Moving to Philippines

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, nickmondo said:

enjoy the awful food, rubbish internet, brown outs, expensive rubbish accomodation.

i assume you have been there before?

But perhaps the opportunity for faithful relationships with people he can easily communicate with will offset some of the negatives.  But indeed it is a different experience and requires someone who can go with the flow (slow).

 

5 hours ago, RedArmy said:

Ps: Get yourself an online WISE account before you leave as this is a good way to transfer funds.

Believe most money is ATM card drawn for those not yet resident (bank accounts not an option for most visitors) - have not seen any mention of using Wise there.

[Asquith Production]

4 minutes ago, bradiston said:

The DWP has no access to that data AFAIK. Otherwise 1000s, possibly 100s of 1000s, of expat pensioners would be receiving letters in non-signatory countries if they were appearing to avoid the pension rules, requesting residency details. More scare mongering.

DWP does not have the will and manpower to run such an operation. But I am sure if they needed to build a case against someone it could be made available,

[Surasak]

40 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Any particular area of the Philippines. 

I've heard it's nice. 

Never been there. 

An area called San Fernando north of Manila. I was there three years ago for a short time. Very similar to Thailand in many ways, but a different kind of people who can think for themselves.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Asquith Production said:

And you do not think it is easy for them to check on when you left the UK and came back?

It's doubtful they know if anyone is in the UK or not .......... (they don't appear to be able to track known terrorists).

But it would be impossible for them to find out where a person was in the world.

 

The UK police certainly didn't know where I was after I moved to Thailand (no forwarding address), as they kept calling around my former UK addresses, to try and find me. Maybe the DWP are better at finding people than the UK police?

Edited March 29, 2022 by BritManToo

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, Surasak said:

An area called San Fernando north of Manila. I was there three years ago for a short time. Very similar to Thailand in many ways, but a different kind of people who can think for themselves.

That is the Angeles (old Clark AB) area so good food is available in Angeles City (as well as the world known bar district - but also much higher class facilities of Clark Freeport) and not that far from Manila if want large city/medical facilities.  

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, Card said:

He wants to inform the HMRC of his future non UK residence. Why should he hide it unless he wants to commit illegal acts?

I've never had a problem committing illegal acts.

Once I drove my car at 35mph in a 30mph zone.

I also frequently smoked cannabis.

[thonglorjimmy]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The UK police certainly didn't know where I was after I moved to Thailand (no forwarding address), as they kept calling around my former UK addresses, to try and find me.

That's pretty decent of them, they were probably concerned about your wellbeing. 

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

That is the Angeles (old Clark AB) area so good food is available in Angeles City (as well as the world known bar district - but also much higher class facilities of Clark Freeport) and not that far from Manila if want large city/medical facilities.  

Yeah, my bus from Manila used to stop there on the way to Olongapo.

I preferred the beach at Barretto to the inland area of Angeles.

Edited March 29, 2022 by BritManToo

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Yeah, my bus from Manila used to stop there on the way to Olongapo.

I preferred the beach at Barretto to the inland area of Angeles.

There is direct highway from Angeles to Olongapo now so easy to make day trips.  The food, both market and restaurant's seems to be better in Angeles (and they have the Walking Street which is getting back into operation).   

[BritManToo]

I don't know why so many posters on this forum badmouth the Philippines.

IMHO it's not much different to Thailand, and Filipino immigration is much more helpful and friendly.

[bradiston]

5 hours ago, bradiston said:

If you're on a UK state pension, definitely let DWP know. It will unfreeze your pension, if applicable.

In addition I'd suggest consulting a tax advisor if you have property in the UK, or just in general, and are considering living abroad. There are potential advantages to living overseas and selling property back in the UK. I'm by no means a tax expert, but this is what my experience has told me.

[RafPinto]

47 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It's doubtful they know if anyone is in the UK or not .......... (they don't appear to be able to track known terrorists).

But it would be impossible for them to find out where a person was in the world.

 

The UK police certainly didn't know where I was after I moved to Thailand (no forwarding address), as they kept calling around my former UK addresses, to try and find me. Maybe the DWP are better at finding people than the UK police?

Fugitive on the run.

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I don't know why so many posters on this forum badmouth the Philippines.

IMHO it's not much different to Thailand, and Filipino immigration is much more helpful and friendly.

A lot of posters from your home country on this forum and for a short stay there is are lot of guns on display so likely feel very unsafe.   I used a concealed weapons permit as bar entry age proof in early 20's in USA and still felt uneasy with the number of shops having shotgun armed folks at entry when first stayed there.  Corruption is a bit more required for service in PI (although not expensive) where as in TH it is more for speed.  But as said immigration in general is very straight forward process.

[Denim]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Believe most money is ATM card drawn for those not yet resident (bank accounts not an option for most visitors) - have not seen any mention of using Wise there.

 Get yourself a Paymaya account and card then use Transferwise to keep it topped up.

