Dave Starr

How Long Does My Round-Trip Ticket Have To Be To Go To The Philippines

2020-02-25 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

How long does my round-trip ticket have to be to go to the Philippines?

(Updated 25 February 2020)

The answer to this question can be very simple. You get 30 days of stay in the Philippines, free, upon arrival at an airport in the Philippines.

But who said you need a round trip ticket? That’s the complicated part.

The Law of the Philippines and the Rule Airlines Follow Is:

You must have onward travel out of the Philippines within 30 days of your arrival. If you don’t have this onward travel, the airlines normally will not let you board your flight from the US to the Philippines. But nowhere does any law say you must have a round trip ticket back to the USA. That’s the first issue that complicates the answer to the question.

But I WANT A Round Trip Ticket

OK, then, that’s fine. Many people do. Perhaps you only have so many days off from work, or you have other reasons you have to be back in the USA by a certain date.

No problem then, a round trip ticket from any USA cu=ity is normally quite a bit cheaper than two one-way tickets. Here’s a real-world example with prices quoted today, 25 February 2020.

Kansas City to Manila and return: Depart 9ak March 12th,

and the return on April 12th:

Not bad connections and not bad arrival and departure times.

But Is a One-Way Just Half Of That Price

And the answer is no, it’s almost always way more than one half. Let me try to see what a one way, same date and time would cost.

And a return on the 12th of April?

So we can see here, same dates, basically, the same airlines (cheapest) have a round trip cost of $1377.22

And the equivalent two single tickets (one-way) tickets add up to $1747.46 More than $370 “surcharge” for buying the same travel in two parts.

Or you could also say that buying the round trip airfare saves you more than $370 to spend on hotels. food.local travel and such.

Thanks, A Lot, I know I Want A Round Trip … But How Many Days Is What I Asked?

Yes, you did. And the answer, which I already gave in the first paragraphs is 30 days. But this may pose another question. How do you determine what 30 days means to the BIR (Bureau of Immigration) in the Philippines?

Here are the rules that apply.

1, The day your flight arrives is the first day of your stay in the Philippines. Because of the day the BIR “counts”, you may want to think twice about your planned arrival time in the Philippines. For example, if your flight arrives here leat at night, as many do, then most of your “first day in the Philippines” may be consumed in your final cramped hours in an airline seat.

On the other hand if you pick a fight that arrives here very early in the morning, you essentially get a “free day” in the Philippines.

Not a huge consideration, buy-t never-the-less something to think about.

2. The day your outbound airplane departs is _NOT_ a Day Of Stay in the Philippines. So technically, if the last day of your 30-day stay is on a Wednesday, and your outbound flight leaves the following day, Thursday, you should be “golden” according to the BIR rules.

Let’s look at the example flights I priced up at the beginning of the article here.

Depart MCI (Kansas City) on 12 March ay 9:15 am. You arrive in Manila, after less than 24 hours of total travel time, at 9:45 on the night of (not the 12th but the 13th … you have to cross the International Date Line, so you are always going to lose a day going to the Philippines.)

So if your plane arrives on schedule, your “30 days of stay” clock starts with the 13th of March, So on 31 March, the last day of the month, you will have used up 19 of your 30 days. 11 days to go. From 1 April to 11 April is (count them up, surprise, 11 days) so with our outbound flight scheduled on Sunday, the 12th, isn’t there a problem? The 12th is the 31st day, after all.

Nope, no problem at all. Remember the second rule I explained above? The day your flight leaves is _NOT_ a “Day of Stay”, so the immigration officer will be all smiles as you get your passport stamped for departure prior to boarding your flight home. 30 days of stay allowed, 30 days of stay used up … maximum bang for your buck.

(remember that id your stay extends of[ver the end of a 30 day, or a 28 or 29 day month, to count properly … if you are staying over a 3o day month, you can arrive on the 12 and schedule your departure on the 13th of the following month.)

(Also, note … that day you “lost” coming here? Well, you get it back on your trip home … you leave the Philippines and you’ll be back in the USA on the same day you left here, almost no matter how many hours your flight consumes.

OK, I Understand Now, But What If I Don’t Know When I want To Go Back?

Well, there is an easy work-around for that. It’s normally called a “show” ticket or a “throwaway ticket”.

