It’s Saturday morning here in the Philippines as I write this.  This has been a short week due to the Independence day holiday on Monday (as if I really took holidays off),

But anyway, I promised to try to keep theses shorter, so I will.

By now you should have decided on which of the legal methods of residence I have covered in the past few days is right for you:

• SRRV (Special Resident’s Retiree Visa)
• 13(a) or 13 (g) Filipino or former-Filipino sponsored residency visa
• Tourist Visa

So how do you get any of these options started?  Basically everything can be at least started online.  I highly recommend, for US folks anyway, that you do everything you can while you are still in the US.  The service you will get from the Philippine Retirement Authority or the Department of Foreign Affairs will like be better, faster and cheaper than trying to traipse around Manila to the various offices you will need., and for some things, like your special household shipment privileges, you may need some visa paperwork in hand.

To start the SRRV process, just go to the main SRRV website, ask any questions and download and fill up the application forms.  The PRA (Philippine Retirement Authority) has an excellent staff who will help you get on your way.

To start the 13 series Permanent Residence visa process,first go to the Philippine US Embassy’s listing of consular sites in the US and look for your state of residence.  Each office has a certain area of responsibility and the one who serves your state (or US possession) will be the one’ to take care of you.  If you aren’t in the US, here’s a list of all Philippine foreign service posts, world-wide.

If you are coming on your own as a tourist, you actually can just get on  a plane and fly if the airline will board you and if the BI lets you in) , but I highly recommend you comply with the rules if the Philippines from day one.  The Philippine government states "tourists intending to stay longer than 21 days should obtain a visa in advance".  If I had a dollar for every argument I have heard on this issue in the past 8 years I’d be rich … but why argue.  Do the right, legal thing to begin with and, as a bonus, it’s better, faster and cheaper … hard to argue.  Your best bet for starting the tourist visa process is the consular listing referenced above, they have the simple form required and will be happy to help you out.  By the way.  don’t be confused.  ALL tourist visas are for 59 days of in-country stay.  Period.  Unless you are planning to go in and out of the Philippines multiple time sin your first year, you only need the cheapest, shortest option.  You will have to extend at the end of 59 days, regardless of the validity period you buy.

Some folks are very put off about sending their passport through the mail.  I can understand this, but unless you can make a personal visit, it’s a fact of life.  It should work just fine.  Go to your local post office and get two of the free 9×12 Express Mail cardboard envelope mailers.  Address one to yourself, address the other one to the consular office you will be dealing with.  Put the forms, payment and your passport inside one, ask the clerk to give you the postage for both envelopes.  S/he will put the postage on the return envelope, you folds it up and put it in the outbound envelope and hand it over for postage and mailing… your passport is safe under US mail and you get a tracking number and proof of delivery, so I feel the risks are very small … after all, your passport came to you through the US mail, now didn’t it?

Anyway, that’s your task for the weekend, while I’m sipping a drink with a little umbrella in it, you can get to work on your paperwork so that you can retire to the Philippines as well.

Next issue:  Mechanics of Moving

Popularity: unranked [?]