First time traveling to Philippines.

[racinkc1]

Hello. Im planning on entering without a visa (US Citizen), and then applying for an ACR card in the Philippines. Is that a good route? Also, I need an entry permit obtained at the Philippine e-travel website, correct? https://etravel.gov.ph/.   ?

[Gator]

6 hours ago, racinkc1 said:

Hello. Im planning on entering without a visa (US Citizen), and then applying for an ACR card in the Philippines. Is that a good route? Also, I need an entry permit obtained at the Philippine e-travel website, correct? https://etravel.gov.ph/.   ?

You are correct about needing eTravel. 

You will be required to get an ACR card after your second visa renewal. Upon entry your tourist USA is good for 29 days. You can apply for a 30 day extension bringing the total number of days up to 59. Ifyou want to extend beyond your initial 59 days is when you will be required to get an ACR card.

Welcome to the forum and safe travels. 

[earthdome]

6 hours ago, racinkc1 said:

Hello. Im planning on entering without a visa (US Citizen), and then applying for an ACR card in the Philippines. Is that a good route? Also, I need an entry permit obtained at the Philippine e-travel website, correct? https://etravel.gov.ph/.   ?

In addition you will neef an airline ticket proving that you will be leaving. Airlines won't let you board without either a roundtrip or a ticket to anywhere leaving the philippines.

 

[racinkc1]

12 hours ago, Gator said:

You are correct about needing eTravel. 

You will be required to get an ACR card after your second visa renewal. Upon entry your tourist USA is good for 29 days. You can apply for a 30 day extension bringing the total number of days up to 59. Ifyou want to extend beyond your initial 59 days is when you will be required to get an ACR card.

Welcome to the forum and safe travels. 

Thank you for this. So to reiterate, if I stay beyond 59 days, I will need both a visa and an ACR card? Thanks again.....

[racinkc1]

12 hours ago, earthdome said:

In addition you will neef an airline ticket proving that you will be leaving. Airlines won't let you board without either a roundtrip or a ticket to anywhere leaving the philippines.

 

Thank you. Same as Thailand and I suppose many other destinations.... Thanks for the reminder!!!

[hk blues]

5 hours ago, racinkc1 said:

Thank you for this. So to reiterate, if I stay beyond 59 days, I will need both a visa and an ACR card? Thanks again.....

You will need a visa extension after the 1st 29 days which can be up to 30 days, but no ACR. If you wished to extend beyond the 59 days you would need a further extension and the ACR.

[BrettGC]

To summarise:

• Arrive and get your entry stamp or ask to extend the additional 30 days whilst still in the airport.  If you decide to extend at the airport you'll be directed by the immigration officer to an office to do so.  Remember, you can only extend with Philippine currency, they do not accept other currencies.  If you decide not to extend at the airport, you'll have to visit a Bureau of Immigration (BI) office (they're everywhere) on or before the 29th day of your arrival.
• When you go to extend at the end of your 59 days (29 + 30) you go to a BI office, fill out the extension form and you'll also be given an application for your ACR-I card and they'll take some fingerprints/biometrics.  Bring a 2x2 photo with you (not passport sized) to go with your card application.  There's likely to be plenty of places close to the BI office that can do the photo very cheaply.  The card is valid for one year and you won't have to do the photo or biometrics again (this was the case when I did my last card renewal in march) but you will have to do the application form when you re-apply.  
• After you have your ACR-I card you can then extend online but only up to the 1 year point.  After that you have to apply in person or use an agent. 

Things are evolving with tourist visa extensions so always check regularly for any changed requirements as your extension dates and ACR-I renewals are approaching.

Just for info, the printable forms on the BI website are not up to date so if you're not using an agent, you can't print it from there and pre-fill it in to save time at the office - not a big deal as it only takes about 2 mins to fill in. I've been here just under 3 years and they're on the 3rd iteration of the extension form since I arrived.  

 

Edited September 29 by BrettGC

[Gator]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Just for info, the printable forms on the BI website are not up to date 

Not only that. Last April I drove my neighbor to the BOI office. He had printed out the form and filled it in at his home. He had to redo it at the BOI, not because the form was different (they were identical form numbers), but because the BOI one of it in a smaller 1/2 page size and completed in blue ink and not black. 

Edited September 29 by Gator

[scott h]

4 hours ago, Gator said:

completed in blue ink and not black.

[BrettGC]

5 hours ago, Gator said:

Not only that. Last April I drove my neighbor to the BOI office. He had printed out the form and filled it in at his home. He had to redo it at the BOI, not because the form was different (they were identical form numbers), but because the BOI one of it in a smaller 1/2 page size and completed in blue ink and not black.