# Tourist Visa - 6 month



## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

I have been living in the PI for 3 years now and so far it was all on the Balikbayan. My year was up last month so I went to the Marquee Mall to extend my stay instead of leaving the country this time. I asked for a 6 month extension which according to the BI website I am eligible for but they said I could only get 2 months.

I asked why and they said if I wrote a letter to the "administrator" I may be able to get the 6 month Vistor visa next time. Does anyone know what this is about?

I am guessing I write a letter asking for a 6 month extension and explaining why I want it over a 2 month? The reason is I don't plan on visiting the US until November and I would rather just do this once more versus making three more trips 70km away.

I need to go back next month and would like to have the letter ready to go.

Thanks,

Tim


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Seems odd to me that they will not give the 6mo visa if that is what they are supposed to do. 
I have heard of this but have no experience with it.
Write a letter to the BI Commissioner? As slow as things take here who knows? It might take longer than your two month extension to get a reply-if ever. Hope they are not just sending you on a wild goose chase. 
If you don't get any usable information here, I'd say a quick phone call to the main BI office in Manila is in order.

Good Luck :fingerscrossed:


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

Marquee Mall is not authorized to do the 6 month extension according to the BI website. Check the following for offices authorized to issue 6 month extensions.

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/image...018_Apr/2018Apr02_DirectoryOfTransactions.pdf

Chuck


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

Bidrod makes a good point, each Philippine Bureau of Immigration Satellite has its limitations, they won't be full service especially on Luzon because the main office is in Manila and so something major like this you'd want to go the PBI main office.

Trouble is how to explain this to you without having to go into detail and this wastes time, they have no time for discussion so you won't get that explanation with just about any question you ask here it's like pulling teeth, you are expected to know what your doing and then to make matters worse its either so busy on the main level floor or so loud you can barely hear the personel behind the windows while at times with two other people trying to get their questions answered but the main office is where you'd want to be.


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

If this is your first visa after coming off a BB you have to have a 1 or 2 month visa before you can get a 6 month visa. 

"All temporary visitors, regardless of nationality and not otherwise disqualified, who wish to extend his/her tourist visa during the last thirty (30) days of the previously issued LSVVE, or upon the expiry of a regular visa extension. The total duration of extension shall be not more than six (6) months from the time of expiration of authorized stay."

Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

Ram1957 said:


> If this is your first visa after coming off a BB you have to have a 1 or 2 month visa before you can get a 6 month visa.
> 
> "All temporary visitors, regardless of nationality and not otherwise disqualified, who wish to extend his/her tourist visa during the last thirty (30) days of the previously issued LSVVE, or upon the expiry of a regular visa extension. The total duration of extension shall be not more than six (6) months from the time of expiration of authorized stay."
> 
> Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)


You are incorrect a Balikbayan has the option to extend for 1,2 or 6 months at any BI office per the BI website. See Section 3.

Balikbayan Privilege

Chuck


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

bidrod said:


> Marquee Mall is not authorized to do the 6 month extension according to the BI website. Check the following for offices authorized to issue 6 month extensions.
> 
> http://www.immigration.gov.ph/image...018_Apr/2018Apr02_DirectoryOfTransactions.pdf
> 
> Chuck


I did check this before going and just looked at it again. Where do you see that they cannot grant a 6 month visa? Item 5. Says they grant extensions to the stay of temporary visitors.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

I guess the bottom line is I will end up getting/doing what they will grant me. They also made me get an ACR card. By the time I am done with all these fees and trips just for 6-8 months of extensions I could have flown to Hong Kong with the wife for the same fee and came back with another BB for a year.


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

Zep said:


> I did check this before going and just looked at it again. Where do you see that they cannot grant a 6 month visa? Item 5. Says they grant extensions to the stay of temporary visitors.


Well the fastest way to figure this out is to PM them on Facebook. That way you get the official answer from Manila.


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

Zep said:


> I did check this before going and just looked at it again. Where do you see that they cannot grant a 6 month visa? Item 5. Says they grant extensions to the stay of temporary visitors.


The offices that do grant 6 months are listed stating they grant the 6 month extension if not so identified they do not. In your case since you are coming off the BB you should be entitled to get a six month extension at any office that does extensions per my second post. I have been here long enough to know that all BI employees do not know their own BI rules/policies. I would show the Marquee Mall office the referenced FAQ page.

