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visit for one year to philippines

Discussion in 'Migrating to the Philippines' started by lester, Sep 30, 2016.

  1. lester
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    lester New Member

    Well just about given up hope of getting GF here to UK so want to try plan B. Have been trying to get through to consilate but seems getting the pope around for tea is more easier, anyway, id like to go to PH for 1 year at least and move in with my GF, as i feel you cant really know how you get on with someone till you live together. My intention is to rent a condo and pay the rent upfront for this 1 year period, so only food and utilites need to be paid for. My question is to get a visa i need to show i have money to cover my period im staying for, has anyone got a clue how much i am going to have to cover this period. Would a 6 month visa be easier to get and how would i go about updating it if i chose to stay longer. Thanks
  2. Timmers
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    Timmers Well-Known Member Trusted Member

  3. joi1991
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    joi1991 Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Who else in the forum lives in the PH?
  4. Timmers
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    Timmers Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Markham no longer lives there but Boots does, I cannot remember any others but I think there are one or two more.
  5. Bootsonground
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    Bootsonground Guest

    As a resident I dont do tourist visa`s...
    When you arrive you will need to go to B.I before 30 days expire and then get extension for a further 29 days..After that you can apply for 6 month visa.
    From memory,I read somewhere that a 6 month visa cost around 12/13k...After that runs out just get another.. Pretty sure you can extend for up to 3 years without leaving.. Not sure if that amount includes ACRi card fee of 50 $`s??
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  6. lester
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    lester New Member

    so whats the visa i can apply for before i go from consulate in London and ive been told i need a return ticket but how can i do that when im not sure when i am going to be returning??
  7. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Strictly speaking you do not require a round trip ticket, simply a valid ticket to somewhere outside the Philippines. That said though, you can book a 11 month ticket with most carriers and it will be somewhat cheaper than two one-ways.

    No need to apply for a Visa from the Philippine Embassy since it will have the same validity as the one you will get at the airport on arrival. As Bootys says, you simply extend that and, yes, you will need to purchase a Tourist ACR-I Card once you have been in the country for 59 days. That costs $50++.
  8. lester
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    lester New Member

    Thanks, so is there any truth that I have to prove I have the money to stay for the duration of my stay. PH consulate said they need to see bank statements
  9. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    There is no financial requirement if you get the visa extension in the Phils (can do it when you arrive at the airport in Manila)... just get on that plane and go.
    Easy to extend visas once you're there. Again, no financial requirement.

    I would definitely NOT pay up-front rent for a long term. You may not like the place after a while. Plenty of cheap places there.
    Most things are easier to do there than here, as long as you have an income (and access to it).

    As a tourist you can keep extending up to well over a year.

    If you have property in the UK, DON'T sell it !
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  10. lester
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    lester New Member

    Thanks Graham, but to tell you the truth id sleep on the streets as long as im with her, just came back from Manila so i am full aware of whats about, just want biggest bill out the way for the year to give us breathing space. Looking at taking about 600k for the year plus i can make a few quid from my 2nd love which is trading on sports, dont make millions but enough to tick us over, found out i can get access to all sites i normally use from hotel where we stayed. Another problem i got is she is married, been split up 3 years, so while i was there i wanted to get her annulment underway and the plan was to marry during the 3 years i can stay there on a visa. Have got house but not selling it and initally just taking a year careers break from work, also leaving money behind here just in case things dont go the way i hope. Wanted here over here ideally but more chance of getting the Pope round for tea and cakes. If anyone got any reasons why this cant work out then please dont worry about bursting my bubble, would rather find out now
  11. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    Mate, at the moment you're all loved-up... maybe forever, who knows ?

    Be very very careful.

    Slooow down, and listen to advice from those who've been there, done it (in some cases screwed up their whole lives).

    Annulment... another can of worms. :eek: Others on here can advise about that. :like:

    Have you studied the adultery laws as they apply in the Philippines ?

