How long can I stay in the Philippines?

[bikerpat]

Hi my friends,

I know this question has probably been asked before.

I am hoping to move to Phils to live with my Filipina girlfriend on a permanent basis. I know her 3 years and am mad about her and visa versa. But it's heartbreaking on both of us leaving each other every time I visit. I live alone here in Ireland and am on a pension. I want to leave here and move to Phils which has many attractions besides my g/f.

I see there is a new rule re 30 days visa.

I understand you can get a 59 day visa as well.

After the 59 day visa expires, then what happens?

Can you keep renewing your visa indefinitely assuming you have papers duly authorised by a Filipino Consulate to show your have permanent pension income, show a decent bank balance, have a rented accomodation, are in a relationship with a Filipina girl etc...

I was looking at the SRRV resident visa option but that ties up $10,000 with the Philippine Retirement Agency.

Appreciate any information.

Pat

[Terpe]

What is the maximum extension of stay that can be granted?

Foreigners holding temporary visitors visa pursuant to Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 and aliens admitted under E.O. 408 may extend their stay in the Philippines every 2 months for a total stay of 16 months. Extension of stay after16 months, up to 24 months need the approval of the Chief of the Immigration Regulation Division. Extension of stay after 24 months need the approval of the Commissioner.

Source:-
http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?...=207&Itemid=37

Not sure if the detail is bang up to date, but in principle after the allowed period for tourist visa you'd need to leave the country, then come back and start the process again.
BI is getting tougher of the number of cycles.

If you're married to a Philippine citizen you can follow the Balikbayna route for a while, but again BI are getting crusty with some folks who keep entering on BB with no good reason for not applying for 13a

Maybe someone has morre updated info, or you could trawl the BI website

[irishman12]

hi pat -there is a new 6 month visa extension you can get -so saves having to apply every 2 month ,not sure what happen then if you have to go back to getting 2 months at a time then or can get another 6 months ,any tourist can get this -you dont have to show that you ahev rented accom ,girlfriend etc ,most important thing is that you have onward ticket but sometimes even that isnt asked for ,been trying to chat you thru the chat box on right side of page .

[grahamw48]

You can stay perfectly legally for over a year using normal visa renewals....even as a tourist.

Then hop over to Hong Kong or Bangkok for a visa run and start over.

It's not a problem, you just have to budget for the extensions. (Done it myself).

[bikerpat]

And for how many years can you use that process of extending your visa, then hopping over to whereever, and starting the whole process again?

[grahamw48]

I don't think there is any limit on it.

One of my friends has been doing it for at least 20 years.

[Terpe]

And for how many years can you use that process of extending your visa, then hopping over to whereever, and starting the whole process again?

You need to careful about that.
In recent times BI have gotten quite crusty about continuing visitor/tourist stays. I've not know anyone refused entry as yet, but I've known plenty of folks given formal advice to secure correct residence.
I'm not sure how much is down to individual immigration officers and how much is down to BI policy.
Nothing to worry yourself about for a few years yet anyway

[bikerpat]

Well folks I ain't there yet. Still stuck in rainy Ireland. But will get there and after another of our long Skype conversations I am convinced i've got me the right girl and you gotta grab happiness when it comes your way. I'll hopefully have enough cash to to the SRRV visa if I have to but if I can stay there without having to tie up $10,000 all the better. I spoke with Immigration in Boracay and they were super friendly, the officer there told my g/f if I have a brother she wants him and also told my g/f not to let me go, that she, my g/f had got herself a dream guy. I was embarrassed, thought she was joking. But she wasn't. Told me I'd be more than welcome to stay in Phils and come back to her anytime. Told her my pension details and sent me to an agent they use and he was most helpful as well. To be honest I'm more worried about Health Insurance than visa issues. Thanks again to you all here for your advice. Pat

[imagine]

i gave up the idea of health insurance, age and medical record against me, if i could get insurance it would cost me an arm and a leg,
check your blood group too, i hear its hard to get blood doners there, im lucky, Lolita and her son are same group as me, should the need arise

but i am once married entitled to claim on her phil health , its not full cover but will help

[tiger31]

biker don,t bother about health insurance if you were going to put 10k down for the 13a i,d keep that in your bank thats your health insurance .I have just done my 16 months on a tourist visa and just nipped over to hongkong very simple and just start all over again its much better than having your money tied up ike that as you never know when you will need it .just rent a place when you arrive for say maybe a year to find your feet and to make sure all is well with your g f remember you can,t own any property there it will have to be in g f s name which is another reason you must be careful but you can own a condo in your sole name .good luck in your quest for a nice retirement ive been here nearly 3 years and i,m still not convinced its the right place for me .

