# Drawing US Social Security both husband and wife from the Philippines?



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

It's been several years since this subject has come up but I remember some things from previous postings, so my wife is 64 and I'm turning 60, can we both draw Social Security ? or just one person from the Philippines.

My wife's amount is quite a bit lower than what I'll be getting so I don't want to make a mistake, we also won't be living in the US or anywhere else we are done traveling it's too stressful for either one of us.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

For my sake and yours I would hope there are no restrictions. I did a quick search and can find nothing that prevents a husband and spouse from collecting SSA from the US in the Philippines. If there was I guess I will be getting a divorce when I turn 65. haha

Let me know if you find out to the contrary.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

Under the SS rules in the USA, a husband and wife can get benefits no matter where they live if both qualify. Contact the SS office in the USA. I believe they have an office in Washington DC where you can ask them questions.

art


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

I remember that the wife had to live in the US for at least 4 years but I need to do some searches on this, but if anyone else has come across this issue, I remember there was a discussion on this several years ago.

My wife is not a US citizen but she lived and worked legally in the US from 1977 - 2003 and she does have a SS statement the amount is low but it can really help us also, so if this turns out to be true that we both can draw I'll just wait until I draw it also so here monthly amount increases.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey Mark,

Your situation could be different since your wife is not a US citizen. I know if both are citizens then they can live any where they want to and still get their SS. I believe their is a SS office in Washington DC. maybe you can talked to them.

art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

It would be very odd if not both get UNDEPENDING of nationality because retirement pay are kind of savings, which are PAID to when working in a country, so they are suppoused to pay out undepending of citizenship and where the person live now.

I know of an ENGLISHMAN, who live in Phils and get SSS from BOTH England and USA from when he worked there.

Although possible/probably not geting a minimum amount if not the fees reach that, when not being citizen and worked to few years to reach the minimum. But still get the lower than "minimum" amount.


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## garypen (Aug 6, 2020)

There is a ton of info on the SS website about collecting SS for those living outside the US. You may also want to check with the US Consulate/Embassy in your residence country. I live in Japan with my wife, and we both collect SS. We applied online through the SS website. We were contacted by someone from the Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy here soon after to confirm the details.

We chose to have the payments directly deposited into our US bank accounts, rather than our local ones, to allow us to choose when to exchange currency, and take advantage of exchange rates. Unfortunately, when they direct deposit to a foreign bank, it is in that country's currency, and the exchange rate may be bad on that particular day.

Again, check the SS website. It's your best resource.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> It's been several years since this subject has come up but I remember some things from previous postings, so my wife is 64 and I'm turning 60, can we both draw Social Security ? or just one person from the Philippines.
> 
> My wife's amount is quite a bit lower than what I'll be getting so I don't want to make a mistake, we also won't be living in the US or anywhere else we are done traveling it's too stressful for either one of us.


I don't think your wife, as a non-citizen, can collect on her account while she is out of the U.S.




__





International Programs - Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States - Country List 1


benefit payments abroad, beneficiaries outside the United States, taxation of benefits, reporting requirements, overseas direct deposit



www.ssa.gov





The good news is, your wife resided in the U.S. for 5+ years, so she can collect from your account, even while in the Philippines, when you start collecting. Even if she was eligible to collect on her account, if her amount on your account is higher, they would pay the higher amount. If you are lucky, her payment from your account might be higher than what she would get from her account. Generally speaking, she will get about 1/2 of your payment. (My kids get 1/2 of my payment, each).




__





Benefits for Spouses






www.ssa.gov





SS has staff at the Manila Embassy. For questions, I would try them first. They were helpful when I claimed at age 62 and also claimed for the kids. They can probably take care of everything for you. With the added kids payments, it was a no brainer to claim early at 62.

You are only 60, so your next decision will be WHEN to collect. Since you and your wife will get a payment, it might be beneficial to start at age 62. You need to do some "what if" calculations. For instance, if your FRA (full retirement age) benefit is $1500, your age 62 benefit will be less ~30%. Let's call it $1100 for simplicity. If your wife also gets half of that, your total will be $1650. If you wait until FRA, your total will be 1500+750 = $2250. 

