ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Philippineswebsites to purchase and deliver items in Philippines
I used to use myregalo.com. Never had a problem but they seemed a little expensive.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-15 12:27:00
PhilippinesBuying a plane ticket for wife to fly from Manila to USA
I purchased the ticket on-line from Delta and had it emailed to my wife. There was no issue with the ticket and no one asked her for a credit card or anything. They did however get an additional Php 1600 at the Delta counter because the ticket was purchased outside the Philippines.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-15 06:01:00
PhilippinesPaying tax??? CFO said so???
My wife and daughter had to pay ~1600 php each because I bought the tickets on-line and not in the Philippines. This was in addition to the normal departure tax. They collected it at the airport.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-24 09:10:00
PhilippinesATTN: ALL Filipinos in the US. WHAT DO U WISH U BROUGHT WITH YOU IN THE US?
My wife wanted to sneak Purefoods hot dogs. She misses those.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-23 18:24:00
Philippinesst luke...accompanying
There have been husbands turned away at St Lukes. Darrell and Gretchen come to mind, as he complained about it on this forum for days.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-25 07:11:00
PhilippinesWhat is the NBI with "AKA"
My wifes (fiancee then) visa was delayed for this issue. She had NBI clearance in her maiden name, and her married name (husband deceased). However there was a misspelling in her middle name on her birth certifcate. That had been corrected a long time ago, but the consul official noticed it on the birth certificate and made her get another NBI clearance on the misspelled middle name. Delayed us about two weeks.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-11-24 16:29:00
PhilippinesNo Father Listed on Birth Certificate (Philippine)
My step daughters birth certificate has no father listed. It was not an issue and was never even questioned at her K1 interview. Additionally, when I adopted her in the states, it made the adoption much easier. We got to skip the "newspaper publishing" stuff and putative father search.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-11-26 08:25:00
PhilippinesEngagement ring, bring or ship? VAT- (Tax?)
One other thing that is weird. When they calculate customs duty, VAT, and sales tax (yes you will pay all three if you ship it), the shipping cost is added to the value of the item. For example if you pay $3000 for the ring, $50 to ship it, and $50 to insure it, you will pay customs on a value of $3100.00. Also, the shipper will add additional fees in addition to the government taxes.


Will there be any extra charges from the shipping provider?
Additional charges will vary from company to company, however the shipping provider may charge:

a customs clearance fee, or customs handling fee for processing the import declaration
an advancement fee for paying the duty and VAT on behalf of the recipient
an airline handling fee for loading and unloading the goods
a security fee for screening or x-raying the goods
a fee for preparing the customs declaration


Bottom line - Carry it to the Philippines. Best of luck in your journey.

Edited by DaveE, 06 December 2012 - 10:14 AM.

DaveEMalePhilippines2012-12-06 10:12:00
PhilippinesEngagement ring, bring or ship? VAT- (Tax?)
If you ship it your customs and duties will be more than 100% of what you paid for the item. I shipped a pair of $100 sneakers to my daughter in the Philippines. She ended up paying $140 in customs and duties before they would deliver.

Now I hand carry everything.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-12-06 09:41:00
PhilippinesValidating Credit Card for Plane Tickets
I think much of it depends on how often you use that credit card to purchase airline tickets. I am a Delta Skymiles member and use the Delta Airlines American Express card to buy online tickets through the website almost every two weeks. When I bought my fiancee and her daughters' tickets through the same system, there was no issue. No one at the Manila airport asked them to show anything relating to the ticket purchase. They were however required to pay 1600 PHP each because the tickets were not bought in country.

I have read on this site that some folks were asked to show copies (front and back), of the credit card used to make the purchase. It just didn't happen to us. Good thing, because they wouldn't have had it.
DaveEMalePhilippines2011-04-18 19:40:00
PhilippinesHelp! Re: Booking Flight for fiance
Delta in Manila didn't ask my wife and daughter for anything except ~1600php because the ticket was bought on-line and the Philippines travel tax wasn't paid.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-23 09:03:00
PhilippinesDual Citizenship and Passport Renewal

I know this is an old thread, but my question is, how would the Philippines government ever know? Seems like a big waste of time to 'retain' something you've never lost....



When she obtains US citizenship they will take her green card. That means she can no longer enter the US on a passport from the Philippines. She can't leave the country on a filipino passport and return on a US passport. When she scans her US passport, the system would know she never left the country using it.

