Marrying and going to live in Cebu...help please!

[Beacon]

Hi folks

I first came to know my Filipina g/f over 2 years ago. We were friends for all this time until we fell in love 6 months ago and found soo much in common that we really want to spend our lives together long term as we are each others life partner and soulmate.

We are both in our late 30’s and would like to marry next summer. This means a year apart as I have to save up enough money to move as my salary is very average in the UK.

This summer we spent a couple of weeks together at short notice (going back for Christmas). Having been in Asia before I liked what saw in Cebu and of course it helps when your future wife is local!

From the start we said it would be better for me to live there in Cebu. My girlfriend owns her own house and runs a small/medium size but successful family business, we also plan to start our own business.

Fast approaching 40 I find the whole prospect of starting a new life a bit daunting!

What I would like to know is how we go about marrying in Cebu (it would be civil wedding) and my moving there in mid 2008. What do I/we need to do after marrying to begin the emigration process?

This is something we both feel is right and want to do even at our stage in life. Any good advice anyone can give would be very welcome.
Many thanks

[Chrisirene]

hmmmm im sorry i never married yet.....Keith will help you for that....cheers

[KeithD]

Can you not use SEARCH? Or read Pete's site mentioned at the top? Then come back.

Why you'd want to move and lose all your UK pension, health rights, etc is beyond me.

[Beacon]

Can you not use SEARCH? Or read Pete's site mentioned at the top? Then come back.

Why you'd want to move and lose all your UK pension, health rights, etc is beyond me.

Well for one thing I am new here. So I don't know my way around and a bit upset at your comment

Secondly my g/f has a condition where she cannot fly so her coming to live here is not such a good idea.

Thirdly I have hardly any family and she has all her family there.

If you have been to Cebu you will see a lot of mixed couples. Even in the short time I was there, we commented on how many we saw and she sees a lot day to day.

We already have a house and business there plus my g/f has some other rental property for students. So we plan to develop this further

Yes I am very aware of the issues of moving to Cebu. My g/f has opened my eyes fully to this.

There is nothing to keep me here and I do wish to be with my partner.

All I am asking for is some advice to get me going. Does that answer your question?

[baboyako]

Why you'd want to move and lose all your UK pension, health rights, etc is beyond me.

Yea, I spent a great deal of time & thats all I could come up with.

Trade in a crappy pension & NHS, for endless sunshine, beaches, cheap beer and... I'm sold.. get me to the airport

[KeithD]

So I don't know my way around and a bit upset at your comment

You get upset being informed to use the Search function & Pete's site, which contains the answers to questions we get asked, over...and over...and over.....we're not a bloody charity you know!

[KeithD]

Trade in a crappy pension & NHS, for endless sunshine, beaches, cheap beer and... I'm sold.. get me to the airport

My pension is great, the NHS is fantastic, I have excellent high end broadband, and no typhoons, mud slides, volcanos, earthquakes.....

[Beacon]

You get upset being informed to use the Search function & Pete's site, which contains the answers to questions we get asked, over...and over...and over.....we're not a bloody charity you know!

Firstly I don't know Petes site, posting the address may help. Secondly saying "it is beyond me why you want to leave England" that bit upset me. what I am doing is with good intent and I did explain myself more above.

Ok life is too short to argue, lets not cause a dispute

[baboyako]

My pension is great, the NHS is fantastic, I have excellent high end broadband, and no typhoons, mud slides, volcanos, earthquakes.....

My PERSONAL pension is great, the NHS is the biggest money pit the world has ever known. Don't ever consider knakering your spine, it will be a 2year waiting list - but I doubt thats why private heath insurance is compulsary where I work .

No typhoons In Davao.

No mudslides if you chose where to live (i.e. away from the mud).

Which just leaves Mt Apo, earthquakes and ...

[walesrob]

Firstly I don't know Petes site, posting the address may help. Secondly saying "it is beyond me why you want to leave England" that bit upset me. what I am doing is with good intent and I did explain myself more above.

