Exit Clearance Best Posts in Thread: ECC Exit Clearance

Yes although it cost me extra .. flew out today be back tonight

 

Pretty sure long pants , collar shirt and closed shoes still apply in Cebu, JCenter Mandaue BI.
Some BI offices have eased up I believe to allow for tourists. ..but why risk it.

 

Thanks.. needed to know that, but seems that Cebu issues the same day, at least the 3 people I have talked to.. if they make me wait then I will so wish me luck

 

Well since no one has tried to leave the day after getting the ECC then I will be the "test case". Leaving Next week for Cebu and will attempt to get ECC and leave the next day for Macau... Will report back

 

I am suggesting that I understand life in the Philippines means knowing one person's experience only necessarily allies to that one experience and while it my be informative it is no guarantee of what will happen to the person next in line or even us next time we leave. hmmm, I could have just said it's the Philippines and I'm suggesting YMMV as I have no idea why it was easy for us but so difficult and long for others. I had her all worried about the possibility of a 2 hour interview and we were through in 2 minutes.

 

BI is a little weak in the area of preventing problems.

When I had to convert my 13a probationary visa to permanent, I went to BI Duma to verify the requirements and they gave me a list.
All my documents were in order. Arrived in Manila one week later to find Manila BI had additional requirements. Namely a criminal record clearance from my home country. The Manila list did not even have the new requirements so they penciled them onto the sheet, I sh*t you not.
They put their latest whim into place without notice or informing their offices.
After some discussion they eventually issued me a "temporary permanent immigrant visa" (it's true) unfortunately there is no such thing. Ultimately they gave me a 6 month extension on my probationary 13 a visa. Well there is no such thing as a 6 month extension (there is a 3 month extension). On my way out of the country the BI emigration officer looked at the 6 month extension and said "hey no such thing" all I could say was look at the signatures and call your boss if you like.

The point being the BI is not organized and they make up the rules on a whim and don't inform their field offices.

 

Not quite correct. Holders of an SRRV never need to leave the country if they choose not to, and can enter and exit as they please.

However, if an SRRV holder stays in the Philippines more than 12 (I think) months consecutively, there is a "Travel Tax" that must be paid upon leaving (re-entering?) the country. It is the same tax which Filipino citizens are subject to, so it is not discriminating against foreigners.

 

Got my ECC today in Cebu's immigration office. Was there just after 9am. I was in and out in 15-20 minutes with the completed ECC ready for the airport. They required 3 2x2 photo's with a white background (I had more as I had heard 5 were needed now and a blogger recently said they were asked 6). I had photocopies of EVERYTHING and they wanted NOTHING of it. 500p was the fee. I did make sure to go on a Tues as figured Monday and Friday are going to be busier.

What sucked in the Ceres bus from Dumaguete to Cebu and then back again for something that took less then 20 minutes (and 5 of that was me filling out a very short 1 page form easier then the extension form).