# 13a visa from outside the PI



## wasak (May 24, 2017)

Good day everybody,

I am currently living in France with my Filipina wife. 

I am planning to get a 13a visa here in France. I have read that the 13a granted outside the Philippines is permanent. 

I have the following questions for those that got their 13a outside the Philippines:

Do I need to enter the Philippines with my wife? 

Also, does she need to be with me when I apply for the 5-year ACR card in the Philippines? Is there another interview in the Philippines?

I will be going there by myself at first, she will be joining me later on. 

I think the answer to my above questions is no because I will already have a permanent visa, but just want to make sure.

Also, I have read that I must report to Immigration every year in Jan-Feb. 

Does this mean that I have to be in the Philippines in Jan-Feb? I expect to travel a bit. 

Can I go alone to do my yearly report or does my wife need to be with me every time? 

Finally, how much will I be charged every time I leave the Philippines?

Thank you very much.


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

Hi Wasak, each country might be different, I'm unfamiliar with France and I don't have or can't seem to find immediately find a French 13a Non-Quota through Marriage application, they aren't standardized... So best that you ask the Philippine Embassy in France they will be handling your application, so the only thing left is to get your Permanent Resident card once you arrive.

I was asked once if my wife had accompanied me during the annual check in Jan- Feb, at the main office in Manila I was checking in but my wife was with me so? Both times I renewed at the 5-year mark I wasn't asked.

You won't need to arrive with your wife because you'll already have the 13a Visa full page in your passport, Philippine Immigration will explain that you have roughly a week to get your Permanent Resident card, you will be carrying a package that will be given only to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, this will be used to get our Immigrant card. My wife was waiting for me outside my first time here on a 13a Visa.

If you fail to annually check in from Jan - Feb you will get fined and the maximum fine per year is 2,000 pesos, but there could be some other fee's, if your wife is in the Philippines she can take your Permanent Resident card in for you and check you in, so you would leave that Permanent Resident card with her, you have the 13a Visa stamped in your passport for travel.

Hopefully, someone else can give a little more information on fee's when you leave, I left once after being here a year and the fees were about $60 not including airport tax.


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## Tiz (Jan 23, 2016)

M.C.A. said:


> if your wife is in the Philippines she can take your Permanent Resident card in for you and check you in, so you would leave that Permanent Resident card with her,


The ACR-I card?
Don't you have to show that to immigration when you leave (and pay the exit fee), or is the Permanent Resident card something different?


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

*Permanent Resident Card*



Tiz said:


> The ACR-I card?
> Don't you have to show that to immigration when you leave (and pay the exit fee), or is the Permanent Resident card something different?


I don't know the actual answer to this question you could check into the PBI or satellite office for guidance and possibly also pay those fee's in advance, it's a catch 22 unless you are proactive.  To find out what kind of ACR card you have... look to the lower right-hand side and it will tell you.

There are several different cards and now they come color coded, "Permanent Resident Card" It's yellow, but I only left once and then when I returned 3 years later with my card I had to pay 14,000 pesos in fee's/fines,  this was in 2010, the PBI officer told me if I leave next time to have my wife check me yearly with my card, well that means leaving my card.

The Permanent Resident card or ACR card is something that is used here instead of carrying around the passport as a means of identification for foreigners, and you will still have the 13a Visa stamped in your passport.

They finally put a cap on the fee's and it has changed since I was fined and the cap is 2000 pesos per year maximum.


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