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Right. Yet it's easier if they have to identify less tourists, and many of you guys really aren't tourists so you shouldn't be listed that way. Also, Filipino beaurocracy is notoriously inefficient, so making individuals be consistent instead of letting them be arbitrary is likely a good deal
@@David-c9o1k so true, they are only doing their job. I have been to immigration in Butuan and surigao and both places the people working there were nice to me.
I went today to extend my visa in Panglao. They did seem to ask a few extra questions, I thought they were just being friendly. One thing I was very happy about is they completed everything today and returned my passport. Previously I had to come back a week later to retrieve it. Which was nice, saving me a 5 hour trip from Anda. Always a simple and easy experience at that office very professional.
Interesting, I didn't know there was an office in Panglao. That could be useful next time. I had to go to CDO four times before, (from Camiguin)... too early, holiday, application and then collection. I only needed two days extension as I miscalculated. Had something similar at the embassy in London too a few years ago. But I'm learning what to check. It might be funny if it happened to someone else. 😁
@@JonGetc Yeah, I got "tricked" by that 28 day extension as my itinerary called for a 60 day stay. Cost me plenty for 2 days as changing my itinerary was completely ridiculous pricing wise. No choice and I cannot believe this isn't done strategically to make xtra cash off of tourism.
Thats only because u paid for regular and not express which woulve cost 1000P extra. Most offices dont give u that option, usually its express or nothing.
My husband and I went to cebu for his visa extension and so far the processing is running smoothly well and no further questions to us or to him. We will apply for 13A visa next time as soon as I completed all the requirements. We arrived here in the Philippines june of last year and this is my husband second time visa extension . Hopefully soon we can go outside the Philippines so he can get a one year visa. Things going well for us here in Samar island . Less stress and no more rat race😊 . We've been married for 29 years. Have a good day everyone.
Koreans are troublemakers wherever they go. When I was in Vietnam, there were a bunch of them! Here in Thailand, they are less numerous, but when they are here, you can be bound for some unpleasant experience! If they come to your country, expect friendly visa rules to be tightened up...
Philippines is going to mess up their money. Foreigners are going to move to other asian countries. No foreigner on a tourist visa wants to beg someone to stay another 2 months.
Another great video. I am married and always deal with the BI office in Davao. Normally I get my visa extension online for 2 months at a time. This last time in July the online site said I had to visit their office. I went there..and I always dress somewhat professional/casual, ie dress(ish) pants, decent shirt, no flip flops. And I am the most polite person you will ever meet when I am at the BI. Yes, sir...or yes mam. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could get a 6 month extension. And much to my suprise, the male clerk went into the backroom and asked. And he came back and said, yes, you can do 6 months. I think yes was the answer cause I was married, but don't know that for a fact. They also needed 2 passport size photos of me (plus marriage documents etc). And sure enough, I was in and out in less than 30 mins. And as a side note...while Davao is suppose to be a non smoking city, when I go there and have to wait, you are allowed to smoke along side the BI building, which is out of sight of anyone. (Got this info from Security..bless his heart.). LOL. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 👍
If you're married, just have your wife petition you for a permanent resident I card good for 5 years. You can then renew it again for another 5 years. No reason for you to be doing 2 month extensions.
When I landed in Cebu in June for my third trip to the Philippines in less than two years, I was asked many personal questions from the Lady Immigration Officer. Examples were Lucy's age, my condo address, why have I been to the Philippines so many times and many more. I even had to show Her the papers I printed for my travel Itinerary. Take care.
Maybe it's just you. I've never been asked anything on entry or to get a visa extension... I used to live here until COVID-19. Been back 3 times now in the last year.
I entered Philippines on 6 of July and because my return flight was more than 30 days away the immigration officer told me I will need to apply for an extension. So after clearing immigration and collecting my luggage I went straight up to the Bureau of Immigration office in Terminal 3 of NAIA to apply for an extension to my tourist visa. The staff there were professional and efficient and the whole process took about 20 minutes, most of that was waiting for them to do their paperwork and print receipts etc. They simply gave me a form to fill in and they didn't ask many questions, it was straight forward and easy, I filled in the forms, handed over my passport, paid the fee, collected the receipt and that was it.
Yeah I just experienced this myself. I went to the Immigration Office and ask for my normal 6 months extension. They said, sorry Sir, the rule has been changed. You can only extend for 2 months now, on a tourist visa. If you want 6 months, you have to go to😊 the Manila office. I have a kid with my Filipina partner. They told me, next time please bring a copy of your kids birth certificate.
So, go to these other SE Asian countries which are “better.” We Filipinos want to keep our country safe for Filipinos. Please remember you foreigners are just guests here.
Nice Video! I would like to add two items that am mindful of 24/7: 1. I ALWAYS dress with long pants and a collared shirt when in the presence of any government official. 2. I conduct myself in a conservative manner regarding ANYTHING Social Media and/or in the Public Eye. In a nutshell I fly under the radar, try to appear nondescript in public and just blend in.
Considering the threat of China invading Taiwan, Philippine National Security is of the utmost importance. When/if China attacks Taiwan, they must secure the Luzon Straight to protect their vast Navy, which will require them to have total control of the Philippines. The Philippine Government is being wise in identifying the enemy within. (not you of course)
Yeah that was my first thought because they've had issues with Chinese and they're looking to end a few thousand stays for Chinese that are working for the CCP. Basically they're renting out prime property for them to spy on different facilities and they want ANY reason to get them out of those rentals. There are other issues too.
This is exactly what I was thinking. They have to treat everyone the same, even if certain groups (like Americans for example) agree with the Philippines and support Manila's efforts to control the Philippine EEZ.
Actually in the Philippine government does not have to treat everybody the same. They are not bound by the same anti-discrimination or racial profiling types of guidelines imposed in the United States. If they have identified a problem group they are much more flexible about targeting that group for additional scrutiny. On the light side of that issue it is common to see advertisements to fill job positions calling for a young attractive Filipina, especially for store clerks inside a mall or some comparable positions. When you go shopping in the mall you will notice that most of the clerks who assist you are young Filipinas less than 30 years old, not overweight and are very attractive. That would never be acceptable within the United States.
Accidently came across this site this morning.. Been here 20+ years, have checked out dozens of PH related sites & found most to be unreliable or just plain BS.. Have checked out 5 or 6 videos so far & All are Spot On.. Thanks for the time & work you put into this...
it is only about submission and compliance, make sure you wear pants, collared shirt and shoes before going near any government agencies and always begin with "good morning po"...
I think they are wanting to 'house' visitors and direct them into the appropriate visa category which aligns with their particular situation. You cannot really call yourself a 'visitor' on holiday when in fact you are a resident after 12 years and married . A 13A is correct for your residency now.👍 Good video.
This is possibly going to be bad news for those under 50yo and not married to a Filipino person who are planning to stay in the PH long term because they are escaping the skyrocketing prices in the west. To get an SRRV you have to be 50yo or older plus a deposit of ($1,500 if veteran with honorable discharge) $10K-$20K if not a vet. Most people are not Vet's and don't have that type of money laying around.
I went to immigration today and they asked how long I was staying. I just said as long as I can, I like the phillipines. They gave me the extension but they Def turned up the heat a little. I could use some good lines as to what to say next time. I just leased an apartment and it would suck really bad to get denied.
