SRRV Update

[Mike J]

17 hours ago, hk blues said:

I would also be wondering about the loss of revenue if they move from 1 to 3 years - will that not cut revenue by 2/3rds?  That might play a part in allowing the wheels to turn at a snail's pace.

As @mountainsidementioned, no lose of revenue.  But he workload would decrease meaning less people could do the same service.  So, potential government jobs being lost while making the system more efficient in the Da Philippines?   I can see where this could take a bit of wrangling and time. 

[Snowy79]

20 hours ago, hk blues said:

I would also be wondering about the loss of revenue if they move from 1 to 3 years - will that not cut revenue by 2/3rds?  That might play a part in allowing the wheels to turn at a snail's pace.

Not if they charge you three lots of annual renewal fees, if anything it'll reduce their work load.

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, Mike J said:

As @mountainsidementioned, no lose of revenue.  But he workload would decrease meaning less people could do the same service.  So, potential government jobs being lost while making the system more efficient in the Da Philippines?   I can see where this could take a bit of wrangling and time. 

I genuinely wonder whether any government employee here has ever lost their job through improved efficiency of processes.   

[Possum]

On 5/1/2023 at 11:08 AM, Freebie said:

hey are priced to be almost identical....no benefits either way.

More than a couple of benefits. Not having to go renew a tourist visa every 60 days or so depending on the whim of the local office is one. Being a legal permanent resident also brings advantages the tourist visa does not provide. Even if they keep the payment at 1USD a day it's not a big deal. I lived under the tourist visa scheme for years and I much prefer the SRRV. One advantage that is not mentioned often is BOI has little to no authority over SRRV holders as they come under PRA which is a different bureaucracy.

[Possum]

Renewing my SRRV now. It can be done online except for the payment. Cannot transfer bank to bank as PRA does not accept Instapay which is what banks here use to transfer funds. So, I'll go to a local branch of Landbank [PRA's bank] and attempt to pay there, then email the receipt to them. You can wire the money direct if you want to pay ridiculous wire transfer fees but I quit paying wire transfer fees some time ago.

[craftbeerlover]

8 minutes ago, Possum said:

Renewing my SRRV now. It can be done online except for the payment. Cannot transfer bank to bank as PRA does not accept Instapay which is what banks here use to transfer funds. So, I'll go to a local branch of Landbank [PRA's bank] and attempt to pay there, then email the receipt to them. You can wire the money direct if you want to pay ridiculous wire transfer fees but I quit paying wire transfer fees some time ago.

wow, I just did mine a few months ago (valid for 2 years now).  Went to the office in Makati.   I am assuming you have to mail in your expiring ID, and they will mail you a new one correct?

[Possum]

14 minutes ago, craftbeerlover said:

wow, I just did mine a few months ago (valid for 2 years now).  Went to the office in Makati.   I am assuming you have to mail in your expiring ID, and they will mail you a new one correct?

No need to mail in old one. I didn't last time either. Send a copy of your passport bio page, copy of front and back of SRRV card and the completed request form. Now if they would just simplify the payment process it would make it a breeze. I have to be in Manila next week in another attempt to renew my US passport and at first said I would drop by the PRA office and pay. Then I remembered there is no such thing as dropping by anywhere in Manila traffic. So to a Landbank branch I go.

[craftbeerlover]

18 minutes ago, Possum said:

No need to mail in old one. I didn't last time either. Send a copy of your passport bio page, copy of front and back of SRRV card and the completed request form. Now if they would just simplify the payment process it would make it a breeze. I have to be in Manila next week in another attempt to renew my US passport and at first said I would drop by the PRA office and pay. Then I remembered there is no such thing as dropping by anywhere in Manila traffic. So to a Landbank branch I go.

Doesnt your SRRV Card have an expiration date?  How do they update that?

[Possum]

6 minutes ago, craftbeerlover said:

Doesnt your SRRV Card have an expiration date?  How do they update that?

Your new card has the new date.

[Possum]

Update to my SRRV renewal adventure. I emailed everything in, no problem. Paying is another matter. PRA uses Landbank and they told me the exchange rate for that day, listed the php needed for the renewal plus the 150php for courier. I tried to transfer from Metrobank and BDO but Landbank doesn't accept their transfer program. PRA said I could use any Landbank office. In the city I live in the first and second offices had lines outside. Third office I was allowed into. The customer service person wasn't sure how to make a transfer, so she had to go speak to the manager, twice. She totaled the amount and wrote it on the paper I gave her with all the info from the PRA. I gave her the money she went to the teller and returned with my hand written receipt which I photo'ed sent to the PRA. When I got home the PRA emailed me that I still owed 90 peso for delivery as the exchange rate the Landbank office in my city used is different from the exchange rate the Manila office uses. I told them I would pick up my SRRV when I came to Manila as that's easier than sitting in a bank for 2 hours. I contacted them today to see if my card was ready but they are closed because it is raining in Manila.

So...a word to the wise. You can renew via email and pay at your local Landbank but on the day you want to pay ask the PRA exactly how much to pay on that day and be sure to do it that day.

I can see why they stopped the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" slogan. Actually a Filipino lady I knew at the time warned me the slogan should be, It's More FU in the Philippines.

Low expectations are key to a happy life 

Edited August 28 by Possum