Gator

Yes, I only sent a photocopy. You are not required to send originals. But keep in mind that I deemed the balance was more than sufficient to cover my 4 month stay. Although the USPS delivers mail to Germany I cannot say how efficient or reliable it is. A mail forwarding service might be helpful for you. You can use DHL to send your documents to them. Due to the nature of my business I travel extensively and for the past 22 years I have been using the same family owned “mailbox” service. Tomorrow or Wednesday when I get my mail I’ll ask if they offer a mail forwarding service and what the cost would be.

Twat did you say? I c*nt hear you! 🤣

Hello and welcome to the forum. I just received my 9a visa and (hopefully) will be traveling back to the Phils in a few days. Concerning financial capacity, in addition to proving you you won't become a burden they also look at your planned length of stay and if you'll have enough funds to cover it. I'm not aware of any magic number or formula to figure that out. Part of the requirement for getting the visa is a confirmed flight itinerary. In my case my planned stay is about 4 months. I sent the first page from one of my bank accounts which has a balance that is more than sufficient to cover the cost of hotels, etc. I did not include the transactions and I also blacked out my account number.....then made a copy of it and that is what I sent. Back in September I started a thread about weddings via video conference. If you haven't already done so, you might find the information contained in it useful. Here's the link to it: https://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/32991-weddings-via-video-conference/#comment-303962 Do you have any relatives or friends in the USA? The reason I ask is you may want to use their address as a return address for the ROM. Then have your relative or friend DHL it to you. The consulate in San Francisco currently only accepts USPS (United States Postal Service) envelopes for returning the stamped ROM to you (you can use FedEx, UPS or DHL to send to them). You might want to contact the Philippines Embassy in Berlin and ask if they will accept your ROM or if they can help in any way. But don't be surprised if they tell you that you will have to submit the ROM to their consulate in San Francisco as they have jurisdiction over Utah.

Good to know. I’ll be sure to buy some here USA to bring with me.

I don’t know what Brett’s travel plans are, but if he travels directly to Dumaguete after being released from quarantine I’d think the negative test he got would be valid for entry.

Got my booster shot last week, Moderna. First two shots were also Moderna. Soreness in my arm this time felt worse, could barely lift my arm the next day, but by the end of day three the pain was mostly gone. Also this time, the following morning had sever cold chills that lasted about 4-5 hours followed by fatigue.

Yesterday I finally received my passport back from the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC with an approved 9(a) visa in it. Although I requested and included funds for a multiple entry visa, they only approved a single entry one. They did refund me the difference in their fees (30 USD vs 90 USD). The visa takes up a full page in my passport and does include the proper wording about the entry exemption document not being required. To summarize, the entire process from our date of marriage in mid September until I obtained the visa was just shy of 4 months. If I wasn't thrown a curveball by the Embassy about their requirement for a stamped ROM then the time would have been cut by about 3 weeks or more. I could have gotten the documents required for it sooner and sent them the ROM within a day of our wedding. Time was then also lost due to the seasonal holiday closures. One would think that it would be logical that the Embassy would post on their website the requirement that a stamped ROM is required. But then again when did logic ever apply to any government agency. My flight is scheduled for the end of next week. Once I arrive, I'll start a separate thread and post about the bs at the airports, etc.

Seems like the day 5 test is arranged and paid for at the airport in Manila. “Day one” begins the day you arrive in the Phils regardless of the time. WHAT TO DO UPON ARRIVAL Listen to the briefing to be conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard and the airline. Upon deplaning, undergo a temperature check and submit the Health Declaration Form. Verify your quarantine hotel booking with a hotel coordinator and validate your Affidavit of Undertaking. Arrange a hotel transfer if you haven’t yet. There are shuttles or vans available. A separate desk is assigned for coupon and meter taxis. You will be given a color-coded sticker to indicate your choice of transportation to your quarantine hotel. – Red – Pre-arranged hotel transfers – Blue – Shuttles/vans – Yellow – Metered Taxis – Green – Coupon Taxis Proceed to the verification booth where staff will confirm your eCIF data. Pay for your RT-PCR test. The test costs P4,000 and you may pay with cash, card, or through the following online payments: AliPay, WeChat Pay, PayPal, and GCash. After paying, you will receive a sticker indicating that you have a confirmed booking and you have already paid for your test. Affix the sticker on the back of your passport. Clear the Immigration check and submit the Arrival Card. Claim your bags at the designated carousel. Submit your Affidavit of Undertaking and Bureau of Customs Form. Proceed to your arranged transportation to your hotel. https://www.thepoortraveler.net/manila-airport-naia-philippines-requirements-foreigners/amp/ I presume you also got your pre-departure test done already?

The AM just got an update from the power company. It now looks like they won’t have power restored to their village until April or May. The power company blames it on a lack of manpower and materials as well as priorities. It seems small mountain villages are the last on the list. Any recommendations for rechargeable solar powered lamps? Where to find, brands, etc. Just for indoor use for a few hours per night ……instead of burning oil lamps and using candles. AM says what’s on Lazada are mostly overpriced junk.

She had an appointment and when she showed up that’s what she was told. Made a second appointment, went back and the clinic was closed…..no staff. Of course they didn’t inform anyone of the closing nor did they inform anyone of an alternate location. She’s now waiting for a new location to open and also trying inline to find somewhere else to go, but with the new lockdown in place it’ll be that much harder.

A friend in Angeles just informed me that soon those who are unvaccinated will essentially be restricted to their homes. They will only be allowed out to perform essential duties, such as food shopping, to/from work and other essential activities (not defined, but presumably to seek medical attention, etc) https://www.rappler.com/nation/unvaccinated-people-metro-manila-prohibited-going-outside/ https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/01/05/2151972/ncr-lgus-approve-ordinances-restricting-mobility-unvaccinated-amid-covid-19-surge I just wonder if this will lead to more lockdowns and how they plan to enforce it? In addition, she told me she's been trying to get vaccinated, but keeps getting told "no stock". So how can the government put such regulations in place when they don't have enough vaccine for those who want it? It also makes me wonder if this will spread nationwide. I wouldn't be surprised if Cebu (or at least Cebu City) soon follows suit.

For the same reason I booked with PAL. I took a look on flight tracker and it seems they have the fewest cancellations. Plus if it does cancel, I’ll still be in the USA and can easily get a room near the airport and await the next flight.

Yes, she’ll next “suggest” to leave it until mid February, hang hearts from it and not take it down until after Vagina day ……oooops, meant Valentine’s Day.

Quite true. Seems like they’re focusing on the larger population centers and leaving those in the provinces to fend for themselves. AM tells me that ppl in her mountain community have been getting water from the head of a nearby river. They were told power (needed also for the water pumps) might not be restored until sometime in February. Power was mostly restored along the coastal road and in Ginatilan, but she’s only been to south to Santander (to collect a remittence I sent) and a little north to where the first bridge to Moalboal was washed out.

The link you posted was as of Aug 4, 2021. It has been updated several times since then. As far I’m aware this link is to the most recent list: https://onehealthpass.com.ph/quarantinehotels/ Tropicana Suites is number 415