Ok life is too short to argue, lets not cause a dispute

You'll find the link to Pete's website at the top of the page, just below the logo. Sometimes me and Elsa also want to move to the Philippines.

[fred]

Beacon.
Good for you mate.
I am a little worried about the business side of things for you in Cebu and it is worth noting that very few foreigners actually make it without some kind of perpetual funds from abroad..
I kind of like the bit where you say that your GF has some property that is generating income from boarders as that is a positive.
Have you actually seen the books for yourself? It is important that you do.
I would also add .. Please be careful investing heavily before you have lived in the country for at least a year or so.
In regards immigrating you have a few options although rather limited as your wife to be is not prepared to leave the country..The simplest method is to renew your visa every few months although this will require you to fly out once a year for even just a day to begin the visa process over again..
If you could persuade your wife to fly with you to HK and back then you can request a balikbayan stamp which will allow you to stay for one year.
After that year you can then stay another 12 months using the 3 month visa extentions. Then fly back with her on a HK return etc etc..
The method that I am applying for right now is a non quota residence visa.
This is a cheaper way to live permenently in the R.P after you have married.
As I am already married I am able to apply for it whilst here in the UK.
Regards British pension funds..Worst investment that I ever got involved in!!
I can get better treatment in a hospital in Cebu than I ever could in this local **** heap they call a hospital here ...and cheaper too.
If I need a major op,I`ll just jump on a plane and see how much of my wasted NHS contributions I can recoup.

Cheers..
Fred.

[Beacon]

Beacon.
Good for you mate.
I am a little worried about the business side of things for you in Cebu and it is worth noting that very few foreigners actually make it without some kind of perpetual funds from abroad..
I kind of like the bit where you say that your GF has some property that is generating income from boarders as that is a positive.
Have you actually seen the books for yourself? It is important that you do.
I would also add .. Please be careful investing heavily before you have lived in the country for at least a year or so.
In regards immigrating you have a few options although rather limited as your wife to be is not prepared to leave the country..The simplest method is to renew your visa every few months although this will require you to fly out once a year for even just a day to begin the visa process over again..
If you could persuade your wife to fly with you to HK and back then you can request a balikbayan stamp which will allow you to stay for one year.
After that year you can then stay another 12 months using the 3 month visa extentions. Then fly back with her on a HK return etc etc..
The method that I am applying for right now is a non quota residence visa.
This is a cheaper way to live permenently in the R.P after you have married.
As I am already married I am able to apply for it whilst here in the UK.
Regards British pension funds..Worst investment that I ever got involved in!!
I can get better treatment in a hospital in Cebu than I ever could in this local **** heap they call a hospital here ...and cheaper too.
If I need a major op,I`ll just jump on a plane and see how much of my wasted NHS contributions I can recoup.

Cheers..
Fred.

Fred

Thanks for some sound advice. This is exactly what I am looking for and gives me and my g/f a start.

I will pass your post info onto her. Regarding her business..well she is a sound business woman and very genuine person I know what she earns and how we want to proceed business wise.

Do agree with what you say about Cebu. although there for just a short time I fitted right in and her family accepted me right away.

Good luck with your endeavours. May well see you in Cebu one day
Cheers
Beacon

[Pauldo]

Hi folks

I first came to know my Filipina g/f over 2 years ago. We were friends for all this time until we fell in love 6 months ago and found soo much in common that we really want to spend our lives together long term as we are each others life partner and soulmate.

We are both in our late 30’s and would like to marry next summer. This means a year apart as I have to save up enough money to move as my salary is very average in the UK.

This summer we spent a couple of weeks together at short notice (going back for Christmas). Having been in Asia before I liked what saw in Cebu and of course it helps when your future wife is local!

From the start we said it would be better for me to live there in Cebu. My girlfriend owns her own house and runs a small/medium size but successful family business, we also plan to start our own business.

