Visitors Visa « Live in the Philippines Forum

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Visitors Visa

(12 posts)

Started 10 months ago by peterbjarnason
Latest reply from Glong

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peterbjarnason
Member

I've been reading thisWebsite for several months and feel it's about time I contributed something.
But what? Well due to my work and the amount of times I travel in and out I might as well stick with what I know. Travel. Sucks but whats the alternative?
The Philippines have the shortest Visitors Visa I have come across. 21 days. No exceptions. Well what are your options and which is the best for you?
when you see you are coming up to the 3 week limit what should you do?. You're in Puerto Galera and you've got a week till your departure and you're going to overun your Visa limit.
Is that a problem?
Is it going to cause trouble when you show up at the airport to leave?
If you are asked to show your passport to a Police Officer is it a problem?
NO. It's not a problem , so quit worrying and get on with having a good holiday.
Don't even consider heading to the Philippine Immigration Office in Manila to extend it and stay "legal". No need for that headache.
OK, it did change for several months earlier this year, where they closed the option of paying a fine at the airport and go. But its back to that solution and it is in my book the only sensible choice.
The cost is of the fine is 3500 pesos and is capped there so don't worry about a big fine. If you were to play it by the book, you'ld pay that downtown anyway and lose a good days holiday. If you are particularly short of cash or not in the mood to pay that much, you have even more options. Those ones, well, that one, is to do it the Philippine way. My choice always. Have a quiet word with an Immigration Officer at the passport line and you will walk away a happy camper. So will she/he. No more details on that.

So forget about that nagging feeling that won't go away. You are not in any trouble and nobody is going to be upset, so get on back to that holiday and all that entails. Just don't forget to keep that 3500 p for your departure and your usual happy face for the Officer there to help you out.

Posted 10 months ago #
kingskid
Member

That is the worst advice I have ever heard. Stay legal. It is no big deal to stay for 16 months on a visitors visa. To take the risk of being kicked out of the country or spending time in jail is unthinkable.

Posted 10 months ago #
Bob New York
Member

I agree kingskid. Immigration and Customs, not something to play games with in any foriegn country or for that matter even your own, which ever country that may be !

Posted 10 months ago #
peterbjarnason
Member

Well I certainly won't argue the point on legality. The use of common sense is taken for granted and I agree that to push the law when the signs say not to, is foolish indeed.

It can't hurt visitors or residents to know that there are options available should they ever find themselves in a situation requiring some lateral thought and action.

Please tell me that you've lived in this part of the world or others like it and never found yourself in the position of either paying a very reasonable amount of cash to an officer to ease the stubborn wheels of beaurocracy, or face the alternative. In your case...16 months in jail.... Which is overstating the case a bit, don't you think?

However I am relieved to learn of the enviably high degree of law abiding sensibilities of some of my fellow expats. I'm feeling guilty for knowing how the system really works and then taking advantage of that knowledge. But not so guilty that I'll ever subscibe to such a way of life. I enjoy cutting the cue also.

Posted 10 months ago #
chasdv
Member

It may be a good idea, if you are staying many miles from the nearest BI office,to obtain a 2month visa from the PI Embassy in your home country before you depart.

I recently extended my stay at Davao BI,i was in and out within 40 mins,no problem.
Manila may be a different story.

regards Chas.

Posted 10 months ago #
bangkaboat
Member

All,
Though I would expect that things have improved since my earlier time in Davao, I thought I would give you a heads up on what I experienced in the mid 1990s. I was on my second stay in Davao when I had to fly over to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to sign paperwork to sell my portion of a business partnership. As my wife remained in Davao to oversee a couple of ongoing projects, I received a visitor visa on my return to RP, rather than my usual Balikbayan visa. When I returned to Davao, my wife & I dropped by and had the head of immigration renew my visa. Months later, when I was flying out of Manila to return to Canada, I was turned back at the airport & had to go to The Bureau of Immigration(BOI), where I was charged with overstaying, fined & held in one of their "basement accomodations" overnight. Because of the dates on which this happened, The Canadian Embassy was closed & The Charge d'Affaires, whom I dealt with in the warden system was unavailable. As a result, I had a friend who was a Swedish National "bail me out" & we spent a few days enjoying the night scene of Ermita, before I was able to arrange an emergency passport & travel documents through my embassy - BOI still had my passport - and fly home. Because of my involvement with my Embassy, I did not think it a wise move to seek an "alternative arrangement", as Peter has suggested here. In retrospect, it would have saved me much hassle & I would not have paid for two flights to Canada. Yes, the proper way is the best way, but it is of value for others to know that things can sometimes be arranged.

