Recent SRRV Experiences

I feel your frustration Aaron not just PRA but with every thing here, it's like a go slow or how can we piss the client off. Customer service, responsibilities and lack of are the norms.
My turn is coming with them (PRA) and dearly hope it will be seamless. Don't you have an authorised agent to help you through this? On another site I have seen a couple of expats achieve their SRRV status recently, already in the country and applied the week before lockdown.
(Manila)
I do hope you and not them are holding your passport so you can get visa extensions. Good luck and hope you get your answers soon.

Cheers, Steve.

Just an add I have never had a problem with immi in San Fernando City La union for all my visa renewals, they are quick and efficient (5 to 10 minutes) and rare to see another punter in their office........ Easiest transaction in La Union to date with a government department.

Cheers, Steve.

bigpearl wrote:

Just an add I have never had a problem with immi in San Fernando City La union for all my visa renewals, they are quick and efficient (5 to 10 minutes) and rare to see another punter in their office........ Easiest transaction in La Union to date with a government department.

Cheers, Steve.

Visa renewals are not on topic.  It is about initial SRRV applications.

bigpearl wrote:

I feel your frustration Aaron not just PRA but with every thing here, it's like a go slow or how can we piss the client off. Customer service, responsibilities and lack of are the norms.
My turn is coming with them (PRA) and dearly hope it will be seamless. Don't you have an authorised agent to help you through this? On another site I have seen a couple of expats achieve their SRRV status recently, already in the country and applied the week before lockdown.
(Manila)
I do hope you and not them are holding your passport so you can get visa extensions. Good luck and hope you get your answers soon.

Cheers, Steve.

I applied directly with PRA in Clark.  They were very helpful and there appeared to be no reason to use an agent.  Later on, when things came to a halt, I contacted a recommended agent in Manila who was going to try and help (for a fee).  However, both the PRA and BI locked down.  When they opened for business again, and again and again, I contacted that agent again and they were going to help. but I have not heard from them for a week now.  My application was submitted by the main PRA to the BI for "endorsement" and arrived there   But then the main PRA processor messaged me to say that BI was not accepting any applications but that was three weeks ago.

And my initial post/contribution to your thread? If your PRA rep can't give you answers? Certainly don't expect to find them on an expat site, as said others have accomplished through the lockdowns.
BTW the PRA has to deal with immi for your application to fulfil. As of the end of June immi have been working full tilt. OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

Don't jump off the horse when it's galloping mate. Paying a PRA rep is not on, the service is free and an agent should have been appointed and more fool those that fall for this and pay.
The PRA will appoint you an agent to help you through the process included in the application fee.
I am a lowly plebeian that has not been through the system but.....

Cheers, Steve.

That is incorrect.  The BI office in Manila that approves SRRVs has been closed multiple times since June.  Their own website ,the PRA and the agent has verified this.  The PRA processor told me exactly when my approved application was sent to BI.  The very next day BI went on lockdown.  When that lockdown ended there were holidays, disinfections and then another ECQ.  The satilite BI offices mostly stayed open for extensions etc. but the BI in Intramuros is the only office that endorses SRRVs.
I simply wanted to know if anyone else had any success recently.

I don't know what you mean by appointing an agent.  Here in A/C, PRA has its own office which took care of me.  They did the bank, medical and NBI for me.  There are agents here but in normal times they don't do anything that PRA doesn't.  If someone lives in a place where there is no PRA satilite office, it would make sense for them to appoint an agent.  I asked and PRA said no need.
There is currently not much help that can be given since all my documents, application and passport has been approved by the PRA and has been given to the appropriate BI people for their endorsement.
It is the lack of status that is the problem and the fact that I have been without a passport for two months.
I am not worried, yet, about extensions because what PRA has done recently is to backdate the SRRV stamp/card to the last date of extension.

AaronAardvark wrote:

It is the lack of status that is the problem and the fact that I have been without a passport for two months.
I am not worried, yet, about extensions because what PRA has done recently is to backdate the SRRV stamp/card to the last date of extension.

*Pre-Covid : Apr'2019@PRA Manila
SRRV Application & Passport Return:
That sounds about right!...it took just over 1month to receive my passport fm PRA with the SRRV endorsement (lack of status was same then!) which was couriered via LBC to my residence here in Surigao. (There was a extra 200+ peso surcharge...not too sure of the exact amount that I had to pay before hand to PRA for this door to door courier fee!)
The SRRV I.D card was received immediately in Apr'2019 on paying the yearly fee which I renewed for 5yrs.
So I guess a little more patience & I'm sure you will receive your passport soon!
Good luck

My passport has already been with PRA for  2 months.  I didn't know that you could do 5 years  PRA told me the 1st one could only be for one year and after that could only be 3 years.

AaronAardvark wrote:

My passport has already been with PRA for  2 months.  I didn't know that you could do 5 years  PRA told me the 1st one could only be for one year and after that could only be 3 years.

SRRV card Status :
1st Card :
Issued May'2013/expired Jan'2015
(More than 1 year)

2nd : *No Card
Did not renew my SRRV card as my BIR endorsed passport was stolen in Malaysia/Car break In.

3rd: Issued Feb'2019/expires Jan'2022
They made me pay *7yrs in back fee till Jan'2022.

AaronAardvark wrote:

Has anyone gotten a new SRRV in the last couple of months?  I am entering my 6th month after initially applying.  There were no issues with my application it was just the COVID thing.  BI would close then PRA would close then open then close the open then close.
When I request a status I usually get a one or two word reply that really doesn't give any real information.  Things like "we will inform you", "we are working on it".  Last month I got the PRA processor to tell me that my application was sent to the BI for endorsement but there were 3 openings and closings since then.  It really sounds like I am bothering them when I ask.  I cannot really imagine that they are all that busy right now.  How many applications can there be with no one entering the country?  The PRA Facebook page is useless unless you want to know the exchange rate.  Messaging them will result in a answer that either has nothing to do with question or a reply that says contact the processor who doesn't seem to want to be bothered.
Frustrating!

A friend applied just as lockdowns hit. They had his passport and like you, he was waiting for his new SRRV, documentation and the return of his passport.
His rep (also mine),  met him at the PRA office in Makati about 3 weeks ago, where he received his new SRRV visa card and documentation, as well as his passport.

Thanks, at least I know now that they are alive.  Of course with me being in A/C it will add who knows how much time.

I will be getting mine next week.  Can someone tell me if there is an address on the card and if so is there a requirement to change it if I move?   When I turned in my passport and final documents, I told PRA that my address was no longer in a hotel but they insisted that I had to use the address when I very first applied.  My card was printed in Manila and is being sent to Angeles so if there is an address on it, it will be incorrect.

There is no address on the card. 

Your supposed to inform them if you change address but no one asks or checks

Its better not to cause additional paperwork as there are more chances for things to go array

Get it sent to the SRRV satilite office if there is one and collect it from there

Thanks, that is exactly what I was thinking.  After waiting more than 6 months, I don,t want to add any complications.  I guess I will just wait until my card renewal which will be two address changes by then.

Yes.  Don't complicate issues.  Nobody check anyway.

You are correct that no one checks, however, there is definitely an address on the back of my just issued SRRV card.
The PRA told me to change it during the next card renewal.

I received my SRRV card and passport back after stamping inb6vweeks time. I applies on 24th September and got my documents back on 6th Nov. I went through a PRA marketing agent and they are good and the whole experience was smooth.  Yes there were some hick up in between and it was due to the authorities decision to put thing on hold. During my process there came this notification on 24th September as all application put on hold till further notification. This was because of  the decision by authorities due to security concerns raised by a senator because of surgery in applications of certain nationalities.

I was worried it would lead to delay but fortunately Iowa's lucky as my application was already in process of visa stamping.

The entire process for me was smooth and I guess I was lucky to get the whole process in 6 weeks. I give credit to the PRA marketing agency for this as they completed and files my application as it was needed.

The delay normally happens if there are any incomplete application or submitting required documents. The whole process as per SOP is is 4 weeks one week for PRA to validate application and documents and 3 weeks for BI to process. Of course everything depends on the authorities workload.

Hope this helps and gives you hope...if anyone want I can share the details of my PRA marketing agency they are good.

I applied in September 2020, got in just before the shutdown. It was approved late October, got my passport and card a couple of weeks ago (Feb 2021).  I still got to get my SS benefits apostilled. That's a problem, I have no idea how to get a benefits statement with the name and signature of the person preparing and sending it. I asked Manila FBU to send it to me, but they just sent out the benefits statement with the generic SSA insignia at the bottom. I have emailed Mania FBU again, but not getting any response. I'm sure a few of you could help me out and tell me how you beat this hurdle. I am in the Philippines and don't know anyone in the states now.

BTW, I have a service in Virginia that can get the apostille done at the State Department, but I have to send them an original Benefits letter with a name and signature on it...Dang, as if you could falsify 9 years worth of Social Security correspondence and bank deposits. WHY dont they believe...

