VISA extension for 6 months

I believe the maximum extension you can now obtain beyond your first 30 day extension is for only 2 months. Thereafter, you may obtain extensions in 2 month increments.   Philippine Immigration is very consistent is dreaming up ways to extract more pesos from the foreigner ....

Hi, and thanks for responding. At BOI, they now have a Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension. Its on their web page. I just need to know about showing proof of onward travel. To me its senseless to buy a ticket 6 months in advance.

Hi Terry and welcome to the forum.
From my experience and others can chime in also you will need an onward or throw away ticket as a tourist or they won't let you on the plane to go to PH.
If I am staying for say 6 or 8 months I book a return ticket 8 or 10 months ahead then change the ticket to suit my return dates later.
I have never been asked at immi (Intramuros) for return or exit tickets nor at NAIA when I apply and pay for a 59 day visa. (29 day extension)

Hope others can offer better advice as the above is only my experiences. Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

Onward ticket needed to board plane to come here. At airport I think the information is in their computer is why they never ask to see onward ticket. Once you're in PI probably no one will ever ask about onward ticket. Thinking only main office and larger city satellite Office give the Long Stay Visa for some reason. I would think Cebu would give those. FYI seems once you get an extension you don't need to wait until it's almost expired to get the next extension. Get your 29 days extension and go back the next day and get the 6 months. Ask when you're there sure they will be glad to take more of your money hahahaha.

Right.. it's the airlines who always ask if there's onward or return when you're checking in at the airport  to come here. I once was flying back from Singapore to Cebu after a week getaway and they almost didn't let me on the plane because they couldn't see that I had a way out of the Philippines (different airline ticket for that).

I had to dig through my emails but couldn't access the gmail folder with the other travel booking because my wi-fi wasn't working. The ticket agent finally let me use her wi-fi so I could access the folder with the other ticket info, which was still a couple months out.

TerryGF wrote:

Hi, and thanks for responding. At BOI, they now have a Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension. Its on their web page. I just need to know about showing proof of onward travel. To me its senseless to buy a ticket 6 months in advance.

Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware of that.

To clearify I think the airport immigration May have all your information in their computer system From the airlines. So immigration knows already if the airline has verified onward ticket. Don't know for sure but thinking that's how it works.
If immigration can get the airlines to do their jobs why not,plus it speeds up the process if airlines do the onward ticket verification.

Hi,
So I can book my throw away or onward ticket for several months in advance? I was wondering how that worked because I dont want to have to get one for each extension.

Thanks, I will do that!

A couple of weeks ago I went to the BOI and tried to get a 2 month extension, but they said that was not possible because I could not apply for the 2 month until after my 59 day extension, which is of course the first extension after the first free 29 days, and to do that you have to pay for a ACR card on the 3rd extension after the 59 days.

That was the BOI office in Naga city in the Bicol region, so I wonder if all of these offices have different rules.

daet1 wrote:

A couple of weeks ago I went to the BOI and tried to get a 2 month extension, but they said that was not possible because I could not apply for the 2 month until after my 59 day extension, which is of course the first extension after the first free 29 days, and to do that you have to pay for a ACR card on the 3rd extension after the 59 days.

That was the BOI office in Naga city in the Bicol region, so I wonder if all of these offices have different rules.

I will be in Cebu and I guess I will find out then.
Salud

BOI does not know if you have an onward ticket it is the Airline that will have to deal with that if your refused entry into the Philippines, BOI can ask but never heard of it

Correct..

So Nov 10 2018 I arrived with a return ticket for March 31, 2019, no problem BOI didn't ask  to see ticket or anything.
So I am still here and this is the current hahahaha process how I have it figured
Arrive your exempt from visa 30 days
Anytime before ,even the day after of arrival, you can get extension of Visa exemption it's for 29 days
So after 30 days but before the 59th day you get a ACR-I card and
1 or 2 month tourist visa,now you have actual tourist visa haha
Or if it's a larger BOI office 6 months (Long Stay Visitor Visa) which I think is different from tourist visa,like if you leave Philippines you don't start the Visa process 30, 29 days then 1 or 2 month visa process over.
Will be getting the Long Stay Visitor Visa in February
Leave in March and come back 2 weeks later in April so I will find out

Okieboy wrote:

BOI does not know if you have an onward ticket it is the Airline that will have to deal with that if your refused entry into the Philippines, BOI can ask but never heard of it

Got it. Here where Im at in Central America, each time I showed up at Migration, I had to show proof of travel leaving the country. Of course there are ways to show proof. haha

Canounggoy wrote:

So Nov 10 2018 I arrived with a return ticket for March 31, 2019, no problem BOI didn't ask  to see ticket or anything.
So I am still here and this is the current hahahaha process how I have it figured
Arrive your exempt from visa 30 days
Anytime before ,even the day after of arrival, you can get extension of Visa exemption it's for 29 days
So after 30 days but before the 59th day you get a ACR-I card and
1 or 2 month tourist visa,now you have actual tourist visa haha
Or if it's a larger BOI office 6 months (Long Stay Visitor Visa) which I think is different from tourist visa,like if you leave Philippines you don't start the Visa process 30, 29 days then 1 or 2 month visa process over.
Will be getting the Long Stay Visitor Visa in February
Leave in March and come back 2 weeks later in April so I will find out

Please keep me posted.  I will apply for the LSVV when Im there and see if marriage is in the pic. Once married...Ill get One year Visa-free Balikbayan.
Salud...

When I get the LSVV I will ask about exit and reintry and not starting the process over again. Take your time on the marriage, no divorce Philippines, if your married in another country and divorce there think they recognize that divorce now though.