Moving To The Philippines

[Mr Lee]

Before moving to the Philippines, what is involved?What things that need to be done ahead of time to make the transition easier?

[tom_shor]

Gee that can be a long list. Or not if you are a seat of your pants guy. 1) Open a bank account.2) Determine availibility if you have special health or diet requirements. 3) Determine VISA requirements. For many countries you can automaticly get a 21 day VISA on arrival that can be extended. But this is not the case for everyone.4) Ensure you have sufficent income or assets to maintain you. 5) Learn as much as you can about the Philippines before arriving.6) If possible make at least one trip prior to the move so you can see for yourself how it really is. 7) Read a blog about retiring in the Philippines (Had to put a plug in there somewhere) :o :lol: That's a few that come to mind quickly. I am sure there are many more that can be added.

Edited December 2, 2008 by tom_shor

[brock]

Enjoying your blog Tom, very informative too.Regards Brock

[Mr Lee]

Well the time is fast approaching when I was thinking of making the total move to the Philippines. Right now we have the best of both worlds by living in both places and I think I have most of the basis covered but I wanted to get some input from some of the people who have already moved there totally.I am not as brave as Mike S and some others, and I could never just drop everything and move and he and they deserves big kadoos in my book for doing just that. :lol: As Tom Shor has said, it should be mostly a no brainer, but I keep thinking that I have to be missing something? :D We already have a place in Cebu to use as a base and we would then possibly look to buy something bigger or possibly better located, but we kind of like what we have and with a few more upgrades, I think we could live there forever. :D We already set up bank accounts both here and there and have income easily transferred online from one to the other, so I think we got that covered. :woohoo: I have the income covered with my pensions and by the time we would move, I would also have social security as a cushion so that we could travel and have fun while living there. We are fortunate to have friends who already live in both Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, the two cities that we like the most and one of which that would most likely end up our permanent home :dance: and having people to show us where things are or where things can get done etc, should make it a lot easier a move.Food is always going to be an issue for me and I might have to go more toward a vegetarian diet because it seems protein agrees with my system more than carbs but I think I can easily do the switch and we do that anyway when we are there for a few months a year. I guess I will just eat pizza more often. I do not really have to worry about the visa issue now because we can stay a year at a time without a visa under the balikbayan visa privilege rule. :o I think I have learned a awful lot about the Philippines since we have spent a lot of time there over the last 14 plus years of marriage but I am sure that I still must have plenty to learn and I think that I will never fully understand the language or speak it but I also think I understand enough to get the gist of conversations around us and I am usually with my wife anyway.I not only read blogs but I have been fortunate enough to be a part of a couple of forums and now just this one and I thank the people who trusted me and helped me along the way for that, and especially Tom the owner of this forum for his trust. :th_thanx: Shipping Balikbayan boxes is getting harder and that may become an issue when the time comes but in the mean time we have been bringing over things every year and I think we already have most of what we need to live in Cebu and I am sure in the next year and change that I should be able to bring whatever else we need to live full time. :1 (235): But I have to be missing something and I hope others will fill me in and that is why I am asking the question? What am I missing guys and gals??

[tom_shor]

As Tom Shor has said, it should be mostly a no brainer, but I keep thinking that I have to be missing something? :lol:

Did I really say that? I've been thinking about it for a long time. Maybe I'm the no brainer. :D :o No matter how long you think there will be something you forgot. Just make sure the important things are covered. The rest can usually be sorted out. 8) Don't burn your bridges in case you change your mind. Maybe we should add that one. I know Mike S left smoldering timbers behind but like Lee said not everyone is so bold.

[Mr Lee]

As Tom Shor has said, it should be mostly a no brainer, but I keep thinking that I have to be missing something? :o

Did I really say that? I've been thinking about it for a long time. Maybe I'm the no brainer. :D :D No matter how long you think there will be something you forgot. Just make sure the important things are covered. The rest can usually be sorted out. 8) Don't burn your bridges in case you change your mind. Maybe we should add that one. I know Mike S left smoldering timbers behind but like Lee said not everyone is so bold.

