hi, how is with the visa in phillipines?

[parafareno]

I am eu citizen, what are my options for tourist visit? I want to stay 6-7 months

[SuperSaiyan]

How is it?

 

It's great! A dream in comparison to Thailand

 

Just go there, get the 59 days and then extend every 30-60 days up to a year without leaving.

[parafareno]

1 minute ago, SuperSaiyan said:

How is it?

 

It's great! A dream in comparison to Thailand

 

Just go there, get the 59 days and then extend every 30-60 days up to a year without leaving.

wow, that is crazy..i am sick of how i am treated in thailand....extend every 1 month, do you need to do border run?

Edited September 4, 2023 by parafareno

[SuperSaiyan]

Just now, parafareno said:

wow, that is crazy..i am sick of how i am treated in thailand....extend every 1 month, do you need to do border run?

No, you just need to extend it the first time after 59. I don't have the exact dates in my head, but it is something like: Extend first after 59 days for another 60 days, then after 60 days extend it for 90 days and after 90 days you can extend it for a year or so.

 

You can stay inside Philippines for up to 3 years without leaving! After 3 years you just do a border run by flying in and out and you can stay another 3 years! It's an absolute dream!

[parafareno]

so there are less tourists there i guess, like russians?  Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

[Mike Teavee]

5 hours ago, SuperSaiyan said:

No, you just need to extend it the first time after 59. I don't have the exact dates in my head, but it is something like: Extend first after 59 days for another 60 days, then after 60 days extend it for 90 days and after 90 days you can extend it for a year or so.

 

You can stay inside Philippines for up to 3 years without leaving! After 3 years you just do a border run by flying in and out and you can stay another 3 years! It's an absolute dream!

As a Brit (so am pretty sure it would be the same for somebody from the EU) it's 30 days on Arrival & your 1st extension will be for 29 days, though I do recall one time being stood behind an old gentleman who the Immigration Officer did a 29 day extension for there & then. 

 

 

After that you can extend for 1,2 or 6 months depending on a number of factors (not least where you're staying in Philippines, personally I'd recommend Davao City for a longer stay) up to a maximum of 3 years. 

 

 

Do have a return flight (or throw away ticket, e.g. https://onwardticket.com/) out of Philippines within the 1st 30 days as not only do you risk being denied check-in by your airline but there is also a risk of the Immigration Officer wanting to see it when in the Philippines... Happened to me a couple of times when I used one-way flights from Singapore to Davao & returned on a different airline from Cebu/ Kalibo (Boracay). Has never happened to me in Thailand.

  

Edited September 5, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[Trippy]

6 hours ago, parafareno said:

so there are less tourists there i guess, like russians?  Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

Yes there is plenty of fresh fruit there same as Thailand. Less tourists overall, not Russian many Korean. 

 

But I strongly advise you go there for a short trip first, before you make any long term plans. PI is not for everyone, including me. 

[SuperSaiyan]

12 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

As a Brit (so am pretty sure it would be the same for somebody from the EU) it's 30 days on Arrival & your 1st extension will be for 29 days, though I do recall one time being stood behind an old gentleman who the Immigration Officer did a 29 day extension for there & then. 

They have changed it recently to 59 days at first arrival.

 

[SuperSaiyan]

17 hours ago, parafareno said:

so there are less tourists there i guess, like russians?  Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

 

The Philippines has 5% of the expats and tourists Thailand has. Also a much bigger population. So it's basically uncharted territory. ????

[SuperSaiyan]

11 hours ago, Trippy said:

But I strongly advise you go there for a short trip first, before you make any long term plans. PI is not for everyone, including me. 

What didn't you like?

[GypsyT]

I didn't like the prez who liked to kill thousands of his own people.

Now it's time go and see beautiful islands and friendly people.

 

 

[Shop mak]

Stay up to 3 YEARS on tourist visa.

No border run needed before 3 YEARS.

No insurance requirement.

No other requirements.

 

Compared to Thailand, the only reason for a long stay in Pi is the women. Easy to find a new gf or wife. Older age men don't have any problem to find a gf wife.