I'm guessing your FRA is 66.??. So, about 4.5 years after 62. In those 4.5 years, you will get 4.5 X 12 X $1650 = $89,100.

Is it worth it? That will depend on many factors including your health, life expectancy and other finances.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

garypen said:


> We chose to have the payments directly deposited into our US bank accounts, rather than our local ones, to allow us to choose when to exchange currency, and take advantage of exchange rates. Unfortunately, when they direct deposit to a foreign bank, it is in that country's currency, and the exchange rate may be bad on that particular day.


I agree that it is best to have it deposited in a U.S. bank account, but you can have it deposited in a Philippines dollar account and then choose when to exchange. That is what we do with my kids. Expensive. $6.50 a month service charge X 2 kids, at BPI. The SSA in Manila has a list of banks and service charges.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Forgot to share this. I sent an e-mail to SS in the U.S. in 2016, and this is their response. Might be some helpful information there.


Thank you for contacting the Social Security Administration.
We apologize for the delay in answering your inquiry. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.


If you are a U.S. citizen, you can travel or live in most foreign countries without affecting your eligibility for Social Security benefits. However, there are a few countries - Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, and many of the former U.S.S.R. republics (except Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia) - where we cannot send Social Security checks.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, your payments will stop after you have been outside the United States for six calendar months unless you meet one of several exceptions that will permit you to continue receiving benefits abroad. These exceptions are based, for the most part, on your citizenship. For example, if you are entitled to worker’s benefits and are a citizen of one of the many countries with which the United States has a reciprocal arrangement to pay each other’s citizens in another country, your Social Security benefits may continue after you leave the United States.

You may find our Payments Abroad Screening Tool helpful if you are planning to move to another country. You can access the Tool at the following Internet address:

International Programs - Payments Outside the United States

If you work outside the United States, different rules apply in determining if you can get your benefits.

Most people who are neither U.S. residents nor U.S. citizens will have 25.5 percent of their benefits withheld for federal income tax.

If you receive benefits as a dependent or survivor of the worker, special requirements may affect your right to receive Social Security payments while you are outside the United States. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must have lived in the United States for at least five years. During those five years, the family relationship on which benefits are based must have existed.

Children may meet this residency requirement on their own or may be considered to have met the residency requirement if it is met by the worker and other parent (if any). However, children adopted outside the United States will not be paid outside the United States, even if the residency requirement is met.

For more information about receiving benefits abroad, and to see a list of countries that have reciprocal agreements with the United States, we recommend you access the booklet, “Your Payments While You Are outside the United States,” available at the following Internet address:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html


When you qualify for Social Security retirement or disability benefits, your children may also qualify to receive benefits on your record. Your eligible child can be your biological child, adopted child, or stepchild. A dependent grandchild may also qualify.



To receive benefits, the child must meet the following criteria:



-- be unmarried; and

-- be under age 18; or

-- be 18-19 years old and a full-time student (no higher than grade 12); or

-- be 18 or older and disabled from a disability that started before age 22.



Normally, benefits stop when children reach age 18 unless they are disabled. However, if the child is still a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school at age 18, benefits will continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child becomes age 19, whichever is first.



Within your family, each qualified child may receive a monthly payment up to one-half of your full retirement benefit amount, but there is a limit to the amount that can be paid to the family as a whole. This total depends on the amount of your benefit and the number of family members who also qualify on your record. The total varies, but it is generally equal to about 150 to 180 percent of your retirement benefit.



No auxiliary benefits are payable to family members under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.



More information may be found in our publication called Benefits for Children, publication number 05-10085, which is available on our Web site at the following Internet address:



http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10085.html



If you prefer, you may obtain the publication from our representatives at our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. They will be glad to mail it to you.



Many of our other publications are available on the Internet at the address below:



http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/englist.html



You can apply for benefits by phone or in person at any Social Security office. Call 1-800-772-1213 to make an appointment and to avoid any loss of benefits. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.