Fast approaching 40 I find the whole prospect of starting a new life a bit daunting!

What I would like to know is how we go about marrying in Cebu (it would be civil wedding) and my moving there in mid 2008. What do I/we need to do after marrying to begin the emigration process?

This is something we both feel is right and want to do even at our stage in life. Any good advice anyone can give would be very welcome.
Many thanks

I'm pretty sure you can buy Filipino nationality for not a great deal of money. I used to know an Ozzy guy who'd done it years ago, and he could thus own land there and work. The hardest part would be finding the facts out, as talking to people at the PI embassy in London would be like pulling teeth. As you'll find if/when you move over there, Filipino beaurocracy is a tedious, frustrating and annoying beast to try and reason with.

As mentioned, DON'T go throwing all your accumulated wealth and savings into buying a plot of land or business when you first get to Cebu. It has been done a gazillion times before, and there are a lot of sad guys in many corners of the world with no money left, no wife, and nothing but regrets to show for their little attempt at making a tranquil little 'corner of paradise'.

If you don't take Filipino nationality you can't actually OWN any land over there, but you may pretend to by buying a lease on some. or you can buy it in your wifes name, but it'll never be yours.

Have a real good read of the rest of this forum and you'll find no end of information and advice about the Philippines, and what not do and what NOT to do there. I personally lived in the PI for about ten years, got married there in 2000 and we have a five year old daughter, but we moved back to the UK 4 1/2 years ago for various reasons, so I have more than a little experience with the quirks and eccentricities of the land and people. I'm a little rusty on embassys and visas now though, last visa we got was for my mum in law to come live with us, last January.

[Beacon]

I'm pretty sure you can buy Filipino nationality for not a great deal of money. I used to know an Ozzy guy who'd done it years ago, and he could thus own land there and work. The hardest part would be finding the facts out, as talking to people at the PI embassy in London would be like pulling teeth. As you'll find if/when you move over there, Filipino beaurocracy is a tedious, frustrating and annoying beast to try and reason with.

As mentioned, DON'T go throwing all your accumulated wealth and savings into buying a plot of land or business when you first get to Cebu. It has been done a gazillion times before, and there are a lot of sad guys in many corners of the world with no money left, no wife, and nothing but regrets to show for their little attempt at making a tranquil little 'corner of paradise'.

If you don't take Filipino nationality you can't actually OWN any land over there, but you may pretend to by buying a lease on some. or you can buy it in your wifes name, but it'll never be yours.

Have a real good read of the rest of this forum and you'll find no end of information and advice about the Philippines, and what not do and what NOT to do there. I personally lived in the PI for about ten years, got married there in 2000 and we have a five year old daughter, but we moved back to the UK 4 1/2 years ago for various reasons, so I have more than a little experience with the quirks and eccentricities of the land and people. I'm a little rusty on embassys and visas now though, last visa we got was for my mum in law to come live with us, last January.

Pauldo

Again thanks for some good advice. I will pass this onto my g/f
Cheers
Beacon

[andypaul]

Like Fred says i would look into the business i know its your girlfriend families and it seems sucessful. But you need to just make sure all is well for your self.
Moving over to phill seems great and i think alot of us are tempted.
I saw a programe today about brits moving to spain and that a sizeable percentage move back after around four years. As things don't turn out as planned for one reason or another.

You have to think about what would you do if things turned sour? If you fall out with your Wife or family who do you turn to?

What do you do if you outlive your Wife? I don't know the inhertiance laws in phill but.... The fact its almost impossible to own a business or propety without at least one Phill citzen being involved ( im not expert on the law so this may not be totally accurate) this could pose problems.

On the postive side hundreds if not thousands of others have moved over and its out long term plan to have a place in the UK and Phill as for us as a couple the UK and Phill complement one another.

I wish you both much hapiness and good fortune together.

[Beacon]

Andy...

