Visa For The Philippines

[siamesecat64]

Hello everybody,I do know almost nothing about the Philippines and I am starting to collect informations right now (in order to relocate in few months).I am Italian (46 y.o.) living in Thailand since 2001. I checked out already the Republic of Philippines Embassy in Bangkok web site and the Philippines Immigration site as well. But I still not understand HOW LONG A VISA ISSUED BY AN EMBASSY WILL LAST. For example about Thailand, we know that for a Retirement Visa (Non Immigrant "O") you should be at least 50 y.o. and initially it will last 90 days during which you should apply to the local Immigration for a YEARLY extension. Or about TOURIST VISA, now it is possible apply for a DOUBLE ENTRY VISA that (with appropiate extensions) will last 180 days...Until now I do understand that there is this Visa on Arrival that will last 21 days and then it is possible apply to the local Immigration for another 59 days till a maximum of 14 months (405 days?). Correct?My question is: if I go personally to the Embassy (in Bangkok), and apply for a Tourist Visa, it will be possible have a SIX months Visa and how much it will cost?Back to the Thai example, until March 2011 a Two Entries Tourist Visa is FREE and will allow you to stay in Thailand for 180 days (First Entry 60 days + 30 days Extention @1,900THB, Second Entry another 60 days + Extention 30 days again @1,900 THB). Thank You,siamesecat64

[Mr Lee]

Hello everybody,I do know almost nothing about the Philippines and I am starting to collect informations right now (in order to relocate in few months).I am Italian (46 y.o.) living in Thailand since 2001. I checked out already the Republic of Philippines Embassy in Bangkok web site and the Philippines Immigration site as well. But I still not understand HOW LONG A VISA ISSUED BY AN EMBASSY WILL LAST. For example about Thailand, we know that for a Retirement Visa (Non Immigrant "O") you should be at least 50 y.o. and initially it will last 90 days during which you should apply to the local Immigration for a YEARLY extension. Or about TOURIST VISA, now it is possible apply for a DOUBLE ENTRY VISA that (with appropiate extensions) will last 180 days...Until now I do understand that there is this Visa on Arrival that will last 21 days and then it is possible apply to the local Immigration for another 59 days till a maximum of 14 months (405 days?). Correct?My question is: if I go personally to the Embassy (in Bangkok), and apply for a Tourist Visa, it will be possible have a SIX months Visa and how much it will cost?Back to the Thai example, until March 2011 a Two Entries Tourist Visa is FREE and will allow you to stay in Thailand for 180 days (First Entry 60 days + 30 days Extention @1,900THB, Second Entry another 60 days + Extention 30 days again @1,900 THB). Thank You,siamesecat64

The one thing that the Philippines seems to be lacking in is visas that make it easy for young people to move there full time. There are a number of visas that you can get from the embassy possibly where you live. One is a one year multiple entry visa which would allow you to stay 59 days and then leave and come back and so on and so on. If you stay then you would have to renew every 59 days. Others may answer this better than I do and I do not know your situation but if you read the section about the SRRV visa that has been discussed HERE and learn some more about it then it might be the way for you to go, and since you are under 50 then I believe it would require a deposit in a bank of $50,000 and some proof of a pension but I am not an expert on that so maybe others can answer and give you more info, and then if you are married to a Filipina then if you entered with your wife then you would get a Balikbayan privilege which would allow you to stay a year at a time with your wife without any visas.  Hopefully others can give you more information. 

[ancienrocka]

Hello everybody,I do know almost nothing about the Philippines and I am starting to collect informations right now (in order to relocate in few months).I am Italian (46 y.o.) living in Thailand since 2001. I checked out already the Republic of Philippines Embassy in Bangkok web site and the Philippines Immigration site as well. But I still not understand HOW LONG A VISA ISSUED BY AN EMBASSY WILL LAST. For example about Thailand, we know that for a Retirement Visa (Non Immigrant "O") you should be at least 50 y.o. and initially it will last 90 days during which you should apply to the local Immigration for a YEARLY extension. Or about TOURIST VISA, now it is possible apply for a DOUBLE ENTRY VISA that (with appropiate extensions) will last 180 days...Until now I do understand that there is this Visa on Arrival that will last 21 days and then it is possible apply to the local Immigration for another 59 days till a maximum of 14 months (405 days?). Correct?My question is: if I go personally to the Embassy (in Bangkok), and apply for a Tourist Visa, it will be possible have a SIX months Visa and how much it will cost?Back to the Thai example, until March 2011 a Two Entries Tourist Visa is FREE and will allow you to stay in Thailand for 180 days (First Entry 60 days + 30 days Extention @1,900THB, Second Entry another 60 days + Extention 30 days again @1,900 THB). Thank You,siamesecat64

Hi mate,I recently put up a page on my web site as an attempt to explain in simple terms what seems to cause many people problems with late extensions. It breaks down most current visas into simple categories - check it out athttp://www.Denial of service/visa-options-explained.phpPaul

