Did anyone have experience at the BI with asking for a courtesy extension when the 3 year limitation gets near? Do they actually force you to travel out of the country while covid hasn't been resolved or are they compassionate enough to allow us to stay longer now? I am married, but can't get a 13a yet so visa-wise I am still a tourist. Long story short: we got married in the Netherlands 3 years ago, but didn't have enough time to register the marriage at the Philippine embassy in the Hague at that time (got married on a friday, flew back to the Philippines on tuesday thereafter with the monday being a public holiday). Since then I've been back to the Netherlands (on my own, because of the urgency) once, early 2019, because my mother was very ill, and tried to register at the embassy at that time, only to be told I had to bring my asawa with me to register (while that info is nowhere to be found in the requirements list, arrgghh). Requirements for a 13a, you guessed it, include a PSA marriage certificate, a foreign certificate, even with official translation, isn't good enough. So, if things don't change before my 3 years expire (and yes, I still have some time left) I would be in a catch22 situation, if I leave the Philippines I can't get back in, to register the marriage we both need to travel to the Netherlands which is a no go currently also, and overstaying seems a risk as well.
If you have some money I recommend the SRRV visa as the safest way to go. I have a friend in your predicament and he is getting a SRRV. You have to put 10K US dollars in a bank account and have your pension deposited here or 20K and no pension requirement. It is a lot less if you are ex military for some reason. When you get this visa you are then no longer with the BI but another agency the PRA (Philippine Retirement Authority). It cost about 18K a year but you can pay 3 years at a time. Then you don't have to go to the BI and you can come and go without any exit clearence. I used Mary Jand Govez visa consultancy. Very reliable. maryjanegomez2008@yahoo.com.ph
To answer the question....... I was at BI when a Tourist was in the same boat. He asked if their was anyway to extend past the 3 year and he was told "No" That was May 15th 2021. Perhaps someone in Gov will wake the FK up and address the issue but that would take about 25 life times.
The "ex military" thing only applies for US veterans I think. I know about the SRRV option, but would prefer not to tie up US$20,000 in a bank indefinitely, if I can avoid it. Thanks for the reply anyway.
Hmm, that might be a solution indeed. Just get hitched again here to avoid the registration pitfalls. Problem is it would probably be a marriage under false pretenses and thus null and void (need to get a cenomar again, this time both falsely declaring we're still single lol).
Did anyone have experience at the BI with asking for a courtesy extension when the 3 year limitation gets near?...... .
Why would you have to declare you are single to remarry here.. ?? something fishy.. You can remarry as many times as you want as long its to the same woman in the same country..
