# UPDATE ON 13A SPOUSE VISA PROCESSING



## mhine1811 (11 mo ago)

Just for update,

We went to BI Dagupan branch to submit my requirements. As what I can say, you have to ready yourself on the up and down processing, affidavit and notary stuff. We went there yesterday at exactly 8am thinking it will be long queue and yes it is. Upon submitting documents, at initial time wife went there and they have instructed my wife of 1 original copy and 2 xerox copy (form and documents needed) and documents, they will not get original copies but a certified xerox copy will do) but it suddenly change (seems one of the thread here saying different OIC different protocols is true ). So we went there and asked the officer to check it and thats where the dilemma started. You will really need a very long patience in this process (which it really tested my patience coz i really hate being instructed up and down while it can be stated in the forms to avoid hassle process right?) First the NBI clearance. In NBI there is no means for the MIDDLE NAME to be blank. So I have asked the NBI Officer what to indicate there since in my passport there is no such middle name indicated (Its our old trend passport policy so I cant change it), officer replied, Your second name is the middle name, (SO I FILLED THERE MY SECOND NAME) and guess what? after a month we claimed the clearance and submitted to BI (thinking its all correct),BI Officer told us that we have to do an affidavit stating that my passport name and NBI Clearance name are one/same person. And this cost 500pesos. (For something my wife can just print and have it notarized for 150 pesos, their connected law office charged us 500pesos). So we have done that coz we dont have any choice. I dont want to go back here and there since our city is far from Dagupan. We have fixed it and went back (LUNCH TIME FOLKS WAIT FOR AN HOUR AND COME BACK ).Then we went back and submitted the documents, and here you go, our original marriage certificate and wifey birth certificate were asked and was told us that it wont be returned to us. Though it can be easily requested in PSA, but the fact they didnt stated on the list that they are needing ORIGINAL COPIES is what frustrates me. Plus the fact the MC is Apostilled in which wifey had spent hours in other city to get it done will just vanish in a single snap. So you have to ready yourself with PSA Copy of it folks. They might ask you for it. Then the questionnaire, you gonna spend another 500 pesos for it to be notarized. So if you are in your cities, try to get a friendly law/notary offices that is within normal fees. The total fees they asked from me is 11,186 in which in the website is only 8k something plus. The receipt ive seen indicates expedite process of additional 2500 (Guess this one is no longer an option but a mandatory additional fees since they didnt asked me if i wanted it rush or not). Officer explained to me that there is no means to check it online since the HQ hasnt updated their Online stuff, and that within 2 weeks they will call me if its approve or will ask for additional documents etc. but it might take 2months - 3months or so. It depends how the HQ gonna process it.

Well in this part, is anyone here can tell me how long waiting did you do to receive your approval? Hope I can receive response. TIA and Goodluck everyone.


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

Red tape and Bureaucratic issues plus their checklists are lacking, they tell you not to use fixers, and yet it appears they want us, foreigners, to use lawyers?

Oh get ready from Jan - Feb of each year you have to perform what's called a check-in the cost is 310 pesos, you can perform this at most PBI Satellite Offices and don't lose any receipt the PBI gives you, in fact, keep a briefcase marked Immigration and you'll be bringing that with you every visit. You skip this step or can't locate your receipt it's gonna be over 3,000 pesos fine per year plus for not checking in or not having the receipt, this doesn't happen too often but it happened to me last year, they didn't have my last check-in receipt so I had to return a week later with my receipt, I also make copies.

The briefcase I use was picked at a school supply center, it's plastic and can hold 8 x 14" documents at a cost of 250 pesos.

And the ACR card does have an expiration, you'll need to renew that every 5 years at a cost of 3,500, and when renewing the card include the last 5 years of check-ins along with the renewal form (they'll hand these receipts back to you) or they might end up claiming, actually they won't tell you and you won't know why your fee is so high, I asked one time because my previous last 3 renewals I was charged from 6 - 7,000 pesos, this didn't happen last year on my 4th renewal. 

Make sure you have at least 6 months on your Passport also before checking in or renewing your ACR Card. More fun always.