Chasdv, it is worth checking to ensure that Manila BOI recognizes the Davao extension, if you intend to fly out of the country from Manila. I'd hope that things have improved since my time, but I've heard of a few cruising boats that have had to clear-in/out of Davao, Cebu and Manila! Lol, it's different!
Mike

Posted 10 months ago #
JohnM
Member

Peter: In my mind, though the time is short, the Philippines has some of the most liberal entry requirements in the world... very very few people need to obtain visas in advance in order to visit here. Contrast that with Philippine passport holders and the hassles they face in travelling and consider yourself lucky. You can also apply immediately for the first extension on arrival at the airport, getting you to 60 days right there.

Immigration in any country is not something to play games with... You could easily find yourself deported and blacklisted, or even prison time (Malaysia and Singapore give lashings for overstays). What do you do if you try to bribe and you get an honest officer? The perception of the level of corruption here is way overblown and you will face big problems if you try this with the wrong person. Yes, it can be a hassle to extend, but is it really worth the risk? Far better to try and do things properly, and know that you will not have any problems.

Posted 10 months ago #
bangkaboat
Member

lol, John, that is a very good point. The first time I arrived in Manila, with my wife, she had me put US$10 dollars in my passport. The immigration official was thoroughly P.O.'d & exclaimed, "We don't do that here!" Red-faced, I pointed to my wife & said, "She made me do it!" Thank god most Filipinos have a good sense of humour! But that is a good point because it can be very offensive to some & who wants to be told, "Don't come back!"

Posted 10 months ago #
AlexB
Member

Always play safe. Even if I get stamped balikbayan on arrival (good for 3 months), I always make sure I don't do the unmentionable. It's still a foreign country to me. So far it has been a breeze, immigration has improved. They're actually very nice, accommodating compared to other countries I have visited.

Posted 10 months ago #
peterbjarnason
Member

Ok, I now find myself in the position of giving in to majority rules, which is fine.

Of course you are all correct in playing safe and staying legal. I too have spent several days at different facilities throughout Africa-Asia due to one Customs-Immigration misunderstanding or another, and was never too impressed with the accomodations.

Recently I was held for 5-6 days in the Cavite City jail and though the officers were either aquaintances or friends, ensuring all priveledges possible, it's just not the way to spend the weekend. Avoid that experience at all cost folks. Which brings me to the unique position of taking back my previous words and has me telling visitors to do things the proper way whether it's convenient or not.

Well that wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be.....Now I have to take my wife to Manila for some business, so will say 'goodbye for now'. Rest assured, I will keep to the speed limit, carry my licence, and may even consider passing up the beer at LA Cafe for the drive home.

But I can't promise more than that for now. This is like 'One Day at a Time' !

Peter (soon to be overstayer)

Posted 10 months ago #
davedewag
Member

I have to agree with the majority who have responded to this posting,as john says you play about with more than just being deported.I would imagine that most who come in this forum have reason to be in the philippines most are not just tourist's, so to contemplait ever overstaying a visa is nothing short of stupidity, I recently had to extend my visa because my flight was going to be 2 days past the 21 days,it didnt spoil any of my stay it actually helped me for future visits as i found that most of the 1st class cities have an imigration office where you can extend a holiday visa couple that with the piece of mind that I can re enter the country with out problems and the other point that you casually alerted us to was how imigration have gone lax on overstayed instances, remember they can revert just as easily and as quickly.

Posted 10 months ago #
Glong
Member

Tourist visa question. I am going to Davao for the second time and plan to stay 3 months. I have a round trip ticket that has me leaving the country in 59 days. Do I need to get a 59 day tourist visa BEFORE I go or can I just get the 21 day visa on arrival and then extend it as I need to. I stayed 1 month on my first visit and I got the 59 day visa before I left and had no problems. Just want to see if I can avoid the hassle and expense of getting the 59 day visa here in the US before I go.

Posted 9 months ago #

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