# Philippines SRRV Classic questions



## jolly de (Nov 6, 2021)

Hi,

I am from the UK and am looking to relocate to the Philippines under the SRRV Classic scheme.

I hav read that I can bring in 7000 USD worth of possessions tax free. Does this include a vehicle and is the vehicle value included in the 7000 USD or is its value additional to that?

Also I note that I have to deposit 10000 USD in an approved bank which can be spent on property or other investments. What other investments are applicable and what are the types of property I can invest in or lease ? Can I invest in a business for example ? Can I lease a room in an occupied property or can I contribute to the rebnovation and expansion of a currently occupied property ?

Yrs,

Jolyon


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Hi and welcome to the forum Jolyon. Firstly there is a plethora of info on this site with regards to your questions and worth researching and reading the pitfalls and successes of others.

Sending a vehicle here is expensive for shipping, high duties and taxes and unavoidable.

We sent a shipping container from Oz, arrived March 2019 but not through the SRRV program instead under a returning Filipino (my better half) after spending over 5 years living and working in OZ, not an OFW (different tax scales).
From memory he was allowed P250K so US 5K non taxable etc. Honestly? The shipment value was probably Oz 40 to 45K and not a problem, a good shipping company in Oz and a better forwarder in Manila saved a lot of heartache, sure loads of paperwork but it was worth the dramas, the seal on the container was not touched. It did cost nearly AU 9K including insurance, no brown paper bags etc.

The SRRV program offers lots of different scenarios and available to view online. One thing I will say though is that if converting your deposit into a condo or long term lease is that the PRA have to be noted on the title or lease, an encumbrance. More legal costs to do this and even more to get out if you one day change your mind.
Investment properties are limited to a condominium or a long term lease (25+25), no investments other than that. A foreigner cannot own property (land) in the Philippines but can own buildings and improvements hence a lease etc.

Investment visas are available, SIRV. but from memory is minimum US 75K. Others can advise the opportunities and pitfalls with this visa type as I have no idea.






Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) | Embassy of the Philippines in Norway


NOTE: As of 28 April 2022, all applications for Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) should be personally filed with the Board of Investments (BOI) in the Philippines. Foreign nationals intending to apply for an SIRV must first secure a 9(a) temporary visitor’s visa with the Embassy, and file...




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Lots of reading on your behalf and I wish you luck, slowly slowly.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Any vehicle imported into the Philippines must be lefthand drive and I believe less than 5 years old. I'm sure the paperwork will be a complete mare.


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

Sell your vehicle now before you lose it shipping it here. The Bureau of Customs has their own vehicle value listing and it's inflated. 

The only way you get a good deal bringing a vehicle is if you are going to be working here as a diplomat.

Any way you can avoid contact with any government entity will be a win win solution. 

If you can dump most of your worldly goods and ship by Balikbyan Box the items you can't live without, I highly recommend it.


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## jolly de (Nov 6, 2021)

OK. That's good to know thank you everyone. The vehicle is an older motorcycle of sentimental value. So, best to sell here I suppose. Shame. It sounds like the 10000 property investment needs to stay in the bank then! 
The other things I want to bring are tools and workshop equipment plus personal stuff, music, hifi, etc


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

jolly de said:


> OK. That's good to know thank you everyone. The vehicle is an older motorcycle of sentimental value. So, best to sell here I suppose. Shame. It sounds like the 10000 property investment needs to stay in the bank then!
> The other things I want to bring are tools and workshop equipment plus personal stuff, music, hifi, etc


Bare in mind that the mains frequency here is 60Hz so you need to be gentle with any 50Hz power tools. They run faster so heat up very quickly, also rust is a big problem here with hand tools.


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## jolly de (Nov 6, 2021)

Gary D said:


> Bare in mind that the mains frequency here is 60Hz so you need to be gentle with any 50Hz power tools. They run faster so heat up very quickly, also rust is a big problem here with hand tools.


Thanks. Yes. Anything with a motor will run 20 percent faster. 220v as well compared with 230v in the UK.


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

jolly de said:


> OK. That's good to know thank you everyone. The vehicle is an older motorcycle of sentimental value. So, best to sell here I suppose. Shame. It sounds like the 10000 property investment needs to stay in the bank then!
> The other things I want to bring are tools and workshop equipment plus personal stuff, music, hifi, etc


Decent quality tools, steel cookware and utensils of quality I'd bring those for sure. Stainless steel items of quality I'd bring those items including silverware or high quality small appliances. 

Sorry about the motorcycle, well... I'm not so sure you'd want to drive a motorcycle here anyway it's not like driving in Western nations, so crowded and deadly with very little law enforcement, a few Expats have lost their life in our area in motorcycle accidents and we live out in the provincial area, I couldn't imagine driving in a major city other than the nightly news showing another motorcycle rider squashed by a truck or bus. 