I can certainly understand that they want to beef up security. I heard recently too that something like 56 pedos were refused entry into the country at the airport in the first 6 months of this year. In addition, a number of people who entered in the past years on a tourist visa are now homeless or struggling to make ends meet, so it´s understandably, the authorities would want to take action to address this kind of thing before it could escalate.
Same here i went to immigration last month in surigao and they were asking question they never asked before. They are cracking down and making it uncomfortable for foreigners to get tourist visa extensions. I called butuam immigration and asked about the 4 month extension we use to be able to get in surigao. She was nice and told me when i go to surigao to get the 2 month extension to spend the night in hotel in surigao and go back the next day and get another 2 month extension which would give me the 4 months i wanted. But i could not get the 4 months at one time. I told her i have been here seen my last exit to Thailand for 2 years and asked can americans still stay for 3 years before having to leave country for a day. She said its still 3 years. Only countries that have to exit after 2 years is China and India.
I have two friends *expats* that previously lived in the PH. One went for visit to Cambodia and loved it. He moved. He relayed his experiences to others I know and several months later another friend moved there. They both like it so far.
There definitely is a change in the winds not just in the Phils. I also heard they are trying to gather as much biometric information about expats as possible.
I did my SRRV right away as soon as i could by meeting all the requirements my life here in the Philippines could not be easier. Any questions about the SRRV with the Philippine Retirement Authority do not hesitate to ask. I can even help you get it all done for only cost without a fee.❤
The key is to keep calm, respectful and friendly during any quizzing. It is not a life or death thing. Just a formality that they must follow. You blow it if you growl about it.
I’m married to a Filipina and we have kids together and I’ve been here almost 3 years now and was doing the 6 month extensions until now. I inquired about the 13A when I first arrived and was actually talked out of applying for it because I was told I would have to get married again here in the Philippines because my marriage was done in the US and I explained that our marriage was reported in the Philippines and had the PSA to show but I was told it wasn’t good enough. I had moved and was living in a different city with my wife so a few months ago I was encouraged by immigration at the new location to apply for the 13A but to use a lawyer to make sure every document was done correctly without any errors so I did and I am now on my probationary visa. The visa process is very easy BUT there can’t be any mistakes so I would highly recommend using a lawyer that does 13A visa applications because it will make the process very simple and stress free. I also just want to say that I am glad to see that the Philippines is doing the right thing and enforcing their immigration policies and making the Philippines a safer place and I really wish the United States would use the same policies and standards as the Philippines.
First comment. Good luck to all the other tourists regarding your extensions. Hoping this won't affect our future approvals. Great video as always, Reekay.
I experienced some of this scrutiny long ago & believe each B.I. offices often do things differently. I arrived in '17 & had (6) 6month extensions on passport for my Tourist Visa. After the 4th they start quizzing me w/questions like why are u here? u have wife/g/f? if u been here 2 years already why don't u change visa as it appears yur not a tourist, etc. ,etc. Then w/covid I overextended due to various reasons after the 3 yrs.. Now married 2 yrs I should finally receive my Permanent 13a Marriage Visa/ACR Card within a couple weeks. If yur married to a Filipina, the 13a WILL eventually start saving u $/BI trips as it's good for 5 years & all u really need to do is the Jan-Feb annual reporting gig.
Yes, even a few months ago I visited the Philippines and got a tourist 30 day visa and I noticed that the immigration asked a lot more questions than in the past. Why I was visiting and where I was staying and so on. The other times I had been to the Philippines they had just stamped my passport and I was on my way. I had boarded in Chicago and had a connecting flight in Tokyo. There was more immigration and customs formalities and even security checks in Japan. Even though I never left the airport. The same in Japan on my return to the U.S.
This is going the way of Thailand immigration rules… very strict and intrusive and possibly becoming non-extendable if the immigration official thinks you’ve renewed your tourist visa too many times. Not everyone has $10,000 to deposit into a filipino bank account and leave there for the rest of their life. Either that or get married to a filipina and support her and her entire family!
cousin 'jovar' can't work because he suffers from laziness. YOu're a RICH foreigner therefore it's YOUR responsibility to support his laziness so he can play online gaming all day.
Before my 13a visa, i renewed at the old Tagbilaran office. I remember filling out 2 pages of questions and Bohol Tours and Travel went on Google Earth and printed out a picture of my road. It's been going on for a while. Aimed at China I'm sure.
I got these questions two years ago on Boracay most times. I wrote it off as a bored beaurocrat. Office very not busy. Nothing has changed as of July in Dasma. I photocopied the filled in application save for two fields that change each time, have several copies of passport and acrii. I go copy the receipt immediately afterwards. I paper clip this all together and am ready for the next renewal. The fact that this is a "reminder" of prior mandates makes me think someone is trying to "do something" and this will fade back to where it was. Maybe something is happening, but i suspect it will pass (again)
When I left in June from a 8 week exploration trip, I needed everything to exit. That included exit clearance and Visa extension. Luckily, I could bring up everything on my cell phone.
@@Lifebeyondthesea I stand corrected., I was referring to. "Kindly present your passport to Immigration Officer for eTravel registration confirmation and QR code to the Customs officer for clearance." Plus the Visa extension.
As retiered, i discover the Philippines last year . I am married since nov 23 . Also my asawa apply for my permanent 13A visa . No tourist visa anymore . To leave the country , each time you leave Manila an airport fee of 2200 php 1 st time and 2800 php the others is asked BI officer asked the reason to leave so quickly the country after i received my permanent visa just some days before my home fly . Suspicions ? No just familial reason after a quick check nbi status i received my passport and boarding pass back with the stamp . I will come back very soon some personnal issues to solve urgently in my own country. I have now family home car and lot of friends in the philippines. Yes i love this country .
Do your extension online. No difficult questions and the record of extension goes onto their system so no receipts required. I checked with imigration at the airport when I left.
Good to see tighter controls and this must be due to the Chinese. Alice Guo's debacle hit this out of the ballpark. Immigration can't discriminate against just the Chinese, so they have to impose tighter restrictions with all foreign passport holders.
I was at Makati BI this morning to get 6 month extension. Sorry sir we no longer give 6 months only 2 months now. You may try at main office in Manila. Naw I’ll just get the two months. Then as he is looking at my passport, says you and your wife can do a balikbayan visa again for free one year visa. We just booked a weekend trip to Vietnam. Lol
Are you on balikbayan right now? You can actually extend balikbayan twice (to give you 3 years stay total). It's around $600USD each time. JRC Visa confirmed they do this in a recent interview I saw. I had no idea it was even an option before.
Everything you said I already have done. Talk to him politely, give straight answers. Have all my receipts, my ACR card. And no attitude. I'm a visitor in their country. I wish all the people that came to United. States. would have the same respect.
They usually casually asked me a few small questions to check whether the things on the form are true. I didn't notice any change there. What changed for me is that they don't do 6-month extensions anymore. They say they only do that now in Manila. For me that means I'm going to try to get the 13a once I return to the Philippines.
As usual, rules here vary. One point you brought up I’ve noticed in the new rules. It does say tourist must leave after one year. Contrary to their 3year rule. I had to go to immigration in Davao July 13th because I renewed my ACR. I had no other issues like you had. Everything was the same. Otherwise I do my renewals online with no problem. An earlier memo did away with the 6 month extension. It’s still on their forms but actually not available any longer. I would recommend to everyone to use the online service. As for your ACR card, you need to carry it at all times. Police, banks and other government agencies can and will ask to see it. It is considered a foreigners ID.
