newbie totally lost

[saipan]

Hi, new member here.  Due to being laid off and an early pension I hope to spend time in the philipinnes. My wife is filipino and lives in dasma.  we have been married sine the 2000's.  Im canadian but living in the USA.

 

I have been reading up on all the visas and regulations and I am so confused.

I assume i would arrive on a tourist and then extend to 60 days.  On day 58 go apply for a ARC at BI.  After this I'm lost.  How often do you need to renew the ARC...how long can i keep renewing.  If i need to leave I have to apply for a ECE 3 days before my exit flight.  how long can i be out of the PI?  Do i just restart the process when i come back?

 

I am aware of the 13a also.  I dont have the money for the ssrv.

I then start to think about moving money around. I do not have a bank account, i just wire money to my wifes account.  Even with the arc card it sounds like BDO will only give a joint account with my wife.

 

How do you your taxes every year?  I usually did H and r Block...Im not really smart enough to do them on my own.

 

so many questions LOL

 

thanks!

[Old55]

Hi Saipan, welcome to the forum.  Members here are pleased to answer your questions.

Assuming you are a Canadian citizen would suggest you get a bank account in Canada have your pension directly deposited there. We have Canadian members who can answer this better.

Talk to H&R Block about online tax submission they can file taxes remotely. 

Don't stress about the visa. There are private visa processing offices that can handle visa stamps for you. Some offer advise as to what best meets your needs.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, saipan said:

I assume i would arrive on a tourist and then extend to 60 days.

There are so many parts to your question that I will start with this one. 

If you arrive WITH your legal wife you do not need to do anything for a year.  The immigration officer at arrivals will give you a Balikbayan stamp in your passport that gives you a free year staying in Philippines. 

If you arrive on your own, or if you are not legally married to your wife, you will get 30 days for free.  The next 29 days you pay for.  Then you pay every 2 months for up to 3 years if you want to stay as a tourist.

[starrt]

Hi Saipan,

Welcome to the forum.

As a Canadian living in the US, which pension(s) are you receiving?

As an expat Canadian living permanently in the Philippines, on a 13a visa, I receive CPP and OAS directly into our local joint banking account in Php.

I receive the net amount after Canadian taxes.

Since I am not receiving any employment income I only have to file the Canadian OAS tax report, showing my pensions and dividends. It is a 2 page report, and very easy to complete.

If this will be your situation here, and you need further clarification, sent me a message and I will try to help you out if I can.

Thomas

[saipan]

well the problem is its a US pension from a University and i dont have a green card.  I have a cdn passport but i am in california on a work visa.  I am in limbo as i cant stay in the USA more than 6 months a year.  Getting a bank account doesnt seem easy with a BB visa or is it?

[Dave Hounddriver]

10 minutes ago, starrt said:

If this will be your situation here, and you need further clarification, sent me a message and I will try to help you out if I can.

As a new member, he cannot yet send messages.  Has to do the time to get through moderation.  Won't be long though.

[saipan]

how many times can u enter with a BB visa?  1 time issued and or can you leave and re-enter and apply again?  we were married at manila city hall and have a certificate

[scott h]

7 minutes ago, saipan said:

how many times can u enter with a BB visa?

Unlimited and easy to do. You MUST be with your wife. At the immigration counter you wife just asks for a balikbayan visa. You can reenter as many times as you like under current law.

16 minutes ago, saipan said:

US pension from a University

I suggest before you leave to insure your Home of Record is NOT listed as California. That way you will not have to pay california state income tax.

18 minutes ago, saipan said:

Getting a bank account doesnt seem easy with a BB visa or is it?

Just have your wife open the account with you.

[saipan]

2 hours ago, Old55 said:

https://philippine-embassy.de/balikbayan-privilege

 

the way i read that is my wife has to be out of the PI for a year..shes in the PI so i dont see how this would work

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

18 minutes ago, saipan said:

the way i read that is my wife has to be out of the PI for a year..shes in the PI so i dont see how this would work

It has been posted many times, and proven in practice many times, that you and your wife can enter and leave the Philippines and re-enter on a fresh Balikbayan stamp (not a visa. . . its a privilege) as often as you wish. 

There IS a BI bulletin about it that has been posted in this forum but it keeps getting buried and its not easy to find.  Trust us, or search for that bulletin, or just go with a tourist visa which is a pretty good alternative.