Best Posts in Forum: Passports and Visas

You do not have to go to immigration until this is over... Just in case you did not know

 

Had a 6am Saturday 8 April flight from NAIA Terminal 1, did not open check in until 3am and people started queuing at 2:15. I waited slightly more comfortable in a chair until 4:30 and stood in line for 10 minutes to check my bag. Several immigration lanes were open, was 4th in line so took about 5 minutes.

Return flight arrived NAIA Terminal 1 at 12:30am Thursday 20 April, made it to immigration and was about 5th in line. Would have been less than 5 minutes this time but I asked for 59 day Tourist Visa as I was handing over my passport. 15 minutes later I had a 59 day Visa, cost just under p3,000, immigration queue was empty by then, walked over to the carousel and quickly found my luggage as there was only 6 or so other pieces besides mine.

Leaving and returning through NAIA Terminal 1 I found no issues at all with immigration. Only real irritation was waiting for the airline to open check in to check my bag and the resulting herd of passengers swarming the queue (didn't mention airline as they were all doing the same thing).

Onward ticket to Hong Kong in 54 days was again purchased on Expedia at my return flight originating airport (in this case Saint Louis, Missouri) before checking in. A couple hours later, layover in Chicago, Illinois), I canceled the ticket (taking advantage of Expedia's free cancellation within 24 hours policy) after clearing 'docs check' at the gate for the Beijing portion of my trip. In Manila immigration only asked me about my departure date because I asked for a 59 day Visa. Apparently I answered '54 days' fast enough they didn't even verify by asking to see the ticket (I would have showed the booked email, not the cancellation email of course).

 

I posted my recent experience on another forum but thought it was good enough info to post here also.

Visa On-Arrival:
OK, returned on PAL into NAIA Terminal 2. The setup there is a counter behind immigration. This means you have to go through the immigration line and tell them what you want when you get to the immigration officer. They will then send you though to the counter to do the paperwork and come back for the stamp. Unless, as in my case, the guy at the counter was off screwing around somewhere and the immigration officer didn't want to keep track of me waiting for him to return and told me to try again next time.

How does that go again??? Oh yeah, It's more fun in the Philippines!

Onward Ticket:
My flight back to the Phils was on the evening of the 10th. Mid day I went on expedia and purchased a one way ticket to Singapore. Checked in and showed my flight with confirmation number. Arrived in Manila and after clearing customs, while waiting for my connecting flight to Duma, exercised Expedia's 24 hour cancellation policy. My credit card was charged for the Singapore flight on the 11th, and 100% credited back on the 12th.

So, had a real onward ticket with a real reservation and a real confirmation number (for 12 hours). Total cost $0