I just got my 2 month tourist extension on July 24. I've been here for a about a year on this tourist extension. I had traveled back to the US last June. They didn't ask me any questions ,it was business as usual. I will be prepared for the next extension in September.
I wonder if after a year and applying for an extension that is acceptable to tell them, " I stay in the Phillipines because I love it here and this is my home".
It could be they want to rid themselves of foreigners who are making a nuisance of themselves, or maybe its other reasons, but your ideas and solutions should work for most foreigners except the ones who want to argue get angry, and do it there way. Thanks good video.
travel agency extensions were temporarily banned several years ago due to abuse. many shady expats facing legal issues use agencies to avoid capture/arrest at a BI office. another ban on proxy filings is a possibility, i wouldn't rule it out.
It's about perception as well, we enter with dual passport for my wife and son, I'm stamped for balikbayan, we come and go as we please, we have a long, consistent history in their database, they don't even talk to us and we don't talk to them...seems simple but if you can figure that out you don't need to have conversation there with people you don't need to converse with 😉
HI , TY for the update. I had heard your name a few year back when I started watching these vlogs from the PHILS , however it didn t occur to me to look you up. I finally found your channel , glad I did. When I visited the PHILS , we only were automatically given a 21 day visa , I think at airport. Well I hope the new scrutiny is not because they heard I want to come to the PHILS and/or my silly comments I leave on these vlogs. On a serious note , I enjoy your videos. GOD BLESS CIAO
I'm too young to even qualify for an SRRV, so if I want to stay for a long time I either have to marry a local and get a 13a, or use the tourist extension. I'm 100% disabled vet, I just want to relax in a tropical/maritime environment where my comp pay goes farther, and I can use it as a launch pad to visit other places.
I have the sense this increased scrutiny will rollover into visa runs as well. Thanks for the update. Didn’t return to PH this year but next year god willing.
If you're married just do a quick trip to KL or similar and return with your asawa on a Balikbayan 1 year privilege permit. I've been doing it for years, no need to extend visa's . I inquired with Immigration about obtaining a 13a years ago and they said since I'm a seaman coming and going every 6 weeks that it's better to stay on tourist/balikbayan visa's. Nice vlog btw I stumbled on it somehow.
I was under the impression balikbayan visa was only given to a foreign spouse of a Filpina if the Filpina wife has been out of the Philippines for 1 year or more and has citizenship in their foreign spouses country when entering the Philippines with thier foreign spouse? So you're saying just leaving the Philippines with your Filpina wife for a few days and retuning with them you can get the balikbayan visa?
I would say they are going to start weeding out the Chinese travel visa applicants with everything going on in the South China Sea. The give away is on that memo they state the reason for the more stringent look at national security.
Just watched a vido of a english guy marriage to Phillipines woman 20 year age gap 1 kid Hes 13a visa yearly interview..was grulling..he was the the only guy that past that day .. The other 4 guys 13@ visa was denied because big age gap...there definitely tightening things up
This will be interesting when I have to return before Sept 23. I last went on July 22nd and mine was a normal visit bar the only change being I was asked if I wanted normal or expressed service. Since Covid, it has always been expressed but I figure this was a new change. I always take extra forms and fill them out at home and keep my passport with the receipts all in a folder as you said. My ACR is always in my wallet. I live with my GF of 11 years and we own our home so I guess that if this does prove to be an issue she might now finally get around to marrying me lol.
Hey Reekay my dear friend, thank you for sharing this very important information. I will be sure to comply completely. You and Vi stay safe and healthy brother 👍 👍 👍 👍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.
Best advice I ever got was to be a snowbird here. I live in Florida for 6 months and 5 months 3 weeks in Cebu. I use a visa agency, never been inside a BI office. 1 waiver, 2 extensions, I leave for Florida before I need an EEC. Not married, too young for an SSRV. I stay with my US expat uncle and his pinay wife in Montezarra subdivision, Guadeloupe, Cebu. No immigration issues what so ever.
Been here over 20 years, back the it was a nightmare trying to get anything done, it was just about a all day affair to get extension & even the annual report used to take 2-3 hours, now 5-10 minutes. They have improved 1000% since . To bad the rest of the Gov branches can't follow suit..
Agreed. My wife has been trying to get a lot changed to her name for months. Her sister was told if she provided 10,000 pesos they would process it quickly. All the lots have been surveyed, a lawyer was hired to clear the lot, etc. This is a family land and the lot passed to my wife, but a simple 10,000 pesos will speed up the process.
Dear Life Beyond the Sea, Another vlogger said that they were no longer issuing 6 month extensions. Is this true? The new stringent measures surprise me because all of the other s.e. asian countries are relaxing their requirements for foreigners because they want to stimulate the economy. There seems to be increased competition for the tourist dollar. Thanx for the information.
true. 6-month extensions are no longer available. it is rumored it is available at the main Manila office, but even if that is true.. expect LOTS of questions.
Just did an extension today in Bacolod and no questions asked. The system was down so I had to wait a day to pick up my passport again but it was in and out .
@@TarikSolimanXThe Koreans have a reputation for being rude and arrogant, acting as if they own the country. Some Filipinos say they are worse than the Chinese and that’s saying a lot!
Same thing happened to me today. Panglao Bohol. A filipina came with me and the lady asked me why i was here so long.(16 months.) I said tourism. Asked if i was working. NO. Asked if the girl was my wife. NO. I am single. Girlfriend ? NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. She got pissed. Wanted my friends name. I refused. She spent time checking on me in the computer. Sent me to talk to the male boss in the office. I said the same to him. I made him confirm over and over that i can stay 36 months. You do not need a wife or girlfriend. You do not need to provide your filipina friends name.They gave me the extension. First time this has happened. When i got home i saw this video. The boss told me to come directly to him next time. Thinking about leaving the Phil.
Yes please leave Philippines. People like you should not be in the Philippines. Hopefully someone will keep reporting you for acting entitled and not helping the legal procedures in Phils.
Good advice Reekay! I have been visiting the Philippines since 2007 when my Filipina daughter was born here. I just renewed my visa in July as well in Iloilo. I had no particular or unusual issues with this extension. Without naming specifics, my thought is that due to recent developments and abuses by foreign nationals, it has become warranted and necessary to tighten this process up. BI is not picking on anyone unless things don't appear proper. So, as you say, take your required documents and funds, answer any questions directly and honestly, leave your attitude at the door and just expect maybe a little additional time... not a difficult thing.
I respect the Philippines officials for doing this, I expect it is related to recent controversies regarding delayed birth certificate registrations, illegal POGOs, and other related problems. I can understand why they would want to prevent people causing those problems, from staying in the Philippines.
This could affect the Philippines money wise because now people might leave the country for a week or more at a time every few months rather than spending money in the Philippines.
Thank you for your Visa extension information and appreciated. Actually, I'm still living in the State and thinking of going to visit Phillippine. However, when people from the country and authorities are not friendly to visitors or Foreigners I will not visit to such country. That is why I was curious to know what the purpose of Immigration officer asking such questioning. Again, I thanking for your updateed information and many will like to know about it . Stay safe and have a great day and time......
