# Best visa strategy



## WanderingStar501 (Mar 1, 2021)

Hi all, first post.
Am retiring to the Philippines later this year from the UK. My question to the knowledgeable is whether to get my SRRV Classic retirement visa before I go or instead get a 60 day visa and get it in-country? I've read it's cheaper getting it out there re. doctors check etc. But what about the police report - surely I have to get that first?
Also if I get it in advance do I need to employ a Filipino lawyer or is it simple enough to do myself? 
Thanks.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

As it is now "Visa strategy" is about get let in 

I haven't followed all changes. IF t's like that still:
If I understand correct you don't have Filipina wife or child in the Philippines?
(There was a test with "Tourist bubbles" at Boracay and Pangöao islands, but IF it's available still it's only for these tourist bubbles.)
They started in november to let in *INVESTORS..* *SIRV* demand deposit of at least 75 000 USD which can be invested. in business. I don't know if it can be too as it WAS with SRRV which could be invested in condo.


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## Nate5182 (Sep 8, 2020)

Hopefully the SRRV is still a thing when you are ready to apply. They are currently not accepting any new applications “pending the ongoing review of the entire program by a third-party provider”. SRRV visa holders are also one of, if no the only long term visa class that is not allowed to enter the Philippines without presenting an exception letter provided by the DFA. 

All that being said, it’s easy enough to do most of the requirements once you get to the Philippines. It would be best to get your police clearance before you arrive, but you will most likely need to get it certified by the nearest Philippines embassy in order for it to be accepted. I was able to get my FBI clearance from the Philippines, but had to deal with the US embassy as well as the Philippines DFA to get it accepted.

Once/If the PRA resumes applications they will be able to walk you through the process. You don’t need a lawyer. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## WanderingStar501 (Mar 1, 2021)

Thanks Nate. Real bummer about it being temporarily suspended. I didn't know that until now. Do you reckon it's coming back with the same requirements? Been a few months now,,,


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

WanderingStar501 said:


> Thanks Nate. Real bummer about it being temporarily suspended. I didn't know that until now. Do you reckon it's coming back with the same requirements? Been a few months now,,,


I suspect there will be changes otherwise they wouldn't have suspended the program. If any changes will make any sense is another matter. Personally I'd increase the minimum age and stop being allowed to work on it, well it is a retirement visa.


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

Welcome to the forum Wanderingstar501, here's link to the Philippine Retirement Authority, they'll be handeling your SRRV PRA Link and recently there was a large discussion on this topic here's the link to that SRRV changes coming and another link explaining what happened Allowing 35 y ear old Chinese Nationals to retire here


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## WanderingStar501 (Mar 1, 2021)

Thanks guys, you've all been very helpful. The only possible change that would bother me would be financial. I'm 61 by the way.


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## Simon p (Jan 29, 2021)

WanderingStar501 said:


> Thanks guys, you've all been very helpful. The only possible change that would bother me would be financial. I'm 61 by the way.


 I am trying to follow this with interest I am 60 and planningbto move out from uk in July 

Cheers

Simon


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## WanderingStar501 (Mar 1, 2021)

Simon p said:


> I am trying to follow this with interest I am 60 and planningbto move out from uk in July
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Simon


Hi Simon, I was hoping to do the same. Lets hope the Philippines get this visa back up and available by then, and that covid is under control too.


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## Simon p (Jan 29, 2021)

WanderingStar501 said:


> Hi Simon, I was hoping to do the same. Lets hope the Philippines get this visa back up and available by then, and that covid is under control too.


 can we talk over the phone please send your number.

my email [email protected] 

cheers 

Simon


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

My current strategy will be to travel for an annual break and a ham sandwich then return as a balikbayan again for another year, but I guess you eventually get tired of that.


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

Wanderingstar501 & Simon P: You both would want to work with two agencies before you set foot in the Philippines to make it less painful the first one is the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) PRA they have a document download spot also here SRRV Download documents and contact PRA PRA contact all these short cuts are on the same PRA website and then the next one would be mainly for documents required from the UK such as 'Police Clearance" it's actually not a Police Clearance it's a copy of your Police Record Philippine Embassy in the UK so the Philippine UK Embassy would verify and certify and stamp all your Documents from the UK such as Birth Certificate ect..., this you'd want to have verified in the UK before you come here or it'll be a very expensive mail and wait process for you.


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## WanderingStar501 (Mar 1, 2021)

Thanks for the tips MCA. Do you think the SRRV will be re-introduced in the near future?


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

WanderingStar501 said:


> Thanks for the tips MCA. Do you think the SRRV will be re-introduced in the near future?


I heard something the other day on GMA News about wanting to open up the SRRV again but can't find the link or a timeline for this it's only in discussion, this is where you can get some pretty good information daily about the Philippines GMA News Link and then another recent story from the current Administration mentioned that things probably won't get back to normal until 2023 GMA news link 2


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Simon p said:


> I am trying to follow this with interest I am 60 and planningbto move out from uk in July


 I guess SRRV will not be ready yet in July
while SIRV is open allready. You can read what I wrote about that above to check if that can be an alternatve for you.


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## freebiefan (Nov 11, 2020)

My suggestion is , when thw visa is ready for new applications is to get help from one of the people who facilitate gaining these visas. Ive lived in Philippines many years and got my SRRV 3 years ago but found it way easier to use an agent. Meant I only wasted a morning getting medical ( my faciltator got me to front of line) same in DFA for fingerprinting and also helped me with the bank account intro. FYI can only use 2 PRA nominated banks even though I aready had a BPI account. 
Im assuming you are Brit, so the police clearance is a fun thing. Its easy to get ....and then in my case the fun started. 
I was in Manila so asked my daughter to take police clearance to Phil Embassy for red ribboning. They told her to go to Foreign commonwealth office for approving the police clearance. On arrival in FCO office they laughed and asked if she came from Phil Embassy.. they said they had been telling the Phil Embassy for 5 years to stop sending people to FC Office as they didnt handle certification of docs . Eventual we found that Phil Embassyno longer red ribbons doc and they now must be apostilled. Dealing with Phil Embassy was really an excercise in frustration. Eventually , police clearance was approved by Phil Embassy and sent to me in Manila. 
Submitted all docs and visa and card issued within a few weeks thereafter.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

cvgtpc1 said:


> My current strategy will be to travel for an annual break and a ham sandwich then return as a balikbayan again for another year, but I guess you eventually get tired of that.


When I first started visiting here, I did the normal tourist visa thing. When we permanently moved here, I did the Balickbayan thing for a couple years. Got very displeased of the treatment I received as a Balickbayan when returning to the Philippines from Singapore, which made it easy for my decision to go 13A even with the hoops to jump through. Some of the agents in the airports do not have full knowledge of all the rules we have to comply with. That lack of knowledge along with the hard-headedness of some people to listen to reason cost me an extra fare for an outbound flight which I had no way to recover, Plus the added stress which was dumped on me with no warning. With the 13A Permanent, there is only the annual check-in to comply with no stress involved. As a side benefit, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to pay the P310 fee than travel to some other country, both monetary and stress wise. Another plus is that I do not have any investment in this country other than the house I had built and I can walk away from it if need be.

Fred


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

cvgtpc1 said:


> My current strategy will be to travel for an annual break and a ham sandwich then return as a balikbayan again for another year, but I guess you eventually get tired of that.


We should be back to normal in 2023 that was the last I heard on the news from the current administration.


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