You can obtain the location and other information about your local Social Security office by calling our toll-free telephone number or by accessing the following Internet address:



Field Office Locator | SSA



You may also find the address and phone number in the blue pages of your phone book under “U.S. Government.”


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## garypen (Aug 6, 2020)

DonAndAbby said:


> I agree that it is best to have it deposited in a U.S. bank account, but you can have it deposited in a Philippines dollar account and then choose when to exchange. That is what we do with my kids. Expensive. $6.50 a month service charge X 2 kids, at BPI. The SSA in Manila has a list of banks and service charges.


The woman at the embassy FBU told me they only deposit in the local currency when they direct deposit to a foreign bank. It seems that she gave me the wrong info! Very annoying, as we'd much rather receive the payments to our local bank's dollar account rather than having to wire it ourselves. Grrr


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

garypen said:


> The woman at the embassy FBU told me they only deposit in the local currency when they direct deposit to a foreign bank. It seems that she gave me the wrong info! Very annoying, as we'd much rather receive the payments to our local bank's dollar account rather than having to wire it ourselves. Grrr


Yes, while the Manila FBU generally good job for us, they insisted that my kid's benefits had to be deposited in a Philippines bank. I have found that not to be true. It can be deposited in a U.S. bank account.

Going off topic at bit, have you tried check writing in Japan to do dollar transfers? If you have a USD account in Japan, you might be able to write a USD check from your US checking account and deposit it in the Japan USD account. I can do that here in PH but I don't know if it is possible in Japan. 

Here in PH the banks recently added a service charge to do that, but it is still the cheapest way to transfer money. Wires and money transfer services get expensive in the long run. Typically, the USD check deposited in PH will clear in 3-4 weeks, so you just have to plan ahead.


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## garypen (Aug 6, 2020)

DonAndAbby said:


> Going off topic at bit, have you tried check writing in Japan to do dollar transfers? If you have a USD account in Japan, you might be able to write a USD check from your US checking account and deposit it in the Japan USD account. I can do that here in PH but I don't know if it is possible in Japan.


There is no checking system in Japan. So, I doubt it. Bank accounts are Savings type only. Until recently, it was a very cash-centric society, and used bank-to-bank transfers for what would have been checks in the US.
Covid has really sped up the use of cashless payment systems like credit cards and smartphone apps. But, still no checks.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

garypen said:


> There is no checking system in Japan. So, I doubt it. Bank accounts are Savings type only. Until recently, it was a very cash-centric society, and used bank-to-bank transfers for what would have been checks in the US.
> Covid has really sped up the use of cashless payment systems like credit cards and smartphone apps. But, still no checks.


I see.

The other strategy I use is to use my U.S. credit card for purchases in the Philippines. Mastercard exchange rates are used and they are the best rates, and there are no foreign transaction fees with CapitalOne. Then I pay off the credit card with my US banking accounts. I charge all my gas and groceries like that, and it is basically the same as transferring the money at a great rate.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

@M.C.A. 


DonAndAbby said:


> I don't think your wife, as a non-citizen, can collect on her account while she is out of the U.S.


I might be wrong on this. Try this tool and then confirm with SSA. The wording is a bit confusing as it says "Are you currently" receiving.





__





International Programs - Payments Outside the United States


This page provides and overview of the U.S. Social Security Agreement program.



www.ssa.gov


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

DonAndAbby said:


> @M.C.A.
> 
> I might be wrong on this. Try this tool and then confirm with SSA. The wording is a bit confusing as it says "Are you currently" receiving.
> 
> ...


I'll have to contact the SS department, my wife has a Social Security number and I claim her every year on our taxes, she also worked in the US off and on (green card holder expired) from 1977 - 2002. It's a lot of reading but I need to research.

Cool link, it's a question and answers but it told me to contact Social Security.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

garypen said:


> There is a ton of info on the SS website about collecting SS for those living outside the US. You may also want to check with the US Consulate/Embassy in your residence country. I live in Japan with my wife, and we both collect SS. We applied online through the SS website. We were contacted by someone from the Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy here soon after to confirm the details.
> 
> We chose to have the payments directly deposited into our US bank accounts, rather than our local ones, to allow us to choose when to exchange currency, and take advantage of exchange rates. Unfortunately, when they direct deposit to a foreign bank, it is in that country's currency, and the exchange rate may be bad on that particular day.
> 
> Again, check the SS website. It's your best resource.


