# LSVVE question



## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I cannot find this on the BI website.

Is the LSVVE a multi entry visa or just a single entry one?

For example if I have 4 months left on the LSVVE and I leave and come back in a week, can I then stay the remaining 4 months or does my leaving negate the LSVVE and reset my clock to start over again?

The real savings, as I see it, in the LSVVE is the hassle of having to extend every 2 months (or in the first 30 days) but I have a contarct that will require me to go away often for short periods so my thinking is that I would just go with the standard extensions every 2 months.

Anyone have experence with these?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

My understanding of multientry visas is that you can enter and leave the country as many times as you wish duing the validity period of the visa. Each time you enter you will only get the normal allocation. I'm not sure if it is 30 or 59 days. Once this period is up you still need to extent even if the multientry visa is still valid. Contary to popular belief a 6 month multientry visa does not give you 6 months in country.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Gary D said:


> My understanding of multientry visas is that you can enter and leave the country as many times as you wish duing the validity period of the visa. Each time you enter you will only get the normal allocation. I'm not sure if it is 30 or 59 days. Once this period is up you still need to extent even if the multientry visa is still valid. Contary to popular belief a 6 month multientry visa does not give you 6 months in country.


Considering this I don't see the point of getting this? I guess it's for citizens of countries that don't have the privilege of coming in as they please like US citizens?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I'll give an instance of when one is useful. We invited the mother in law to visit us in the Uk with the intention of taking her on a birthday trip to Paris and Euro Disney. For this she needed a mutientry visa. In general they are of very little use to tourists and are aimed at the traveling business man.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Gary D said:


> My understanding of multientry visas is that you can enter and leave the country as many times as you wish duing the validity period of the visa. Each time you enter you will only get the normal allocation. I'm not sure if it is 30 or 59 days. Once this period is up you still need to extent even if the multientry visa is still valid. Contary to popular belief a 6 month multientry visa does not give you 6 months in country.


You are refering to the multi entry visa that one can get at home (in Canada costs about $100 CDN)This is different to the extension available in the Philippines.

If I knew that I would be leaving every 59 days for sure then I would use this optiopn, That would allow me a 59 day stay every entry without any extension. (If I knew I would be leaving every 30 days then I would just get come and go on the normal 30 day visa on arrival.)

I am talking about extensions granted to people already in the Philippines. If I come in on a visa on arrival I'd need one after 30 days to take me to 59 days then every 59 days after that. If I had a multi entry visa I would not need my first extension until 59 days.

These can be available for 6 months at the main BI office in Manila at a cost of about 11 000 or I can get 2 month extensions at almost any local BI office for between 3000 and 5 000 depending on how many extensions I have had.

The upper limit on extensions is 36 months before I have to leave the country but even if I was retired I would be leaving before that to go home see family or regional vacations and travel.


My question is if I get a 6 month visa extension, and leave the country before it expires can I return for the remainder of the extension even if it it exceeds the 30 day visa on arrival I would get anyway?

If yes then I would most likely get these, if no then I'd simply continue on the normal 2 month extensions. The only savings is really the time and effort to go to the office and get the extensions processed.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Any visa or extention expires when you leave the country. A quick look at the embassy website looks like you only get the 30 days on entry, so unless you are sure you need to leave and return within the first 30 days of the 6 months multui entry I see not benifit as you will still need to pay for any extensions. And of course there's still the onward tickets to show.


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## George6020 (Apr 18, 2014)

YEP....Gary is correct that if you leave the Philippines before your Visa Extension expires, you will LOSE the remainder of your visa. It happened to me last year, I got the 6 month extension in Manila for about P8600, but had to go back to the US 4 months later, so I lost the remaining 2 months on the visa.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

George6020 said:


> YEP....Gary is correct that if you leave the Philippines before your Visa Extension expires, you will LOSE the remainder of your visa. It happened to me last year, I got the 6 month extension in Manila for about P8600, but had to go back to the US 4 months later, so I lost the remaining 2 months on the visa.


Then I will just plan on getting the 2 month extensions. Since I will not be in Manila is just as easy as the 6 month which is currently only available in Manila.

What happens to your ACR Icard? Does it expire and have to be turned in when you leave the country? I want to get one as soon as I come to stay so that I can get a local driver license and open a local bank account.


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## George6020 (Apr 18, 2014)

Manitoba said:


> Then I will just plan on getting the 2 month extensions. Since I will not be in Manila is just as easy as the 6 month which is currently only available in Manila.
> 
> What happens to your ACR Icard? Does it expire and have to be turned in when you leave the country? I want to get one as soon as I come to stay so that I can get a local driver license and open a local bank account.


FYI....the 6 month Visa Ext is available in Cebu too.

My ACR was ok to keep when I left........and still valid when I returned, since its good for 1 year.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

George6020 said:


> YEP....Gary is correct that if you leave the Philippines before your Visa Extension expires, you will LOSE the remainder of your visa. It happened to me last year, I got the 6 month extension in Manila for about P8600, but had to go back to the US 4 months later, so I lost the remaining 2 months on the visa.


Same with the Balikbayan stamp, leave with it but not observed if you come back alone and you get the regular tourist stamp. Not an issue for me now but could be eventually, would be great if it lasted till the original expiration.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

George6020 said:


> FYI....the 6 month Visa Ext is available in Cebu too.
> 
> ....


Most likely will be rolled out to the other offices soon as well.


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