New members of the Philippines forum, introduce yourselves here - 2021

peace and love...

onefogarty wrote:

I'm living in BGC, I'm from Canada, 50 years old...just looking to see if there are any expats here in Taguig City that want to socialize.
Cheers!

NIce.  Looked at BGC myself but my familiarity with  Legazpi Village is what I went for.  I love the capability to use PNR, LRT and MRT and Legazpi Village checks all.   I bought a condo there for future use.  I see myself early retiring there in 2024 earliest or 2025 latest.

It would be nice to have a buddy of same age and from America so I may message you when the day comes I am settled in Pinas. 

Cheers!

SRRV holder since 2009. Now 73yo and surviving.. despite Covid and the New World Order.

Michael, coming as soon after January 15, 2022, as the Philippines allows me in.

Manolo Fortich, Mindanao planning to marry fiance.

nm01974   pm me..

Where did you hear January 15th?  U.S. is in the yellow lane for tourists being allowed.  I haven't seen anything yet as far as date we are allowed in.  I have a plane ticket already for March 3rd - April 3 to Cebu... But just hoping it is a go...

Right now Philippines are not accepting tourist yet but who knows by first quarter of the year, the government will decide to open our country for tourists again.

Hello All,
I am Ross from Canada.
I can't wait until I can travel to Philllipines. I was there last January 2020 when the Taal volcano exploded... Forst time I had volcano ashes on my hair..
I am planning to live most probably somewhere on Mindanao island. I like that island.
I am looking to rent first, not sure will reestablish there for good but who knows..
I used to be in costruction business, particularly in construction stones like granites, marbles, quartz, limestone. Nowadays I am more into RH.
Cheers for now.

That is the same time I was there... Ash all over my Toyota Vios... Lol...

https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/72TQKstBvtdk

My girlfriend moved us out of that apartment in Dasmarinas, and back to our little house on Mindanao up above ipil.... I hope to be there SOON!!  We tried to meet in Thailand... I made it fine, but she was stopped in Manila... she had never flown before out if country, and customs stopped her because of that... 😡  I spent a week in Quarantine in Bangkok... then just flew back to U.S... Serious bummer!  I plan to put a ring on her finger as soon as they open to tourists... Can't wait!  Sounds like very soon will open... I have a ticket already 🤞🏻 for February.

Wellsfry wrote:

My girlfriend moved us out of that apartment in Dasmarinas, and back to our little house on Mindanao up above ipil.... I hope to be there SOON!!  We tried to meet in Thailand... I made it fine, but she was stopped in Manila... she had never flown before out if country, and customs stopped her because of that... 😡  I spent a week in Quarantine in Bangkok... then just flew back to U.S... Serious bummer!  I plan to put a ring on her finger as soon as they open to tourists... Can't wait!  Sounds like very soon will open... I have a ticket already 🤞🏻 for February.

If there will be delay and you will find the waiting to long its/has been possible to solve it by marrying online and use that to get permit to go to Phils.  (As a guy managed to do even without met his wife before!       other than webcam. They seemed good people and very happy when they finaly met after he had been in quarantine.)

yea I saw that Video with Ryan and Chu.. on Gio's YouTube... very cool and seem to work flawlessly.. I was even thinking of doing that myself if things go awry in the Phils come 2022

I saw that... I heard she is pregnant already also.  I do not believe in on line marriage... especially just to travel... But am happy for any that do.  We will wait... plan, and then do it.  I do 100% plan to Marry my Gerelyn... Face to face... and on a beach.(hopefully on Our own beach front(plan to look hard in the Dipolog area when I arrive soon))

wow.. didn't know that... best of luck to you my friend... me, I'll still be waiting to go in with a Tourist visa until they say you can't..

Hello,
Just joined and interested to hear different interest and opinions, I am married to a beautiful Filipina for 2 years now (anniversary is 12/29) , we've been together for six years she is still in the Philippines I am here in Northern California still working towards retirement (technically can retire 2022) we have a home already in Cam Sur and I travel to PI as often as I can which isn't very often since the Covid, used to go 4 times a year.
MarknLily

Hello markbagley1959,

Welcome to Expat.com

We hope that you find the forum's threads to be informative. If you are seeking insight on specific topics, I would encourage to also start a thread of your own on the Philippines forum. 

