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Philippines visa extension advice (British Passport)

Discussion in 'UK Visa and Immigration Help' started by JamesTM_, Oct 27, 2018.

  1. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    I'm afraid to say that you have misread my post, Jim. KLM, along with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, has not moved back to Terminal 1.

    You may wish to consider Turkish Airlines as a possible substitute; I believe they have flights from Manchester and do use Terminal 1 in Manila. Overall journey time is almost certainly less as they don't have the extra Manila-Taipei sector and the 90 minute tech stop. My brother-in-law has flown with them several times long-haul and speaks very highly of them.
  2. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Yes I have, wish fulfilment I suppose :D
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2018
  3. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    I'll stick to Emirates or try out Singapore or Cathay next time, unless KLM have a really good deal available, I don't mind the long journey times but I do prefer one long leg and one short, Emirates is ok but transiting in Dubai was an adventure last time more so than I really wanted, a huge journey from one terminal to the other to make the connection up and down what looked like five floors and a long rail journey, can't believe how big that airport is.

    Schiphol is a more relaxed connection environment.
  4. JamesTM_
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    JamesTM_ Member

    Can I ask who did you fly with? and did your return ticket exceed 30 days when you checked in at your country of departure?
  5. OTT
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    OTT Active Member

    The first time was Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong , then Cebu Pacific HK to Cebu ( 6 weeks departure / return Heathrow and 6 weeks between Flights to and from Philippines )

    The second time, British Airways Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur 8 weeks between departure and return , both LHR -KL and KL -Cebu.
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 28, 2018
  6. JamesTM_
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    JamesTM_ Member

    Thanks mate =) Think I should be okay!
  7. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    You won't get rejected at Immigration, because firstly, as a British Citizen, you do not need a visa to enter the Philippines (ie... the 30 day visa WAIVER).
    Secondly, you will have an onward ticket.

    Just don't upset the Immigration official, and you're in. :like:
  8. PorkAdobo
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    PorkAdobo Active Member

    Ringing Qatar Airways or the Philippine Embassy will be a thankless exercise. Don't bother. The Qatar staff you meet will go off their rules (or whatever the system tells them) on the day.

    It is almost certain that Qatar Airways will accept you at check in with minimal questions. I'm the event that you do encounter someone who wants to see a return ticket inside the non extended visa period, just walk away, whip out your smartphone and book a cheap ticket with Air Asia or Cebu Pacific to Hong Kong, Taipei, Kota Kinabalu etc. Everyone's happy.

    Most check in staff will know how to read Timatic (the database which deals with admission eligibility to another country) correctly. The danger is, obviously, you meet a dullard and this person's colleagues either don't want to overrule him, reluctant to tell him he's a dullard or have their own seeds of doubt planted. Highly unlikely this will happen.

    Philippine immigration when you land will not give two tosses about your return travel date.
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    I like Schipol too. The KLM stop in Taipei is a bit of a nightmare - a long walk followed by going up one floor, through yet another security check, thence down a floor and the long walk back to the gate - which, if you're lucky you will reach just before they close the aircraft doors!
  10. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    They will if you're flying out of the Philippines on a different airline to that which brought you to the country; you will be asked to show your tickets. If you're either flying out on the same carrier or within 2 days on a different carrier, Philippine Immigration will know all about your flight plans as the airlines are required to transmit that information to them.
  11. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    The Taipei stop for me is more like long walk / security / up the stairs / long walk / down the stairs to the gate / get bored waiting to get back on the flight.

    Dubai was much worse last time, get off, walk for ages to find an information board think it all looks like familiar territory because you have done this before, start going to the next gate realise that it's not as familiar as you thought, go through security again, wonder if you are going in the right direction, god that's a big elevator, follow everyone else going to gate A something, descend 5 floors and realise this is not the Terminal you have ever been in before and that the Terminal you want to be in needs a train to get you there, train goes at about 30 miles an hour for 5 minutes in a straight line which makes you think this is a lot of miles. Eventually get out in Terminal A which looks exactly like the Terminal you were just in proceed to go up god knows how many floors, then start the long hike for the gate, finally find it then look at watch and think finally enough time for a pint go hunting to try and find a comfy seat, realise there aren't any then finally settle down for 30 minutes.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Not sure where we came in to park but it felt like the furthest away point in this picture :)

    [​IMG]


    It is certainly a spectacular place to leave :)

    A380 windows are quite good so although this required a huge amount of processing because of the haze, I could still get a good shot.

