Latest on Visas per the San Francisco Consulate

[hk blues]

14 hours ago, Huggybearman said:

In my experience I found it  easier to apply for the 13A whilst in the Philippines.

 

I did mine in Hong Kong so cannot compare with doing it here obviously, but it was a painless process there. The big advantage was no probationary so permanent from day 1 saving a lot hassle and money in the long run. 

[softail]

 

RE:  Processing Visa

I would like to apply for a 13A visa. Are you currently processing visa applications?

This visa application/category is temporarily suspended.

Sincerely,


VISA SECTION

Philippine Consulate General

447 Sutter Street, 6th Floor

San Francisco, CA, 94108

Website: www.philippinessanfrancisco.org

Like us: https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF

Follow us: https://twitter.com/PHinSF

________________________________________

I just received this reply from the Philippine Embassy in San Francisco 
 

[Huggybearman]

10 hours ago, hk blues said:

I did mine in Hong Kong so cannot compare with doing it here obviously, but it was a painless process there. The big advantage was no probationary so permanent from day 1 saving a lot hassle and money in the long run. 

I do hear what you say. I did consider doing it when I was last in the UK. Having researched it, and realized that in my case it would require two visits (at least) to the Philippine Embassy in London, that would have entailed two long, and expensive, return rail journeys, plus two overnights in a hotel. That would be a minimum of four days faffing around just visiting the embassy.  I would also have had to get the medical and police checks. The advantage, as you say, would be a permanent 13A from day one.

As my local BI (which is less than 30 minutes from me) can accept 13A applications the process was very straightforward with minimum inconvenience. As the BI office is in one of the larger malls here, it was easily combined with a regular shopping trip. The most time consuming part was the NBI clearance which took less than an hour. 
Of course it wouldn’t be nearly as convenient if I had to travel any distance to a BI office, possibly on another island but as I mentioned, my experience, like yours was quite painless.

In view of the uncertainties experienced by the OP regarding the current limited or non existent services offered by Philippine embassies and consulates abroad, it’s certainly another option worth considering by the OP.

 

[graham59]

9 hours ago, softail said:

This visa application/category is temporarily suspended.

But...WHY ?  

What nonsense. 

[Heeb]

I received this response yesterday, I didn’t specify what type of visa I was applying for:

RE:  Visa

Pursuant to Resolution No. 60 of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and EFFECTIVE 9 AUGUST 2020, the following shall be required to secure the appropriate visas in order to be allowed entry into the Philippines:

1. Foreign spouses of Filipino nationals, regardless of nationality;
2. Foreign minor children, and foreign children with special needs regardless of age, of Filipino nationals; and
3. Foreign parents of minor Filipino children and of Filipino children with special needs regardless of age.

Kindly scan and email the following documents for evaluation to visa@philippinessanfrancisco.org:

1. Foreign spouses and parents/children should also show proof of marriage or filiation (marriage certificate or birth certificate).
2. Together with proof of citizenship of the Filipino spouse or parent/child and proof that the Filipino spouse or parent/child will be traveling with them or is living in the Philippines. (Valid passport, IDs. etc)
3. Applicant’s valid passport

Thank you.


Sincerely,


VISA SECTION

Philippine Consulate General

447 Sutter Street, 6th Floor

San Francisco, CA, 94108

Website: www.philippinessanfrancisco.org

Like us: https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF

Follow us: https://twitter.com/PHinSF
 

[DaveB]

That email reply  from the Frisco Consulate is exactly the one I got.  It's almost like they are checking to see if you are valid - maybe going to provide some authentication to take with you?  I, too, asked if they are back to processing 13As.  I hadn't got a response to that so far, but I note the response Softail got back: "This visa application/category is temporarily suspended."  Discouraging.   Confusing, too, since I have an email from the Embassy in DC telling me to go to the Consulate in Frisco and apply for visas there, now that they're open.

I have the entire packet ready to go except for the final sign off from my doctor on their form.  I wanted to get the visa here in the states because everything is at hand and easy to work, and I don't have to deal with the 1 year probationary period.  And I've also been told by the Embassy I can just file in Philippines.  I'm OK with that.  The bigger dilemma for us trying to immigrate these days is just how the heck we get IN to the Philippines in the first place.  The answer to that just keeps changing.  So...I'll now go ahead and scan the documents they request, and I'll see what the heck they do with them.

[Jollygoodfellow]

51 minutes ago, DaveB said:

That email reply  from the Frisco Consulate is exactly the one I got.  It's almost like they are checking to see if you are valid -

The Email reply is exactly what they and we have been posting in a few topics except you got an Email address to forward to . Yes its been pointed out several times they want proof of a relationship and the rest. You might have seen that the BI said they have turned some away for claiming their married but had no proof.

[Heeb]

Well I’m going to give it a try today, I’ll keep you all posted.

[softail]

CONSULATE INFORMATION

Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco
447 Sutter Street, 
San Francisco, CA 94108

Consular Service Hours:
All IN-PERSON applications are suspended from 23 July 2020 until further notice. All appointments from 23 July 2020 are cancelled. Please see announcements for details

[DaveB]

I've actually had a couple decent email exchanges with one of the immigration officials in the Frisco Consulate.  Punchline: they WILL issue a 9A tourist visa, good for 6 months.  If you go on the Consulate's website, you see the application form and instructions.  They are set up to work it entirely by mail.   The application requires, among other things, that you send in your passport.  I'm always a bit nervous sending someone my passport - especially since the USPS these days is in a bit of a slowdown, but I'll go for it if I have to.  I did send them a note today about whether they could deal with it in person at the Consulate, but I think I already know the answer. 

The documents they referred to in their original email were like a subset of what's needed for the 9A.  Still don't know why they wanted scanned copies of those - whether they were testing validity before they bother with you, or were giving you a subset of documents to find - though it's weird they wanted them sent as email attachments.  But I sent them to see what would happen, and what I got back was "apply for 9A".  I also got back verification that they still can NOT processing 13A visas, and don't know when they will be allowed to do so. (That's weird to me too.  The 13A submission is so much more rigorous, you'd think it would be the one that they prefer - answers ALL the questions).

So...soon as I buy my plane tickets (they want to see a round trip ticket, as usual), I'll throw my hat into the 9A ring, get to the Philippines, and work the 13A from there.... unless they change their mind again in the next couple weeks.