All the best,

Diksha
Expat.com team

Hi there,
Do you have any more infos about this marriage online?
Thanks in advance.
Ross

RossBee wrote:

Hi there,
Do you have any more infos about this marriage online?
Thanks in advance.
Ross

Have you seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GmZoXGmubY

I just saw that marriage online are not officially recognized in Philippines. That's the end of my inquiry.

tell me more... can you point me in that direction of intel please.. thank you

You could find it at the link below:

https://brideandbreakfast.ph/2020/05/22 … gal-in-ph/

It's hilarious how one says it's legal in one country but not legal in another one.   

As long as one government logs it in as married, that is it.  I think that Philippine Law on marriage only covers 2 Filipinos marrying.  OMO.

Well, according to Phiippines law the couple must be in presence...
So, for me I would not take a chance but this said, everybody do what they want.

RossBee wrote:

Well, according to Phiippines law the couple must be in presence...
So, for me I would not take a chance but this said, everybody do what they want.

How about those that did virtual weddings in US?  Do they suddenly become single if they retire in PInas?  If so, it will be very advantageous to guys because we can just marry 20 Pinay girls who require marriage before honeymoon, knowing after that we can leave them and the Philippine law protects us foreigners.  Whoopeee!!!       I do hope that would be the case as I already have 20 Pinay friends I can propose to and have honeymoons with on my visit next year.   

My wife and I actually did the virtual wedding thing as a way for me to get into the country last year. It was not our first choice but it allowed us to have the ceremony we planned here also even if it was just for show at that point. Our marriage is recognized by the Philippines and is registered with PSA. The certificate from the US does not mention if it is virtual or not. Since US marriages are recognized ours is also.

Hi all, I am new to the forum and new to wanting to move to the Philippines.
I am in a new relationship with an amazing Filipina who has herself recently returned to her hometown after living in Australia for a couple of years and Japan for 25 years.
I plan on visiting her as soon as the border is open, but my long term goal is to retire there.
She owns 4 properties there, 2 with houses on them, so I will have no need to rent an apartment etc.
I'm here to gather more info on what it takes to retire there, and what it's like to live there.
As I am a programmer, I'm also interested in maybe doing freelance work whilst there to help support us.

I dont believe that,...this is not recongnized by Philippines governemnt.
Give proofs please.

Ok I am not going to post any legal documents here but let's me see if I can simplify this for you. Utah, a state in the USA, allows online marriages. They are treated like every other marriage in Utah. You receive the same marriage license as anyone else. This is a legal marriage in the USA. Philippines recognizes marriages in the USA. Therefore it is legal. I filed by report if marriage with the consulate in San Francisco California as that is the consulate over that area of the USA. I then received a visa as a spouse of a Filipino. If this was not valid I would not have a visa so believe what you like but I can only speak of my experience. So just like my driver's license from the US, the Philippines recognize it therefore it is valid here and I do not need to test for a Philippines license to attain a Philippines drivers license.

Ok do you have a spouse visa given by the Philippines USA Embassy
Please show it.

Yes I do. Actually I am on my second since our marriage last year. As I just return in September. I stated above I am not posting legal documents here as no one should for personal safety. I do not care if you believe me and would not even have gotten involved in this conversation if not for your statement of a correct but misleading fact. The way this works is in the Philippines you can not get Married online. You are correct but that does not matter in this as you are not getting married in the Philippines. It comes down to does the Philippines recognize marriages from where you get married. They answer to that is yes from the USA therefore as an online marriage is reported as a marriage, no special notation or difference, it is recognized in the Philippines. If you still do not believe that it is fine but maybe do some research about recognition maybe at the link below to start:
https://webwedmobile.com/2020/10/24/get … ilippines/

RossBee wrote:

Ok do you have a spouse visa given by the Philippines USA Embassy
Please show it.

