Retirement Visa Best Posts in Thread: COURTESY SRRV FOR VETERANS (US VETS AND OTHERS)

I am starting this thread EARLY in my journey toward obtaining the Courtesy SRRV.

I won't really have time to begin the gathering up of the USA documents I will need until SEP 2015.

But I do want to provide an update as to the preliminary information I have received from PRA (e-mail traffic) regarding the COURTESY SRRV and SOME of the BIG qualifying prerequisites and changes to obtaining one.

The COURTESY SRRV has been broadened to include VETERANS with an honorable discharge from certain countries. I do not have that list of certain countries, but I do know a US Veteran can be qualified to apply for the COURTESY SRRV.

I'm not going to list every single detail and every single prerequisite. Please contact PRA on their wensite for the entire skinny.

But here's the broad-brush paint stroke for a US Vet NOT currently living in the Philippines:

1. You MUST be age 50 or older on date of application. PRA was VERY clear and firm about the minimum age requirement.

2. You MUST have an honorable discharge on your DD-214. See BLOCK 24 on your DD-214. Has to say one word and one word only - Honorable.

3. You DO NOT need to be a RETIREE. Just have an honorable discharge on your DD-214.

4. You CAN be a Traditional, 20-year military retiree, OR, you can also be a MEDICALLY RETIRED Retiree with UNDER 20 years of career service. If you are age 50 or older, and was honorably discharged due to a military medical disability discharge (PDRL), then you were MEDICALLY RETIRED. You also qualify to apply for the Courtesy SRRV.

Go get your DD-214. Look under Block 23 - TYPE OF DISCHARGE. If it says RETIREMENT - that's all that counts for PRA. JUST ONE WORD - RETIREMENT.

A retirement is a retirement is a retirement. Period. It is NOT necessary for you to have achieved a full and traditional 20-year career retirement.

So if you are a medically discharged PDRL Retiree (under 20 years), they you can fall under the Courtesy SRRV guidelines - (AND YOU ALSO QUALIFY FOR THE LOWEST COST COURTESY SRRV BANK DEPOSIT, TOO). Yippy Skippy!

5. You DO NOT need to have served two years in the Philippines or have ever served anywhere near the Philippines during the course of your career. That has been changed and is no longer a requirement.

6. Got to get an FBI check - you need to NOT have a rap sheet - like a felony. I don't know any more than that, so if you have questions, e-mail PRA and find out.

7. And once approved for your Courtesy SRRV, you can pay your 10.00 USD annual fee for up to three year in advance.

So for my situation, I need to pay 1,400 USD to PRA for their processing, put 1,500 USD in a PRA approved Philippine bank, do a quick medical exam (can be done through PRA), pay 30 USD for a three year Card, and a couple other small things and I'm good to go.

Other than that, those are the BIG changes I found out from PRA with e-mail comms with them.

They really haven't updated their PRA website. But I have been in comms via e-mail with SKY LACHICA at the PRA in the Clark/Subic office.

I was told by ROA that this particular branch office is well versed in the Courtesy SRRV Veteran process. I was told other offices may end up asking you for documents you don't need to produce, and put you into a goat rope for days and days - delays and delays. Who needs that, right?

So based upon the recommendations of ROA, and furthering that with comms directly from Sky Lachica, that's where I'll be doing my Courtesy SRRV in-processing.

I will keep you abreast of my Courtesy SRRV process with a timeline that will kick off in Fall 2015 - the gathering up of all required US documents.

Next update will be in the Fall of 2015.

Sure hope for smooth sailing!

Meanwhile, back on my head. I'm much to do.....

V/R,
nwlivewire

 

Looking in my crystal ball I see you will have no problems getting settled at all. You are already way, way, way more prepared than most and you are even getting your banking and an SRRV lined up as well.

I came here with all my possessions (1 1/2 suitcases), a Schwab ATM card, and insights from the forum. I had no problem getting settled as the only bumps I had are ones I put there (like what kind of motorcycle do I want). Actually let's say I have had no bumps but made some potholes - only because I am settled, relaxed, and not in a hurry enough to play with questions like that.

You will do well here.

 

Just wanted to post this to clear things up per my emails with with Scarlett “Sky” Lachica of Clark/Subic PRA. There definitely WAS a two-tier annual fee based on whether you had served in the Philippines or not. As nwlivewire pointed out, that has changed. But the change seems to benefit ALL veterans, not just military and/or medical retirees. Per the SRRV info guide which Ms. Lachica sent me, (attached - see page 16) as regards the SRRV Courtesy or Expanded Courtesy "PRA Annual Fee (PAF) of US $360 is not applicable." So no more $360.00 for ANY SRRV courtesy visa. The only thing a bit ambiguous is the fact that they keep using the term "Military Retiree", when it seems they really interpret that to mean "person who served honorably in the military of the US (or probably some other ally of the Philippines) and is retired (but not necessarily retired from the military)".
Just to be on the safe side, I asked Ms. Lachica:
Q-"Thank you for the info you sent me. One thing was unclear. Is Expanded Courtesy SRRV available to US veterans with DD -214 and honorable discharge if they are not retired from the US military, but have other retirement? What is the annual fee in that case?"
A-"Yes, with DD214 and honorable discharge and proof of pension not less than 1,000 USD monthly. Annual fee is only US$10.00."

 

Initially, I was also left with that impression. But the two-tiered fee is NOT based on Philippine service or stationing, but rather, the higher depositing of USD to a PRA approved Philippine bank is determined either by your RETIREE STATUS or by simply having only a VETERAN status.

