Americans requiring a visa.

[Snowy79]

It looks like things may be changing in the future if the President has his way for Americans. He's looking to bring visa requirements into line for Americans as it is for Filipinos travelling to the USA. http://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/world/lawmaker-backs-phl-visa-for-americans-says-move-to-generate-p6b-annual-income/ar-AAjFNKW?li=BBr8Mkn&ocid=mailsignout

 

[Gator]

41 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

It looks like things may be changing in the future if the President has his way for Americans. He's looking to bring visa requirements into line for Americans as it is for Filipinos travelling to the USA. http://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/world/lawmaker-backs-phl-visa-for-americans-says-move-to-generate-p6b-annual-income/ar-AAjFNKW?li=BBr8Mkn&ocid=mailsignout

 

The USD 125M number quoted as projected revenue is roughly based on the same number of travelers as last year. I believe that number would decrease significantly if they imposed said requirements. There's far too many other place to spend tourist dollars that don't require an advance visa. 

I personally would curtail my visits if they required me to travel to a USA based embassy for an interview, but I still might consider traveling if I could obtain the visa via mail. 

And what the article fails to address would be the overstaying of Filipinos in the USA. If that was not a problem (or one that would likely happen) then I'm sure the US would relax its visa requirements. 

Edited November 2, 2016 by Gator

[Snowy79]

It would certainly open a can of worms. I get the bringing things into line but as has been highlighted sometimes the visa is to stop people entering the USA just to stay there illegally. I'm sure the ownership of properties, businesses etc will be pointed out also as a big difference between the USA and the Philippines and maybe it will make visas go on the back burner.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Sounds like he is just butthurt against the US (no surprise there).

What about all the other countries with "non-equal" visas?   Over 100 countries can come here without a visa yet Filipinos can barely go to 30 countries visa free. Where is his faux outrage at that disparity?

He will simply kill whatever tourist business they have, when they need to be building it up. Americans can go to Mexico or the Caribbean so easily, and it is just as beautiful.  Very short sighted.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I think Americans tend to overvalue their worth as tourists.  Here is a chart of tourism in Cuba after the Americans were required to stay away.

If the place has desirability then tourists will come, despite Dutertes best efforts to keep them away.

[scott h]

1 hour ago, Gator said:

I believe that number would decrease significantly if they imposed said requirements.

First of all, the president really speaks stream of consciousness, what ever pops into his mind. Second one of his supporters in congress just started making noises about putting a bill before congress. Third, with the exception of guys like us on the board who come to the Philippines with our wives and girlfriends there are very, very few American "tourists" coming to the Philippines. The vast Majority are American citizens of Filipino decent who come to visit using the Balikbayan "tourist" visa. Just wait for the outcry from them if this goes through. If it does, I would be willing to bet that the Balikbayan visa will be excepted.

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

30 minutes ago, scott h said:

If it does, I would be willing to bet that the Balikbayan visa will be excepted.

So those of us living in sin would do well to get married? 

[scott h]

4 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

So those of us living in sin would do well to get married?

LMMFAO.........I got my 13A Dave...............time to make an honest woman of her

[Old55]

11 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

So those of us living in sin would do well to get married? 

Well let's not get carried away Dave. 

[Ram1957]

Whats funny about this whole thing is that one of the President's right hand man that agrees with the Visa requirement is said to be an American Citizen and all of his family is in the US.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Ram1957