Disclaimer: By posting on this web site it is accepted that you have agreed to our Terms. Please DO NOT publish copyrighted material/pictures without the owner’s permission, you are liable for any costs incurred.


Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 31 to 59 of 59
  1. #31
    Respected Member imagine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    7,016
    Rep Power
    150
    Well done, Peter!


  2. #32
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by imagine View Post
    Well done, Peter!
    Thanks Stewart, and thanks for your help and support as I follow in your footsteps.

    I'm happy to be making progress, no matter how slow. My treatment at BI has improved dramatically and I'm now getting smiles and help without asking.

    Even so, based on my experience, I'd definitely consider one of the SRRV routes.

    The attorney asked my wife if she had employment to which she replied no. He asked about her income to which she said none.
    So you live off your husbands pension then.
    Yes. She said.
    He didn't ask me how much income I had.
    He asked my wife do you own a house here in the Philippines or are you renting. She told him we have a house in Manila a house in Davao and another house in Mindanao that is being rented out.
    He seemed satisfied.

    We didn't mention anything about the houses being on market for sale

    Onwards and upwards


  3. #33
    Respected Member imagine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    7,016
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    Thanks Stewart, and thanks for your help and support as I follow in your footsteps.


    Onwards and upwards
    It sure is more fun in the Philippines.

    Walay sapayan

    and thanks for the rep.


  4. #34
    Respected Member Michael Parnham's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Nottinghamshire
    Posts
    11,643
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    Well, the 'hearing' went well. Much better than we expected. Lasted about 15 minutes max.
    He asked my wife all the usual questions such as when and where did we first meet, where and when did we get married why does she want me to live in the Philippines and was I a good husband.

    I got asked only one question, was she a good wife and why......
    I was told to be kind to her as my visa is in her hands

    He then signed-off the needed certificates asked us both to sign the documentation again and informed us to wait for the processing to be completed.
    Now, this means waiting 3-4months since our bundle will go to Manila first for processing.
    When it's return we'll be invited back to his office for implementation of the visa and the biometrics and issue of my ACR card.

    So at last some good news
    Step by step we're getting there.
    Great news!


  5. #35
    Trusted Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Pangasinan
    Posts
    25,596
    Rep Power
    150
    Good news Peter. Good luck to you both.


  6. #36
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Parnham View Post
    Great news!
    Thanks Michael. As always I'm hoping for the best and planning for the worst


  7. #37
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    Good news Peter. Good luck to you both.
    Thanks Graham


  8. #38
    Respected Member jonnijon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    1,299
    Rep Power
    112
    The Mayor is a good man, Peter.


  9. #39
    Respected Member mickmyrna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    157
    Rep Power
    54
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    If I couldn't laugh I'd cry.

    Went to the Immigration Office again yesterday with my bundle of papers and my application forms for my 13a visa.

    Security seemed a bit stricter than usual with a highly visible armed military presence. My wife began looking tense so had to do some 'stroking' much earlier than planned.

    Once inside I was pleasantly surprised to see the place almost empty. Just a few miserable looking foreigners sitting around waiting for the call to their next window.

    I handed over my forms for the first check. Fail.
    One of my forms was a photocopy of the other and both identical forms must be orginal.
    I asked for another application form so I could fill it out and was told BI no longer gives out forms.
    They need to be downloaded and printed.
    Thought I'd be clever and said I don't have a printer. Go to an internet cafe they said.
    Point, set and match BI

    They also told me the forms must be printed on 8.5" x 13" paper. Mine were on A4 size.
    The forms also need to be fastened into a buff legal folder with size 8.5" x 14" . Mine was a yellow 'legal short', whatever that means.
    Our petition letter must also be on presented on 8.5" x 13" paper and should be addressed to the Commissioner of Immigration by name and not just by title.

    I remained calm and asked if there was anything else wrong with the application. They wouldn't look, just said read the General Instructions available on their websight.....goodbye.

    So here I am trying to fully comply with regulations I can't find written anywhere.
    I've managed to get some 8.5" x 13" paper and an 8.5" x 14" buff coloured folder together with some fasteners.
    I've redone our petition letter accordingly.