All Immigration in the western world are the same or even worse. As a good civilian you should follow the rules. Philippine's can only hope decent civilian comes to the country and follow the rules. No entitled people please.
I do have a couple of comments. 1st, I've been informed by my GF who works doing documents and projects concerning real-estate, that this is happening because of the abuse from mostly Chinese folks doing businesses etc. 2nd, my other comment would be that usually with these kinds if things there will be an expected "quota" percentage. If that doesn't show over time,, of course this puts pressure to wash folks out to fill that quota deserving or otherwise. 😮
I just renewed my (29 day extension) Tourist Visa on August 8th. There were no additional questions. The process was exactly the same as before. I will say though that as the PI is starting to make things perhaps a little more difficult, Thailand is doing just the opposite. Most tourists now get 60 or 90 day visas on arrival! And, you can still get an extension too. So, if the PI wants to make things more difficult, Thailand can be a fall back. Thailand is almost back to Pre-Pandemic tourist levels while the PI still struggle. I wonder why.......
Have been doing the same as you for over 18 years now,,2 months extensions. My last three years of working full time on environmental issues here should get me a free visa. But yes keep all receipts especially since the stickers flopped and they did not just go back to the rubber stamp.
Up here in Sta Rosa, Laguna, they didn't ask me anything in July. It was basically in and out -- real easy. I guess I'll see what happens in September.
i just did my 2 month visa 3 days ago and they didn't ask me any questions ( i been in the philippines 1 years & 8 months)it took me just 15 minutes, there was an other Amercan there and he was so worry about getting his 2 month visa cause he heard by watching the Utube about getting a visa( it made him scared) I told him not to worry about getting your visa, so i help him get his 2 month visa , they didn't ask him 'NO' question!!!Just stay clam when you talk to the officer ( be nice)
So, by what was stated on that official notice, a tourist must leave the country each year rather than 3 years like previously. I don't mind the SRRV once I know I want to retire there but I'd prefer it didn't cost $20k. My bank limits transfers to foreign countries to $10k and the IRS wants to know if I have $10k or more in a Philippines bank, which is where this $20k SRRV deposit gets sent to.
no, the immigration memo does NOT state you must leave after a year. what it states is that IF you stay beyond a year, the immigration officer must add you to a list. it also says you must explain why you are staying beyond one year.
@@Lifebeyondthesea Ok, I'll change my "must leave each year" to "should leave each year" to stay off that "scrutiny" list. Being on that "scrutiny" list might make me look suspicious during future visa extensions.
Great video, very informative. I was hoping you could do a video on income taxes in the Philippines. I read online that if you stay over 6 months, you're considered a resident and have to pay 20-35% of your foreign-sourced income in taxes. I've been living in Costa Rica for 3 years and pay no income taxes here or in the US (under $120k per year). The Philippines is cheaper but if it costs me tens of thousands in taxes, I may consider only staying there half the year.
I've been subscribed to you since the pandemic before I arrived here and started my channel. Thank you for the updated information. I always appreciate your insights. I just thank God that getting my SRRV was one of the first things I did after I came here in 2022. Have a great day Reekay.
@@Lifebeyondthesea I did my extension today. What I noticed on the form that changed is: Check box for regular vs express (I chose regular, they completely ignored it and charged me for express) I didn't question it as that seems to irritate them. A question at the top that asked: What is your reason for extension or what is your reason for overstaying? The rest appeared to be the same off my poor memory. I didn't have any issue as I leave the country every few months and travel in SEA. This is my base with filipina gf with a baby together and apt. I find they treat me much nicer if I leave as often as possible and living here more than a few months starts to drive me nuts. If not for the gf that likes to live here I would be gone in a heartbeat.
'why' is up to speculation. i'd say partly due to the chinese abuse, and partly to get long-term tourists into an SRRV visa, which brings more money into the PH coffers.
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*China nationals are the one's they should be wary of most, in regards to national security🤔🤔🤔
Right. Yet it's easier if they have to identify less tourists, and many of you guys really aren't tourists so you shouldn't be listed that way. Also, Filipino beaurocracy is notoriously inefficient, so making individuals be consistent instead of letting them be arbitrary is likely a good deal
Yes this applies to everyone. All foreigners.
@@hopeinhuman7850 This applies to me Im former filipino they are a bit stricter even for a Filipino guy like me.
That is not Party approved Correct Speech for Allowed Thinking
Most important thing is to not get mad and give them attitude. Be nice.
@@David-c9o1k so true, they are only doing their job. I have been to immigration in Butuan and surigao and both places the people working there were nice to me.
It's so hard sometimes 😂
I went today to extend my visa in Panglao. They did seem to ask a few extra questions, I thought they were just being friendly. One thing I was very happy about is they completed everything today and returned my passport. Previously I had to come back a week later to retrieve it. Which was nice, saving me a 5 hour trip from Anda. Always a simple and easy experience at that office very professional.
yes, the panglao office is in/out in 20 minutes. same day service.
Interesting, I didn't know there was an office in Panglao. That could be useful next time. I had to go to CDO four times before, (from Camiguin)... too early, holiday, application and then collection. I only needed two days extension as I miscalculated. Had something similar at the embassy in London too a few years ago. But I'm learning what to check. It might be funny if it happened to someone else. 😁
@@JonGetc Yeah, I got "tricked" by that 28 day extension as my itinerary called for a 60 day stay. Cost me plenty for 2 days as changing my itinerary was completely ridiculous pricing wise. No choice and I cannot believe this isn't done strategically to make xtra cash off of tourism.
Thats only because u paid for regular and not express which woulve cost 1000P extra. Most offices dont give u that option, usually its express or nothing.
@@r3r7commissionI always include my arrival day as day # 1, which of course is 0 just to be on the safe side and leave 1 day early.
My husband and I went to cebu for his visa extension and so far the processing is running smoothly well and no further questions to us or to him. We will apply for 13A visa next time as soon as I completed all the requirements. We arrived here in the Philippines june of last year and this is my husband second time visa extension . Hopefully soon we can go outside the Philippines so he can get a one year visa. Things going well for us here in Samar island . Less stress and no more rat race😊 . We've been married for 29 years. Have a good day everyone.
Well I think this is happening partly because of what's going on with Chinese immigrants
Especially the whole ordeal with Alice Guo
Never saw a retired western man running a POGO 😂
Just riding a pogo stick😂😂
I agree with others in here, the Chinese and Koreans, who have tried to take advantage of things, are the culprit.
F’en Chinese messing it up for everyone. Deport all of them.
Koreans are troublemakers wherever they go.
When I was in Vietnam, there were a bunch of them!
Here in Thailand, they are less numerous, but when they are here, you can be bound for some unpleasant experience!
If they come to your country, expect friendly visa rules to be tightened up...
Philippines is going to mess up their money. Foreigners are going to move to other asian countries. No foreigner on a tourist visa wants to beg someone to stay another 2 months.
Another great video. I am married and always deal with the BI office in Davao. Normally I get my visa extension online for 2 months at a time. This last time in July the online site said I had to visit their office. I went there..and I always dress somewhat professional/casual, ie dress(ish) pants, decent shirt, no flip flops. And I am the most polite person you will ever meet when I am at the BI. Yes, sir...or yes mam. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could get a 6 month extension. And much to my suprise, the male clerk went into the backroom and asked. And he came back and said, yes, you can do 6 months. I think yes was the answer cause I was married, but don't know that for a fact. They also needed 2 passport size photos of me (plus marriage documents etc). And sure enough, I was in and out in less than 30 mins. And as a side note...while Davao is suppose to be a non smoking city, when I go there and have to wait, you are allowed to smoke along side the BI building, which is out of sight of anyone. (Got this info from Security..bless his heart.). LOL. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 👍
If you're married, just have your wife petition you for a permanent resident I card good for 5 years. You can then renew it again for another 5 years. No reason for you to be doing 2 month extensions.
