Some of the flights I am checking look set to land in Manila at 22.25, so it would at best take about 30 minutes to get through immigration. If I waste my time, say about an hour or so, could I walk through immigration at a few minutes past midnight and use that one day as the official start of my time in the Philippines?
make sense kuya... maybe they might have adjusted the date on the stamp thingy when you go through them (immigration) passed midnight
Maybe maybe not, might make you look suspicious as there is not a lot to do before immigration other than stand at the duty free shop. Time taken to get through immigration depends on the number of flights that arrive together, one flight with up to 400 folk takes maybe 20 minutes tops and a slow stroll from the aircraft and maybe make a point of being last off and 10 minutes at duty free might get you up to 45 or 50 minutes before immigration desk. I don't know what the date stamp policy is for immigration at that time of day, it would seem churlish to count the day you arrived as a full day when it is only 1 hour. I could ask someone as we have people in the family who work for immigration.
Never been an issue for me as I've always left before the visa expired. But this time I am trying to squeeze in the full 59 days to spend with my mahal
Kuya, I have seen info that suggests 'overstaying' beyond 59 days is not a route you should think about.
Oh, I'm not overstaying.. If need be I will make sure I arrive on a flight that gets me to Manila at about 8am or something like that.. On day one, head to the British Embassy and start the whole process of getting a marriage licence. Even if it is more expensive, but I am not landing at 22.25 if for one of my 59 days I only get an hour in the country...
I know a Frenchman over there who regularly overstayed when he was setting up his business back in the late 90's he just used to be pay the fines, never bothered him, he regularly went back and forward to France on business too, he eventually got his status sorted in about 2006
Hmmm, which is more expensive. The fine or the slightly higher cost for a flight that lands in the morning???
The fines were tiny Sean, but personally I would never risk it, I think they have become more strict in recent years and it is simply handing them an excuse to get you into a room on your own and go through your stuff, that makes you a bit defenceless. Plus if you can't pay, then they get serious and will simply throw you in jail until someone pays, not a good idea.
Tried to ask a couple of folk Sean but we never met up with the right family members this time and got drunk the one time we were out with Ana's friend (who tried to sell me her bar for 300,000 peso ) whose husband works in immigration and I forgot to ask, sorry.