In other words, as I understand the two-tier deposit prices, the LOWER minimum deposit amount is reserved for military RETIREE/Veterans, while the higher minimum deposit amount are for Veterans who are NOT a military retiree as stated on their DD-214.

This is why I had to seek clarification from PRA as we have MANY Veterans now who are disability retired from injuries received from their military service and were unable to get to a traditional 20-year military retirement. But if that Veteran has been discharged from military service under a military disability retirement (PDRL), then PRA considers them to be a RETIREE.

If it says on your DD214 "RETIREMENT" UNDER BLOCK 23, you get the lowest minimum required deposit available under this Courtesy SRRV.

All other Veterans who qualify, but are not in a military Retiree status as per their DD214 are classified as Veterans, and will have to deposit the higher amount of USD.

In my message above, I stated PRA no longer requires the two year service or posting in the Philippines as our US posts were pretty much shut down over 20 years ago. I assume the Philippine Gov't "relaxed" or eliminated this service time because the US didn't have enough qualifying Vets that have served in the Philippines these past 20 years. So the Philippines needed to relax this requirement as they wouldn't be able to find enough US Vets to qualify for the Courtesy SRRV.

PRA might be able to attract more Vets now under this new and improved scheme.

That's how PRA explained it to me in their email comms with me.

V/R,
nwlivewire

 

Hey Soup; I am navy, served '66-'69 (did NOT retire), with DD214, never got closer to the Philippines than Norfolk....

I RENEWED my SRRV by email & LBC with Jackie in CEBU recently.
SRRV nationality is American P-E Courtesy PC-W, deposit is $1400 (2016).

Sent ORIGINAL deposit slip for PhP 520 (threw in extra for exchange) via LBC to PRA Cebu (with pdf of SRRV) on Oct 19, 2017. Sent LBC courier envelope addressed to MYSELF.

Received NEW SRRV card on Nov 14. Could have renewed for 3 years for $30 USD, will do next year....

By the way, my pension is slightly over $1k, and after the original 1099 last year, never asked for amount again. Question was never discussed relative to navy courtesy and MAXIMUM pension.

 

It's been over a year, but I got my DD214 (Release from Active Duty) "notarized" at the US Consulate in Cebu at the Waterfront Hotel, and then my "certified expeditor" had it "authenticated" (red ribbon thingy) prior to submittal to PRA at the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Manila, as DFA Cebu or Dumaguete do NOT authenticate. Whole thing took about a month from submittal to PRA Cebu and receipt of SRRV card, which is good everywhere, unless some cranky clerk insists on a Dumaguete Senior Card, which is NOT issued to foreigners...

Also, my DD214 was a scan file without a visible stamp and i had no problem, but again, some "cranky clerk" might xxxxx...

 

I have my early stage cats checked by Dr Tarongoy of Aces Eye Referral Clinic (cat & glaucoma, much of education in US), local office same complex next door to Lee Hypermarket. There is a room marked "surgery" there, but i wouldn't guarantee that you don't have to go to Cebu office. Dr T only in Dmgt two days a month. Recommended by Dr Bregado, optometrist at Eye Browse in Robinson's.

 

My processing at PRA has started, my fixer got my un-red-ribboned docs (remittance, pension, dd214) authenticated at the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Manila, PNB finally got around to issuing the Certificate of Deposit (the $1500 USD for a 72 yr old / honorable (only 4 yrs service, not "retired") / "expanded courtesy").

Two items: first we have a dollar account for wires from the states, and a peso for local / atm stuff. YOU WILL get a SAVINGS account. I would guess the checking is only worthwhile for a biz person. Difficult to remember to say savings when using your debit/atm card for BPI. No problems yet, even got a peso credit card.

With a savings, you can get a "managers check" from your bank if it is a bunch of pesos. DO NOT USE a managers check for dollars, it takes 21 days to clear even at another bank. PESO managers checks take 3 days. Landbank would not even accept a dollar mgr's check for the $1400 USD fee.

I would plan on two months for an SRRV. I got a visitor visa when i arrived, a two month renewal while i got my stuff together, and the "service provider" suggested an extra month as the SRRV might take over a month, but i'll let you know exact. Was a good idea, PNB held things up and i would have gone over the visa expiration.

 

...one other caveat regarding the Consulate in New York. Each Consulate has oversight of a number of US states. For the NY Consulate to approve a notarized doctor's report, the notary seal must be from a state over which the NY Consulate has purview. So, if you get your physical in Texas, the Consulate in NY will probably reject it as "out of their area."

That is spelled out in the Consulate's website. Again, another Consulate may have other ideas.


Let me expand a bit on why I said that the Consulate didn't seem to care much about what I presented:

My FBI report came in a sealed envelope. I left it sealed when I brought it to the Consulate and the clerk looked puzzled. I said the FBI report is inside the sealed envelope for them to open and review. When I got everything returned, they had placed the Consular seal (a brass rivet, actually) through the still-sealed envelope. No one at the Consulate had even bothered to look at the report (since it was still in the unopened envelope.)

When I got to the PRA in Manila, they gave me the same puzzled look. I told them that normally a record in a sealed envelope should remain there until the person needing the information opens it. I had an extra copy of the FBI report with me, and handed it to them and said "this is what is in the envelope." They said they were not allowed to open it, either, but went ahead and carefully cut the edge and peeked inside to compare it to the copy I had given them. But they left the main envelope seal intact. I suppose the BOI finally opened it. Or, maybe it's still sealed awaiting the appropriate bureaucrat with proper authority to look at it.