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Review Best Posts in Thread: LTO Foreign Conversion Drivers License

  1. WATSISNAME

    WATSISNAME DI Member

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  2. djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    The “BB” marking is hand printed in ink inside the tourist visa stamp directly below the entry date that is printed as part of the stamp. Below the hand printed “BB” is the hand printed notation “1 YR”. As far as I can remember, that is what our B.B. visa’s always looked (btw, yeah I know it’s not really a visa but a privilege etc.). Anyway, when going to the LTO in question there was a young lady seated at a table near the door. She asked for our ACR card but I told her that the ACR people would not issue a regular ACR card, just a voluntary tourist card which has no value according to them BI. I told her we are only tourist Balikbayan but here longer than 90 days so we needed the foreign conversion license. She said fine, let me see your passport with the Balikbayan stamp plus one copy of the visa page and front page of the passport. With that, no ACR is required. I have found that, in general, when an ACR is required, you can use the BB visa as an alternative. It is not always understood by the employees but fortunately I have had no problems up to now. If your visa is not stamped B.B., that may be the problem. I would like to attach a copy of my stamp but no luck accomplishing this in my iPhone. By the way, we always enter the Philippines through Cebu which in my experience is the best place to come in & very well organized.



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  3. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    Stickers, plates or plastic licenses have been out of stock for nearly a decade. The LTO has never, to my knowledge, had their sh*t together. The police at checkpoints know the LTO is worthless. When they ask for your license plate/stickers/license just tell them "out of stock, sir" and show them your receipts. (I bet the police are even driving around on receipts....if they even bothered to get it. lol)
     
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  4. jimeve

    jimeve DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

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    Thought this was a thread regarding
    LTO Foreign Conversion Drivers License.
     
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  5. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I believe I read that on the BI website. I'll post a link if I end up finding it again.

    Edit: Apparently I didn't read it there. Just ignore me today.
     
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    Last edited: May 27, 2018
  6. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    I see your point but BB is not a Visa and perhaps the nature of it would have to change to make an ACR mandatory. Also, a BB is not extendible but expires after a year, so I assume legally the ACR card would expire at the same time and then need to be renewed upon the return of the holder to the Philippines; that 'return'could be hours or years after exit.
     
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  7. Show Pony

    Show Pony DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    When I applied for my 13a probationary visa in 2012 I had to show how I would support my family. At the time I was not receiving a pension so a bank statement was required. (my good looks and charm wouldn't cut it :smile: )
     
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  8. furriner

    furriner DI Forum Adept Restricted Account

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    I think he is going by gut feeling. After all, BB is not guaranteed as we all know. It is always possible that changes in sentiments towards foreigners could cause changes, or, more likely, cause immigration officers to not issue BB’s in favor 30 day visas at the airport. The immigration officer certainly has a lot of power in this situation! I know of only one person who was refused BB, it was in Manila after returning from Hong Kong but I think he didn’t provide the marriage certificate and his wife’s passport was Filipino and not updated to her married surname. Plus a bad attitude I suspect. A goid attitude can usually overcome the minor difficulties here. I think it is best to simply get the “balikbayan SRRV”. as I recently heard it called. It is very easy: Courtesy SRRV; either you are a retired vet, formerly active in any country, not just phils, or are an ex-Filipina or spouse. Only requires 1.5k USD deposit plus 1.7k USD application fees. After that only $10 renewal fee per person. No special visa trips, or monthly trips to BI, no exit clearance, no travel tax if you leave within a year, assistance with and slightly cheaper Phil health, work permits, assistance with drivers license, exemption for acr card but be aware lot B.B. privilege also gives the same exemptions and BB is FREE and no standing in line anywhere except immigration.

    Still, if you invest in a home, it is probably best to formalize your existence here as a resident. To me, my opinion only, BB is not sufficient for that. What if you get sick and cannot travel, resulting in overstaying? Then you need to pay penalties? Will they give you another B.B. after that or are you doomed to the inconvenience and expense of bimonthly tourist extensions, sweating it out at the BI offices. Of course, you are retired, you have all the time in the world [emoji848]

    The other option is to assume a part time job at the BI and go for the 13a visa. Many don’t realize that, given SRRV is for true permanent residence (forever), the 13a is a TEMPORARY residence visa according to the BI website, the first year being conditional. Approximately the same documentation is required. But 13a is a lot of work with no free help like you get from PRA-paid marketing consultants for SRRV. I don’t personally know anyone who ever actually received a 13a, and I do know people who tried. Always some problem. However, I am sure that many members if this forum successfully received the temporary 13a. I heard that for 13a you do have to show them that you have an unspecified amount of money. But if you have the B.B. you have a full year to get either type of visa.

    There is also the 13g for people whose wives are ex-filipina and now citizens of other countries but not much is written about that. Anyone here have a 13g?




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  9. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I've never spent more than 30 minutes in a DMV in the US. Drivers license was $10. Any medical exam (checking vision) was done in-house and cost nothing.

    So cocaine, LSD and 'shrooms (and anything not weed or an amphetamine) are perfectly fine to use? Interesting. lol
     
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  10. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    No need for it. Most of the country uses pawnshop, school or work ID cards for identification purposes. Your passport or civilized world drivers license will work for almost any official pill-a-peeno scam office...err, I mean government office needs.
     
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