Tourist Visa Best Posts in Thread: 3 year tourist limitation

Today's announcement from the government that the Philippines will reopen to foreign tourists as from February 10 may seem like good news for those needing to briefly exit the Philippines soon-ish because of the 3 year limit on tourist visa extensions (ignoring the extortionate fees for a 4 month "covid"-extension).
And yes it is good news in the sense that you can get a "visa on arrival" again, however:
only reasonably priced return tickets I can find so far are to Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur respectively (each around 300 US$) but Hong Kong doesn't allow travelers from the Philippines yet (except HK citizens and OFW's), while Malaysia only has a "Langkawi tourist bubble" with the only available information on that in Malay language, so both those destinations seem a no go for now.
Cheapest destination I could find that allows fully vaccinated visitors from the Philippines without testing or quarantine requirements is Cambodia, but the flights to get there generally take just as long as flying to Amsterdam lol.

So for the time being I'll still wait for my "compassionate visa extension" application to reach a conclusion.

 

If my wife was to die they could take the torn up pieces and stick them where the sun never shines and i will be gone before they can flush.
She is the one and only reason i am here....

 

I like Vietnam for Visa Runs - and they currently allow vaccinated travellers from The Philippines. Note that they will require Health Insurance valid for Covid-19.

https://www.vietnam.travel/things-to-do/information-travellers-novel-coronavirus-vietnam

 

I cannot believe that the BI does not have the sense, balls or whatever else it takes to waive this 3 year rule during this pandemic.
I have just got a 13a visa and was told that sometime during the next year i must go to Cebu BI to give my fingerprints (it cant be done in Dumaguete)
I argued that during the application process for the 13a i had to go to the NBI and give fingerprints with ink and computer scan so why cant the BI use them ?
Answer because they are a different department HORSESHIT.
Let's have people doing unnecessary travel in the middle of a never ending pandemic, must make sense to someone.

 

I finally got a reply from BI Manila regarding my application for a "compassionate" visa extension (beyond 3 years).
My request was granted, but I'm still required to pay a 15,000 Php fee on top of the regular extension fees for a 4 months extension.
Oh well, still better than the 25k extra fee for a "regular" 4 months extension beyond 3 years.

 

The only official procedure detail I can find is this one here.
When I was at the BI last week, I was told to also bring a notarized affidavit detailing the reasons for the application and any further documentation in support of the application like a medical certificate. I may know more by the end of this week, since I'll be applying for an extension myself (and hopefully avoid having to pay the 25k fee for only 4 months).

 

You can lodge an application for extended stay. Very expensive as you pay overstaying. As you approach the 3 year limit the only way to extend, and it is certainly not guaranteed, is to apply to the Commissioner of Bureau of Immigration, Manila. via a form known as a Motion of Reconsideration. This form has to be processed using an Attorney.

 

If you are married legally in another country that is not false pretenses. If you are both catholic have you approached the church on this to see if they could assist you ratifying your marriage? I know my situation is different and the rules probably have changed but I was married twice one summer in Negroes, first civilly and then in the church. Because we were not spring chickens and I needed to return to the US the church even expedited our marriage and allowed us to skip a lot of the seminars. You never know until you ask or try.