Nightlife are limited in many places. Men who want fun and mongering mostly stay in Manila and Angeles.

Quality of fruit and vegetables are lower than in Thailand.

Food are more expensive than in TH.

Electricity is very expensive, 2x-2,5x more than in TH, depends on location.

Extreme powerty, high unemployment and begging everywhere.

Traffic rules are strictly enforced. Traffic congestion are the norm.

Few places to rent a motorcycle, more expensive than TH.

[likerdup1]

23 hours ago, SuperSaiyan said:

How is it?

 

It's great! A dream in comparison to Thailand

 

Just go there, get the 59 days and then extend every 30-60 days up to a year without leaving.

Are you sure EU residents are getting 59 days on arrival? It's 30 from my experience and then can easily get extended another 30 after that. One can get a tourist visa to the Phils at a Phils embassy and that is 59 days. Visa on arrival is 30 days.

Edited September 5, 2023 by likerdup1

[likerdup1]

16 hours ago, Trippy said:

Yes there is plenty of fresh fruit there same as Thailand. Less tourists overall, not Russian many Korean. 

 

But I strongly advise you go there for a short trip first, before you make any long term plans. PI is not for everyone, including me. 

Yea, Phils is pretty rough around the edges compared to Thailand. It takes some adjustment that's for sure. You get what you pay for in this situation from my experience.

[SuperSaiyan]

22 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

Are you sure EU residents are getting 59 days on arrival? It's 30 from my experience and then can easily get extended another 30 after that. One can get a tourist visa to the Phils at a Phils embassy and that is 59 days. Visa on arrival is 30 days.

The law is not in effect yet, but yes it has been changed to 59 days on arrival instead of 30 days. It will come in effect probably in October or November.

[parafareno]

i am worreid about the fruit vailability...i went to fruit markets in thailand daily for fresh mango, oranges, coconuts....if this would be lacking...there would be a problem....is it because it is an island so it is harder to imporr fruit?

Also they Phillipines are much more expensive if electiricity is so expensive....

is 1000 usd enough to live a good life?

 

i always went to thailand, never anywhere else.....the women are beautiful in majority, thin, easy to pickup...but in phillipines i see they are mostly chubby and less attractive? That could be another problem....I would go to thailand still if there would not be so many tourists and visa requirements with border runs etc...

Edited September 5, 2023 by parafareno

[Homburg]

8 hours ago, SuperSaiyan said:

What didn't you like?

The food.

[Phillip9]

On 9/5/2023 at 4:20 AM, parafareno said:

 Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

There is fresh fruit available, but not much other food that is edible.  I spent 2 months there and the best meal I had was fried chicken at McDonald's.

[scorecard]

19 hours ago, Trippy said:

Yes there is plenty of fresh fruit there same as Thailand. Less tourists overall, not Russian many Korean. 

 

But I strongly advise you go there for a short trip first, before you make any long term plans. PI is not for everyone, including me. 

And be aware that many people carry handguns, city and rural.

[parafareno]

8 minutes ago, scorecard said:

And be aware that many people carry handguns, city and rural.

so it is dangerous.....I guess that is why there are less tourists there lol...probably if you get in a fight with local you are dead ?

[hotchilli]

On 9/5/2023 at 3:20 AM, parafareno said:

so there are less tourists there i guess, like russians?  Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

PH is a foodies paradise

[scorecard]

Just now, parafareno said:

so it is dangerous.....I guess that is why there are less tourists there lol...probably if you get in a fight with local you are dead ?

I did work visits to an oil refinery (multi national) every 3 months for about 6 years, 1.5 hrs drive in a company mini van to the site. Van driver had a handgun on the vehicle console and did twice fire, while driving, at cars which he thoght had cut him off. Plus about once a year open gang warfare on the refinery site amongst the operating vesssels and columns. Several internal gangs, every attempt to get them to put their handguns in personal lockers with lock before they went onto the operating site had totally failed.

 

For good reason* my Japanese colleagues totally refused to visit the site, even go to meetings in Manila.  (*on one trip a Japanese engineer (spoke English) politely asked the driver to slow down. Driver stopped the van 10 minutes later at a bus stop he knew (still 40 / 50 minutes drive to the refinery) and told all the Japanese to get out. As he was driving away, to resumed his route to the refinery he fired 2 shots in the air. Total cowboys.)

