.No visa required for Tourist or Business Purposes for stay up to 20 days

• Children 15 years and under, if not accompanied by one parent, must obtain a visa regardless of the length of stay, plus a consent document issued by a Philippines Consulate.
• Unaccompanied minors age 16 or 17 years or minors under 18 accompanied by one parent must carry a notarized letter of consent to travel signed by the absent parent

Tourist Visa

For stay from 21 to 59 days • Visa is required • Submit Valid, signed U.S. Passport, must be valid 6 months beyond intended stay, and contain at least one blank visa page • 1 passport photo – Signature required on the back of the photo • 2 Fully completed and signed Visa Application Form. Signature must be notarized • Copy of round trip tickets or itinerary • Proof of financial capacity (e.g. travellers cheques, latest print-out of credit card account(s), latest print-out of bank statements, ownership of real estate properties, and other documents showing the applicant’s capacity to financially support himself/herself during his/her stay in the Philippines • Completed  Passport and Visa Cover Letter • International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required if arriving from infected area within 5 days

Business Visa

For stay from 21 to 59 days • Visa Required • Submit Valid, signed U.S. Passport, must be valid 6 months beyond intended stay, and contain at least one blank visa page • 2 Fully completed and signed Visa Application Form. Signature must be notarized • 1 Passport photograph, signature is required on the back of the photograph • Copy of ticket or travel itinerary • A business letter of responsibility is required, to be typewritten on your company letterhead and addressed to: Consulate General Philippines, Visa Section The letter must explain all of the following : • The nature of business to be performed • Business reference to be visited in Philippines • Guarantee financial support for the applicant while in Philippines • Return transportation to the U.S.A The letter should be signed by an officer of the company other than the applicant • Completed  Passport and Visa Cover Letter • International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required if arriving from infected area within 5 days

Fees

	Consular Fees
	$ 30.00 Per Visa - Single Entry valid 3 months for entry $ 60.00 Per Visa - Multiple Entries valid 6 months for entry $ 90.00 Per Visa - Multiple Entries valid one year

 

Actual Expat Experience with Obtaining A SRRV

I received my Special Resident Retiree Visa (SRRV) last Tuesday. For those interested in the pension-based SRRV visa, I'd like to update the list on a few things I've learned.  Much of this duplicates previous posts.

The pension-based SRRV allows a foreigner at least 50 years old who has a monthly pension of $800 or more to have permanent residence visa in the Philippines in exchange for a $10,000 investment or deposit and a $1400 application fee.  It is an excellent option for a foreigner not married to a Philippine citizen.  One can argue about whether it's a good option for those married to a Philippine citizen.  I foolishly did not get a 13a in the US, a relatively simple process.

I was planning to apply for my 13a in the Philippines but decided on the SRRV in order to avoid the various problems one can have when dealing with BID.  If I lived in the Manila area I may well have gone the 13a route, but we are in the provinces and so had to deal with multiple trips to BID in Intramuros plus the fact that a 13a issued in the Philippines is probationary, so that at the end of a year there are more trip(s) to Manila.  Some provincial BID offices will handle your application without any trips to Manila, but from what I've heard, the "fees" can run P40,000 to P50,000 for the probationary 13a with more when one applies to have the probationary status lifted.

Here's a few SRRV facts:

**Timeline:  The PRA says you can have an SRRV in five business days.  This presumes that you have all the documents ready, bank deposit made and so forth.  Still, I thought they were pretty speedy. I sent my application to Bank of Commerce in Makati by DHL on July 30.  On Aug. 17 I was informed that my SRRV had been approved and I could pick up my SRRV visa at my convenience.

**While most foreigners married to a Philippine citizen opt to get a 13a visa, such persons DO qualify for an SRRV.

**The annual letter US Social Security recipients receive from the Social Security Administration stating the benefit amount for the upcoming year IS acceptable as proof of pension.  For me and most US SSA pensioners, this means we can get a SRRV for a $10,000 deposit with paperwork we already have.  You can fax or email a copy of your SSA benefit statement to the PRA for approval.

