Important - New Policy At Boi

[ancienrocka]

We have all been expecting that ACR cards will be mandatory for tourists - well it seems that the policy is being implemented in Cebu from today.I can't say that the facts below are completely accurate as I have yet to test them out for myself, but this is what my friends at BoI told me this morning.An ACR card will be required for every tourist that stays longer than 59 days.The cost will be - 2 versions, $50 or 2300p. I think the peso figure is more likely otherwise the rate would change daily.The 2300p will be on top of the 2nd extension fee of 4800p.All those who have been here longer than 59 days will be charged the 2300p fee at their next extension.The ACR card can be collected 3 days after payment.The applicant does not have to go there as they take the information from your passport - you can use myself or another agent to renew for you.It seems from that, that no fingerprints or photos are taken.As I said before this is all I have been told at the moment; I will update the information when I know more.Paul

[Art2ro]

Yeah, so far the info is a little misleading! I thought it meant anything after the 6 months is over, when an ACR card is required. I'll know more about it too, when we go back next month to apply for another 2 month extension just up until August or September and California here we come!!!!! :36_6_3[1]:

Edited February 23, 2010 by Art & Jho

[ancienrocka]

Yeah, so far the info is a little misleading! I thought it meant anything after the 6 months is over, when an ACR card is required. I'll know more about it too, when we go back next month to apply for another 2 month extension just up until August or September and California here we come!!!!! :36_6_3[1]:

I will know more tomorrow as I have to go there again.If any of you have any questions, I will try to find out the answers and let you know.I will know more when I do my first ACR extension - tomorrow is just normal 38 days.Paul

[Art2ro]

Yeah, so far the info is a little misleading! I thought it meant anything after the 6 months is over, when an ACR card is required. I'll know more about it too, when we go back next month to apply for another 2 month extension just up until August or September and California here we come!!!!! :thumbsup:

I will know more tomorrow as I have to go there again.If any of you have any questions, I will try to find out the answers and let you know.I will know more when I do my first ACR extension - tomorrow is just normal 38 days.Paul

Note that when the Balikbayan free one year stay have expired, 6 months visa extensions were available thereafter and I believe they still are, but with certain conditions now and from what I was told they are: 14 yrs old and under, age 65 and over and student studying in the Philippines. Check if there are other requirements! The every 2 months extension are a pain in the _ss! For the past 10 years we were extending our visa every 6 months after our Balikbayan status expired!

[Warlord]

The fun of Visa Renewal....Well considering I have always Balikbayan visa in the past and this time I entered Philippines without my wife I had to pay these fees every 2 months and sh&t it adds up quickly ..They have a fee for everything.They even have fees on fees ...lolA friend of mine enterst the country with his filipina and she puts 1000 peso inside the passport and get a Balikbayan visa stamp for him.Wish I would of done this ...As to them adding this ACR card well its just another way for them to get more pesos!The one I like though is the Quick Processing fee. Now that is the biggest scam of all. It should be automatic that you get all down in one trip.No other country has this set up for foreigners to renew every 60 days. PURE BULsh&t!Warlord

[UZI]

The fun of Visa Renewal....Well considering I have always Balikbayan visa in the past and this time I entered Philippines without my wife I had to pay these fees every 2 months and sh&t it adds up quickly ..They have a fee for everything.They even have fees on fees ...lolA friend of mine enterst the country with his filipina and she puts 1000 peso inside the passport and get a Balikbayan visa stamp for him.Wish I would of done this ...As to them adding this ACR card well its just another way for them to get more pesos!The one I like though is the Quick Processing fee. Now that is the biggest scam of all. It should be automatic that you get all down in one trip.No other country has this set up for foreigners to renew every 60 days. PURE BULsh&t!Warlord

I find these complaints on tourist visa extensions unbelievable. What other country can you enter WITHOUT a visa & then get to stay for up to 2 years by paying, what by any Western standard, is a small amount every 2 months to do it. Try that in the US or Oz or UK. Most people can't get into those countries without jumping through hoops just to get a visit visa in the 1st place. Yeah the RP should let people come here & stay for as long as they want for free - after all we spend our money here & help the economy out don't we. :th_goodidea:And Warrior.........why does your friend's 'filipina' put P1000 in the passport for a stamp that is FREE unless they are NOT married & what you are saying is he pays a bribe to get something he isn't entitled to. Hmm that would be interesting if they tried that on an honest BI officer & got refused entry & returned to his own country.If you want to stay here long term, then do what your are supposed to do (what other countries do) get your residence....!! If married to a Filipina get a 13a, if not get the SRRV or if single get a Quota Visa or if a FilAm get your dual & be done with it that way. The Balikbayan stamp is a privelege to get more Filipinos to visit. After the elections it could be removed as having done its job or revoke GMA's ruling that means you don't have to leave for a year before using it again.From my experience of living in many countries, the Philippines is THE most welcoming, accommodating & easy going country for people to visit & to stay long term.UZI

[Mr Lee]

The fun of Visa Renewal....Well considering I have always Balikbayan visa in the past and this time I entered Philippines without my wife I had to pay these fees every 2 months and sh&t it adds up quickly ..They have a fee for everything.They even have fees on fees ...lolA friend of mine enterst the country with his filipina and she puts 1000 peso inside the passport and get a Balikbayan visa stamp for him.Wish I would of done this ...[/b]As to them adding this ACR card well its just another way for them to get more pesos!The one I like though is the Quick Processing fee. Now that is the biggest scam of all. It should be automatic that you get all down in one trip.No other country has this set up for foreigners to renew every 60 days. PURE BULsh&t!Warlord

On this forum we do not condone illegal activities such as the one you mentioned and we surly do not recommend that anyone try them because the end result would be that a person would then be in the country on an illegal stamp in their passport thus depriving the country of needed funds and he would be taking the chance of being deported and possibly blacklisted forever and therefore possibly never being able to come back to the Philippines.I have to agree with Uzi on this one, do things legal and pay the fees necessary and enjoy the beautiful country and its wonderful people, and while I may point out some of the problems here from time to time, it is done in an effort to point them out to people who may visit for the first time, so that they will not end up culture shocked any more than they have to be. Knowing what to expect can make a transition or visit much easier IMO.

[ancienrocka]

More information that I got from BoI this morning.The ACR card will become invalid once you leave the country and you will need to re-apply, (and pay), when you come back in and stay for more than 59 days.The normal express lane fee has not increased, but there is an express lane fee for the ACR card, which makes it 1500p for this extension.The normal 2nd extension cost, ( without 9a), is 4800p - so add 2300p for ACR card and 500p fro extra express lane fee - giving you a total of 7600p.There were several people there today getting angry about the new fee structure - it won't do you any good. It is not the fault of the workers there - it is the law of the country, and excess anger can cause you problems. No one wants to visit the 3rd floor!!Paul

[Art2ro]

More information that I got from BoI this morning.The ACR card will become invalid once you leave the country and you will need to re-apply, (and pay), when you come back in and stay for more than 59 days.The normal express lane fee has not increased, but there is an express lane fee for the ACR card, which makes it 1500p for this extension.The normal 2nd extension cost, ( without 9a), is 4800p - so add 2300p for ACR card and 500p fro extra express lane fee - giving you a total of 7600p.There were several people there today getting angry about the new fee structure - it won't do you any good. It is not the fault of the workers there - it is the law of the country, and excess anger can cause you problems. No one wants to visit the 3rd floor!!Paul

Yeah, it's a real shame that this country is squeezing foreigners for more money year after year with their complicated visa requirements and adding more to their bureaucratic red tape in the process! But it's still a bargain in the long run once you get the hang of things! :thumbsup: :yes:

[TheMason]

The fun of Visa Renewal....Well considering I have always Balikbayan visa in the past and this time I entered Philippines without my wife I had to pay these fees every 2 months and sh&t it adds up quickly ..They have a fee for everything.They even have fees on fees ...lolA friend of mine enterst the country with his filipina and she puts 1000 peso inside the passport and get a Balikbayan visa stamp for him.Wish I would of done this ...As to them adding this ACR card well its just another way for them to get more pesos!The one I like though is the Quick Processing fee. Now that is the biggest scam of all. It should be automatic that you get all down in one trip.No other country has this set up for foreigners to renew every 60 days. PURE BULsh&t!Warlord

I completely agree with you that it is PURE BULLsh&t. They should refuse to renew people on a tourist visa beyond 60 days. If you want to remain in country longer than that, get a permanent resident visa. You can easily do it if you have ties to the Philippines (spouse or retirement home) or have a vested interest in the country (employment visa, or investors visa). There are very few countries with visa regulations as lax and easy to work with as the Philippines. Rather than bitching about the fees, you should be thankful you can stay here almost indefinitely as a tourist.