Simply purchase a one-way ticket from your home to the Philippines,

Then also purchase a ticket outbound from the Philippines at any time within your initial 30 days, bound for anywhere. The date and time nor destination don’t matter much, just make sure it’s cheap because you are never going to actually use that ticket.

It is just for “show” to satisfy the airlines’s requirements (and possibly the BIR officer’s requirement) when you arrive in the Philippines. Once you are “in”, you’re in.

If you want to stay longer than the original 30 days, you can extend your stay, 30 or 60 days at a time, at any of the Bureau of Immigration offices located all over the Philippines. They never ask for any onward travel and you can extend, 1 or 2 months at a time for up to three years in the Philipines … then leave once, come back and start the clock all over again.

That original “show” ticket? Well, you just throw it away (or if it is an e-ticket, just hit delete.

Where To Get a Throwaway Ticket?

Simple. Just type Philippine Throw Away Ticket into Google … there will be dozens of places shown. Or you can do what I would do. Go to Cebu Pacific Airlines and check flight to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia from Manila. Right now you can buy a ticket to Kota Kinabalu on the 29th of March for 2055 Philippine Pesos, or about $41 USD. Buy it (ir will come as an e-ticket and hang on to it (showing it as needed) until you are safely through immigration in Manila, then delet it … it has served you well.

Two Questions For The Price Of One Answered Here

How can I fly to the Philippines on a one-way ticket and how How long does my round-trip ticket have to be to go to the Philippines?

What else would you like to know? You ask, I answer,

Make Money At Your Keyboard in the Philippines — No Website Required

2020-01-19 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Make Money At Your Keyboard in the Philippines — No Website Required

Make Money At Your Keyboard in the Philippines.

(updated 19 January 2020)

I’m reposting this article by popular demand.

A lot of people I talk to make comments like, ”The people making money online are so clannish, they won’t tell anyone their “secrets” unless they pay them money for something”.

Well, I’m making money online and you certainly haven’t paid me anything … and I don’t want you to pay me anything, either.

But I am asking you to do me (and you) one simple favor ….

</Rant Mode On>

READ THE FRICKIN ARTICLE

Don’t add on a comment or send me a personal email that asks me to “teach me how to do this”. Anyone with normal English reading skills can read these words, follow the links I have provided, TAKE ACTION, and earn money online … with zero investment and without even having their own website.

BUT IT WILL NOT WORK if you don’t follow my suggestions and most importantly, DO SOMETHING

</Rant Mode Off>

What Got Me Started On This

A long-time friend of mine from a North American country recently retired from her “real job” here in the Philippines. You know how famous I am for saying foreigners can’t find work in the Philippines.

(and mostly, I’m right … but there are exceptions to every rule).

My dear wife and I went to a very enjoyable lunch with this reader (at one of my fav places on Subic, the Casablanca).

One of the things my friend discussed was a desire to earn a bit of extra money … without entering back into the quagmire of a real J*O*B, and without the (perceived) hassles of becoming an actual “Online Entrepreneur”.

In other words, she didn’t want a blog or website.

Let me add something important here .. everything I am writing about in this article applies 100% to my valued Filipino readers too … this is absolutely not some “just for Foreigners” secret I am sharing here.

She Asked If I Had Any Ideas?

Yep, you bet I did, and it occurred to me also that I have been quite remiss in sharing some of them with the rest of my readers. I’ll correct that error right now.

Online Freelance Writing

One of the almost certain things I know about every one of you reading these words is that you have:

A working knowledge of English
Access to a computer and the Internet
Ability to follow simple menus and click on links
An interest in making honest money online (or you would have clicked away by now)

Can Anyone Actually Make Money With Freelance Writing?

Earning an Income in the Philippines — Without a JOB

2020-01-03 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

(Updated 2 January 2020)

Earning an Income in the Philippines.

Dave, You Keep Saying Don’t Get a Job in the Philippines, But I Need an Income to Live

Yes, indeed that’s true unless you have a fat pension you most certainly need to know about earning an income in the Philippines. But …

So Many Can’t Get Their Head Around This — You Don’t Need a Job to Earn Income!

How can the average person possibly earn a living without a job?

Well, there are many ways, I’ve written a lot about some of them already, ask me and I’ll be happy to write more.