[Scouse123]

I did a very popular thread on this a few years ago now on Thai Visa forum and the overwhelming opinion was, with the exception of English speaking women, nothing much else to go for. Also, plenty of scams from the women there as well as Thailand, they just do it in a different way.

 

There was the odd poster who liked it in the Philippines but they were very much in the minority.

 

Far more unpredictable and volatile than Thailand.

 

Complaints included terrible food, expensive to rent very basic accommodation, utilities expensive, bad living conditions and rampant poverty, too many guns with people more than prepared to use them.Guards with machine guns and metal detectors at shopping malls. They also said you must remain very vigilant.

 

Many of these countries such as Philippines and Cambodia get people that cannot afford the rules and regulations to stay in Thailand.

 

I rent a house to a Filipina lady working in Thailand, she does not have a very high opinion of the place but loves her family of course. She doesn't run the place down, it's more a case of what she doesn't say.

 

I have never inquired much other than passing pleasantries but she just says he is happier working here.

 

For great local food, fruit and vegetables, you will be hard pressed to beat Thailand in this region.

[SuperSaiyan]

2 hours ago, parafareno said:

i am worreid about the fruit vailability...i went to fruit markets in thailand daily for fresh mango, oranges, coconuts....if this would be lacking...there would be a problem....is it because it is an island so it is harder to imporr fruit?

Also they Phillipines are much more expensive if electiricity is so expensive....

is 1000 usd enough to live a good life?

 

i always went to thailand, never anywhere else.....the women are beautiful in majority, thin, easy to pickup...but in phillipines i see they are mostly chubby and less attractive? That could be another problem....I would go to thailand still if there would not be so many tourists and visa requirements with border runs etc...

You need to go there for yourself, $1000 will be enough. More than in Thailand. If you are from the EU, everything will be cheaper except western food. Also, in reality, you cant stay in Thailand for long anyway because of the <deleted>ty visas for under 50's.

 

If you are worried about the fruit, most of it comes from China anyway (except maybe pineapples) and they export it to the Philippines as well and it will be available to buy.

[SuperSaiyan]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

I did a very popular thread on this a few years ago now on Thai Visa forum and the overwhelming opinion was, with the exception of English speaking women, nothing much else to go for. Also, plenty of scams from the women there as well as Thailand, they just do it in a different way.

 

There was the odd poster who liked it in the Philippines but they were very much in the minority.

 

Far more unpredictable and volatile than Thailand.

 

Complaints included terrible food, expensive to rent very basic accommodation, utilities expensive, bad living conditions and rampant poverty, too many guns with people more than prepared to use them.Guards with machine guns and metal detectors at shopping malls. They also said you must remain very vigilant.

 

Many of these countries such as Philippines and Cambodia get people that cannot afford the rules and regulations to stay in Thailand.

 

I rent a house to a Filipina lady working in Thailand, she does not have a very high opinion of the place but loves her family of course. She doesn't run the place down, it's more a case of what she doesn't say.

 

I have never inquired much other than passing pleasantries but she just says he is happier working here.

 

For great local food, fruit and vegetables, you will be hard pressed to beat Thailand in this region.

How much is such a "popular opinion thread" worth if it's not even looking at the visa situation? And then the anecdotes over and over and never forget the "we expats in Thailand are better" bit. Everybody needs to see and compare it for himself.

[nickmondo]

On 9/5/2023 at 3:20 AM, parafareno said:

so there are less tourists there i guess, like russians?  Also do they have lots of fruit to sale in markets? Like in thailand?

put up with the visa nonsense in Thailand if you want to be in a nice country with nice food, nice accom........everything in Thailand is better. 

The PH is a toilet, it really is. its much more expensive and its much lower quality.

