# bring cash



## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

anyone every bring a large amount of cash to the Philippines before. I know you must declare the amount if over 10,000 usd.
Are they counting your money at the airport ??


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I have never brought that much with me - but I have also never hand them look...


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

One time I did bring $8,000 with me and thought I might be questioned but in actuality, I have never been asked either.

Fred


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

did they not check your pockets.. Where did you have the cash in your wallet..thanks for any reply


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

It's not that they check you, it's more in case they check you then fine you if over the undeclared limit.


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

I have a friend who brought ~$20k to the Philippines a few years ago to put toward the purchase of a house and lot. He and his filipina wife each brought in right at or under $10k each. I didnt ask him where he actually had the cash on him but I remember him telling me that nobody asked him about it or checked.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

I have brought large amounts,it has to go thru the xray......I seal it in an envelope. Had one check it before ,just looked at the bills but didn't count


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Never into the Philippines but once when working for the UN in Afghanistan they screwed up and gave me several months pay in cash instead of transferring to my bank account.

I simply brought all the documentation with me, contract, pay slips and copies of the emails on the issue about cash vs bank account. 

Never declared it leaving Afghanistan ( no rule on that at the time) simply transited Dubai and Frankfurt so no declaration needed.

On arrival declared at Canada Customs, they took me into a room with two officers, counted all the money looked at my documentation and sent me on my way with a declaration form stamped certifying importation of the cash. ( Had a laugh with the agents since I also had small amounts of CDN, AED AFG, sterling and euro's with me and they needed a CDN equivalent of the amounts.)

When I went to the bank, I had to show the customs forms before they would accept the deposit. This was a small bank in a small town where I had banked for a couple decades and had gone to high school with the teller who took my deposit. 

If they did the same in the Philippines you would have to count all cash at the airport. Then ask yourself do you want to leave the airport at night get in a cab when people know you are carrying what to them is a couple years worth of wages? You also have to think of how you will spend the cash, you will not be able to deposit it without the customs form, banks ask source of cash when exchanging it for peso. Basically you will have to keep the cash safe, until you can spend it and will get a poor exchange rate at a money changer instead of the bank rate.

If not declared and caught, a small risk but a risk nevertheless, you could lose the cash and be sent packing on next flight out. You would have to pay for the flight on a credit card since they would have your cash. 

There are so many other good options for transferring money,IMHO, it is simply not worth the risk and hassle to use large amounts of cash.


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## canounggoy (Jan 16, 2019)

Sure it's your money, some people bring large amounts of Cash to get better exchange rate than transfer companies. There are lots of ways to be partied from your money here, snatchers are amazing with there slight off hand. The exchange rate is zero on a empty Pocket. I bumped my transfer limit up to $9,000 with Xoom and Remitly . Third tier I think is $15,000 a day and total of 30k a month I think.
Without a 13a or SRRV looks impossible to open a bank account here now, so I just pay fees and don't keep larger amounts of Cash.


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## ElaineG (Jun 4, 2015)

I have met many people in my life who have had large amounts of cash stolen from them. Usually when they were carrying it to evade taxes. And know what? They all thought it would never happen to them !


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

canounggoy said:


> Sure it's your money, some people bring large amounts of Cash to get better exchange rate than transfer companies. There are lots of ways to be partied from your money here, snatchers are amazing with there slight off hand. The exchange rate is zero on a empty Pocket. I bumped my transfer limit up to $9,000 with Xoom and Remitly . Third tier I think is $15,000 a day and total of 30k a month I think.
> Without a 13a or SRRV looks impossible to open a bank account here now, so I just pay fees and don't keep larger amounts of Cash.


Why do you think it's impossible to open an account here without being on a SRRV or 13a? I opened 3 accounts on a visit visa in the last 18 months.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Bank Account Opening*



canounggoy said:


> Without a 13a or SRRV looks impossible to open a bank account here now, so I just pay fees and don't keep larger amounts of Cash.


Canounggoy I have heard a few expats were able to open a bank account but with some lengthy searching you may be able to open an account with just your passport and another form of ID other than the ACR so I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet. :fingerscrossed:


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

hogrider said:


> Why do you think it's impossible to open an account here without being on a SRRV or 13a? I opened 3 accounts on a visit visa in the last 18 months.


Hogrider wich banks allowed you to open and where there any requests from the bank for ID or Passport?


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

hogrider said:


> Why do you think it's impossible to open an account here without being on a SRRV or 13a? I opened 3 accounts on a visit visa in the last 18 months.


I opened accounts at HSBC Makati branch with only my photocopy of my passport plus home driver license while they were processing my SRRV. I had HSBC account at home for years but don't know if that helped or no.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> I opened accounts at HSBC Makati branch with only my photocopy of my passport plus home driver license while they were processing my SRRV. I had HSBC account at home for years but don't know if that helped or no.