    Can't go back to the office tomorrow so it'll have to be on Monday.
    More to come.

    Always look on the bright side of life
    Hi Terpe! Just thought id share the fact that i applied for section 13A non-quota immigrant status today........
    We live on Cebu, so we travelled to the immigration office situated within J Centre Mall, Mandaue; having read about your exploits in Davao, we didnt really know what to expect, but to be honest (and thanks to your related information regarding paper size, file colour etc) it went really smoothly and quickly! I forgot to bring photo copies of the application, and my passport! Doh! so we did have to leave the office and find a photocopy (i mean xerox) shop outside, then when we had the copies we returned to the office to be told we needed to photocopy the receipts the lady behind the counter just gave us, along with BI certification. When we returned we paid (the fee included fast track which we didnt ask for - i guess they do it automatically.......) all in all, it wasnt too bad at all , and it was busy in there all the time that we were there! Time-wise, from leaving the house this morning to getting home totalled about 7 hours - not bad as we live about 60 Km north of Mandaue! We just have to wait 3 days before returning to Mandaue for the interview!


  10. #40
    Respected Member Michael Parnham's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Nottinghamshire
    Posts
    11,643
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by mickmyrna View Post
    Hi Terpe! Just thought id share the fact that i applied for section 13A non-quota immigrant status today........
    We live on Cebu, so we travelled to the immigration office situated within J Centre Mall, Mandaue; having read about your exploits in Davao, we didnt really know what to expect, but to be honest (and thanks to your related information regarding paper size, file colour etc) it went really smoothly and quickly! I forgot to bring photo copies of the application, and my passport! Doh! so we did have to leave the office and find a photocopy (i mean xerox) shop outside, then when we had the copies we returned to the office to be told we needed to photocopy the receipts the lady behind the counter just gave us, along with BI certification. When we returned we paid (the fee included fast track which we didnt ask for - i guess they do it automatically.......) all in all, it wasnt too bad at all , and it was busy in there all the time that we were there! Time-wise, from leaving the house this morning to getting home totalled about 7 hours - not bad as we live about 60 Km north of Mandaue! We just have to wait 3 days before returning to Mandaue for the interview!
    Congratulations Mick & Myrna, good luck for the future!


  11. #41
    Respected Member mickmyrna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    157
    Rep Power
    54
    Thank you Michael


  12. #42
    Moderator Arthur Little's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    City of Perth, Scotland
    Posts
    24,230
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by mickmyrna View Post
    Just thought id share the fact that i applied for section 13A non-quota immigrant status today........
    ... 's welcome news, Mick. Congratulations, well done and best wishes to Myrna and yourself.
    Last edited by Arthur Little; 5th September 2015 at 18:54.


  13. #43
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by mickmyrna View Post
    Hi Terpe! Just thought id share the fact that i applied for section 13A non-quota immigrant status today........
    We live on Cebu, so we travelled to the immigration office situated within J Centre Mall, Mandaue; having read about your exploits in Davao, we didnt really know what to expect, but to be honest (and thanks to your related information regarding paper size, file colour etc) it went really smoothly and quickly! I forgot to bring photo copies of the application, and my passport! Doh! so we did have to leave the office and find a photocopy (i mean xerox) shop outside, then when we had the copies we returned to the office to be told we needed to photocopy the receipts the lady behind the counter just gave us, along with BI certification. When we returned we paid (the fee included fast track which we didnt ask for - i guess they do it automatically.......) all in all, it wasnt too bad at all , and it was busy in there all the time that we were there! Time-wise, from leaving the house this morning to getting home totalled about 7 hours - not bad as we live about 60 Km north of Mandaue! We just have to wait 3 days before returning to Mandaue for the interview!
    Hi mickmyrna,
    Glad to know you had a successful day.
    Also pleased my failings actually helped

    Based on my experience the 'interview/hearing' is nothing to be concerned about.

    I'm now still waiting for my next appearance and ACR card.