I got mine in September.  The apostolate thing has always been a source of confusion.  I believe that I have two documents in that status.  One is my SS statement and the other is my DD214 which has an embossed stamp on it.
I have heard that the embassy has started doing notarizations again in a limited fashion.    I came here from Thailand where the embassy and consulate flat out refused to do anything that has money/income involved.  What they do is to have you draft a letter where you guarantee attachments as being legitimate.  But even with that, they would not allow me to include the SS statement.   I would guess that the Manila embassy would be the same but I am not sure.  The PRA does a terrible job explaining exactly what they want, leaving us in the lurch.
Even though my card expires in September, I will be attempting my renewal at the end of March.  Here is what I will do.
1.  Contact the PRA and ask what exactly they want.
2.  Contact the Embassy and find out if they can actually do it
3. Contact an agent who does SRRV and see if they can help (for a fee).

Also, it now appears that card renewals are limited to 1 year at a time.

Thanks for the response. The PRA agent told me I don't have to apostille my discharge papers from Australia, but I do have to get the SS benefits authenticated by the embassy. The FBU is slow to respond, I'll just keep working on it.

Munchie wrote:

Thanks for the response. The PRA agent told me I don't have to apostille my discharge papers from Australia, but I do have to get the SS benefits authenticated by the embassy. The FBU is slow to respond, I'll just keep working on it.

This is frustrating. Received an email back from the Apostille service in DC....................Hello Bob,

Unfortunately the US Department of State requires three things on any federal document; signature, printed name and title.  Unless it has all three it gets rejected.  Unfortunately there is a disconnect between the State Dept and the SSA.  SSA does not want to sign the letters and the State Dept requires it.  Most people go to a SSA field office to get this done, and sometimes they have to go to three or four.

DID YOU ALREADY PAY MONEY ON A BANK. ???

This looks very much like The Netherlands. Only a stamp, no name, no signature.
Thus no authentication and no apostille.

After marrying at the beginning of April and eventually (after paying extra) and managing to get a copy of our marriage certificate shortly afterwards went to NBI here in Cagayan De Oro to get NBI clearance before submitting our application for a 13a visa. The local NBI office was closed due to a Covid outbreak there. The longer it was closed, the longer it took to get another appointment and it was late June before we managed to get an appointment and that clearance. That meant that time was very short before my (allowed) 3 years  here in Philippines expired. I was told at that stage we had to apply for a (motion to reconsider) which we did and then heard nothing until March this year, at which time they hit me with a P33K bill and an order to leave the country by May 22nd......... when it comes to the Philippines  Bureau of Immigration there are absolutely no excuses for the predicament you find yourself in and no fee (however crazy) is off limits.

Get an authorized PRA marketer (free) and they will follow up with that stuff 100% better than the guy you are responding to who is doing it himself. Marketers know the people at PRA and BI and are working hard to get paid their commission from PRA. But get a contract with a marketer before you try filing the app yourself because if you file yourself, you cannot change your mind later and use a marketer (like the guy you are responding to).

You are correct, it used to be 3 years max until covid. Now it is one year max. I just let my marketer handle it by depositing pra fee and her fee 8n her bank account or palawan (this of course is not a free service for marketers, just give a 1.5K tip for each card he/she handles), sit back and wait for lbc ti deliver you new cards within a week.

Apostille of a document is a government notary/certification of a document, sometimes called red ribbon authentication.  My DD-214 was also embossed and we folded that over.  Had my original Retirement letter, current retirement letter and court background, cost me $900usd to get apostilled in Houston, if in a state capital can be cheaper.  Good luck. 

@danfinn I almost fully agree. 

Marketers should be free, but some do charge. Ask before you sign the notice of client registration.  Some pretend (on Facebook) to be an official SRRV page, but they are not, it's just a catcher page and they do charge outrageous fees.

We used your service (with Maria whom some refer to as Mary Rose) and of course your group does NOT charge but service was so good we left a tip anyway. We recommend Van Engin (Maria/Mary Rose) to anybody on this forum who has not yet applied for SRRV. We have no business relationship with Van Engin at all, we were simply impressed with the quality and speed your PRA agency provided 100% free. We did pay a little extra to have a person ride with us in Grab and help get us through the various govt agencies we had to visit in Manila as we did not know Manila very well. $10 per day I think for 3 or 4 days. But that was non-PRA activity and a voluntary service that was well worth it. We also pay a little for your employee to renew our annual SRRV cards which again is very fast and painless. Again, that is not part of the initial PRA pricess.

Thank you, music in my ears. But she works day and night, 24 a day, 7 days a week, calls come in from various parts of the world (not realising there is a time differencel).

She named her company after me: vaningen. It's all her own achievement.