My visa woes

[Jollygoodfellow]

First I had to do a visa run a month early because they would not give me my last month which made a few things difficult for me but anyway it's done and arrived back in Cebu about 4pm yesterday.

After a long wait in the immigration queue it was my turn. The female immigration officer questioned me for being here so long as a tourist. It was very hard to hear what she was saying but she said I must convert to permanent visa as l am not a tourist.  She then left and came back with a piece of paper and ticked visa conversion and gave to me.

I got my thirty days but now dont know if I can extend. I didn't see her enter anything into the computer but who knows.

Has this happened to anyone else? 

 

[Mike J]

It just says visa conversion, so wouldn't your extension to a 9A visitor visa qualify and a "conversion"?

[OnMyWay]

That sucks.  Is there any new information on the BI web or FB pages?

I wonder if this because of the current push on the Chinese issues?

I would send a message on the BI FB page as they usually have good answers.

Edited August 18, 2019 by OnMyWay

[Arizona Kid]

8 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

First I had to do a visa run a month early because they would not give me my last month which made a few things difficult for me but anyway it's done and arrived back in Cebu about 4pm yesterday.

After a long wait in the immigration queue it was my turn. The female immigration officer questioned me for being here so long as a tourist. It was very hard to hear what she was saying but she said I must convert to permanent visa as l am not a tourist.  She then left and came back with a piece of paper and ticked visa conversion and gave to me.

I got my thirty days but now dont know if I can extend. I didn't see her enter anything into the computer but who knows.

Has this happened to anyone else? 

 

 

I heard that there is a Happy Jail in Cebu. At least you won't be sad while you are incarcerated! 

But seriously they will work with you as long as you don't try to bullcrapp them. That's my experience in the Manila BI anyways. It was in 2007 tho so maybe things have changed.

[graham59]

Yeah, they don't want foreigners here, contributing to the economy. 

Now thinking up new ways of getting rid of us, since we're just the same as those bad Chinese over-stayers and fraudsters, aren't we.  

Immigration officials have individual 'discretionary' powers, so maybe you'll find one at the BI who isn't on the rag, when you put in for your first extension. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

4 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I would send a message on the BI FB page as they usually have good answers.

Yes, and if you do please let us know what their response is.  If you do not plan to do that then I shall write to them myself but no point in everyone doing it.

[fillipino_wannabe]

Probably won't let you get a tourist visa now. Just have to do as they say, doesn't really matter what the official rules are as they have a 'at the discretion of the immigration officer' clause on everything.

Wouldn't bother messaging the main office to be honest, I did that (or my wife did) when a local office wouldn't extend my visa past a year. Then the main office phoned the local office, local office said I was disrespectful and they blacklisted me.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

Probably won't let you get a tourist visa now. Just have to do as they say, doesn't really matter what the official rules are as they have a 'at the discretion of the immigration officer' clause on everything.

I disagree in the point that there is no reason not to continue my extensions because everyone else has been doing it for years. I followed the rules and did everything per book for the last 35 months and expect to do it again and pay their fees.

I dont believe there is anything in the immigration rules to stop me.

I can not afford a SSRV and the only other visa I could get is a 13a but my wife and GF dont get along so might be hard.

At this point I think all I can do is front up for the next extension and hope for the best.

A few months ago I posted where a friend comes and goes and immigration told him he should apply for a different visa.  Could be that I got the wrong immigration desk at the airport. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

8 hours ago, Mike J said:

It just says visa conversion, so wouldn't your extension to a 9A visitor visa qualify and a "conversion"?

Who knows Mike but puts a lot of stress on me. Seems they forget the Express fees they get. 

[TimL]

JG, I wouldn’t even mention getting that when you go to renew. Let’s see if the right hand knows what the left is doing. My bet, they don’t. 

If it was an issue, one would think that immigration would have noticed it when you were renewing your visa for 35 months. I haven’t seen any changes in the laws that would indicate any changes to the norm outside of all of the Chinese stuff going on. Nothing concrete has even changed yet with them either, has it?

Good luck and keep us posted.