Visa extension at Manilla airport

As far as I know you can get a 29 day extension at the airport but you have to make sure you have pesos to pay for it.

Welcome to the forum Bill.

Yes you can extend at the airport, done it a few times over the years and as Findlay said make sure you have pesos as that's all immigration accept.

Also if you have a late arrival or very early in the morning that office may be closed.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

Welcome to the forum, Bill.

I did it once - took an hour of waiting in a small office near Immigration line while they figured it out/got the right person.. I was tired and it was a PIA. Never again. It was about 9pm so that may have been part of it.

I just re-read your post. Yes, the airline may not allow you to board if your outbound flight is beyond the 30 day window for the visa on arrival. Probably best to change that to within 30 days and then extend it once in country. That's how I do it. Or just purchase a "throwaway" ticket - lots of posts on here about that.

Yes they are not quick off the post at NAIA in that office and they could never give me change, Christmas bonus?

Did it a few times and yes an hour while they diddle, found it's much easier to drive to the San Fernando City office 40 minutes drive away and include shopping etc in the trip.

As for tickets and 30 days, we have done that a few times when only here for 3 or 4 weeks visiting family over the the years but mostly I book my exit/return flight 2, 3, 5 months out depending on how long we will stay and never a problem, travelled here 2 dozen times or more. Just returned from Singapore after a week holiday (visa run) and my AU 80 buck exit ticket was with a different airline and I had to get a clearance stamp on my boarding pass, Show the desk my onward flight to Hong Kong from PH 2 months down the track.

When I came here 3 years ago my return ticket was 5 months out as I was going back to work in Oz with no questions but Covid put an end to that, got my money back from the cancelled flight and been living here for years with no exit ticket, never been asked by immi about an exit ticket, that's up to the airline to make sure you are abiding by their requirements.

Cheers, Steve.

Many thanks Guys! I know that once I land I am OK and can extend. My concern is Emirates check in staff.

Just last week in Delhi at Virgin check in....Initially they would not give me a boarding pass to London as my final destination as I did not have a visa, residence permit, return or onward ticket. I was travelling on my Irish passport. The check in agent did not know all the rules and sometimes the wording they refer to can be ambiguous and open to interpretation. After a lot of hassle they allowed me to board once they understood that Europeans can freely land in the UK without the need of proof of onward travel and Irish passport holders have a freedom of movement agreement with the UK.

I just went on Emirates 'chat' and had a similar conversation...the chat agent was focussed only on the initial 30 days stay in the Philippines and not the fact that it can be extended.

Once I have a resident permit things will be more straightforward (I hope) Thanks again.

Welcome to the forum, Bill.
I did it once - took an hour of waiting in a small office near Immigration line while they figured it out/got the right person.. I was tired and it was a PIA. Never again. It was about 9pm so that may have been part of it.

I just re-read your post. Yes, the airline may not allow you to board if your outbound flight is beyond the 30 day window for the visa on arrival. Probably best to change that to within 30 days and then extend it once in country. That's how I do it. Or just purchase a "throwaway" ticket - lots of posts on here about that.
-@pnwcyclist

Yes. I don't think we've had this specific question regarding immigration before on the Forum. Filipino immigration won't be the problem here. In fact they only occasionally ask for proof of return and I've been through Ninoy Aquino on countless occasions. You have the proof albeit outside the 30 day visa period. Of course alot depends on how flexible the OP's ticket is. If a cheapo it will cost. If a higher grade 'flexible' ticket you're probably looking at about £150 to change the return date. I would call Emirates just to be on the safe side. Seems silly to go to all that extra expense if not necessary.

@Lotus Eater Hi and thanks!  Emirates would not give me a 100% you will be OK at check in. It comes down to how the check at agent interprets the Philippine entry requirement and unfortunately that entry requirement is ambiguous at first sight. It eventually states the 30 days is extendable but it does clearly alleviate the airline from their obligation. There lies the problem

@Lotus Eater Hi and thanks! Emirates would not give me a 100% you will be OK at check in. It comes down to how the check at agent interprets the Philippine entry requirement and unfortunately that entry requirement is ambiguous at first sight. It eventually states the 30 days is extendable but it does clearly alleviate the airline from their obligation. There lies the problem
-@billdevitt

Understood. I'd get the throw away just for piece of mind. On arrival at T3 immigration at Ninoy Aquino there will be 3 or 4 lines for foreigners. Pick a line with a female immigration officer even if its slightly longer. Big Big smile - she has to look at your face and you're good to go

Typo...'It does not clearly alleviate'. Thanks LE. I will follow your advice at T3. I think I will wing it with Emirates I will let you know what happens.

Bill, it sounds like you are over thinking, I'm guilty at times myself but as mentioned here by myself and other members if you have an exit ticket 2 weeks out or 6 months out you won't have a problem with the airline nor immigration as your visitor visa can be extended for up to 3 years.