I'm sure it did, I can open a HSBC account from my online banking from here in tge UK.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Gary D said:


> I'm sure it did, I can open a HSBC account from my online banking from here in tge UK.


I tried that before I came but HSBC Canada said that I needed to be physically present in th Philippines to open an account.

I am in the process of opening an HSBC Global account on line. Will see how it goes.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

M.C.A. said:


> Hogrider wich banks allowed you to open and where there any requests from the bank for ID or Passport?


PS Bank in Davao. I was on a tourist visa. They opened the account using my passport for ID. They asked me to get an ACR, which I was able to do after about 8 months and they took a copy for their records.


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

thanks to everyone for their input


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## xXEsPaNyoLAkoXx (Jan 24, 2019)

When I visited the Philippines I brought $20,000 cash in a separate wallet means $10,000 in each wallet. You don't have to worry security guards won't check it. Just be cautious and put your money in a safe place. Philippine Airport is not that strict than other airports.


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## JShannon (Jan 28, 2014)

I guess I must look like an innocent guy. In 10 trips back to the PH Immigration has never asked any questions. They look at PP, stamp it, hand it back, off you go. Of course you never know what they might do. Just be quiet unless asked a question, be humble and courteous. 

First bank acct with Metro in San Jose Antique 5 years ago. Passport and a 2nd ID, no problem here but we are in the provinces, a bit more relaxed I think.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

xXEsPaNyoLAkoXx said:


> When I visited the Philippines I brought $20,000 cash in a separate wallet means $10,000 in each wallet. You don't have to worry security guards won't check it. Just be cautious and put your money in a safe place. Philippine Airport is not that strict than other airports.


I have never been seriously checked for anything at any airport or border crossing except for routine xray of baggage etc, nothing that would have ever found any cash. Cash looks like paper and other organic material in an x-ray so it ifs very unlikely to have it discovered.

Having said that I simply do not need to carry cash to take the risk of customs finding it or losing it or having it stolen. I do usually have significant cash (5k) with me for emergency but not over the 10k USD limits most countries impose and not an amount that I cannot afford to lose if robbed.

All I need is enough cash to get somewhere where I know ATM's will work, buying cash on the spot "visa" or paying "fines" should things go south. I plan on being one of the first out when that happens before prices rise too much/


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## xXEsPaNyoLAkoXx (Jan 24, 2019)

Manitoba said:


> I have never been seriously checked for anything at any airport or border crossing except for routine xray of baggage etc, nothing that would have ever found any cash. Cash looks like paper and other organic material in an x-ray so it ifs very unlikely to have it discovered.
> 
> Having said that I simply do not need to carry cash to take the risk of customs finding it or losing it or having it stolen. I do usually have significant cash (5k) with me for emergency but not over the 10k USD limits most countries impose and not an amount that I cannot afford to lose if robbed./


We do have different perspective on how we handle our money in the airport. I may exceeded the $10k USD that time but no one knows about it. I'm not against on their rules and regulations. I just have a reason why I did it.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Once you have lied on the landing card it's anybody's game. There is no problem taking more than $10,000 as long as you declare it, unless you have something to hide of course.


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## Tim_L (Jul 14, 2018)

Gary D said:


> Once you have lied on the landing card it's anybody's game. There is no problem taking more than $10,000 as long as you declare it, unless you have something to hide of course.


Add to that, one runs the risk of having the non-declared currency seized. 
I’m sure the Philippine Gov would just love an extra 500+K ph in their coffers.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Gary D said:


> Once you have lied on the landing card it's anybody's game. There is no problem taking more than $10,000 as long as you declare it, unless you have something to hide of course.


Except for the risk of loss or theft of the cash. I have declared more than the limits coming into Canada, I was taken into a room with two agents and the cash was counted and forms filled in and I had to demonstrate the source of the funds. All this I was ready to do and I needed the forms from customs to deposit the cash in my bank account.

However at no time did it ever occur to me that these two agents would tell someone on the outside that someone was coming out with a lot of cash, in the Philippines I would not be so confident.

I have a US cash account in the Philippines, I can get additional US cash from the bank anytime I want.


Just not worth lying to Customs or Immigration at any time for any reason. Cash is risky for loss or theft, why add risk of official confiscation to that?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Manitoba said:


> However at no time did it ever occur to me that these two agents would tell someone on the outside that someone was coming out with a lot of cash, in the Philippines I would not be so confident.


Very well put.

Fred


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## BusyBC57 (Apr 13, 2015)

mikelv49n said:


> anyone every bring a large amount of cash to the Philippines before. I know you must declare the amount if over 10,000 usd.
> Are they counting your money at the airport ??


We brought over 10K from the states. They don't count it when you leave and you don't have to declare it, but when you arrive you have to declare the money on that little form they give you. They never counted it when we arrived.


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