Latest on Visas per the San Francisco Consulate

[DaveB]

HK Blues Said "The theory sounds good but I wonder how they'll view documents obtained in another country i.e. police clearance and medical check.    It would be more normal to gather all the documents in a particular place and apply for the visa in that same place.  

I'm not saying it will be a problem but you never know."  (I repeat that here because I screwed up the quote grab function on the forum).

Good points, which have nagged at me a bit.  I'm fairly comfortable with the police clearance, because the application says it is supposed to be from where I lived the last five years - which is here.  I'm less comfortable with the medical side.  At the worst, they may require me to repeat all the medical screening.  The application says it has to be less than 6 months old, so hope it's OK, but maybe they'll expect some standard Philippine looking report with specific format and content.  Whatever.  If they push back, I'll just go get what they need.  Gonna be interesting.  It's all part of the adventure.  Just gonna keep trying things until something works.  With everything in such a crazy state of flux, all I can do is jump in and sort it out as I go.

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

Yesterdays rules announced. Also at this point some flights are not going to Manila but rerouted to Cebu according to announcements by airlines. 

   

[Jollygoodfellow]

Also

PRESS RELEASE
04 August 2020
BI Main Office scales down operations;
suspends online appointment scheme
MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that starting today, 04 August 2020, it is temporarily suspending its online appointment system for foreign clients at the agency's main office in Intramuros, Manila due to the reimposition of the modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.
In a public advisory, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente advised clients with confirmed appointments from August 3 to 18 may just reapply for new schedules to transact at the bureau after the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) is lifted.
Morente explained that suspending the online scheme was necessary because the BI will revert to maintaining a skeletal workforce at its main office while MECQ is in effect.
Nonetheless, the BI Chief disclosed that the online appointment system will remain open to foreigners who are scheduled and are intending to leave the Philippines during the MECQ period.
He said the system will continue to reserve slots for departing aliens who need to secure their Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC), re-entry permit and update their extension fees.
However, he said that outbound foreigners should present their confirmed flight bookings or plane tickets prior to entering the bureau's premises.
According to the advisory, the following transactions at the main office are suspended:
- applications for conversion to or renewal of immigrant visa;
- petition for recognition as Philippine citizens, including Republic Act 9225 or the dual citizenship law;
- downgrading of visa status;
- tourist visa extension;
- special work permits (SWP) and provisional permit to work (PPW);
- renewal of alien certificate of registration (ACR I-Cards); and,
- implementation of applications for visa conversion or extension approved by the Bureau's Board of Commissioners (BOC).
The BI further advised departing aliens under tourist visa, who overstayed in the country for not more than six months, to just pay their visa extension fees at the airport.

[Yeochief]

18 hours ago, Heeb said:

Were you with your wife when the gave you the one year Balikbayan stamp?

Yes.  Olivia showed our marriage certificate.  I know of one man who was traveling without his wife and had a copy of his marriage certificate.

[Heeb]

20 minutes ago, Yeochief said:

Yes.  Olivia showed our marriage certificate.  I know of one man who was traveling without his wife and had a copy of his marriage certificate.

Okay thanks, I won’t be traveling with my wife so I probably won’t get the Balikbayan visa stamp, I will have a copy of our marriage certificate and her dual citizenship document.

[hk blues]

11 hours ago, DaveB said:

HK Blues Said "The theory sounds good but I wonder how they'll view documents obtained in another country i.e. police clearance and medical check.    It would be more normal to gather all the documents in a particular place and apply for the visa in that same place.  

I'm not saying it will be a problem but you never know."  (I repeat that here because I screwed up the quote grab function on the forum).

Good points, which have nagged at me a bit.  I'm fairly comfortable with the police clearance, because the application says it is supposed to be from where I lived the last five years - which is here.  I'm less comfortable with the medical side.  At the worst, they may require me to repeat all the medical screening.  The application says it has to be less than 6 months old, so hope it's OK, but maybe they'll expect some standard Philippine looking report with specific format and content.  Whatever.  If they push back, I'll just go get what they need.  Gonna be interesting.  It's all part of the adventure.  Just gonna keep trying things until something works.  With everything in such a crazy state of flux, all I can do is jump in and sort it out as I go.

 

Yep...the medical stuff was what I was mostly thinking of.  I don't believe there is a standard format for the report, as long as you get the required tests and reports I would imagine it SHOULD be ok but I know how they can be here - I had to redo the urine test when I got here for no good reason.  That was despite already having the 13A in my passport from Hong Kong.  

[Tommy T.]

Brief update for SRRV holders...

Not good news. I went to PRA to pick up my card and payment receipt. The local director was there and I asked him about whether there have been any changes for SRRV holders wishing to return to the Philippines. He shook his head sadly and said that, in spite of lobbying from PRA, those visa holders are still not permitted to travel here right now... And he could not offer any promise for the near future. He was clearly disappointed.

[DaveB]

It kinda puzzles me how the government has dug its heels in regarding people who want to just live there.  I can see some concern over just opening the country for all tourism while trying to keep a lid on the pandemic.  But people wanting to reside there, having gone through the entry screening, should be something that would benefit the country.  In the first place, it's not like opening the borders to a ground swell of people.  Second, the majority of potential residents are coming in with an income stream, especially retirees.  You'd think at a time when the economic hits are severe, that by itself would be welcome.  For now, just gotta roll with it and keep telling myself "this too shall pass".  At least the door's open a bit for us "spouse of Philippine citizen" types.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, DaveB said:

It kinda puzzles me how the government has dug its heels in regarding people who want to just live there. 

The Phili[ppine politicians are a strange bunch.  When I was trying to leave in February they would not allow their citizens to leave the country.  It was only hours before our flight was leaving that someone with sense decided that did not apply to Filipinas with permanent resident status in another country.  Nail biting times.

[Yeochief]

27 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

The Phili[ppine politicians are a strange bunch. 

So are the ones in the United States.  We keep reelecting the same ones and we expect different results, not going to happen.