# How To: Relocate to PH?



## stressedoutman (Mar 22, 2015)

Hey everyone!

Possibly a stupid question for an impossible plan but here goes:

I've got a lady who lives near Manila. I love her to death and right now I'm exploring my options for us to be together on the daily.

We are both in our early 30's. I have an associates in science and my EMT-B cert. Currently unemployed due to an injury that's all but healed and looking for work. Broke, but I've got a car so things are looking hopeful.

Current plan is to get a job with a local ambulance co and once I have an income stream to begin the process of marrying her in PH and then applying for spousal Visa (thought about doing K-1 but seems to take longer, requires you to have a higher level of income, and is in general more of a pain).

I was sitting here this week putting out applications and thinking about my life in the States and comparing it to the time I spent in PH visiting her and I realized... I really hate my life here in the States. I was abused as a child and had all sorts of "disciplinary problems" at school, so teachers were always after me and I was always getting picked/in fights with other students. So no happy memories of childhood. After HS I was homeless for a couple of years, then settled down and worked at a grocery store. So no fun partying 20's. I finally went back to school and got a degree and a certification. My employment history isn't stellar but I have solid transcripts and I feel I'm employable and can work my way up. But I'll be 30 years old starting from nothing meanwhile trying to take on the daunting task of marrying someone in another country, immigrating them to the US and supporting them until they can work. And overall I do not like my life here. Not many friends. The area I live in is okay during the summer but starting in September the weather just becomes dreadful and there's nothing to do regardless of the season. I could move, but in general I hate current American culture and my god don't even get me started on our women....

So it dawned on me. What if, after working and qualifying for a marriage license with her in the PH I just... moved to the PH? Sure it's poor. Sure there's Earthquakes and typhoons and it's a bit dirtier and crowded and you have to be careful of being robbed/murdered and stuff but, and the people didn't seem to be the most intellectual and philosophical people on the planet but... I had more fun and happiness in 3 weeks in Makati than I did in the last 10 yrs in the US. So is it even possible? I met a few expats when I was there and I was like "how do you do it?" How can I move to PH and find gainful employment but still leave the option open of moving back to the US later?

This is new territory for me so I apologize. Throw me a bone guys.

And not looking for judgement on my situation, just the facts please!


----------



## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

stressedoutman said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> Possibly a stupid question for an impossible plan but here goes:
> 
> ...


Welcome guy. Stress hits everywhere. There's an old saying'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". Its 2:20 am here...you're question is a little much at this time. Short answer is stay where you are. Hopefully someone that's awake has an aloof answer. 3 weeks isn't much of a testrun in Phil's. Truth is for you to find gainful employment chances are slim due to laws


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

99% of expats in the Philippines are retired or on some sort of disability payments. They have a stable income from outside of the Philippines. There is a very good reason for this. The Philippine government does not want foreign workers and are very obstructive towards them. Making a living in the Philippines is not impossible but is very difficult. One popular option is some sort of internet income derived outside of the Philippines.


----------



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

Extremely tough to get a job in the Philippines because if first has to be filled by a Philippine citizen, many can speak English and have degree's. Loop holes are many before you start your job and the hours are long and the pay if you do land a job such as a call center job will be 20,000 to 30,000 peso's a month. If found working a job without going through these loop holes and requirements you'll be jailed from 3 months to 3 years, fined, deported and black listed.

You'll need to be married or have some sort of work visa also, that's your first loop hole and a real pain, so that's where you'd begin. Agree with the other posters if you don't have some sort of pension it's tough to live here. To be fair though I ran into a younger guy that came here on vacation and he ended up marrying a girl that was able to take care of him (not normal in any way) but when I asked him if he had his Immigrant card yet he was clueless, so he had a baby but was clueless on immigration policies, not good, his reply to me was.... well I'm married to a Philippine women, if his family doesn't have enough money to get his immigration paperwork completed he's deported and black listed, they now give out rewards for overstayers and those that are here without Visa, all it takes is a jealous boyfriend or troublesome in-law.


----------



## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

To get a good salary it is best if you have a US job that sends you to the PI's - on US pay. If you come over here for a job... you will most likely get Filipino pay. Can you make money online? Run a web site, teach, anything?

It is cheap here - but not as cheap as everyone says, ha ha. And you say she lives in Manila... that is more expensive than most places here. Make sure you have a dependable income stream.


----------



## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

There are Foreigners in the PI who work in nearby countries but live in the PI. You may consider pursuing that approach. Some examples is a one spends time in China repairing textile machines another guy works on an oil rig in South Korea for 2 weeks, 1 month in the PI. These posters were in some bars in AC. Maybe get a job as one of the foreigner assets here.


----------



## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Like others said, it is very hard to get a decent job in the PI (due to the road blocks, etc.). 

If I was in your situation, I would be applying for overseas/off shore work. Maybe a position in the oil industry? A lot of the oil rig workers work on a 30 day on/off rotation. Then you could spend time with your fiance' here in the Philippines on your time off. That way you don't bust the 35 day rule for Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. The FEIE gives you an exclusion of federal taxes on the first $100800 earned (for 2015). You could save a lot of money and use that towards your retirement plan.


----------



## metmanph (Jan 4, 2013)

Take your time, you'll have a long time to regret any mistake.

You do need a decent income to live in Manila. It is not as cheap as people say, for foreigners anyway.

Why not take another vacation in PH to think about it further and confirm your initial feelings?


----------



## Lanhawk (Feb 25, 2015)

That's real good advice from metmanph, just take another trip there with the mission of pricing home, uitls, food, trans and the like. Go back home and think about it some more, then if you still want to move here, well then WELCOME.


----------



## jdavis10 (Oct 1, 2012)

Well think about it fellas..... He is unemployed. If he gets a plane ticket here he wont be able to just leave like your talking about. Going offshore (China, South Korea) is a good option if you can find a job there


----------



## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

stressedoutman said:


> And not looking for judgement on my situation, just the facts please!


None of the other wise folks on here has said this so I will...hard to give a real answer without some judgement added. It's going to take some hard changes in your life to make a permanent move to the PI and take time to do them. Sorry I threw some judgement in there.


----------



## rpmorley (Oct 30, 2012)

Let me throw this in also, as a previous poster said, this is not just a warmer cheaper place to live. It is a dangerous 3rd world country only closely approximating what you are used to. To have any type of success you should have a strong devoted wife that can defend you against her family and the society. A plus is to have at least $1000 USD income. Visit and vacation several times at different places and get the feel. If you think then you can do this because it requires a great commitment on your part, you have to check your sense of ethics, aesthetics etc at the door and relearn everything. Personal security will become your #1 objective, believe me. Once you have developed some practical street smarts specific to "here", and you still think you can do it..... then find your place. Subic is good, read the posts, but anywhere away from her family in a secure location will work, depending on what you need. Don't rush it!! I personally have 2 homes, on in the province with the family and one in the mtns away from the family where the air is cooler in a gated community. So many things to consider and to set up before hand, ie medical, banking, transportation, your dream house, legal immigration and the list goes on and on. The food is great, the beer cheap, but cars and real estate can be just as expensive. It goes without saying that PI has a lot of natural beauty, including the girls. Do you have any foreign language aptitude? English widely spoken, however..... Moving here is not a whim, it requires dedicated planning. My 2cents worth.


----------