But I Have a Lot of Education, Dave, Surely That’s Worth Something?

You Want To Work For These MONTHLY Wages?

Well even though I have little formal education myself, I’m not anti-education.

But there’s a lot more to education than what degrees one holds.

The real key is what you have learned in your educational efforts that makes money, for yourself, or someone else.

Here’s a comment I have received word for word several times.

It seems to be all about this reader’s education and what he feels he’s “owed” because he has that education.

But it doesn’t seem to mean much here in the Philippines. Reader’s comments in blue:

It’s Just Not Fair!

It does not matter how much education you have, or experience, the jobs in the Philippines do not pay well. You can make more working at Walmart here in the USA than medical doctors and dentists make in the Philippines….

Quite true.

For more than 10 years now I’m been preaching to those who will bother to listen, Don’t Come To The Philippines For a JOB. You can easily make more at a mundane, lowest common denominator job in the USA.

But I maintain that education, either formal as in college degrees or practical such as years and years of living, earning a living, raising a family, etc. is not ONLY to use for working for someone else in a salaried job.

Maybe you should be putting that education to work to benefit yourself and not some fat-cat who pays you 1/3 or so of what you are worth.

I have six college degrees, including a Masters of Science, and I made about the equivalent of one American dollar per hour teaching the 8th, 9th, and 10th grade of school in the Philippines.

As my TI at Lackland AFB used to say, many years ago, when a young trainee did something dumb, “Well, aw no shit, troop”. What Did You Expect?

I imagine this salary issue is totally true.

In fact, the Philippines is replete with college graduates holding teaching degrees.

Many are lucky to be able to drive a tricycle or work midnight shift in a call center.

So how much more should a western college degree “earn” a teacher, just because his nationality and degree are from another country?

I really sense some “white supremacy” going on here. Sad to say it is a rather common American obstacle to happiness in the Philippines. Many Americans complain and “stew” about this all the time.

You are NOT “superior” to Filipinos. You may feel very smart, but being white does not “earn” you anything here.

Learn to recognize that, or don’t come to the Philippines.

Even the American Embassy pays Philippine wages.

This is true in one sense and totally wrong in another.

Career Department of State employees of the US Embassy are in the competitive civil service, just as I was (with the DoD) for more than 28 years.

Their pay is the same as any other federal foreign service employee of equivalent grade and experience step.

In fact, being stationed in Manila each US employee makes substantially MORE than he or she would make if stationed, say, in Washington DC.

In Manila, regular competitive civil service makes about 20% above their regular pay scale and a tax-exempt housing allowance of about $34,00 a year. Not bad work if you can get it. (and with 6 college degrees, why couldn’t you? Why are you trying to win “run of the mill” jobs away from Filipino job candidates?)

For sure, these jobs are not hired off the street.

They are competitive foreign service positions and one starts competing for one of them by starting at the beginning with the Foreign Service Exam. One little detail for those in a big rush to apply … you don’t start at the top.

Now what I believe this reader is referring to are what are known as “Local Hire” jobs at the Embassy.

Local Hire Positions

Most branches of the US government who have installations overseas are authorized these type positions.

They are what are known as “non-competitive” civil service positions. They have:

No guaranteed career progression path,
No tenure (may be terminated at will),
No Federal retirement programs, etc.

They are generally technical, non-professional administrative support type positions, designed to be filled by qualified local nationals (Filipinos, in most cases).

Why on earth would the Embassy pay anything except Filipino-level wages for these jobs? Do you think Filipinos can’t operate a copy machine or type a letter?

Isn’t the government supposed to operate as economically and efficiently as possible? And why on earth would they want to hire someone with six college degrees to answer phones or file papers?

Commercial Sector US Citizen Jobs

You might be lucky enough to hook up with some American company to do work there otherwise you will have to have some kind of livable income before you go there.

You can live on $1,500 per month there but you often can’t make that much working there.

Luck or Skill?

Well, I have a number of readers either working now for American companies here in the Philippines (or other foreign nation corporations) or those who have worked such jobs in the past.

I can assure you “luck” had literally little or nothing to do with them getting those jobs.

Preparation is the key and in virtually no cases would an American company with operations here in the Philippines be hiring Americans “off the street” to fill “American” jobs here.