    It's great fun here in the Philippines


  14. #44
    Respected Member mickmyrna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    157
    Rep Power
    54
    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Little View Post
    ... 's welcome news, Mick. Congratulations, well done and best wishes to Myrna and yourself.
    Thank you Arthur! Its definitely more fun in the Philippines lol!
    Last edited by Arthur Little; 5th September 2015 at 18:54.


  15. #45
    Respected Member mickmyrna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    157
    Rep Power
    54
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    Hi mickmyrna,
    Glad to know you had a successful day.
    Also pleased my failings actually helped

    Based on my experience the 'interview/hearing' is nothing to be concerned about.

    I'm now still waiting for my next appearance and ACR card.

    It's great fun here in the Philippines
    Thanks for that Terpe! Hoping i get my ACR card soon so we can make my wifes Land Bank of Philippines a joint account - keep having problems sending ourselves money from our UK bank......


  16. #46
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by mickmyrna View Post
    Thanks for that Terpe! Hoping i get my ACR card soon so we can make my wifes Land Bank of Philippines a joint account - keep having problems sending ourselves money from our UK bank......
    They told me after the interview it would be 3 - 4 months processing as the 'application bundle' will be sent to Manila then back to Davao.
    The Attorny who did our interview was new in the post and was very surprised to learn it would take so long.

    I actually enquired whether I could get one faster if I made a seperate application as a tourist and was told no, it wouldn't be any faster.

    Anyway, lets enjoy our life here to the max, relax and have fun.

    Just an idea Mick, but if you have time have a word with your local PNB branch about the Global Filipino Card.
    It's a pre-paid reloadable ATM card. You can load it up from UK in Peso and it works in real time. Access your funds (in Peso) at most ATM's

    You should find that both you and you wife can get one each without needing the ACR card. Just need 1 ID
    Believe or not but it's free


  17. #47
    Respected Member mickmyrna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    157
    Rep Power
    54
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    They told me after the interview it would be 3 - 4 months processing as the 'application bundle' will be sent to Manila then back to Davao.
    The Attorny who did our interview was new in the post and was very surprised to learn it would take so long.

    I actually enquired whether I could get one faster if I made a seperate application as a tourist and was told no, it wouldn't be any faster.

    Anyway, lets enjoy our life here to the max, relax and have fun.

    Just an idea Mick, but if you have time have a word with your local PNB branch about the Global Filipino Card.
    It's a pre-paid reloadable ATM card. You can load it up from UK in Peso and it works in real time. Access your funds (in Peso) at most ATM's

    You should find that both you and you wife can get one each without needing the ACR card. Just need 1 ID
    Believe or not but it's free
    Thank you for that useful bit of info Terpe! I will look into that..... cheers!


  18. #48
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by mickmyrna View Post
    Thank you for that useful bit of info Terpe! I will look into that..... cheers!
    You'll know by now that banks here are still run by the bank manager.
    That's why it always best to see what the individual branch can do.

    If I had the time I'd research every bank near to me just to see what I could get from them.


  19. #49
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Went back to immigration last Tuesday for my 08:00 appointment.
    Finished my biometrics and left the building at 12:30


    Another experience I could have done without.
    Details later but importantly have my first year visa and done everything needed for my ACR card.
    Have to wait another month for that

    Onwards and upwards


  20. #50
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by Terpe View Post
    Went back to immigration last Tuesday for my 08:00 appointment.
    Finished my biometrics and left the building at 12:30


    Another experience I could have done without.
    Details later but importantly have my first year visa and done everything needed for my ACR card.
    Have to wait another month for that

    Onwards and upwards
    Still waiting to hear some news about my ACR card

    I'll give it another couple of weeks before making a nuisance of myself.......again


  21. #51
    Member Dabawenyo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Davao City
    Posts
    40
    Rep Power
    0
    I am sorry to hear that you've had so much trouble in getting your 13a, Peter. I obtained mine four or five years ago in Davao and I have to say that compared to your experience, mine was 'a walk in the park'. Just the original and one copy of everything and assembled in a pair of foolscap sized manila folders.

    I am aware that there's a new Alien Control Officer in Davao whom I hear was redeployed from Cebu - reputedly a hotbed of corruption. Maybe he's trying it on here.

