Latest costs to stay in the RP over 59 days

[swisstrav]

I would offer that if spending $150.00 US is the tipping point whether individuals extend their stay or move on to greener pastures then the Philippine government would probablly believe that those individuals would not be contributing too much to the ecomony.

I also think this only affects a very small number of individuals who are actively spending/contributing to the economy, and will hopefully deter some of the sexpats from sticking around too long.

Cheers,
Roger

i know what you mean

however this country is basically starving for money (foreign). if you would be true, what you call the "sexpads" there is way to much money involved. they will stay on.

now if i'm not meaningful to the the philippine economy staying in a resort, average cost say 2000 to 4000php and doing 2 to 3 dives a day at say 1200php plus food and the occasional drink in the evenig then so be it.

we are talking about spendig the equivalent of approx us 100 to 150 a day. compared with a daily rural income of less than 200php/day? if this is not meanigful, again ok with me.

also i admit, compared with processing costs of us or some other western country your are in line or also on the high side. however if you compare the cost of a bottle of tanduay (68php or even less) then the cost of the visa extension is a bit out of scale.

and that's why i find it simply not worthwhile to extend.

 

[drbill]

I wasn't aware that the visas were good for 59 days (are these tourist or work visas) but that seems a pretty reasonable time period for a tourist visa. Spending $150 US to renew is probably a lot cheaper than making a RT flight to another country and then reentering the PI.

When I finally get there it will be for the diving and the great people, not to become a sexpat!

 

[Gilligan]

------will hopefully deter some of the sexpats from sticking around too long.

Cheers,
Roger

A new word; "sexpats"

Lets get it added to the Webster dictionary.

 

[Gilligan]

I wasn't aware that the visas were good for 59 days (are these tourist or work visas) but that seems a pretty reasonable time period for a tourist visa. Spending $150 US to renew is probably a lot cheaper than making a RT flight to another country and then reentering the PI.

When I finally get there it will be for the diving and the great people, not to become a sexpat!

Not a work Visa. Working in the RP requires a Work Visa and a Work Permit. That's a whole different ball game.

As a U.S. citizen visitor you can enter for up to 21 days w/o a Visa and get extended at Immigration for up to 59 days or you can get a 59 day Visa in advance of entering the RP from a Philippine Consulate or Embassy.

If you are coming for between 22 and 59 days I suggest you get the Visa in advance if you will not be near an Immigration Office. It will save you time. You can download the application from a Philippine Embassy website. Allow a good month for processing and mailing in both directions.

Some travel agencies in the RP are authorized to process your extension (for a fee). You have to leave your passport with them.

Keep in mind that many, if not most RP Government Offices have a dress code that requires long pants and closed shoes to enter. I have the luxury of having a travel agency that is downstairs from the Bohol Immigration Office that gets my extensions for me for 100 Pesos. No dress code required and they fill out the forms for me.

 

[Tdog3261]

Hi Jim,

I will be coming to Panglao again in a few weeks planning to stay at the Oasis again. I am considering a few days at Camiguin this trip and am curious what you thought. We probably have enough time for a third stop as well. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and seeing you again.

Tracy

 

[Peter_C]

Fixed it!

Possible but not likely. Foreigners working illegally in the US should be deported and banned from returning for a period of time, if not permanently.

What? I thought they would give you a drivers license and health care

BTW did you try to tell them Jim that your photos make people want to visit and spend money there?

 

[Gilligan]

i know what you mean

however this country is basically starving for money (foreign). if you would be true, what you call the "sexpads" there is way to much money involved. they will stay on.

now if i'm not meaningful to the the philippine economy staying in a resort, average cost say 2000 to 4000php and doing 2 to 3 dives a day at say 1200php plus food and the occasional drink in the evenig then so be it.

we are talking about spendig the equivalent of approx us 100 to 150 a day. compared with a daily rural income of less than 200php/day? if this is not meanigful, again ok with me.

also i admit, compared with processing costs of us or some other western country your are in line or also on the high side. however if you compare the cost of a bottle of tanduay (68php or even less) then the cost of the visa extension is a bit out of scale.

and that's why i find it simply not worthwhile to extend.

Your analogy is quite true. Let me point out the other side of the coin. I am not defending either. I learned this quite early on in my stays in the RP.

Try convincing a Filipino earning 200 Pesos a day that you and I, or anyone from a developed nation, are not rich. Or maybe try and convince an Immigration Official making more than 200 Pesos a day that we are not rich! Here is what they are thinking but won't say to you out of politeness and shyness with foreigners:
We had the money to buy the ticket to get here.
We have dive gear.
We have a laptop computer.
We have a camera.
We stay at a resort.
We go diving.

We ARE rich.

Hence, no sympathy for any Immigration fees.

 

[swisstrav]

i love reading news papers.

yesterday i learned the monthly salary of the new president is around php 100'000 per month. i spend roughly twice as much in a month here (let me make this clear - with diving ;-))

today i read about the immigration authorities. they have increased their revenues last year up to about 2billions php if i remember right and regard issuing visas as a profit center rather than a service which should be self sufficient.

but on the other hand dot complains when eu black lists philippine airlines. thus due to insurence reasons travel to the philippines which includes local flights needs to be cancelled.

if i rent a banka first question is how many persons

if i order a drink you can be sure i will be asked one?

heck i love this country.

 

[Gilligan]

Hi Jim,

I will be coming to Panglao again in a few weeks planning to stay at the Oasis again. I am considering a few days at Camiguin this trip and am curious what you thought. We probably have enough time for a third stop as well. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and seeing you again.

Tracy

I went to Camiguin in June of last year. It is part of the slow season. I dove with one of Johnny's Dive Shop's. I only got to dive in the "local area" sites as there were no other divers to warrant them taking me to the sites on the other side of the island.
So in all honesty I can't give an objective opinion. I did like Old Volcano because of the black sand as it made for a nice background on photos.
From what I remember there was some sort of conflict going on with a fairly high fee for diving Sunken Cemetery so we never went there. Not sure if that has been resolved.

I stayed at Secret Cove Resort. Johnny's Dive Shop is on the premises. A short distance away is small new resort called Puesta del Sol. The rooms are more expensive but very nice. The Mexican food was homemade and made me feel like I was eating in California

See you in Bohol. Do you still have my cell number?