Need some Help Understanding

[WallStreetIceCream]

I have a question i am a American i want to Travel to Cebu. I spoke with immigration they told me less than 30 days no visa needed. When i arrive at mactan they need my passport and need to see a departure date within those 30 days. While i am in cebu for the those 30 days i can apply for a extension pay the fee etc would i just need to contact the airline and request to change my departure date ? Im just confused i dont know how foreigners stay in PH for 2,3,6 months any insight would be appreciated.

[Snowy79]

Pretty straightforward, as a tourist of certain countries you are allowed 30 days visa free. You should in theory have an exit ticket dated within those 30 days.  Most people hire a disposable ticket to show immigration.  Before your 30 days is up just go to a local immigration office and ask for an extension on your stay, most give 2 months, some six if lucky.  They never ask to see exit flight details at immigration when extending, only on arrival into the country.

Edited December 25, 2022 by Snowy79

[Jollygoodfellow]

39 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

Pretty straightforward, as a tourist of certain countries you are allowed 30 days visa free. You should in theory have an exit ticket dated within those 30 days.  Most people hire a disposable ticket to show immigration.  Before your 30 days is up just go to a local immigration office and ask for an extension on your stay, most give 2 months, some six if lucky.  They never ask to see exit flight details at immigration when extending, only on arrival into the country.

Just to clarify this for the OP.  You can not get a 6 month extension until after your done the ARC card which will be on the second extension, 30 on arrival, next is 29 days then upto 2 months plus ARC . Following that you can ask for 6 months.

It is the airline who will clarify that you have an exit ticket on departure from the home country.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, WallStreetIceCream said:

While i am in cebu for the those 30 days i can apply for a extension pay the fee etc would i just need to contact the airline and request to change my departure date ? Im just confused i dont know how foreigners stay in PH for 2,3,6 months any insight would be appreciated.

Get a rent a ticket or throw away ticket for the departure within 30 days. That will get you past the airline for departure from your own country. Plenty of post on this so wont explain it again.

You need proof of vaccination and again the info is in other topics.

[BrettGC]

You'll also have to complete the eTravel online form before arrival.  You can either print out the resultant document or keep an electronic version on your phone, just as long as the QR code is legible. 

https://www.entryform-ph.com/home?gclid=CjwKCAiAhqCdBhB0EiwAH8M_GgO3qASRx5xx4ioQi77AiLGQCLJr0jqI7deqxdzBo5Cu8RoMxO-g1BoCuwUQAvD_BwE

 

[longway]

2 hours ago, BrettGC said:

You'll also have to complete the eTravel online form before arrival.  You can either print out the resultant document or keep an electronic version on your phone, just as long as the QR code is legible. 

https://www.entryform-ph.com/home?gclid=CjwKCAiAhqCdBhB0EiwAH8M_GgO3qASRx5xx4ioQi77AiLGQCLJr0jqI7deqxdzBo5Cu8RoMxO-g1BoCuwUQAvD_BwE

 

The website link Brett listed is one you have to pay for to get the pass. For the free one go to https://etravel.gov.ph/

[Gator]

9 hours ago, longway said:

The website link Brett listed is one you have to pay for to get the pass. For the free one go to https://etravel.gov.ph/

In addition you can only fill it out within 72 hours of your departure. Furthermore, you might have to fill it out on a laptop or desktop computer as many ppl (myself included) couldn’t get it to work using a mobile device. 

[Coffee]

To the OP. Once you get here, if you are from a visa free country, you'll be granted a 30 day visa at the airport. They will ask you if you have "onward travel." You kindly say "of course, I can show you my ticket if you'd like." They'll nod and say "naa."

If you plan on staying here, you'll need to go to BI (I recommend at least one week before your visa expires) to get another 30 day extension. Again, go a week early. They BI will give you two months and will charge you more for the issuance of a ACR-I card. Next trip to BI, you'll get 6 months and pick up your ACR-I card while there.

As for onward travel, when I came into the country in March, they were denying people who could not produce a printed onward travel confirmation. I had one and it was worth losing hundred bucks just to make sure there were no issues.

[Jollygoodfellow]

3 minutes ago, Coffee said:

To the OP. Once you get here, if you are from a visa free country, you'll be granted a 30 day visa at the airport. They will ask you if you have "onward travel." You kindly say "of course, I can show you my ticket if you'd like." They'll nod and say "naa."

Your experience might be different but its the airline who ask for proof and they certainly checked on my last arrival. Never did immigration as as its the airlines responsibility. 

[GeoffH]

29 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Your experience might be different but its the airline who ask for proof and they certainly checked on my last arrival. Never did immigration as as its the airlines responsibility. 

Some times when I've flown to the Philippines airlines have asked, other times they have not.

Two times I was asked for proof of onward travel, once the return was outside of 30 days and I thought the BI officer might refuse entry (since then I've made sure to have a throwaway ticket but next time I'm planning to try https://onwardticket.com/