steve18

hi. im new here. id like some advice about visa's please.
its very likely im going to move from the uk to the philippines sometime next year and id like to know which visa to apply for. im going to rent out my home here in the uk for just one year to start with, this way it will give me one year to get a true feeling for life in phil.im single and have no kids.i dont intend to get a job there just yet.iv been to phil 4 times now and iv found it a really nice country.i have some good local friends there.im just not sure which visa to get. also when i was much younger (teenager) i got into a little trouble with the police here,nothing serious but it does show up on my CRB cheeks i have to have for my work here. will this affect my application? any good advice would be very welcome. thanks in advance Steve

quiltman

If you are coming for just a year initially and do not intend to work here - not that you can easily anyway as a foreigner - then a standard tourist visa is fine. You get a 30 day one on entry and just extend it whilst you decide. Plenty of info on here about visas - use the search function.

quiltman

Forgot to say that if your "little" trouble is truly "little' then that should not be a problem on a tourist visa , but just possibly may show up when you apply for any future visa that requires a UK Police Clearance certificate. Whether that will count against you I have no idea.
I'm sure more knowledgeable forum members will pop along with firmer advice!

steve18

thanks Quiltman. i did do a little research and thought the tourist visa would be the one. i was just very confused as there seem's to be quit afew to apply for. now i'll try to find out about a "uk police clearance cert". do you know what this involves ?.
thanks again

quiltman

Basically if you apply for a long term/resident visa , one of the documents you have to provide is a Police clearance from your home country.
In your case , the UK. This can be obtained from ACPO - run by Hampshire Police.just google it - I've mislaid the link!
note: It must not be more than 6 months old so don't go get one until you decide to stay here. It also needs legalising either by the Philippine embassy in London, or the Foreign & commonwealth Office.You can do it from here - we had to for our residents visa.A CBR is not accepted!Mine was originally issued in 2008! you do have to send the forms back to UK then to the FCO for legalising - we used a family friend to do the posting etc in the UK and the FCO send it back to you here.It does cost of course!! Or, go back to UK , sort out all the documents , get them properly authenticated then come back and stick all the paperwork in!

When you get nearer a long term decision please come back on the forum and many members will be able to give you chapter and verse at that time.

steve18

hi. i searched online and found ACPO.the forms seem pretty straight forward and it seems my not so serious law breaking will be spent and at the same time my CRB check allows me the drive private hire (taxi) so they should not hinder my desire to reside there.im going back to mindoro in september and iv made friends with a French guy who's lived in Phil for over 30 years now.his visa requires him to leave there, i think once a year for so many day's. im thinking now thats the same visa i need (tourist). as i understand it. thanks again

quiltman

Yup, sounds like a tourist visa. Many expats live here for years using them! you can now extend them up to 3 years before you need to take a weekend trip to hong kong or somewhere. when you come back ,you start all over again.
Be aware that once you have been here 6 months , you need an Exit clearance Certificate before you can leave - holiday etc - plus you also need to get an ACR (alien Certificate of Residence) card. It's all on the Immigration dept website.

Come have fun!

steve18

im taking it that a visa extention,a exit clearance cert and a ACR card are all obtained at the embassy in manila ?.......

come have fun, you say ! i do like it very much there and i feel comfortable although the mozzi's just adore my blood but i find "OFF" works very well

wayne42

Hi Steve..
You can get Visa extensions and an ACR card at just about any B.I office throughout the R.P.
Not sure about exit clearances though??
That said,I`m not sure about 9a X 6 months visa`s as at first these could only be gotten in Intramuros B.I in Manila..
I`m sure other expats here can advise about updates on that.

quiltman

As Wayne42 says, extensions etc are through any BI office as are exit clearances (if needed). No need to go to Manila - thank goodness!

Other Immigration Offices

steve18

thanks wayne42/quiltmam............
there is a office in Calapan. this is great news as the resort i stay at is only 5km from calapan city centre. i can get my english speaking friend to come with me.
SALAMAT Gents

quiltman

you're welcome.
Interesting tho' -you say you can get your "english speaking friend" to come with you. There's me thinking YOU were English. Silly mistake on my part.

steve18

sorry quiltman.its the sunday after a skin full.my mistake. my friend is filippino and her english is really good so she can relate if i had language problems at the BI office. im English but pakiusap dont mention the football. ouch lol

tropicofcancer

If you get NBI clearance here, they do the police checks in UK, for you. They take all your fingerprints. Sorry I forget how much it cost.
Warning:
Allocate a day for this. In Cebu it took about five hours to be seen.
Make sure you have a bottle of rubbing alcohol to get rid of most of the ink, on your fingertips.

I can honestly say; that the BI Office in Mandaue, Cebu is very user friendly and also helpful

steve18

thanks for the info Tropic..