[Michael Parnham]

biker don,t bother about health insurance if you were going to put 10k down for the 13a i,d keep that in your bank thats your health insurance .I have just done my 16 months on a tourist visa and just nipped over to hongkong very simple and just start all over again its much better than having your money tied up ike that as you never know when you will need it .just rent a place when you arrive for say maybe a year to find your feet and to make sure all is well with your g f remember you can,t own any property there it will have to be in g f s name which is another reason you must be careful but you can own a condo in your sole name .good luck in your quest for a nice retirement ive been here nearly 3 years and i,m still not convinced its the right place for me .

What doubts do you have Tiger? would just like to compare notes!

[bikerpat]

I'd also be interested in Tiger's doubts.

[tiger31]

well there are good and bad things where ever you decide to live in all countries .one of my own concerns here is the language ive not been able to learn very much but it can be a lonely place when you can,t understand what the locals are saying,I can,t go out much on my own without g f in tow because shes worried over my safety which is another issue ,back home I can go anywhere I like and talk freely to anyone no problem .health is always an issue too you need to be pretty close to a hospital here or you may never survive any kind of emergency ,the ambulances have very little in the way of life saving equitment in them very basic stuff indeed I even saw a multicab being used as an ambulance last week I wish I had my camera or people would,nt believe you.crime is another thing here although you get crime every country when its a 3rd world country its much worse if its not tied down here it will get stolen every house has grills on the windows and nearly all households have dogs as deterrents .The list could go on but it is important to tell people that its not always paradise when you come to these places you have to make your own minds up first come and try it to see if its what you really want.I am glad I did,nt sell up completely and cut all ties at least ive got the choice to come and go should I get bored in the u.k again .my gf is 40 and wants to work so I will bring her and let her see that the u.k is,nt all that good either lol if she wants to stay in u.k then thats where we will stay .

[bikerpat]

Thanks Tiger for sharing those thoughts.

[Michael Parnham]

well there are good and bad things where ever you decide to live in all countries .one of my own concerns here is the language ive not been able to learn very much but it can be a lonely place when you can,t understand what the locals are saying,I can,t go out much on my own without g f in tow because shes worried over my safety which is another issue ,back home I can go anywhere I like and talk freely to anyone no problem .health is always an issue too you need to be pretty close to a hospital here or you may never survive any kind of emergency ,the ambulances have very little in the way of life saving equitment in them very basic stuff indeed I even saw a multicab being used as an ambulance last week I wish I had my camera or people would,nt believe you.crime is another thing here although you get crime every country when its a 3rd world country its much worse if its not tied down here it will get stolen every house has grills on the windows and nearly all households have dogs as deterrents .The list could go on but it is important to tell people that its not always paradise when you come to these places you have to make your own minds up first come and try it to see if its what you really want.I am glad I did,nt sell up completely and cut all ties at least ive got the choice to come and go should I get bored in the u.k again .my gf is 40 and wants to work so I will bring her and let her see that the u.k is,nt all that good either lol if she wants to stay in u.k then thats where we will stay .

I agree with everything you say Tiger, I could add a few more things to your list but Philippines has a lot of things that I find appealing also!

[tiger31]

I agree with everything you say Tiger, I could add a few more things to your list but Philippines has a lot of things that I find appealing also!

quite true which is the reason you have to come and try for yourself ,the cost of living and the weather is the top two ,The rest must favour the u.k in my view .bugs are another pet hate for me there are so many bugs in this place it freaks me out I go through a tin of spray every week ,cockroaches ,mosquitos ,black ants ,the list is huge lol The food does,nt float my boat either rice for breakfast lunch and evening meal if you don,t like rice you,ve had it lol well i,ll stop moaning and try to think of more positives lol

[Terpe]

Well done Tiger for expressing your views and experience in an open and honest way

It's easy for me to see how day-to-day life in such a different country, environment and culture can become an issue.
Especially if managing with the food/diet becomes so difficult and irksome.

For those who have never lived in a different place I would back up what you've described Tiger, and say to anyone, forget what you imagine, think or believe; don't even consider a lock, stock & barrel move, without first spending enough time there to let the "new & fun bit" wear off.
Try to get under the skin of life in the Philippines as it really is.
In practical terms, if those little annoyancies, inconveniences and general BS start to really get to you, it'll only feel worse as time goes on unless you're able to make a very significant internal change.