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## mhine1811 (11 mo ago)

M.C.A. said:


> Red tape and Bureaucratic issues plus their checklists are lacking, they tell you not to use fixers, and yet it appears they want us, foreigners, to use lawyers?
> 
> Oh get ready from Jan - Feb of each year you have to perform what's called a check-in the cost is 310 pesos, you can perform this at most PBI Satellite Offices and don't lose any receipt the PBI gives you, in fact, keep a briefcase marked Immigration and you'll be bringing that with you every visit. You skip this step or can't locate your receipt it's gonna be over 3,000 pesos fine per year plus for not checking in or not having the receipt, this doesn't happen too often but it happened to me last year, they didn't have my last check-in receipt so I had to return a week later with my receipt, I also make copies.
> 
> ...


This is more unusual than I expected. And yeah, it made me realize that they dont like fixers but will charge huge on affidavits and notary. They too much love papers while all the countries in this world even Vietnam has their online processing now a days for visa. Sounds funny that a small country can upgrade while this country seems funds all going to someone's pocket. Good luck to all of us staying here.


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## sirpo2011 (4 mo ago)

mhine1811 said:


> This is more unusual than I expected. And yeah, it made me realize that they dont like fixers but will charge huge on affidavits and notary. They too much love papers while all the countries in this world even Vietnam has their online processing now a days for visa. Sounds funny that a small country can upgrade while this country seems funds all going to someone's pocket. Good luck to all of us staying here.


Welcome to 350 years of Spanish rule & 470 years of Roman Catholic religion Whenever your blood pressure starts to rise remind yourself you live here with basically 1/3 the cost as where you are from including the full time housekeeper cook 
Once your over the hump it is damn cheap to live here


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

sirpo2011 said:


> Welcome to 350 years of Spanish rule & 470 years of Roman Catholic religion Whenever your blood pressure starts to rise remind yourself you live here with basically 1/3 the cost as where you are from including the full time housekeeper cook
> Once your over the hump it is damn cheap to live here


Depends where you come from, supermarket prices are higher here than in the UK.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

Gary D said:


> Depends where you come from, supermarket prices are higher here than in the UK.


Yep. Gas and Car prices are also higher.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Zep said:


> Yep. Gas and Car prices are also higher.


And electricity was until this latest crises.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Off topic but the cost to live here is much cheaper than 1st world countries, especially for labour. OMO. I just did the budget for employing 9 people, Lead mason 700 per p/d, secondary mason 600 p/d, steal worker 600 p/d, 5 laborers 450 p/d, bookkeeper, pay master, buyer, go between and translator (Ben) 500 p/d. Me? Zilch. So 4,650 total per day or for a 6 day week 27,900 or some UA 718.00 bucks a week,,,,,, for 9 employees?
While material costs seem high here, a 6 inch concrete block in Oz averages $2.20 or 85 pesos but here like 20 to 25 pesos depending on the strength (PSI) so a third to a quarter of the price and the list goes on.
Fuel and electricity costs are a little lower here than Oz but not much, to buy an iceberg lettuce in Oz is currently 10 to 12 bucks a head, here? 3 bucks each or less. I have no complaints with prices here but simply the bureaucracy that this country embraces. Why? 

As said OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

Another nice thing is the lack of building inspections for small projects. If I was in US, I would be paying a fortune to have an overpriced trade person convince the city inspector the work is legal. 
Here, while there are building codes, it is pretty easy to build the way you want. 
Also public transportation is reasonable and easy to use. In California it is almost impossible to live without a car, or now expensive Uber service.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yeah, not many here have individual transport, 9 employees and only 2 have motorcycles, one is Ben and my bike that they all want to borrow,,,, welcome to the Philippines, the rest stay in the bunk house and commute one day a week. As for building inspections? Apparently twice and the new one that blew up the other day, a site inspection from the city engineer,,,,, yet another new form and more pesos for the municipal before we start work, doubt we will see him/her or any other inspections here.

Back to the OP? I wonder how he fared with all the frustrations that he raised here?

Cheers, Steve.


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

bigpearl said:


> Off topic but the cost to live here is much cheaper than 1st world countries, especially for labour. OMO. I just did the budget for employing 9 people, Lead mason 700 per p/d, secondary mason 600 p/d, steal worker 600 p/d, 5 laborers 450 p/d, bookkeeper, pay master, buyer, go between and translator (Ben) 500 p/d. Me? Zilch. So 4,650 total per day or for a 6 day week 27,900 or some UA 718.00 bucks a week,,,,,, for 9 employees?
> While material costs seem high here, a 6 inch concrete block in Oz averages $2.20 or 85 pesos but here like 20 to 25 pesos depending on the strength (PSI) so a third to a quarter of the price and the list goes on.
> Fuel and electricity costs are a little lower here than Oz but not much, to buy an iceberg lettuce in Oz is currently 10 to 12 bucks a head, here? 3 bucks each or less. I have no complaints with prices here but simply the bureaucracy that this country embraces. Why?
> 
> ...