@@Gregory-Masovutchcan you give some info on how this process is done. Thanks.
@@Gregory-Masovutchthankyou for the heads up on this option."partition" by wife? Could you please elaborate this is the first I've heard this. 🤗
If you’re married to a Filipina, then you’re eligible for a one year, balikbayan visa
Was it stinking hot inside or do they have some form of cooling now?
When I landed in Cebu in June for my third trip to the Philippines in less than two years, I was asked many personal questions from the Lady Immigration Officer. Examples were Lucy's age, my condo address, why have I been to the Philippines so many times and many more. I even had to show Her the papers I printed for my travel Itinerary. Take care.
Maybe it's just you. I've never been asked anything on entry or to get a visa extension...
I used to live here until COVID-19. Been back 3 times now in the last year.
I entered Philippines on 6 of July and because my return flight was more than 30 days away the immigration officer told me I will need to apply for an extension. So after clearing immigration and collecting my luggage I went straight up to the Bureau of Immigration office in Terminal 3 of NAIA to apply for an extension to my tourist visa. The staff there were professional and efficient and the whole process took about 20 minutes, most of that was waiting for them to do their paperwork and print receipts etc. They simply gave me a form to fill in and they didn't ask many questions, it was straight forward and easy, I filled in the forms, handed over my passport, paid the fee, collected the receipt and that was it.
It's says they started the strict regulations July 26, hopefully some agents are not too strict
great info, thank you.
Maybe as of July 26, the same application would take longer / Terminal 3 Immigration office a bit backed up?
Yeah I just experienced this myself. I went to the Immigration Office and ask for my normal 6 months extension. They said, sorry Sir, the rule has been changed. You can only extend for 2 months now, on a tourist visa. If you want 6 months, you have to go to😊 the Manila office. I have a kid with my Filipina partner. They told me, next time please bring a copy of your kids birth certificate.
If they make the visa extension a hassle, a lot of foreigners will leave. Overall other SE Asian countries are better.
If they have Jollibee 😅
@@amvet5387. Good luck.
@@amvet5387don't you know that in the u s your sim card is already registered when you buy the phone
So, go to these other SE Asian countries which are “better.” We Filipinos want to keep our country safe for Filipinos. Please remember you foreigners are just guests here.
@LantangKaturay and what will happen to your economy once those foreigners leave?
Nice Video! I would like to add two items that am mindful of 24/7: 1. I ALWAYS dress with long pants and a collared shirt when in the presence of any government official. 2. I conduct myself in a conservative manner regarding ANYTHING Social Media and/or in the Public Eye. In a nutshell I fly under the radar, try to appear nondescript in public and just blend in.
Oh aren't you a good little boy😅
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I went in a TShirt, shorts and flip flops! I still got my visa extension!
Considering the threat of China invading Taiwan, Philippine National Security is of the utmost importance.
When/if China attacks Taiwan, they must secure the Luzon Straight to protect their vast Navy, which will require them to have total control of the Philippines.
The Philippine Government is being wise in identifying the enemy within. (not you of course)
yeah, they can't just look for chinese. have to treat everyone the same.
They found PLA weapon caches in PHP too. Shows that their aim of controlling PHP isn't just for sea.
Yeah that was my first thought because they've had issues with Chinese and they're looking to end a few thousand stays for Chinese that are working for the CCP. Basically they're renting out prime property for them to spy on different facilities and they want ANY reason to get them out of those rentals. There are other issues too.
This is exactly what I was thinking. They have to treat everyone the same, even if certain groups (like Americans for example) agree with the Philippines and support Manila's efforts to control the Philippine EEZ.
Actually in the Philippine government does not have to treat everybody the same. They are not bound by the same anti-discrimination or racial profiling types of guidelines imposed in the United States. If they have identified a problem group they are much more flexible about targeting that group for additional scrutiny.
On the light side of that issue it is common to see advertisements to fill job positions calling for a young attractive Filipina, especially for store clerks inside a mall or some comparable positions. When you go shopping in the mall you will notice that most of the clerks who assist you are young Filipinas less than 30 years old, not overweight and are very attractive. That would never be acceptable within the United States.
Accidently came across this site this morning.. Been here 20+ years, have checked out dozens of PH related sites & found most to be unreliable or just plain BS.. Have checked out 5 or 6 videos so far & All are Spot On.. Thanks for the time & work you put into this...
thank you much. i appreciate that.
it is only about submission and compliance, make sure you wear pants, collared shirt and shoes before going near any government agencies and always begin with "good morning po"...
"Maayong buntag po" is maybe better?
@@ChuckYeager-n5c In the Visayas region you really don't year people using the term "po". Seems to be used more up north in Luzon.
I think they are wanting to 'house' visitors and direct them into the appropriate visa category which aligns with their particular situation. You cannot really call yourself a 'visitor' on holiday when in fact you are a resident after 12 years and married . A 13A is correct for your residency now.👍 Good video.
Thank you for being respectful.
This is possibly going to be bad news for those under 50yo and not married to a Filipino person who are planning to stay in the PH long term because they are escaping the skyrocketing prices in the west. To get an SRRV you have to be 50yo or older plus a deposit of ($1,500 if veteran with honorable discharge) $10K-$20K if not a vet. Most people are not Vet's and don't have that type of money laying around.
Do I just need my DD214 to show Im a vet? How recent of a copy?
I went to immigration today and they asked how long I was staying. I just said as long as I can, I like the phillipines. They gave me the extension but they Def turned up the heat a little. I could use some good lines as to what to say next time. I just leased an apartment and it would suck really bad to get denied.
I can certainly understand that they want to beef up security. I heard recently too that something like 56 pedos were refused entry into the country at the airport in the first 6 months of this year. In addition, a number of people who entered in the past years on a tourist visa are now homeless or struggling to make ends meet, so it´s understandably, the authorities would want to take action to address this kind of thing before it could escalate.
Same here i went to immigration last month in surigao and they were asking question they never asked before. They are cracking down and making it uncomfortable for foreigners to get tourist visa extensions. I called butuam immigration and asked about the 4 month extension we use to be able to get in surigao. She was nice and told me when i go to surigao to get the 2 month extension to spend the night in hotel in surigao and go back the next day and get another 2 month extension which would give me the 4 months i wanted. But i could not get the 4 months at one time. I told her i have been here seen my last exit to Thailand for 2 years and asked can americans still stay for 3 years before having to leave country for a day. She said its still 3 years. Only countries that have to exit after 2 years is China and India.
I have two friends *expats* that previously lived in the PH. One went for visit to Cambodia and loved it. He moved. He relayed his experiences to others I know and several months later another friend moved there. They both like it so far.
There definitely is a change in the winds not just in the Phils. I also heard they are trying to gather as much biometric information about expats as possible.