 

https://steemit.com/philippines/@mrposyble/different-platforms-foreigners-can-easily-use-to-save-their-money-in-the-philippines-without-using-the-bank

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, nickmondo said:

enjoy the awful food, rubbish internet, brown outs, expensive rubbish accomodation.

i assume you have been there before?

Also, the only places in the world I have been mugged are London (once) and Manila (twice). And, as has already been said above, the food in the Philippines is awful. Best of luck.

[Denim]

13 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't know why so many posters on this forum badmouth the Philippines.

IMHO it's not much different to Thailand, and Filipino immigration is much more helpful and friendly.

Received wisdom. Without having spent much time there  ( if any ) they just repeat what they have heard or read elsewhere in order to appear to be well informed and knowledgeable . If I were not here I would probably be there , but not in a tourist hotspot.

[bradiston]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't know why so many posters on this forum badmouth the Philippines.

IMHO it's not much different to Thailand, and Filipino immigration is much more helpful and friendly.

It has a bad name for a variety of reasons, but I think Thailand is coming up fast, and might well surpass it soon. It's true, food, accommodation and maybe a few other aspects are way behing Thailand. But the people are way nicer, mostly speak English, and there are still places to go where you feel no human has ever been before! For some reason I always feel more relaxed here (not just the massages, either). Much of the population lives in  poverty, so you don't see lazy fat people sitting around waiting for an entitled tourist paycheck, laughing about farang all day.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

Any actual instances of this?

I don't know any other Brits living and receiving a pension overseas. I do know that lying on a form in which I state what I've entered is true isn't a wise thing to do. But everyone makes their own choice. Mine was to not take a chance.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

Received wisdom. Without having spent much time there  ( if any ) they just repeat what they have heard or read elsewhere in order to appear to be well informed and knowledgeable . If I were not here I would probably be there , but not in a tourist hotspot.

Me too.

But I also like Vietnam and Cambodia.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I don't know any other Brits living and receiving a pension overseas. I do know that lying on a form in which I state what I've entered is true isn't a wise thing to do. But everyone makes their own choice. Mine was to not take a chance.

I never filled in any forms, claimed online.

[blackcab]

A troll post and replies to it have been removed.

[dirtybirty]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

The DWP has no access to that data AFAIK. Otherwise 1000s, possibly 100s of 1000s, of expat pensioners would be receiving letters in non-signatory countries if they were appearing to avoid the pension rules, requesting residency details. More scare mongering.

maybe not but for certain benifits they ask for your passport. so yes they can easily check. had this a few years ago on return to the uk, also some hospitals are asking for your passport. Even getting a job requires your new employer to see passport/ birth cert again found this out a few years ago. uk  is not so much the easy pushover as peps beleive. unless your an asylum seeker 

[Denim]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Me too.

But I also like Vietnam and Cambodia.

Never quite made it to Vietnam before getting hitched but certainly spent many happy nights bouncing between Martinis and Cyrcee.  Young Cambodians also very quick at picking up foreign languages compared to their Thai counterparts.

[Tall Midget]

5 minutes ago, Denim said:

many happy nights bouncing between Martinis and Cyrcee.

We must know each other? ????

 

Remember Sophie's?

[Bangkok Barry]

26 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I never filled in any forms, claimed online.

And that didn't require a declaration that what you were submitting was true? I doubt that very much. But, as I said. some are happy to take a chance of being caught, as people are when falsely claiming benefits. I really don't care. I like to obey the law. I'm funny that way. Many foreigners in Thailand do not, which no doubt plays a part in why they like to live in Thailand where standards are lower and they don't have to try too hard to keep up standards.

[Denim]

15 minutes ago, Tall Midget said:

We must know each other? ????

 

Remember Sophie's?

Ships in the night. Don't recall Sophies though. Do recall sitting on the veranda at Sharkeys watching the world pass by below.

[BritManToo]

31 minutes ago, dirtybirty said:

maybe not but for certain benifits they ask for your passport. so yes they can easily check. 

Easy........... 

I've never been outside the UK, why would I have a passport? 

Edited March 29, 2022 by BritManToo

[blackshadow]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

You will obtain best advice in forum "visas etc to other countries"

Think there is also sub forum dealing with Philippines..

is there not a subforum on here ???

[blackshadow]

https://aseannow.com/forum/340-philippines/

[petermik]

9 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

And that didn't require a declaration that what you were submitting was true? I doubt that very much. But, as I said. some are happy to take a chance of being caught, as people are when falsely claiming benefits. I really don't care. I like to obey the law. I'm funny that way. Many foreigners in Thailand do not, which no doubt plays a part in why they like to live in Thailand where standards are lower and they don't have to try too hard to keep up standards.

When I see the slice they take out of my company pension each month I give no thoughts to honesty in this instance.....42 years of paying in to get my full pension plenty of others receiving benefits that have contributed zilch......