Requesting help RE relocation to Cebu/Mactan during covid - several questions

[KenM]

Greetings! It's great to find a forum of expats living in the Philippines. I realize some of my questions may have been covered in different areas over time. But covid may have changed things. If anyone has the time to respond I would be grateful. 

My fiancé is a citizen of the Philippines who has regained her citizenship as of a year back after living in the UK and US for many years. I am a US citizen 51 years old but not retired. We would like to move to the Cebu/Mactan area on a permanent basis as soon as is practicable. We were hoping to marry there but covid restrictions may prevent this plan. 

1) Does anyone have any information from local sources as to when tourist visas may resume for non-citizens traveling to the Philippines?

2) It is our understanding that currently I can only travel there given covid if we are prior married in the states and the certificate authenticated by the Philippines Embassy here. Would I need a tourist visa to travel there with my wife? How long could I remain on without the visa or on tourist visa considering renewals?

3) We are both vaccinated but understand a quarantine period would still be required with a  test after several days. We would be traveling with out dog, however. Would we be able to leave the hotel room long enough to walk the dog or at least take her to relieve herself?

4) Can anyone suggest a trustworthy realtor/broker in the area?

5) I would be required to deposit 20K on the SRRV visa. Is it difficult or advisable to use these funds for condo purchase after 6 months or a year? 

6) I am a university instructor at an online university in the states. Would I need a work permit to continue this work? Would I be allowed to work at universities in the Philippines (I've read contradictory information)? Is there any other work I would not be allowed to do?

7) Are there any things to know about renting and buying there coming from the US with no credit in the Philippines? 

8) Can anyone provide guidance on car lease or purchase under these circumstances? Seems we would need a car right away. 

Thanks very much, 

Ken

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

7 minutes ago, KenM said:

1) Does anyone have any information from local sources as to when tourist visas may resume for non-citizens traveling to the Philippines?

It seems you will be caught in the same web as so many others.  You cannot get there as a tourist.  So many fiances and boyfriends separated from their loved ones because the Philippine government is not allowing visas for foriegners unless you are married on a 13a or Balikbayan.

When will it end?  Well the covid numbers keep creeping up and there has been no indication of when tourist visas will start being issued again.  Your guess is as good as anyone's.

[Jollygoodfellow]

First welcome

All the info is posted almost daily on the BI facebook page as to who can enter and how. Please check it, https://www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration

[Dave Hounddriver]

11 minutes ago, KenM said:

2) It is our understanding that currently I can only travel there given covid if we are prior married in the states and the certificate authenticated by the Philippines Embassy here.

If you get married and you move to the Philippines together then you do not need a tourist visa but it must be a real marriage, no common-law allowed.

[Jollygoodfellow]

3 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Philippine government is not allowing visas for foriegners unless you are married on a 13a or Balikbayan.

Well if you are not married but have a child here you can enter but you must secure a 9a visa before departing. No one knows when tourist visa will start again for just normal tourist and I suspect it will be a long time.

If you got married and your wife returned without you and you followed later you can enter as a Balikbayan and she does not need to be with you at the time of entry.

Anyway no matter what we say here next week might be different.

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

24 minutes ago, KenM said:

Greetings! It's great to find a forum of expats living in the Philippines. I realize some of my questions may have been covered in different areas over time. But covid may have changed things. If anyone has the time to respond I would be grateful. 

My fiancé is a citizen of the Philippines who has regained her citizenship as of a year back after living in the UK and US for many years. I am a US citizen 51 years old but not retired. We would like to move to the Cebu/Mactan area on a permanent basis as soon as is practicable. We were hoping to marry there but covid restrictions may prevent this plan. 

1) Does anyone have any information from local sources as to when tourist visas may resume for non-citizens traveling to the Philippines?

2) It is our understanding that currently I can only travel there given covid if we are prior married in the states and the certificate authenticated by the Philippines Embassy here. Would I need a tourist visa to travel there with my wife? How long could I remain on without the visa or on tourist visa considering renewals?

3) We are both vaccinated but understand a quarantine period would still be required with a  test after several days. We would be traveling with out dog, however. Would we be able to leave the hotel room long enough to walk the dog or at least take her to relieve herself?

4) Can anyone suggest a trustworthy realtor/broker in the area?

5) I would be required to deposit 20K on the SRRV visa. Is it difficult or advisable to use these funds for condo purchase after 6 months or a year? 

6) I am a university instructor at an online university in the states. Would I need a work permit to continue this work? Would I be allowed to work at universities in the Philippines (I've read contradictory information)? Is there any other work I would not be allowed to do?

7) Are there any things to know about renting and buying there coming from the US with no credit in the Philippines? 

8) Can anyone provide guidance on car lease or purchase under these circumstances? Seems we would need a car right away. 

Thanks very much, 

Ken

 

Just to add

Its best to place each question in the correct forum such as visa issues in one, work permits in another etc as otherwise it becomes your private mixed answer forum which is not how we want to operate here as we prefer that if someone is looking for similar answers they can find it in forums which correspond to questions. 

[Snowy79]

Backing up the information here the Philippines situation changes daily regarding visas and many changes are only implimented with less than a days notice when you could be on a 24hr plus flight with connections can and has caused problems.

The only advice I would give is do not buy anywhere in the Philippines until you have rented in the area for a while.  A few hundred thousand pesos could save you millions of peso and heartache in the long run.  Things look great on a postcard but the reality is usually different. 

[Old55]

Welcome to the forum Ken.

 

[Mike J]

4 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

If you got married and your wife returned without you and you followed later you can enter as a Balikbayan and she does not need to be with you at the time of entry

When did they change the requirement to be with the spouse?  I missed that.

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, KenM said:

Greetings! It's great to find a forum of expats living in the Philippines. I realize some of my questions may have been covered in different areas over time. But covid may have changed things. If anyone has the time to respond I would be grateful. 

My fiancé is a citizen of the Philippines who has regained her citizenship as of a year back after living in the UK and US for many years. I am a US citizen 51 years old but not retired. We would like to move to the Cebu/Mactan area on a permanent basis as soon as is practicable. We were hoping to marry there but covid restrictions may prevent this plan. 

1) Does anyone have any information from local sources as to when tourist visas may resume for non-citizens traveling to the Philippines?

2) It is our understanding that currently I can only travel there given covid if we are prior married in the states and the certificate authenticated by the Philippines Embassy here. Would I need a tourist visa to travel there with my wife? How long could I remain on without the visa or on tourist visa considering renewals?

3) We are both vaccinated but understand a quarantine period would still be required with a  test after several days. We would be traveling with out dog, however. Would we be able to leave the hotel room long enough to walk the dog or at least take her to relieve herself?

4) Can anyone suggest a trustworthy realtor/broker in the area?

5) I would be required to deposit 20K on the SRRV visa. Is it difficult or advisable to use these funds for condo purchase after 6 months or a year? 

6) I am a university instructor at an online university in the states. Would I need a work permit to continue this work? Would I be allowed to work at universities in the Philippines (I've read contradictory information)? Is there any other work I would not be allowed to do?

7) Are there any things to know about renting and buying there coming from the US with no credit in the Philippines? 

8) Can anyone provide guidance on car lease or purchase under these circumstances? Seems we would need a car right away. 

Thanks very much, 

Ken

 

Have you spent any time in the Philippines?