Retirement Visa Special Resident Retirement Visa (SRRV)

I'm Pinay, he's American :-)

 

One thing that hasn’t, I believe, been mentioned in this thread: what if you have to leave the Philippines on short notice for medical or other reasons, and are not able to return? In my case, I was ill with what turned out to be Stage 4 Prostate Cancer for which I am receiving chemo therapy in the US. I will not be able to return to the Philippines. Since I am former military, my SRRV deposit was $1,500. I made the foolish assumption that I could go to the Philippine Consulate with my passport, SRRV id card, and letter of resignation, and that they could process my resignation so that the $1,500 could be returned to me. At the PH Consulate in LA, they had no idea what to do with my request, so they provided me with several worthless forms which I had delivered to PRA in Cebu. The bottom line is this: in order to complete the resignation, I must send my passport to PRA Cebu. They supposedly will submit it to Immigration for invalidation. I must designate an “attorney-in-fact” to retrieve my passport from the Cebu office and mail it back to me in the States. There is another requirement, that I must appear at a PRA office to personally sign my Exit Interview. If I were deceased, perhaps a family member could cut off a finger or toe, and send that to PRA. Sending my body there would be a costly and stinky process. In short, it is far easier to obtain an SRRVisa than it is to resign from it. I suppose I will send them my passport, and request a waiver on the Exit Interview, but it is a shame that a Philippine Consulate cannot handle this. If you are a holder of an SRRV and find you must leave the country, try by all means to stop by a PRA office on your way out. Below are the requirements for resignation the Cebu PRA office provided:

1) LETTER OF INTENT (state the reason for cancellation) & BANK INSTRUCTION (must be US Dollar account abroad) with the following details: Account Name, Account Number, Bank Name, Bank Branch, Bank Address, & Swift Code.


2) Affidavit of QUITCLAIM - NOTARIZED BY LAWYER (If done abroad, must be AUTHENTICATED by PH Embassy)



3) EXIT INTERVIEW Form (duly accomplished) - must be signed PERSONALLY at any PRA Office, if not possible, write a letter-justification


4) PRA I.D. cards - including members of the family, if any


5) Original PASSPORT/S where the SRR Visa is stamped (if Passport where SRR Visa was stamped is already expired, current valid Passport will be needed even if the SRR Visa is not stamped in the said Passport), including members of the family who are likewise issued the SRR Visa


6) FEES (for each member): PLEASE DEPOSIT YOUR PAYMENT TO LBP MAIN BRANCH CEBU CITY

a) P500.00 - Immigration Express Lane/Cancellation fee

b) P3,510.00 - 59 day Tourist Visa/Downgrading to Tourist Visa - ONLY IF RETIREE IS IN THE PH


c) US$10.00 - PRA Cancellation Service Fee

d) US$10.00 - PRA Downgrading Service Fee - ONLY IF RETIREE IS IN THE PH


e) Php150.00 - Courier Fee (only if the retiree is in the Philippines);
If not practical for the retiree to come at PRA Office, additional documents required for representative/agent to submit:
a) Notarized Special Power of Attorney executed by the retiree (In case SPA was executed abroad, it must be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate).
b) Three (3) pieces of photo ID of representative/agent
c) Two (2) passport photos of representative/agent

 

Sorry to hear about your prostate cancer, Johncarson, but thanks for confirming that once they get our money its all but impossible to get it back. So it seems to be more of a fee than a deposit.

 

I'm afraid you're right, Dave. I am lucky in that they only have $1,500 deposit from me. It would be so much worse if I had put up $10,000 or $20,000. If they were interested in returning the deposit, they would make it possible through an embassy or consulate. I have written several letters to PRA Cebu, but the response is always this is what you have to do. No concessions if one is incapacitated. I'm afraid if I send them my passport, I may never see it again. Plus all the other extras I must do, it is certainly quite burdensome.

 

Does anyone know what happens if someone is already in The Philippines but has to provide documentation from their home country? I was told recently that an SRRV has to be applied for BEFORE coming here, but that seems not to be correct. I think a 'police clearance certificate' has to be applied for in the country concerned (i.e. my home country) but it also seems that being present in The Philippines for a short time and a Philippines NCI check has to be made; is this IN ADDITION to home country clearance or INSTEAD of it?

 

You will need a 'Police Clearance' from your home country. This then needs to be authenticated by the PH Embassy in your home country. I found that, in the UK, there are agencies that handle these things if you are not there in person - for a fee of course. You can check on the internet for your particular country.

 

There is a Little misconception along the way I feel, If you have been here for more that 6 months you only need a Current NBI Clearance,
Less than 6 months then yes, you will need a Home Police ( FBI) Clearance of course YMMV
We have had much Discussed here on this and maybe one of those going for this Visa will step in

 

You might try asking the question directly to the PRA. Ms. Elma Anora-Colbeta at the Cebu office has been very responsive to the questions I asked while going through the process. Try emailing to: cebu_pra@yahoo.com

I always had an answer in a day or two.

 

I'm confused (what's new at my age). My experience with CEBU PRA. I'm 73, four years in Navy with DD214 (thank god i still had it). I started SRRV (courtesy) paperwork one month AFTER arriving HERE (july 2016). I brought some paperwork, including my US Police Clearance, with the gorgeous red ribbon, affixed in less than a day from the SF Philippine Consulate. CEBU PRA said i did NOT NEED the SF clearance, but DID NEED the NBI (national bureau of investigation, behind the provincial capital in Dumaguete), took two weeks. Used JR Coca as my "service provider" to get stuff "validated" at DFA in Manila The longest project was the Certificate of Deposit from PNB. NEVER EVER use a US Dollar bank manager check, ALWAYS use Peso Mgr Check, cuts wait from 21 days to 3 days. Did that because my $1500 was already here in country.

Anyway, everything done and formally submitted to PRA (Cebu and Manila) on Oct 9, SRRV issued Nov 3, picked up in CEBU on 30 Nov, CEBU said i could not pick up at BOI Duma. I also have an ACR card, haven't figured out why yet, but it was easy to get at BOI Dmge .

 

This is the most useless visa ever invented. Why would a retiree or pensioner want to come to the PI to work? There are no savings as it still costs you just about as much annually in fees as the tourist visa. There are no discounts to be had anywhere. In Equador for example they give you free health care and even free public transport in addition to discounts on many things. What a joke.