I did my SRRV right away as soon as i could by meeting all the requirements my life here in the Philippines could not be easier. Any questions about the SRRV with the Philippine Retirement Authority do not hesitate to ask. I can even help you get it all done for only cost without a fee.❤
Hi can you give me a update on what I would need to get a SRRV visa I am currently in philippines on a tourist visa
the info is here..
nomadcapitalist.com/global-citizen/the-philippines-residency-srrv/
The key is to keep calm, respectful and friendly during any quizzing. It is not a life or death thing. Just a formality that they must follow. You blow it if you growl about it.
I’m married to a Filipina and we have kids together and I’ve been here almost 3 years now and was doing the 6 month extensions until now. I inquired about the 13A when I first arrived and was actually talked out of applying for it because I was told I would have to get married again here in the Philippines because my marriage was done in the US and I explained that our marriage was reported in the Philippines and had the PSA to show but I was told it wasn’t good enough. I had moved and was living in a different city with my wife so a few months ago I was encouraged by immigration at the new location to apply for the 13A but to use a lawyer to make sure every document was done correctly without any errors so I did and I am now on my probationary visa. The visa process is very easy BUT there can’t be any mistakes so I would highly recommend using a lawyer that does 13A visa applications because it will make the process very simple and stress free. I also just want to say that I am glad to see that the Philippines is doing the right thing and enforcing their immigration policies and making the Philippines a safer place and I really wish the United States would use the same policies and standards as the Philippines.
Basically do not panic. Prepare well, be polite and you should be OK.
First comment. Good luck to all the other tourists regarding your extensions. Hoping this won't affect our future approvals. Great video as always, Reekay.
I experienced some of this scrutiny long ago & believe each B.I. offices often do things differently. I arrived in '17 & had (6) 6month extensions on passport for my Tourist Visa. After the 4th they start quizzing me w/questions like why are u here? u have wife/g/f? if u been here 2 years already why don't u change visa as it appears yur not a tourist, etc. ,etc. Then w/covid I overextended due to various reasons after the 3 yrs..
Now married 2 yrs I should finally receive my Permanent 13a Marriage Visa/ACR Card within a couple weeks. If yur married to a Filipina, the 13a WILL eventually start saving u $/BI trips as it's good for 5 years & all u really need to do is the Jan-Feb annual reporting gig.
Yes, even a few months ago I visited the Philippines and got a tourist 30 day visa and I noticed that the immigration asked a lot more questions than in the past. Why I was visiting and where I was staying and so on. The other times I had been to the Philippines they had just stamped my passport and I was on my way. I had boarded in Chicago and had a connecting flight in Tokyo. There was more immigration and customs formalities and even security checks in Japan. Even though I never left the airport. The same in Japan on my return to the U.S.
This is going the way of Thailand immigration rules… very strict and intrusive and possibly becoming non-extendable if the immigration official thinks you’ve renewed your tourist visa too many times. Not everyone has $10,000 to deposit into a filipino bank account and leave there for the rest of their life. Either that or get married to a filipina and support her and her entire family!
cousin 'jovar' can't work because he suffers from laziness. YOu're a RICH foreigner therefore it's YOUR responsibility to support his laziness so he can play online gaming all day.
Intrusive? You should check UK and USA visa that way you'll know what intrusive means
I might as well stay the f$&k in the USA, & work til i croak!!😮😮
get married, get the visa and get an annulment!!
@@hopeinhuman7850you
Before my 13a visa, i renewed at the old Tagbilaran office. I remember filling out 2 pages of questions and Bohol Tours and Travel went on Google Earth and printed out a picture of my road. It's been going on for a while. Aimed at China I'm sure.
Just received 2-month extension in Surigao City, I was not asked these questions. Provided my money, form, passport, and ACR card - that's it
They just want you on the right visa. You are not a tourist anymore.
These people are nuts, constantly changing !
They are Asian. "nuts" is in their DNA!
I got my extension two days ago at the san rosa laguna field office, no extra questions, paperwork filled out, quick 20 minutes done.
I got these questions two years ago on Boracay most times. I wrote it off as a bored beaurocrat. Office very not busy. Nothing has changed as of July in Dasma.
I photocopied the filled in application save for two fields that change each time, have several copies of passport and acrii. I go copy the receipt immediately afterwards.
I paper clip this all together and am ready for the next renewal.
The fact that this is a "reminder" of prior mandates makes me think someone is trying to "do something" and this will fade back to where it was.
Maybe something is happening, but i suspect it will pass (again)
When I left in June from a 8 week exploration trip, I needed everything to exit. That included exit clearance and Visa extension. Luckily, I could bring up everything on my cell phone.
normally, you only need an ECC (exit clearance) after a 6-month stay.
@@Lifebeyondthesea I stand corrected., I was referring to. "Kindly present your passport to Immigration Officer for eTravel registration confirmation and QR code to the Customs officer for clearance." Plus the Visa extension.
@@RandyRhode-yq5hq Because the extension is only the receipt with the validity dates on it. There's no stamp/sticker in your passport anymore.
As retiered, i discover the Philippines last year . I am married since nov 23 . Also my asawa apply for my permanent 13A visa . No tourist visa anymore . To leave the country , each time you leave Manila an airport fee of 2200 php 1 st time and 2800 php the others is asked BI officer asked the reason to leave so quickly the country after i received my permanent visa just some days before my home fly . Suspicions ? No just familial reason after a quick check nbi status i received my passport and boarding pass back with the stamp . I will come back very soon some personnal issues to solve urgently in my own country. I have now family home car and lot of friends in the philippines. Yes i love this country .
Do your extension online. No difficult questions and the record of extension goes onto their system so no receipts required. I checked with imigration at the airport when I left.
question how do i do my visa extension online ?? i never did this before..full details please thanks again take care to all
Good to see tighter controls and this must be due to the Chinese. Alice Guo's debacle hit this out of the ballpark. Immigration can't discriminate against just the Chinese, so they have to impose tighter restrictions with all foreign passport holders.
I was at Makati BI this morning to get 6 month extension. Sorry sir we no longer give 6 months only 2 months now. You may try at main office in Manila. Naw I’ll just get the two months. Then as he is looking at my passport, says you and your wife can do a balikbayan visa again for free one year visa. We just booked a weekend trip to Vietnam. Lol
Good move. I'm sure the wife would like to get OOT and you not visiting the BI for a year.
So if you come back from Vietnam , what happens then?
Wow
Are you on balikbayan right now? You can actually extend balikbayan twice (to give you 3 years stay total). It's around $600USD each time. JRC Visa confirmed they do this in a recent interview I saw. I had no idea it was even an option before.
Yeah we do balik bayaan just meet wife in hk for her to fly hk n meet up is same price as 2 month visa ext easy done no hassles
Everything you said I already have done. Talk to him politely, give straight answers. Have all my receipts, my ACR card. And no attitude. I'm a visitor in their country. I wish all the people that came to United.
States. would have the same respect.
They usually casually asked me a few small questions to check whether the things on the form are true. I didn't notice any change there. What changed for me is that they don't do 6-month extensions anymore. They say they only do that now in Manila. For me that means I'm going to try to get the 13a once I return to the Philippines.
that's the best plan, for yourself and those that are married to a Filipina.
As usual, rules here vary. One point you brought up I’ve noticed in the new rules. It does say tourist must leave after one year. Contrary to their 3year rule.