Sorry I put words in your mouth Tom, I should have said inferred or at least that is what I got from what you posted. :lol:

[Mik]

The Balikbayan will be okay if you like to travel and plan to leave the Philippines each year. If not, then you can get the 13(a) visa which is based on your marriage to a Philippine citizen. About four to six months before you make the big move, you can contact your local Philippine consulate to get started with the paperwork. It's easier to get the 13(a) visa in your home country. You need to make yourself a personal checklist of things to do before moving. Here is the checklist I used.Move to Philippines Checklist1. Philippine permanent resident for me. (go to San Francisco consulate)2. Arrange for mail forwarding service.3. Change all addresses to mail forwarding service.4. Ceremony for U.S. Citizenship for Aideen. 5. U.S. Passport for Aideen. (submit natz. Certificate) Expedite service.6. Apply by mail to SFO consulate for Aideen's dual-citizenship.7. Buy tickets on Philippines Airlines to travel PDX-SFO-MNL-CEB.8. Call PAL at 1-800-435-9725 for seat assignments.9. New SSA card for Aideen. Bring natz. Certificate and passport to SS office.10. Cancel telephone. 11. Cancel Comcast internet and cable.12. Call LBC to schedule pickup of boxes.13. Tuesday, arrange for airport taxi-van for Friday 3:15 AM pickup.14. Tuesday, Change email address forwarding.15. Unplug computer and remove hard-drives. Set power supply to 230 volts.16. Pack computer stuff in balikbayan boxes.17. Tuesday, Wednesday, finish packing balikbayan boxes.18. On Wednesday return cable box, remote, cable modem.19. Sell car to Joe on Wednesday, 10-19-2005 and transfer title at DMV.20. Cancel insurance (auto, renters).21. Wednesday, call United Airlines to confirm flight: 1-800-864-833122. Thursday, call Travelocity to confirm flight: 1-888-709-598323. LBC will pickup boxes to Cebu on Thursday.24. Friday 3:30 am, check in at PDX United Airlines ticket counter.25. Fly to SFO. Store carry-on baggage at SFO Airport Travel Agency.26. Go to SF consulate for Aideen's dual-citizenship and Philippine passport.27. Pickup carry-on baggage at SFO Airport Travel Agency and check-in at PAL counter.28. Friday, fly from SFO to Cebu on PAL.29. Monday, finish 13(a) visa for Mike in Cebu.30. Get Philippine driver's license.31. Open bank account at Metrobank.

Edited December 3, 2008 by M.Morey

[Mr Lee]

Thank you Mike for the detailed list. I will decide on the visa when it gets closer. Getting the wife dual citizenship ahead of time is probably a great idea, she is already a US Citizen and has her US passport and we travel on the US passports but she also has a Philippines passport and never had to turn that one in. I guess she will have to make it official by signing some papers at the Philippine embassy.The mail forwarding service is something I will still have to work on or I may just let one of my friends take care of the mail. I was thinking that the perfect thing would be to buy a small condo here to have a place to come back to for visits, sort of the reverse of what we are doing now, and since things have gotten pretty cheap here because of the downturn, but that idea is still just a thought for now and we would have to find one with low upkeep to make it worth while if we decide to go that route. I think it would be a good investment into the future and still give us a home base in the US when we visit once in a while. So many ideas and still working on them all to see how we will end up playing it all. All ideas are welcome guys and gals, thanks.

[tom_shor]

Enjoying your blog Tom, very informative too.Regards Brock

Thanks. Stop in and make a comment sometime. :D

[tom_shor]

As Tom Shor has said, it should be mostly a no brainer, but I keep thinking that I have to be missing something? :th_signs083:

Did I really say that? I've been thinking about it for a long time. Maybe I'm the no brainer. :D :rolleyes: No matter how long you think there will be something you forgot. Just make sure the important things are covered. The rest can usually be sorted out. 8) Don't burn your bridges in case you change your mind. Maybe we should add that one. I know Mike S left smoldering timbers behind but like Lee said not everyone is so bold.

Sorry I put words in your mouth Tom, I should have said inferred or at least that is what I got from what you posted. :D

Ah ok. I was reffering to guys like Mike who just go for the gusto. I can't do that myself.