I might buy a 3 wheeled Rickshaw by either Piaggio or 3 wheeled rickshaw unit by Vespa a small business opened up recently in our nearest city so I'll check them out soon the cost is around 210,000 pesos, I don't want to drive around in a Trike and I really can't afford the luxury of a 4 wheeled vehicle, you don't want to buy any used vehicles in the Philippines.

The cost to ship work shop equipment such as benches and vice or a large hifi stereo probably wouldn't justify the costs, stress and hassles, you could buy that here or have benches hand made the cost of skilled labor is very reasonable or make it yourself, you'd be amazed at the raw materials available in all area's.


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## jolly de (Nov 6, 2021)

M.C.A. said:


> Decent quality tools, steel cookware and utensils of quality I'd bring those for sure. Stainless steel items of quality I'd bring those items including silverware or high quality small appliances.
> 
> Sorry about the motorcycle, well... I'm not so sure you'd want to drive a motorcycle here anyway it's not like driving in Western nations, so crowded and deadly with very little law enforcement, a few Expats have lost their life in our area in motorcycle accidents and we live out in the provincial area, I couldn't imagine driving in a major city other than the nightly news showing another motorcycle rider squashed by a truck or bus.
> 
> ...


I'm getting quotes for a 10 foot container. I have a couple of lathes etc. Some tools I've had for 40 years. Electronic test kit. 
Probably 1000 records and CDs etc etc


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

jolly de said:


> I'm getting quotes for a 10 foot container. I have a couple of lathes etc. Some tools I've had for 40 years. Electronic test kit.
> Probably 1000 records and CDs etc etc


You should ask about your motorcycle, I thought you were going to ship a car so it's worth checking into.

You have some really nice tool machinery there, that would come in handy. I was a Helicopter structural mechanic, also miss the "Brake" metal bending machines, I've seen a few here and they look like they got them from our old base in Subic Bay.


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## jolly de (Nov 6, 2021)

The bike has sentimental value as it belonged to my best friend who died. It's dismantled. Lathes themselves are easy enough to find in the Philippines according to Facebook marketplace but it's all the specific tooling that makes the difference. I've collected a lot of useful stuff over the years. 

In all honesty this is not a blind date. I have a friend who used to run a small furniture factory and I want to help her. It's currently under water now so we need to relocate it and add my stuff. If I have to I'll leave the bikes and hopefully manage to bring the tools, books and hifi.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

jolly de said:


> It's dismantled


 Oh. That can reduce the costs rather much both in transport but in custom valuing too, because "parts" have much lower custom fees than vehicles, thats why its common to assemble vehicles in Phils from parts normaly made elsewhere. E g 4 wheelers Suzuki minivan/pickup cost only from a bit over 200 000 pesos "new" in big part made of surplus parts from Japan. I dont know if the engines are new in them.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

At the end of the day registration of the reassembled bike would be a serious headache. There was word that the government was trying to shutdown the multicab business.


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

There's a list of items you can't bring here, I'd research that for example chain saws, guns ect.. here's an example but always check with the Philippine Consulate. Restrictions Fedex

I'm going to create another Useful Links on this subject but here's what I've found so far:

*Prohibited goods include:*

Used clothing and rags;
Toy guns;
Right-hand drive vehicles;
Hazardous waste, even in transit into Philippine territory;
Laundry and industrial detergents containing hard surfactants;
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs);
Used motorcycle parts, except engine; and,
Live piranha, shrimp, and prawns.
DTI Dowloadable viewable form

DTI Viewable table

DTI Watch list viewable table

Philippine Consulate Singapore as an example of other items


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

jolly de said:


> OK. That's good to know thank you everyone. The vehicle is an older motorcycle of sentimental value. So, best to sell here I suppose. Shame. It sounds like the 10000 property investment needs to stay in the bank then!
> The other things I want to bring are tools and workshop equipment plus personal stuff, music, hifi, etc


You can Ship that Motorcycle here legally ,, There is even a specific law regarding such, as you describe. 1 time deal, prove your ownership is all that is required. Any other motorcycles need to go through a shipping agent and be subject to current tariffs .. Sorry I cannot recall the link to direct you to but it/the clause does exist specifically for the motorcycle of personal value. I read it myself as I was considering something along the lines of surplus importing for a motorcycle business of sorts. Do some digging on the BOC webpage "I think" !!


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

Make sure you can find that link on the motorcycle and then make sure it's current and also bring a copy.

And I'll try to find it but if anyone can find this I'll add it to our useful links under shipping items to the Philippines. 

The various government agencies are real sticklers on rules and with newer employees you'd better have all your ducks in a row with valid proof and the documents to back up the claim.

Many lose a chunk of their nest eggs moving their personal affects through these container's and then other's had no issues, it's a gamble.


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