# A few questions/safety, please read



## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi, im a 39 year old married to a filipina i met here in the USA. We are seriously considering moving to the philippines BULACAN area to buy land and live, heres where it gets tricky.

Who we will bring...

My two brothers, mother, myself and my wife, together we have a military retirement in the $2400 per month range, we plan to pay cash for land, and then rent a large enough house for a few years, so we can build a simple house.

Ok, first part, my mom is 70, one son is mentally disabled tho very functional/mobile, isnt there some special retirement status she can get, and will her son be allowed with her since shes his guardian.

My other brother will get a visa, but after it expires, whats his options, pay a fine? unless he chooses to get married.

Are we really safe, we want to live in a small town, no where close to manila, and pretty much keep to ourselves, we dont expect some paradise, we want a simple life, the USA is losing its mind and sadly, we dont own our home, i really feel we could end up homeless here, its just too expensive, and the job situation was dire, now throw in obamacare and its on life support.

While typing this, all of a sudden this whole undertaking seems HUGE, and its not the money, it just seems to logistical and unwelcoming, my impression of the philippines is quickly becoming a cop corruption grab all the cash you can from the Americans with threats of jail MESS lol.

ive tried my own research and the answers at times conflict.


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

*Contact the Philippine Consulate for your state*

Call or email the Philippine Consulate that controls Georgia which is in Washington, DC, here's the shortcut they do have downloadable forms but you have many questions so it's best to contact the Philippine Consulate with those two concerns listed above.

Embassy of the Philippines - Home


Hopefully things work out if not have you concerned moving to another state? I know my home state can't find enough workers, it does get cold and nasty but it's a very clean state, Walmart pays $17 per hr in Bismarck, ND and McDonalds has a $500 sign on bonus and starts you out at $10 per hr, most of the work force is working in the oil fields (Western part of the state).


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## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

Thanks for the information, my wife was just saying on the drive to college about ND, let me get on some housing sites and see how the USDA housing situation looks, cold is fine, i spent 3 years in Alaska. And im not too proud to flip burgers at 39.


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

*Jobs, making a move to greener pastures*



wdh1974 said:


> Thanks for the information, my wife was just saying on the drive to college about ND, let me get on some housing sites and see how the USDA housing situation looks, cold is fine, i spent 3 years in Alaska. And im not too proud to flip burgers at 39.


Good luck.... I used to flip hamburgers for Hardee's in the middle 70's, wouldn't mind doing it again, if I do go back I'm headed back to my home state, social services are pretty good also the state has a surplus budget but lacks people, many of the refugee's are set up there, I lived in Fargo and I think most of the refugee's are set up there, my family has moved on to Bismarck, it's not as cold and the wind is not as extreme, it's a real growing city, not sure about housing though it sure has risen in price, could be cheaper to buy your own spot of land and build on it.


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

WDH,

You're going to want to look at the SRRV (Special Resident Retiree Visa) for your mom. Just google it and on the Philippine Retirement Authority website, they show the different categories.

If she has a pension of $800 a month, it appears she's eligible for SRRV Classic. If she has Social Security Disability, they may take that in lieu of a pension. If she doesnt have a pension, but has $10k cash and has a pre-existing condition requiring medical care, she may be eligible for the SRRV Smile.

The PRA website says "dependents" can be applied for at the same time as the retiree, but I dont know how strict they define dependents. There may be an age limit on how old a "dependent" can be, so her son may have to get his own visa instead of being a dependent under mom.

Someone here that has done the SRRV may be able to provide more information; I just looked over the SRRV website to refresh my memory on the requirements for a retiree.

Bulacan isnt a bad part of Luzon, but when youre looking at places to live, just make sure your wife talks to the neighbors to see how bad the flooding is in that area. Camella homes has all kinds of subdivisions there with properties for sale. You can take a look at their websites or on Sulit to get an idea of prices for renting a house or buying a lot or house and lot.

