Confirmation about the tourist visa please.

[sonjack2847]

I have a neighbour who is German, his friends keep telling him things which I think are untrue. The latest one being that he can stay here4 years on a tourist visa, I don`t think that is true so could someone on a tourist visa confirm one way or the other many thanks.

[OnMyWay]

3 years.  Been der, dun dat.

Of course, if he exits the country at any time, it resets the clock.  Start over.

[Mike J]

http://immigration.gov.ph/faqs/extensionofstay

<snip>

How long can I extend my in the Philippines?

Under Immigration Memorandum Circular No. SBM-2013-003, non-visa required national may extend their stay up to thirty six (36) months while visa required national may extend their stay up to twenty four (24) months.

Note: The said periods shall be counted from the date of the applicant’s latest recorded arrival.

<end snip)

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, sonjack2847 said:

I have a neighbour who is German, his friends keep telling him things which I think are untrue

Doesn't matter what anyone tells him, he's German so he isn't really going to listen.  Stubborn men, them Germans.  If he REALLY wanted to know then he would ask the people at BI but I know from experience that when he gets close to the three year mark they will not extend his visa unless he can show a plane ticket out of the country before his 3 years are up.  So no need to tell him anything.  He will be told by the folks at BI

[sonjack2847]

45 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Doesn't matter what anyone tells him, he's German so he isn't really going to listen.  Stubborn men, them Germans.  If he REALLY wanted to know then he would ask the people at BI but I know from experience that when he gets close to the three year mark they will not extend his visa unless he can show a plane ticket out of the country before his 3 years are up.  So no need to tell him anything.  He will be told by the folks at BI

He is one of the few that does listen hence the problem he is having with actually understanding the information supplied to him. I did tell him last night that he should not listen to them anymore. 

[OBBinDaHouse]

Im USA citizen.   a couple of related questions.

1.     Should I start my own thread or will this one get attention?

2.  I do not see the 3 or 4 year visa on the internet.  I see a one year visa.

Is the 3 or 4 years only if you apply for renewal 3 or 4 times?

Does 3 or is it 4 years for USA citizen?

What if you get married to a Filipina during the 1 to 3 or 4 years?

can you stay without renewing after you marry or is it a never ending process (which I could imagine since not everyone would be welcome infinitely.

Thanks all. 

[Mike J]

Welcome to the forum.

A USA citizen gets a 30 day stay when they arrive and your passport is stamped.

Any stay beyond 30 days will require a tourist visa extension.  You can extend for up to six months at a time.

You can continue to extend your stay for a period of up to three years.  You would  then have to leave the country and return and start the process again.

If you marry a Philippine citizen you can apply for a 13A visa.  This is a permanent resident visa, but the card itself requires a renewal every five years.

When you arrive in the Philippines as a tourist you must have an ongoing ticket.

[Clermont]

7 minutes ago, Mike J said:

USA citizen gets a 30 day stay when they arrive and your passport is stamped.

Any stay beyond 30 days will require a tourist visa extension.

Also note, there are hefty penalties for not complying with visa regulations and overstaying. 

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

A USA citizen gets a 30 day stay when they arrive and your passport is stamped.

Any stay beyond 30 days will require a tourist visa extension.  You can extend for up to six months at a time.

A few slight corrections, Mike, if I may?

A USA citizen actually gets 29 days upon entry. The first extension is for 30 or 60 days - up to what is wanted. The third and beyond extensions can be up to six months each. Then you also pay for the Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) card. These are for tourist visas only.

Over a year ago was last time I paid for the ACR card, but never received it. I was told they didn't have enough materials to make them. That caused me a big problem when returning to P.I. from a trip abroad - first time I ever had a hassle... The card I did have was long out of date.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Tommy T.

[Mike J]

5 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

A few slight corrections, Mike, if I may?

A USA citizen actually gets 29 days upon entry.

Was 29, now changed to 30.