Need Philippines Visa extension info/help.

[swisstrav]

I am a US citizen and visited the PI for parts of this past Jan/Feb and did my scuba diving in Cebu and Bohol. My stay was within the 59 day visa limit.

My situation:
I am in the preliminary stages of planning a return trip to the PI for this coming Sep/Oct/Nov starting my diving in the Puerta Galera and Sabang areas.
My dilema is the Visa extension. 59 days is the max stay with a pre-departure visa from a Philippine Consulate. Extensions are issued only in-country at immigration offices.

My problem:
Immigration offices seem to be few and far between from what I have been able to learn so far. The website link to their locations is not working. My internet research tells me in-country travel agents can aslo obtain visa extensions as your physical presence at an immigration office is not necessarily required. I have not been able to determine if that requires designated agencies. I may or may not spend all 3 months in Mindoro. I may go back to Bohol and over to Leyte or other location(s). Regardless of my agenda I would like to find a means to extend the visa without having to fly or ferry to a major city. Of course if there is no other solution then I would have to work that trip into my itinerary.

My Question:
What is the easiest way to get an extension, if there is one? Can anyone here give me the name of travel agents or other authorized agencies that can get me a visa extension in locations like Sabang and Puerta Galera (Mindoro), Alona Beach (Bohol), Panagsama Beach (Cebu) and Leyte.

All suggestions are greatlty appreciated.

the first 59 days you can do upon arrival at the airport or any immigration office in the provinces. costs incl. express fare is approx. 2800 php. doing it at the airport, you either have enough php with you or if you friendly ask they let you draw php from the atm.

when arriving at immigration counters in the airport the immigration office is just to your left. don't bother and go the the office strait. they will issue your 59 days instead of 21 days.


if your first destination is pg i personally would do it there. i.e your hotel, travel agent etc or yourself can do it in batangas. the reason for batangas/province you need a total of 90 days which you can not get at the airport nor in manila (read between the lines)

if you have to extend again after 59 days this will set you back an other approx. 6800php.

i myself have done extensions in dumaguete and davao (when visiting immigrations make sure you wear trousers and closed shoes) in batangas through the resort

just remember in pg it is not worth doing it yourself as you have to travel to batangas. add. cost for bankas and transportation is approx. 700php. you better go diving.

for the other destinations you have to find out whether or not there is a immigrations office. in tagbilaran (bohol) i guess there is one in southern leyte for sure not.

 

[Centrals]

My buddies had their visas extended at PG. No photo was required and the passports came back on the same day.
However, the immigration office in PG does not operate everyday!!!!! The nearest alternative is in Batangas or Calapan.
Check with the diveshop/resort before arriving at PG.

 

[swisstrav]

My buddies had their visas extended at PG. No photo was required and the passports came back on the same day.
However, the immigration office in PG does not operate everyday!!!!! The nearest alternative is in Batangas or Calapan.
Check with the diveshop/resort before arriving at PG.

there is no such thing as a immigration office in pg. they run over to batangas and yes it's done in a few hours. if you stay long enough you can even avail the express charges. but then it takes about 5 days.

i hope it is clear now

 

[Centrals]

According to my reliable source in PG:
There is a Immigration Office in PG and is only open on Monday and Wednesday.
A 59 days visa cost around P5,000.00.

 

[swisstrav]

According to my reliable source in PG:
There is a Immigration Office in PG and is only open on Monday and Wednesday.
A 59 days visa cost around P5,000.00.

your source is not very relaiable!

the first 59 days cost all over the country the same: approx 2800

the remaining 2200 is simply a scam. they run over to batangas and get the extension there. why is everybody going to batangas if you can do it in town?

 

[Centrals]

She is reliable because she is working at a PADI 5* resort in PG. Visa extension for tourist is part of her duty. If she could not do it in PG she would say so.
As far as I am concern there is no such thing as standard in the country eg. The fine at the airport for overstaying in Philippines depends on who you are dealling with!!

I am going there in few weeks time and probably will need her local knowledge on visa extention. I might even accompany her to the IMAGINARY Immigration Office in PG.

 

[swisstrav]

she is reliable. asking for 5000php?????? dream on.

if you need an extension anyway why not doing it at the airport upon arrival? costs: 2800 as it would cost in batangas office

and out

 

[kwhkg]

just fyi there is NO immigration offices in PG. there IS a district office in batangas and a field office in Calapan (mindoro) . You can find all the info at The Bureau of Immigration, Philippines Official Website - MAIN

 

[swisstrav]

@centrals

would be nice to know in which 5* resort this girl is handling visa extensions

seems like 5* padi resort is no guarantee for not being cheated.

but on the other hand isn't padi all about getting your money? still waiting to be requested to make deep diver.........

 

[Centrals]

The Immigration Office is inside the Municipal Office next to the Police Station in PG.
Check it out.