# Immigration requirements



## kul (Mar 24, 2016)

Any advice for a Philippines Immigration Visa by marriage. Do I need a attorney to help me? I know I can fill out the immigration form without any help. What are the additional requirements? How long is the process to get a Visa? Can I get in 30 to 40 days? Thanks.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

kul said:


> Any advice for a Philippines Immigration Visa by marriage. Do I need a attorney to help me? I know I can fill out the immigration form without any help. What are the additional requirements? How long is the process to get a Visa? Can I get in 30 to 40 days? Thanks.


Sometimes I wish I were still a brand new expat here so that I'd have all the latest facts and info.

Where legalities are involved and since you are in Angeles, Stop over at the immigration office located in Marquee Mall after the holidays are over next week. They have a great bunch of people there as staff and can help answer questions and concerns with factual info.



Regards

Jet Lag


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

Philippine Bureau of Immigration website is not working right now, they might be updating and reworking it.

I agree with Jetlag the PBI satellite office would be a real good start, you don't want to use any lawyers you can do this on your own. The 13a Non-quota Immigrant Visa through marriage (probationary) online form also has instructions on what is needed, trouble is the website is down.

I avoided these Philippine Bureau of Immigration satellite offices because I figured they weren't any good or cost more .... but I was totally wrong, these spots are terrific and I've saved thousands of peso's by getting things done at a satellite office VS traveling all the way to Manila and dealing with the traffic, transportation and foods costs, I only deal with the main office as a last resort I don't live in Manila either.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I live in Metro Manila at the moment, (Paranaque City), and I hate dealing with the traffic and huge crowds of people at BI, plus long waiting lines...so I just pay my travel agency that does all my travel arrangements...they also do Visa's and I have always had excellent work done for a very reasonable small fee!

The travel agency does all the work and I just sit at home and wait for the phone to ring, telling me my new Visa is ready. If you use this route, make sure it is a reputable agency!


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

Cebu Citizen said:


> I live in Metro Manila at the moment, (Paranaque City), and I hate dealing with the traffic and huge crowds of people at BI, plus long waiting lines...so I just pay my travel agency that does all my travel arrangements...they also do Visa's and I have always had excellent work done for a very reasonable small fee!
> 
> The travel agency does all the work and I just sit at home and wait for the phone to ring, telling me my new Visa is ready. If you use this route, make sure it is a reputable agency!


Ehhmm ,, You better check on that ,, Last I heard Travel agents cannot approve BI paperwork !!


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Scott E said:


> Ehhmm ,, You better check on that ,, Last I heard Travel agents cannot approve BI paperwork !!


I'm sure if you pay the correct fee they can


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

Scott E said:


> Ehhmm ,, You better check on that ,, Last I heard Travel agents cannot approve BI paperwork !!


Ehhmm...I do not in any way want to seem rude or disrespectful because that is certainly NOT my intent...especially to a new member BUT someone needs to go back and read my post!

It does NOT say that a travel agency *"approves"* any official Philippine Bureau of Immigration paperwork...it simply says that anyone can go to an approved reputable travel agency and pay them to do your footwork and wait in line for you! Every Travel Agency I know of offers Visa runs or Visa Services...

I still have to fill out the paperwork and the BI stills does the approval of the paperwork...the travel agencies just go to the BI office and stand and wait in line for you and it is an *acceptable* and *approved* and *legal* business practice here in the Philippines and nearly every other country in the world...

There is nothing underhanded, shady or sneaky about paying someone to run errands for you!


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Cebu Citizen said:


> Ehhmm...I do not in any way want to seem rude or disrespectful because that is certainly NOT my intent...especially to a new member BUT someone needs to go back and read my post!
> 
> It does NOT say that a travel agency *"approves"* any official Philippine Bureau of Immigration paperwork...it simply says that anyone can go to an approved reputable travel agency and pay them to do your footwork and wait in line for you! Every Travel Agency I know of offers Visa runs or Visa Services...
> 
> ...


I will add my voice here as well. Taking the footwork, time, and hassle is a normal and legal part of travel agents work here. Service is the key word here and although they charge a small fee, it is extra revenue for the agencies and IS quite legal. Nice part is that what might take you and I more than a day can at times take a travel agent just a matter of hours as they do this all the time and know the right workers to deal with.

Jet Lag


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

This is the BI list of approved Travel Agencies.