    You could end up in a very nasty jail there.
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2016
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  12. Dave_E
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    Dave_E Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    • Does she want to get her anulment underway, or is it just you?
    • Is she still in contact with, or even living with her Husband (or his family)?
    • You were hoping to get married and stay there for 3 years?
    • Good about the house, and sensible not to take all your money.
    • 600,000 Peso or pounds sterling? Big difference, poverty or affluence.
    I can see lots of reasons why things might not work out, but you are the only person who can make the decisions.

    Heed Grahams advice above.
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2016
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  13. Dave_E
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    Dave_E Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    The following snippets are from the current IATA timatic database, the information that airline check in staff use when deciding whether to let you check in for your flight.

    This information is normally available in a "Passport and Visa" section on international airline websites:

    Information is for a British National flying to the Philippines.
    Note: these are snippets, I have just copied the relevant paragraphs.
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  14. CampelloChris
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    CampelloChris Well-Known Member

    Of course, were you to be trapped into a situation where the adultery laws have been broken, and you were facing a jail term (unless you paid a chunk of money to your girlfriend's husband), you would have done this with your eyes open.

    I don't know you, your girlfriend or her husband. But you wouldn't be the first to get caught like this.

    Be careful.
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  15. Timmers
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    Timmers Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Make sure you have the husband on board before applying for the annulment, you will technically be committing adultery and a ex husband with an axe to grind could land you in jail.

    Note that the annulment process can take a while and is quite expensive (£2-3k), the most important thing is to get yourself a reputable lawyer over there.

    Be prepared to grease a few palms during the annulment process, that's par for the course in the Philippines.
  16. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    yet another annulment case ! join the club. put your life on hold for the next couple of years while the fili legal system digs deep into your bank account.
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  17. lester
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    lester New Member

    If i new now what i new then i would never of got involved or at least got involved with a filla who was already in uk, but too late for that now. From what she has told me she caught him in the act with another girl, he got mad beat her up and threw her out the house, although hes still seeing the same girl he cheated on her with he still sends my GF texts saying how much he still loves her, but apparently this was the 3rd time he had cheated and she had finally had enough. Dont think theres any chance of getting him on our side as reguards annulment. I am aware that adultery in PH carries a jail sentence of 7 years for both parties involved, there is quite a well known case of some guy from my town who met a filla while she was still married and got her pregnant, the husband asked for money which they didnt have so they both got banged up, but after being released on bail they both went on the run. i know im skating on thin ice and often wonder if the risk is worth the reward, but right now the answer is always yes, just didnt think in a million years it was going to be this hard
  18. joi1991
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    joi1991 Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    The above advices are very reliable.

    After reading the rest of this comment I made, you might believe what my signature says. :)

    So this maybe a dumb suggestion but, How about you do things right and in order? Live separately and get the marriage annulled. While you wait for it, get to know her better - discover the magic of long distance relationships. Build the trust and the love that will become the foundation of a better life when you're finally together.

    -You would. How about her?

    Years ago I've watched a documentary about foreigners who married and settled in the Philippines with their Pinay wives. Most of them ended up in the streets broke and old. One's wife took his money and left him when it's all gone, he ended up wandering Manila & even got his remaining possessions robbed. Another guy, lost everything and is scared to return to his country because of the shame so he ended up being a helper in a barangay hall just to get free food. And one, who used to have a lavish lifestyle here in the 80s, built a pub, ended up broke, left by wife and kids, now living in the streets.
    ---
    You're a grown-up man. And it's your life. YOLO! In the end, it's all up to you. Go for what will make you happy without hurting anybody especially yourself.
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  19. Dave_E
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    Dave_E Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Jilted wife and her Jealous husband, what could possibly go wrong? :eek:
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  20. Bootsonground
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    Bootsonground Guest


    Interesting to see that Documentary...I saw the one with the French guy that works as a runner for the Municipal hall in Angeles city..
    Ive been flat broke in Manila myself when I was barely 20 years old for a couple of years or more so I know the feeling well enough.
    It`s pretty tough but you get educated about real life..Real fast!
    The trick is being young enough to recover..
    Anything like that happening to a middle aged man is really unthinkable especially if its his first time in Asia.
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 1, 2016
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