Precisely what I would like to do. Is it difficult to coordinate between USA banks and Philippine banks ?


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

AppalachianBiker said:


> Precisely what I would like to do. Is it difficult to coordinate between USA banks and Philippine banks ?


You'll have to be a Permanent Resident in order to open a Philippine bank account so a 13a visa or an SRRV visa will work.

Then you can coordinate with a bank by opening a US dollar checking account or a pensioner account, direct deposit, If that's not possible you'll be living here with your ATM card.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Thank you. I'll dig in deeper and try to figure these things out.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey Mark,

You don't have to be a permanent resident to open a bank account. when I was there I opened a checking account with BDO in Tagum City. I had to be approved from the branch manager. I did need to have my ACR card. I was even being approved for their credit card but i left. I was on a tourist visa stamped in my passport book. I had a dollar account and peso account. I close the accounts when I left back for the USA.

Art


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

art1946 said:


> hey Mark,
> 
> You don't have to be a permanent resident to open a bank account. when I was there I opened a checking account with BDO in Tagum City. I had to be approved from the branch manager. I did need to have my ACR card. I was even being approved for their credit card but i left. I was on a tourist visa stamped in my passport book. I had a dollar account and peso account. I close the accounts when I left back for the USA.
> 
> Art


I've heard this before and this topic goes back and forth, so if this works great and if not I'd have a backup plane for money.

On Luzon and in the Laguna region as far as I know and this was 2010, I couldn't open a bank account or get internet hooked up at our home without my Permanent Resident Card.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

Mark,

It must be different policies in each regions. All I had to do was get the bank manager to approve my account. I all needed was my ACR card. I also had internet hookup with no problems. I guess I was lucky. that was on Mindanao Island in Tagum city just north of Davao city. I heard expats saying the same thing as you mentioned. Maybe the businesses didn't trust the expats being there as a tourist. They could leave anything time and not pay their bills. 

art


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

art1946 said:


> Mark,
> 
> It must be different policies in each regions. All I had to do was get the bank manager to approve my account. I all needed was my ACR card. I also had internet hookup with no problems. I guess I was lucky. that was on Mindanao Island in Tagum city just north of Davao city. I heard expats saying the same thing as you mentioned. Maybe the businesses didn't trust the expats being there as a tourist. They could leave anything time and not pay their bills.
> 
> art


What bank and then what internet provider approved you, maybe that could help other's.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

art1946 said:


> All I had to do was get the bank manager to approve my account. I all needed was my ACR card.


What year was that? In 2012, I experienced the same, but a lot has changed. I think it is much harder to find a manager who will do it.

One of the big reasons for Americans is probably the new U.S. regulations that kicked in a few years back. Basically, they forced foreign banks to comply with their wishes and disclose account information to the IRS. So now, an American has to give the bank a W9 and the bank has to do a lot of paperwork to report to the IRS.


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

DonAndAbby said:


> What year was that? In 2012, I experienced the same, but a lot has changed. I think it is much harder to find a manager who will do it.
> 
> One of the big reasons for Americans is probably the new U.S. regulations that kicked in a few years back. Basically, they forced foreign banks to comply with their wishes and disclose account information to the IRS. So now, an American has to give the bank a W9 and the bank has to do a lot of paperwork to report to the IRS.


I think this may have happened during the Obama Administration, I had to fill out all sorts of paperwork at my bank, also OFW's.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

art1946 said:


> hey Mark,
> You don't have to be a permanent resident to open a bank account. when I was there I opened a checking account with BDO in Tagum City. I had to be approved from the branch manager. I did need to have my ACR card. I was even being approved for their credit card but i left. I was on a tourist visa stamped in my passport book. I had a dollar account and peso account. I close the accounts when I left back for the USA.