Think about it for a minute with the logical side of your brain, rather than the emotional.

If you wanted to hire Filipinos to fill jobs you felt were the “best fit” for Filipinos, where would you recruit them? Kansas City or Omaha?

You’d be looking in Manila, right?

Why on earth would you be looking to hire Americans here in the Philippines?

As my hero, Mr. Spock was heard to often say, “Does Not Compute, Jim.”

In the vast majority of cases, these highly prized “American” jobs are filled by Americans already working for the company in the USA who want to transfer to the Philippines.

An American company coming here to the Philippines to find a US salaried employee is totally illogical to me.

But I do give you sources to search here from time to time, just in case you insist.

In Conclusion — Think More of Yourself

I get really disappointed when I get a message from readers saying, “I’ll take any job, I don’t care how much it pays.”

I get lots of messages like that. This article sets out a lot of my thoughts on this:

Business Advice For Anyone: Whatever You’re Thinking, Think Bigger

If (for just one example) you wanted to set yourself up teaching English in the Philippines, that’s great, go for it, I’ve written a lot about just that very subject.

But set up a business (online) for yourself where you target Chinese and Japanese students, perhaps.

Avoid like the plague these ads you see online from Philippine companies (often illegal, by the way) who offer “as much as” the equivalent of $4 USD per hour.

If you offer conversational English tutoring and coaching to Japanese students, for example, you should be easily able to command $20 or $25 an hour .. which is what the fly by night “language schools” will charge the student and then pay you $4 an hour if you are lucky.

You Could Even Tutor US Students From Here In The Philippines

For goodness sakes you could tutor US students on-line in almost any subject and command more than $4 an hour … and “tutoring” does not require a degree, unlike professional teaching positions.

Parents these days hire tutors for children in grades all the way from elementary level to college.

Seldom does the tutor have to have a degree … s/he just has to know the subject better than the (failing) student and have patience and an interest in helping.

Bottom Line

Think more of yourself, don’t rant about the abysmal wages in the Philippines.

(I tried to tell you about that you don’t want a job here before you ever came),

but make yourself a better situation by thinking bigger.

You are so much more.

And that’s the end of today’s installment on Earning an Income in the Philippines.

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money — Part 2

2020-01-01 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money. Part 2

(Updated 1 January 2020)

Shameless “clickbait” title? Well maybe it is to some people, but read on and you’ll see why I chose it.

You might just find what you have been looking for … a way to retire (or semi-retire) now, to stop “working for the man” … wasting your life away from an hour or more every day commuting … and even to live in a “tropical paradise” … if you want to.

I published another article on this subject recently:

How To Retire in the Philippines With No Money

If you haven’t read it, you should, so we are both on the same page.

Go Ahead, I’ll wait for you right here.

Now Once You Have Read That Article You’ll Know You Really Must Have Some Source of Income

So that’s what we are going to start exploring in this series.

Work From Home In The Philippines

2019-12-11 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Work From Home In The Philippines

(Updated 30 Nov 2019)

I recently released an article on this subject, but there were some things I didn’t mention in that article that ought to be made clear.

You should read my first article to get more idea of what I am talking about.

Online Jobs At Home In The Philippines —September 2019

Go ahead, I’ll wait right here for you.
[Read more…] about Work From Home In The Philippines

Manila US Embassy Phone Number Change

2019-11-20 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

In case you are not aware, the Manila U.S. Embassy’s phone number changed recently.

It is now: 02-5-301-2000.

The sneaky 5 was added.

The Social Security office can also be reached at that number.

When the recording starts, press 9. Social Security only takes calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 11am.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to the folks at RAO Subic Bay.

Also, and a further tip of the hat to reader Lewis:

Anyway, I called the U.S. Embassy (today, Dec. 9, 2019), to get the numbers for the Visa Call Center, and the numbers given in the recording are not complete/correct. I called the embassy mainline, got the operator and got the correct numbers. Please take note:

02-8548-8223
02-7792-8988

Help With Getting Her Visa — Rapid Visa

2019-11-17 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Help With Getting Her Visa — Rapid Visa

(updated 12 November 2019)

OK, time to talk turkey here (after all, it’s now close to Thanksgiving, isn’t it?).

