Clearing up some possible fake news

[Joe LP]

For those on this site who still live in your home countries and are looking towards moving here, there have been some fake news stories about the BI here.  This video clears up some of the latest.

 

[Sailor Jerry]

Gee Immigration , it’s as clear as mud which is the norm here. Firstly, makes me feel like jumping in front of a bus after watching that video lol. I just came back from a little holiday in Japan with my partner & when going through Immigration, I asked for a 59 day Tourist Visa, as I’d heard (as also as per this video)that it was possible? Not possible Sir after requesting... 

Further to this, I overheard a random expat down from me while checking in in Osaka, when asked if he had a return ticket out of the country say no, i will get a Visa Extension before it’s due & they seem to have accepted that. Well they did accept it, as I deliberately got behind him at entry immigration in Manila & they asked him and all was good?  Meanwhile I had a flight 6 weeks in advance for a Thai trip my girl & I are making & thought this would be ok but was told I couldn’t get on the plane unless I had a flight out of the Philippines within 30 days. I asked the ticketing employee I would get an extension when due & could she Please check this because I thought it was ok. After waiting while she checked her available information, answer was No 30 days. Ok, still being polite & calm as always I bought an Onward ticket online for 14 bucks on my phone, showed her it then got a boarding pass to get back to Manila.

The last of this laborious story (truly sorry guys:) is after 2 and a half weeks, I thought I’d drop my passport back to my usual agency that does my Extension visa, I said it’s ok just get the Visa & message me when done. They said oh the rules changed before Sir, you have to pay 1000 pesos Express fee if they process it after 15 days now. wtf? So in a nut shell, a tourist visa holder comes in to the country & you have 15 days to put your Extension request in otherwise a P1000 extra Express fee which adds up to P4300! I know the agency only gets 200 pesos for a Ext Visa & know it’s not them adding it.

haha I told the sweet girl loud enough for all to hear, it’s ok maybe I take a 3k International flight to anywhere then come back & get another 30 days, I’ve still got a week an a half so I’ll decide & come back if I don’t go. Decided later that was foolish, I’ll go back in there soon with my 4 plus K in hand & might just bend over as well lol. Love this country B-)

 

 

[BrettGC]

Over the last couple of days it's thumbnails on videos like the one in the OP that have been causing a lot of angst.  I saw one from another vlogger that was similar and actually watched that video; the vlogger hadn't even read the bill and was just spitballing based on someone elses video.  After I saw the video I came away no wiser, and even had a chat to our esteemed forum manager about it.  Many other thumbnails and content were more of the same.  I then went and read the bill and was even more annoyed at the click-bait thumbnails.  The bill doesn't even mention extensions after the initial arrival and extension changes.    

Needless to say I've unsubscribed from more than one Youtube expat channel in the last couple fo days.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, Sailor Jerry said:

Meanwhile I had a flight 6 weeks in advance for a Thai trip my girl & I are making & thought this would be ok but was told I couldn’t get on the plane unless I had a flight out of the Philippines within 30 days. I asked the ticketing employee I would get an extension when due & could she Please check this because I thought it was ok. After waiting while she checked her available information, answer was No 30 days. Ok, still being polite & calm as always I bought an Onward ticket online for 14 bucks on my phone, showed her it then got a boarding pass to get back to Manila.

Its not old rules, the within 30 days came about during covid. But it's always onward ticket is required despite some taking the chance. I'm not going to bother explaining or proving this as it's simple BI law that's available to read anywhere. 

4 hours ago, Sailor Jerry said:

They said oh the rules changed before Sir, you have to pay 1000 pesos Express fee if they process it after 15 days now. wtf? So in a nut shell, a tourist visa holder comes in to the country & you have 15 days to put your Extension request in otherwise a P1000 extra Express fee which adds up to P4300! I know the agency only gets 200 pesos for a Ext Visa & know it’s not them adding it.

Express lane fee is the norm for any extension. Don't fight it. It's used to pay BI overtime

4 hours ago, Sailor Jerry said:

Decided later that was foolish, I’ll go back in there soon with my 4 plus K in hand & might just bend over as well lol. Love this country B-)

Certainly would be

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Over the last couple of days it's thumbnails on videos like the one in the OP that have been causing a lot of angst.  I saw one from another vlogger that was similar and actually watched that video; the vlogger hadn't even read the bill and was just spitballing based on someone elses video.  After I saw the video I came away no wiser, and even had a chat to our esteemed forum manager about it.  Many other thumbnails and content were more of the same.  I then went and read the bill and was even more annoyed at the click-bait thumbnails.  The bill doesn't even mention extensions after the initial arrival and extension changes.    

Needless to say I've unsubscribed from more than one Youtube expat channel in the last couple fo days.  

