Getting an extension has become a pain. I don’t know if the death of the express fee did it or if just more people. It might be the time of day I get there too. Close to noon, lots of people and some workers might be at lunch too. I was happy when the express fee went away but only until I went to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In Cebu, you have to go to the J Center Mall in Mandaue. That’s not a problem, it’s always been in Mandaue but you really can’t tell if you are in Cebu City or Mandaue. Only the signs of the stores change.
You should expect to spend at least two hours at the BI. We left at 11:44 and returned home at 3:44. So it took us 4 hours including the drive time of probably about an hour there and back.
They open at 8:30 and close at 5:30 but stop accepting new visa applications at 3:30. So it seems the two hours is expected.
There is rarely a place to sit. I usually find something outside their office. That also seems expected as you can hear the names being called while sitting near BI in the mall.
There are three windows to go to. Receiving, teller and the pickup window. The longest wait is after you pay and while you wait to get pick up your receipt and day that you can return to actually get your passport back with the new extension
I’ll Smash Your Face In
Between the time of paying and waiting for the date I can return with my receipt, two chairs opened up inside BI. I went to sit there.
There was a foreigner sitting between the two seats. He put a book in one as I got close. As I walked past him, he covered the other chair with his leg. I asked him if he had someone with him. He couldn’t understand me. He was not American. So I started walking back to the other seat and sat down. He mumbles something about my sitting there. I asked why, even though I didn’t understand him. He said, “because I don’t want anyone sitting next to me.” At least, I think that is what he said. Again, I asked if he had someone with him and he didn’t understand me again but muttered some more stuff. At this point, I decided to ignore him. I was sitting and the jerk could just get used to it.
A few minutes later, a woman showed up. She seemed to be apprehensive. I think he said, “I hope you’re happy.” I didn’t acknowledge him. The other chair was still vacant or I might have offered it to her. Probably not since he was a certified jerk. She pulled him up and away but before he left he said: “I’ll smash your face in.” I think it included “If we were not at BI.” But, I didn’t understand him again. I didn’t look up. He stood there for a minute and I thought he might follow through with his threat but I sat there without an expression at all and ignored him. He finally walked away. I really wish I knew his name so I could smile when he gets himself thrown out of the Philippines after spending some time in jail. I’m sure he will be in the papers soon.
I get that tempers are short after a long wait in a slightly warm, crowded place. All I wanted to do was sit and this jerk was not going to prevent it and didn’t. I was a little amazed that I didn’t lose my temper. But, I was glad that I handled it the way I did. I’m not in the sixth grade anymore. All boys learn about that time the way to handle a bully is smash him in the face. By fourteen, it’s usually better to just ignore them.
Using an Agent to Extend Your Visa
In the past, I used an agent to get my extension taken care of. It was only P500 when I first got here. But now, BI is more restrictive on who can act as an agent. Jessie did it for me for years but she no longer can, at least not officially. I used Travelways here in Cebu City. Now the fee is P1500. That’s a bit more and more than I find painless to pay. I am not sure that it is more painful than the four hours and two trips I have to make to BI though.
The next time my extension is due, Jessie will be in Tacloban so it is likely that I will use an agent that time. I’m not sure about the rest of the time. I got a price from another agent and they didn’t want to tell me their fee. They just said 6000 all in. They finally said that their fee was P2000. It’s not, the normal extension is only P2000 so they were going to pocket P4000! No way, I’m sure I could sit before I would pay that.
The first extension does cost about 6000 but includes your ACR-I card. When you get that, you have to go back two times. Once to get your passport with the extension then after a month, you can go back to get your card. I didn’t go back. I waited until it was time to get my extension again.
On the next extension, the one where the guy offered to rearrange my face, I thought I would get the card then. But no! I would not get that until the extension was ready. So, this time it was four windows to go to. One was across the hall. The fourth stop did go quickly though. You need to get the ACR-I card once per year.
In summary, your visa extension will cost you about P2000 now but when you get your first one you’ll need about P6000. As much of a pain as it is, at least we have this option. It’s nearly impossible to get into the USA on a tourist visa now. I have no idea how long they last for and I would dread getting an extension if it is even possible.