Good luck!


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## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

Hondaguy, so you're saying the SRRV is EITHER 800+ or 10k, not both? thats good becuase she is in fact at around $1600 per month. 

If thats the case, i wonder how my mentally diabled brother will fall into this, are there provisions for a guardian situation?

And my other brother i guess needs to get married or take a chance and live there as an illegal lol....kinda funny, an American saying live somewhere illegal given the problems in the USA...


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

wdh,

According to the PRA website, for someone 50 years old and up, the SRRV Classic requires $10k plus an $800 "pension". The SRRV Human Touch requires $10k plus $1500 a month pension.

In your mom's situation, the Classic looks like maybe a better deal, but you should email the PRA and explain to them your situation. It should be in their interest to help you as it will generate more income for the Philippines.

Your brother can just do what the rest of the Americans do. Enter on his 30 day arrival visa then extend it for 59 days after that. If you look at some of the other threads on here they have more detail on how to stay in the country longer term legally, which you DEFINITELY want to do. Its pretty cheap and relatively easy to stay legally; you dont want to get on Immigration's radar.

Good luck!


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## MikeynJenz (Oct 8, 2012)

Your brothers do not have to stay illegally. I have been here nearly three years now on a tourist visa and am completely legal. They can stay here for two years on a tourist visa as long as it is extended, then they have to depart the country before the two years is up (a cheap flight to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia) for just one day before coming back and starting the whole process over again....this is otherwise known as a "visa run".


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## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

So in therory they could buy one of those dirt cherap tickets get a hotel for one day and come back, every two years, and maintain this process for the rest of their life, barring the law doesn't change? thats pretty epic lol. sounds too simple to be true. 

So it's really that simple? nothing complex or hidden traps to encounter?


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

You have to be out the country for a calendar day. Take a late flight to Singapore or Hong Kong then take the next flight back to the Philippines, never leave the airport. As long as the flight back is a one calendar day the requirement is fulfill.


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## Spectre13 (Oct 8, 2013)

MikeynJenz said:


> Your brothers do not have to stay illegally. I have been here nearly three years now on a tourist visa and am completely legal. They can stay here for two years on a tourist visa as long as it is extended, then they have to depart the country before the two years is up (a cheap flight to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia) for just one day before coming back and starting the whole process over again....this is otherwise known as a "visa run".



Yep--this is the way to go!
Cheap day trip to Singapore--then back to the PI.


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## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

Sounds great, are there any long term non-marriage things that can be done, even if it takes several years?


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## MikeynJenz (Oct 8, 2012)

wdh1974 said:


> So in therory they could buy one of those dirt cherap tickets get a hotel for one day and come back, every two years, and maintain this process for the rest of their life, barring the law doesn't change? thats pretty epic lol. sounds too simple to be true.
> 
> So it's really that simple? nothing complex or hidden traps to encounter?


Wouldn't even need a hotel in some cases. Fly out late night PH time (say before midnight) so that their passport says they left on that date, then land and take another flight back straight away and re-enter the PH on a different date.

As long as you have at least one calendar day between your departure date and arrival date and you are good to go. I went to Singapore and never left the airport one time lol. I like to make more of a little holiday out of now though, went to Malaysia for four days last time.

Tickets are cheap, $50 on average for a return. Just remember, that when entering the PH, any tourist has to show that they have a ticket to fly out of the PH in the future. This means that they will have to buy a second ticket that is literally going to be thrown away (another cheap one going to somewhere that wont be used). They will not let anyone on a plane to the philipines if they do not have a ticket showing they will be leaving the country.

Of course, in the future, if your brothers find a woman to settle down with, the process gets even easier once married.


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## wdh1974 (Oct 7, 2013)

thanks for all the information guys, saves alot of concern, and i believe i can get 10k for my moms situation(though id need that money back to pay cash for land there lol), now just a bit more research on various matters.

Thanks again.


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