Query after query come to me here, and via email, about help in getting their Filipino friends, especially Pinay girlfriends, US B-2 Visitor Visas to enter the United States.

Normally this is a situation where I just can’t offer much hope. It’s difficult, indeed, for a single, marriage-eligible female Philippine citizen to get a US Tourist visa.

But There Is Some Hope For Those Who Feel They Can’t Make The Grade

You Can Still Make Money From Your Job After You Retire

2019-10-27 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

You Can Still Make Money From Your Job After You Retire.

(Updated 27 October 2019)

If you’re like most readers who drop by here, you are interested in two primary questions:

How can I earn money to live in the Philippines?

And how can I find something to do in retirement which will be satisfying, rewarding and (maybe) even profitable?

Easy, I’ll Get A Job

If you’ve visited this blog before, you already know I STRONGLY recommend that foreigners do NOT try to find a job in the Philippines. In many cases, it may be illegal. It will also involve very low wages and long tiring hours, and (at least in my personal opinion) it’s morally wrong for a foreigner with a pension income to try to take a job from a Filipino with a family to support.

Read more about why you don’t want a job here: 10 Reasons You Don’t Want A Job In The Philippines

Or, I’ll Start a Philippine Business

Well, in many cases you will run into the same sort of problems you’ll face with a Philippine job.

Many businesses are not legal for a foreigner to own or operate.

Most businesses foreigners think of in the Philippines have low margins/low-profit potential.

And a great many foreigners I have dealt with have a rather arrogant opinion regarding how things are “better” back in their own country and everything with a Filipino business will be alright and things will run smoothly once a foreigner “shows them how”.

I have news for you on that. Philippine businesses have been running, in some cases for hundreds of years, and a foreigner is often not going to “out-Filipino a Filipino” on his home turf. It’s better not to try.

OK, So That’s All Pretty Negative … What’s Your Suggestion?

Clearly, if you need to make some money and a local job or business is not a good choice, you need a specific slot or niche where you have experience and where you are expert enough to have earned a living for some years.

Your best niche opportunity may be already staring you in the face.

Business Advice For Anyone: Whatever You’re Thinking, Think Bigger

2019-10-25 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Whatever You’re Thinking, Think Bigger.

(Updated 25 October 2019)

I’m currently working with a couple of Americans who plan to move to the Philippines “someday”, and try to earn a living with their own business.

They have a depressingly mundane small set of ideas that come up constantly … over and over again.

An Internet café with expensive equipment, extremely low profit margins and constantly being made antique by ever-cheaper tablets and iPhones.
Or sari-sari stores, where you can compete with the other 25 sari sari stores on the same block to see who will sell a cigarette (yes they are typically sold by just one “stick” at a time) for less. Maybe you can cut the stick in half and sell it even cheaper for people who want a “quick smoke”. *sigh*.
And of course whatever you sell you’ll be stuck selling on credit and no one will pay their bill voluntarily and you’ll wind up having to pay “5-6” rates (20% weekly interest) just to be able to put stock back in the store, or pay your electric bill.

Life can be very hard here for small businessmen and women, trust me on that … or find it out for yourself, your choice.

Philippine Marriage and the Am I Considered Married Question

2019-10-24 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Philippine Marriage and the Am I Considered Married Question

(Updated 24 October 2019)

Recently I received another comment with questions on this surprisingly common issue. Is there any way a Filipino, who was legally married as recognized by the Philippines, be considered legally “un-married” by the Philippines and.or the US government.

(As always, remember that these are my layman’s opinions, offered for information and discussion purposes. They are NOT legal advice and they should not be construed as legal advice in the Philippines or in any other country)

Of course, we all know (or if you didn’t, you will learn now), that there is no divorce in the Philippines. The common legal “remedies” to being married include:

A Philippine court-ordered annulment under Philippine law.
A foreign divorce, if the divorce was initiated by the foreigner partner in a Filipino-Foreigner marriage.
The death of a spouse under normal circumstances.
The “presumptive death” of a spouse, as determined by a court of the Republic of the Philippines.

Today’s comments, (from reader Leonor, thanks, Leonor) (in blue) and my responses deal with that fourth alternative, dissolution of marriage by the presumptive death of a spouse: