Permanent Residency

Wish I could tell you it's simple but I can't.  I just did one for my wife and it's a long drawn process. 

Get the forms online and make sure you have all the required documents on hand when you fly to Cebu.  Be prepared to spend a few days before you can get it all complete and submit the application.   You will be required to draw up several legal documents, photocopy forms, provide photos, legal sized folders and fasteners. 

Then you come back for an interview.  After the interview and getting approved, you will need to go through a shorter but still time consuming process of applying for a provisional resident card called i-card. 

Then you come back another time to claim the card.  It is good for 1 year from date of issue.

Before the end of that 1 year period, preferably 2 months before expiry, you need to come back and apply for a permanent resident card. 

We've done all of the above.  Now we need to go back in a "few" weeks to get the permanent i-card.

Thank you for that overview of the process.   The devil is in the details.  What did they ask you for if anything that was not part of the Checklist?

1.Joint letter request addressed to the Commissioner from the applicant and the petitioning Filipino spouse;
2. Duly accomplished CGAF (BI Form CGAF-001-Rev 2);
3. Marriage Certificate or Marriage Contract;
4. Birth Certificate or certified true copy of BI-issued Identification Certificate as Filipino citizen of the Filipino spouse;
5. Photocopy of passport bio-page and latest admission with valid authorized stay;
6. Valid National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance, if application is filed six (6) months or more from the date of first arrival
in the Philippines;
7. BI Clearance Certificate;

How long ago did you accomplish this?  What was the impact on the budget?

Lem

I filed all paperwork with the Phil. consulate to get my wife a resident visa before I moved here.  All that went down the drain for 2 reasons:

1.  Immigration officer at the port of entry stamped my wife's passport as a balikbayan instead of something else that would have allowed the resident visa application to be processed
2.  Even if #1 did not happen, we had 1 week upon arrival to submit the paperwork.  We didn't because we were told we had 1 year to file.  By the time we found out, it was moot because of #1.

So we started all over again.  While they indicate what documents to bring, sometimes it fails to mention how many photocopies of the documents need to be submitted with the original.  Some of the forms you fill up also require additional documents to be furnished.  Bring folders and fasteners.  We wasted time waiting for the stores to open so we could buy these.  Bring ID photos as well. I lost count how many they asked.

Because our wedding was solemnized abroad, I was told a marriage certificate would not suffice as it lacked the stamp of a certified true copy from the Phil. consulate where I got married.  This threw a wrench into the process so it grounded to a halt.

I was told to file a late registration of marriage with another govt. agency, Dept. of Foreign Affairs. That came with its own set of documents to furnish, fees to pay, affidavits to draw up notarize, etc.  Sadly when I presented these to the DFA, I was then told it was not required because I was not a Filipino citizen at the time of marriage.  All for nothing and that cost me a pretty penny in lawyer's fees.

So I went back to the BI and finally submitted by application.  I went back for the interview after which I paid another fee to get the provisional visa good for 1 year.   We filed the permanent resident visa in Nov. and got the approval in Feb. We immediately went to the BI office but learned we needed to pay the fee and come back in a few weeks.  Why?  Because they ran out of plastic iCards to issue.  Sigh...

I'm from here so it could have been worse.  But be prepared to burn time waiting for your turn, going back and forth a few times before you see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Good luck.

One important info:

Prior to the end of the 1 year probationary resident when you now apply to for an amendment to a permanent visa, you will be asked to surrender your probationary iCard.  The minute you do that, you cannot leave the country until you receive your permanent res. iCard which can take anywhere from 2 to 4 months.

Only way to travel during this period is to file a waiver.  Takes 3 to 4 weeks to process and good for single use.  Yes, you need to file an application, submit documents and pay fees AGAIN.  Leaving the country without doing this will nullify your entire application and could subject you to a hefty fine as an overstaying alien. 

No 2 ways about this.  My father in law passed away and the only way out for my wife was to take this step and wait 3 weeks before she could even buy her ticket that cost 3x as much as regular fare.

I am an Australian and 3 years ago i first applied for the temporary visa.  PHP little over 10kl.  12 months later apply for a permanent visa. Just short of 10kl. The downside of the permanent visa is if you have to go abroad it will cost app PHP 5kl. Increases all the time. Also if you are late paying the renewal each year 300pesos the penalty is very large.

Can anyone be of assistance where find link for sample of joint letter for permanent visa from 13A Probationary, also sample for affadavit continous cohabitation, as believed have it sworn by lawyer. Can clarify my wife has changed her status to our married name, from my understanding if she uses this it have be same on all documents joint letter and sworn affadavit.
Thanking You

How long was your tempoary visa good for? Thanks!

Not a lawyer and not very BoI experienced, But in 2 years i have learned, DO NOT submit anything on any form that invites additional questions, no matter how easily answered.  Think of this as the most persnickety teacher you ever knew on steroids.  Please remember the reviewers have to show they are doing their job.  If there are no problems then they are not doing their job or their job is not needed.

Lem

Best if your not close to a BOI office maybe you can find a lawyer certified to do permanent visa, I did my own and went back and forth I don't know how many times, but a friend of mine got his last year and used a lawyer certified by BOI the cost was p5000 they had no problems, the next time it will cost p1000 for Permanent visa, but beware of lawyers look around, there is one here in Davao City I used to make my letters to BOI for permanent it was p1000

Hello;

Just back from completing a successful application at the Cebu BofI  for probationary permanent residency by marriage to a Philippine citizen application.

1. Follow the checklist on the BofI website.
2. Add to it 5 additional copies of the passport bio page, current unexpired visa, and original entry pages.
3, retainer clips (2) for papers in the file folders for the two hole punch, the one with the holes closer than 3 hole punches, for the 2 files they will be assembling for you.
4. Just shy of 12,000 peso
5. total of 4 photos
6. Notarizing Wife's petition letter was 300 peso.

The fees are all included, visa, photo they take, fingerprinting, i-card, and express lane.  That 2500 peso fee is added for every time you must visit a new window, of course there is only one line for each stop.