Hello all,

I am British and living in the UK and have a home here, ideally I would like to sell my home and live in the Philippines, I have visited my girlfriend (actually older than me) there before.

My plan is to rent a condominium there. I understand I can only stay for 3 weeks and then need to renew my visa every 59 days at a cost of 3030 peso.

We do not plan to marry, is there another way that I can stay permanently in the Philippines without having to keep renewing my visa?

I wouldn't sell your home here in Uk and move to Phili until you know more about the country and about your gf. My wife if Filipina (see my profile) and I got a 59 day visa from Phili. embassy London, with the intention of living there but came home before it expired due to not having a job over there. I don't know of anyway you can stay there without renewing the visa but it's not a big hassle to do it right!

Thanks for your reply Dale,

Good points.
We have known each other since 2007 and chat online daily for hours at a time.
I visited her there in 2007. I have no ties here in the UK.
My plan is to go out there again for a few weeks nad then if I still want to move there try to sell my property.

I would rent a condo in the Philippines and eventually like to buy one.
I work from home on my PC so can do that anywhere in the world where I can get connected to the internet.

I was reading about a Special Residnet Retiree's Visa.

You're welcome.
I chat almost everyday online with my wife but it's no substitute for being together of course. Spouse visa is so hard to get now but the changes being proposed by the government will be debated next month and hopefully will not get passed? Otherwise it's me also who'll be moving to Phili, but to stay this time...

im thinking very hard about a move to phill, ive not much here to keep me .ive been to phill a couple of times 2 weeks and 5 week stays.got used to the weather had good time ,loved the people .have am divorcing the bitch i was married to for 30 years ,hurrrra hurrrra .after paying my debts ill have 50 ,000pounds and im 57, go or stay ???? ive a chance to buy some property near manila with my fiance .sooo what would you do??? heheheim very excitde and nervious too .....you only live once!!

Manila isn't the part of Phili that I would choose to put my feet up and forget about my ex! However, with that financial backing you could certainly live like a king there and not have to ride jeepneys and the god foresaken Metrostar etc.
If I was you I'd be over there already...

GO!

You can get a Balikbayan visa if you enter the Philippines with your wife. If you get your wife to register you as her spouse with the authorities & you can meet your wife in... say, Thailand (she won't need a visa to visit there) & you both enter the Philippines together, you can get a Balikbayan visa which will be valid for 12 months. If you leave the country, it gets cancelled. If you re-enter again with your wife, you can get another 12 months. I don't think there are any limits as to how often you can do this.

its marilo she lives .nr to manila shes moved scince we met .mmmm i have the chance to buy a house boat here ,but that takes nearly all my money ,£44,000.she has her own little buisness there not much but, ok for her ,anna is her name ,and the boat has the renting possabilites of £400 ,in the off season ,to £1000 per week in high season,so as much i want to come out there now!!! im ering towards buying the boat.if i can rent it out fro just a few weeks during the year it would pay for its moring fees and leave me some left to spend some weeks in the country i feel most at home!! phill .so as you see im in a delema !!? but scence says "buy the boat".

Hell will freeze over Andy before I ever step foot in Thailand but that's ok with regards the balik bayan as Hong Kong is just 2 hrs from Phili and it's Cathay Pacific who I fly with.

Kota Kinabalu in Sabah "Malaysia" is also close, especially for the Visayas and Southern Islands.
Hong Kong is good too, as if your wife books early, there are some good ticket deals to be had. The fly in the ointment would be the P1600 tac, plus P550 airport tax, and perhaps the need to deposit money before the passport is issued. Unless perhaps you swear out an affidavit of support instead. You need a Notary Public to do this.

Ah, the Mysterious Ways of the Notary Public!

Thanks for the helpful advice Tropic

To rent here in the PI for a couple of years is a good one, to marry and continue to rent is also a good thing to do. Its a minefield with Philippine ladies and a difficult choice when it comes to sharing the rest of your life AND SAVINGS with.
We have been here since 2006 and love the place, moved a few times and built three houses, currently on our 4th and the last.
The first few years of new marital bliss can be wonderful but beware, you don't have much in the way of legal assistance to help you out if it goes pearshaped when you've put your nest egg on the line.
A good idea is to rent out your home in the UK and use the cash for support here.
There are literally thousands of loveable young ladies available to be your partner and hopefully you will find one for yourself.......kindness is sought after more than good looks ....within reason
Its not difficult to set yourself with all mod cons so to speak, house, car and new wife plus maid and driver if you wish but its also necessary to consider what you do with all the free time and good weather we have here.
...boredom and San Miguel beer seem to be partners

m yes thats my take on it ,boredom ,and drinking .i lived in spain for a while and most expats there sit watching football while their offspring run riot,and make out with the local boys /girls.and the local girls dont let anyone near them !! but thats spain,and im not taking anyone with me if i go.