I had to go to immigration in Davao July 13th because I renewed my ACR. I had no other issues like you had. Everything was the same. Otherwise I do my renewals online with no problem. An earlier memo did away with the 6 month extension. It’s still on their forms but actually not available any longer.
I would recommend to everyone to use the online service.
As for your ACR card, you need to carry it at all times. Police, banks and other government agencies can and will ask to see it. It is considered a foreigners ID.
anyone staying beyond one year needs to give a reason "why". and also will be placed on a list that goes to manila.
The only difference I've noticed in Tay is that they now wanted to see ALL of the extension receipts . At least the last time I went there.
Good to know ! Thanks
I just got my 2 month tourist extension on July 24. I've been here for a about a year on this tourist extension. I had traveled back to the US last June. They didn't ask me any questions ,it was business as usual. I will be prepared for the next extension in September.
That memo came out on July 26 so maybe I just missed the higher scrutinization.
expect more questions on your next visit.
I'm getting my extension tomorrow I'll pass on the experience
please do.
I wonder if after a year and applying for an extension that is acceptable to tell them, " I stay in the Phillipines because I love it here and this is my home".
I wouldn't do it. You are declaring the Philippines as your home, but the Philippines does not agree.
It could be they want to rid themselves of foreigners who are making a nuisance of themselves, or maybe its other reasons, but your ideas and solutions should work for most foreigners except the ones who want to argue get angry, and do it there way. Thanks good video.
travel agency extensions were temporarily banned several years ago due to abuse. many shady expats facing legal issues use agencies to avoid capture/arrest at a BI office. another ban on proxy filings is a possibility, i wouldn't rule it out.
It's about perception as well, we enter with dual passport for my wife and son, I'm stamped for balikbayan, we come and go as we please, we have a long, consistent history in their database, they don't even talk to us and we don't talk to them...seems simple but if you can figure that out you don't need to have conversation there with people you don't need to converse with 😉
HI , TY for the update. I had heard your name a few year back when I started watching these vlogs from the PHILS , however it didn t occur to me to look you up. I finally found your channel , glad I did.
When I visited the PHILS , we only were automatically given a 21 day visa , I think at airport.
Well I hope the new scrutiny is not because they heard I want to come to the PHILS and/or my silly comments I leave on these vlogs.
On a serious note , I enjoy your videos.
GOD BLESS CIAO
I was surprised to find out they don’t stamp your passport so you need the receipt when you go through the airport. Don’t lose the receipt!!
yah, i think it's been about 9 years since they issued either a stamp or sticker.
@@Lifebeyondthesea I was still receiving passport stamps for extensions in 2019.
I have never stayed here for more than one year except during the Covid lock downs and travel restrictions.
I'm too young to even qualify for an SRRV, so if I want to stay for a long time I either have to marry a local and get a 13a, or use the tourist extension. I'm 100% disabled vet, I just want to relax in a tropical/maritime environment where my comp pay goes farther, and I can use it as a launch pad to visit other places.
Thanks for the heads up.
I'll be taking notes
Any time!
Beeing polite and respectfull been a help for me.
Sounds like the Gig is up
And they will get stricter as time goes by
I have the sense this increased scrutiny will rollover into visa runs as well. Thanks for the update. Didn’t return to PH this year but next year god willing.
Probably trying to be seen cracking down on all foreigners while trying to crack down on Chinese PLA sleeper cells.
If you're married just do a quick trip to KL or similar and return with your asawa on a Balikbayan 1 year privilege permit. I've been doing it for years, no need to extend visa's . I inquired with Immigration about obtaining a 13a years ago and they said since I'm a seaman coming and going every 6 weeks that it's better to stay on tourist/balikbayan visa's. Nice vlog btw I stumbled on it somehow.
I was under the impression balikbayan visa was only given to a foreign spouse of a Filpina if the Filpina wife has been out of the Philippines for 1 year or more and has citizenship in their foreign spouses country when entering the Philippines with thier foreign spouse? So you're saying just leaving the Philippines with your Filpina wife for a few days and retuning with them you can get the balikbayan visa?
I would say they are going to start weeding out the Chinese travel visa applicants with everything going on in the South China Sea. The give away is on that memo they state the reason for the more stringent look at national security.
they are bringing in plane loads of chinese nationals direct from the mainland into panglao. on ccp airline!😳
Just watched a vido of a english guy marriage to Phillipines woman 20 year age gap 1 kid
Hes 13a visa yearly interview..was grulling..he was the the only guy that past that day ..
The other 4 guys 13@ visa was denied because big age gap...there definitely tightening things up
I got 2 month extension today...only change is they now require a photo copy of my passport face page and most recent entry stamp
This will be interesting when I have to return before Sept 23. I last went on July 22nd and mine was a normal visit bar the only change being I was asked if I wanted normal or expressed service. Since Covid, it has always been expressed but I figure this was a new change. I always take extra forms and fill them out at home and keep my passport with the receipts all in a folder as you said. My ACR is always in my wallet. I live with my GF of 11 years and we own our home so I guess that if this does prove to be an issue she might now finally get around to marrying me lol.
So glad I'm on the SRRV. I renew every two years for $20.00 plus 150 pesos for courier to deliver my new card.
I recently got my SRRV and thought the renewal was $360/yr. Am I missing something?
@seac777 if you are former military from United States you have reduced deposit and yearly fee
Only a Moron would deposit $10,000 To get a visa in a country where everybody wants to leave. Good luck in getting that money release.
@@seac777there are different types of SRRV and, as another reply has already mentioned, ex-military are on an SRRV that has a different fee.
Hey Reekay my dear friend, thank you for sharing this very important information. I will be sure to comply completely. You and Vi stay safe and healthy brother 👍 👍 👍 👍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.
Best advice I ever got was to be a snowbird here. I live in Florida for 6 months and 5 months 3 weeks in Cebu. I use a visa agency, never been inside a BI office. 1 waiver, 2 extensions, I leave for Florida before I need an EEC. Not married, too young for an SSRV. I stay with my US expat uncle and his pinay wife in Montezarra subdivision, Guadeloupe, Cebu. No immigration issues what so ever.
Please update us on your next visit.
Been here over 20 years, back the it was a nightmare trying to get anything done, it was just about a all day affair to get extension & even the annual report used to take 2-3 hours, now 5-10 minutes. They have improved 1000% since . To bad the rest of the Gov branches can't follow suit..
Agreed. My wife has been trying to get a lot changed to her name for months. Her sister was told if she provided 10,000 pesos they would process it quickly. All the lots have been surveyed, a lawyer was hired to clear the lot, etc. This is a family land and the lot passed to my wife, but a simple 10,000 pesos will speed up the process.
Dear Life Beyond the Sea, Another vlogger said that they were no longer issuing 6 month extensions. Is this true? The new stringent measures surprise me because all of the other s.e. asian countries are relaxing their requirements for foreigners because they want to stimulate the economy. There seems to be increased competition for the tourist dollar. Thanx for the information.
true. 6-month extensions are no longer available. it is rumored it is available at the main Manila office, but even if that is true.. expect LOTS of questions.
I just went to the Duma office and applied for my ACR card and it seemed pretty normal. They did take my fingerprints and a picture.
That's standard now. I had mine done quite a while back.
This happened to me also two days ago in CDO Mindanao (ive been here for one year) about a ten minute interview AND they interviewed my filipina too.