Thanks for some good info. We have both talk a lot about these issues and we have long term outlook.

Gettign married at 40 is not just on a whim (my g/f is 38). We are very serious and hopefully know where we are going and at my age I know it is big thign to do and that it wont be a bed of roses.

One step at a time. Getting engaged at Christmas is our next step and then my spending a motnh there next summer, I can do this as I am support staff i na school

[Beacon]

Forgot to say thanks to everyone so far (inc Andy) who has given good advice

[fred]

Fred

Thanks for some sound advice. This is exactly what I am looking for and gives me and my g/f a start.

Any other questions,don`t hesitate to ask..
Cheers.

Fred.

[baboyako]

Any other questions,don`t hesitate to ask..
Cheers.

Fred.

Lottery numbers for next saturday?

[Yossarian]

So what's the position with state and occupational pensions if you decide to go and live in PI? Presumably the pensions will still be paid and not lost? Certainly seems so for state pension according to the official website:

Can my UK pension be paid to me while I am in another EEA country?

You can be paid a UK State Pension (with an extra amount if you are aged 80 or more), in any other EEA or agreement country.

You will get the same as you would get in the UK.

Which countries does the UK have a social security agreement with ?

The countries referred to in the these FAQs which the UK has agreements with are:

Barbados, Bermuda, Cyprus, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey and Guernsey, Malta, Mauritius, Philippines, Turkey, USA, Yugoslavia (applies to the Republics of the former Yugoslavia)

[fred]

Lottery numbers for next saturday?

I nearly posted them here but then had a scary thought..
Id have to share the winnings with you lot.

[Beacon]

Any other questions,don`t hesitate to ask..
Cheers.

Fred.

One other question...After I am married and come back next summer what is the first port of call so to speak to start the emigration process? I am guessing it is the PH embassy here.

What forms/docs do i need to ask for. Forgive me for sounding dumb but having never done this before it is like learning to walk.

[KeithD]

Have you tried looking on the Embassy site? They have the latest information, up-to-date, as the buggers have a habit of changing it on a weekly basis

[ginapeterb]

One other question...After I am married and come back next summer what is the first port of call so to speak to start the emigration process? I am guessing it is the PH embassy here.

What forms/docs do i need to ask for. Forgive me for sounding dumb but having never done this before it is like learning to walk.

Beacon,

Keith is right pal, you have to start doing some leg work for yourself, what you have to realize is, the moderators and regulars on this forum have sat reading posts like yours for a long time now, in Keiths case over 3 to 4 years, in mine and Robs, at least 2 years, so we get pretty used to guys like you coming on, fresh faced out of the Phils and asking these questions, I will if you will accept my advice, give you some simple places to start ok, and its good advice, so please take it......

1st

Go to my website at http://www.british-filipino.com and look at some of the help links there, as Keith says, this will give you a broad outline of what the requirements are for marriage in the Republic of Philippines, then start preparing for that.

2nd,

You speak of living in the Philippines, once you have got married, what you would need to do, if you are considering starting a business, is that you are entitled once having got married to the balik bayan privilidge, which means you would be able to live for at least a year in the Philippines, providing you entered at the same time as your wife to be, now this may be a problem, since if your wife never leaves the Philippines, you would not be able to take advantage of that, also on a tourist visa, you are not entitled to work on such a visa, (even RP has its own set of work regulations for foreign nationals, even those married to Filipino citizens).

As far as your setting up a business is concerned, you might wish to go to the section of my website which gives some pointers on it before you comtemplate taking any hard earned capital you have into the Philippines for a business, that can be found at

http://www.british-filipino.com/investor.html

This is a good guide to sober you up, before you go and start setting up this business or that one.

