13A Visa

[ancienrocka]

I just got my 13A here in New Zealand. Had to do a full medical including chest x-ray. It is only good for 12 months. The Philippine embassy issued it but put all my documents into a sealed bag which I must hand to Immigration at Manila Airport.

It looks like I will only have a probationary visa even though I got it in NZ.

I believe you will be granted full PR status but you need to take the bag with your medical details to Quarantine before you go to Immigration to have the stamp put in your passport.

Because of the nature of our business, we don't have any dealings with 13a from overseas but I believe this is the procedure.

[jeff bradshaw]

Hi. My Filipina wife an I leave the country once each year on a 'Visa renewal' trip and I am given the 'Balikbayan' stamp on re-entry. So far no problems and the immigration officers are usually courteous and normally ask why I don't employ 10 filipinos so that I can  get a free business visa to allow me to work and go in/out as much as I want. I never ask for this, they seem to just ask it. Anyway, A digression....

 

I have been doing this for some years now but need to now consider what happens when I travel out of the country on my own. I do not want to take the risk of being turned back without an onward ticket and being treated like a tourist no matter how many Balikbayan stamps I have i my passport. The ensuing costs of the 13A visa are easy to find on the BOI website, but something I am unsure of.... So I apply for the 13A and am given the 1year probationary visa, during that period I apply and get the ACRi card and say I want to travel on my own during that initial period...I have to go all the way back to the BOI and pay a p2,880 fee for first time issuance of the exit clearance and re-entry permit so it seems. If I was to travel a second time I would only have to pay p2710 (Is that to be paid at the airport this time?). What I do not understand is Why I should have to pay any fee at all to leave/re-enter the country once I have an ACRi card. It last for 5years and I might travel overseas numerous times during that period costing me alot in additonal fees each time. With cheap flight deals easy to pick up in advance it seems to me that the 13A offers nothing as I can leave on my own and just buy my wife a cheap flight to meet me in say Bangkok and come back in as Balikbayan again and we get another holiday together outside of the Phils.

 

Maybe I am so used to being a British national and being used to travel almost anywhere entering and leaving free of charge and not got used to these extra costs yet?

 

Jeff

[MikeB]

I have been doing this for some years now but need to now consider what happens when I travel out of the country on my own. I do not want to take the risk of being turned back without an onward ticket and being treated like a tourist no matter how many Balikbayan stamps I have i my passport.  

According to BI Commissioner David, a Balikbayan stamp is in the same category and status as a tourist visa.

[KiwiPacific]

Hi,

 

Greetings, I am from New Zealand. I recently married a Filipino citizen in the Philippines. Would be most grateful if someone can assist me with the following,

 

a) I plan to apply for the 13a visa from the Philippine embassy in New Zealand. I am a young professional, so I don't have a house or pension on my own name, but have some savings that is sufficient to invest in a good small business in the Philippines. Could someone give an estimated figure that is expected for "proof of financial capacity" in US $ or NZ $  that would be required for the application ?

 

b) If the 13a is issued from New Zealand, which would be permanent from what I understand not probationary, would I still need to arrive into the Philippines on a tourist visa, cross the immigration and then go to the qurantine office and BI office inside the Philippines to "activate" the visa? or Can it be done at the airport, before reaching the immigration officer at the counter?

 

Would be most grateful if someone can guide me on the above two.

 

Cheers

[Mike S]

Wish I could help but unfortunately i know nothing about what New Zeland requires as far as 13a's go ..... here in the Phils they just added a few new requirements to the process from when I got mine more than 4 years ago so i will be up for ACR I card renewal pretty soon and will wait to see what changes they make on that ......  I hope another Kiwi can help you or maybe someone who knows .... :cheersty:

[i am bob]

There is no actual amount listed for the Financial Requirement.  I believe it will depend on the person you speak to during your interview if he believes that, between you and your wife, you will be financial sufficient.  I have been told that often going in for your interview well dressed will make a difference.  I don't know how much you have saved but keep as much of it in the bank as  you can.  I have heard some say US$10k is a good amount while others say a couple thousand is sufficient.  I wouldn't trust either amount to be correct but just go with what ever you can scrounge and save up with.  Maybe borrow some from your parents or family and give it back after your 13a is approved?  Some say that has to be a Philippine bank while others say any bank is sufficient.  I would call the BI office and ask before you do the interview so you can transfer it if they demand the money be in a Philippine bank.  One thing to consider - with a 13a Visa, you are entitled to work in the Philippines.  Just don't expect to make more than a couple pesos a day.  And, no!  I don't give work advise - or I wouldn't have been sitting here trying to get back to work for the last year myself!

