⌛ Tourist visa extensions in the Philippines

Hi

I need some help from a visa expert.

I will be coming to Dumaguete for 2 months at the beginning of October. Due to a lack of forethought on my part, my total stay will be 62 days - 3 days too long for a 59 day visa. Can anyone suggest the best way to deal with the extra few days. The options I am currently aware of are.

1. Reschedule my return flight with Cebu Pacific for a 3000baht (4200pesos) fee

or

2. Pay for a full 2 month extension - not sure of the cost and I believe it has gone up recently.

Is there a less painful option available? Any help would be gratefully received.

 

The 38 day extension after you 21day at the airport will cost 3300php Then you will have to get a 59 day extension at 4300php. I have heard of instances of people getting a 1 month extension but is up tp the discretion of the immigration officer and is rare

 

No these are the 2 options, you have. But neither of them seems to particularly painfull, as far as I can see. They are just only painfull to your vallet :p

 

It doesn`t make much difference also, if you get a 1 or 2 month extension, since most of the fees are pr. application and not related to the lenght of the extension.

You might save 500 peso or so, if you can get a 1 month extension instead of 2 month, but thats about it. I did get a 1 month extension once in Dumaguete, and it seemed like a fairly routine matter.

Still, Naalings bad planning has cost him about 4.000 peso, nomather what he does. But thats not so bad also. Its only about 1.400 peso for each of the extra 3 days in the Philippines. And I guess that should be considered cheap for the privilege of being allowed to stay in such a wonderfull place as Dumaguete :D

 

Thankyou bikerdave and fundiver for your replys

The situation is pretty much what I thought it would be. After living in Thailand for over 8 years I've learnt not to expect any favours from immigration.

Of course you are right, 4000 pesos isn't the end of the world, but then again how many SMG pils would that buy?

I guess in the end the only choice I have is who I give the money to. At least if I give it to Immigration I get 3 extra days in Dumaguete, with Cebu Pacific I get nothing.

As long as the beer is cold then nothing else really matters.

 

I understand your pain. I went through the same thing in Thailand with my gf and accompanying staff in Thailand last year. The overstay was Cebu Pacific's fault, but, OF COURSE, I paid the overstay fees.

As a humanitarian gesture, I offer you drinks on me during your visit to Dumaguete. Sorry that I don't have a better solution!

 

Thats the right spirit and the choise, that I would make also. And frankly I think it might also well be a lot less tedious to deal with the immigration office in Dumagute rather than Cebu Pacific. They are actually very friendly and service minded, which can not nessesarely be said about the staff in other immigration offices around the country.

Still if you think that thai or philippine immigration rules are stricht and unflexible then praise yourself lucky, that you don`t have to deal with european immigration rules

 

.

As long as the beer is cold then nothing else really matters.[/QUOTE]

With an attitude like that You'll do just fine here in Dumaguete

 

There is another option.
Take a break in Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) for a few days.
In total it will be more expensive but it will give an extra dimension to your vacation.
A trip inclusive flight from Clark (Luzon) 2 nights in a hostel and the flight back with Air Asia will cost you only 4,757.00 pesos.
see:http://goholiday.airasia.com/GQ_Availability.aspx?pageIndex=0&OUT=0&IN=0
Ofcause you will have to fly to Clark (go and back) and pay also airporttax (750 pesos) but you will not have to make an extension to you visa or pay a rebooking to Cebu Pacific.
Only make sure to take the trip within 21 days of your final departure.

 

derivative guru

Thank you for your thoughts, but really I have no one to blame but myself for my bad planning. I'm sorry to hear about your situation in Thailand. Immigration officers here have their rules and thats all they know. And of course the most important rule is that it doesn't matter who's at fault, the Farang always pays!

I hope we can have a few beers and talk about our experiences when I get to Dumaguete.

fundiver

I'm looking forward to my stay in Dumaguete and I won't let this issue spoil anything.

Point taken about European immigration. I'm Australian and from what I've seen in Thailand I'm glad I don't have to deal with Australian immigration when i go home.

Hope to meet you all soon