# Residence VISA



## themissus (Oct 8, 2014)

Has anyone here experienced shifting to a temporary residence visa (through marriage to a Filipino citizen)? How grueling is this process? I just want to kind of see what we will be up for. Is it better to just keep extending as a tourist? Or do the residence visa?


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

*Tourist Visa vs Resident Visa*



themissus said:


> Has anyone here experienced shifting to a temporary residence visa (through marriage to a Filipino citizen)? How grueling is this process? I just want to kind of see what we will be up for. Is it better to just keep extending as a tourist? Or do the residence visa?


Not sure if I can address this because there's so much missing information but if your partner is from another country, former Philippine citizen, or a US citizen and the plan is to retire here than you would want to start the 13a Non-Immigrant Quota, trouble is that the partner needs all original documents certified, it's much easier if they traveled back to their homeland and worked all the paper work through the controlling Philippine Consulate of their state (US), UK has similar.

I'll throw some short cuts in here to get things rolling, here's the Consulate finder map if the partner is a US citizen. if not a US citizen than do a search on his country for Philippine Consulate.
Embassy of the Philippines - Consulate Finder Map

Sample of things needed (current form, same one I used) and full download form with instructions and all documents needed from the Chicago Consulate for US citizen or returning Philippine citizen, headers read that forms are from Chicago so if your gonna do this from here clear it with the Philippine Bureau of Immigration the correct forms with correct headers.
http://www.chicagopcg.com/forms/newimmigrantform.pdf

Here's the short cut to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (everything will be done here in Manila), if partner would rather go that route, it could take some time because certified documents are needed, police clearance will be needed but I've been told that if expat has been living here over 6 months than I think an NBI clearance can be accomplished. Obtaining missing documents from former country will mean dealing with the mail system and huge delays, if a US citizen the US Embassy can notarize documents but the cost is $50 to notarize a document.
Home

If the partner is wealthy, I feel he could get things done here with someone certified to fast track or help an expat, certified by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration staff, enquire inside only. Watch out for fixers they don't fix anything and will cost you double and you'll fill out documents that are outdated and you'll only end up filling them out again, they could be floating around inside the PBI or for sure outside the building, if someone can try to sell you a condo inside the PBI then they can also claim they're a certified representative, don't do it, ask the staff. 

Bottom line is that certified people still need original and certified documents so it's best to do it yourself, it's hard to find the procedures so that download form short cut would be priceless because it has everything needed...note if prior marriages you'll need divorce decree's certified, I didn't see that listed but it will come up.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

If you're able to travel, both of you go the HK for a day and he can have the 1 yr Balikbayan stamp when you return.


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