 

As for obtaining a Permanent 13a Visa right off, that I cannot say.  That I would ask the embassy or call the BI office in the Philippines to confirm.  If you are going to get your 13a before you move to the Philippines, you should have it in your hand when you arrive, will you not?  If so, why would you need to get the Tourist Visa?  Regardless,  you are still good for 21 days so if that is the way they decide to do it, then go for it.  I would immediately get it changed before leaving the airport - just to save another trip.  

[Mike S]

As for obtaining a Permanent 13a Visa right off, that I cannot say.

 

I have heard that if you apply and get a 13a in another country you do not need to get the 1 year temporary 13a visa that they issue you here ...... but as I said I got mine here so had to get the temporary one first .... :cheersty:

[ducecoop]

There is no actual amount listed for the Financial Requirement.  I believe it will depend on the person you speak to during your interview if he believes that, between you and your wife, you will be financial sufficient.  I have been told that often going in for your interview well dressed will make a difference.  I don't know how much you have saved but keep as much of it in the bank as  you can.  I have heard some say US$10k is a good amount while others say a couple thousand is sufficient.  I wouldn't trust either amount to be correct but just go with what ever you can scrounge and save up with.  Maybe borrow some from your parents or family and give it back after your 13a is approved?  Some say that has to be a Philippine bank while others say any bank is sufficient.  I would call the BI office and ask before you do the interview so you can transfer it if they demand the money be in a Philippine bank.  One thing to consider - with a 13a Visa, you are entitled to work in the Philippines.  Just don't expect to make more than a couple pesos a day.  And, no!  I don't give work advise - or I wouldn't have been sitting here trying to get back to work for the last year myself!

 

As for obtaining a Permanent 13a Visa right off, that I cannot say.  That I would ask the embassy or call the BI office in the Philippines to confirm.  If you are going to get your 13a before you move to the Philippines, you should have it in your hand when you arrive, will you not?  If so, why would you need to get the Tourist Visa?  Regardless,  you are still good for 21 days so if that is the way they decide to do it, then go for it.  I would immediately get it changed before leaving the airport - just to save another trip.  

Bob, I had heard 1000 a month but maybe that was for something else. will the amount need to be higher if children are involved (children of the filipina)?

I am finding that my retirement income is going to be very hard to survive on and I am going to need to find a source of income, but can't really work here without the 13a. Catch22 :(

[Markham]

There is no actual amount listed for the Financial Requirement.  I believe it will depend on the person you speak to during your interview if he believes that, between you and your wife, you will be financial sufficient.  I have been told that often going in for your interview well dressed will make a difference.  I don't know how much you have saved but keep as much of it in the bank as  you can.  I have heard some say US$10k is a good amount while others say a couple thousand is sufficient.  I wouldn't trust either amount to be correct but just go with what ever you can scrounge and save up with.  Maybe borrow some from your parents or family and give it back after your 13a is approved?  Some say that has to be a Philippine bank while others say any bank is sufficient.  I would call the BI office and ask before you do the interview so you can transfer it if they demand the money be in a Philippine bank.  One thing to consider - with a 13a Visa, you are entitled to work in the Philippines.  Just don't expect to make more than a couple pesos a day.  And, no!  I don't give work advise - or I wouldn't have been sitting here trying to get back to work for the last year myself!

 

As for obtaining a Permanent 13a Visa right off, that I cannot say.  That I would ask the embassy or call the BI office in the Philippines to confirm.  If you are going to get your 13a before you move to the Philippines, you should have it in your hand when you arrive, will you not?  If so, why would you need to get the Tourist Visa?  Regardless,  you are still good for 21 days so if that is the way they decide to do it, then go for it.  I would immediately get it changed before leaving the airport - just to save another trip.  

Bob, I had heard 1000 a month but maybe that was for something else. will the amount need to be higher if children are involved (children of the filipina)?

I am finding that my retirement income is going to be very hard to survive on and I am going to need to find a source of income, but can't really work here without the 13a. Catch22 :(

When I arrived here in mid-2007, the exchange rate for Pounds Sterling was Php 99, it is now 58/59 and I'm told that this is likely to worsen with a predicted rate of 50 by the end of the year. Because OFWs remit huge amounts of foreign currency annually, it is in the Central Bank's interest to maintain artificially high rates of exchange - never mind the fact that this policy deters foreign investments.

 

It is now cheaper for my wife, son and I to live in Europe than here as there is very little fluctuation between the Euro and Sterling.

[i am bob]

Bob, I had heard 1000 a month but maybe that was for something else. will the amount need to be higher if children are involved (children of the filipina)?

 

I can't answer that because, as I said above, it seems to depend on who the person in BI you talk to is and what they think.  Perhaps you could try to contact the BI office and ask them if there is anything in writing or if they have any recommendations...  And make sure you get their name and position - and their BI phone number or email address in case they say one thing and somebody else insists on something more costly.