Balikbayan Privilege

I know the 6 month extension for BB can be done because a friend of mine did it at the Santa Rosa office even though they initially said no. He showed them the above web page and they gave him the 6 month extensions until he had 36 months in country.

Chuck


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Or you got a new clerk who dosen't know how to process a 6 month extension, just a 2 month one. This can apply even if the difference is simply writing a 6 instead of a 2 on the form. 

To save face and say do not know how to do that, you get told not possible and English ability drops of dramatically. 

We Westerners expect that we will generally get the same answer and service at any branch of the same department. If we don't because for example that one branch cannot process a 6 month extension, we expect a reasonable explanation and to be told where we have to go to get the 6 month extension. We expect that web sites will be up to date with all the information needed and that finding the correct answer is one simple question away.

Not so here. You get different answers from the same branch of the same department with different clerks. They make it up as they go and if they do not know, do not want to make the effort, do not like you or for no reason will tell you "Not available po so sorry".

On the other hand, if they like you they may just give you a 6 month extension when they are not authorized and you will only find out to your determent when you leave the country that you have overstayed what is in the computer. 

All part of the fun and charm of living here. lol


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

*Visa preperation*



Zep said:


> I guess the bottom line is I will end up getting/doing what they will grant me. They also made me get an ACR card. By the time I am done with all these fees and trips just for 6-8 months of extensions I could have flown to Hong Kong with the wife for the same fee and came back with another BB for a year.


I feel for you on those long trips 70 km the costs add up so hopefully, they gave you some sort of Administrator name or some sort of format you could go on and I'm unsure if you've ever drafted letters like this:

To: Honorable Administrator Philippine Bureau of Immigration
(address directly below this lined up)

From: Your name and below this your address

Subj: 6 month Visa extension request

-4 lines down would be your explanation.

-4 lines down again your printed name and signature center of the document.

But the positive thing is you are returning to the US so if you plan on retiring here? I'd knock out that 13a Visa, requirements and also information I had to use through the Philippine Consulate stateside, I'm from ND so I had to use the Chicago Philippine Consulate, here's the consulate finder map for your state, I did mine through the mail system it took me two months but if you can make it to their office possibly much faster.
Embassy of the Philippines - Consulate Finder Map

Immigration documents I used and requirements, if you do this make sure these documents are for your state, current and unfortunately the PBI forms aren't standardized or weren't when I applied in 2007 but all documents were similar the headings were different also, if done stateside it's much easier less running around in the Philippines and no probationary. 
http://www.chicagopcg.com/forms/immigrant visa form.pdf


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

Thanks for the info MCA.

I have retired here and plan at some point to get the 13A. I new at first I would be making a few trips back to the US so decided to just stay with the BB. I think after my next trip in Nov I will start the process of the 13a as I don't have any plans to return to the US after that.

I will need to process the 13a here in the PI as I no longer have medical insurance in the US so getting all the medical stuff required by the 13a would be too expensive there.

Another reason for delaying the 13a was having to go to manila probably multiple times to get all the medical and paperwork done. It is a 4hr journey for me each way and I hate to travel.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Zep, I just completed my 13A journey in November coming out of BB status. As I remember, there are a couple other members of this forum who have also recently completed it also and as far as I know one does not have to go go Manila to do it. All my paperwork was completed in the Iloilo BI office. Have to get 13A temporary for 1 year and do it again to get 13A permanent stamp in the Passport.

Fred


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

fmartin_gila said:


> Zep, I just completed my 13A journey in November coming out of BB status. As I remember, there are a couple other members of this forum who have also recently completed it also and as far as I know one does not have to go go Manila to do it. All my paperwork was completed in the Iloilo BI office. Have to get 13A temporary for 1 year and do it again to get 13A permanent stamp in the Passport.
> 
> Fred


Thanks Fred,

I will have to check into whether there is a closer alternative. Somehow I was under the impression that the medical had to be at one of there selected doctors/hospitals. Maybe I am thinking of the nieces/nephews that needed this for overseas work. They all had to go to manila numerous times for all their stuff. 

It will be Dec or Jan before I apply but I should probably start reading up.

Tim


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

Zep said:


> Thanks Fred,
> 
> I will have to check into whether there is a closer alternative. Somehow I was under the impression that the medical had to be at one of there selected doctors/hospitals. Maybe I am thinking of the nieces/nephews that needed this for overseas work. They all had to go to manila numerous times for all their stuff.
> 
> ...


There is no medical requirement for getting a 13A Visa in-country. That requirement is only for those that get a 13A out of country.


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