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Post by itsmylife08 on Aug 16, 2016 22:12:29 GMT 7
Hi guys just to let you guys know about the costs applicable here in Cebu at the moment .
Today I was charged the princely sum of PH 5756 for the privilege as follow's
Monthly Extension application fee PH 300
Visa sticker fee PH 100
Monthly extension fee PH 1000
Certificate fee PH 500
ACR I-Card fee PH 2336
Legal research fee PH 40
Express lane fee I-card processing PH 500
Express lane fee PH 500
Express lane fee certification PH 500
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PH 5756
First let me state that I love living here in the Philippines with my wife , also the cost of living is good too , but I find the charges for visa renewal a bit excessive . What are your view's on the matter and how much do you pay where you are living . Recently I read a post here where China made allowances for Ex Pats married to Chinese women as they help support them etc .. What are your view's on the matter ....
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Post by chris on Aug 17, 2016 2:49:12 GMT 7
My view is that the fees are excessive. The Express lane fee is ridiculous, because you are given no other option.
But you are given other options. All will cost money, but you will be better off over the long haul
1. The 13 a visa for foreigners married to a Filipina. First and best option, why haven't you applied for that?
2. The Balikbayan visa given automatically to spouse of a Filipina when they enter the country together. Of course you would have to make a quick trip out of the country to get it. But it is available.
The fees are the same all over. The only concession is that if you live in a city where there's a DOI office or sub branch you don't have to cover travel expense. And of course you will not renew the ACR Card each time, so deduct that.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Aug 18, 2016 23:03:08 GMT 7
Hi guys just to let you guys know about the costs applicable here in Cebu at the moment . Today I was charged the princely sum of PH 5756 First let me state that I love living here in the Philippines with my wife , also the cost of living is good too , but I find the charges for visa renewal a bit excessive . What are your view's on the matter and how much do you pay where you are living. If you don't mind, I'd like to respond and defend the Philippine Government. For a start you have conflated 2 different legal requirements into 1. That is you have given, as I understood what you said from above, your monthly visa renewal fee with an annual ACR-I card renewal as if they are one. So for a start lets putt the 2 different payments into perspective. Number 1 is the ACR-I card, to deal with the second costing you provided, first It encompasses:- ACR I-Card fee PH 2336 Legal research fee PH 40 Express lane fee I-card processing PH 500 Which totals PH 2876Number 2 is your Tourist Visa Renewal which encompasses:- Monthly Extension application fee PH 300 Visa sticker fee PH 100 Monthly extension fee PH 1000 Certificate fee PH 500 Express lane fee certification PH 500 Express lane fee PH 500 Which totals PH 2900The visa renewal and the ACR-I card 2876+2900 = 5776 So, sorting the 2 into the appropriate bins I'd make these comments. When have you ever but ever seen an Australian gubmint department make a decision on an application for anything on the day and particularly immigrant type visa applications? Which government in The World do you know that allows tourist visa type people to stay for 3 years at a time? Just because some of the members have land borders with other countries does not mean they have an advantage. And that ACR-I card renewal fee is charged at USD$50. Imagine if it was charged at AUD$50? |
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Post by mulloway on Aug 19, 2016 12:59:19 GMT 7
this week I extended my 59 day visa by 2 months. I did this in the Manila head immigration office which can be reached by pedicab after going to Central LRT1 train station. It took about an hour to process and cost 4,100 peso. I already have an ACR-I card ..... Raining a lot here right now but at least I am not sleeping rough like I was in Australian in June .....
