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Flying to the Philippines

Discussion in 'News from The Philippines' started by CatchFriday, Oct 11, 2021.

  1. CatchFriday
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    CatchFriday British Expat living in Alicante, Spain

    My wife has to fly to Cebu from London.
    Sounds so simple - UK relaxed flights - Philippines now in Green Zone, but has the Philippines changed?
    Appears to me that Quarantine prevails.........
  2. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

  3. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    gonna be expensive.
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  4. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    Larry, Take a look at the thread "Thinking of flying to the Philippines" lots of info there.
  5. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

  6. Dan888
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    Dan888 Member

    As it stands if you fly into Cebu you will need to quarantine in a hotel for 7 nights/8 days. On the 8th day you need to do a PCR test where you will get the result within 24 hours. You are classed as not fully vaccinated due to the Philippines not accepting any vaccinations that took place outwith the Philippines. This is crazy, do they seriously think people vaccinated in the UK, USA, Australia etc may not have been given an adequate vaccination. Anyway things are slowly getting better but its a painfully slow process.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  7. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    It's politics, they are demanding reciprocity for their citizens the trouble is that they are specifically demanding recognition of their own invention VaxCertPH this would require other governments to accept and recognise Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines which the UK does not currently accept, however as Mattecube pointed out on another thread the official UK Government site detailing countries with approved proof of vaccination Approved COVID-19 vaccines and countries with approved COVID-19 proof of vaccination - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) states that the Philippines is on the list of countries with approved proof of vaccination.

    However in the clip below from the above page it states 'or with a vaccine that is not listed' and that means that we would not accept Filipinos with Sinovac or Sinopharm on their VaxCertPH certificate, so I think there is still doubt about our proof of vaccination reciprocity for our NHS certificates with regards to the Philippines, net result is that our quarantine on arrival in the Philippines is still the longer version and one should remember that with the way Covid is going in the UK we could end up on the Philippines red list, they stuck Bermuda on their red list the other week :)

    upload_2021-10-23_0-17-34.png
    • Informative Informative x 2
  8. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Well, that leaves me out, I must follow the rules who do not qualify as a fully vaccinated British citizen returning back to the UK. (sinovax fully vaxed)
    Not that I'm going back, at least not this year anyway.
  9. Dan888
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    Dan888 Member

    I have managed to get a 9(a) visa due to having to kids in the Philippines and will be flying out at the end of November, I will be there for 40 days. I did the same last year before I had been vaccinated and got insurance with Battle Face insurance who covered any cost of contracting covid, the cost was about £300. However this year I have been vaccinated so if I were to get covid it shouldnt affect me too bad however they have quoted me £600 ! this year.

    Does anyone have any recommendations of insurance companies I could use, £600 seems a hell of a lot of money. I guess I will still need to have insurance for covid, for whatever costs may incur if I was to be quarantined.
  10. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Dan what evidence did you have to provide to the Embassy to get the 9A visa, did you already have your kids birth certificates?

    And how long did they take to issue it, how long between the application and receiving your passport back?
  11. Dan888
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    Dan888 Member

    It came back within 7 days.

    Yes I provided them with the copies of the PSA birth certificates.
    Notarised 9a Visa application form.
    There is a few other things that is stated on the website that they need such as utility bill (for proof of address), bank statement etc.
    They also now require a notarised 'letter of invitation' from the mother of the children and a barangay certification from her to prove she is currently in the Philippines.

    Im not sure if it was required but i also sent photo copies of their passports and basically anything to make sure it was accepted.
  12. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    That's what I was afraid of the "notarised letter of invitation" Ana walked out on my kids 2 years ago and is in South Korea so I am stuffed, I can only try explaining the situation to them.

    Did you already have the birth certificates here in the UK or did you have to get them sent from the PSA?

    And when you say proof of address is that proof of the address in the Philippines?
  13. Dan888
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    Dan888 Member

    She sent me copies of the Birth Certificates, just taken on her phone. Are you still in contact with the mother, will she send you copies of the birth certificate?

    I dont know your situation but Is there any other family member of the children there that can 'invite' you. An Auntie, grandparent etc?

    Yes proof of address in the Philippines, but again this can most likely be from whoever the kids are currently living with. If the mother has left them then they are staying with a family member?

    Sounds like you could do with a discussion with someone from the Embassy but I know that is very difficult unless you arrange an appointment which is fine if you live near London but not much use if you live somewhere like Scotland as i do.
  14. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    My son will send me copies of the birth certificates, indeed I probably have copies in my photo catalogue from the last time I applied to get them for the kid's school a couple of years ago :) knowing they will accept that kind of photocopy is absolutely brilliant thanks Dan!

    I am the sole support for my kids, I pay every month for the house I have rented for them since 2008 but the house is rented in Ana's name, I have supported my kids for 16 years paid for everything including supporting Ana's sister Teresita and granny who live with us, strictly speaking granny is really the only responsible adult in the house as Teresita has a rather young mental age as a result of childhood illness, but granny is 81 years old now and not that well and I don't want her having to run around looking to get notarised documents it would put her at risk of exposure to Covid.

    I get the PLDT bills which are in Ana's name emailed to me they are the only real proof of address that we have as the Meralco bill has always been in the name of the owner of the house but he is in the USA, his agent, Renan, who manages the properties might be able to provide us with something other than the monthly hand written receipt.

    Last time I was out there was Christmas 2019 when granny was really not well, it was me that did all the cooking, cleaning, washing looking after everyone, thank god she got a bit better since then but her health is still fragile.

    I didn't realise you were a Scot Dan, I just checked and I can see you are posting from up in Moray somewhere, lovely part of the country, I'm a Scot exiled in England in the North West :D wish I could get back to Scotland I'm originally from the Paisley area.

    Your information has been a huge help to me, really much appreciated!

    This was taken on Nanay's 81st birthday earlier this year, James is 15 and Janna was just turning 13.
    [​IMG]

    P.S. Did you apply for a 12 month multi entry visa are they still allowing that version of the 9A ?
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  15. CatchFriday
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    CatchFriday British Expat living in Alicante, Spain

    We have now decided that my wife will go to Surigao first and then I will join her for a visit - please advise whilst she is here in UK, should I accompany her to the Filipino Embassy to get a spousal visa, or should I just fly there as a tourist. Not sure how long we will stay. (I am retired).

    Last time I flew to the Philippines I flew by Qatar, time before that by Philippines Airlines - the one thing I find frustrating (esp with Phil Air) was getting into a tiny economy seat. Phil Air had me walking every 30 minutes - one of the most uncomfortable flights I ever had. To sit on.

    Time before that Singapore Airlines, and Emirates. I always wear Bose Ear Noise Reducing ear plugs.
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2021
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