[ksolaris]

Hello,

My Italian fiance has been staying in Manila since October, and his visa has expired last November 28. He's interested in getting the 6-month Long stay visa.

- Is it true that this can only be acquired at the BoI in Intramuros, and not at any of the satellite offices (like in Mandaluyong)?

- Does anyone have any idea on how much it will cost? We've tried searching for prices online, but we've been hearing about prices that go from 6,000php to 13,000php.

Thanks!

 

[Asian Spirit]

Good Morning,

Costs are regulated by Immigration officials so No real firm idea on the total cost for him.
However, to keep him from being held at the BI office for overstaying, I would suggest using a large {trustworthy} travel agent to take his passport etc to the immigration office to find out how much the overstay will cost plus any extension he may want or need. Travel agencies do this type of thing and is the best way I know of to not only get it done at a low cost, but to also keep him out of trouble for the overstay.


PS A good travel agency will know just about how much it will cost before they go to BI.



Best of luck...

 

[DonAndAbby]

I posted my visa costs here:

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/philippines-expat-forum/336682-tourist-visa-costs.html

The cost for the 6 month will depend on where you are in the cycle. Yes, it is only at Intramuros.

I agree with Jet Lag. If he has overstayed, use an agent to get a 2 month extension and get everything in order. After everything is in order, get the 6 month next time. Why? Somebody told me the agents charge a lot to get you the 6 month, and once you are up to date, getting it is easy and you don't need an agent.

 

[jon1]

I agree with Don.. It looks like the overstay fine is 500p per month Temporary Visitor Visa

 

[ksolaris]

Hello again!

Thank you, all for your suggestions

As Jet Lag suggested, we tried inquiring at travel agencies today, and we're glad that there's apparently a convenient way to do all these things. However, we're still getting varied prices.

*****************************

One gave is a quote of Php 35,000 (!!!)

*****************************

Another gave us this breakdown:

For one month extension ---------------------------------------------- 4,300.00
For ACR-Icard ------------------------------------------------------------- 2,750.00
For the three months overstaying plus penalties -----------------16,650.00
For our Service Fee ------------------------------------------------------ 6,720.00
Total -----------------------------------------------Php 30,420.00

*****************************

While yet another says:

Professional Fee: PHP 3,000
2nd Extension
60 Days: PHP 9,010
Overstay Charge: PHP 1,010
Certificate Registration: USD 50

Total -------------- about Php 16,000

and that the fact that the visa expired last November 2013 "will not cause any problem, but he need to go to immigration for a appearance since he overstayed, he will come with our officer"

*****************************

LOL. So yeah, we'll keep researching to find the best option.

@DonAndAbby

Thank you for this! This is very useful!

 

[lefties43332]

Hello again!

Thank you, all for your suggestions

As Jet Lag suggested, we tried inquiring at travel agencies today, and we're glad that there's apparently a convenient way to do all these things. However, we're still getting varied prices.

*****************************

One gave is a quote of Php 35,000 (!!!)

*****************************

Another gave us this breakdown:

For one month extension ---------------------------------------------- 4,300.00
For ACR-Icard ------------------------------------------------------------- 2,750.00
For the three months overstaying plus penalties -----------------16,650.00
For our Service Fee ------------------------------------------------------ 6,720.00
Total -----------------------------------------------Php 30,420.00

*****************************

While yet another says:

Professional Fee: PHP 3,000
2nd Extension
60 Days: PHP 9,010
Overstay Charge: PHP 1,010
Certificate Registration: USD 50

Total -------------- about Php 16,000

and that the fact that the visa expired last November 2013 "will not cause any problem, but he need to go to immigration for a appearance since he overstayed, he will come with our officer"

*****************************

LOL. So yeah, we'll keep researching to find the best option.

@DonAndAbby

Thank you for this! This is very useful!

My god too expensive.....yikes!!!!!

 

[ksolaris]

@lefties43332 : Yeah, we pretty much recoiled when the first agency we visited gave us the quote of Php 35,000, MINIMUM (in their words...). It really made us wonder if it really costs THAT much when someone's visa has expired, because we thought it would be a penalty of around 500 to 1000 pesos, tops (as Jon1 has pointed out).

We're actually feeling pretty bummed out about the whole thing, because the only reason why my fiance's visa expired on him was because a company who hired him in October promised that their legal department and HR will handle his visa so he can get an ACR and a proper work permit, and that he wouldn't have to renew it himself, so that the processes won't overlap... or something.

Come January, we were getting fidgety that he still hasn't received updates, and they just kept promising him that they were working on it and waiting on DOLE for papers, etc etc. Then February, they let him go out of the blue, and just told him to get his last paycheck the next day and never come back.

LOL. I guess maybe they didn't want to spend money on his visa. Sigh.

ANYWAY, yeah. Here we are.

Anyone got any recommended travel agencies here in Manila/Mandaluyong/Pasig/Ortigas?

 

[ksolaris]

LOL sorry for the rant. It's just..... ERGH.

 

[Asian Spirit]

@lefties43332 : Yeah, we pretty much recoiled when the first agency we visited gave us the quote of Php 35,000, MINIMUM (in their words...). It really made us wonder if it really costs THAT much when someone's visa has expired, because we thought it would be a penalty of around 500 to 1000 pesos, tops (as Jon1 has pointed out).

We're actually feeling pretty bummed out about the whole thing, because the only reason why my fiance's visa expired on him was because a company who hired him in October promised that their legal department and HR will handle his visa so he can get an ACR and a proper work permit, and that he wouldn't have to renew it himself, so that the processes won't overlap... or something.

Come January, we were getting fidgety that he still hasn't received updates, and they just kept promising him that they were working on it and waiting on DOLE for papers, etc etc. Then February, they let him go out of the blue, and just told him to get his last paycheck the next day and never come back.

LOL. I guess maybe they didn't want to spend money on his visa. Sigh.

ANYWAY, yeah. Here we are.

Anyone got any recommended travel agencies here in Manila/Mandaluyong/Pasig/Ortigas?

The hotel has been sold but would still suggest checking with Swagman Travel located inside the Swagman Hotel.in Ermita, Manila. If going there in person, it is across the street from the US Embassy and behind the Bayview Park Hotel. Do be sure to ask for Agnes, the hotel manager as she is still there and would be the best one to deal with.

 

[ksolaris]

Okay! We'll give it a shot. Because so far, this is what we've got.

Still a bit confused because the third option in the image lists the extension costs as Php9010 per 60 days. Meanwhile, I'm looking at DonAndAbby's spreadsheet and I'm wondering which rules are being used re: how these things are priced.

My goodness.

 

[lefties43332]

Welcome to the Philippines!!!