Do you have any fun and fascinating stories on your trips to BI? There was one other time I was there when some guy, an American, was complaining loudly. The BI officer told him to be quiet as it is illegal to raise your voice to a Filipino. He complained again asking, “What are you going to do.” She politely replied with “I will arrest you.” That got him quiet. I would like to have fun at BI but I really just hope for something besides this kind of amusement.
Tagged with: American Expat • BI • Bureau of Immigration • Extension • Visa
Filed under: Cebu Philippines
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Rusty,next time just go over the new or old Bridge to mactan island and go-to the gaisano mall,there is a extension office in there and you will be in and out of there in about 20 minutes max.
Rusty,
Why aren’t you a permanent resident?
The procedure is straight forward.
You only have to return to BI once a year to register. The fee is P310? Per year.
The ACR-I Card is good for 5 years.
That’s a consideration. I didn’t know they had one there. Go at the wrong time from Cebu City and it could take four hours there and back. 😛 So probably not. But, it is something to think about. It was there when I first got here and sometimes I miss the changes.
Rusty,
Why aren’t you a permanent resident?
The procedure is straight forward.
You only have to return to BI once a year to register. The fee is P310? Per year.
The ACR-I Card is good for 5 years.
I don’t qualify for permanent resident status. I’m not married. There is a retirement visa, been a while since I looked at it but it used to require a $10,000 deposit. I don’t have it.
Rusty,
How about an article on Health insurance?
Phil Health seems to be the most popular, but there are options available; such as, East West, MaxieCare, BPI, and Pacific Cross for us “older” guys.
There is a large need to take care of our families and estates. Too many guys have “nothing” but problems set up for their loved ones.
I saw a lot of complaints lately about it going up. I need to check into it. It might be a great idea for me. I’m worried about them having pre-existing conditions clause. I do need to find out.
For the cost of Philippines Health, it is hard to go wrong with that..I made sure my family there are listed and paid up on Phil Health
Rusty only had to extend my Visa one time in all the times I was there…only eventful thing that happened was the guard told me next time to dress appropriately…I was wearing sandles and shorts….all the other times I was returning with my wife and got the BB visa for a year….
I hope you are in good health friend.. hope someday to visa you in Cebu…
Sometimes they are strict on clothing, no shorts, no sandals. Other times it doesn’t matter. I see lots of people in shorts now but I just would wear something else. At one point, there was someone renting long pants outside of BI. 🙂
Takes no more than 10 minutes at the La Union office ….we are spoilt
Hello Rusty, it seem that Asia is making more difficult for European and American Expats to move inn and Visas, drivers’s licences and other taxes are becoming more expensive.
Because the investments of the Chinese in Cambodia, few problems have show up.
1) few of my Expats friends have been trown out of theyr apartments on one month notice, even the one that had a lease, because the building had been bough by Chinese that need the space for theyr many Chinese employee coming to work in the 32 Casinos beying build.
2) No more possible to renew the Visa for one year (300$) now, Expats have to renew it every 3 months at 120$
3) Renewing driver licence every year used to be 30$, now it is 60$
4) Rent was 150$ for a room in guest’s house, now it is 250$
5) Rent for one bedroom apartment use to be 200$ now, you cannot find anything less than 350$
6) One could live with 750$few months ago, now, one need 1200$
7) Clinics and hospital are more expensive to the point that needing an operation on my legs I went back to France….definitely.
Going to Asia on vacation is great, living there is not the same at all and the humidity (95/100%) is to much for me.
The only thing I regret is my little girlfriend, but hey! I can always visit her a couple time a year.
Take care Rusty, keep writing
It’s still cheaper here. This isn’t China. The two just don’t compare. There are no rights for renters in the Philippines that I can see.
Wow is it really that expensive to live there? I know you can’t live like a king on $ 700-$1000 us month…but the money over there still goes along way?!!! I thought!!???
No, you can’t live like a king here for that amount of money. You could live here but it would be hard. Yes, it is still much cheaper here.
Why is it cheaper in the Phil? Why the cost is lower there?