Balikbayan Changes (11-27-2020)

[GeoffH]

8 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Dependent on Visa Status I would imagine?

With SRRV access to the Philippine suspended indefinitely the only long term visas available would be 13A (and the working/diplomatic ones that most can't access) wouldn't it?

[Terry P]

Just now, GeoffH said:

With SRRV access to the Philippine suspended indefinitely the only long term visas available would be 13A (and the working/diplomatic ones that most can't access) wouldn't it?

It would appear that anyone who is married to a Filipina can now gain access after December 7

That excludes me for now as I'm not married. I don't know what your status is Geoff

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

With SRRV access to the Philippine suspended indefinitely the only long term visas available would be 13A (and the working/diplomatic ones that most can't access) wouldn't it?

 I thought the Majority of SRRV were Single and that is why that Visa was Opted for, I wonder now if we will have a Surge in Marriages and 13a Applications? Something that the BI have wanted all the time so that the 9a Visa was purely for tourists per-say and get away from the Long Term Tourist?

 

[Terry P]

I certainly hope not Jack that's me screwed and quite a few others too I suspect

[Jack Peterson]

8 minutes ago, TerryP said:

I certainly hope not Jack that's me screwed and quite a few others too I suspect

 Well for now maybe but what goes around will come round, There is (To me anyway) too much to lose from keeping Foreigners (well Westerners) out of the Country if they want to keep others (asians, that is mainly China and Korea) out then I think they should start and do some real Thinking and find a a way to help those that are Good and dismiss the ones that take the Piss. OK! it may not be easy according to the in force constitution But.................. time for the Senate to earn its money, Sorry I don't intend to make a Political issue of this Topic But...............

[GeoffH]

19 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 I thought the Majority of SRRV were Single and that is why that Visa was Opted for, I wonder now if we will have a Surge in Marriages and 13a Applications? Something that the BI have wanted all the time so that the 9a Visa was purely for tourists per-say and get away from the Long Term Tourist?

I would agree that a majority of SRRV are single but I suspect that a reasonable number are people who are in long term relationships with separated filipinas and some would be people who already had an SRRV when they got married.

I didn't actually get to the point of finalizing my SRRV application but the reason I wanted it was because I was travelling in and out of the Philippines every 3 months and that made the 12 month 13A process not possible for me.

 

[Terry P]

8 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Well for now maybe but what goes around will come round, There is (To me anyway) too much to lose from keeping Foreigners (well Westerners) out of the Country if they want to keep others (asians, that is mainly China and Korea) out then I think they should start and do some real Thinking and find a a way to help those that are Good and dismiss the ones that take the Piss. OK! it may not be easy according to the in force constitution But.................. time for the Senate to earn its money, Sorry I don't intend to make a Political issue of this Topic But...............

There's an item in the Philippines press today about revoking the 30 day visa waiver for chinese citizens and linking it to the awareness of their illegal activities and the recent bribary issue with some BI officials

[Jack Peterson]

9 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

I didn't actually get to the point of finalizing my SRRV application but the reason I wanted it was because I was travelling in and out of the Philippines every 3 months and that made the 12 month 13A process not possible for me.

 So Geoff (sorry if this sounds invasive)  but how does this leave you now? Still stranded for sure But is there hope for you with the current news? 

 

[GeoffH]

31 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 So Geoff (sorry if this sounds invasive)  but how does this leave you now? Still stranded for sure But is there hope for you with the current news? 

Nah it's cool, got nothing to hide.  SWMBO and I are engaged and we were planning to get married during 2020, that's obviously on hold now because she can't come here and I can't go there.  I don't think the current news helps me, I suspect I'll be stuck in aussie until a vaccine is rolled out and international vaccine 'passports' come into general use.  And because Australia has the pandemic under better control than all but a few countries the government aren't rushing the vaccine roll out (they're talking about starting in March for front line health workers and those at high risk then June onwards for seniors (unlike Great Britain which is looking to start vaccinating in December).

To be fair countries with higher case numbers, where the health system is struggling should get vaccines first... but that doesn't help me personally :(

My original backup plan was the SRRV and it came as a bit of a shock when those visas were stopped from entering the Philippines (I'd always thought of it as giving more priviledges than a 13A but it appears not to be the case).  Either way it seems pointless getting one (given the high cost of access) if it's a second class long term visa so I'll reorganize my stuff in Aussie, put the majority in storage, rent out this house here (the condo is already rented and the other house is already sold) and stay there to get a 13A (eventually when I'm allowed access again).

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by GeoffH

[BrettGC]

I guess I'm lucky in that we snuck the wedding in in February.  Not that I'm in the position to move just yet but at least these developments do give us options.  Married or not, it doesn't make it any easier being separated from those we love.  

Like you Geoff, I was quite frankly stunned when they "borked" the SRRV; I would've thought that times like these it would've been the exception.  Oh well, we have to play the hand we're dealt I guess.