Visa Question SRRV approval before entry to Phil

I have all my documents ready for approval, FBI check, medical, pension, etc. and sending them to the embassy in San Francisco, US for approval.
I intend to ship a container of furniture etc. to Dumaguete, will the PRA approve my SRRV Classic before entry to the country?
I don't intend to have a container shipped and paid for until I have approval, if anything went wrong I'd be out several thousand $
Be happy to hear from anyone that has an answer to this.
I can pay for visa and fees from the US and take care of everything but I don't want multiple trips while selling a house etc. I obviously want it all taken care of in advance so I have certainty.

 

Based on my own experience I would say that you cannot do it in advance. If you fulfill all the financial and admin requirements there is no reason why you would be refused the SRRV, but I am pretty sure you would have to be in the Philippines to finalize it.
From the time the visa is granted you have 6 months to import your container.
What I did was have the packing / shipping company store my stuff for 2 months while I came out and finalized the visa. When I was ready I just told them to put the container on the next ship.
The people at PRA in Manila are very helpful so it would be best if you run your concerns past them by email. Keep in mind that everything takes longer than you expect in the Philippines, and although many departments have computers, in most cases they are not 'joined up'.
Good luck with your move.

 

They allow you to pay the 10k, I had this from them:-

The $10,000 deposit may be wired transferred by following the DBP remittance instruction form, while the payment for the processing fee should be done in PRA.

The list information for paying the fees aren't clear, they mention the details:-
Bank Name: Land Bank of the Philippines
Account Name: Philippine Retirement Authority F0r NAME Of RETIREE/SRRV NO.
They give the US dollar account number (for payment from abroad)
Branch Name
Swift Code

But the bank is outside the USA so my US bank will not allow that, they give instructions for an intermediary bank in the USA for paying the PRA SRRV deposit but it doesn't mention if the 2 options of City Bank or JP Morgan chase will also forward the application fee plus the PAF (annual fee)
I'd hate to send $1760.00 on the off chance I'm sending it correctly and it will be transfered properly: that's too much money to send out without clear instructions.
The account details for the application fees and PAF are different from the deposit so the intermediary bank would have no knowledge of that account and probably couldn't foward it appropriately.
They send and document the clear instructions for allowing either of the intermediaries to act as an intermediary for the deposit: but not for the PRA and application fee.

Even if I flew to the Phillipines I'd still be unable to pay them as they want easily because I don't yet have a bank account in the Phillipines, even paying them in Sterling or USD would be difficult as my banks security would kick in and stop the payments being made!

I think I'll have to follow your advice and wait until I arrive, but it's a pain to do, it's so much better to have everything arranged and in place rather than just hoping everything goes correctly!

 

You seem to be a person who likes to be organized - and that is a good thing - but you need to lose that trait in The Philippines or you will become very frustrated.

 

I spoke to them yesterday, they told me to use the intermediary banks they have in the USA and they will forward the money to them.
That makes life a lot easier, now all the forms etc. can be processed so the only thing they'll need will be the passport with an arrival stamp.
It would be better if they changed the format so the visa could be granted before arrival, that might encourage more people to take advantage of it and improve the economy as more retirees took advantage of the opportunity.
It is an influx of wealth and income into the country from those that can still look after themselves, even if we aren't millionares, just normal people.

 

I thought like you do Graham .... then I realised after being here a short time that what makes sense in our heads does not always make sense here. We all just have to suck it.

My major concern is the very poor educational system and it would not take much to knock it into shape and create a more educated population .... but no one seems to care.

 

I'm getting the hang of your replies now I sent some documents to the Embassy in San Francisco USA for certification 5 weeks ago and I've heard nothing.

 

There is a saying about finding a home and the three main criteria: "Location, location, location"

Using a similar construct, I suggest to everyone moving to The Philippines and want a happy life: ACCEPT, ACCEPT, ACCEPT.

 

Hello! No, is the answer. The PRA will only approve your SRRV while you are in the Philippines. So you arrive on a standard tourist visa and if the process of approval takes very long, they will refer you to extend your tourist visa till they have finalised your SRRV application. Good luck.

 

San Francisco is a CONSULATE.
"Authentication" (red ribbon) takes one day IF YOU ARE THERE.
I did my SRRV AFTER i got here. Arrive July 1, 2016, tourist visa
Used an "approved expediter" to get some docs "authenticated" at DFA in Manila that i shoulda done in SF...
Applied Cebu PRA for SRRV with docs mid Oct (2016), (turn in passport, keep copy)...
SRRV arrived mid Nov. (Libra is right)

No idea what happened to your docs in SF, you might have to go there, Sutter street, up from Stockton....

PS, i've learned you get things done A HELL OF A LOT FASTER in dumaguete if you simply show up at their office, phones are useless (unless ordering pizza from pasta king), texting rarely works unless you ALREADY KNOW THE PERSON or their best friend or cousin. It's not a big place, just show up...