# October trip to Bacolod



## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

Hi,

I have been to Bacolod City several times in the past, but now I am thinking about coming there after my retirement on 12/31/2013. 

First I am making a trip there in October 2013, and hope I can meet some American Expats that can give me some guidance. I am single, but have a lady friend there that 
I want to consider for a long term relationship. 

I do not understand about all the different options that an expat has to retire there. First, I think I want to rent there for a while to see how things go. I am coming there on October 19 and will be there till November 9, 2013.

I look forward to meeting some American Expats that I can learn from.

George

:humble:


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

andersgoh said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have been to Bacolod City several times in the past, but now I am thinking about coming there after my retirement on 12/31/2013.
> 
> ...


Hi, I've lived here in Bacolod for over 7yrs. Love it! There is an expat group that meets up yhe 1st Sat of the month at Nature's Village in Talisay (N. edge of tge city) and there's an FB group as well (Bacolod expats).


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## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

overmyer said:


> Hi, I've lived here in Bacolod for over 7yrs. Love it! There is an expat group that meets up yhe 1st Sat of the month at Nature's Village in Talisay (N. edge of tge city) and there's an FB group as well (Bacolod expats).


Thanks for your info. I really appreciate it.

After I retire I want to visit Bacolod for several Months. I understand there are sseveral options for doing this. At first I would want to rent a place, and then if all goes well consider buying. I don't care for their law that we cannot own land. I need to learn about how to stay there by extending the 21 days on the passport, and avoid bank deposit. At least for a while while checking things out.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

andersgoh said:


> Thanks for your info. I really appreciate it.
> 
> After I retire I want to visit Bacolod for several Months. I understand there are sseveral options for doing this. At first I would want to rent a place, and then if all goes well consider buying. I don't care for their law that we cannot own land. I need to learn about how to stay there by extending the 21 days on the passport, and avoid bank deposit. At least for a while while checking things out.


Its my understanding that the basic tourist visa on arrival it 30 days now. The local BI office can handle/process extensions. You can rent/lease (apartments/house/condo) or buy a condo unit (as long as no more than 40% of the entire bldg. is "foreign" ownership) otherwise you a prohibited from land ownership!


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Yes, it is 30 days now.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

andersgoh said:


> Thanks for your info. I really appreciate it.
> 
> After I retire I want to visit Bacolod for several Months. I understand there are sseveral options for doing this. At first I would want to rent a place, and then if all goes well consider buying. I don't care for their law that we cannot own land. I need to learn about how to stay there by extending the 21 days on the passport, and avoid bank deposit. At least for a while while checking things out.


The initial visa on arrival is 30days now (they recently extended it). You can than get extensions from the local BI office. 
Non citizens can't buy land. You can rent/lease and you could own a condo but the condo project is limited to having no more than 40% of its units owned by non citizens.


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## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

overmyer said:


> The initial visa on arrival is 30days now (they recently extended it). You can than get extensions from the local BI office.
> Non citizens can't buy land. You can rent/lease and you could own a condo but the condo project is limited to having no more than 40% of its units owned by non citizens.


Thanks for the info.

I appreciate it..


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## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

*purchasing property*

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what could happen if you decide to buy a house and lot and put the lot in your girl friends name and you break up? Could she charge you any amount she felt like for rent? Also, what happens when someone decides to sell a house on a lot owned by a Filipino? Is the selling price always less than what you paid since you don't own the lot?

Just trying to get familiar with what goes on there..

Thanks


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

andersgoh said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can anyone tell me what could happen if you decide to buy a house and lot and put the lot in your girl friends name and you break up? Could she charge you any amount she felt like for rent? Also, what happens when someone decides to sell a house on a lot owned by a Filipino? Is the selling price always less than what you paid since you don't own the lot?
> 
> ...


Under those conditions you will surly loose. Home and property MUST be in the name of a Filipino citizen. You CAN NOT OWN either legally. If a girlfriend and not a woman you have been married to for many years, you could actually loose your life in the attempt to get the place from you. Think long and hard about doing something like this. Think with your head and not your trusting heart...


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

*Visa options*



andersgoh said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have been to Bacolod City several times in the past, but now I am thinking about coming there after my retirement on 12/31/2013.
> 
> ...


Hi George, if you plan on an extended stay or staying here for good, I would check into your local Philippine Consulate, if not close you can call or email them, it's so much easier to get things done before you leave the US, they do have a 90 day Visa but if your decision is to stay here you might want to get all the requirements completed before leaving, it's a checklist one of them is a Police clearance from your home town, it usually runs from $10-20, if you have been married before they require all divorce documentations, things like this I have list but from the Chicago Philippine Consulate, it has everything and can be downloaded but each Consulate has it's own downloaded forms they are almost the same but I noticed they weren't standardized a few years back it could have changed. 

Here's a finder map for your state, you can download forms from these consulates also, I did everything with the mail system I lived in ND but the controlling Philippine Consulate was in Chicago.

Embassy of the Philippines - Consulate Finder Map


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## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

*Thanks*

Thanks, yes that is what I understand that you can own the house and not the land. Thanks for confirmation.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

The way I look at it is why would you want to have a continuous relationship with someone you ended up not wanting to be with since you split up in regards to the lease; and also trust PI law to help you as an expat against a PI citizen if they turn crazy and vindictive. I'd only do it if I could afford to walk away with nothing. But I'm a wimp and trust nothing to go my way there since its not my country. My two cents!


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## andersgoh (Sep 20, 2013)

*Future is unknown*

Actually, I would not want to do that, but I do have a girlfriend that I would want to be with forever; but things can change that you may not anticipate.....


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