Comments on: Honestly, do you really want to live here?

By: Mindanao Bob

Mindanao Bob — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:31:24 +0000

Hi Mike – You would not go for a 13g visa, but rather a 13a. 13g is for being married to somebody who is a former citizen, but your fiance is currently a Philippine Citizen, right? So, it would be a 13a.

After one year, you just need to go to the Bureau of Immigration to remove the conditional status of your 13a visa, after that you can stay here forever, never need to leave.

The cost of living here varies widely, Mike. We all have different preferences and desires. In general, I usually advise people that they should budget around $1,500 per month to live a nice life here. It can be done for much less, but I would not be comfortable on less than that.

By: mike.t

mike.t — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:24:14 +0000

hi bob its mike agane here i just red the 13g visa has change for one year may i ask thenafter that year do have to aply for another and were i have go to aply for i planeing getthe 13g here in states out from chicago phil immigrtion so if thay change this do i have to to manila usa immigrtion or to phil immigrtion and may i ask how muc can my wife to be and i can live on monthly for she lives in one bed room and big liveing room and bath with washer and drying furnesh there she only pays $50.00 month rent and then i ask her in tottle of of all with rent and lites and water bill on an high gues what of totle it be the cost she sand with high gues it would be in al of 135.00 monthly that is dart cheap come pare liveing in the usa for all so i no the ways there are defront and cucher of things but i no and filli can fit right in with them there but only thing trubel with is an income monthly for i am 57 now and plane to retire of age 62 so that gives me another 4 some what years i can retire early age but bob i dont what to wate that lone to reside there i no at times you have to be pashut but here i am trired stugerly ever day month to make ie here things here gone up so much of all things and places going out of busnes pepple loseing there jopss by laying off and i am suer here of all this over there but pepple there seem more relax more setel and thay help one other more there for any thing but here its not like that here its dog eat est dog every man for hem self abd same famelys has change all so from a brother or sister things not like it use to be here i am sorry i seem much her etalcking about here but bob its i am tired liveing in such a fast pase here and wondering one day or not i can make it here for yes i come there its an chance but we all dont make a chnce then hwo we no it be better on the other side of the feance i no i am not to exspeck roses there but here its same way i am sorry of some of my spelling but i hope you can under stand what i am saying so any thing you can berfide me on the visa i thanck you and may i ask one other to statr a bunse there what typ visa i have to aply for so bob i thnack you and may god bles your and famely from mike t.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:39:27 +0000

Hi Rudy and Ivy – Nice to meet you, my new friends! Thank you for your very kind comment. Whenever you are in Davao City, we can all get together – you and Ivy, Klaus and Rosanna and Feyma and I! It will be a great visit! I’m looking forward to it. Maybe your son and his wife can be around to join us too!

By: Rudy & Ivy

Rudy & Ivy — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:15:30 +0000

Dear Bob!
My wife and I follow nearly every day all your very interesting comments about any matters concerning LiP. You put a lot of personal feeling and experience in it, we really believe your honest comments which come from your every day living there in the “true Philippines”.

We have also been already in contact a lot with Klaus. We would like to mention that all your LiP writers are excellent.
Excuse my English writing – in case of a mis-spelling, both of us are German nationals, my wife was Scottish by birth. We still live in South Germany but we have very serious intentions to one-of-these-days to retire for good and “depart” in Davao City.
We love the PH people/culture/behaviour/etc. and everything with it – positive or negative.
Our son is married to a Filipina since 2001 from Davao City – both of them live near us in Bavaria. However, they want to buy a house in Davao within the not too distant future, in which we very much want to retire. Our reasonable pension should do the job for a fairly good existence in Davao City, although basic commodities have gone up a lot according to our daughter-en-laws opinion.
But this will not pre-cancel our plans and dream to come to Davao.
NB; we both are quite fluent in English, presently healthy, and at an age of 64 & 61

Therefore again, we are extremely happy that we found your very useful website some time ago. All these information is very useful for us considering our plan to immigrate for good to Davao City.
(Bytheway, we lived/worked many years abroad, in West Africa & Middle East – we experienced sub-tropical climates and non-European hard living conditions).

Please keep on with your site & magazine – it is a really an excellent one Regards to all writers of the LiP!
PS Perhaps looking forward to meet you “Mindanao Bob” in person one-of-these-days in Davao City for a cool beer

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:54:11 +0000

Hi Kier,

I am not an expert in this by any means, but here is some information.

If you want to become a non-resident Canadian citizen living abroad for tax purposes, you need to follow a number of steps to do so. Most have to do with severing ties with Canada in a number of tangible ways — no real estate unless it is a rental property, cancel provincial health insurance, etc. The CRA website will give you much of the information. You will also need to file a special form with your final tax return that you submit to CRA.

If you are unsure if your status as a non-resident will be acceptable to CRA, it is best to talk to an accountant who has filed the paperwork to CRA before. They can help you work through many of the steps that helps demonstrate you are really moving abroad to be a resident in a different country and not simply trying to avoid paying Canadian taxes.

Again, if possible, please seek the aid of a qualified accountant as it is not expensive and they really can help you navigate through the process. I am sure if you do so you will have greater confidence in your filing and know that you are doing as much as possible to make sure you have followed all the proper procedures.

I hope this is helpful.

By: Kier

Kier — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:13:40 +0000

Hi any1 here Canadian citizen, if a Canadian decide to migrate and live in other country. do you need to informed the CRA that ur not going to file tax return? or do you have to? also does worldwide income let say if a Canadian like to reside in the Philippines and do business. Will he be paying taxes also to the Canadian government?

Thank you

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:24:36 +0000

Hi Alvin – Yes, any type of resident visa in the 13 series has a 1 year probationary period now, regardless of where it is issued.

Regarding the birth of a child in the Philippines, it will be a Philippine citizenship due to birth, and also you can file some papers with the US embassy to get US Citizenship for the child as well. It is all very easy to do.

By: Alvin

Alvin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:21:16 +0000

Thanks for the recommendation Bob. about the 1 year probationary, does this apply to the 13g visa as well that is issued by Phils. embassies/consular office here in the US? I think 13g visa is what the consular office here in SF will give my wife and kids since i am a former filipino citizen.

another question bob. what if my wife gives birth there in the phils, what options do we have to legally declare and register the citizenship of our new born?

thanks again.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:00:43 +0000

Hi Alvin – I have a 13g Resident Visa. From the day it was issued to me (May 2000) it ws good for the rest of my life. Now, they have changed that, new resident visas have a one year probationary period. This visa makes it easy to get a work permit, but you cannot own a business as a foreigner. Since you can get dual citizenship, I’d recommend that highly, because then you have the best of both worlds.

By: Alvin

Alvin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:08:53 +0000

Hi Bob,

so i’m curious? i’m assuming that you have a permanent resident visa while living there. did your visa allow you to work or start a business there with no problems? how long is it good for from the initial approval? was it good enough document to prove that you are legal to work or engage in a business there in the phils.? i have been trying to decide whether to get a permanent resident visa or just do dual citizenship. what do you think? Thanks.