 

[SuperSaiyan]

My personal comparison:

 

Philippines:

+ Girls, easier to get a real gf/wife

+ Friendly people, no xenophobia

+ Visa, so easy, so good

+ Beautiful islands

+ Christian Churches everywhere

+ Super cheap for low budget

+ Everybody speaks English
- Bad Hospitals

- Accommodation quality, for $300 you get a nice condo in Thailand while it will be $500 in the Philippines for the same standard

 

Thailand

+ Good food, street food is amazing

+ Accommodation is cheap and high standards
+ Private Hospitals have high standards

- nobody speaks English

- no Churches

- Visa for under 50 yo's make long stay impossible

- dirty beaches, dirty water

- many prostitutes, everywhere

- draws many shady people due to its Pattaya red light

- People are so unfriendly towards White foreigners, talk about them in the back all the time, xenophobia is real

[parafareno]

30 minutes ago, SuperSaiyan said:

My personal comparison:

 

Philippines:

+ Girls, easier to get a real gf/wife

+ Friendly people, no xenophobia

+ Visa, so easy, so good

+ Beautiful islands

+ Christian Churches everywhere

+ Super cheap for low budget

+ Everybody speaks English
- Bad Hospitals

- Accommodation quality, for $300 you get a nice condo in Thailand while it will be $500 in the Philippines for the same standard

 

Thailand

+ Good food, street food is amazing

+ Accommodation is cheap and high standards
+ Private Hospitals have high standards

- nobody speaks English

- no Churches

- Visa for under 50 yo's make long stay impossible

- dirty beaches, dirty water

- many prostitutes, everywhere

- draws many shady people due to its Pattaya red light

- People are so unfriendly towards White foreigners, talk about them in the back all the time, xenophobia is real

my 50 cent about thailand

Border runs are pain in the ass my biggest problem

easy girls that are obsessed about white people lol is great

dirty beaches in thailand pattaya

many whores there...

too many russians and other tourists in pattaya, bkk is ok but bkk is boring, hot, hard to commute

farmers markets are best in the world, mangos, melons, coconuts, veggies....just a godsend...7/11 at every corner..i am a fruit obsessed man, especially mango

seems police has more control over crime, even thought there is corruption

 

about phillipines

no problem with visa, biggest advantage

lots of beaches second biggest advantage

never been there....been looking on tinder the girls in cebu....most of them are fat and not that attractive...in thailand it is opposite lol

less tourists is a big plus...i dont care if there are koreans...or chinese.... 

more expensive accomodation is a concern, even though my budget is like 1500 usd per month

people with guns seems scary....

more blend food....i am vegan and i see many vegan restaurants in cebu for example but dunno if the food is good....

 

 

about your opinion in thailand almost everybody speaks english...besides old people...i never had problems....only like girls from rural areas do not speak english, but i used the app, but it was really rare....

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by parafareno

[marin]

As I recall you had some health problems while here. The medical care is not up to par in the Philippines especially outside of Manila. The food is going to be a really big deal for you. Their fruit in no way is near Thailand's as most is imported from China. Good luck.  

[SuperSaiyan]

1 minute ago, parafareno said:

my 50 cent about thailand

Border runs are pain in the ass my biggest problem

easy girls that are obsessed about white people lol is great

dirty beaches in thailand pattaya

many whores there...

too many russians and other tourists in pattaya, bkk is ok but bkk is boring, hot, hard to commute

farmers markets are best in the world, mangos, melons, coconuts, veggies....just a godsend...7/11 at every corner..i am a fruit obsessed man, especially mango

seems police has more control over crime, even thought there is corruption

 

about phillipines

no problem with visa, biggest advantage

lots of beaches second biggest advantage

never been there....been looking on tinder the girls in cebu....most of them are fat and not that attractive...in thailand it is opposite lol

less tourists is a big plus...i dont care if there are koreans...or chinese.... 

more expensive accomodation is a concern, even though my budget is like 1500 usd per month

people with guns seems scary....

more blend food....i am vegan and i see many vegan restaurants in cebu for example but dunno if the food is good....

 

 

 

 

I have lived in Cebu for 6 months and couple of months on some more remote islands and I don't know where you got the info about fat girls. There are 15 million females in the age bracket of 18-30 in the Philippines while Thailand has 5 million. It's a no brainer if that's your main concern.