Hi to all on this site.

I would appreciate any info anyone can give an Englishman. I am planning on coming to Manila for a stay of 3-6 months in the Autumn to stay with my lady who works in Makati, to see what life is really like rather than the holiday experience.

My first question relates to my actual coming out to Manila I understand that I can come out on a single fare flight as long as I also have an onward flight journey ticket out of the country, and I can also renew my stay in the Philippines after 21 days, can someone please put me right.

My second question is a common one of employment, I am a graphic artist and photo restorer and have also been in retail management for a number of years.Ideally I would like to find some form of employment during my stay but from what I have read on many forums it would appear that this may prove to be extremely difficult. If anyone can point me in any direction or offer any advice it really would be appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation of any response.

Good luck with the move. I lve in Thailand so I'm not the best person to ask. However some things may be the same. Regarding flights. You might be okay on a single depending on your type of visa, what you can show the airline people about what you're doing there and also how much cash or funds you can show.

Don't know how things are in the PPs but the only people who have ever given me any trouble on a oneway ( once ) were the airline people at Gatwick. I normally go from Heathrow.

As for jobs. From what I hear you will be very lucky to get a job in your sphere.

Anyway, maybe someone else will be along to give you some more info.

hi nonthaburi ...many thanks for your kind reply,work wise I am prepared to do any kind of work outside of my comfort zone just hope some of my skills maybe transferrable to a wider network. I hope future posts may help with more info regarding flights but I thank you for your comments, it was much appreciated.

you might be bale to get some work teaching English. Not sure how well paid that would be in the PPs though.

Hello, I am new to this site but I have lived in the Philippines for 3 years now. I work in the oil and gas field and I currently am working 28 days on and 28 days off a rig in Indonesian waters. This means that I fly in and out of the Philippines more that most people.

As long as you have a flight back out of the Philippines you will be allowed to check in for your flight going there. Even if your onward flight is only a budget flight to Singapore or Hong Kong costing only 40 pounds or so.

You can book online with one of the budget carriers, Cebu Pacific or Seair.

I am married to a Filipina but I still enter the country on a 21 day tourist visa. This means that, if I do not have to go on a work related course somewhere, I have to extend my 21 day visa to cover the extra 7 days! It costs about 3,900 pesos (roughly 58 pounds but that gives you a 3 month stay).

I live in Angeles City and so I fly from Singapore into Clark airport which is only 20 minutes from my house. You will be flying into Manila airport and it is very busy there. My advice to you would be to take a yellow airport taxi which you can get just as you exit the arrivals. Turn left and you will see a booth. The girl asks you where you want to go and gives you a price. She writes down the number of the taxi and gives you a copy of the receipt.

Sorry but I cannot advise you regarding employment.

Hope this has been of some use to you.

Thanks Stevie for the reply regarding the flight info, I was in Manila and Cebu in June but back in UK now, and I did catch a cab outside the airport as you kindly suggested. I appreciate your info thanks very much. Kind Regards David

Teaching English is perhaps the most feasible option. I reckon the teaching salary in international schools would be better than teaching english elsewhere in the philippines.

Just to say Hi and welcome to all you new folks on BE Seems to be quite a few folks moving to the 'Peens these days.

You can obtain a 59 Day Visa (Pleasure Visit - Single Entry) from any Philippines Consulate (US$50). An onward ticket to Hong Kong, or a Return Ticket will usually suffice when leaving the UK. As one previous poster mentioned previously, it is usually the 'Jobsworth Check-In Clerks' who attempt to create difficulties. I have visited the Philippines many times, both on 59 Day Visas, and the 21 Day on arrival. The Immigration Officers have never asked me to present a return ticket! You should also have 6 Months unexpired duration of your Passport.

The benefit of the 59 Day Visa, is that it will enable you to obtain an ACR (Alien Certificate of Registration) from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Intramuros. This then allows you to open a Bank Account (Banco de Oro), and also acts as an Electronic E-Gate Immigration Card (No more queuing at Manila Immigration). The process takes about two weeks.

The 21 Day Visa can also be extended at DFA, for another 21 Days but takes several hours of queuing, or you can return the following day. The cost is around PHP 4,000/- so it might be cheaper to take a flight to Hong Kong. Keep in mind that since the Chinese have taken over in Hong Kong, they have no conception of 'Transit Passengers.' Even if you are not leaving the airport you will still have to be 'Booked-In and Booked-Out' at Hong Kong Immigration.

Try www.oneworld.com for further information.

Many thanks to all of you kind people on this great site who have kindly left me messages of advice. I will be travelling end of October my main concern is one of employment as I know it is for countless others also. My motto in life is 'it is better to try and fail than to fail to try'. If anyone can give me any further useful advice it will be greatly appreciated.

The OP mentioned working during his stay. This is not possible on a tourist visa.

I think the cost of an ACR is US$50 is it not? And this card must be surrendered on final departure?

An ACR is not required by many banks to open an account. I opened an account at HSBC in Cebu without an ACR - many others have accounts at various banks. If one bank refuses then try another.

The concept of transiting does exist at Hong Kong airport and involves a security check to get from arrivals to departures, not immigration. This process is usually fast as the security control points are not the same ones that most departing passengers will use after checking in.

It is the case that immigration officers in the Philippines do not usually ask for a return ticket. I travel there once or twice a month, sometimes with my Filipina wife - in which case I get a balikbayan stamp which allows me to stay for a year initially - or by myself, when I just get the 21 day stay on arrival and have never been asked for my return ticket. However, I think the reason for the lack of interest in a return ticket may partly be that the immigration staff know travellers have already been checked thoroughly by the airline. I believe it is the airline that is held accountable if the passenger is denied entry to the Philippines because he/she lacks a return ticket and must fly them out again.

Keep in mind that since the Chinese have taken over in Hong Kong, they have no conception of 'Transit Passengers.' Even if you are not leaving the airport you will still have to be 'Booked-In and Booked-Out' at Hong Kong Immigration.
It has always been like that since my first transit in '82. When it was still British.

I believe it is the airline that is held accountable if the passenger is denied entry to the Philippines because he/she lacks a return ticket and must fly them out again.
Yes and the greater problem is the airline, refusing to sell you, a one-way ticket, in the first place. Yes even for Filipinos.

Great motto! Best of luck in October. In case you need more information for PH visa and immigration, check out ACCRALAW's detailed Q&A response ie Can I come on a Tourist Visa to find work? etc - http://www.expatcareers.com/Philippi...d_immigration/. In case you have other questions not listed just write to the Head of Immigration Regina Geraldez, her contact is below. I must say she is very accommodating in spite of her busy schedule.

wonderkittie are you based in makati?