BI + ECC + Iloilo office

[Old55]

Welcome to the forum Ray. 

 

[manofthecoldland]

5 hours ago, Ray34110 said:

Hi Im new here just start trying to figure the site...one of you mention a travel agent that take care the visa tourist extension in Manila .....can you please send me the agent name?? Sorry if im out of place for the question promise to learn!!! TY!! in advance!!!!

FYI    Hello Ray,

I just sent you a private message, using the 'message' envelope icon at the top of the page on this web site.

It contains the information, my good experiences, useful tips etc.

I just received my passport, 3 ACR-I cards, and all of the BI transaction receipts my agent obtained for me over the last 32 months. 

She sent it out last Friday with LBC, and it arrived today.

I have found out that the Kalibo/Boracay BI field office  can do my ECC, after being here since Nov '19.  I e-mailed them my situation and questions the other day, and they e-mailed back the next day asking for my contact phone. They called me back this morning, went through my questions with me, and then sent me another e-mail with the requirement list, application form link, etc.

So now I do not have to make the longer and more costly trips to the Iloilo BI office, and can use this much closer and less busy office for my ECC.  It will take two trips since there is a 3 day processing time for my particular situation.

I am quite pleased at this point with the BI field office service received, as well as that of my travel agent's visa service.

I just hope that my good luck continues and I can get home without any major travel snags.

[OnMyWay]

55 minutes ago, manofthecoldland said:

FYI    Hello Ray,

I just sent you a private message, using the 'message' envelope icon at the top of the page on this web site.

It contains the information, my good experiences, useful tips etc.

I just received my passport, 3 ACR-I cards, and all of the BI transaction receipts my agent obtained for me over the last 32 months. 

She sent it out last Friday with LBC, and it arrived today.

I have found out that the Kalibo/Boracay BI field office  can do my ECC, after being here since Nov '19.  I e-mailed them my situation and questions the other day, and they e-mailed back the next day asking for my contact phone. They called me back this morning, went through my questions with me, and then sent me another e-mail with the requirement list, application form link, etc.

So now I do not have to make the longer and more costly trips to the Iloilo BI office, and can use this much closer and less busy office for my ECC.  It will take two trips since there is a 3 day processing time for my particular situation.

I am quite pleased at this point with the BI field office service received, as well as that of my travel agent's visa service.

I just hope that my good luck continues and I can get home without any major travel snags.

Why can't you get your ECC-B at your international departure airport?

[manofthecoldland]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

Why can't you get your ECC-B at your international departure airport?

I have a tourist visa, which calls for an ECC-A, or 'regular ECC', according to the BI web site.

https://immigration.gov.ph/faqs/emigration-clearance-certificate-ecc

If I was only here for 6-12 months, I could use the airport office, but more than a year, I have to show up at a BI office for processing.

[Shol]

On 5/17/2022 at 11:18 AM, Ray34110 said:

Hi Im new here just start trying to figure the site...one of you mention a travel agent that take care the visa tourist extension in Manila .....can you please send me the agent name?? Sorry if im out of place for the question promise to learn!!! TY!! in advance!!!!

Just my take on this as I have worked here for many years as an expat.   Your travel agent is going to send a staffer to pretty much do what you see folks are doing here, going in standing in line, filling out forms, paying fees and that's about it.  It's a convenience service/fee.

Just want to advise you to be choosy as my company and myself (As I helped with the legal issues) had experiences with multiple agencies that price gouged.  (I think they tacked on about 8K PHP to tourist extensions.) or even worse, the decided to skip going to to BOI and added the stamps on themselves. (i.e, fraud) which caused some major headaches and issues for our teams trying get it cleared up with the already disorganized government departments.

Not trying to scare you just saying that you would save a ton of money on your own doing it unless you require the convenience and to be safe!

Take care.

[hk blues]

4 hours ago, Shol said:

Just my take on this as I have worked here for many years as an expat.   Your travel agent is going to send a staffer to pretty much do what you see folks are doing here, going in standing in line, filling out forms, paying fees and that's about it.  It's a convenience service/fee.

Just want to advise you to be choosy as my company and myself (As I helped with the legal issues) had experiences with multiple agencies that price gouged.  (I think they tacked on about 8K PHP to tourist extensions.) or even worse, the decided to skip going to to BOI and added the stamps on themselves. (i.e, fraud) which caused some major headaches and issues for our teams trying get it cleared up with the already disorganized government departments.

Not trying to scare you just saying that you would save a ton of money on your own doing it unless you require the convenience and to be safe!

Take care.

We've had this debate on this forum before.  I'm firmly in the camp that I do everything I can myself without using an agent or fixer (they are not the same thing) as why not because I have plenty of time and not plenty of money.  In my 7 years here I have never had to enlist the help of such agents or fixers.  Others may be in a different situation and that's fair enough.  

[Ray34110]

5 hours ago, Shol said:

Just my take on this as I have worked here for many years as an expat.   Your travel agent is going to send a staffer to pretty much do what you see folks are doing here, going in standing in line, filling out forms, paying fees and that's about it.  It's a convenience service/fee.

Just want to advise you to be choosy as my company and myself (As I helped with the legal issues) had experiences with multiple agencies that price gouged.  (I think they tacked on about 8K PHP to tourist extensions.) or even worse, the decided to skip going to to BOI and added the stamps on themselves. (i.e, fraud) which caused some major headaches and issues for our teams trying get it cleared up with the already disorganized government departments.

Not trying to scare you just saying that you would save a ton of money on your own doing it unless you require the convenience and to be safe!

Take care.

TY!! is just that I'm here just for 3 weeks and have no idea.... going in person can be challenging!! I have find out that taxis not always want to bring you where you want to go!!! going to a BI  office is not a biggie but returning home or finding no one that understand you is a different matter...I was stranded for close to an hour the other Day in Rizal Park at 11 pm as no taxi want to come to the area I live in Manila!!!! im sure as time go by I will get more confident on my traveling skills!!!!!

 

[Ray34110]

On 5/17/2022 at 11:25 AM, Old55 said:

Welcome to the forum Ray. 

 

TY...I just ask the question not been sure if it was appropriate on the site.... I got my answer and I TY for not banning my quetion as it seeem you are the on who approved it!! TY!!!! 

I was ready to go to the BI office by my self .....then went to the Rizal Park and find out that taxis dont always want to go to the destination I ask for it..... not all understand English and got a little concern..... some one even told me that can be renewed at the airport??? just trying to figure first days here!!! TY!!! again!!!...

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Ray34110 said:

I'm here just for 3 weeks and have no idea

IF you mean you are only going to be in the Philippines for 3 weeks then you do not need to go to the BI

IF you mean you have been in the Philippines for 3 weeks and you will stay past the free 30 days then you better get to the BI very soon.  They fine you for every day you are late.  When you go you will get a first extension which will last until you have been in the country for 59 days and then you can start thinking about an agent.  That is unless you have already been to an agent.  Time flies!

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 5/19/2022 at 6:19 AM, Shol said:

tacked on about 8K PHP to tourist extensions.

Are you telling me you did not get the official receipt? Agents cant add to an official BI receipt.