Looking for visa options to move to Philippines

From what ive read so far, im unable to get visa for work becuase im disabled and unable to work, also cant do student visa, that leaves retirement visa FOR $50,000 DEPOSIT YIKES. Is this the only way?

@78EJTWO

Welcome to the forum and hope you find your answers here or at least plenty of advice/suggestions.

Definitely read and read again the input from members here as well as our best friend google, I gather you have time before your planned move to another country so invest your time in research.

Some questions and answers:

Have you ever been to the Philippines before? If so you will be well aware that it's a third world/developing nation with great people, very different to first world.

What type of lifestyle do you expect to have here on US 1,200 per month?

Do you have savings to help support a life here?

I gather you are an ex serviceman?

Onward:

Yes you can live here comfortably (we all have different levels of comfort and wants) on that amount, always here have a fallback/escape plan if things don't work out.

I'm an Aussie so not up on your SSDI laws but doubt that will be a problem no or little different to reciprocal Laws with the Philippines, as for living here permanently I stay here for 3 years on a visitor visa (35 months we go on a holiday and start again) that costs around PHP 22K or US 400 bucks including the annual ACR1 card per year. You can do the same or look into the SRRV visa with the PRA or simply get married.

I would also suggest chatting with the body that will pay your pension and see what their rules are with regards to living permanently O/S, I know Australian government (tight asses) reduce your benefits of residing overseas. I am self funded and don't rely on my government even after paying taxes for 45 years, as said tight asses.

Fire away with your questions mate, your answers will come.

Cheers, Steve.   

From what ive read so far, im unable to get visa for work becuase im disabled and unable to work, also cant do student visa, that leaves retirement visa FOR $50,000 DEPOSIT YIKES. Is this the only way?
-@78EJTWO

Are you a vet? If you want to work here for 20 bucks a day go for it, I pay my electrician, plumber, masons and labourers less.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl hi steve, to answer your questions.

Some questions and answers:

Have you ever been to the Philippines before? No

What type of lifestyle do you expect to have here on US 1,200 per month?

Well in America right now for 1200 ill be living in a car most likely, So if i can get an apartment and eat with a few dollars left that would be good.

Do you have savings to help support a life here? Not right now, but i may get back pay from ssdi wich could be up to $40,000

I gather you are an ex serviceman? No i never served

@bigpearl No im disabled  so i cant work, thats why im getting ssdi benefits for cost of living. social security disability

@bigpearl No im disabled so i cant work, thats why im getting ssdi benefits for cost of living. social security disability
-@78EJTWO

So if you can't/won't work in the US do you think you can work here? On a visitor visa there are no work options, no extra income and while I have no idea your disability here is not the most conducive country for disabled citizens let alone blow ins, especially if wheel chair bound.

Simply can't you stay with family in the States? Here you as I gather a single man will get no assistance unless you are prepared to shell out Pesos.

Honestly? there are many countries cheaper to live than the Philippines, most expats here have a partner and reason to be here. As said, research here and look at Numbeo.com for related costs.

We live comfortably here on AU 2,500 to 3,000 bucks or say US 16/1800 bucks but we own the property, cars and bikes, no loans etc. Do your home work and do it well before you make such a big decision.

Cheers, Steve.

            Welcome 78, hoping for the best for you to get your ssdi catchup payment.  I know someone who took 6 years to finally receive the monthly benefits after applying, he had a few back operations.  He had been living on other welfare payments, and part of his getting the 6 years worth of ssdi was that he had to pay back welfare for the 6 years worth of payments he had received.

             Another problem you may have, especially since you are disabled, is health insurance or some kind of medical coverage.  Medicare and Medicaid cannot help you in the Philippines.  $1200/month is livable, more than many families make,but you cannot own land and could not afford to buy a condo that foreigners are allowed to buy. There are some low rent places available, hope you like to eat rice.  You might want to eat at a few Filipino restaurants, get an idea of what may be available.

Hello... and welcome...