    [​IMG]
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2019
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  12. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    I detest Dubai airport. Lord only knows how old people manage to get about the place without hearts failing. They only have so many of those dangerous ride-on buggy things for the privileged.

    Totally pathetic design over practicality. I want to use an airport, not the biggest blinkin fashion statement in the world. :rolleyes:

    Abu Dhabi is much more passenger-friendly, IMO.
  13. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    I nearly got run over two or three times because I couldn't hear the buggy coming and I couldn't figure out what the horn was either when they finally did sound it :D

    I liked it back in the day when the bit I would go through looked like this, although it was still too big even back then, my second ever trip through Dubai airport I had a badly sprained ankle and could barely walk but I dragged myself through it one way or another, sprained the ankle the night before the flight :) and the sheer size of the place did not help at all :)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
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  14. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    Great pictures.

    I know they're rich from being lucky enough to sit astride an oil field. I know they like to show it off .... but I just want to get where I'm going, with the least effort and stress possible.

    I do thank them for making Emirates not only one of the best airlines, but also one of the cheapest, along with Etihad. :like:
  15. PorkAdobo
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    PorkAdobo Active Member

    Not quite.

    The Philippines is not a participant in APIS (Advance Passenger Information System). So whilst it will receive a manifest of passengers on board a flight (ostensibly to ensure enough immigration booths are manned), it has little clue as to who exactly you are or what your return flight is until you arrive at the immigration booth (unless tipped off by organisations such as Interpol or you home country's immigration service).

    Typically, Philippine immigration has little interest with most British passport holders (which I can personally attest to, as I've flown in on Cebu Pacific and out on Cathay or PAL on many occasions).

    Of those countries that do participate in APIS, I'm not sure off hand what info they receive with regards to inbound flights. Some countries (notoriously the USA) frequently flag one way journeys for additional screening via the *GGGG* on a boarding pass. However, for most countries they are more concerned with establishing who is arriving for security purposes rather than pick out potential overstays.
    • Like Like x 2
  16. Ian martin
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    Ian martin Member

    I lived in Philippines 8 years and used to fly out every 60 days. My air tickets (always inspected by foreign checkin) into Philippines ALWAYS showed me leaving Philippines after 60 days as described in the document mentioned in previous post. I never had a problem. You only must have a ticket OUT of Philippines within a reasonable timeframe. Getting a visa from the Filipino embassy sounds hard work to me for something not required
  17. JamesTM_
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    JamesTM_ Member

    Just an update, I’m here now in the Philippines. Qatar airways did require me to either have a Visa or a ticket out of the Philippines within the 30 days, I was asked to give them this when I was checking in, luckily I booked a £70 flight to Bangkok the night before.

    When going through immigration in the Philippines, they let me straight through without saying anything. They didn’t ask to see a ticket out of the country or anything.

    Where’s the best and quickest place to get an extension guys? (In Manila) I’m thinking SM aura.
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  18. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    I have always had to use the BI in either Davao or CDO, Cdo are much nicer, and cheaper than Davao, but beware of the dress codes at BI, no shorts. Here is the list of authorised BI offices..

    http://www.immigration.gov.ph/visa-...a/extension-of-authorized-stay-beyond-59-days

    http://www.immigration.gov.ph/index.php/information/directory-of-transactions

    Oh i forgot i once extended in Palawan, again much quicker than in Davao..

    I can see there is a SM North Sattelite Immigration office.. Office Address Upper Ground Floor, The Annex, SM North Edsa, Quezon City.. Good luck with EDSA... :D
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
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  19. Ian martin
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    Ian martin Member

    Surprising about being asked for a ticket leaving Philippines before the 30 days. A handful of check in clerks have asked me but I showed them all my previous 60 day extensions. Maybe best to take a copy of BI rules about visa extensions up to 60 days. If all airline clerks stopped you from boarding if your intention was to stay more than 30 days, nobody would ever be able to apply for a 60 day extension.

    But a bit scary if they just blindly follow the rules and are stroppy.
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2019
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  20. j charleston
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    j charleston Member

    I have down loaded a FA form A2
    I have filled it out should I take that with me just in case?

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