Visa Fees Rip Off

[BobNChe]

The prices for obtaining a visa just went up astronomically. For instance, the 59 day extension for people between 6-14 months just went up 95% to P4550. Express lane fees were doubled! Damn crying shame if you ask me!

[wallyperrier]

is this every where? or only where u live!!!

[Mr Lee]

The prices for obtaining a visa just went up astronomically. For instance, the 59 day extension for people between 6-14 months just went up 95% to P4550. Express lane fees were doubled! Damn crying shame if you ask me!

:540: And yet another example of ripping of supposedly rich foreigner and making it harder or impossible to live in the Philippines for many foreigners who are already just scrapping by. Very sad! :th_noproblem: In answer to Wally's question, when the Philippines does that, it is across the board and everyone has to pay country wide. :1247:

[Mr Lee]

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option...8&Itemid=43 VISA EXTENSION FEES (Updated!) TOURIST (NON-RESTRICTED) ADMITTED INITIALLY FOR 21 DAYS MAY BE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 38 DAYSVisa Waiver P 500.00Visa Waiver Application Fee1,000.00Certification Fee 500.00Express fee (Certification) 500.00Express fee (For processing) 500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 AFTER 59 DAYS OF STAY (INITIAL 21 DAYS + 38 DAYS EXTENSION)Every month of extensionP 500.00 Fine for overstaying - for every month or a portion thereof 500.00Application Fee (every two months for non-restricted) (every month for restricted)300.00Alien Certificate of Registration Fee Adult - 14 years above1,000.00Minor - 14 years below 500.00Re-issuance of ACR for (2nd entry of every entry after 59 days) Adult - 14 years above250.00Minor - 14 years below (Re-acert)150.00Head tax (over 16 years old)250.00Certification Fee500.00Express fee (Certification)500.00Express fee (For processing)500.00Emigration Clearance Certificate Fee700.00Certificate of Exemption Fee (below 14 yearsold)200.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 AFTER 6 MONTHS OF STAYEvery Month of Extension P 500.00Certificate of Residence (Temporary Visitor)1,400.00Application Fee(After 6 mos. to secure regular Emigration Clearance Certificate at the Alien Registration Division) 700.00Certification Fee 500.00Express Fee (Certification)500.00 Express Fee (For processing) 500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 ANNUAL REPORT FEEArrival on or before November 2 of the proceeding year P 300.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) 10.00Monthly fine for delayed Annual Report P 200.00HOLDERS OF MACAU-PORTUGUESE AND HONGKONG-BRITISH (SAR) PASSPORT ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES WITHOUT VISA FOR SEVEN (7) DAYSFirst Extension - 14 days P 500.00Application Fee300.00 Certification Fee500.00Express fee (Certification)500.00Express fee (For processing)500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 SECOND EXTENSIONVisa Waiver Application Fee P 1,000.00Visa Waiver Fee500.00 Certification Fee500.00Express fee (Certification)500.00Express fee (For processing)500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 DOWNGRADING OF STATUS FROM ANOTHER CATEGORY TO 9AAmendment FeeP 500.00Visa Fee 1,000.00Extension Fee500.00Application Fee300.00Emmigration Clearance Certificate700.00Certificate Fee500.00Express fee (Certification)500.00Express fee (For processing)500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATIONMotion for Reconsideration (MR Fee)P 500.00Administrative Fine (for every year of overstay however 18 months overstay considered two years) 5,000.00Certification Fee (For every transaction)500.00Express fee (Certification)500.00Express fee (For every month extension)500.00Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each itemP 10.00 NOTICE:Effective February 15,2008 all applicants for extension (tourist visa) under the VIMS (VISA ISSUANCE MADE SIMPLE) are required to pay in addition to immigration fees, Certification fee of P500, Express fee of P500 plus Legal Research Fee of P10 for every transaction.All applicants for extension are required to dress properly. Applicants wearing shorts, sandos, and slippers will not be allowed entry to Immigration Office.

[tom_shor]

Do I read that correctly they fine you even if you extend or is the fine if you don't extend on time?

[johnrxx99]

Lee, those must be the old fees if Bob is right.

[Mr Lee]

Lee, those must be the old fees if Bob is right.

Those are the updated visa fees riight off their site, but who knows if the site is up to date or not and that is why I posted the site, so people can see and call for themselves. I do not want to say Bob is wrong, but he did not post a reference to where he got the info. He did not say that he had to pay the new higher fee. Maybe Bob will update us and tell us where he got that cost figure??????

[TheMason]

I just got my 2-month extension yesterday. I'm here on a pre-issued 59-day, multiple entry visa. I had to extend because I did not leave the country when my 59 days were up. I think it's a sec 9 visa.This was my first extension and it cost me 4800pesos.I hate to be contrarian, but there are a bunch of whiners on this board. The RP grants pretty much everyone a 21-day tourist visa free of charge, no questions asked. The extensions are essentially automatic, and you can stay for 12 months with no problem and up to 16 months with a good reason. Assuming the rate I paid is what each 2-month extension will cost, that's 28800 per year, or $612 at current exchange rates. I don't think $612 for a 1-year tourist visa is out of line or outrageous. Suck it up and pay your fees. If you like living here, $600 per year is not a lot to pay for the privilege of doing so.If your plan is to live in the RP on a tourist visa, than you should expect to pay tourist prices. If you can't afford $600 a year for a tourist visa, then get a permanent resident visa or go home.

[Mike S]

Plus there are a few other ways around the high cost of the visitors visa fees ...... such as other types of visas ......but like everything else it ain't gonna get any cheaper ..... sure everyone would like to see the cost of everything held down .... but unfortunately it isn't gonna happen ..... I finally figured out that the 500 express lane fee is just a way to increase the cost of visas with out changing all the categories ...... makes sense to me ..... just add another express lane fee ....... in 6 months it will be 500p express lane fee ....... 500p express lane fee and 500p express lane fee ....... for a total of 1500p express lane fee ...... makes perfect sense to me ......

[Call me bubba]

If you can't afford $600 a year for a tourist visa, then get a permanent resident visa or go home.

:th_thbestpost: such a true statement