1) Can you live on 1200... yes.  But not in Manila, or Cebu... I would suggest a province somewhere.  I had an apartment in Cavite 5 years ago... (new, nice, 1 bedroom)($160/month), power-($100/mo.)(1 air con, 1 Ref, 1 t.v.), wifi-($30/mo)  and then food... if you shop and eat mostly freah food from farmers markets you can get by on maybe 500 peso a day($10.00 × 30 =$300)... This would be bare bones... and would allow the rest for other grocery, travel expenses (tricycle, jeepnee, etc.) ... so, yes... However if you do not have a nest egg to cover you for unexpected expenses you are more daring than I in doing it... I would suggest a MINIMUM of about $10,000 for emergencies... medical, or whatever.

We - (my fiancee and I) have a "budget" that we try to stay in of $500 per week... we (she) own a beach house(fully paid off) , have a daily helper gal(7a.m. - 5p.m., mon - Saturday,  $115/month), power bill is approx $150/mo., wifi is $30.  and eat out at restaurants in Dapitan/Dupolog area when we go... drive there maybe 3 to 4 times a week... otherwise we visit the farmers markets weekly and spend $20 - $30, and load up on fresh fruits and veggies...  We basically spend what we want,  and "mostly" stay in budget... some weeks are $600, but some are $400... so we are at $1,600 to $2,000 pretty consistently... but that is living and doing whatever we want... not really watching the $$ super closely.

78EJTWO replied to . . . . bigpearl hi steve, to answer your questions.
Some questions and answers:

Have you ever been to the Philippines before? No

What type of lifestyle do you expect to have here on US 1,200 per month?

Well in America right now for 1200 ill be living in a car most likely, So if i can get an apartment and eat with a few dollars left that would be good.

Do you have savings to help support a life here? Not right now, but i may get back pay from ssdi wich could be up to $40,000

I gather you are an ex serviceman? No i never served
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Depending where you are living in the states you can still have a livable life for $1200 a month. For example in Pennsylvania all profits from the lottery are used for senior benefits.

(1) Even though you're not a senior you are eligible to live in a senior citizen complex, (subsidized housing).

(2) You are eligible for Medicaid or maybe Medicare.

(3) You are eligible for low cost transportation.

(4) You maybe eligible for food stamps or welfare payments.

(5) You maybe eligible for heating subsidies.

And some of while dreaming to escape eventually face reality.

Do your figures/due diligence and then decide as the Philippines is definitely not for all and an acquired taste.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

....ALSO.... If you have never been here... then definitely plan an exploration trip first... This country and people and their way of living is hugely different than the states.... as in hugely... Travel around... find what you like, then set your stakes.... that being said 1200 won't get you too far for too long here... Do alot of online research... I used YouTube and other online resources when I first made the jump here... and even with that, you will still be shocked...

it's most definitely not for everyone. Some love it... some Hate it.

@Wellsfry thanks for the reply, Yea the cost of living in USA is way way higher than any of that. So im sure i can live a better life in Philippines than here. Like i said earliar on 1200 a month here ill be living in a car or a tent in the woods.

@Wellsfry yea im researching a bunch, havint made any decisions yet, would probably be a few years. thanks man

@bigpearl thanks man

@78EJTWO

Sorry to tell you, ssdi has strict rules on your benefits. If you are a US citizen, you can draw your benefits for a maximum of six months outside US territory before you have to return to US territory to keep them from being cancelled, and you have to notify them about your plans. (If not a US citizen, then 30 days is your max).

This kinda puts the Philippines out of reach for you. You can, however, continue to receive your benefits if you move to a US territory, such as Guam, or the Virgin Islands.