Once you have read that, if you still feel that you would like to go forward with a business, then really, you should start researching as much as possible about what you will do, and how you will do it, get lots of information about your market sector, and think of every possible scenario before you go, once you have read my section, on businesses, you will start to realize that their are roughly 3 types of foreigner business person living in the Philippines, and there are lots of them, once you see where you fit in, you can decide where your future lies.

once you have done this, you will need a visa of some kind to work in the Philippines, even if you are married to a Filipino citizen, you still dont want to be subject to immigration control, if you wife does not leave the Philippines, the balik bayan privilidge, is not of much use, so I would then start to contact the Philippine Embassy in London, the Embassy is at 9a Palace Green, next to the Romanian Embassy, just up from the Israeli Embassy, you can actually park outside the embassy, there is a ticket machine there, the embassy approach road is on the crown estate, but can be accessed from the top end off Bayswater road, just tell the guard you are going down to the Philippine Embassy, and you get waved through.

You can also take a tube to the embassy, on the Circle Line, Kensington High Street is nearest station, turn right outside, and walk up, about 10 mins, you will see Palace Green, running up the side of the Kensington Thistle Garden Hotel, ( access from the bottom end of Palace Green)

Just be wary of public holidays at the embassy, check first on their website at: http://www.philemb.org.uk/

Things like Bonifacio day and other holidays may mean your trip to the embassy has to be aborted, dont get caught out, but you will need to go and visit the embassy to apply for

The Special retirement visa ( USD 75,000 INVESTOR)

This is one where you want to retire in the Philippines whilst married to a Filipino citizen, from what I can gather, and after speaking to applicants before when I have been at the embassy, the cost is around £150.00 and the procedure, involves a chest xray, and a documentary check on your means of living.

You will also need to deposit in US Dollars at least 75,000 in the Philippines, if you have that amount of capital, the Philippine Embassy will advise you of the new rules regarding this.

Such as your Capital, or pensions, the Embassy will check out, that you can afford to support yourself if you wish to retire in the Philippines, if you inform them that you will set up a business, you may have to produce quite a lot of documentation to prove that you can do so.

My advice is not to get a retirement visa on that basis, it would be better to get a retirement visa on the basis that you wish to just retire on your Capital savings and any other means of income, you should have no problems obtaining that visa, if your documentation is in order.

Then once in the Philippines, you can then start a business once you are settled in the home of your wife to be.

If you plan to live in the Philippines for more than 30 days ( actually living) and not on holiday, you will also need to apply for

an Alien Certificate of Registration, you will also need to let Immigration finger print you, the office for this is at

CEBU

BI Regional Office. P Burgos Street, Tribunal, Mandaue City, Cebue. Tel (011-63-32)345-6442/6443/6444.


If you do not apply for the retirement visa, you will constantly be having to leave the country and fly to Hong Kong, and then come back, and re-enter the Philippines, however, you may also wish to keep extending your visa with immigration locally in Cebu, this is also possible, you can take your passport every so often to Immigration bureau, and they will for a fee extend your stay, this can be done for up to a year, but eventually, you will have to leave the RP, this site might help you....

http://www.gov.ph/faqs/immigration.asp

Also, this might help you

Don Herrington, who lives in Cebu, would be a good contact for you, he is an American who knows Cebu like the back of his hand, he has also lived there as an ex pat for several years, Im sure he would talk to you, if you meet up with him.

His website is at http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/#1

This website is full of useful help to anyone who contemplates living and retiring in the Philippines, including businesses, he also can tell you about visa extensions and how to work with the Immigration system there.