Why do you need a secondary mason? Only place you need a steel worker is the roof truss 4 labor to keep the mason busy 
bookkeeper, pay master, buyer, go between and translator (Ben) 500 p/d BS
Daily cost should be a mason and 4 labor a day = 2500 peso *Pacquiao* tile plumb elec wood work You need to think like a filipino


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

Gary D said:


> Depends where you come from, supermarket prices are higher here than in the UK.


Where is here? I live in the prov all local seafood meat veg is wet market Aust 280gram rib eye about 500 peso shrimp 500 gram 380
Avg monthly grocery bill around 200 USD a month 1 person don't bother to look at price when I drop it in the shopping cart 
whats the price of 450 gram 25 shrimp count where you are from ?


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

Zep said:


> Yep. Gas and Car prices are also higher.


Why do you own a car ? Been here 18 years till COVID rode jeepneys 8 peso post COVID trykes avg 50 peso 1 way which is about double what it should be but I want good will when the local tryke driver's see me looking for transportation monthly transportation about 500 peso Don't even get me started on trying to find a parking space


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

sirpo said:


> Where is here? I live in the prov all local seafood meat veg is wet market Aust 280gram rib eye about 500 peso shrimp 500 gram 380
> Avg monthly grocery bill around 200 USD a month 1 person don't bother to look at price when I drop it in the shopping cart
> whats the price of 450 gram 25 shrimp count where you are from ?


750 grams shelled frozen prawns are about 500 pesos. So fresh shell on you're paying way more.


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

Gary D said:


> 750 grams shelled frozen prawns are about 500 pesos. So fresh shell on you're paying way more.


Didn't answer the question 25 count per 500 gram which is the size and if fresh cost a couple peso more BFD


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

insult to injury 750 grams @ 500 peso = 1.5 peso / gram frozen 
500 grams @ 380= 1.3 peso/gram fresh 
Stay on the porch puppy 
Your not ready to run with the big dogs


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

750 grams shelled frozen prawns are about 500 pesos. 

Don't even get me started on what you can can create with the shells as a shrimp stock


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

sirpo said:


> Why do you need a secondary mason? Only place you need a steel worker is the roof truss 4 labor to keep the mason busy
> bookkeeper, pay master, buyer, go between and translator (Ben) 500 p/d BS
> Daily cost should be a mason and 4 labor a day = 2500 peso *Pacquiao* tile plumb elec wood work You need to think like a filipino


Again, "opinions are like noses, everyone has one".
I don't know where you live as for labour and wire fences that served you well for 15 years but here? Those are the going rates for (supposed trades) and the quantity of workers is negotiated with the head mason for what I want to achieve here.
As for BS with Ben? He is my partner for 11 years and has no need to lie with wages, workers or duties and saves me a hell of a lot of headaches, does much more than I listed that you called BS.
Back to steel worker? For fencing steelwork is required for foundations, columns and tie beams, not just a few trusses. My steel worker is also versed in formwork and a multitude of other skills.

BTW, sorry to be off topic yet again.

Happy your wire fence works for you but I also have choices.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve
.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

sirpo said:


> Why do you own a car ? Been here 18 years till COVID rode jeepneys 8 peso post COVID trykes avg 50 peso 1 way which is about double what it should be but I want good will when the local tryke driver's see me looking for transportation monthly transportation about 500 peso Don't even get me started on trying to find a parking space


Aside from the cost of a car or 5 and a couple of bikes? Freedom. When we lived in Manila for a year there was never a thought of a car and Ben had his bike to go to work or jump on public transport, living in the province? Sure we can order a tricycle with a simple phone call and wait 10 or 15 minutes to be picked up.

If we want a day or 3 trip to Vigan or Laoag or Manila? Best to jump in the car and not bother with tricycles, Jeepneys and buses. I hear you with parking but here in the province is like getting a park in Wall mart or Bunnings. Easy. Or staying in a hotel, make sure the hotel you book has parking.

As said each to their own and thank the gods that we are all different and live within our stations in life.

Still off topic, my bad.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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