Just opening yourself up to a bunch of issues that no one really wants.
DaveEMalePhilippines2013-03-22 09:29:00
Philippinessending money to the family back in the phils

It will never be enough. If you send 300, they will need 400. If you send 400, they will need 500. I guess I was lucky in finding a woman who's family understands that my money is just that - my money. I work, I spend, I save, I budget. I laugh at people who send money regularly back to the Philippines to their family, and then wonder why they want more. Think about it, if someone was sending you money every month, and your mentality is to spend every peso you get, (filipino mentality), then of COURSE they need more. They will ALWAYS need more. It is never ending, and it will BE never ending, until you end it. This is not to say that sending money to your relatives is bad, it is just that when people EXPECT it, there isn't any reason to get up in the morning and be productive - their salary will be waiting for them at M Lullier once a month. :bonk: Wake up and send what ever makes you feel good, you can easily afford, and stop trying to support 2 families on 1 salary. It sounds mean I know, but believe it or not, people here find a way to survive when money doesn't magically appear at their closest Western Union. It's called work. :thumbs:




While I agree with most of what you say. The part bolded and underlined disturbs me. No one in my extended filipino family has ever asked me for a dime, (or peso). They work hard and save every available peso to put their kids through college. To say spending all you have is filipino mentality is just flat wrong. I send money every month to my step daughter to help with her college, while she works full time at a call center and goes to college full time. Over generalizations will get you every time.

Edited by DaveE, 05 October 2011 - 08:08 AM.

DaveEMalePhilippines2011-10-05 08:05:00
PhilippinesYoung filipino children adjusting to American Lifestyle
My daughter was 14 when she arrived and started school two weeks after she got here. She had a full day of international student placement testing prior to determining grade level. She did so well that they advanced her to 10th grade at 14 years old.

She will graduate high school this May at age 16, and start her freshman year in college. She is fully assimilated into the culture and is virtually accent free.

Kids will adapt much faster than adults, the younger the better.
DaveEMalePhilippines2013-03-26 13:50:00
Philippinesneedr answer urgent to all filipina members pls...
Yes you need NBI clearance. This is from the US Embassy Manila website:
Pay particular attention to the highlighted section. They made my wife get a second NBI clearance because she had a misspelling on her birth certificate. She had the birth cert corrected long ago, but US Embassy Manila made her get an NBI cert in both spellings.

4. NBI CLEARANCE (Green Form): Applicants aged 16 years and older must have a valid Record Clearance (for travel abroad purposes) from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Clearances should be in the applicant’s current name, birth certificate name, maiden name, married name, and any aliases or nicknames ever used, including different spellings of all names ever used. An official letter of explanation from the NBI is required for any notation of “No criminal record”, or "No pending case”. For immigration purposes, an NBI clearance is considered valid only for one year from the date it is issued. You may contact NBI at (632) 523-82-31 to 38. The NBI website is http://www.nbi.gov.ph.


US Embassy Manila
DaveEMalePhilippines2013-04-09 11:16:00
PhilippinesBalikbayan boxes being raided?
We send a box a month and use LBC or UMAC. Never had a box opened or anything missing. Normal transit time about six weeks from Georgia. LBC is coming to the house today to pick one up, and deliver another empty shipping box
DaveEMalePhilippines2013-03-30 16:39:00
PhilippinesTraveling to Phillipines with Jewelry?

My wife wears hers. She told me that when we are in the Philippines, she knows when and where she can wear it, and be safe.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-13 10:30:00
PhilippinesFlights from US to Philippines

Yep I remember the $800 days. Three of us going back on May 29, about $1500 per.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-02 13:44:00
PhilippinesA Filipina in Air Force Basic Training

I  enjoy reading your updates, and it brings back a lot of memories.  Basic is really all about stripping out your individuality and making you part of a team. Of course that is in addition to the basic military stuff you must learn, ie rank identification, customs and courtesies, military history etc.

 

I can remember going through every emotion you write about. Toward the last week, elation starts to build as you can see the end.

 

Will she be going to a tech school? 

 

Heck, I liked it so much I ended up staying on active duty for 30 years, and still work on an Air Force Base.

 

 


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-01 07:17:00
PhilippinesDid your first green card have your maiden or married name on it?

The Green Card will be issued with the name she had on her passport. If she didn't change her passport to her married name before she finished the visa process she was out of luck. If she wants to change the name now she will have to get an updated passport from the Philippine Embassy here in the US before she can get her Green Card changed.

 

 

My wife's 2 year green card was issued in the name on her marriage license, not the name on her passport.

 

 

When we finally got around to visiting Washington DC, she went to the consulate and registered our marriage. At that time she changed her passport to the married name which then matched the green card..