Dons page here is paticularly useful http://www.livinginthephilippines.co...html#visa_fees

I hope this helps you now Beacon, but really you can do all this research yourself, but it gives you a starting place,

Pete

[KeithD]

....and if people don't give Pete REP for that

[fred]

Pete.
I think it is good to re answer some questions periodically as things change all the time..For instance the new requirements for the SRRV (retirement visa) have changed.
The new deposit/investment required by those over 50 has been reduced to $20,000. For under 50`s its now $50,000. Although this looks a more viable proposition than it was there are some hidden charges there which still make the 13a route the best option..
If I was beacon,I would just go there and extend my visas for a year..If everything goes pear shaped then he can just take the lonley trip home..
If however he is marrying a Filipina with her head screwed on with some boarding property producing regular monthly income and he decides he is able to stay,then a quick trip over to HK and back will keep him in the country for another year..By that time perhaps he can persuade his mrs to take the next visa trip with him so that he can avail himself of the balikbayan privilege..(3 years in total with option to extend to 4th year)
If by some miracle he gets to this point ,then this is the time to consider residency which can be sorted in the R.P easily enough.
Research on the internet is OK to an extent but you can`t beat guys that have actually done it sharing their experience first hand or people that are actually there doing it NOW!!
No point me telling him what I have done in the past as one of my 59 day visas was exceeded by 3 years!!
I wonder if you can find out how I got away with that by researching the net?
BTW...Nice site you got there!!

[joebloggs]

who wants to live inside an oven everyday, when you can live in a fridge, i wud rather be tooo cold that too hot. as for nhs , well its excellent, my wife works for it, and seeing the government has made it impossible for non european doc's to work for the nhs, i like the nhs even more, at least soon, my wife will have a better chance of working as a doc here for the nhs, with a nice nhs pension, why would you want to live in pinoyland and work as a doc and get paid £100 a month, one month's wage for a SHO in the uk is more than a yrs pay for a doc in pinoyland...

anyway my wife will be using the nhs on sunday when she will give birth to our baby son

anyway what you got to loose you can always come back,,,,,

[ginapeterb]

Pete.
I think it is good to re answer some questions periodically as things change all the time..For instance the new requirements for the SRRV (retirement visa) have changed.
The new deposit/investment required by those over 50 has been reduced to $20,000. For under 50`s its now $50,000. Although this looks a more viable proposition than it was there are some hidden charges there which still make the 13a route the best option..
If I was beacon,I would just go there and extend my visas for a year..If everything goes pear shaped then he can just take the lonley trip home..
If however he is marrying a Filipina with her head screwed on with some boarding property producing regular monthly income and he decides he is able to stay,then a quick trip over to HK and back will keep him in the country for another year..By that time perhaps he can persuade his mrs to take the next visa trip with him so that he can avail himself of the balikbayan privilege..(3 years in total with option to extend to 4th year)
If by some miracle he gets to this point ,then this is the time to consider residency which can be sorted in the R.P easily enough.
Research on the internet is OK to an extent but you can`t beat guys that have actually done it sharing their experience first hand or people that are actually there doing it NOW!!
No point me telling him what I have done in the past as one of my 59 day visas was exceeded by 3 years!!
I wonder if you can find out how I got away with that by researching the net?
BTW...Nice site you got there!!

Thank you for this post Fred, of course your post is correct, its good to periodically check on these important questions, and I would 100 per cent agree with you, I note the differences and reformed retirement visa amounts, they are obviously lower than at the Bureau of Immigration is currently showing, of course their websites are slow to be updated, thanks for the welcome comments about my site, its always nice to hear feedback from readers, and your comments are welcome on the fact that he can extend to a total of 3 years, a bit of jiggery pokery helps.

Best wishes Fred

Peter

[KeithD]

anyway my wife will be using the nhs on sunday when she will give birth to our baby son

.....and your son made these arrangements did he? He may have other plans

[baboyako]

my sister is a nurse & she says the nhs is crap. The only 2 times I've needed it I had to stump up the cash myself (over 1k each time) & go private.

It might be good for the minority that require intensive therapy, but for the average tax payer it's a money pit. A friend of mine has a spine problem & she is being asked 50k for the operation, or wait until she is incontinent before she can have the op

I'm with Beacon & would leave blighty like a shot. If you prefer cool weather, go and live 2000feet up - much cooler than city/beach.

Unfortunatly, as everyone knows, the salaries only come near to what we get here in either HK or singsing