Moving to Philippines

I am not sure how many family men with kids would move to the Subic area..

It would be interesting to know how accurate its reputation is though.

As Subic Bay's reputation as a premier hideaway has grown, its nightlife has become more colorful and exciting, with new bars and fun places sprouting up to serve the needs of visitors from early evening up to the witching hours.

Hello sir good day. I read ur message here in website expat and I am working before like tourist guide..if u want to come my country I can help u and I will inform u about the visa and how much cost it...

Hello everyone,

@ gemema, seems that you have experience, why not answering Cullster's few questions related to visa on the forum itself so that other members may also benefit from your inputs ?

@ Cullster, welcome on board    You will get some hints here : Visas for the Philippines

All the best,
Bhavna

Hi Cullster,

If you look at the top (not the very top) right of your screen you will see a heading called Visa's.  Try that link.

There you will find some links to the Philippine government immigration office.

Hope that this helps.

Hello,i recently shifted to manila n i m looking for indian salon at makati area

If you are looking for a good place to stay and live Makati City is brilliant idea the fact that its the business capital of the Philippines and numbers of expats and foreign visitor is pretty good when you to go malls, park or just to simply dine. 


Its a friendly city.

ABCDiamond wrote:

I am not sure how many family men with kids would move to the Subic area..

It would be interesting to know how accurate its reputation is though.

As Subic Bay's reputation as a premier hideaway has grown, its nightlife has become more colorful and exciting, with new bars and fun places sprouting up to serve the needs of visitors from early evening up to the witching hours.

There are other Expat Philippines forums which have many members from USA, mostly military vets, who claim the area is good for families.  They also say much of the bar girls traffic has been picked up by Asians on vacation, and all the negatives from the military base days still exist in the bars.  Enter at your own risk.

As I think education for your children is first priority, then I think you need to check out the schools and colleges, that do the British Curriculum or the International Baccalaureate, probably the cities in the Philippines have the best choice, so Manila could be your first port of call. Also check out the colleges, meet the staff, because in some places you pay top dollar, but you dont get the experienced teaching staff.Also you may need somewhere where your wife can meet other expat wives, Manila is probably the best place for finding married expats working and living in the Philippines with their families. Try a club called inter nations, very active socially where you can obtain more information.

Cullster
See below
There are four types of SRRV visas.

The most basic is the “SRRV Smile,” which allows you to remain in the Philippines as long as you wish provided you deposit US$20,000 in a Philippine bank and keep it there for the duration of your stay. This visa is available to anyone who is 35 or older. The deposit is fixed and may not be converted into an investment for a long-term lease or condominium purchase.
With the “SRRV Classic,” you can use your funds to purchase a condo or a long-term property lease. Applicants age 35 to 49 must deposit US$50,000 in a Philippine bank or buy a ready-to-occupy condo costing US$50,000 or more. Applicants age 50 or above need to invest only US$10,000 if they have an individual pension of at least US$800 per month. (A couple would need a combined pension income of at least US$1,000 per month.) Applicants who are at least 50 years old who can not meet the pension requirements can still qualify for the “SRRV Classic” visa by maintaining a deposit of at least US$20,000 in a local bank.
The “SRRV Human Touch” offers the benefits of permanent Philippine residency to any retiree with a pre-existing, non-contagious medical condition who is in need of ongoing medical care or services. The minimum investment amount is just US$10,000 for any applicant age 35 or older, and the conditions are the same as for those in the “SRRV Smile” program. “SRRV Human Touch” applicants must be able to show a pension of at least US$1,500 per month and give proof of health insurance. This makes residency in the Philippines a great option for people with disabilities or chronic medical conditions.
The “SRRV Courtesy” visa is for individuals aged 50 or older who are either former citizens of the Philippines or ambassadors or diplomats who have served in the Philippines. The terms and conditions for the courtesy visa are the same as for the “SRRV Classic” program.
Retirees who have any of the four SRRV visas are allowed to remain in the Philippines for as long as they want without needing to re-qualify or leave the country for any reason. If you do want to leave the country, though, you can come and go as you wish.

Retirees in the Philippines are permitted to hold employment, own a business, attend school, buy a condominium or house , receive mortgage financing, and enjoy most of the same benefits offered to any citizen of the country.

The duty-free importation of household belongings valued up to US$7,000 is another benefit of retiring to this country. The SRRV visa never expires: once you have it, it's a simple matter of reporting to immigration once a year and paying US$10 to get your ID card renewed.

Your overseas pension or social security is exempt from Philippine taxes, and any interest earned on bank deposits may be withdrawn at any time. If you ever decide to relinquish your Philippine residency status, your entire qualifying deposit is returned to you

dinky2408 wrote:

As I think education for your children is first priority, then I think you need to check out the schools and colleges, that do the British Curriculum or the International Baccalaureate, probably the cities in the Philippines have the best choice, so Manila could be your first port of call. Also check out the colleges, meet the staff, because in some places you pay top dollar, but you dont get the experienced teaching staff.Also you may need somewhere where your wife can meet other expat wives, Manila is probably the best place for finding married expats working and living in the Philippines with their families. Try a club called inter nations, very active socially where you can obtain more information.

Hi Dinky for my interest are there any / many schools in Davo, that offer the BC or the IB?

Hi pej1111
Have to check Atenao is near me. They are  a school run by Jesuits as you probably know, but I think its the American system. There also is a International School close by but I dont know what  curriculum they teach.

Thank you all for your posts.

Is the Philippines (Subic bay) a safe place to raise my family? We will be looking for a property on a Secure estate etc but I am just making sure of safety when out at malls and restaurants etc?

Pej,
Only american curriculem in Davao

Hi Sir,

I dont want to spoil your intention to live in the Philippines but foreign nationals are not allowed to invest a house & lot property unless they were married to a Filipino or opted to invest a condominium/apartment unit. We have certain developers offering a condo unit in subic and nearby areas. But considering the education of your kids should be coming from a british standard schools also which manila has lot to offer specifically in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. 

I can help you on that.

Why here? As British you will find it nicer in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. The Philippines is not  a place to move to with a family, unless you are so rich you can completely control your surroundings. Why here???

I am considering moving to Ozamis..I have a girlfriend who I may marry who has a home given to her by her grandma..If that doesn't go well, I have found apartments there for $120 usd per month..Anyone have any suggestions.?

So many considerations for you.  I am in a similar situation.

All I can say is research the cost of living here.

Are you planning on having children in the Philippines, then you will need to think about what sort of life you will want for them and the cost of education for them.

All the best of luck with it all.

Rob,
All sounds good, but you may miss talking in yr own language with other Expats. I advise you not to detach yourself completely from things you like to do from where you previously lived and ensure you live in a safe place. Research the infrastructure as you can get a few sprites in the Philippines,  regular blackouts, water shortages and very slow Internet.