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Post by itsmylife08 on Aug 19, 2016 17:31:07 GMT 7
Hi guys just to let you guys know about the costs applicable here in Cebu at the moment . Today I was charged the princely sum of PH 5756 First let me state that I love living here in the Philippines with my wife , also the cost of living is good too , but I find the charges for visa renewal a bit excessive . What are your view's on the matter and how much do you pay where you are living. If you don't mind, I'd like to respond and defend the Philippine Government. For a start you have conflated 2 different legal requirements into 1. That is you have given, as I understood what you said from above, your monthly visa renewal fee with an annual ACR-I card renewal as if they are one. So for a start lets putt the 2 different payments into perspective. Number 1 is the ACR-I card, to deal with the second costing you provided, first It encompasses:- ACR I-Card fee PH 2336 Legal research fee PH 40 Express lane fee I-card processing PH 500 Which totals PH 2876Number 2 is your Tourist Visa Renewal which encompasses:- Monthly Extension application fee PH 300 Visa sticker fee PH 100 Monthly extension fee PH 1000 Certificate fee PH 500 Express lane fee certification PH 500 Express lane fee PH 500 Which totals PH 2900The visa renewal and the ACR-I card 2876+2900 = 5776 So, sorting the 2 into the appropriate bins I'd make these comments. When have you ever but ever seen an Australian gubmint department make a decision on an application for anything on the day and particularly immigrant type visa applications? Which government in The World do you know that allows tourist visa type people to stay for 3 years at a time? Just because some of the members have land borders with other countries does not mean they have an advantage. And that ACR-I card renewal fee is charged at USD$50. Imagine if it was charged at AUD$50? That's ok Denis , after all I did ask for peoples views on the matter . Yes you are correct I have conflated two requirements into one , tourist visa plus ACR card . Trust me this was not intended to make the Government look bad , I was merely highlighting the costs involved . Oh yes the Australian Govt and visa fees the less said the better don't you think . As stated in my closing comments I love the Philippines for various reasons not least being my good lady wife and the cost of living , oh and the cheap beer  All the best Itsa |
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Post by Banjo on Aug 19, 2016 18:21:25 GMT 7
It's one of the most beautiful countries I've ever seen and once you are away from that central Luzon area the people are as friendly as you would wish to meet.
I'd live there without a second thought if I left here, Mindoro and Negros would be high on my list.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Aug 19, 2016 19:12:16 GMT 7
I love the Philippines for various reasons not least being my good lady wife and the cost of living , oh and the cheap beer All the best Itsa Sorry mate, I didn't think you were having a shot, nor was I trying nor even thinking of having a shot at you. Laugh at me. I paid for an ACR-I card back somewhere in 2014, at a particular office, to basically cover the 2015 year. Despite infrequent but repeated phone calls it never arrived. Then lo and behold they told me that because I had been stuffed around so much they were going to forget the 2015 year and they issued me with a card to cover the 2016 year. No extra cost at all. So what does muggins me proceed to do but nothing else but lose my wallet which included that 'free' ACR-I card. Ended up costing about the same even if I hadn't had that 'free' card. |
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Post by Denis-NFA on Aug 19, 2016 19:30:03 GMT 7
It's one of the most beautiful countries I've ever seen and once you are away from that central Luzon area the people are as friendly as you would wish to meet. I'd live there without a second thought if I left here, Mindoro and Negros would be high on my list. Santader |
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Post by sandycreekg on Aug 22, 2016 7:58:38 GMT 7
I live in Valencia/ Negros oriental and about 12 klms from Dumaguete city BOI, and find it quite easy for processing of the 2 month visa extension and dress regulations are very relaxed here also at the BOI, have been here for 2 yrs in october and costs about p18000 per yea for visa extensions including phot copying of documents , passports pics for extension, transport to BOI and around town. Yes Balikbyan would be good also but I calculated it would cost about p22000 to p2500 to go out of the country once a year and come back......transport to Cebu form Dumaguete......exit visa cost.a couple of nights accomodation in Cebu waiting for exit visa, accomodation and food in Malaysia or similar country for a night or 2 etc.
I think for the 13A visa you have to do at least one year on Balikbyan visa first.
It is quite a easy to get visa extensions here with little requirements and......can do this for 3 yrs
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Post by Banjo on Aug 22, 2016 9:12:25 GMT 7
I always dress up for visa stuff, shoes, long pants and shirt with a collar. Sure you get away with shorts and singlet for a long time and then one day you get an officer who considers you're dissing him, the immigration and the whole bloody country. Better safe than sorry. |
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Post by Banjo on Aug 22, 2016 9:36:47 GMT 7
I made a flying trip to Chiang Mai last week, lucky enough to hitch a ride with a friend, to get some paperwork signed at the consulate which was having an Embassy visitation.
A couple of guys my age walked in to see the Embassy officer with cans of beer in their hand, not lads either... close to my age.
I just sat as far away from them as possible.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Aug 23, 2016 16:50:21 GMT 7
I made a flying trip to Chiang Mai last week, lucky enough to hitch a ride with a friend, to get some paperwork signed at the consulate which was having an Embassy visitation. A couple of guys my age walked in to see the Embassy officer with cans of beer in their hand, not lads either... close to my age. I just sat as far away from them as possible. talk about "the ugly australian" by those persons! |
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