Marriage Visa Best Posts in Thread: "Marriage Visa" (13A)

I got my 13A visa in the States before coming over. My doctor ordered all of the medical tests, and medicare paid for them, so I had zero cost for the medical part. Flew to San Francisco, went into the Embassy, and walked out with my 13A visa packet in less than an hour. I am staying now in Sibulan, but last week took the morning flight over to Cebu arriving at about 11:30AM. Took taxi to BI, first go to visa office and they stamped my passport, next to immigration office and they sent me over to the quarantine office (half hour taxi ride). 30 minutes at quarantine office, they opened my 13A visa envelope and took out the medical forms and photos and put them into their own packets in triplicate and stamped my passport again, then back to immigration office. There they told me that now the ACR process needed to be completed next and it would take two days. I told the immigration officer I wanted to finish up now and catch the afternoon flight back to DGT, he said, "impossible to do unless we really try to expedite your processing, then maybe a chance"; I said well let's do that then. He got up from his desk and walked out to the hallway, I followed him out, he looked at me and said "you know there are expenses associated with expediting". I put 2000 peso in his hand, and we walked back into the office and he walked up to the window where there were already people standing in line, he pushed my form under the window and said "priority processing, get this one done quickly". They jumped on it, I was finger printed and photographed my forms were printed and put into a packet, everything that he told me would take two days to complete got finished in less than an hour. Then he said, you're done, come back in 60 t0 90 days to pick up your ACR card. Mad taxi dash back to the airport, and flew out and back to Sibulan same day. 13A visa arrival check-in and activation process, ACR card application process, all completed in about 3 hours. Proof it can be done.

 

I think it is a myth mate, strange here as they also insist you have a barrage of medical tests done, yet I was not asked for a single copy of any ofmy medical tests and the Agent told me I did not need to take any tests despite it saying otherwise on the Philippines Government Web Page... I have read online you NEED to show you have money in the Bank, but all I did was show that my Pension is paid Monthly into my Philippines Bank Account here, regular Payments which show I do have a premanent Income, which I think all they really require unless maybe if you are a self funded retiree?

I am using the Travel Agency next door to the Dummaguete Immigration Office amd found out today my application has been now approved, so around September I will go back to Cebu to change from 'probationary' to permanent, all has been very smooth and a pleasant experience using the Travel Agency's Agent, THANK GOD I do not have to go back to the Dumaguete Immigration Office and deal with 'Ol Sour Puss' sitting at the front counter! :D hehe

But WARNING! The Agent told methis morning that since lodging my application there has been THREE MORE Changes to the necessary Forms! Apparently each time there is a change in 'Officer in Charge' within Immigration they change the Forms in some small way, so using the online download links may prove to incorrect Forms needed to lodge your application...
Just a word of warning to you guys...

 

Strange as I replied to this last time but it did not load?

The forms have changed, I downloaded Forms via the above link as well as the Immigration page, one set had space for a foreign address so I filled those in, had them notarized by the attorney (300P per set - 3x sets) and handed them in, only to discover it was the set minus the foreign address I had to fill in, so back to the agency beside the Immigration Office here in Dumaguete, only to discover a few days later; that the day I handed in the second set of forms, Philippines Immigration had changed them yet again! This time it was one number (Rev.0 to Rev.1 from memory still minus the foreign address section)

All up, to 'trial' lodge my forms, pay the Agency as well as the agent in Cebu who handled my lodgement, pay for a return flight for two from Dumaguete to Cebu and back, a Hotel Room for Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning, set me back roughly 32,000 pesos give or take, that also included extending my Visa for two months whilst the agent held my Passport and ACR Card.

I need to go back in 10 months to convert the Probationary 13a to Permanent, so will keep you guys posted, all went smooth excepting Immigration who messaged me Saturday Night to tell me they had rescheduled my Appointment to 30 minutes past my departure time at the airport Tuesday morning! Some furious texting quickly saw my original Appointment time reinstated!

All in all, it was an easy process using the Agency beside Immigration, but strangely, despite what Immigration requests, the Agent told me I never needed to take the Medical and at the interview (& the interviewing Officer was very pleasant I may add) none of my Medical results were asked for which peeved me somewhat as I did a lot of running around spending unnecessarily to get those done...

 

I never had an agent, Last week went to (implement) my Passport for the ACR card, got told to come back next week (yesterday) to pick up the passport and ACR card, only to be told its still in Manila come back in 3 months, so that will be a total of 6 months. WTF.
This smells like corruption, I won't be giving any handouts to anyone, anyplace so they can go and xxxx themselves.
Rant over

 

I'm doing it myself Brian, they must have streamed-lined the process. So far I only paid for the bus, 260 both ways. Hotel 3 nights 1300 x3. stayed over in Cebu because I had to go back to BOI in 2 days time for finger prints and photo, 8,600 for the 13A.

Told to come back in about 3 months if successful.

 

I received my 13A visa in San Francisco last week. It was really quick and easy. The embassy sent me a list of requirements in advance, and I had copies of everything with me. We got in immediately, sat down with the visa officer, he arranged all of my documents in to the order he wanted according to a checklist he had (including chest x-ray CD, medical test reports, birth certificates, marriage license, police clearance). We were just there for about 15 minutes, and he took everything and said come back tomorrow at 2PM. We went back the next day and picked it up, my passport has a 13A visa stamp in it, and there is a sealed envelope to turn in to the Phil. BI office when we arrive. I was told that it is a six months probationary visa and during that time I am not allowed to leave the country, after six months report to the BI office in Cebu and upgrade to permanent status and obtain ACR card. The whole process was very easy, my medicare even paid for all of my medical tests.

 

From what I understand, it is different if you are applying for your visa outside the country vs if you are already in the country. I called the San Francisco embassy and told them I had a signed letter from my doctor stating I am in good health and have no medical problems, so why is it necessary to also have all the tests in that case. The embassy told me, "no exceptions", you must have both the letter from the doctor, and blood, stool, urine, chest X-ray test results along with you when you come to the embassy to apply for a 13A or they will not let you apply. It would be nice to not have to do those tests, but I think it is outweighed by the benefits of getting the visa here before leaving.

 

May help some of you guys;

Philippines 13a Visa Requirements Explained - Pacific South Morning Journal ®