The only real glitch in my application had to do with pension documentation.  I sent my benefit statement to the PRA and they responded by email saying it WAS acceptable to them.  When the Bank of Commerce representative (see below) submitted my SRRV application on my behalf, he was told the proof of pension was NOT acceptable.  I sent an email to PRA management complaining.  They immediately apologized and disciplined (fired) the employee who created the problem.   PRA management seems very anxious to provide good service but seem to sometimes have a hard time getting the attention of their staff.

**You CAN apply for the SRRV while in balikbayan status.  You no longer have to downgrade to a tourist visa.

**For the pension-based SRRV, you must prove that your pension check is deposited to a Philippine bank.  It's not clear if this means it must be DIRECT deposited.  In my case proof meant a letter from the bank or copies of deposit slips. I know many are leery about direct deposits to Philippine banks but for long-term residence in the Philippines, direct deposit is convenient and economical.  Equitable-PCI offers the best deal with a $2.50 monthly service charge and no minimum balance required.  This means that you can withdraw the full amount of your SS check and leave a zero balance until the next SS check arrives with no fees or penalties.  Allied and BPI also offer good direct deposit programs.

5. I had good luck going through the Bank of Commerce for my SRRV.  More than other banks, they seem to grasp the opportunities the program offers to them.  Local branches will assist with the application.  The Iloilo JM Basa street branch was up to speed on the program and I've seen reports that their Dumaguete branch is too.  Joseph Pineda (phone 02-896-7085) of the Bel Air Makati branch on Jupiter Avenue is BOC's point person for the SRRV program.  Your local branch should be able to help you put together your application package and then you can send it via FedEx or DHL to Pineda in Makati.  He will review it and then take it to the PRA offices for further review and submission.   I suggest you do not pay any fee or make any deposit until the PRA has informally reviewed your application and found it to be complete.  Then make your deposit, pay the $1400 application fee.  After you make the deposit, BOC will give you a deposit certificate for submission to the PRA.

My six month USD time deposit pays 4% interest.  Once you have your SRRV, you can convert to peso time deposit paying quite good interest.  BOC is offering very good rates on five year, tax free, peso CDs.  Unless you plan on withdrawing the money to buy a condo or make other investments, you must keep the $10,000 on deposit.  You cannot withdraw it without permission from the PRA.

**Unless medically unable, you must travel to the PRA offices at the Citibank Tower in Makati one time to receive your SRRV ID card and visa and to sign and fingerprint an SRRV "affirmation" which outlines your responsibilities as an SRRV holder.  The whole process takes about 15 minutes.  We rendezvoused at the BOC Bel Air office and Pineda accompanied us to the PRA office for the "ceremony" complete with photo-op.  The view from the 26th floor PRA offices is fantastic.

**If you commit to keeping your required deposit in a bank for three years they will give you a SRRV ID card valid for three years at a total cost of $20.  At the end of the three year period you apply for another card good for three years for $30 and so forth.  There are no other recurring fees unless you want to withdraw your funds from the bank and invest them in real estate or business.

**If your investment is still in place when you die, your wife may have to pay estate taxes when she inherits the funds.

**The PRA offers to provide free assistance in getting drivers licenses and employment permits.  We took advantage of this, thinking that the PRA may have some some arrangement with the LTO.  This proved not to be the case.  This service might be helpful to clients (Korean, Japanese, Chinese are big users of the program) who do not speak English well and would have trouble navigating the LTO process, but otherwise you can just apply yourself in your Philippine home town.

**If you leave the Philippines, you must let the PRA know three days in advance.  This is required but informal and can be done by email or fax or maybe even by phone.  If you leave the Philippines frequently (more than once per year) you are exempt from paying the travel tax.

**SRRV holders are exempt from ACR, I-card, exit clearance and re-entry permit requirements.  You get a special photo ID card and a pretty PRA visa with tropical island motif is inserted into your passport.

Sorry this is so long but hope it's helpful to someone.

Bob in Iloilo