Tourist visa first extension (29 days)

[Snowy79]

I've just carried out my first extension and found out after using Grab that the location coming up on the navigation software is incorrect. For those who haven't used Grab to open the software and type in your pick up point then your destination. As you type the locations in the software is a bit like Google Maps and locates the address for you. In this case I was using the Makati sub office. The software brings up the Makati Bureau of Immigration but unfortunately it's where it used to be. It's now moved. I only found out once we got to the old location. The correct address is 3/F, 805 Lasala Bldg. J.P. Rizal Avenue, Makati City. Make sure you type this in. When you get to the correct location it's above the East West bank hidden away on the third floor with no elevator.

Enter the room and directly on your left you can get the form to fill in for the extension so no need to print one off beforehand. When you pick the form up in front of you and to the left there is a long counter with various positions for visas etc. The one you want is the right hand counter. Just fill the form in and hand it to the person there then grab a seat.

The person will check it, chat for 10 minutes to her mate about what she's doing this weekend before passing it to the person next to her who'll chat to the one beside her who will scan your passport attach a few forms and pass it back to the first person. She'll go away and chat to someone else and carry out other jobs that she's got before calling you over and handing you the forms.

You then take the forms to the payment window which is to the right of the counter where you're stood and pay 3,130 Peso. The person then sends you back to the first counter again where you give the person the forms and they do the usual chatting to each other and sorting other jobs out before picking your forms up and going into another office for 15 mins. They eventually hand you back your forms. Make sure your passport has the immigration sticker inside your passport and the date is 29 days in the future and away you go until the next time.

While I was there an Italian guy was trying to extend and they demanded 7,000 peso as he required an ACR card that he wasn't aware of as he had been in country too long. He had to borrow the money from his partner.

You could be in and out within 30 mins if they get their fingers out but work on at least one hour and anything upwards from that.

 

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, Snowy79 said:

You could be in and out within 30 mins if they get their fingers out but work on at least one hour and anything upwards from that.

On a typical day that takes about 10-15 minutes in the Olongapo branch.  They have a staff of about 3 and they have probably tired of chatting with each other.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

5 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

You could be in and out within 30 mins if they get their fingers out but work on at least one hour and anything upwards from that.

Obviously this is an office issue. I have not spent any more that 20 mins in the office I go to. To me it's weird, you go to second desk and he asks what you want, looks at passport etc then sends you to the guard to sign in. After that you fill out your form and hand it to someone, once processed it's given back and you take it to cashier. Then your name is called again to collect passport. 

I would have thought that the first desk which in this office is the one you confront when entering which is the guard would be first port of call. 

Must add, last week when I did my extension and took my form to the right place the girl had ear pieces on connected to her phone, she did not look up at me waiting and I was getting frustrated, an older woman in the background took my form and handed it to the girl who was busy doing nothing. When she had done her thing she called my name but did not get out of her seat and just placed my passport on the counter, I could not even see her from where I was sitting waiting.  This is the first bad experience I have had there.

[Snowy79]

7 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Obviously this is an office issue. I have not spent any more that 20 mins in the office I go to. To me it's weird, you go to second desk and he asks what you want, looks at passport etc then sends you to the guard to sign in. After that you fill out your form and hand it to someone, once processed it's given back and you take it to cashier. Then your name is called again to collect passport. 

I would have thought that the first desk which in this office is the one you confront when entering which is the guard would be first port of call. 

Must add, last week when I did my extension and took my form to the right place the girl had ear pieces on connected to her phone, she did not look up at me waiting and I was getting frustrated, an older woman in the background took my form and handed it to the girl who was busy doing nothing. When she had done her thing she called my name but did not get out of her seat and just placed my passport on the counter, I could not even see her from where I was sitting waiting.  This is the first bad experience I have had there.

I had pretty much the same. My name called from behind the raised counter and a hand reaching up passing me the passport. I had to physically make sure she saw me when asking what I do next. I literally had to ask her if I was good to go as at every stage I had to ask what to do next before she told me. 

[bigpearl]

While working in Ph. I would relinquish my passport every 6 to 8 weeks and the company I worked for did the working visa run, no issues as I wasn't involved. When I moved here to be with my better half, Manila. At 21 days back then I went to Intramuros for a 59 day extension, yes I googled and studied, had all my paperwork in order, 2 plus hours later I was done, groan, 57 days later came the ACR1, as well as the visa extension debacle, upstairs, downstairs, upstairs again then down, another 2 hours.

Like others have said there is a flagrant disregard when it comes to work ethics and efficiency, Intromuros is standing room only every time I have been there no matter what time you rock up, more staff? No, kick them where it hurts and make them do their jobs.

Not a good experience and one I will avoid doing again, SRRV seems to be an easier option. Aside from the initial set up it is cheaper than going in (now) every 6 months to be entertained with the inefficiencies and antics of every day life in a BI office.

Cheers, Steve.

[frosty (chris)]

37 minutes ago, bigpearl said:

inefficiencies and antics of every day life in a BI office.

Cheers, Steve.

My experience is completely opposite to yours. I go to the BI office at Mactan at Island Mall. I did my visa renewal a few weeks ago, was in and out in 12 minutes ( I timed them just to see). The staff are more than efficient and courteous. With the new form now it takes less than 30 seconds to fill in compared to the double sided one they had before. I wish every bureaucracy was as customer friendly as the BI I go too . If you want a day of frustration take a car along to LTO and get it relicensed, good luck with that

[bigpearl]

9 minutes ago, frosty (chris) said:

My experience is completely opposite to yours. I go to the BI office at Mactan at Island Mall. I did my visa renewal a few weeks ago, was in and out in 12 minutes ( I timed them just to see). The staff are more than efficient and courteous. With the new form now it takes less than 30 seconds to fill in compared to the double sided one they had before. I wish every bureaucracy was as customer friendly as the BI I go too . If you want a day of frustration take a car along to LTO and get it relicensed, good luck with that

Good news for you and others from the sound of it, depends I suppose on the captain at the helm, as said BI in Intromuros work at their own pace, bl,,dy slow and the left hand doesn't appear to know what the right hand is doing, only my experiences.

Car and bike renewal,,,,,,,,,,, looking forward it, NOT. Will leave that to Bengie.

Cheers, Steve.

Edited March 31, 2017 by bigpearl

[frosty (chris)]

2 minutes ago, bigpearl said:

Good news for you and others from the sound of it, depends I suppose on the captain at the helm, as said BI in Intromuros work at their own pace, bl,,dy slow and the left hand doesn't appear to know what the right hand is doing, only my experiences.

Car and bike renewal,,,,,,,,,,, looking forward it, NOT. Will leave that to Bengie.

Cheers, Steve.

LTO only works with one hand and very, very slowly, give yourself at least 2hours, maybe.

[Jollygoodfellow]

25 minutes ago, frosty (chris) said:

My experience is completely opposite to yours. I go to the BI office at Mactan at Island Mall. I did my visa renewal a few weeks ago, was in and out in 12 minutes ( I timed them just to see). The staff are more than efficient and courteous. With the new form now it takes less than 30 seconds to fill in compared to the double sided one they had before. I wish every bureaucracy was as customer friendly as the BI I go too . If you want a day of frustration take a car along to LTO and get it relicensed, good luck with that

Yes courteous except for my last visit at Mactan.If the woman with earpieces connected to her phone did not even know I'm standing right in front of her with the form in hand she was not doing her job. When she did process the form I only just managed to hear my name and see a hand place the form and passport on the counter. She did not get out of her chair.

[bigpearl]

11 minutes ago, frosty (chris) said:

LTO only works with one hand and very, very slowly, give yourself at least 2hours, maybe.

Yes I saw this last Christmas 2016 or was it 2015, God, old timers disease, when Bengie went to renew his drivers license in SFC, sad really, while living in Oz he got his Father to extend his DL as he wasn't in the country, the extension permit was for 60 days, we got there day 63 and they basically said tuff sh"t he needed to do the medical and that was going to cost xyz etc etc; no thanks he said I have an Aussie license I can use. When we move back he can hopefully do an easy C/O.

Cheers, Steve.