Visa Options For Longstay [Under 30, Funds From Abroad, Uk Citizen]

[Scotsman]

 

Your first one will be the Visa waiver @ 3030 peso. Needs to be done, prior to you 30 days run out. I usually do mine 2/3 days after I arrive.

The next one 1st extension, will be 3880 peso

 

Your 2nd Extension will cost more as you will have to apply for an ACR card. around 6000+ peso

then it remains at 3080 peso until Jan when you will be hit with the 310 peso reporting fee.

 

This goes on every 2 months, until you have been here for 3 years then you have to leave the PI. then it all starts over again. when you come back after say 2/3 days

 

Make any sense hmmmmmm I guess not too much but then, what does, when dealing with the BOI

 

So if I am understanding this correctly total cost for say 1 year of visas to stay in the Phils would be approx 25,000 PHP?

 

 

 

 

 have a few mates in Thailand and they're getting around the new visa issues there by enrolling in whatever and staying on a student visa.  Registered training organisations in-country are all of a sudden booming, no surprise really.  Border hops aren't an issue for them anymore (yes, I resided there for a couple of months so feel your pain).  

 

That was actually my initial plan but they've clamped down on the education visa too and it's all very uncertain.

 

There's talk of anyone enrolled in a language school being required to study for 5 days a week in order to continue to get the visa extended (you have to report to immigration every 3 months and pay for an extension).

 

I genuinely want to improve my Thai and don't mind going once or twice a week but not 5 days a week. I didn't even go to uni 5 days a week.

 

On top of that anyone with a history of long term stay in Thailand over the past 2 years is under extra scrutiny from immigration.

 

You're expected to prove you didn't work in Thailand illegally previously or don't plan to again.

 

I never have and doubt I ever will as I don't need to (or want to, sounds horrible working there) but I don't fancy being grilled by a pissed off immigration official who looks at my passport and concludes that my history there shows I must have been up to no good / working illegally. 

 

All it takes is to get the wrong guy and you're not getting in / detained.

 

You also have to pay for course upfront before you get the education visa.

 

Total cost would be just under 30,000 baht / $930 before reaching Thailand and then you could be refused entry.

 

There's already reports of it happening and people being grilled for hours and asked to prove all sorts of crazy stuff that's difficult to prove before being let in.

 

I don't fancy that at all.

 

Keep delaying making my plans hoping things will become clearer and they just become more and more murky by the day - everything that was fine before is suddenly not fine now.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Scotsman

[Dave Hounddriver]

everything that was fine before is suddenly not fine now.

 

Although there are lots of options to 'beat the system' you can clarify it by understanding that a 'tourist visa' is AKA a 'temporary visitors visa' and is what the huge majority of non-retired, unmarried, folk use to visit Philippines.  In fact the ACR card, that you are required to get if you are a 'tourist' of longer than 2 months, specifies that it is a temporary visitor visa.  Start with that.  You can stay for up to 3 years.  After that you can leave, come back, and do it again OR you may have found a better plan in the meantime.

 

Cost:  Average of 18,000 pesos per year over 3 years.  (Every 2 months I pay 2830 pesos but your mileage will vary depending on where you renew and other various factors.  2830 every 2 months is as cheap as it gets.)

[robert k]

At lrast they will let you in the Philippines and then you have a few weeks to figure out how to stay. :thumbsup:

[Scotsman]

It's certainly looking like an appealing option. Long term stay, cheap visas, low cost of living - ticking many of the boxes so far.

[BrettGC]

Two words if you're doing it on the cheap and want to explore:  "Pension Houses".  Basically cheap motels with AC and a shower.  Generally no cooking facilities but you can eat on the street/locally very well. 

[frosty (chris)]

 

 

 

Please bear in Mind, that after you have been here 6 months you will need an Exit certificate ECC to leave the PI.  This can only be done in Person at a Major BOI Office. 3 days(72 hours) before you are due to leave. There are no exceptions  to this. NO  ECC  you can't leave the PI

 

And what is the purpose of this exit certificate? I've never heard of something like that before.

 

Well the only purpose I can find is that BI can extract money from you, there are lot's of things here that defy logic, just best to pay and say thank you, much much easier. :bash:

[Dave Hounddriver]

there are lot's of things here that defy logic,

 

Such as:  When I go into the Dumaguete BI office for my bi monthly visa renewal they charge me 2830, which includes a 500 peso express fee.  Then they say:  Just leave it for a while, we will process it later.  Come back tomorrow and get your passport and receipt.   Wonder if anyone ever asks them if they now the meaning of 'express'

 

British definition of 'express': designated to be delivered without delay

Edited August 7, 2014 by Dave Hounddriver

[frosty (chris)]

 

there are lot's of things here that defy logic,

 

Such as:  When I go into the Dumaguete BI office for my bi monthly visa renewal they charge me 2830, which includes a 500 peso express fee.  Then they say:  Just leave it for a while, we will process it later.  Come back tomorrow and get your passport and receipt.   Wonder if anyone ever asks them if they now the meaning of 'express'

 

British definition of 'express': designated to be delivered without delay

 

Well it's the same here at Mactan BI, I pay the express fee, funny thing I am the only one in the line, the girl behind the counter takes you passport and then walks to the cashier window while you follow, so I suppose it is express in a funny kind of way, but she is a little cutie. More fun in the Phils

[Jollygoodfellow]

Well it's the same here at Mactan BI, I pay the express fee, funny thing I am the only one in the line, the girl behind the counter takes you passport and then walks to the cashier window while you follow, so I suppose it is express in a funny kind of way, but she is a little cutie. More fun in the Phils

 

If I remember the story correctly; some time ago the express fee was introduced like a tax to pay for computers etc for processing. My guess is they named it express as it was meant to speed things up at the time.

The story may be inaccurate but lets stick to it.  :)

[Thomas]

It's certainly looking like an appealing option. Long term stay, cheap visas, low cost of living - ticking many of the boxes so far.

Yes. Earlier I planned to settle in Thailand, but I have more or less skiped that and changed my mind to Philippines partly depending of the better VISA rules, specialy when geting old and get trouble traveling.

 

If you marry after a while, you can get less cost VISA (some different options depending of what situation (age, work...)

I plan to do that, but have tourist VISA first.

If you like to travel abroad once a year with your wife, BB "Visa" cost nothing.)