⌛ In prep for moving there, I have a question

Another good security tip is to carry a false wallet...get some library cards and your membership card from the local video store back home and you know that kind of stuff that you can afford to lose. Put enough cash in it that an armed thief won't be too pissed off about like maybe a couple thousand P and smile as you pass it to whomever is robbing you. I know it's hard to conceal other ID and money on tropical summer dress but you could even consider having secret pockets put into shirts and shorts for a very low price by a local tailor. Do me a favour though and never keep money in a shoe or sock. I had a pedicab driver give me a 20 P note that he had obviously kept in his socks. It stunk so bad, I had to leave my wallet out to air out for over a week from keeping the bill in it for just a couple of hours. I thought i was going to have to throw my wallet out at one point.

 

:D PoolBum,
here is some info which may help you. I live in England and will be emigrating to the Phils next August. I have looked at various methods of getting residency without leaving leaving and returning with a 1 year visa.
Below is a page from the Philippine Embassy Website in London. I'm sure that you will find the same in the USA.
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EMBASSY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Press Release –
March 2007

Foreign Spouses of Filipino Nationals Can Now Live and Work in the Philippines


The Philippine Embassy notes an increasing number of foreign nationals married to Filipinos wishing to take up permanent residency in the Philippines. Primary considerations include the relatively cheap cost of living in the Philippines, including education of children, and potential investment opportunities particularly in the provinces outside Metro Manila and other regions.

In response to numerous queries it regularly receives from British nationals married to Filipinos if they could permanently live and work in the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy confirms that foreign spouses of Filipinos nationals can now permanently live and work in the Philippines by applying for non-quota immigrant visa.

Ambassador Edgardo Espiritu explains that a foreign national married to a Filipino national may apply for the visa provided that he is able to prove that:

He contracted a valid marriage with a Filipino citizen;
The marriage is recognized under existing Philippine laws;
There is no record of any derogatory information against the applicant from relevant law enforcement agencies;
He/she is of good physical and mental health; and
He/she has sufficient funds to support his/her family
“Former Filipino citizens married to foreign nationals first have to take an oath of allegiance before a consul at a Philippine Embassy/Consulate nearest to their place of residence to reacquire their Philippine citizenship before their foreign spouses could qualify for the non-quota immigrant visa,” adds Ambassador Espiritu.

For further information on the non-quota immigrant visa and retention/reacquisition of Philippine citizenship, interested parties may contact the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy at telephone numbers 0207 361 4639 and 0207 361 4642.
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If you pass all the requirements you will be issued a year visa. Once the year is up then you can apply for resident status at the local '' immigration office''. Hope this is of use, as it will save you having to tie your money up.

 

This is what we had in mind to apply for a NON-QUOTA IMMIGRANT VISA for my hubby when we will be retiring soon in Dumaguete. There are a lot of documentation to process but I guess this is the very best thing to do if planning to stay in PI for good with a Filipino spouse.

Thanks King Cole for posting, this will be of good help to others wanting to retire in the PI.

 

“Former Filipino citizens married to foreign nationals first have to take an oath of allegiance before a consul at a Philippine Embassy/Consulate nearest to their place of residence to reacquire their Philippine citizenship before their foreign spouses could qualify for the non-quota immigrant visa,” adds Ambassador Espiritu.


This is interesting. Does this also apply to land ownership. Can someone born in the Phils but now on foreign passport buy property or do they have to do the oath of allegiance ?

 

A former Filipino...ie one that has taken up either American, Australian, British, German citizen...would have normally lost their Philippines citizenship by taking citizenship of another country. Sounds odd....but it's true. In the last few years the Arroyo govt has encouraged those 'former' Filipinos to take up their citizenship again, and the Philippines now recognizes dual-citizenship.

That said, those former Filipinos that prefer to stay Australian, American, or whatever...they can still make a limited property purchase in the Philippines. For a residential house...that would be up to 1000 sq metres of land..period. Definitely...would not recommend going above that...even though realtors may say otherwise..as they would..they don't face the consequences. You would be exposing yourself to future problems you really don' t want. Do your due diligence on any property you look at....My advice would be to stick to very reputable sub-divisions...but it's not a view all share..

 

Loftyone, your questions will be answered by checking on EXPATS SECTION under OPTIONS TO LIVE IN THE PHILIPPINES. Hope this will help.

 

Former pinoys are restricted to own up to 1000 sq meters of urban land for residential purposes ,but they can own up to a hectar of rural land for this same purpose.

For business purposes ,they can own 5000 sq mtrs urban land ; for rural land classification they can own up to 3 hectars.

It doesn't appeal to me though to live in a subdivision, i feel claustrophobic .Would like big garden to fiddle around, more space to manuever ,so we prefer somewhere rural but near the city,Valencia is very well good for this description and we acquired a little over 2 hectars that falls into this rural agricultural land classification .Just a thought ,perhaps we could get away through some loopholes if we put rental accomodations on one end while we live on the other far end,still more space for privacy and flower gardens / orchard ,swimming pool, quietness while our declared residence will be on the beach house an hour from dumaguete.Only plans at the moment,but we've planted partly 200 fruit and flowering trees on it ,still have more space left.

 

Thanks for the info. I have checked out the other thread. Very interesting.

So presumably if they can't own more than 1000 square metres in the city and 1ha of rural land, they can't inherit more than this amount of land either ?

Does anyone know what is involved in taking up Filipino citizenship again (ie. dual citizenship) for someone who became a bloody aussie 21 years ago ?

Is there any down side to doing this ? Balikbayan taxes or other cost ?

 

pickled newt

I agree with you. I'm not interested in living in a subdivision either. Valencia is a very nice place. Far enough out to feel like country life but close enough to the city for shopping, restaurants, movies etc.

 

Valencia is very nice, I even bought a land there few years ago, dreaming to stay there soon when I retire unfortunately because of we just call craziness of me in hurry to get this land (thought is a good bargain)I even end up now fighting to get back my money.....land have no propers ,legal papers and more problems came when we try to process to build a house there supposed to be.I'm not against of subdivision as we become old we also need safteness in the foreighn land.