⌛ 13a visa

Hi All,
can anyone help?, my friend has a 13a visa expires in sept, he is married to a philippina but she ripped him off bigtime!!.He has just been to imagration in manila to renew it, but was told his wife has to be with him!.

How can he get a visa to stay here, can he just buy extentions after the 13a has expired?

HELP!!!!
Cheers Alan

 

You may find more information on this website:About Visa in the Philippines

 

e mail me expatron2003@yahoo.com

I may be able to help.
Ron

 

13a Visa! Extension ?

mmmm Alan, not sure about this! I was reading some time last week and I have to Admit I have had a problem Finding the Post, That if a Spouse was to Kick up enough Fuss about their other half the 13a can be rescinded. This I am not sure about BUT who knows! To renew OR make permanent a 13a they would normally have to have either the spouse present or a Notarised Letter of Intent.
When mine was made permanent I did not have to do either but I guess I fell lucky. Maybe your friend's Wife had made some sort of move to have it revoked. In any case it is for all us foreigners to be aware of things and maybe you will let us know the outcome.
Forewarned is Forearmed so to speak. Personally, I have never spoken to anyone who has had to go back to extension Visas after a 13a was issued temporary or permanent. I do hope that expatron can help as he says.! Did you ask him?

Jack P.

 

Helloo Alan,

To the best of my knowledge the 13a visa is issued only to non-citizens marrying a Philippine citizen. The reason it is probationary for 12 months is:
#1. is the marriage real or fake? #2. is the married couple still together as husband and wife after 12 months or did they separate? After the probationary period of 12 months is over, the married couple have to apply together for a permanent 13a Visa. In other words both parties have to attend the meeting with a BOI officer when applying.
I don't know it all, but this is my understanding about 13a visa probationary and permanent.
For your friend to continue with 13a Visa without his wife doesn't make sence to me, but I beleive that he can continue with a tourist visa and its extensions, as long as there is nothing bad in BOI's records about him.
I am educating myself about BOI matters and will appreciate any input from others members about my right and wrong thinking here. Thanks!

PEACE!

 

Additional info!

This 13a Visa probationary status gives opportunity for the Filipina spouse not to sponsor anymore for conversion of the Probationary TRV to a permanent one for another couple of years or for five years if the alien spouse is abusive, violent, a womanizer, or engages in drugs or substance abuse, or does not properly support the family in proportion to the alien’s earnings. At the least, the Filipina is given protection here. At its best, the community is assured that the alien given the privilege of a TRV is worthy of such privilege.

The foreigner husbands though should be wary of their spouses and not tend to abuse the TRV since the wife could at any time petition the Bureau of Immigration to cancel the visa of her abusive alien husband. This is to make sure that the alien husband behaves in a proper manner.

Another privilege that a foreigner has if he is married to a Filipina is what is called a Balikbayan Visa. It is stamped on the passport of the alien married to a Filipina upon arrival at the port of entry if he arrives together with his Filipina spouse. It is a one year stamp and the alien need not go to the Bureau of Immigration every 59 days to get his extension of stay. This Balikbayan Visa or BV could be availed of only if the spouses arrive together on the same plane or on the same boat coming into the Philippines.

I hope this explains the rules.

 

Hi ,
and thank you to everyone for their help, he went to Manila and was told his wife would have to be with him, as she was his sponser!, but when he explained what had happened the said they would be able to give him a permenant visa, but it would cost p35,000 suprise suprise!!!, so thats what he did and all's fine now.

Cheers Alan:D

 

That's what I like about the Philippines! There is a happy ending to every problem as long as you can afford it

 

mmmm Well!

:D You would have thought, WE would have learned by Now! :D

Jack P.

 

We ain't in Kansas anymore Dorothy. What are WE supposed to learn other than the price of doing business. Do you think that by setting a sparkling example WE are going to change the system? It is called the Asian way and has a many century long history.