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-23 07:39:00
PhilippinesRenew Passport in DC instead of area embassy
My wife got our marriage registered, and her passport renewed in her married name while we were in DC last year. She is a conditonal green card holder. It was no issue. We are in the Washington DC consulate area though.
DaveEMalePhilippines2013-01-07 19:11:00
PhilippinesObtaining a Driver's License in GA

Yep the regs say EAD, but they wouldn't accept it at Warner Robins or Perry. Both places called Atlanta and had some bozo supervisor tell me that it was  GC or nothing. I even printed it an showed them, all they said was "next".

 

In any case the GC came about a week later. Pain in the butt that it expires with the green card, then you have to renew when you file for ROC and get the extension letter; then renew again when you finally get the 10 yr green card.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-06-29 16:18:00
PhilippinesObtaining a Driver's License in GA

DMV would not allow my wife to get her drivers license until she had her conditional green card. Drivers license expires same day as the green card expires. They also run your information through the SAVE database to verify legal presence. 


Edited by DaveE, 29 June 2013 - 04:47 AM.

DaveEMalePhilippines2013-06-29 04:44:00
Philippinessending electronics in balikbayan box.
Yes we shipped numerous laptops, Blu-Ray players, and an air compressor. Never had anything missing.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-12-06 10:18:00
PhilippinesUS fiance singleness

 

To get married in the Philippines, yes, US citizens do have to provide documentation that indicates they are single and capable of being married. Since the US doesn't track that information a US citizen must appear before a Consul at the Embassy in Manila and swear out an Affidavit in Lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry. It is the only documentation that the US government will provide and it is not universally accepted by registrars in the Philippines and the Consul will warn you about this when you are about to swear out the affidavit.

 

 

Correct, and it depends on where you will get married. In the US, (each state may be a little different), you just apply for a marriage license and certify (check the box), that you are single.

 

If you will marry in the Philippines you are supposed to get a document from the US Embassy or consulate. This is from the US Embassy Manila website:

 

The Philippine Government requires all foreigners to provide a "Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" from his/her embassy before filing for a marriage license.  Below are the instructions for applying for the U.S. Embassy's version of that document.

 

 

Instead, the U.S. Embassy provides an Affidavit In Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry. The affidavit is the only document the U.S. Embassy is able to provide. If the local registrar refuses to accept the affidavit, there is nothing that the U.S. Embassy in Manila can do. It is the applicant?s responsibility to verify directly with the local registrar their requirements.

In late 2011, the U.S. Embassy learned that the following local registrars had refused to accept the Affidavit In Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry as a viable alternative to the Philippine document: Makati City, Quezon City, Davao City.

 

Some folks have married without it though depending on the "receptiveness" of the local registrar.

 

 

Link to the US Embassy webiste:  http://manila.usemba...v/marriage.html

 


Edited by DaveE, 19 July 2013 - 07:28 AM.

DaveEMalePhilippines2013-07-19 07:24:00
PhilippinesAnother CFO Problem

 I am a little confused, CFO does not have consuls.  Sounds like her interview at the Embassy more than CFO


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-07-18 06:45:00
Philippinespaying for the other fees. who pays?

I paid for all. It would have bothered me to no end to think that we would delayed by "months", while I made her save for anything in the visa process.

 

Your relationship is your business and your business only. All I am saying is that my wife would have been devastated if I had told her she has to pay for her part, and I would be  willing to wait months for that to happen.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-07-19 07:45:00
Philippinesmoney transfer service to Philippines

I always use Remithome.  I never worried about the fees just reliable service. I have never had a problem in over five years using them. They charge a flat rate of $10 for a transfer; so small transfers are not really cost effective.

 

When you sign up the first transfer is free, and every tenth transfer is free.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-14 07:33:00
PhilippinesTicket booked MNL to ATL!

Ahhh the memories

 

 

My wife's Korean Air flight from Manila was also late 3 hours. Barely made the plane in Korea.

 

 

Heck, my wife missed the connector in JFK to Atlanta. I drove up from Warner Robins to meet a 7PM flight. She actually arrived at 1AM then next morning and was not a happy camper.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-20 10:55:00
PhilippinesTicket booked MNL to ATL!

Wife and daughter just got back on July 31st,  MNL-NRT-JFK-ATL.

Going over was nicer ATL-NRT-MNL.. They stayed two months, I could only stay two weeks.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-15 08:43:00
PhilippinesAdvice - Purchasing airline tickets prior to interview

I played that game and lost. There is a reason the embassy tells you not to purchase tickets until the visa is in hand.

