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What is everything that I need in order to move to the Philippines?
joethebaritone
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What is everything that I need in order to move to the Philippines?
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Already lots of excellent answers here. Some other thoughts. Do find a good woman and marry. The process can be daunting some but she/he will be a lifesaver here. When I’m without my wife I get noticed and approached a lot. With my wife, everything is fine.If your wife works there’s a chance her company might offer health insurance and allow you to get a card too. Use private hospitals and find a good doctor(s) to get all your monthly meds, if needed. It’s smart to live near a good hospital.Find a good neighborhood to live in. Just look around. You don’t need a mansion but you do want something safe and reputable. There are some areas and barangays that are super to live in, and some not so. Security is paramount so wherever you live make sure you got a big strong gate around your place. For around $200-$300 you can rent a nice home in a nice area. But you got to look.Filipinos are very good people. Many speak English. Your doctors, lawyers, hospital folks and many others speak it very well. So try to have in your circle of friends some lawyers, doctors, nurses and other professionals. You never know when you might need them. I’m lucky as my wife and her family are friends with RTC Judges, NBI, Fiscals, lawyers and others in business. I’m not sure if they like me though, lol.Immigration. If you like it here and stay, you might want to get a Filipino immigration attorney and to pay/get a permanent residence card. Maybe even do a dual citizenship, if possible. It cost money, but reasonable. Otherwise, you will be paying a lot every other month for overstay fees.Don’t draw attention. Dress moderately. Only wear your best watch and jewelry on a limited basis. Value privacy as Filipinos do. If it’s not your business, don’t make it so. Be helpful to your inner-family circle. Always keep coins in your pocket for the children and others. And when you first arrive here be prepared to bring/buy lots of gifts for the children and relatives. A must.Try to keep your money back in the states. If you’re on a pension or other monthly income, you’re probably going to use an ATM here and withdraw each month, so let your financial institution know you are going to be here during certain dates. If not, you might find a hold on your funds. This means also keep a bank account alive in the states and in the Philippines too. Easier said than done.Keep a US address. This is imperative if you want to continue to receive mail. Find a relative and pay them to forward your mail every other month or so. Change your DL to that address and any other mail you want to receive. I keep a US phone number and address at all times. I keep in touch with family there too using Skype, emails and phone calls. You really got to have both continents going until you end one.Always be respectful and polite to Filipinos. We are guests here and should act accordingly. Say ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’ and learn some Tagalog. Learn to nod well and smile occasionally.Get a car! Hopefully your wife/partner drives here. And if they do they deserve a medal as driving in the Philippines takes courage and smarts. It’s no fun riding in a tricycle praying all the time, or jumping into a jeepney and bump your head constantly, so get a car. It’s one way to get around a lot easier and to travel. You’ll feel safer.Good Luck!
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Money – and a fairly large bank account full of it. It’s cheap here, but unless you are an expat, forget working unless it’s as a beach bum or operating a franchise (see below).A Filipin/a/o – girl/boyfriend or wife. This is more or less essential in order to get around and not get ripped off (except by her/him). If you want to buy a franchise, property or land you can’t, only your gf/bf/wife can unless – possibly – you become a Philippines citizen, which takes years.A passport from a country which is allowed a visa on entry to the country. Not all countries are – check the website. That will give you one month, and it’s around P3,000 to renew for another month. If you have a Filipina wife, you get a year on “balikbayan” before exiting and re-entering for another year. If you are not married, then it’s expensive to extend for 6–12 months. “Expensive” is of course a relative term.Anything that you can’t do without from your home country – if from the UK that means Marmite, Bovril, Birds Custard Powder, Weetabix, Raisin Bran, Branston Pickle and sugar-free peanut butter. Even when you find somewhere that sells what you want, expect it to run out after a month or so and never reappear. No one uses EPOS here, just POS.Good luck – it can be a nice place and pretty cheap to live, depending on where you are from.