13 a Marriage Visa

USAMichael wrote:

How long does it really take to get your Marriage Visa.   I applied two  months ago and my name
still does not appear on the Bureau of Philippines Website.    I thought  it would only take two
months but I could be wrong.    I'm dealing with the main office in Manila.

It should be close. However, dont put much trust in BI. Ours never did show up on the web site. We went over there to follow things up. Seems we had failed to include one simple sentence on one of the BS letters and the app was not processed. And don't wait for them to send you a letter explaining the issue. Don't assume that even though you application has been accepted at the final window that it has been carefully reviewed by the assessor's. If this is for your 13a Temporary Visa, guess what you get to do it all again in 9 months and buy yet another ARC-1
BTW. make sure you keep your visitor visa current until you get your 13a

Thank you for your reply.    I now have my first probationary marriage visa but I have to go back again next week
or the week after if I don't have the energy, to Manila to pick up my "I" Card.   All in all, it was not so bad and experience but a little annoying.    I have a couple of suggestions I would like to give the Philippine Bureau of Immigration in order for them to improve the process.  I may or may not send the suggestions to them.   I have never seen them soliciting suggestions or doing some type of evaluation of their services and I don't know how it would be received, of course I would be very diplomatic because they hold a great deal of power over us poor expats.  We have to toe the line. (he he).

USAMichael wrote:

Thank you for your reply.    I now have my first probationary marriage visa but I have to go back again next week
or the week after if I don't have the energy, to Manila to pick up my "I" Card.   All in all, it was not so bad and experience but a little annoying.    I have a couple of suggestions I would like to give the Philippine Bureau of Immigration in order for them to improve the process.  I may or may not send the suggestions to them.   I have never seen them soliciting suggestions or doing some type of evaluation of their services and I don't know how it would be received, of course I would be very diplomatic because they hold a great deal of power over us poor expats.  We have to toe the line. (he he).

Ha ha. Spend your time on the patio with a couple San Miguel's  my friend. They could care less what your suggestions would be. Give it a good 14  or 21 WORKING days before you go back for that card. They say 10 days, however...........
PS. You are aware of the annual reporting??  And advise them if you change your address at which time you will pay all over again for a new acr-1.

Good advice, and I am partial to San Migs--the original.   The Bureau will never get a change of address notification from me.   We use the ancestral home address for everything since we have moved maybe 5 times in my three years in the Philippines.   
          One of the reasons, among several, I got the Marriage Visa, is to avoid that trip to Manila or some other Bureau facility every two months.   From where we live in southern Cavite it takes some effort to get to Manila which would be easier I guess if I was younger--I'm in my mid-sixties.
          The trip to Manila takes 3 hours by bus then get on the LRT and lastly a 15 to 20 minute walk from Central LRT station to the Bureau building.   The return trip is just as much fun ? with two jeepney rides thrown in.   Yes, I do have a "motor" but that would be even more difficult since its only a 100 cc bike and I'd have to take some back roads.\
          So I would have to say the effort to get to the Bureau building was one of the biggest hurdles and I made five trips I would say to obtain the visa.

Just a reminder to Ex Pats who apply for 13A, you are only a Permanent Resident whilst your Spouse is alive. As I found out!

Sorry for you're loss. What is you're status now. Are you  once again living here on visitor visa's. Seems a bit tough losing your PR, like you haven't suffered enough slready.

Hi,

My late wife passed away in March 2010. After the Funeral I contacted my local Immigration Field Office and I was told that I was fine as I was a Permanent Resident and as long as I paid the yearly report there would be no problem. 2 years later I had to renew my Icard and it was issued, I even put widower on it and when issued it said married. I didn't bother arguing with them.

Last March 2014 I remarried and this September 15 I got in to a conversation with my Lawyer about this and that and my Icard came up. She advised me to check and low and behold I had been given the wrong information. I was made to Downgrade to Tourist and pay back Visa fine to 2010 when my wife passed away. Also on top of that a 25K fine for the work they had to do upstairs in BI. All in all it was about a 5K USD fine. Please spread the word as they do not tell you all this when you apply and they do not give out the correct information. I have to go through it all again to re-apply.

skiandugh wrote:

Hi,

My late wife passed away in March 2010. After the Funeral I contacted my local Immigration Field Office and I was told that I was fine as I was a Permanent Resident and as long as I paid the yearly report there would be no problem. 2 years later I had to renew my Icard and it was issued, I even put widower on it and when issued it said married. I didn't bother arguing with them.

Last March 2014 I remarried and this September 15 I got in to a conversation with my Lawyer about this and that and my Icard came up. She advised me to check and low and behold I had been given the wrong information. I was made to Downgrade to Tourist and pay back Visa fine to 2010 when my wife passed away. Also on top of that a 25K fine for the work they had to do upstairs in BI. All in all it was about a 5K USD fine. Please spread the word as they do not tell you all this when you apply and they do not give out the correct information. I have to go through it all again to re-apply.

This is interesting, and we should all keep a paper trail of evidence to throw back at them in the event this becomes our own nightmare. We should always not accept what one person in BI tells us. The old cliche applies here "Ask 10 guys the same question, get 10 different answers".  I also have to wonder if the decision they made in downgrading you was based on law or was it some back office guy fiddling the books and pocketing some cash. Its just a damn shame this never ending gouging of immigrants  is allowed to go on considering that most of us bring a good life and prosperity to not only our immediate new families but the trickle down effect in the communities we live in.

Good luck in your new marriage...........