 

 


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-20 07:39:00
PhilippinesNBI different name spelling

Hello;

 

      Dave E, how long was your wife's visa delayed? That's kind of what I wanted to find out. If it's a long time then, maybe I should get another one to be safe; if it's just as long as it takes to get a NBI, then maybe we could take our chances, & not bother, until directed to do so. 

 

Thanks,

 

Rob_D

 

 

She got the new NBI document under the misspelled name in a few hours, (we bought the local NBI person lunch). Once at the Embassy, it took about a week for the visa to be issued.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-23 12:58:00
PhilippinesNBI different name spelling

My wife had a misspelling on her birth certificate, that had been legally  corrected years before.  At the interview they delayed her visa and made her get another NBI, with both the correct and incorrect spellings of her name..


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-20 12:39:00
PhilippinesBALIKBAYAN BOX concerns

We use LBC or UMAC. Both are about the same price ~$89 for a big box. My wife can get 150 lbs of stuff into a Balikbayan box.

 

Takes 4 - 6 weeks to arrive.

 

We have never lost anything in shipment.

 

We normally ship - make up, electronics, (Blu Ray players etc), small kitchen appliances, canned goods, clothes, shoes etc. . Basically we send whatever our daughter requests - about six boxes a year.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-08-27 08:14:00
PhilippinesPictures to show during USEM interview

I front loaded the application with many pictures. At the interview she wasn't asked to provide any. The CO did hold up some of the ones I sent and ask questions about them.


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-09-04 07:16:00
PhilippinesPositive from TB skin test...
I am not a medical person, but can relate to our experience. My wife had a clean Xray, her minor daughter (14 at the time), failed the skin test. They did ot delay her and both were given visas, K1/K2. The issue must have been documented in their immigration packet because at POE (Detroit), my wife was instructed to take our daughter to the local health (Georgia), department for examination.

We really didn't think about it much until about two weeks after POE, we got a letter from the Georgia department of health instructing us to report to the local health department with our daughter. The letter also alluded that if we did not, Des's K2 immigration benefits could be in jeapordy. Basically they were saying that if she did not go to the health department, Georgia would notify USCIS.

We were sent to get her another chest XRay and bring it to the health department. The health department doctor put Des on a regimen of medicine for nine months. She had to take a series of pills every day. Once a month she had to go to the health department for a physical and blood test. All of this was at no cost to us.

At the end of nine months she was given a document that says she should never take a skin test again because it will show positive. It also states that she underwent the course of therapy and there is no problem.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-10-24 11:59:00
PhilippinesBalikbayan Box
We use LBC throught the local sari sari store. the price is $89 for the jumbo box that my wife stuffs at least 250 lbs in. After shipping you can go on line to the LBC website, and track the progress of your shipment. We live in Georgia and our boxes always go out of Jacksonville Florida. It usually takes about 4 - 6 weeks to arrive in Manila.
DaveEMalePhilippines2012-01-19 11:57:00
PhilippinesUS Naturalization and Dual Citizenship

Really not worth arguing about. My wife took my name, but while we were at the consulate in Washington DC, the lady told her it was perfectly legal to keep her maiden name for her new passport if she so desired. We were there to register our marriage and get her a new passport in her married name.

 

From one of the consulate web pages FAQ: 

PASSPORTS

Q: I recently got married, do I need to change my surname and adopt the surname of my husband?
Married women have the option to retain their maiden name or adopt the surname of her husband or her maiden surname with the surname of her husband added. However, once she adopts her husband?s surname, she cannot revert to her maiden name unless her husband dies or the marriage is annulled or she is divorced by a foreign spouse. An authenticated death certificate, court decree or marriage certificate with the corresponding annotation are required for reverting to the maiden name.

 

http://www.philconge...n.net/faqs.html

 

 

 


Edited by DaveE, 02 May 2013 - 11:52 AM.

DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-02 11:47:00
PhilippinesUS Naturalization and Dual Citizenship

I think the correct answer is that you get to choose which one you use. On the Bureau of Immigration Philippines web page there is a section on dual citizenship. One of the notes under procedures and document says "(Note: applicants who are married and who wish to use their married names must submit a copy of their marriage certificate).

 

 

http://immigration.g...d=163&Itemid=83

 


DaveEMalePhilippines2013-05-01 20:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportshow do you guys stay in contact with your significant other?
We used Magic Jack and had no problems. When my wife moved to the states she wanted to keep in touch with everyone. Now I six of them all over the Philippines. Local call to all from my cell phone or land line.
DaveEMalePhilippines2011-02-02 11:35:00