I wanted to ask you expats for some advice on Immigration? I am married to a filipina. I heard that there is a retirement visa out there with a $10,000 deposit and it used to be $50,000 which is crazy. I know I can get a regular visa since I'm married to a filipina. My question is what is the best visa to get since I will live in the Philippines for good? I will come with a 59 day tourist visa, should I hire a lawyer and process this all in Manila or do it in Dumageute city? I just want a hassle free visa that I will not get bothered by Immigration every year if possible.
Presuming you will arrive in the Phils with your wife you will get a balikbayan one year m,ultiple entry visa. In that year you can decide whether to to go for a 13a retirement visa. If you are sure you are going to stay in the Phils you can get the 13a in your own country subject to passing a medical.
Another easy way to have a permanent visa is if your filipina wife has a foreign citizen (example, US), she can apply for a dual citizen, to get her Philippine citizen. This automatically will grant you a permanent residence while living in the Philippines. I think the cost is lesser this way than hiring a lawyer. My cousin from Las Vegas did it this way, and both of them has been residing in Negros Occidenta (Sagay City, and Bacolod City) for the last three years without a problem so far.
The Philippines Retirement Authority Special Resident Retiree's Visa is great. It lets you go in and out of the country as often as you like. There are investment requirements but these are reasonable. For example, if you are over 50 years old and in receipt of a monthly pension of $800/month you only need to invest $10,000 in time deposits. There is also a one time fee of about $1,500. If you dont have a pension then your investment requirement is $20,000. PRA's service is responsible and swift. They respond to inquiries to the address appearing in their website. I strongly recommend that you check it out. Here is the section of their website describig the various possibilities: PRA: Philippine Retirement Authority
WRONG!!!! Permanent residence status is NOT automatic to those whose spouse is a dual citizen. They must apply for it just like anyone else. Larry
The balikbayan is NOT a multiple entry visa, it is a one year permit to stay in the country that may be issued IF the alien enters the country WITH their Filipino spouse. If the alien leaves the country, they must re-enter with their spouse again or avail of some other type of visa. Larry
