3 Year Visa Period before Leaving Country.

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insite
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Given that presently those on a tourist visa cannot leave the country and return and that after three years of not having left one is required to do so regardless under the current legislation , how are members here with this predicament handling the situation ?

Are extensions available and if so what is the procedure ?

 

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Jack Peterson
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Posted
13 minutes ago, insite said:

Given that presently those on a tourist visa cannot leave the country and return and that after three years of not having left one is required to do so regardless under the current legislation , how are members here with this predicament handling the situation ?

Are extensions available and if so what is the procedure ?

 

 A member has recently done it so I have Tagged him to see if he is willing to tell you

@Eddie1

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Eddie1
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11 hours ago, insite said:

Given that presently those on a tourist visa cannot leave the country and return and that after three years of not having left one is required to do so regardless under the current legislation , how are members here with this predicament handling the situation ?

Are extensions available and if so what is the procedure ?

 

Whilst it is generally true that Tourist Visa (9A) holders cannot leave the country and then return there are a few exceptions to the rules.  If you are married but have not yet obtained a 13A Visa (Resident that is free to come and go) OR you are a parent (Married or not) of a Filipino Child (Minor) you can leave the Philippines and then return by obtaining a Tourist Visa (9A) by providing proof of your marriage or proof of parenthood (Marriage Certificate/Birth Certificate etc). These are exempted from the current restrictions of no tourists allowed to enter the Philippines. The application for the 9A can be carried out from any country that has a Philippine Embassy, it does not have to be from your country of residence but it has to be done outside of the Philippines so that you have an actual Visa stamped into your passport before your arrival in the Phils.

With regards to extensions once the 3 year allowance on a Tourist Visa is reached :-   As you approach the 3 year limit the only way to extend, and it is certainly not guaranteed, is to apply to the Commissioner of Bureau of Immigration, Manila. via a form known as a Motion of Reconsideration.  This form has to be processed using an Attorney.

An overview of the actual process that I experienced.   I chose a local Attorney and then provided him with as much information about myself and my family as per my reasons not to leave the Philippines after my 3 years. Generally I made it clear that travelling was very difficult and potentially dangerous at the moment due to the Covid situation not just here in the Phils but globally. My missus and I have 2 kids, one of 9 years old and the other one is just 1 year old, apart from not wanting to leave them for an unknown amount of time it also would be incredibly challenging for my partner to be alone with them, unable to get to town for shopping etc, as we all know kids are not allowed out at the moment so cant take them out and cant leave them at home alone.  Anyway, the Attorney put together my application and forwarded it to the office of the Commissioner in Manila, one set of paperwork sent electronically and the other hardcopy via LBC.    After about 6 weeks I received a text message to attend the BI here in Dumaguete. Once there I was informed that I was successful in my application and I would be granted an extension. Until that point the BI at Duma said they had only issued a few extensions of 2 months duration using the Motion of Reconsideration process. I was given 6 months, I almost danced out of there, lol.  Apparently it was the first 6 month extension they had been authorized to issue from the Office of the Commissioner. Why was I lucky? Not really sure but it did highlight that I was a Senior and that I am the Father of Filipino Children. 

The Cost :-  6 months extension plus a new ACR i card was 10,500 peso.  'Fines' etc for overstaying my 3 years was 25,000 peso.   Attorneys fees 1,000 peso. Motion of Reconsideration Form 510 peso.    Definitely not cheap and everybody would have to make their own minds up if would be worthwhile.  For me I was delighted, I get to be here for my Missus birthday, Christmas and New Year and also my son's 2nd birthday in the New Year. I also did not want to be going to Europe just in time for winter.  As per usual the staff at the Immigration here in Duma was first rate, very helpful and as professional as ever.

A couple of points I should make. If you are unlucky enough to only be awarded 1 month or 2 month Visa extension you still have to pay the 25,000 peso fines. Now that is then very expensive.  

I happened to be at the BI here in Duma earlier today to collect my ACR i Card. The staff there recognized me and were telling me that almost all Motion of Reconsideration's are being refused in Manila. Again they were really stressing to me how lucky I had been in getting a 6 month extension. I was on FB yesterday and saw that a guy had been to J Mall in Cebu City and had been fined 25,000 peso for overstaying and given 30 days to leave the country. Ouch!!

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Dave Hounddriver
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2 hours ago, Eddie1 said:

Again they were really stressing to me how lucky I had been in getting a 6 month extension.

Did you bring them donuts :whistling:  Its never too late for donuts.

Congrats on the 6 months.  With luck this Covid situation will be well in hand around the globe by then.

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insite
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I suppose one could crossover into an SSRV for the few months ( or longer as necessary ) it takes to have the boarders open again and new tourist visas being issued and assuming " genuine " retirement visas are still being issued.

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Eddie1
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59 minutes ago, insite said:

I suppose one could crossover into an SSRV for the few months ( or longer as necessary ) it takes to have the boarders open again and new tourist visas being issued and assuming " genuine " retirement visas are still being issued.

Good luck with that. All new SRRV's requests have been suspended by the government and will remain so for the immediate future.  

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Eddie1
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19 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Did you bring them donuts :whistling:  Its never too late for donuts.

Congrats on the 6 months.  With luck this Covid situation will be well in hand around the globe by then.

I thought about it Dave, guess it's not too late, lol.   The 6 months was a blessing mate, really didn't want to be travelling anywhere at this moment in time. Yeh, hopefully the Covid situation will have improved significantly by early April when I will take off for a while. 

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