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/image...AsofAugust2015/TravelAgencsAsOf 12AUG2015.pdf

I used a travel agency from 2010-2013 with no problem, even left after 2 years in 2012 and returned. Went to the main BI office in Aug 2013 to extend and renew my ACR card. Was arrested and put in the BI Bicutan Detention Center for fake stamps, had visa stamps from actual BI offices that I personally got in between the fake stamps. Was deported and Blacklisted, which took 6 months and many pisos to get removed and return to Phils. Just a word to the wise, only use Travel Agencies on the approved list, which I had known of the list back then.

Chuck


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

bidrod said:


> This is the BI list of approved Travel Agencies.
> 
> http://www.immigration.gov.ph/image...AsofAugust2015/TravelAgencsAsOf 12AUG2015.pdf
> 
> ...


Yes Sir ,, your post is the info I was referring to ,, sorry it happened that way !!

Thanks for the heads up for the other readers ,, anything important, I will do it personally ,, easier to sleep at night !!


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

kul said:


> Any advice for a Philippines Immigration Visa by marriage. Do I need a attorney to help me? I know I can fill out the immigration form without any help. What are the additional requirements? How long is the process to get a Visa? Can I get in 30 to 40 days? Thanks.


OK back to the "Original" question !! I would not trust a "Travel Agent" to do a Visa ,, They may do just "Extensions" for Tourist Visas in Manila ,, Yu are in Angeles !!

I did my 13/A in the states ,, it was a little easier no Atty required ,, Yu may want to get an Atty in Manila ,, They run about 45K plus application fee ,, they will make sure all yur paper work is correct and arrange for yur "Interview" with the BI official !!

Look at the BI webpage and yu can get all the forms ,, Refer to the check list and see what docs yu can get ahead of the lawyer ,, my guess would be NBI clearance, and 2 Hospital certificates of health, Physical and psychological (from a regional hosp, not a VA) not much cost !!

Time wise, yu will have to use some of yur time, somehow,somewhere ,, an Atty will minimize the actual application process, they will submit all yur papers to the correct person ,, I would not know how long the actual waiting time would be


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

bidrod said:


> This is the BI list of approved Travel Agencies.
> 
> http://www.immigration.gov.ph/image...AsofAugust2015/TravelAgencsAsOf 12AUG2015.pdf
> 
> ...


I use a travel agency also but I did not know about this approve list of approved Travel Agencies. I know there has been reports of travel agents that stamp the passport themselves and keep all the money. This is great, thanks!
Tony


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

Phil_expat said:


> I use a travel agency also but I did not know about this approve list of approved Travel Agencies. I know there has been reports of travel agents that stamp the passport themselves and keep all the money. This is great, thanks!
> Tony


In my case the stamps were coming from a BI sub office in Taytay, so I am thinking the Agency had a contact there and probably split a portion of the fees paid. The Agency also made the papers in 2013 for a similar situation with Japanese national. During my interview with the BI I was informed by BI that this had happened with many individuals using that Agency. My question at the time to BI was why had they not taken action against the Agency, answer to me was file charges against the Agency with the courts and include BI in my filing. Upon my return in 2014 I did file a lawsuit against the Agency which of course is still pending.:juggle: Maybe in the next 10 years the case maybe finalized. The Agency is still in business, but the BI has reestablished a local office in the same mall since 2014. I actually started using the Agency back in 2011 because they at that time were located next to the BI sub office that closed in Dec 2010.

Chuck


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## kul (Mar 24, 2016)

jet lag said:


> i will add my voice here as well. Taking the footwork, time, and hassle is a normal and legal part of travel agents work here. Service is the key word here and although they charge a small fee, it is extra revenue for the agencies and is quite legal. Nice part is that what might take you and i more than a day can at times take a travel agent just a matter of hours as they do this all the time and know the right workers to deal with.
> 
> Jet lag


hi jet lag

last thursday i went to immigration office in manila at 2pm and i got everything done in one hour. I suppose to go to immigration office again on coming tuesday for interview and fingerprinting.

Do you know what kind of questions they ask during the interview? Do they need more information from me?

Thanks.
Kul


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

kul said:


> hi jet lag
> 
> last thursday i went to immigration office in manila at 2pm and i got everything done in one hour. I suppose to go to immigration office again on coming tuesday for interview and fingerprinting.
> 
> ...


Sorry, I don't know what would be asked. It's been years since I did mine and things change. Usually just simple basic stuff. Anyway, you should have no problems with them or the interviews. Despite what others say sometimes, they are there doing their job and from experience, are more than willing to be helpful.

Jet Lag


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