    Well done for reporting your bad experiences with BI to the Mayor's Office. As you may know, Mayor Duterte has quite recently warned the Bureau of Immigration not to make life difficult nor seek to profit from foreign visitors/residents, with the threat of prosecution for those who do. He is one of a very few key politicians who is pro-foreigner.


  22. #52
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    It's been sometime since I was thinking to making a fuss.
    We been quite busy making visits here there and everywhere.

    So we decided to vist the BI office yesterday to enquire. Looks like many changes happened since our last visit.......I wouldn't say for the better from a 'customer' perspective.
    Definite lack of visible immigration staff. Definite significant increase in the number of 'customers' waiting for support. The 'back-room' is now off-limits and empty.

    Cutting a long story short, after a cursory look at my passport I was given a number and told I'd be called.
    Eventually my wife couldn't hold back any longer, she joined the long queue and questioned again what's going on. Answer please wait.

    After a couple of hours my number was called. I was again asked why was I here.
    I repeated for the nth time that I was told if I had not received notification that my ACR card was available for claiming that I should attend the office in person with my wife and document bundle to report it.

    The officer asked for my claim stub and exchanged it for my ACR card...........ahhh, at last.

    The only problem being it shows my old address instead of my new one. I've decided better to do nothing about that for now as I need this card to secure a Philippine Drivers licence, a decent bank account, a cell phone contract and a BIR Tax Identification Number.

    If you could see my photo on this card you'd laugh. It's a side-on mug shot that has been squeezed down vertically to fit the card space. Only in the Philippines

    At last I got it.


  23. #53
    Moderator fred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    South,North East,somewhere.
    Posts
    11,433
    Rep Power
    150
    At last indeed!!

    My address is still in Manila..I doubt that I will ever change it...Cost well over 1k to do that I was told.


  24. #54
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by fred View Post
    At last indeed!!

    My address is still in Manila..I doubt that I will ever change it...Cost well over 1k to do that I was told.
    Since this is my first year of 13a it means I'm on probation and also my ACR card expires next year too.
    Looks like I'll be waiting to renew it next year so seems it's no problem to wait until then.
    Thanks for the tip fred, appreciated.


  25. #55
    Admin's Assistant ^_^ raynaputi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Denbigh, North Wales
    Posts
    7,464
    Rep Power
    150
    Congrats Peter! Seems like you've conquered the world after all that..well for now. Hahaha..
    -=rayna.keith=-
    ...When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible...



  26. #56
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by raynaputi View Post
    Congrats Peter! Seems like you've conquered the world after all that..well for now. Hahaha..
    Thank you Rayna
    It feels like that for both of us. We're very happy.
    After getting the card we went to our favourite Vietnamese restaurant for a late lunch/ early dinner.

    Tonight we roamed around the city centre then ended up at MTS for a live band, local foods, a bucket of San Mig Pils and a pitcher of blue margarita.

    Life is very good. Now we have to strive onwards and upwards.

    I'm so happy to have that card


  27. #57
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    derbyshire
    Posts
    18,980
    Rep Power
    150
    Well done Peter


  28. #58
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Marikina City
    Posts
    26,785
    Rep Power
    150
    Quote Originally Posted by stevewool View Post
    Well done Peter
    Thanks Steve, it's a big thing for me, despite being 'run of the mill' for many.
    We'll be using this as a reason to celebrate for a few days yet


  29. #59
    Moderator Arthur Little's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    City of Perth, Scotland
    Posts
    24,230
    Rep Power
    150
    CONGRATULATIONS, Peter and Carina ... from Myrna and myself.


Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. S4 battery woes
    By gWaPito in forum Computer Help & Advice
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 16th November 2013, 04:07
  2. Computer woes
    By mickcant in forum Computer Help & Advice
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 3rd July 2012, 18:39
  3. Wi-Fi woes
    By Northerner in forum Computer Help & Advice
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 5th September 2009, 12:26
  4. The continuing saga of Nin The Flatulent.
    By Alan in forum Loose Talk, Chat and Off Topic
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 14th July 2008, 11:01

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Filipino Forum : Philippine Forum