Pea brings back visa consultant JR to explain the newest Philippine immigration rule changes. The retirement visa age dropped from 50 to 40, new low-deposit options exist for military retirees and "high achievers," and widowed 13A spouses can now keep their visas. JR also warns that online Utah marriages are no longer recognized and explains the many ways foreigners get blacklisted.
The big change: retirement visa at 40
- The qualifying age used to be 50. Now you can apply as early as 40
- JR says 40 is a decent age to retire, and that the retirement visa isn't about "sitting on your couch waiting for the day to end." Think of it as permanent residency
Two options: classic and courtesy
- Courtesy option for military:
- For servicemen from the US or other countries with good diplomatic relations with the Philippines
- Covers men who retired at 40 or anywhere under 50, for example due to a service-related disability that forced military retirement, and who have a DD-214
- Lower visa deposit, in the range of $3,000 to $6,000 USD
- New "high achievers" subcategory, added about 7 months ago:
- For people who excelled in business or academics (for example a professor), and also people actively doing philanthropic work in the Philippines
- Requires special approval
- You must show you're connected to a properly registered entity doing philanthropic work, with evidence like pictures, certificates, or contracts
- Pea asks whether a wealthy individual can just show up wanting to do good. JR says they'd need to affiliate with a properly registered Philippine entity. Pea: you can't just strut into the airport "with two suitcases of money"
- Their office has had one approval since the category opened, an applicant connected with the Red Cross doing active charitable work, approved at the $1,500 level. Pea: "That's a good deal"
Visa deposit amounts as JR lays them out
- Regular applicants with no special qualifications in the 40 category: $25,000 or $50,000 USD
- Special qualifications (military servicemen, high achievers, philanthropic work), age 40 to 49:
- With a pension: $3,000. Any pension counts, private or government, but it must be a pension, not income
- Without a pension: $6,000
- Age 50 and above: $1,500 instead of $3,000
- JR: "The older you get, the more chances of discounts." Pea: "The more chances of winning"
How to apply and how long it takes
- Their office starts with pre-qualification. They check your paperwork and supporting documents, then ask the retirement office whether you'd qualify under, for example, high achiever or philanthropic work, submitting the contracts, proof, and pictures
- If the retirement office gives the go-ahead, they prepare the next set of paperwork and lodge it
- Pre-approval takes at least about 1 month
- JR strongly recommends starting while you're still in the US, because some documents must be secured there. Doing it as a tourist in the Philippines is possible, but you may not have the paperwork ready
- After the paperwork is complete and the government office accepts it, about 45 to 60 days
Why get a retirement visa instead of staying on a tourist visa
- "That is your independence." On a tourist visa you have to go to immigration every 2 months for an extension
- If you live somewhere like north of Cebu, those trips may not cost much money but they cost time
- The retirement visa is lifetime
- Pea thinks the Philippines is trying to attract younger retirees, and JR thinks it's enticing to Westerners
Gray area: does running a business count as philanthropy?
- JR's example: a foreigner runs a dive shop and pays school tuition for five of his employees' children. He's not a high achiever, but that could be considered philanthropic work
- It's vague and depends on the evaluator, but "it's worth the try"
Owning businesses on a retirement visa
- Pea asks about owning businesses, going to school, and sending girlfriends to school ("That's another story")
- JR's key tip: if you want to invest, get a retirement visa or another permanent visa before setting up a company. Under the new regulation, that gives you the proper legal authority to be on the board or serve as president
- Expect a circle of government offices: one agency for setting up the company, another for the visa, another for registering the business with the city or municipality
More benefits of the retirement visa
- Lifetime stay regardless of how many times you get married, divorced, or annulled. "They don't care about that," as long as you don't convert it into a 13A
- Freedom to go in and out of the country. "Freedom, independence, and flexibility"
New rule: widowed 13A (spousal visa) holders
- Affects foreigners married to Filipinos whose Filipino petitioner spouse passed away. Previously the 13A would be revoked
- Now you can apply to keep the 13A and become your own petitioner
- It's not automatic. Immigration won't do it for you. You have to apply and they'll check your credentials
Separation and the 13A
- By immigration policy you're supposed to downgrade the 13A at the point of death or separation, or you'll be penalized
- Not living together for a month isn't separation
- If you're no longer living together and your Filipina spouse files a complaint (for example "I haven't lived with him for a year, why is he still on my spousal visa?"), immigration will ask when you separated
- If you separated 5 years ago, they compute your penalty from 5 years ago to the present
- You could possibly be blacklisted, since it's an immigration violation
Visa compliance is the foreigner's responsibility
- Forgetting to renew a tourist visa is on you. "Oh, I live up here and we don't have an immigration office" won't cut it
- "The visa here is actually a privilege being given to the foreigner from the Philippine government. They have the right to revoke that anytime"
Online (Utah) marriages are no longer recognized
- JR has a client who insists his online marriage is fine. It isn't
- During COVID, about 5 years ago, immigration made an exemption and accepted Utah online marriage certificates reported in the Philippines. Now they don't. JR has an active case on this
- Possible reason is a crackdown on marriage fraud, though they don't know the data. Immigration may ask why you married online if borders are open and people can travel
- It can become acceptable if you meet additional requirements: come to the Philippines and do a renewal of vows ceremony. Pea: they have to "consummate the marriage. I love that word"
- Proof is wedding ceremony pictures. JR had a client who edited their wedding pictures for some reason
- Pea says it's very weird culturally to have no pictures on your big day: "You even take photos of your cats every day"
- No pictures is grounds for denial, and you could be blacklisted or blocked from applying for life. "And you're screwed"
Blacklisting
- Overstaying is grounds for blacklisting, even by one day. JR: "Try to do that in the US. Overstay for a day. What will happen to you?" Pea jokes about the "Icebusters"
- Being off-boarded and denied entry on arrival is another path. If you freak out in line you can be deemed an "undesirable alien," and the immigration officer can refuse entry to protect national security. You buy your own ticket home
- Pea notes officer discretion is a touchy subject
- JR's cultural point: Filipinos aren't used to people talking like that. Cursing ("BS, FS") may seem normal to a foreigner even if it's not aimed at the officer, but it's taken badly. "Just be nice"
- The Philippines is decent enough to welcome foreigners, "but just don't be an [expletive] here"
- Raising your voice to justify yourself is a bad idea. JR notes military guys may have emotional spikes from PTSD, but that won't be accepted as an excuse. Your behavior is your sole responsibility
- Criminal records: if you served your time in the US, it depends on proof. As long as you're not on the Interpol list or red list, since countries share that information. Being red-flagged suggests a heavy crime
Where to find requirements
- Online, including government websites and the PRA (Philippine Retirement Authority) website
- JR's YouTube, Facebook, email, and website are linked in the description. His team's visa advisors do consultations to tailor a solution to your qualifications and plans
JR's upcoming services
- A membership program covering real estate and visas, hand-holding clients from step one to finish
- Pea jokes it'll be JR in a Speedo, or "Only Friends"
- He expanded into real estate around mid last year to help people find their "forever homes." Real estate here can be tricky if you don't know the ins and outs, with lots of red flags
- Example: a client signed a contract with an agent who wasn't authorized to sell the property
- Starting driver's license assistance in Cebu. Pea says she's been asking him to do that for years