As mentioned in #5 my ticket to Hong Kong will go in the rubbish bin, I will extend my visa at my local immi office in a couple of weeks for 2 months and maybe in a couple of years I will go the SRRV route.

Good luck and enjoy the Philippines.

Cheers, Steve.

Agreed. In thinking back on earlier trips, my return was always 3-6 months out and while I was occasionally questioned about it, was never a problem, as passport was full of extension stamps.

Things have tightened up since the pandemic but with a return 6 weeks out you will be fine.

Defo overthinking I got caught out about 15 months ago by under thinking. I ended up in an Covid hotel in Phuket because Singapore Airlines test requirement to board the flight was different from the arrival requirement. Plus Cathay did grill me once about my onward ticket as it was 8 weeks out. Thanks again everyone!

Hi everyone.

If this thread is still going, I'd like to just ask a couple questions.

I have read all your posts here which are very helpful but just so I can clarify for myself.

I am planning on visiting my partner in philippines in October, im from the uk. I know the 30 days visa free and can extend 29 more days and so on. But about the returns. The aim is to spend the holidays together and fly back to the UK early January. During my research I have seen when getting extensions about the asking for proof of return. So my question is if I book a trip from October and return flight is booked for January that will be okay while getting the extensions?

Because I wasn't sure at first if I needed to have my return within the first 30 days and then book another return or extend the return to Jan.

Any feedback would be much appreciated

Thank you all 😊

Hi,
I bought a ticket with Emirates to fly to Manila and leave 6 weeks later. I think I get 30 days when I land but I also think I can ask
for 30 (29) more when I get to immigration on my arrival rather than search for a visa office in a city later on. Can someone confirm this is true please? I have a UK passport.

Also, because my return journey is not within the initial 30 days...will that be an issue for Emirates when I try to board my plane?

Thanks
-@billdevitt

Hi bill and welcome to the forum.

Firstly from experience I never had any issues exiting 1 or 6 months later as long as with the same airline, different carrier you will need to have your exit ticket verified. Do yourself a favour and check with your carrier.

If you arrive in Manila you can extend at the airport, don't let them stamp your passport ask them for an extension, the immi officer will direct you where to go, once received then they will check you in. Make sure you have P 3,030 in pesos in your pocket as they don't accept foreign currency nor credit/debit cards...... and won't give you change,,,,,(beer money I surmise?) Welcome to the Philippines.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl .. Ohh my I think i have a problem,I book my ticker for 4 months in the philippines and I forgot that Im a british citizen now..I just book beacuse of health issue and i never think of my citizenship..can I extend my stay in the philippine immigration instead.. Will I have any problem in the philippine Immigration..because I was planning to do my dual citizenship in the philippines.. or ill ask them from extension..

@pishball2.

OMO but I think you have a lot of reading to do. Firstly if you have booked your flights then confirm with the carrier that you can come to the Philippines on the booked flights, there has been a lot of conjecture with regards to this issue from many expats but I have never had a problem. Secondly don't forget you will need 6 months validity on your passport beyond your departure flight from memory.

Finally and only my readings/understanding is you need to be a Filipino national to hold that passport, the only way I know of is to becomes naturalized and that can take 10 years if single and 5 years if married to a Filipina.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve

I just arrived in Manila a week ago.  I came in on the 30 day visa exemption.  Once I was settled I went online and extended the visa exemption for 29 days.  Paid with a credit card.  Takes about 3 minutes.  The airline (EVA) would not let me buy a ticket past my 30 days so I opted for the one that can be changed.  I plan on staying for an addition 30 days (89 total) so will have to obtain a visa for those extra 30 days.  Don't think you can do that online as an American.  I will change my departure ticket to that date even before I am approved since they seem to require it for the process (BI: please by the cart and I will decide if you can have a horse, lol).  Upon arrival I was not asked for a departure ticket or did I use the E-service thing.  There seems to be alot of bad information online.  Hopefully this helps.  There is a difference between a visa extension and a visa free extension.  Thats the part I did not understand.

Welcome to the forum steven, bad info or misinfomation?

I have been in and out of this country dozens of times but always with an exit ticket 1 to 6 months out.

Been living here for 4 and a half years and immi have never asked me for an exit ticket in 13 years.

Seems these days the carriers are the problem as they can't read the rules, like immi here in PH. are throwing the responsibility to govern the immigration laws or the perceived 30 day law towards them and they sh!t themselves so don't let travelers on a flight unless they have a 30 day exit ticket, used to be 21 days.

As said I never had a problem with Qantas, Singapore airlines and more recently PAL, all direct flights from BNE Australia to Manila. As others say, YMMV.

Cheers, Steve.

I loves me some $15 throwaway ticket rentals. Absolutely worth the $15 and zero hassle.

I flew 1-way with a throwaway ticket.  And round trip Cebu-Bangkok and bought a throwaway ticket in Bangkok before my return flight to Cebu. Zero headaches. Priceless.