16 Month Ending Soon. Visa/ticket Questions

[TexasRangersFan]

I -in M -my H -humble O -opinion ....... a gentile way of saying "that's what the hell I think" ...... :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

Interesting.

I was wondering what that ment.

Leaving for the airport now. Going to Singapore. Really think it sucks that they don't allow smoking there.

Strange how they allow prostitution but not smoking.

[andre007]

It is my understanding that if they stamp your visa say on today's date of 6/30/2012 you can return on 7/1/2012 ...... some people just do a turn around ..... some I have been told book a flight late and return the following morning but this is just what I've been told as I have never had to leave the country ..... but it does seem a shame to at least not see a little bit of the country you are going to for a day or two ..... IMHO

I left Cebu at 3pm on an AirPhils flight and landed at 6:30pm into Hong Kong. I returned on a 12:45am flight the next day on Cebu Pacific meaning I was at the airport for 6 hours or so. My total cost including throw away ticket was under P5000.

On my very first trip out of the country Landed at 11:45pm via Cebu Pacific to Hong Kong and left 1 hour later at 12:40am on Cebu Pacific. It was a close call but I made it. Total cost then was roughly P7000 including at throw away ticket.

I have helped many friends take similar routes to eliminate overnight stays etc.

From my understanding (of course that means nothing because everybody gets a different answer) is that you simply need a stamp in and a stamp out. Days and times does not matter.

PS: With all due respect for the comments made that why not just take time and see parts of the country. Some of us do not have the extra capital to see part's of the world so we take the less expensive means to fulfill a requirement from immigration.

[TexasRangersFan]

Have now arrived back to Liloan Cebu, after making my Visa Run ,as I have heard it called, to Singapore then Malaysia.

My 16 month stay here ended officially on July 1, 2012. After getting all the necessary documents, I left on June 30th for Singapore then to Malaysia.

The following is my experience.Yours may vary depending on time of day, person or persons involved, law or rule changes, your mood, their mood.

I had many concerns before leaving about customs, immigration, airport costs, airport rules and regulations at both Cebu international and Singapore international airports.

Having experienced the tremendously painful and at times embarrassing and even humiliating airports, customs, and immigration of the American airports I had no idea what to expect.

Upon arriving for my 19:50 flight to Singapore at the Cebu Mactan Airport International flight departure area at 18:20. I took only a carry on bag with clothing for 5 days and a laptop and my phone. The first thing I found out is that only the person named on the itinerary is allowed entry.

My girlfriend and our friend were not allowed to go up to the ticket counter area. So we had to say our goodbyes just inside the airport doors.

After waiting in line for about 30 minutes at the Cebu Pacific ticket counter I was asked for my Itinerary and passport. They did not ask to see anything except my Passport as proof of who I am. I was also asked if I had any check in luggage. Even tho I had paid for check in luggage I told them that I had decided to just take a carry on. I was asked to put the carry on on the scale and then they put a tag on my carry on. I was then given my airline ticket and airport fee ticket. Both of which are really just a small paper receipt.

I then proceeded to the entryway going to the departure area. There I waited in another line to pay my Airport Terminal Fee. This is where I ran into a small problem. Once I showed the young lady at the desk my passport and ticket she informed me that I had been in the Philippines for more than 12 months and therefore I had to pay the Philippine Travel Tax. So I proceeded back to the Philippine Travel Tax desk where I was asked to present my Passport, Airline Ticket and then 1620.00 pesos. I then received my Philippine Travel Tax receipt.

I then proceeded back to the entryway to the departure area and got in line once again at the airport terminal fee desk and presented my passport, airline ticket and this time my Philippine Travel Tax receipt. I was then informed that I had to pay 550.00 pesos Airport Terminal Fee. After paying I then was told to proceed down the short hallway to the immigration area.

After walking the very short distance I then stood in line once again and awaited my turn to stand behind the yellow line before seeing the immigration officer. This was a bit of a difficult task to stand behind the yellow line due to the pushing and shoving going on behind me. Something I have experienced on occasion. However I did manage to stand my ground, so to speak.

Once it was my turn at the window I handed the Immigration officer my passport, airline ticket, and exit clearance. After a couple of stamp stamps and a quick look at the computer I was handed back my passport, airline ticket and receipt portion of my exit clearance.

I then proceeded to the departure waiting area. While there I had just enough time for a smoke and a cup of coffee. in the smoke and coffee special area. ( at least they allow smoking ). I then proceeded to the departure gate and after getting in another mass mess line I was allowed entry onto the airplane.

I expected to pay the Terminal Fee and deal with all the lines. The only thing I was not aware of was the Philippine Travel Tax. Total cost at airport to go from entry door to airplane was 2170.00 pesos. Cup of Coffee not included.

For complete details of arrival in Singapore and Malaysia as well as departure information please refer to my post in Where have you Been?.

I had to show my way out ticket in Singapore to get my airline ticket via Cebu Pacific to return to Cebu.

Upon finally landing at Cebu Mactan International Airport on July 5 at 04:40 am. 40 minutes late. The first thing I did was thank god and kiss the ground. It was warm, wet and tasted like crap but I was alive.

I then proceeded inside the terminal and went directly to the Immigration counter. There I showed my Passport, Airline Ticket, Return Ticket and Immigration form, to the Immigration Officer. The Immigration officer looked at my passport and then looked at me and asked where I had been, why I had gone there and then asked why I had been in the Philippines so long before. I then proceeded to tell him the story of wanting to get married to my girlfriend and the difficulties we were having with the birth certificate.( for the full story SO FAR please refer to my post in Getting Married, Going to USA to Get Married ) I did not notice at first but my voice was getting louder and my tone was getting angrier as I was unfolding my story. Although I did not mean for it to. I had not yet gotten to the part about the many trips to Tacloban when he quickly stamped my passport and pointed to the customs counter. Total time was less then 3 minutes.

I then proceeded the short distance to the customs counter with my carry on luggage, at almost a dead run, I could see them all looking at me and laughing. I held out my customs deceleration form. I almost slowed down and stopped, The Customs officer reached out and took it as I passed him and said thank you and pointed to the door I continued passed him and out the door still at almost a dead run. I could hear them laughing louder even after I went thru the door. I guess they heard my answer to why I had been there so long before.

I finally stopped running after exiting the airport and standing in line for the next taxi at the taxi stop.

[i am bob]

Great post! Thank you!!!

:tiphat:

[Dave Hounddriver]

I can identify with that. Except for the 'going for a smoke' part, my experience was very, very similar. You forgot to mention that the small size coffee in the tiny take out cup at Mactan airport was probably the most expensive coffee, per ounce, as anywhere in the world. At least the place I bought it was.

Glad to see you made it back and lived to tell the tale. My decision, after a similar experience, was to leave the country after 12 months less a few days, on future visa runs, to avoid the stupid questions and the travel tax.

[TexasRangersFan]

Went to BI office here in Cebu on Monday July 23 2012 to obtain my 38 day visa extension. We arrived at the BI office at 1:35 pm. I filled out the Visa Extension form. Handed the filled out form to the woman at the desk along with my passport and flight itinerary for a flight to Hong Kong on the 26th of July the day the 21 day visa was to expire. She read my form checked my passport and Itinerary then stamped the form then told me to take the form to window number 1. I did so and gave them my passport and the form. About 1 and a half hours later they called my name. I took the forms and my passport to the cashier window and paid the 3030.00 php. I then waited another 1/2 hour until my name was called again. I got my passport and papers from the releasing window checked them out signed for them and left. took about 2 hours all together.

[kubreeze]

Hi everyone,

I am new here so please excuse my ignorance when I ask repetivite questions. You all seem to be pros at this and gone through it, but I am still some what confuse after reading your comments. I am planning on making a visit to the PI sometime in 2013 and like to stay there for at least 20 months.

Let me try to state what I think you all said, and please correct me is if I am wrong. Thanks.

1. If US passport, for 2012 all foreigners have automatically 21 days visa when they arrive in Philippinas. Correct?

2. After the 30 days, you can extend this 30 days tourist visa in any BI(bureau of immigration) in Philippine,

each 2 months for a period of 60 days, and a total stay of 16 months in the country. Correct?

3. Each visa renewal will cost you something as approx. 3500 pesos.

10 -14 days before your visa expires you should go to the immigration and can extend your visa for 2 month

more if you wish to stay longer. Correct?

4. At the end of the 16 months I must leave the PI and re enter again, and start this process all over.

5. So during this 16 months period do I need to leave the PI and renter again?

6. I heard there is a new permanent resident/retirement visa program now, where is you are over 60 years of age

and can has a pension, then all is require is 10k in a PI bank, and deposit of pension amount of 2100 us a

month. Correct?

7. How would you plan this trip if it was you, as for the return/on ward /or open ticket? Which would you purchase.

I was thinking of buying a one way ticket from the us to the pi with an on ward ticket to thailand, coz this would

be cheaper than buying a return ticket for that longa period.

Any advise, comments, links would be greatly appreciated.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1. If US passport, for 2012 all foreigners have automatically 21 days visa when they arrive in Philippinas. Correct? If not on Blacklist and have an exit ticket in hand then yes.

2. After the 30 days, you can extend this 30 days tourist visa in any BI(bureau of immigration) in Philippine, After 21 days, can extend for 38 more days.

each 2 months for a period of 60 days, and a total stay of 16 months in the country. Correct? Correct

3. Each visa renewal will cost you something as approx. 3500 pesos. Each renewal different price. Min 2800, max 7300 approx

10 -14 days before your visa expires you should go to the immigration and can extend your visa for 2 month within 7 days is what immigration told me, but correct

more if you wish to stay longer. Correct?

4. At the end of the 16 months I must leave the PI and re enter again, and start this process all over. Correct, although an extra few months stay is possible for extenuating circumstances.

5. So during this 16 months period do I need to leave the PI and renter again No, if you leave and come back at any time, you start the 16 months again

6. I heard there is a new permanent resident/retirement visa program now, where is you are over 60 years of age

and can has a pension, then all is require is 10k in a PI bank, and deposit of pension amount of 2100 us a

month. Correct?

7. How would you plan this trip if it was you, as for the return/on ward /or open ticket? Which would you purchase.

I was thinking of buying a one way ticket from the us to the pi with an on ward ticket to thailand, coz this would

be cheaper than buying a return ticket for that longa period.

Any advise, comments, links would be greatly appreciated.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Jollygoodfellow
bold answers

[kubreeze]

Thank you Dave..

[TexasRangersFan]

I started my second go round with the BI office getting my tourist visas.

So far its been pretty easy.

Got the 38 day extension with no problem. I did have to show my way out ticket.

Went in and got my first 60 day extension a few days before the 38 day expired.

Paid for another 60 days and the ACR-I card.

Cost was less then I expected. was only 6333.00 for some reason.

The first one I got in Davao cost 8750.00.

Went in to get the ACR-I card after waiting the 2 weeks as I was told at the Cebu office and was told that it was still in Manila and to come back in another 2 weeks or so.

Is that Normal?