Yep, vloggers making money and getting views before real official BI news. I won't loose any sleep until l read something from the BI

[Terraan]

That was a nice video, thank you for that. I see however problems comming. If you need an exit clearance than anyboddy at will for whatever stupid invalid reason can file charges against you. That will take a loooooong time in the Phillipines to clear your name, so your short holliday can rapidly become your worse nightmare ever. You will not get your exit clearance than. Even the police can do that and so extract you from a lot of money. And dont tell me i am paranoid, in the past i lived there for many years and not without trouble. Philippinian people are great in making you the main source of their income if you like it our not. Even if you are the smartest man on earth as i thought i was wenn i first came there ten years ago, i have learned my verry expensive lessons and got humbled by them. While living there i investifgated the girlfriends foreigners had behind those girlfriends back. I must have done that like 50 times and got paid for it. Turned out that 89 procent of the woman i investigated on behalf of my foreign brothers had a Filipino boyfriend or even a husband on the side, how much? 89 procent!!!! So dont think that cannot happen to you. It will happen to you. The woman are beautyfull thats true, but highly dangerous. Those with a lot of scars on their legs were beaten as young woman and offen part of fraternities, they will be send to you to prey on you. Cops will follow you around the clock sending you girls, their assets as they are called with shabu, the local drug. Than they catch you. This new exit clearance means only one thing, trouble. And dont think that will not happen to you, it will happen to you. Nevertheless its my dream destination and in two years i will be retired and will live there untill i drop dead, thats how nice a country and how sweet the people are there. But... danger is around every corner. keep that in mind and dont be naive. Do backgroundchecks, dont believe their stories, watch out for foreigners to, a lot of them going there you dont want to be seen with at home were you are now. And dont go live there at all if you dont have a solid income. Somewhat between 2500 and 3000 a month. if you dont have that, stay at home. Dont believe all the stories how cheap everything is, they will make you pay double or tripple or quadrupple of what they pay themselves. Feed the poor people around you, that will keep you save, plant mangrove trees, help them fight polution. Dont get mixed up in politics, never ever, keep your oppinions to yourself.  May your Gods be with you and may you enjoy the adventure of life.

[Sailor Jerry]

On 5/31/2023 at 7:40 PM, Jollygoodfellow said:

Its not old rules, the within 30 days came about during covid. But it's always onward ticket is required despite some taking the chance. I'm not going to bother explaining or proving this as it's simple BI law that's available to read anywhere. 

Express lane fee is the norm for any extension. Don't fight it. It's used to pay BI overtime

Certainly would be

Wow, thanks a lot for your input mate...  Actually I'm glad i didn't pay the 4.3k now as went to local Immigration office here today & fee was 3030 peso? 

[Joe LP]

4 hours ago, Sailor Jerry said:

Wow, thanks a lot for your input mate...  Actually I'm glad i didn't pay the 4.3k now as went to local Immigration office here today & fee was 3030 peso? 

To me it's not worth it.  I tried it once(the 60 day at the airport thing) and I was told I needed to do some pre arrival work and like you noticed, cost more.  

The throw away ticket thing is something from when I first came here back about 2 decades ago till when I arrived here last February, I always got one and rarely did it cost more than $20.  Just get one going from anywhere in the Phils to anywhere outside it.  I think I came into Manila and had my exit flight 20 dayish later leaving from Iloilo to some place else in SE Asia and it was on promo for $12.  

When I plan a flight into the Phils, I've set myself to add $25 to every ticket I purchase for the exit flight.  Just get the arrival stamp for visa, then go and get it extended.  

I've tried to use the "I'll just get it extended" trick a few times, and never has worked(just to see).  Doesn't matter if the history in your passport shows it's what you always have done.  I thought it was going to work once in Taiwan.  The woman called her boss, they talked while flipping through my passport, but in the end, needed the exit flight which was in my carryon front pocket.  After that, I just stopped trying that and stuck to always having an exit flight.  

[Snowy79]

Just to clear things up here is the final Bill. Apologies in advance for the link but there's 49 pages.

The important part for tourists is they are given 59 days on arrival and everyone needs an exit clerance so no more waiting until after 6 months.  Extensions are at the discretion of the commisioner

https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/first_19/CR00552.pdf

[Mike J]

7 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

Just to clear things up here is the final Bill. Apologies in advance for the link but there's 49 pages.

The important part for tourists is they are given 59 days on arrival and everyone needs an exit clerance so no more waiting until after 6 months.  Extensions are at the discretion of the commisioner

https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/first_19/CR00552.pdf

I see the requirement for a reentry permit.  Is this something new?  It sounds like it has no purpose other than to make money.