[siamesecat64]

@ Mr. Lee, Thank You for your affort and suggestion.@ Paul, Thank You Very Much! I checked out your link about SRRV (also Lee suggestion) and I found it very interesting. Because I am "only" 46, I will be not elegible for a pension for the next 20 years, but LUCKILY the Republic of Philippines is kind enough to consider also a range of people aged 35 - 49 for Retirement Visa (for example, Thailand is not, you must be 50 y.o. or above). What, now, I need to know is: the 50,000 USD you have to deposit (in any bank of your choice? example Bank of the Philippines Island or Banco de Oro, just to name a couple), should be fixed for one year or it is possible use it (for your yearly living expenses) and then, the next year, refill the bank account with the difference that went used, before re-apply for the next SRRV?Thanks a Lot to everyone, you proved to be very helpful already, please keep being...siamesecat64P.S. Also the new SVEG visa is intersting, but evenctully, it will follow after few years of adjustment to this (for me) completely new Country.

[Mr Lee]

@ Mr. Lee, Thank You for your affort and suggestion.@ Paul, Thank You Very Much! I checked out your link about SRRV (also Lee suggestion) and I found it very interesting. Because I am "only" 46, I will be not elegible for a pension for the next 20 years, but LUCKILY the Republic of Philippines is kind enough to consider also a range of people aged 35 - 49 for Retirement Visa (for example, Thailand is not, you must be 50 y.o. or above). What, now, I need to know is: the 50,000 USD you have to deposit (in any bank of your choice? example Bank of the Philippines Island or Banco de Oro, just to name a couple), should be fixed for one year or it is possible use it (for your yearly living expenses) and then, the next year, refill the bank account with the difference that went used, before re-apply for the next SRRV?Thanks a Lot to everyone, you proved to be very helpful already, please keep being...siamesecat64P.S. Also the new SVEG visa is intersting, but evenctully, it will follow after few years of adjustment to this (for me) completely new Country.

Not all banks handle the SRRV. If you follow the link in my original post then you wills see contact information for Mayen at the Bank of Commerce Main branch in Cebu City, she is the assistant manager there, and if you contact her directly, then she would be able to help you with more information since she and her bank do handle that program. As for the money, I believe (and it may have changed) that the money has to stay in the bank for a period of time and then it could be used for the purchase of an approved condo or possibly a business, but again it would be best to ask Mayen since my wife and I use the Balikbayan privilege each time we go back to our home in Cebu, so I am not familiar with the visa situation first hand and I would prefer not to give you second hand information and then have it turn out to not be totally correct. Also the other fellow Paul who answered is in a business which handles many aspects of helping foreigners and he would be able to answer questions on visas other than the SRRV, so you would find him very knowledgeable and helpful both on here as well as in person.  

[siamesecat64]

Hello, it's me again.Let me summarized what I think I understood about the Visas (for my case), please do not esitate to correct me if I got something wrong.Option 1)21 days Tourist Visa on Arrival (free) + 38 days Extention (for a fee) + 59 days Extentions (for a fee) untill reaching 16 months in total.This requires only a visit to the local Immigration Office and not taxes or anything else is involved, but it is compulsory leave the Country at the end of the 16th month (I think I also read that there is another 8 months Extentions option but this is subordinate to approval from the Immigration Bureau), anyway after at maximum 2 years must leave the Country.Option 2)SRRV, 50,000 USD deposit in a PRA associate Bank + 1,400 USD fee + yearly 10 USD Program ID card.The above program entitled to 1 year visa with no other costs, no visit to the Immigration and it is indefinitively renewable?There is also an Option 3), (SVEG) but it is about open a business, that is not something I want to do immediatelyThen after a few years of the above procedures if the subject will be involved with a Filipina and get married can ask for:Option A) 13A if the subjet do not intend to leave the Country (needs paperworks and fee)Option B) Balikbayan Privilege if the subject is leaving the Country at least once per year (free but need to show evidences of mariage)I have a question about the SRRV program: now I am 46 (no pension for, at least, the next 20 years) so I should deposit 50,000 USD, but in 4 years I will turn 50 and the deposit for a 50 y.o. is 20,000 USD. Logically speaking I should be able to withdraw the exceeding 30,000 USD without any fuss from the PRA.Thank You,siamesecat64

[Mr Lee]

