You can stretch that out to 12 months with very minimum hassle. The 6-12 month ECC at the airport only adds 5 minutes and a few hundred pesos stopping at the cashier's window on the way out through immigration.

 

I am starting to agree. Living in Dumaguete, and staying longer than 12 months, means making a trip to Cebu to get that ECC and that can really screw up travel plans, especially if you plan to make that trip and the ferries are not running due to a storm 300 km away.

 

I like idea. How do you go about it and what is the cost?

 

It just seems like with tourists visa’s, for example for 6 months, you just keep renewing and paying, renewing and paying. On the other hand, balikbayan privilege with tourist visa lasts for a year without renewing etc.. No other method can beat this for cost and convenience. That is the truly easy one to use and can be repeated year after year UNLESS immigration at the airport decides not to renew you because you were not gone for a year, they don’t like you etc. . Never heard of that at Mactan airport but immigration did not renew BB for a friend returning at NAIA after a weekend in hongkong. It is not a 100% reliable method. Immigration gave him a 29 day visa.


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I am aware of the possibility you might get an ECC @the international airport of departure between 6 - 12 months. But still have little doubts that when I am there some wise nose of an IM officer refuses and sent me to the town office. To avoid this I just stick to the 6 months period. Well, the cost....a RT ticket plus an extra outward ticket to show upon check in for the return flight to the Phils or else no boarding. Hotel and meal expenses you can make as high or low as your budget is. A couple of days, mostly no more than 3 in cities like Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore is not too long to get bored.

 

I totally understand as we are in the Philippines. All I can do is report what I have done. Last time I did the ECC at the airport was NAIA Dec '16 and was here for 11 months on that stay. I had absolutely zero problems. I went to one of the regular BI desks leading to the international terminal and was coutiously taken to the end cashier desk to pay for my ECC. It added about 3 minutes to the process and cost about 400 pesos (I have heard different fees, mine was the lowest and I have herd as high as 800 pesos). The next time will be in Feb '18 from Mactan.

 

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam is also a good choice - but if the taxi driver at the airport tells you he needs a small denomination payment to exit the airport then do not let him get hold of your money (he may snatch it from your hand) and get out of the taxi at once. It is a scam. Vinasun taxis are the best ones to trust for all trips there.

 

How do you handle the outbound ticket? Buy a full fare ticket and cancel it once you get back? I thought I read somewhere on here you can also rent a ticket. What does that cost? Which method do you you use? Thanks.

 

The outbound ticket could be a cheap flight to Hong Kong which you could throw away upon return. However, I’m wondering if this throw away ticket is required for holders of permanent residence visa’s like SRRV, 13a, 13g?


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