United Army Posted November 17, 2010 Posted November 17, 2010 What should I do?I originally started out wanting to get a 13A visa so I could use it during our US Visa interview with my wife as 1 of my documentations of our intent to stay in the PH. I had an appt set for late November for our 13A interview. So knowing this I figured it won’t be approved till sometime around Feb or Mar 2011, and I did not want to pay more extensions on my tourist visa anymore and wanted to get my BB stamp vice paying tourist visa fees every other month. So with 16 months coming up on my tourist visa I decided to start my visa over again and leave the country and take a small vacation. So now I have my BB stamp which is a free year stay in the PH.After all my arraignments were made for my Singapore trip my 13A Visa interview was done in mid Sept, and the lawyer at the BOI in Cebu told me to call him in late December to see if it was approved. So the interview was done earlier than I planned.If my 13A Visa is approved, how long can I wait to pick I up? Can I wait till next year just before my BB stamp expires, which is in Nov 2011? I really do not want to loose my 1 year free stay.Hope this all makes sense….Or can I wait till my US Visa interview is scheduled then pick up my 13A Visa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No name Posted November 17, 2010 Posted November 17, 2010 What should I do?I originally started out wanting to get a 13A visa so I could use it during our US Visa interview with my wife as 1 of my documentations of our intent to stay in the PH. I had an appt set for late November for our 13A interview. So knowing this I figured it won’t be approved till sometime around Feb or Mar 2011, and I did not want to pay more extensions on my tourist visa anymore and wanted to get my BB stamp vice paying tourist visa fees every other month. So with 16 months coming up on my tourist visa I decided to start my visa over again and leave the country and take a small vacation. So now I have my BB stamp which is a free year stay in the PH.After all my arraignments were made for my Singapore trip my 13A Visa interview was done in mid Sept, and the lawyer at the BOI in Cebu told me to call him in late December to see if it was approved. So the interview was done earlier than I planned.If my 13A Visa is approved, how long can I wait to pick I up? Can I wait till next year just before my BB stamp expires, which is in Nov 2011? I really do not want to loose my 1 year free stay.Hope this all makes sense….Or can I wait till my US Visa interview is scheduled then pick up my 13A Visa?Do you know BI has a contact address for questions? That would be the best thing to, ask BI. :) But I would save a copy of the response. I had a little trouble following you but my brain is tired so it might just be me. :) If it were me, I'd be fearful of screwing it up when I already had it. :)You know how government workers can be (I'm a retired one haha). You might get different answers depending on who you ask. BI is usually a little slow on responding to question but they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted November 17, 2010 Posted November 17, 2010 What should I do?I originally started out wanting to get a 13A visa so I could use it during our US Visa interview with my wife as 1 of my documentations of our intent to stay in the PH. I had an appt set for late November for our 13A interview. So knowing this I figured it won’t be approved till sometime around Feb or Mar 2011, and I did not want to pay more extensions on my tourist visa anymore and wanted to get my BB stamp vice paying tourist visa fees every other month. So with 16 months coming up on my tourist visa I decided to start my visa over again and leave the country and take a small vacation. So now I have my BB stamp which is a free year stay in the PH.After all my arraignments were made for my Singapore trip my 13A Visa interview was done in mid Sept, and the lawyer at the BOI in Cebu told me to call him in late December to see if it was approved. So the interview was done earlier than I planned.If my 13A Visa is approved, how long can I wait to pick I up? Can I wait till next year just before my BB stamp expires, which is in Nov 2011? I really do not want to loose my 1 year free stay.Hope this all makes sense….Or can I wait till my US Visa interview is scheduled then pick up my 13A Visa? My advice would be to not wait and go get it as soon as possible since employees change and offices are not always organized and people go on vacation, so they might not know where your paperwork is later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancienrocka Posted November 17, 2010 Posted November 17, 2010 I too have just come home from a night out, but am in agreement with The Mason in that i did not completely understand your question.If the BoI Attorney has recommenfed that your 13a application be approved then you would normally wait about 2 months for the "rubber stamp" from Manila - however since the change of Administration, there has been no new Commissioner for Immigration appointed and so applications are stacked up in the main office; so this may extend out to 3 months.You are not wasting your BB status, you are now close to becoming a permanent resident with 310p a year fees for the rest of your life and the ability to work and run a business here - the 2 are not remotely comparable. PR versus a one year free gift of tourist status?Just my opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No name Posted November 18, 2010 Posted November 18, 2010 My advice would be to not wait and go get it as soon as possible since employees change and offices are not always organized and people go on vacation, so they might not know where your paperwork is later on. That's a really good point Lee. That could happen in a US government office too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
United Army Posted November 18, 2010 Author Posted November 18, 2010 Thanks for all the input, I will get my 13A when it is rubber stamped by Manila...whenever that may be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts