I'm slowly losing my mind here!

[Will N. Dowd]

I went to the Philippines Consulate today and gave them my application with my passport, financial statements and payed the $34.50 charge for 59 days. It's really $34.50 for 29 days though, because I get 30 free days just for showing up, I'm just adding 29 days to that. Even though the application says you can get 6 month and 1 year visa's I was told I could only get 59 days and would have to extend it there. They only accept cash, they won't make photocopies for you and it takes 3 days to get it, so they said I could pick it up Friday the 23rd. They keep passports until you pick up the VISA. I was somewhat uncomfortable to hand in my substantial bank account details to them, but felt it made more sense to do it here than there. But then I thought they wouldn't ask for it there since I would already be there and wouldn't carry printed financial documents with me. Plus, why would I go there if I had no money to support myself? Documents wise this is my last piece of paper I need to go there. All the paperwork for renting my condo are done and I already got my passport.

Next big thing is to move out end of the month.

[Hero]

What's the minimum amount you need in the bank? Do they also demand a credit report?

[Will N. Dowd]

What's the minimum amount you need in the bank? Do they also demand a credit report?

No idea about how much you need in the bank. No they don't need credit report. I just gave them mine and they said I could pick it up in 4 days. I think they approve pretty much everyone. I can always go there with just my passport and get 30 days without any documents and renew it without any financial documents. I might do that next time. I still don't understand why anyone would go to the Philippines without being able to support themselves, especially when they probably couldn't get a job there and even if they did it would pay peanuts like most jobs there do.

[xiongmao]

Did you see the new 6 month visas? They look a really good deal.

Keep meeting guys in Thailand doing stupid visa runs. Saw one guy doing a complicated run to Malaysia on the train. Reckon it would have been nearly as cheap to hop on a plane, plus you save a load of time.

Guys without money can just find lonely rich ladies

[Hero]

No idea about how much you need in the bank. No they don't need credit report. I just gave them mine and they said I could pick it up in 4 days. I think they approve pretty much everyone. I can always go there with just my passport and get 30 days without any documents and renew it without any financial documents. I might do that next time. I still don't understand why anyone would go to the Philippines without being able to support themselves, especially when they probably couldn't get a job there and even if they did it would pay peanuts like most jobs there do.

So why would they ask for your bank account details?

[Jester]

So why would they ask for your bank account details?

Don't know about the Philippines specifically, but:

SOME countries want to see that you have enough money to support themselves, especially for a longer stay, e.g. a student visa. A parent's bank statement works in some cases, if they are supporting the student. I guess they are keeping out beggars, prostitutes, and people who want to work locally "off the books".

OTHER countries use bank statements to verify your monthly income, like a loan officer would, so in that case you need SEVERAL monthly statements.

In most countries, bank statements are not enough on their own to verify income for residency purposes. Most countries want proof of pension, or at least certified company financials if you own a company.

But monthly bank statements ARE enough on their own in Mexico (for the moment), and I think MAYBE in Guatemala and possibly Honduras as well. They WILL ask you the source, and don't want to hear, "from a job I just quit"

Bottom line: GTFO before things get harder.

[aozora13]

So why would they ask for your bank account details?

Don't know about the Philippines specifically, but:

SOME countries want to see that you have enough money to support themselves, especially for a longer stay, e.g. a student visa. A parent's bank statement works in some cases, if they are supporting the student. I guess they are keeping out beggars, hoes, and people who want to work locally "off the books".

OTHER countries use bank statements to verify your monthly income, like a loan officer would, so in that case you need SEVERAL monthly statements.

In most countries, bank statements are not enough on their own to verify income for residency purposes. Most countries want proof of pension, or at least certified company financials if you own a company.

But monthly bank statements ARE enough on their own in Mexico (for the moment), and I think MAYBE in Guatemala and possibly Honduras as well. They WILL ask you the source, and don't want to hear, "from a job I just quit"

Bottom line: GTFO before things get harder.

+1

I would say definitely good advice Jester. I might have to see if I can earn a little more money and try Mexico or another Latin country to live. I think it is getting more difficult to establish residency. I think if you want to work (or earn money) you might need to have a transferable skill (earning money through an outside source) or try to establish a local business in different trades. Now, if guys here at HA were able to give good real life examples of this in different countries and people working hard to overcome difficulty, it would help some of use 'on the fence' guys to finally get ourselves together to make the move happen.

[Jester]

So why would they ask for your bank account details?

Don't know about the Philippines specifically, but:

SOME countries want to see that you have enough money to support themselves, especially for a longer stay, e.g. a student visa. A parent's bank statement works in some cases, if they are supporting the student. I guess they are keeping out beggars, hoes, and people who want to work locally "off the books".

OTHER countries use bank statements to verify your monthly income, like a loan officer would, so in that case you need SEVERAL monthly statements.

In most countries, bank statements are not enough on their own to verify income for residency purposes. Most countries want proof of pension, or at least certified company financials if you own a company.

But monthly bank statements ARE enough on their own in Mexico (for the moment), and I think MAYBE in Guatemala and possibly Honduras as well. They WILL ask you the source, and don't want to hear, "from a job I just quit"

Bottom line: GTFO before things get harder.

+1

I would say definitely good advice Jester. I might have to see if I can earn a little more money and try Mexico or another Latin country to live. I think it is getting more difficult to establish residency. I think if you want to work (or earn money) you might need to have a transferable skill (earning money through an outside source) or try to establish a local business in different trades. Now, if guys here at HA were able to give good real life examples of this in different countries and people working hard to overcome difficulty, it would help some of use 'on the fence' guys to finally get ourselves together to make the move happen.

here's a thread about online income:

viewtopic.php?t=11535

I know that isn't what you asked, though. You asked about a trade you could practice in real-life, that would transfer overseas. Someone on HA had recently mentioned air-conditioning repair (refrigeration mechanic) as something needed abroad. Maybe it was Contrarian Expat.

Elevator repair is high-paying, and all the Latin cities have lots of high-rises.

Also anything oil related.

And of course TEFL is the fallback.

[Hero]

I've been re-reading Larry Elterman's book, and even if you can't get permanent residency in the Philippines, you can just renew your travel visa indefinitely by leaving the country and coming right back from time to time.

[Jester]

I've been re-reading Larry Elterman's book, and even if you can't get permanent residency in the Philippines, you can just renew your travel visa indefinitely by leaving the country and coming right back from time to time.

Yes, some guys, on some kind of easy to get tourist or temporary residency visa, have reported being able to do renewals and stay for over a year.

That's nice, since visa runs will require air travel.

All in all, Philippines actually WANT outsiders to come. That's the key. I think ways could be found to do a lot of things there.

[Hero]

Speaking of Larry Elterman, is he still posting here?

He either shut down his Facebook account or unfriended me.

[Will N. Dowd]

It was exactly a year ago today that I won the 5 hour long Employment Standards battle against my former employer. I got a cheque with 5 numbers on it, and then applied for Employment Insurance. I was awarded 9 months of EI, since I had paid into it for 20 years, but since my settlement was so large, I had to wait 3 months to get it. So I waited September, October and November before they started to pay it in December, and then I had to wait until now for it to end, which it has. Best of all they never bothered me while I was on it.

I took all the free time I had this last year to sell as much of my stuff online as I could. Since 1 year ago, I have sold just over $3000 online. Since I started selling in January 2012 I have sold just shy of $5000. I also took the time to buy everything I think I would need for my future HA travels.

My Dad just came to pick up my first load of things, and tomorrow I will clean my place, and then the mover will come on Saturday to move the rest of my stuff to my Parents house. My tenant moves in the same day. So as of Saturday my 1 year self imposed prison sentence is over. I'll set up my things at my parents house for them to use, and then head to the Philippines Sep 9th.

This past year as been very relaxing, since I slept in everyday, watched movies, listened to music, chatted online and generally took it easy. I made ever effort to sell as much of my stuff as I could and had good success. I still have lots to sell, and will try to sell more if I am ever back here.

It was also very frustrating though, because I was stuck here and couldn't leave because if I did, I would miss out on EI, and I had to wait to get my passport in July, so I had to wait out a year, that never seemed to end. It was also very frustrating girl wise, since I had the midget bombshell Taiwanese girls in November, but she left a month later. If she was here longer I would have been a lot happier. The other girls I met sucked or flaked.

[Jester]

Staying tuned.

[anamericaninbangkok]

Did you see the new 6 month visas? They look a really good deal.

Keep meeting guys in Thailand doing stupid visa runs. Saw one guy doing a complicated run to Malaysia on the train. Reckon it would have been nearly as cheap to hop on a plane, plus you save a load of time.

Guys without money can just find lonely rich ladies

In the future, the PI will get just like Thailand.

My own visa is a retirement visa, and in the past I've had Non-Imm O (marriage) and M (media) visas. In the very beginning it was easy to get multiple entry tourist visas. Nowadays, it's not as easy to get them, in fact, in SEA it's near impossible. My guess is eventually the Thai government will crack down on those getting the ED (education) visas. This is one of the last ways for guys to live in Thailand if they aren't earning enough or don't have the necessary funds in the bank.

I'm looking forward to the day when the Thai government reinstates it's failed policy of only allowing a foreigner to visit the country for 6 months out of a year. If you don't have money to live here, then why should the Thai government allow you to run back and forth doing visa runs for years? They shouldn't. There are countless foreigners living in Thailand, working illegally to continue living here. I believe this is an option that will dry up as well. Bottom line is, if you don't have a chunk of money or an established method of earning that can pay the bills, what country in their right mind is going to give you a long-term visa?

[Cornfed]

Yep, Western men are just some of so many impoverished refugees now.