Hello, it's me again.Let me summarized what I think I understood about the Visas (for my case), please do not esitate to correct me if I got something wrong.Option 1)21 days Tourist Visa on Arrival (free) + 38 days Extention (for a fee) + 59 days Extentions (for a fee) untill reaching 16 months in total.This requires only a visit to the local Immigration Office and not taxes or anything else is involved, but it is compulsory leave the Country at the end of the 16th month (I think I also read that there is another 8 months Extentions option but this is subordinate to approval from the Immigration Bureau), anyway after at maximum 2 years must leave the Country.Option 2)SRRV, 50,000 USD deposit in a PRA associate Bank + 1,400 USD fee + yearly 10 USD Program ID card.The above program entitled to 1 year visa with no other costs, no visit to the Immigration and it is indefinitively renewable?There is also an Option 3), (SVEG) but it is about open a business, that is not something I want to do immediatelyThen after a few years of the above procedures if the subject will be involved with a Filipina and get married can ask for:Option A) 13A  if the subjet do not intend to leave the Country (needs paperworks and fee)Option B) Balikbayan Privilege if the subject is leaving the Country at least once per year (free but need to show evidences of mariage)I have a question about the SRRV program: now I am 46 (no pension for, at least, the next 20 years) so I should deposit 50,000 USD, but in 4 years I will turn 50 and the deposit for a 50 y.o. is 20,000 USD. Logically speaking I should be able to withdraw the exceeding 30,000 USD without any fuss from the PRA.Thank You,siamesecat64

I believe the above is basically correct. As for logically, that word often has no place in the Philippines and what is logical to many of us does not always seem to apply in the Philippines, so IMO and from what I have been told, you would have to withdraw the money from the first one and then go into the second one but things change all the time so there is no way of knowing what will happen a year from now, no less 4 years when you will be 50, so I just go with the flow and plan for today and when tomorrow comes then I check slightly ahead of time to see what my next move with be. IMO why worry about it when many things in your life might change and you listed some of them above. To me it would be hard for a serious minded man to not find a good lady and end up getting married, since we are often like a chick magnet while in Cebu. No insult meant to the ladies and many have ulterior motives from start to finish and others may only have them at the beginning and change later on once they fall in love and yet others are just interested in us for us and those are the best ladies to find IMO, I did and many others have, so anyone who thinks with the correct head  should also be overwhelmed IMO. I am married and far from handsome and women even hit on me when I am with my wife out shopping, and even more so when I am alone. The Philippines can be paradise if we are careful to take our time and find the right lady and it may end up hell if we find the wrong lady.I hope others answer more directly if they find anything wrong in your post. As I have said before, my wife and I use the Balikbayan privilege each time we enter but even that may change and I am told the SRRV program will be getting better soon because a lot of things are in the planning and they are supposed to try to make it even easier for people to move to the Philippines and now that there is a new president, then it may happen faster.One comment, 59 days is the total each time and IMO a visa ahead of time would be best for the first visit if you intend to stay more than 21 days, and the one year if you intend to do as I think you initially stated, coming back again within a year.  

[Art2ro]

Siamesecat64,Seems like you are getting all of the information you are looking for here. It's basically down to your decision which is best for you in your particular situation! But I'm sure you may still have a few more questions to ask. Just ask away and I'm sure you'll get the answers you'll need to make your decision a lot more easier. You should provide more of your background so it may be easier for us to understand your particular situation, but that's up to you. I've lived in Thailand before for 18 months while in the military way back in 1975 in Utapao AB. I enjoyed my my stay there. I thought of retiring there, but my plans change over time. Well anyway, good luck with your plans in coming to the Philippines!

Edited June 10, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[siamesecat64]

Mr. Lee you are always very kind in answering me very quick. Thank You.Yes, my original plan was: going to the Philippines in July for the first time for 21 days; have a look and evenctually relocate there in November.Now I am thinking, probably I will need a second 21 days visit supposedly in September and finally relocate in November.As you said (and I agree), things rapidly change so we can't plan so much in advance (about SRRV, was just a speculation more then a real question). As much informations I am collecting as I will adjust my plan accordingly.I have also to fix somthing here in Thailand, about assets and personal life as well. So that is the plan (wish?), but we will see if it will become reality soon or late...Greetings,siamesecat64

[Mr Lee]

Mr. Lee you are always very kind in answering me very quick. Thank You.Yes, my original plan was: going to the Philippines in July for the first time for 21 days; have a look and evenctually relocate there in November.Now I am thinking, probably I will need a second 21 days visit supposedly in September and finally relocate in November.As you said (and I agree), things rapidly change so we can't plan so much in advance (about SRRV, was just a speculation more then a real question). As much informations I am collecting as I will adjust my plan accordingly.I have also to fix somthing here in Thailand, about assets and personal life as well. So that is the plan (wish?), but we will see if it will become reality soon or late...Greetings,siamesecat64

It is all of our members pleasure to help new people to make their transition or visits to the Philippines easier and only the member themselves can decide which items help them based on what is provided. I happen to be retired, so I spend a lot of time on my computer and thus on this forum and when I see no one else on who may answer, then I do my best to do so. I also learn new things all the time, so some of us will no doubt learn from you later on and we hope that you will stick around and help our other members with your knowledge gained over time. My advice would be to try to take longer trips with a visa in order to feel your way around instead of multiple short trips but I fully understand that is not always possible so you will have to do what is best for you. Just take your time and go slow and you will find your way with possibly some help from this forum and its members and since you may relocate in November then you will be able to teach me a few things by the time we get back if not late this year then early next.    :thumbs-up-smile: