Overstaying Your Visa.

[Hey Steve]

There is an expat on YouTube that overstayed 2 years!  Now he is surprised they won't let him back into the PI's without a p150,000 fine.  I am surprised they let him leave without paying it first ha ha...

 

 

Stay up to date guys.  It just has to be the easiest way to stay here.  :tiphat:

I know this gentleman, Tim. He left for vacation to the US with his Phl wife and inquired if he was on a blacklist with his local US embassy before getting return tickets. They said he was not, however with borrowed money he bought 2 tickets back to the Phl.When he got all the way from Alabama to Manila with long stop overs(36 hr trip), they detained him for deportation back as he did not have the 150k peso to pay the fees and penalties. He had to go back. He's 71 years old. Check Popz65 on You Tube-lots of Phl vloggers are bashing him too-big time (Ricky on Life Beyond the Sea on FB). She (wife) is now in the Phl and he (Ted) is in the US with no money and no way to reunite with his wife of 5 years. Truly sad situation.He may be taking on a job as a janitor in a school soon though to try to beef up the money to go back and pay the fine ($800 pension-no savings). I wish him luck-as Canlaon City has been his home for about 5 years.

[chris49]

There is an expat on YouTube that overstayed 2 years!  Now he is surprised they won't let him back into the PI's without a p150,000 fine.  I am surprised they let him leave without paying it first ha ha...

 

 

Stay up to date guys.  It just has to be the easiest way to stay here.  :tiphat:

 

We have a case here a British guy. His excuse was that they have been helping a step daughter get through med school.  He boldly proclaimed that he did not pay previously and he will just pay up later. Previous time he got a bail out loan from the British Embassy and was able to pay it back and got back here after 6 months.

 

He keeps claiming the Web Site says 400 per month as the penalty=4800 for the year. But actually that is only the fine. There are fines and penalties for each extension missed and it accumulates. Around 45k-50k for a year overdue. Whatever is the express fee, 500 per transaction is added for each missed extension. 

 

He doesn't have the money and will wave me away if I mention  it.

[sonjack2847]

I read the notice board the other day at the BI.It stated p500 for each month plus p500 fine.So reading it as I was that means an extra p1000 per month on top of the fees for the renewals.But who knows what will go on.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

It really is such an easy system here.  Just keep paying your fees on time.   If i ever end up overstaying I will take the blame and laugh it off... too many try to blame the "corruption" for their own choice to not follow the rules.    Best thing is just man up, admit you done wrong, pay your fines, and move on... well best thing is stay up to date ha ha  :tiphat:

[Jack Peterson]

It really is such an easy system here.  Just keep paying your fees on time.   If i ever end up overstaying I will take the blame and laugh it off... too many try to blame the "corruption" for their own choice to not follow the rules.    Best thing is just man up, admit you done wrong, pay your fines, and move on... well best thing is stay up to date ha ha 

 

 

Triple(Treble)  

[chris49]

I read the notice board the other day at the BI.It stated p500 for each month plus p500 fine.So reading it as I was that means an extra p1000 per month on top of the fees for the renewals.But who knows what will go on.

I think it runs deeper than that. The fees for renewals also come with a fine for each occurrence, processing fees, express lane etc...for each occurrence. Around 50k over 12 months at a guess.

[Dave Hounddriver]

The fees for renewals also come with a fine for each occurrence,

 

Where do you get that guess from?  Yes, it is logical, but when does logic have anything to do with it.

 

Many expats have overstayed for a day or even a couple of months and then found out that the fine for overstaying is 1,000 pesos per month or any part thereof.  So overstaying a day will get you a 1,000 peso fine the same as overstaying a month will get you a 1,000 peso fine.  A month and a day OR two full months is a 2,000 peso fine.

 

I don't have any experience with expats who overstayed longer than 2 months and got up to date in a legitimate way but no one I have heard of has paid more than 1,000 pesos a month for every month of overstay.

 

On another Philippine related site I read

 Foreigners, who are illegally residing in Cebu or anywhere in Central Visayas for less than two years, may avail themselves of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) amnesty program. Immigration Regional Director Geronimo Rosas said overstaying aliens must take the new amnesty program, a new policy of Commissioner Marcelino Libanan to give illegal aliens the chance to legalize their stay. Rosas, however, said foreigners who are illegally staying in the country for more than two years already cannot avail themselves of the amnesty and will be encouraged to leave voluntarily.

 

I won't provide the link to a competitors blog site but feel free to search it and decide for yourself what the truth is.  My guess is that expats who stay more than 2 years and then report to Manila will get kicked out and blacklisted and if they want to stay they better hire a lawyer and not take advice from an Internet forum.  But thats just my opinion. 

 

I tried to search "amnesty" on the BI website but my Internet is stupid and slow right now so anyone who wants to search it could post that info in this thread.

 

EDIT

Found this on the BI site but we cannot be sure the info is up to date without emailing them and I'm not gonna do that and put myself on their radar when I'm one of the ones who have never been more than 2 days late.

 

Overstaying Foreigners

Foreigners who have overstayed for twelve (12) months or less but have been in the country beyond the maximum allowable period already may be permitted to update their stay with order to leave the country within fifteen (15) calendar days therefrom and their names may be included in the Bureau’s blacklist upon the discretion of the Commissioner; Provided that, the Commissioner, in the exercise of sound judgment, may allow such foreigners to update and extend their stay taking into consideration their Filipino lineage, medical condition, minority and other analogous circumstances.

Foreigners who have overstayed for more than twelve (12) months regardless if their stay is within the maximum allowable period or those found to be overstaying by virtue to a complaint or Mission Order regardless of the period shall be referred for deportation.

 

Edited September 18, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver

[chris49]

Dave. 1000/month is 12,000 a year. That is clearly not the case.

The amounts I have heard (heresay) run up to about 50k for a year. If it was only 1000 a month, that would be easier than doing all the extensions. Therefore 1000/month plus the extensions plus the processing and appeal for consideration, 500, and the express fee, 500 for each occurrence. I paid that 500 appeal for consideration fee when filing my Annual Report late.

I think you will find it accumulates dramatically.

No idea on the "Amnesty" or how far it backdates. But it is my assumption that if paid in full there's no deportation. Unless the party has gone beyond the normal extension period, then would have to leave and come back.

Edited September 18, 2015 by chris49

[Jack Peterson]

In many cases I think it is that each Individual case is looked at differently and if a past History is there.

 

JMHO :unsure:

As always, ask 10 People and you will get 10 Different amounts charged.

 

JP  :thumbsup:

[chris49]

Dave, noted your inclusion, the official BI policy.

Thank you.