Best Method to Stay in the Philippines - Marriage or SRRV

[snowy-owl]

I am a 53 year old Canadian that needs to stay in the Philippines once I am there because once I leave I have nothing to return to due to the housing crisis. If for any reason I was asked to leave I would have to return to Canada and stay at a homeless shelter. I am not poor and have an income of  $2682.56 per month. My plan was to arrive in Cebu and stay for up to 20 months and then apply for an srrv classic as when I am 65 I receive a lump sum payment of about $50,000-$60,000. I would then have enough for the required $20,000 deposit I would need.

or

I could marry my girlfriend (age 44) soon as I get there and apply for the 13A visa and hope we have a good relationship and I make it through the probationary process. I just don't like the thought of the marriage process because of the paperwork involved. We both love each other and I never see us having any bad times that would see me forced to end it. I do however worry about always being accused of something if someone is not happy as her family can be very abusive to each other when money is involved.

thoughts? marriage or srrv..............

we would reside in Bislig or where-ever our relationship would last without interference from family and friends.

 

[Old55]

Welcome to the forum. 

Have you visited Philippines for any length of time before? Assuming you have from what you've said about your GF.

The fact your girl friends family has serious money issues now is a HUGE red flag.  You said you love her and could live in Bislig or whatever but if it were me I would choose someone with a reasonable family. Those people could make your life miserable and destroy your relationship or even be a risk to you life. Not to be all negative but this is not an uncommon issue. 

Maybe best to stay in Philippines on a tourist visa for awhile and see if how things go before cutting all ties with Canada?

 

 

 

[Mike J]

31 minutes ago, snowy-owl said:

I could marry my girlfriend (age 44) soon as I get there and apply for the 13A visa and hope we have a good relationship

Welcome to the forum Snowy-owl.   With all due respect; "hope" is not the way to go forward.  As Old55 advised, come to the Philippines on a tourist visa and extend until you feel that this is where you really want to live long term.   If you decide this is the place to be, go with the SRRV if you are still having concerns about extended family.  

[mountainside]

1 hour ago, snowy-owl said:

we would reside in Bislig or where-ever our relationship would last without interference from family and friends.

Welcome snowy-owl.  Good advice from the previous posters.  Given the family situation, you might want to try the "two island rule" -- stay at least two islands from your lady's family.  Many members here have made it clear from the beginning, or later on down the road, that they are not walking ATMs.

[CebuAndy]

2 hours ago, snowy-owl said:

If for any reason I was asked to leave I would have to return to Canada

Asked to leave, by Who?

You can stay 3 year on tourist visa, leave 1-2 days and come back and start over another 3 years.

Chances are high that long before 3 year, you will feel a strong urge to take a holiday in another country in South East Asia. 

Return to Canada is not your only option. Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bali.

Always have a Plan B, where to stay if anything happen. Returning home is not your only option.

2 hours ago, snowy-owl said:

I would then have enough for the required $20,000 deposit I would need.

Why the rush to get a SRRV??? Not required until Immigration officer suggest you to get it, asap. Usually after 3 years or more.

Since you plan to stay in the Philippines, why the rush to marry?

The paperwork before marriage is not your biggest headache. A possible need for Annulment, after marriage, could be much worse.

Compare with back home, would you marry a women after knowing her the same (short) period of time?

2 hours ago, snowy-owl said:

hope we have a good relationship

You should read up about Annulment of marriage in this forum, and build a strong foundation and relationship, before you marry.

2 hours ago, snowy-owl said:

as her family can be very abusive to each other when money is involved

Another reason to move forward slowly, and not rush into marriage.

Some or many would say: Find another lady.

As others said, live on another island than her family, from the start. 

 Don't tell your gf how much your income is.

 

*Final thoughts: Move forward slowly. Read up in this forum about relationship, marriage and annulment.

Are you sure Philippines are for you?? A big majority of friends I made in the Phillipines since 2011, had moved back home or to another country, within 5-7 years. Read up about frustrations living in the RP. Personally I would stay on tourist visa and only marry when you already have a good history living together.

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by CebuAndy

[Rooster]

Your wife must facilitate your 13a (marriage visa) and there is a 1 year probationary period which the wife can withdraw during the probationary period. Happened to an Expat i know because his wife caught him cheating. He's still married but on a tourist visa. There are some Expats who downgrade from the 13A to a tourist Visa and apply for the SRRV.  You alone control your destiny with the SRRV and can stay single. Consider the likelihood that you may find another besides your present girlfriend/future wife which happens frequently here. The SRRV provides that flexibility.

[JJReyes]

Are you former military?  This can change the amount of SRRV deposit.

[Kingpin]

4 hours ago, snowy-owl said:

thoughts?

Find a girl with little to no family. Then in the order of preference

1) SRRV Courtesy (Military etc)

2) 13a

3) SRRV

if you do find a good one and want to get married and reside in the Philippines, there's no good reason to get an SRRV and 10 to 20 thousand good reasons not to. 

 

 

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, mountainside said:

Welcome snowy-owl.  Good advice from the previous posters.  Given the family situation, you might want to try the "two island rule" -- stay at least two islands from your lady's family.  Many members here have made it clear from the beginning, or later on down the road, that they are not walking ATMs.

Whilst the two island rule seems logical, isn't it a little outdated and less effective than it once was  at least in terms of money issues which is what's being discussed here? With communication and automated money transfers etc being as they are nowadays, the idea that distance creates a buffer is debatable IMO - again from the perspective of money.

End of the day, you can create as much distance as you like but, as members who live in different continents to their Filipion families will confirm, if your partner isn't willing or able to cut the financial ties the problem remains.

I do agree that in some ways distance creates a safety zone but not when it comes to money or family pulls and obligations.

 

 

[P_X]

Homeless shelter if you return? Your 2.5k+ could cover other options. 

I won't be redundant, the other guys said all the logical alternatives to returning home