Latest on Visas per the San Francisco Consulate

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Huggybearman said:

I think you are right. That’s my thought also. And that is the sensible, pragmatic view. Trouble is we are not always dealing with people who are either sensible or pragmatic. 

I think it's more clear than that - it has been stated from the outset that foreigners married to a Filipino can enter so the 13A is covered. 

 

[Heeb]

On 8/12/2020 at 8:05 AM, DaveB said:

5. Travel Itinerary 

For nationals of countries with visa agreement with the Philippines: 

1. Single entry valid for three (3) months US$ 30.00

2. Multiple entry valid for six (6) months US$ 60.00 

3. Multiple-entry valid for twelve (12) months US$ 90.00  

I noticed that my email was slightly different, it looks to me like if I pay $60 or $90 instead of $30 that I don’t need a RT or burner ticket, they are getting expensive now, or am I reading into it? Here is my email:

5. Travel Itinerary (We will accept 1 way travel itinerary if the applicant is planning to extend his/her stay in the Philippines)*
 

For nationals of countries with visa agreement with the Philippines: 
1. *Single entry valid for three (3) months US$ 30.00 (Required travel itinerary)
2. Multiple entry valid for six (6) months US$ 60.00 
3. Multiple-entry valid for twelve (12) months US$ 90.00 

[DaveB]

I hadn't seen or heard anything about the round trip ticket comment.  Is your email later than mine?  I'm guessing it might be a follow on reaction to other people who have been asking about it.  

It hadn't been anything my wife and I were personally trying to follow.  We ARE going to have a round trip ticket, as we're gonna go in October, do some location and house hunting, and then come back for Christmas, so for this time around we'll have the problem covered.  I'll have to follow the topic for the future, though.  I plan to get the 12 month, multiple entry visa to hold me over until I can process the 13A, and then roll with things as I can.

Let me know what you find out from our friends at the consulate.

[Heeb]

2 hours ago, DaveB said:

I hadn't seen or heard anything about the round trip ticket comment.  Is your email later than mine?  I'm guessing it might be a follow on reaction to other people who have been asking about it.  

It hadn't been anything my wife and I were personally trying to follow.  We ARE going to have a round trip ticket, as we're gonna go in October, do some location and house hunting, and then come back for Christmas, so for this time around we'll have the problem covered.  I'll have to follow the topic for the future, though.  I plan to get the 12 month, multiple entry visa to hold me over until I can process the 13A, and then roll with things as I can.

Let me know what you find out from our friends at the consulate.

It was probably after the email you received, since I'm afraid that something my be lost in translation I'm just going to get an onward ticket to Singapore or Tokyo maybe 6 months out, I might actually use it and take the wife. I'm not traveling with my wife since we have already moved there, she's out in the province and we left our place in Subic empty for now, sad that I even have to purchase a ticket now when I don't even know if it will be approved or how long it will take, I'm going to get a ticket for maybe mid September. If you have looked at the Los Angeles consulate website they have even more stringent procedures.

[Heeb]

So I've been looking for flights back to the Philippines and I've decided to go with PAL again, EVO air kept cancelling my return flights as I mentioned in a previous post, the flight into Taipei was good but not the connection to Manila, with the new Visa requirement for foreigners married to Filipino's I think more flights will be cancelled do to lack of passengers. I think the best shot at getting a flight that will actually depart as scheduled will be from a city that has a lot of Filipino's like Los Angeles, I checked the flight arrivals into Manila and all the recent flights from San Francisco, and Vancouver were cancelled but the LAX flights except for today's were not, so I'm planning on departing from there. I have all of my paperwork ready to send but need to get my application notarized Monday, Walgreens does 2x2 visa photos so that was easy.

[GeoffH]

1 hour ago, Heeb said:

I think the best shot at getting a flight that will actually depart as scheduled will be from a city that has a lot of Filipino's like Los Angeles, I checked the flight arrivals into Manila and all the recent flights from San Francisco, and Vancouver were cancelled but the LAX flights except for today's were not, so I'm planning on departing from there. 

 

That's smart thinking in my opinion, a flight with more passengers is more profitable for the airline and is more likely to proceed.

It's my tentative plan to fly direct from Sydney to Manila for similar reasons when the visa situation eventually gets sorted out (which won't be soon for me) even though that means taking a domestic flight from Melbourne to Sydney.

Edited August 16, 2020 by GeoffH

[Jollygoodfellow]

19 hours ago, Heeb said:

5. Travel Itinerary (We will accept 1 way travel itinerary if the applicant is planning to extend his/her stay in the Philippines)*

Hmm but will the airline allow you to board as the rules are onward ticket and the airlines know that. No way would I try without it. 

[GeoffH]

Neither would I try it without a return ticket but for people going to stay for a longer time who can’t book a return flight it might not be as easy as it used to be.

Can you even still buy cheap throw away tickets?  
And ‘fully refundable’ doesn’t really carry the same confidence it did before Covid.

*Unsure about this*

 

[Heeb]

2 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Hmm but will the airline allow you to board as the rules are onward ticket and the airlines know that. No way would I try without it. 

Yes I’m not going to risk it, it’s all sketchy to begin with, even after I complete this process the rules could change on me again, I’m not sure what prompted this latest ruling, people trying to sneak in or is it to generate revenue for the consulates? They’re shooting themselves in the foot right now. I read an article last night that airlines flying through Korea are worried about revenue loss because of the requirement to get a covid test even for transient flyers prior to boarding a flight.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Heeb

[OnMyWay]

On 8/16/2020 at 3:00 AM, Heeb said:

I noticed that my email was slightly different, it looks to me like if I pay $60 or $90 instead of $30 that I don’t need a RT or burner ticket, they are getting expensive now, or am I reading into it? Here is my email:

5. Travel Itinerary (We will accept 1 way travel itinerary if the applicant is planning to extend his/her stay in the Philippines)*
 

For nationals of countries with visa agreement with the Philippines: 
1. *Single entry valid for three (3) months US$ 30.00 (Required travel itinerary)
2. Multiple entry valid for six (6) months US$ 60.00 
3. Multiple-entry valid for twelve (12) months US$ 90.00 

Did they have a name for this visa?

9A Visitor visas are single entry.  It costs p3030 /$60 to get your first extension to 59 days, and a full year of extensions is around p23000/$470.

Multiple entry for a year for $90 is a deal, but I would guess that there are a few other fees to add in.  It is not a residence visa, so I agree that an onward ticket would be needed.

What I would do, if I needed to travel in and out a few times, and, IF (BIG IF) cheap onward tickets are available, is...

--  Buy the 12 month multiple entry visa.

--  Buy a throw away for the week before the visa expires.

--  Travel in and out of PH as needed during the year of the visa.  The throw away could be use as onward ticket for any flights during the year.

Another possible plus right now is that I think several airlines are offering free cancellation up to very close to flight date, during covid.  Might be a good option for a throw-away.

We have been wanting to book a cruise for several years.  Some of the cruise lines are offering cruises in 2021 and 2022 that you can cancel for free up until 48 hours before cruise date!