Expired visa question

[Polchasa]

Can anyone (on tourist visa) who's paid their expired visas this month tell me, are they charging regular price or adding express (+1000) visa fees?

And if express and you had two missed extensions, was it PHP1000 extra on each visa (PHP2000 more in total) or just once for all the processing (PHP1000 more in total)?

While I'm posting, does anyone know the correct price of a visa waiver (first 29 days)? A few years back I was charged 3140 + 1000 express, but on the BI site [link] (dated 2014) it says 3030 including express fee, and this Tripadvisor post [link] says the price is 3030-3140 depending on the office used, which seems unlikely, but anything is possible in PH.

 

[Old55]

Welcome to the forum Polchasa. I moved your question into its own topic so you will get specific answers. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Polchasa said:

this Tripadvisor post

Your trip advisor link is 3 years old.  Everything is fluid since Covid 19 hit.  Things change from day to day so you will have to take your chances when they are open and pay what they ask.  Some offices have been insisting on appointments.

[Hobbit112]

4 hours ago, Polchasa said:

Can anyone (on tourist visa) who's paid their expired visas this month tell me, are they charging regular price or adding express (+1000) visa fees?

And if express and you had two missed extensions, was it PHP1000 extra on each visa (PHP2000 more in total) or just once for all the processing (PHP1000 more in total)?

While I'm posting, does anyone know the correct price of a visa waiver (first 29 days)? A few years back I was charged 3140 + 1000 express, but on the BI site [link] (dated 2014) it says 3030 including express fee, and this Tripadvisor post [link] says the price is 3030-3140 depending on the office used, which seems unlikely, but anything is possible in PH.

 

I was not charged an express fee for my expired visa.  However I WAS charged an express fee to extend, no option as I did ask for non-express fee.

Depending on when your first expired visa expired you may be charged a penalty.

[scott h]

13 minutes ago, Hobbit112 said:

no option as I did ask for non-express fee.

Several years ago, i asked about the "express line fee" and was told it is just their way of titling the fee to pay for over time so the workers do not take a lunch hour, hence the "no noon time break" signs. 

Just one of those things about Filipino English. Like "fall in line" and quirky things like that. 

[Polchasa]

4 hours ago, Old55 said:

Welcome to the forum Polchasa. I moved your question into its own topic so you will get specific answers. 

Thanks. I wasn't sure on the policy of new threads vs using older/existing threads, though I did think it might not get noticed there, so I appreciate this.

20 minutes ago, Hobbit112 said:

I was not charged an express fee for my expired visa.  However I WAS charged an express fee to extend, no option as I did ask for non-express fee.

You mean you asked for regular processing for an upcoming expiry/extension but they refused and only offered express?

I was wondering whether that was going to be normal policy now (express only) since they may prefer people are in and out on the same day and not showing up randomly later for pickup. (And it gives them a reason/excuse to charge everyone the fee again, like they used to.)

Thanks for your answer.

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, Polchasa said:

Thanks. I wasn't sure on the policy of new threads vs using older/existing threads, though I did think it might not get noticed there, so I appreciate this.

You mean you asked for regular processing for an upcoming expiry/extension but they refused and only offered express?

I was wondering whether that was going to be normal policy now (express only) since they may prefer people are in and out on the same day and not showing up randomly later for pickup. (And it gives them a reason/excuse to charge everyone the fee again, like they used to.)

Thanks for your answer.

I don't think "express" actually means anything - pretty much everything attracts the express fee and it's not optional! 

[Hobbit112]

20 hours ago, Polchasa said:

Thanks. I wasn't sure on the policy of new threads vs using older/existing threads, though I did think it might not get noticed there, so I appreciate this.

You mean you asked for regular processing for an upcoming expiry/extension but they refused and only offered express?

I was wondering whether that was going to be normal policy now (express only) since they may prefer people are in and out on the same day and not showing up randomly later for pickup. (And it gives them a reason/excuse to charge everyone the fee again, like they used to.)

Thanks for your answer.

They would do regular processing to bring your visa current, however, if they brought my visa current at that time it would be valid for only 1 week before it would expire, so they extended my visa for 3 months and charged the express fee. As I understand, the BI is only doing 2 month extensions at this time. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 6/26/2020 at 5:19 AM, Polchasa said:

Can anyone (on tourist visa) who's paid their expired visas this month tell me, are they charging regular price or adding express (+1000) visa fees?

I can confirm that express fee is charged as per normal for visas that couldn't be done during quarantine. No late charges as they said; just what would have been the same if it had of been done on time.