Just did an extension today in Bacolod and no questions asked. The system was down so I had to wait a day to pick up my passport again but it was in and out .
Thank you kindly for this video. This is really important
It was only a matter of time before questions were asked. The Chinese and Koreans are too blame
@@TarikSolimanXThe Koreans have a reputation for being rude and arrogant, acting as if they own the country. Some Filipinos say they are worse than the Chinese and that’s saying a lot!
morning to all..im doing my visa extension tomorrow in angeles city on monday August 12th..will update you all on my adventure there..take care to all
Same thing happened to me today. Panglao Bohol. A filipina came with me and the lady asked me why i was here so long.(16 months.) I said tourism. Asked if i was working. NO. Asked if the girl was my wife. NO. I am single. Girlfriend ? NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. She got pissed. Wanted my friends name. I refused. She spent time checking on me in the computer. Sent me to talk to the male boss in the office. I said the same to him. I made him confirm over and over that i can stay 36 months. You do not need a wife or girlfriend. You do not need to provide your filipina friends name.They gave me the extension. First time this has happened. When i got home i saw this video. The boss told me to come directly to him next time. Thinking about leaving the Phil.
Yes please leave Philippines. People like you should not be in the Philippines. Hopefully someone will keep reporting you for acting entitled and not helping the legal procedures in Phils.
Interesting. Meanwhile Thailand created a new easy visa for digital nomads.
How long can they stay?
I say this says more about them than us good guys and good guys always have better options and one could look elsewhere.
It's almost the same throughout South East Asia.
Good advice Reekay! I have been visiting the Philippines since 2007 when my Filipina daughter was born here. I just renewed my visa in July as well in Iloilo. I had no particular or unusual issues with this extension. Without naming specifics, my thought is that due to recent developments and abuses by foreign nationals, it has become warranted and necessary to tighten this process up. BI is not picking on anyone unless things don't appear proper. So, as you say, take your required documents and funds, answer any questions directly and honestly, leave your attitude at the door and just expect maybe a little additional time... not a difficult thing.
I respect the Philippines officials for doing this, I expect it is related to recent controversies regarding delayed birth certificate registrations, illegal POGOs, and other related problems. I can understand why they would want to prevent people causing those problems, from staying in the Philippines.
This could affect the Philippines money wise because now people might leave the country for a week or more at a time every few months rather than spending money in the Philippines.
It would effect those foreigners more.
it doesn't matter just follow the rules.
Thank you for your Visa extension information and appreciated. Actually, I'm still living in the State and thinking of going to visit Phillippine.
However, when people from the country and authorities are not friendly to visitors or Foreigners I will not visit to such country. That is why
I was curious to know what the purpose of Immigration officer asking such questioning. Again, I thanking for your updateed information
and many will like to know about it . Stay safe and have a great day and time......
All Immigration in the western world are the same or even worse. As a good civilian you should follow the rules. Philippine's can only hope decent civilian comes to the country and follow the rules. No entitled people please.
I wonder what they mean with 'suspicious'. That's quite a broad term.
yep.
I do have a couple of comments. 1st, I've been informed by my GF who works doing documents and projects concerning real-estate, that this is happening because of the abuse from mostly Chinese folks doing businesses etc.
2nd, my other comment would be that usually with these kinds if things there will be an expected "quota" percentage. If that doesn't show over time,, of course this puts pressure to wash folks out to fill that quota deserving or otherwise. 😮
I just renewed my (29 day extension) Tourist Visa on August 8th. There were no additional questions. The process was exactly the same as before. I will say though that as the PI is starting to make things perhaps a little more difficult, Thailand is doing just the opposite. Most tourists now get 60 or 90 day visas on arrival! And, you can still get an extension too. So, if the PI wants to make things more difficult, Thailand can be a fall back. Thailand is almost back to Pre-Pandemic tourist levels while the PI still struggle. I wonder why.......
Thank you. Great explanation. Thanks for going through the details..
Glad it was helpful!
Have been doing the same as you for over 18 years now,,2 months extensions. My last three years of working full time on environmental issues here should get me a free visa. But yes keep all receipts especially since the stickers flopped and they did not just go back to the rubber stamp.
1000 atta-boys equals 1 oh-shit 😮😂........
Good video - thanks for the info!
Up here in Sta Rosa, Laguna, they didn't ask me anything in July. It was basically in and out -- real easy. I guess I'll see what happens in September.
these changes are just now rolling out.
Great update!
i just did my 2 month visa 3 days ago and they didn't ask me any questions ( i been in the philippines 1 years & 8 months)it took me just 15 minutes, there was an other Amercan there and he was so worry about getting his 2 month visa cause he heard by watching the Utube about getting a visa( it made him scared) I told him not to worry about getting your visa, so i help him get his 2 month visa , they didn't ask him 'NO' question!!!Just stay clam when you talk to the officer ( be nice)
So, by what was stated on that official notice, a tourist must leave the country each year rather than 3 years like previously. I don't mind the SRRV once I know I want to retire there but I'd prefer it didn't cost $20k. My bank limits transfers to foreign countries to $10k and the IRS wants to know if I have $10k or more in a Philippines bank, which is where this $20k SRRV deposit gets sent to.
no, the immigration memo does NOT state you must leave after a year.
what it states is that IF you stay beyond a year, the immigration officer must add you to a list. it also says you must explain why you are staying beyond one year.
@@Lifebeyondthesea Ok, I'll change my "must leave each year" to "should leave each year" to stay off that "scrutiny" list. Being on that "scrutiny" list might make me look suspicious during future visa extensions.
I got my two month extension in San Fernando LA Union in July, I was the only one there. In and out quickly, no questions asked.
Great video, very informative. I was hoping you could do a video on income taxes in the Philippines. I read online that if you stay over 6 months, you're considered a resident and have to pay 20-35% of your foreign-sourced income in taxes. I've been living in Costa Rica for 3 years and pay no income taxes here or in the US (under $120k per year). The Philippines is cheaper but if it costs me tens of thousands in taxes, I may consider only staying there half the year.
Thanks for the heads up. I need to get mine done in a couple weeks.
I've been subscribed to you since the pandemic before I arrived here and started my channel. Thank you for the updated information. I always appreciate your insights. I just thank God that getting my SRRV was one of the first things I did after I came here in 2022. Have a great day Reekay.
The visa extension form now has changed. Please Please Be nice.. Don't be a A-hole with them.
what changes did you notice on the form?
@@Lifebeyondthesea I did my extension today. What I noticed on the form that changed is: Check box for regular vs express (I chose regular, they completely ignored it and charged me for express) I didn't question it as that seems to irritate them.
A question at the top that asked: What is your reason for extension or what is your reason for overstaying?
The rest appeared to be the same off my poor memory.
I didn't have any issue as I leave the country every few months and travel in SEA. This is my base with filipina gf with a baby together and apt. I find they treat me much nicer if I leave as often as possible and living here more than a few months starts to drive me nuts. If not for the gf that likes to live here I would be gone in a heartbeat.
@@Lifebeyondthesea instead of thicking a box for reason of stay you need to fill a paragraph with your reason for the extension.
You didn’t mention WHY they doing this. Obviously visas were being abused by visitors. What reason are people abusing visas.
'why' is up to speculation. i'd say partly due to the chinese abuse, and partly to get long-term tourists into an SRRV visa, which brings more money into the PH coffers.