It's good for folks to understand from someone who's been there, done it and got the T-shirt to realise that such a move can be hard enough without discovering half-way down the road that it was all a mistake, and then having to reverse the whole process.

Good man

[irishman12]

(The food does,nt float my boat either rice for breakfast lunch and evening meal if you don,t like rice you,ve had it lol ) they have most of the same foods available that you can get anywhere -ive stayed there for 3 months only -hardly ever had rice but its easy to mix some with other foods .

[grahamw48]

I always had a good supply of spuds and English-recipe bread.

Cooking what I wanted to eat was never an issue.

I also used to buy minced beef or pork and made tasty burgers or meatballs for me and the kids.

Lots of 'food from home' if you use your imagination and have some basic cooking skills.

[tiger31]

cooking skills lol I have none haha yeah graham I know you can get english stuff like potatos etc but you feel rather awkward asking your misus to cook a completely seperate meal to what there eating .she does,nt like my type of food and I dont like hers lol so I try to like some of the stuff but I can,t help it if I don,t like some of the food that gets put in front of me .I don,t want to offend her so try to fowarn her what I,ll try and what I won,t .she calls me a pain in dee ass hahaha but I still love her .wait til I get her to the Uk and make her eat haggis eh lol

[tiger31]

Well done Tiger for expressing your views and experience in an open and honest way

It's easy for me to see how day-to-day life in such a different country, environment and culture can become an issue.
Especially if managing with the food/diet becomes so difficult and irksome.

For those who have never lived in a different place I would back up what you've described Tiger, and say to anyone, forget what you imagine, think or believe; don't even consider a lock, stock & barrel move, without first spending enough time there to let the "new & fun bit" wear off.
Try to get under the skin of life in the Philippines as it really is.
In practical terms, if those little annoyancies, inconveniences and general BS start to really get to you, it'll only feel worse as time goes on unless you're able to make a very significant internal change.

It's good for folks to understand from someone who's been there, done it and got the T-shirt to realise that such a move can be hard enough without discovering half-way down the road that it was all a mistake, and then having to reverse the whole process.

Good man

thanks for the reply your right too many many people come here all excited etc etc but once reality sets in some people realise its not quite the life they were expecting thats why I think after nearly 3 years of living here i,m qualified to say what ive said and speak the truth .some will adapt and some won,t .Thats why I,m so glad I did,nt sell up everything lock stock and barrel now I can walk back into uk into my nice house all set up for the misus and let her see how my life was before I came here and she,s looking forward to the day it happens.I not saying i,ll never go back as we bought a little bungalow here so I guess we can split the year up ,but once she finds a job I think she,ll vote to stay in the uk she has a large family but she said they all have there own lives to live both her parents are dead so she reckons she,ll settle down in uk quite easily as long as she has me aaw bless her lol thank god she can,t get hold of a bolo in uk so easily haha

[Michael Parnham]

I'm now a little tempted to bring some of my issues up about Philippines, I'll have to think about it!

[tiger31]

I'm now a little tempted to bring some of my issues up about Philippines, I'll have to think about it!

please do lol don,t leave it all to me

[Terpe]

I'm now a little tempted to bring some of my issues up about Philippines, I'll have to think about it!

Yes do.
We need to understand all facets.

[imagine]

I'm now a little tempted to bring some of my issues up about Philippines, I'll have to think about it!

bring it on

[imagine]

food is one of the day to day issues , i didn't care too much for the food there, or should i say the food there didn't care too much for me,
while i was there i found english and american food in cagayan, malaybalay has mals and a new one open now , with more english food,finding a nice white bread was a task and as yet though it looks like ours it doesn't have the same texture or taste,

potato's i saw a variety of white potato in cagayan, my diet is limited even here in uk, im more of a meat eater white or red,

i will take to growing as much of my own as possible and with tips from Freds thread,and i will cook,
here its rare i eat fruit, but i enjoy fruit where its hot, water melon a fav,so i guess fruit will be good as veg is lacking in my diet,
Lolita understands about the food and will help me on that ,
it played on my mind a little when i was there her saying don't go out on your own, and if i do don't talk to strangers ect,
i do realise there is differences those i already know and those i have still to learn of, but i have thought very deeply about this, its a challenge and im up for it ,
so bring it on in this thread all the negatives, so i am better informed for the challenge i am about to take

[grahamw48]

You blokes need to learn to cook !

[imagine]

im sure there must be ingredients there for me to make my favourite , chicken madrass

[grahamw48]

Definitely.

I was always making curries.

[jake]

Even if i wasn't married to a Filipina i would still choose to live here.