ECC new requirements

[virginprune]

I imagine in Gensan that the 10 working days to get the clearance is because it is sent to Davao for confirmation. Who knows, they all work in mysterious ways!

[Jollygoodfellow]

16 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

0-6 months no ECC, 6-12 months ECC available at airport or full BI office (like Manila or Cebu but there are others - Dumaguete is NOT a full office), 12+ months ECC must be obtained from a full office only.

Funny immigration can not give the correct answer.  

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Funny immigration can not give the correct answer.  

Its freaking awesome.  You have seen my post of my chat with BI, I'm sure.  It says exactly the opposite.  I wonder if it would be possible to send the two people on the other end to the same school?  Anyway, its awesome as it gives us a reason to have a forum.  If we could trust all the answers we get from "reliable sources" we would be out of a job 

EDIT:  And a PS for those who are wondering.  I talk the talk that I could get an ECC the airport, and I know Steve has done and I know others have done it?  But in this country?  You gotta be kidding me.  If I have a few hundred dollars tied up in an airplane ticket I am sure as heck gonna go the BI office in Cebu a week in advance to be sure I am not stuffed up at the airport.  But that's me, personally.  The facts are:  People do it every day and the BI says it can be done if you are a tourist who has been here less than a year but more than 6 months.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Dave Hounddriver

[AlwaysRt]

4 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Funny immigration can not give the correct answer.  

The Dumaguete office told me the same thing before I went last December. Fortunately the BI officers at the airport do know they can issue for 6-12 months. 

[sonjack2847]

5 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Its freaking awesome.  You have seen my post of my chat with BI, I'm sure.  It says exactly the opposite.  I wonder if it would be possible to send the two people on the other end to the same school?  Anyway, its awesome as it gives us a reason to have a forum.  If we could trust all the answers we get from "reliable sources" we would be out of a job 

EDIT:  And a PS for those who are wondering.  I talk the talk that I could get an ECC the airport, and I know Steve has done and I know others have done it?  But in this country?  You gotta be kidding me.  If I have a few hundred dollars tied up in an airplane ticket I am sure as heck gonna go the BI office in Cebu a week in advance to be sure I am not stuffed up at the airport.  But that's me, personally.  The facts are:  People do it every day and the BI says it can be done if you are a tourist who has been here less than a year but more than 6 months.

I with you on that Dave, why take the chance it could all go wrong and you end up stressed and out of pocket.

[hk blues]

On 06/09/2017 at 7:12 PM, sonjack2847 said:

I with you on that Dave, why take the chance it could all go wrong and you end up stressed and out of pocket.

This, this and this again!

[davewe]

On 7/1/2017 at 4:48 PM, Dave Hounddriver said:

So that raises another question.  If you are hear on BB you can stay up to a year with no ECC required but are you classified as a tourist or just a 'temporary visitor'  (I don't make this shit up, its on the BI website that BBs are temporary visitors so thats why they don't need ECC's I guess)  BUT after a year you become a tourist.  Strange indeed.  The longer you stay, the more likely you are to become  . . . .  a Tourist! 

Since the wife and I are leaving the country on a mini-vacation I wanted to confirm what I was "sure" of but, well better safe than sorry.

I have the BB Privilege through marriage. Am I correct that I don't need the ECC clearance? Janet is an American citizen with US passport but is a Balikbayan. Is it also true she also does not need the ECC clearance?

And finally since I am going roundtrip to another Asian country coming back to the Philippines a week later, do I in fact need a throw away ticket, even though I have the BB Privilege?

[Dave Hounddriver]

23 minutes ago, davewe said:

And finally since I am going roundtrip to another Asian country coming back to the Philippines a week later, do I in fact need a throw away ticket, even though I have the BB Privilege?

I have heard from many who are on BB stamps that they have no need of an ECC  to leave and no travel tax to pay for either man or wife.  That is provided you leave before the one year date stamped with the BB on your passport.  I have also heard many say they did not need an exit ticket when entering the country, (foreigner accompanied by Philippine spouse), on Philippine airlines (the one airline who seem to know the rules.)

This is just personal observation and chatting with many who are "on the stamp".  It is not meant to recommend a course of action because, of course, your mileage may vary as rules can change at any moment with a "memo from head office" or you may run across the one ticket agent or BI official who misinterprets the rules.

There used to be a lot of "under the table" BB stamps being applied to passports.  If certain officials suspect such a thing they have been known to thoroughly grill the expat trying to leave.  But travelling with your wife and with a legitimate stamp means I doubt very much you will run into that situation.

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

That is provided you leave before the one year date stamped with the BB on your passport. 

 Dave your Current BB will be done when you leave the PI it is a One off Stamp per Visit, Davewe that is 

Edited February 17, 2018 by Jack Peterson

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

Dave your Current BB will be done when you leave the PI it is a One off Stamp per Visit, Davewe that is 

When he comes back, accompanied by wife, he gets  fresh one year stamp.  Many live here by doing that yearly rather than going for a 13a.