13 days to go

[fillipino_wannabe]

In 13 days time I'm giving up my nice quiet life in the UK to move to Manila. Met a nice young Fillipina online who I'll be living with Makati/BGC.

Everything is going to plan so far other than I've heard that teabags are expensive there, what is this sorcery?

I've also read that I need a flight out of the philippines booked even though I'll be staying there, is that right? Any I can just cancel and get refunded?

Thanks
Dan

[robert k]

Cheap flight to Malaysia can be found online. I usually get the round trip because it's usually $100-150 USD more than a one way, I can place the return date 11 months...and I have actually used that flight. It saved me a bundle of money. I'd have probably had to pay $30 to $40 USD for a throwaway. 

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

I've also read that I need a flight out of the philippines booked even though I'll be staying there, is that right? Any I can just cancel and get refunded?

Yes, there are some who do that.  Just check with the airline to see what the fee for cancel/refund is as there are cheap tickets on local airlines for under US$30 if you search for them (they change daily so you have to search and buy quick).  There are also sights that will buy you a ticket out of the philippines, send you the ticket, and then cancel it for you.  But there is a fee of course.

For me, I just buy a cheap exit ticket like I mentioned.  Who knows, I may use it when the time comes, or I may just throw it away.

 

And BTW, welcome to the group.  Its always more fun in da Phils

[virginprune]

6 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

Everything is going to plan so far other than I've heard that teabags are expensive there, what is this sorcery?



Thanks
Dan

Welcome to the forum Dan. Thinking in Sterling the price of tea has gone from 95p to £2:50 literally overnight, a huge percentage increase. This is just another sign that many goods are going up in price all the time, by fairly large increments. However, it is still very much cheaper in general to live here than in the UK and a far nicer place to live than there IMHO. Good luck on your move, I hope all goes well and it is all you have wished for.

[Jollygoodfellow]

8 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

In 13 days time I'm giving up my nice quiet life in the UK to move to Manila. Met a nice young Fillipina online who I'll be living with Makati/BGC.

Everything is going to plan so far other than I've heard that teabags are expensive there, what is this sorcery?

I've also read that I need a flight out of the philippines booked even though I'll be staying there, is that right? Any I can just cancel and get refunded?

Thanks
Dan

Welcome

I think you need to do a lot of reading as an onward ticket is one of the first requirements. Do you have a plan for a visa and know the options to allow you to stay and what is required of you? 

[fillipino_wannabe]

Sorry forgot to update. All going well. Renting a condo in bgc for a year as the girlfriend works here.

 

need to get a visa by Monday, anything I need to know? Seems quite simple from what I've read. 

Thanks dan 

[Dave Hounddriver]

53 minutes ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

need to get a visa by Monday, anything I need to know? Seems quite simple from what I've read. 

You will pay about 3,000+ pesos for a tourist visa that will give you 29 more days.  When that 29 days is up (or close to being up) then you can go and apply for a 6 month visa (or 1 or 2 months but why not get the full 6 months if you are here for a year).  When I got the 6 month one it cost me about 12K pesos as it includes an ACR card.  Prices vary depending on the BI office you go to and their interpretation of what "express lane fees" they should be charging you.  So plan on spending 3 + 12 = 15 K pesos on tourist visas over the next month.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Dave Hounddriver

[jrlee183]

No need to actually buy a ticket, as such.  What I do is call up the airline directly and say you want to make a reservation but actually 'issue' the ticket at a later date i.e. you will have an unticketed reservation, but they will send you an itinerary with a booking reference (this is all they will need when you check in to your flight coming to the phils).    You can allow it to auto-cancel after the ticketing deadline.  No need to pay anything .  Malaysia airlines and Cathay Pacific do this with no charge.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, jrlee183 said:

No need to actually buy a ticket, as such.  What I do is call up the airline directly and say you want to make a reservation but actually 'issue' the ticket at a later date i.e. you will have an unticketed reservation, but they will send you an itinerary with a booking reference (this is all they will need when you check in to your flight coming to the phils).    You can allow it to auto-cancel after the ticketing deadline.  No need to pay anything .  Malaysia airlines and Cathay Pacific do this with no charge.

I have done similar, but it was not entered into the computer.  When entering the Philippines I had a young and enthusiastic Immigration official who actually plugged the reservation number into his computer and said:  "The computer does not show you booked on this flight".  I looked at him and smiled and shrugged and said "I don't know much about computers so what can I say".  He said:  "Sometimes Cebu Pacific is slow to enter the info into their computers so I will let you enter."

Conclusion:  Be very careful when trying to "beat the system" as it can bite you in the arse.  But many do, successfully do that.  I am no longer one of them.  I pay a few bucks for a throw away ticket and, on occasion I actually use the darn thing :-)

Each to their own, my experience is different every time I enter and/or leave this country so your experience will likely be different too.