Don't be ridiculous

Thank you for your reply and explanations.
I did call the Philippines embassy and was told online marriage are not recognize in Philippines, thus my questionning.
You seem sincere so I accept that for you it may have work.
Thank you.

Dont mix with others talks so you wont look ridiculous yourself.

RossBee wrote:

Thank you for your reply and explanations.
I did call the Philippines embassy and was told online marriage are not recognize in Philippines, thus my questionning.

You asked PNodems to prove it, So prove you called the Philippine embassy,

Nobody ask you to be part of this discussion and btw why dont you show your face? scare?

RossBee wrote:

Nobody ask you to be part of this discussion and btw why dont you show your face? scare?

As long as your opinion is out for public discussion it is open to other opinions, even about you.

Actually I had my photo posted at one time, once a photo is posted Google can search for that image and your privacy is gone,  They can search billions of posts with photos in a fraction of a second and find a match.

For example there is a RossBee from Canada on Youtube with 38 subscribers.

I suggest anyone thinking about virtual marriages does their research. While it works I do not think it is the right option for everyone. If we had not already taken many steps for our wedding in the Philippines I would not have done this. We had spent years planning our wedding and deciding on which country it would be in. The only reason we found this was due to covid and it being suggested via Twitter by if I remember correctly, Locsin from the DFA. That is what got us to research it. We found a company that was performing these weddings, got way overcharged, but we are married legally in the USA and after submitting our ROM legally recognized in the Philippines.

If you wish to try this the only advice I can give is to research and make sure you know what is happening every step of the way. I would not do anything different today but I understand I threw away a lot of money. Also, remember the important question on this is does the Philippines recognize weddings in the country you plan on getting married then does that country allow virtual marriages without special notation. We had a great seconds wedding in Devine Mercy Parish in Silang in January. While my family was unable to attend we had the wedding in the church as we both wished and my family watched the live stream.

thewinnards wrote:

Hi all, I am new to the forum and new to wanting to move to the Philippines.
I am in a new relationship with an amazing Filipina who has herself recently returned to her hometown after living in Australia for a couple of years and Japan for 25 years.
I plan on visiting her as soon as the border is open, but my long term goal is to retire there.
She owns 4 properties there, 2 with houses on them, so I will have no need to rent an apartment etc.
I'm here to gather more info on what it takes to retire there, and what it's like to live there.
As I am a programmer, I'm also interested in maybe doing freelance work whilst there to help support us.

(Beside the problems to get in now because of covid)  its EASY for foreigners to be allowed to live in the Philippines. It demand VISA and some update meetings with the Immigration, but there are several Visa types to chose from e g:
/"Tourist visa" which can be extended up to max 3 years total. Cost some more, need more visits to the immigration but is very easy to get so many living there long time use this anyway.
/SRRV  "Retirement VISA". Demand a rather big deposit and take time to get, but more convinient.
/"Marriage Visa". Take time to get, rather convinient to have. When being married to a Filipina, I suppouse this is best.


You need a WORK PERMIT even if you will work for a company located elsewhere than the Philippines, but if so I suppouse you get work permit approved. 
OR start own business in the Philippines if you aim at frilance. Need work permit too but I suppouse get approval if you tell them you will go for customers abroad.  When at least 60 % of the income at it come from abroad, then can foreigners have the power and own whole, otherwice max 40 % mostly and foreigners are NOT allowed to have majority power.


Concerning how it is to live in the Philippines, you can check topics in this forum and start a new if you wonder something you havent found or want newer info. 
There can be big difference concerning WHERE in the Philippines you live though.   Some tell they have been hunted just because being foreigner, while others living elsewhere e g an American say its the safest place he has ever lived at although he live close to NPA guerila at Palawan, but he say NPA dont bother anyone who act nice.  An other said they found it to dangerous in Batangas where his wife is from, so they moved to Palawan.  That dont mean all people are nice at Palawan, there are some a...s there too       e g some try to take land.