I’m not an expert, just read a lot about social security policies. I would suggest talking to a lawyer specializing in ssd law. There might be exceptions or ways around it. As far as moving to Philippines, I would guess around 50% or more of the expats here go the tourist visa route. That works basically as follows;

you fly here on a one way ticket. You also purchase another one way ticket cheap that will depart from the Philippines to a nearby international destination within 30 days of your arrival in the Philippines. You won’t use the second ticket, but most times, you will have to show it at your departure airport to be allowed to fly. Upon arrival in the Philippines, you will be given a visa upon arrival good for 28 days. Before it expires, you go to the bureau of immigration here and renew it for another 30 days. Then before that one expires, you’ll be able to renew for a two month extension. You can keep doing that for up to 36 months, (3 years). At that time you must exit the country for at least a day. (Not exact, it can be shorter). You fly somewhere close, then return, and you have now reset the 36 month time frame. The costs for this method are roughly less than $300 a year. No security deposit required.

Yes, as a single person, you can easily live a decent, middle class life in a province on $1200 a month. You can get an apartment for $200 a month or less in a decent location, cook your own meals, you can eat good for about 300-500 a month. If you skip using an aircon all the time, your electric bill should be $40 or less per month, cable and internet can be found as a bundle for about $50 a month. If you can use public transportation, buses, jeepney or tricycles, you cost is very low. That would leave you with around $300 to $400 a month disposable per month. And you can go cheaper fairly easily if you look.

i hope this partially answers some of your questions. Good luck.

Hope this at

If you cannot get your disability benefits paid in the Philippines then it is obviously a non starter for you.

One other thing I would add is that since you have net given details about your disability it is very hard to understand your situation. A few comments suggest you can live a reasonable lifestyle in the province on your $1200 per month but I would question that.

If your disability means you need daily help or adaptations made to the property you live in, I think you will struggle. Also if you need assistance to get about (maybe you use a wheel chair) or maybe you have problems walking, I do not think the province is for you. The roads and pavements are bad even in some of the cities so imagine how difficult it would be in the province. I went to see my first girlfriends family over there in the province once and getting there was not easy. We got a taxi by road to a dirt track which had turned to mud due to a storm the night before. Taxi could not get up so we had to hop onto dirt bikes to get up the track. There were some teenage boys with dirt bikes making some cash by transporting people up the track. Once we got off we had to cross soaked rice fields to get to the house. That would be impossible for someone who had problems walking.

So if your disability hampers your movements, I think you would need to live in a city and near to good medical facilities so that would bump up your living costs.

Just an addition to the above - blacksheepjuno said there are strict rules regarding drawing your benefits outside the US. I am not sure he is entirely  correct because I did a quick Google search and found an article from Victor Malca Law P.A. dated 18 May 2023 and that says  that there are different rules regarding SSDI and SSI payments and where you can live and still get them. It says that SSDI Payments can be received anywhere the SSA can send payments and lists 10 countries where you cannot receive SSDI payments and most of them you would not want to move to (Five of them end in STAN, North Korea and Belarus are also on the list).

If you were not already claiming SSDI and mentioned to your doctor that you wanted to move to some of the places on the list you would probably be sent to a specialist and diagnosed with Mental Health problems and therefore be able to claim it anyway.

@78EJTWO ... Here's the current website for the Department of Foreign Affairs (PH embassies) ... https://dfa-oca.ph/ ... check under Services > Visa for much of the information you're looking for. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the DFA will help you process a visa application, but it is up to the Bureau of Immigration to approve it when you arrive, and these 2 agencies don't always communicate their processes with each other very well. If you decide to move forward, I suggest you bring lots of patience.

As for getting your SSDI money here, there are some banks here that the US government will send direct deposits to. We opted to keep our checking account in the US and transfer funds here as we need them, but there is a small fee or reduction in the exchange rate for this.

Cherryann01 said . . . If you were not already claiming SSDI and mentioned to your doctor that you wanted to move to some of the places on the list you would probably be sent to a specialist and diagnosed with Mental Health problems and therefore be able to claim it anyway.

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A guaranteed way for collecting SSDI immediately is to mention you fell in love with a Filipina online and plan on getting married.

Mental Disability Qualifies

@78EJTWO you are not old enough to apply for an SRRV. 50 years and above.

Simply enter country and get an automatic tourist visa. Then keep renewing your visa up to 3 years. Then take a trip.out to kuala lumpa or similar then re enter the Philippines and start again.