 As I have understood it it can be up to the local bank manager to decide if he want to approve orf not. If he is clever he approve at least all he believe can be important clients for the bank.
And if he is nice he aprove all 
while some say No perhaps just to show they have the power to do so?


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey mark,

I was with BDO bank (Bank De Oro). I filled out paperwork for the account and the employee took it back to the bank manager and he approved it. that was about 12 years ago. maybe things have changed since then. I think I was with PLDT internet provider in Tagum City.

art


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

Lunkan said:


> As I have understood it it can be up to the local bank manager to decide if he want to approve orf not. If he is clever he approve at least all he believe can be important clients for the bank.
> And if he is nice he aprove all
> while some say No perhaps just to show they have the power to do so?


Well, don't forget about the rest of us that live in the Philippines on a measly pension, which probably makes up most Expats, we fall under the burdensome rules and can't do much about it but follow them, but yes... there are Expats that are very wealthy and well to do and of course, the bank manager will approve their account.

I'm just sharing my experience on Luzon and the Laguna region, every single bank that I enquired about required a certain dollar account level on deposit, and most are $500 USD but some like BDO have it as low as $200 minimum USD balance and then a Permanent Resident card and exact photo dimensions like a passport photo of the account holder or joint holders not to mention our Electrical Bill copy, it's a process so was opening up or PLDT account and recently I added another phone extension so another lovely process.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

DonAndAbby said:


> What year was that? In 2012, I experienced the same, but a lot has changed. I think it is much harder to find a manager who will do it.
> 
> One of the big reasons for Americans is probably the new U.S. regulations that kicked in a few years back. Basically, they forced foreign banks to comply with their wishes and disclose account information to the IRS. So now, an American has to give the bank a W9 and the bank has to do a lot of paperwork to report to the IRS.


 Yes. USA forced much crap at foreign banks after 9/11, even demand foreign banks to pay punnishment fee TO USA if they dont follow!!! Purpouse to stop terrorists, but I dont believe they have stoped any terrorist at all by that, just make things harder for us NOT terrorists...


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

art1946 said:


> hey mark,
> 
> I was with BDO bank (Bank De Oro). I filled out paperwork for the account and the employee took it back to the bank manager and he approved it. that was about 12 years ago. maybe things have changed since then. I think I was with PLDT internet provider in Tagum City.
> 
> art


I think what they need to determine is that this bank account will remain open and used but if it's a couple of year vacation stint I don't think that's gonna work anymore because it does seem to be a burden on the banks.

When I renewed my US Passport (older requirement) I couldn't even get a bank draft BDO by the way... which was a requirement in order to pay for the passport services without my passport and 13a ACR card lol.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey mark,

what is the Permanent Resident card?
art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> Well, don't forget about the rest of us that live in the Philippines on a measly pension, which probably makes up most Expats, we fall under the burdensome rules and can't do much about it but follow them, but yes... there are Expats that are very wealthy and well to do and of course, the bank manager will approve their account.
> 
> I'm just sharing my experience on Luzon and the Laguna region, every single bank that I enquired about had a Dollar account level you have to keep on deposit and most are $500 USD but some like BDO have it as low as $200 minimum USD balance and then a Permanent Resident card and exact photo dimensions of the account holder or joint holders not to mention our Electrical Bill copy, it's a process so was opening up or PLDT account and recently I added another phone extension so another lovely process.


 I didnt forget  I find it stupid they dont approve ALL opening of bank acounts
(but understandable they have demands at credit cards and other loans/credits.)


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> I think what they need to determine is that this bank account will remain open and used but if it's a couple of year vacation stint I don't think that's gonna work anymore because it does seem to be a burden on the banks.


 In the Philippines they have minimum amount demands at acounts. No big burden to have such money laying there not used, which they borrow FOR FREE. Many such acounts make a big total


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

art1946 said:


> hey mark,
> 
> what is the Permanent Resident card?
> art


13a Visa, your card will be Gold color and also the SRRV ACR card. The 9a ACR card will be white.
ACR breakdown of color coding

On the bottom R/H side it will say "PERMANENT RESIDENT" other ACR cards are different colors and that differentiates them so a tourist or 9a Visa will be another color and read "TOURIST" or student ACR visa card will read "STUDENT" etc..


