Hi everyone! I am relatively familiar with the Philippines (am white British) and have spent enough time there months at a time in 2017/2018/2019 (and ex was filipino, and a good chunk of my social group is) to a point I can hold a basic conversation in tagalog at this point and trying to improve as of this year.
My long-term partner is Filipino and lives in manila, we are both the same age (27). Cannot due to 13A visa due to gay marriage/civil unions not being available.
I have recently been spending more time there. I do have savings of around £15,000 and climbing. I currently come back to the UK every 2 - 4 months or so just to work extra hours (i flexi-work so do not work while away, its a job that requires physical presence, bank shifts. I have skills to work online long term if I got the correct visas) (i have very low expenses where i stay in UK) to top-up my 'pot' that i draw down from when in Ph (without touching my savings, in fact i add to them). My partner (a local) is a freelance writer.
We both live relatively comfortably on a 35k php a month budget including visa extensions and asc. dues of the condo unit (we split expenses 50/50). We eat like locals with some added luxuries, cook for ourselves, keep AC set at 23C and often turn it off and use a fan, etc. I ride trikes and do not taxi it everywhere. I socialise mostly with locals with many long-term friends, and have no expat connections really at all. None of my connections, partners family or otherwise ask me for money; I have genuine and stable connections there some spanning years and others back in the UK, also spanning years.
I have been looking into long term visa options. The 35-year-old SRRV is not an option for me until I hit 35. 13A is not possible unless civil unions pass even if we married. My filipino partner is more happy to stay in the Philippines than be sponsored to the UK, which has its own ridiculous hoops and insane costs (a sibling sponsored her spouse, i had to help with the paperwork!). Partner is currently as well as freelance writing looking to reskill in an IT programming role to open this option just in case, too risky to live on a minimum wage job with cost of living crisis.
I have had a look at the Quota Visa, which seems to mention skills.
I do however have a HND (higher national diploma) in IT, and am considering staying in the UK for a year to top it up to a degree.
The Quota Visa seems to talk about exceptional skills (and IT is in demand there). Would a HND or degree in IT, along with savings (if i later could buy a condominium, for example to the value of 50k USD). Anyone here gone the quota visa route? Would proof of fluency in tagalog or local connections also help such an application? I have been looking for hard and fast documentation but cannot find enough who have gone this road.
Until such time as I can do it, was going to do regular trips to/from, and just extend in country as needed (i hear one can stay up to 3 years with these extensions). Or wait until I can get an SRRV, or a Quota Visa. As i want to work freelance properly, i would want an option that allows me to work freelance legitimately so i could ditch the returning to the UK to top up the pot option (hence why i won't reach the 3 years extensions limit going this road). I turn up at immigration with a ticket within 30 days (some new covid rule) even though I intend to stay longer and state this fact when they ask how long. Have never been asked for my ticket, but have been asked where my partner is from in Manila down to specific location, etc.
I am looking for long-term living, maybe even to the point of applying for citizenship if happy 10 years down the line so I could own land (UK nationality allows you to resume it if you gave it up for another nationality, once. Currently have 5 years experience of the country though got stuck in the UK due to COVID, but cannot find many who did a quota visa and the process in which to get it.
Can anyone shed any insight on Quota Visas or other options I have missed?
Thanks guys!
