Renewing 38 Day Tourist Visa And Next 2 Month Extension At Same Time

[jojones]

Might be a bit specific this question but I'll give it a shot:

Its flooding in manila and the Immigration Office is closed. Do you think it will be OK to overstay and just go to the immigration office a week before the next 38 days is up? As far as I can see I will just have to pay the 500 peso fine which is cool with me as it saves one trip going to the IO. If I go tomorrow they may fine me anyway (not sure if they will let me off with the floods or not).

Thanks.

ps. some visa exit clearance tips I have to share:

Exit clearance visa was not asked for when I left Clark airport last year.

Exit clearance visa was needed from NAIA but they just told me to pay at the side desk- I think it was just 500 Pesos extra and saved hours and expense of going to the IO. So I will never get an exit clearance again as it will save loads of time to just get it at the airport. Plus you get to skip the long queue at NAIA.

[Jim Sibbick]

I am fairly sure that flooding now will not be an excuse. They will tell you that you have already had 21 days since landing to arrange the extension and will want to know why you didn't already do it?

As for fines. It is by the month, not by the day so the monetary fine will be the same, so long as you do it within a month.

Officially the fine will be P510 motion for consideration plus P500 fine per month plus P3030 for the 38 day extension plus a letter explaining the over stay plus a meeting with a senior immigration official to explain the over stay personally if you are 10 days over stay.

What can happen in reality can vary a lot.

Are you able to travel out of Manila or planning to travel anywhere besides Manila? There are immigration offices all over the country.

There is no problem with flooding in Cebu. Not eveing raining! If you take a trip to Cebu City, you can renew at the Cebu office.

Your exit clearance tips are no help if you don't indicate how long you were in the Philippines. The exit clerance (emigration clearance certificate) is not required unless you have been in the Philippines for longer than 6 months.

[jojones]

My girlfriend called immigration yesterday and they were open surprisingly. They said it was not busy so we stupidly went- big mistake lol. Getting there was fine. Getting home to Makati was a nightmare. We had to take 2 long peddle trike journeys in thigh high and waste high filthy water. Quite an adventure actually but it took all day with loads of waiting around. Anyway, maybe I'll try this next time I enter the country.

Regarding the exit clearance. They said you need them if you stay longer than 6 months. The first time I left I had been here maybe 16-18 months, the second time a year. When I went to get one in Manila it took 3 hours waiting around plus travel time, so there is no way I'm bothering next time regardless of how long I stay.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Regarding the exit clearance . . . there is no way I'm bothering next time regardless of how long I stay.

That'll be an interesting story. Be sure to inform the forum how that went for you. Many of us believe they will not even let you into the secure area without it, so a test case would be fascinating.

[jojones]

Regarding the exit clearance . . . there is no way I'm bothering next time regardless of how long I stay.

That'll be an interesting story. Be sure to inform the forum how that went for you. Many of us believe they will not even let you into the secure area without it, so a test case would be fascinating.

I didn't have an exit clearance last time after an 11+ month stay. They just told me to go to the side counter where I had it done, no questions asked in 2 minutes. I believe I paid 500 pesos extra for this (maybe 2k total?). Next time I will go straight to the side counter and that will also save a long wait in the standard immigration line. I did say to the first lady that I thought I only needed it after a year but she wasn't bothered. That side counter had the rudest staff member ever on a previous trip- she said "go away" while shooing me to the main line before I'd even opened my mouth. This time I just said I need an exit clearance and nothing else was said by either of us until she handed me back the passport and pointed me toward the officials line with one person in the queue= easy.

[MikeB]

Regarding the exit clearance . . . there is no way I'm bothering next time regardless of how long I stay.

That'll be an interesting story. Be sure to inform the forum how that went for you. Many of us believe they will not even let you into the secure area without it, so a test case would be fascinating.

I didn't have an exit clearance last time after an 11+ month stay. They just told me to go to the side counter where I had it done, no questions asked in 2 minutes. I believe I paid 500 pesos extra for this (maybe 2k total?). Next time I will go straight to the side counter and that will also save a long wait in the standard immigration line. I did say to the first lady that I thought I only needed it after a year but she wasn't bothered. That side counter had the rudest staff member ever on a previous trip- she said "go away" while shooing me to the main line before I'd even opened my mouth. This time I just said I need an exit clearance and nothing else was said by either of us until she handed me back the passport and pointed me toward the officials line with one person in the queue= easy.

I think you're taking a chance. My understanding is only those with a resident visa can do this at the airport. Maybe next time they'll tell you to go to immigration and miss your flight=not easy.

[jojones]

I'll try and remember to come back and post next time. I really can't see them turning me away as I bet loads of people are ignorant about the exit clearance.

[Jim Sibbick]

I really can't see them turning me away as I bet loads of people are ignorant about the exit clearance.

They can and they have, in the past. I know of people who have missed their flight

So, I am eagerly awaiting the outcome too!

[newboy]

I went last week to the BOI in Makati with a one week overstay and no questions were asked. I considered staying the full month over as I was paying the fine anyway, but thought better of it. Also the total that you need to pay is 1000 not 500, as they add another 500 fee in there too.

That total is excluding what you'll need to pay for your visa depending on how long you've been here.

Edited August 10, 2012 by newboy

[jojones]

Thanks for sharing newboy. I think its worth it for 1k but not 2k which is what I'm guessing it will cost for standard 2 months renewals.

Interesting that people have been turned away with no exit clearance. I'm leaving February probably, so that will be just over 6 months- just over the limit so will risk it (might not of though if it had been much longer after hearing they may turn away). Might go from Clark too so will be interesting to see if they really didn't check it last time or if they have it stored electronically from a passport scan.