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

Lunkan said:


> I didnt forget  I find it stupid they dont approve ALL opening of bank acounts
> (but understandable they have demands at credit cards and other loans/credits.)


Banks barely have the staffing to process bank customers let alone tourists, most banks only have from one to two tellers and then a handful of bank employees that handle new accounts, loans, etc..


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

mark

thanks for the info on the ACR card. Yep I got my ACR card out and it said tourist on it. (temporary vistor) Dated 2011

art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> Banks barely have the staffing to process bank customers let alone tourists, most banks only have from one to two tellers and then a handful of bank employees that handle new accounts, loans, etc..


 If they get more customers, then banks earn more so they can afford more staff 

And ATMs and not active acounts are almost no work by computers handle such automatic.


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

art1946 said:


> mark
> 
> thanks for the info on the ACR card. Yep I got my ACR card out and it said tourist on it. (temporary vistor) Dated 2011
> 
> art


But the kicker is that the banks/internet/cable providers have to figure out if you're a tourist or a permanent resident and they aren't Immigration personnel, they are getting better these bank managers and upper bank staff seem to be trained and so when I applied in 2010 for a bank account they were looking for the Permanent Resident Card and passport.

Around 7 years ago the cards were further defined into colors and markings so probably a way to make it easier for the many requirements to open accounts.

We've had Expats that decided to make this their final stop but were unprepared for the money issues that they could run into with opening bank accounts and access to their money and then if that ATM card gets eaten up or damaged nobody to send them a replacement card or the bank won't mail it to the Philippines so no access to money, I just want to inform as many as possible about the burdensome requirements they may run into in 2022.


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

Lunkan said:


> If they get more customers, then banks earn more so they can afford more staff
> 
> And ATMs and not active acounts are almost no work by computers handle such automatic.


The technology is here they refuse to implement it in the Philippines or there's not much of a data system backup and there's no such thing as wanting more staffing, I think it's been a while since you've been here.


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## louiedepalma (9 mo ago)

I just needed an acr card for a bank account. I had a philippine drivers license too. It has been a while for me but my acr card is yellow/gold with the little chip in it and I was a tourist. My license is blue.

Some banks had a special vip line if you had 500k php deposited. Not sure if they still do that but it was nice.

Now I did stay in the US too long and knew my accounts there would close. I did at first make deposits via I think western union or some other way to send money there which is easy every 8 months or so. But I just gave up on that because I was not coming back for a while. I called the bank manager and they did a wire transfer to my us bank for the balance which was only a few hundred dollars.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

louiedepalma said:


> Some banks had a special vip line if you had 500k php deposited.


 MINIMUM 500k ?
The MAXIMUM to get back by bank guarantee is 500k


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

louiedepalma said:


> I just needed an acr card for a bank account. I had a philippine drivers license too. It has been a while for me but my acr card is yellow/gold with the little chip in it and I was a tourist. My license is blue.
> 
> Some banks had a special vip line if you had 500k php deposited. Not sure if they still do that but it was nice.
> 
> Now I did stay in the US too long and knew my accounts there would close. I did at first make deposits via I think western union or some other way to send money there which is easy every 8 months or so. But I just gave up on that because I was not coming back for a while. I called the bank manager and they did a wire transfer to my us bank for the balance which was only a few hundred dollars.


About 6 year's ago they further defined these ACR cards to make it more clear what kind of a Visa you are using plus color coding.

The bank managers or supervisors from my experience seem to understand these cards much better.

I would say the most challenging issue living in the Philippines is your immigration status and so that's why I made sure that I had all that accomplished while I was still living in the US and I try my best to inform my fellow Expats in order to make the move much smoother and lesson the stress.

The reason I mention this us that my first attempt at joining my family here was a failure so it set me back 3 year's and so I made sure to do right on my next try, no more throwing caution to the wind or showing up without all my certified required documents mainly my wife's previous divorces all 3 of them.


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