack of control I, and anybody, could have would be a health related issue. A heart attack wouldn't care about your money!

In Malaysia's case, never mind their requirement, at least they spell it out and tell others this is our requirement. In PI, it seems it's still kind of influx. Expats are only taking their chances while it last.

If PI Immigration say now, 'we made the renewal only 1 month and the fee is now 10,000 Pesos'? Wouldn't this pretty much, cause chaos in the expat community?

In Malaysia, they can't say we changed the rules that you had applied for a year ago, for example.

See my point?

Hence, I might need to have a plan B here...

Edited October 26, 2012 by Dr. Cockroach

[i am bob]

Don't worry too much about plan B... This has been the law in the Philippines for many years and they are in the midst of working on changing it - to a much better length of time that will be to our benefit. I believe it is proposed for a first visa of 90 days but I'm not positive as there is not much in the way of written word on it yet. You will most likely still need an onward ticket and I imagine the government is going to leave the onus on the airlines to patrol this.

[Dave Hounddriver]

You may have figured out that the BI in Philippines get their daily laugh by treating each person different. Since I started following ALL the good advice here and not trying to beat the system, my entries into the Philippines have been a breeze and my renewals have been easy.

[Dr. Cockroach]

Thanks Bob and Dave!

I worked with the US military and whenever something didn't work like it should, they used to say "this is to confuse the enemy". Sounds like the BI in the Philippines :hystery:

As for not having plan B, I wish I could do that. I know other people can so it must be a 'me' thing. Oh well... we come in too many different flavors :mocking: