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          Welcome, Charlie, to expat.com.  There are plenty of things you need to know about the Philippines,  the good news is Thailand is probably hotter than the Philippines unless you were staying in the mountains.  Let us know where your girl lives plus any specific questions you have about visas, economics, society in general.  Good luck!!

@gojirabug

Welcome to the forum, enjoy.

As a US national you can simply roll up here and avail the 30 day visitor visa free. If you are happy here after a couple of weeks then extend your visa at your local immigration office for up to 3 years then you will need to exit the country for a holiday for 1 or more days, then return and start again, there are multiple visa types here and just takes a little looking.

I would also suggest to spend some time here as it's an acquired taste and a little different to Thailand, the beauty here is most speak English.

Good luck and have a great trip.

Cheers, Steve.

@mugteck  Thank you so much for the response. My girlfriend lives in Danao, about 45 minutes north of Cebu city. You are correct about the heat in Thailand - it is brutal! Glad to know the heat in the Phils isn't quite as bad (though I've heard it's still pretty hot).

While I'm thinking about it, I do have some initial questions on the visa process and some general queries (I need to do more homework on the forum here, so bare with me if these are obvious questions answered a thousand times already):

• I understand as an American I can stay for 30 days without a visa and possibly extend it, but beyond that I'm clueless. Does it make sense to apply for a "9A Temporary Visitor's Visa" or just attempt to extend after 30 days?
• Any good advice on keeping a US phone number while in the Philippines? (I have concerns about two-factor authentication with US based services such as my bank and other financial institutions, but don't want to pay an arm and a leg to Verizon for their international plan.)
• I may want to ship some belongings (some of which are valuable) to the Phils. Any recommendations on carrier services? (Not critical to ship fast - just reliably.)

Thank you!

@bigpearl

Hi Steve - thanks very much for the response. Agreed that a major draw for me is that English is widely spoken. (I spent time alone in rural Thailand and became decent at speaking and understanding basic Thai, but it was still quite a challenge to have meaningful conversations with locals there.) On the topic of visas, you read my mind. This is the big concern for me. The 30 day visa-free entry is extendable up to 3 years? That sounds great and perhaps less strict than Thailand's rules. Does the extension grant you 30 days more at a time, or are there options to extend longer than that? 

Out of curiosity, when you say the Phils are an acquired taste, anything specific come to mind? I fully anticipate some changes in lifestyle and comforts, but would love to hear more about this. Truth is I'm looking to slow down my life and live more simply, so I'll embrace some of the tradeoffs, but of course I don't want to walk into this completely blind. Any thoughts you can share would be greatly welcomed!

Cheers,

Charlie

Hello everyone,

Welcome on board Charlie !

Since the OP has several questions, I have opened this new thread on the Philippines forum for better interaction.

All the best

Bhavna

@gojirabug

but of course I don't want to walk into this completely blind

Presumably you have met your Filipina GF in person before?

gojirbug said. . . .I may want to ship some belongings (some of which are valuable) to the Phils. Any recommendations on carrier services? (Not critical to ship fast - just reliably.)
Thank you!

*

BRO, In your initial post heading says "Process of visiting and living in the Philippines".

Which one, visiting or living?

Don't be such a hurry to ship anything to the Philippines, as you posted, you've never been to the Philippines.

So where did you meet your Girlfriend?

Cebu isn't exactly like Soi 6 in Pattaya, but online romances are.

@Enzyte Bob

To paraphrase FilAmmom: 'I'm hearing crickets again'

@Enzyte Bob Are you seriously suggesting that my girlfriend is a prostitute? This is your response to me?

Morning Charlie.

Bob never suggested that and was wondering if you have ever met your lady so a pertinent question and most would agree that online chats are not the same as meeting in person and spending plenty of time together before any life changing decisions. Same with any country, you like or dislike.

Only a suggestion but I would visit on a visitor visa for some time before considering moving here. In the mean time read plenty of posts on this site from those that live here or ask.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

gojirabug asked. . . . Enzyte Bob Are you seriously suggesting that my girlfriend is a prostitute? This is your response to me?

**

Charlie is that what you read into it?

You never been to the Philippines, so most likely you never meet your girlfriend in person.

So how did you meet her?

You inquired about shipping some items that are valuable, that seems a little impulsive.
   

   

@bigpearl Regarding Bob - I lived in Thailand. I've been to Pattaya. I know what he was suggesting even if it wasn't explicitly stated. I'm here for logistical information on the Phils, not relationship advice. I can handle my personal affairs. Anyway, I appreciate your responses. My original post was simply meant to say hello to the forum and open the door to further communication, as I have no experience in the Philippines. Thanks again.

@Enzyte Bob

Impulsive or reckless? More haste, less speed rings a bell.

To the OP I was with my better half living in Manila for a year and then in Australia for another 6 years before I committed to live here, no hurry and Australia was a great education and work opportunity for the better half.

5 years living here now and don't regret the groundwork we both put in.

Honestly you need to spend time here and taste the flavours and culture, don't put the cart before the horse.

Remember it was you that found this site and asked, have a thick skin and get on with your research either here or our best friend google.

Again good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

@gojirabug

I have direct experience of staying in Danao as I stayed there for a couple of weeks with a lady many years ago. The first thing you should know is that you really need to use local transport to get there, buses or jeepneys because it's so far from the city proper that taxi drivers charge you an arm and a leg to go there. Having said that it is much less crowded and polluted than central Cebu and the lady that I went to visit found a nice house to let in a private guarded estate at a reasonable daily rate, having said that I don't know if you already made arrangements on that front.

The main town center of Danao was a bit sparse when I visited there having only one mall which had a only Giasano store and a Jolibee and not much more to note, but the nightlife is OK with many restobars around there, but you have to travel by motorella around there because there are no taxis to flag down.

@FindlayMacD Thank you for the details on Danao! I'll have transportation taken care of when I arrive and already have a place to stay. Danao seems pretty relaxed, so I'm looking forward to that. Transportation options in town look pretty limited, but my girl has an e-bike and there are plentiful pedicabs around, apparently. That said, for going to Cebu City from Danao, what's the best option? It seems like most locals opt for a bus, which is fine with me, but I'm curious what service you'd use.

@Lotus Eater

It seems the crickets are chirping.

Miss FilAmMums contributions.

Cheers, Steve.

@gojirabug

I think bus is the best option....... or jeepney if you don't mind roughing it a bit hahaha

@FindlayMacD Thank you, sir. I don't mind roughing it. I've spent a good amount of the time on the back of sketchy baht buses in Thailand, so the jeepneys don't scare me too much.

@Enzyte Bob I live in Cebu City at Arc Towers.

@Enzyte Bob I'm with her now..

@bigpearl   I'm  living in Cebu City    Now Steve

Not sure if its a spectacular decision to ship anything until you are settled. The decision is yours, obviously.

If you don't send your items by express, expect 2-3 months enroute. The shippers worldwide will hold your things until they fill a shipping container coming here, then time in transit. The ships aren't exactly supersonic and they may have to visit other ports. It'll be a while...

I'd consider signing up for Google voice. I think you must do so before leaving the US. Not sure of the rate either...

I use a VOIP service for which I pay about $100 USD that has unlimited text and voice calls. My bank doesn't do message verification more than a 2 step authentication though.

Skip

    @FindlayMacD Thank you, sir. I don't mind roughing it. I've spent a good amount of the time on the back of sketchy baht buses in Thailand, so the jeepneys don't scare me too much.
   

    -@gojirabug

When I stayed there I always used to get jeepneys to and from Cebu, I know it's only pesos but make sure you have some small change to pay for the jeepney ride. when I stayed there many years ago the jeepney fare from Cebu to Danao was only 8 pesos, but if you give the guy who collects the money 10 pesos, or 20 pesos, or 50 pesos, or 100 pesos, or even 500 pesos , you're  not going to receive any change once they have your money and they see your a white man (Kano). Even if you GF pays and they see she is with a white man then the white mans tax will apply, and once they decide that is what they are going to charge you then they will refuse to give any change however much you argue. I know it's just peanuts to most foreigners but it is still very annoying.

@FindlayMacD

I know it's only pesos but no matter how little, I really hate to feel cheated.

Skip Scott  said . . . .  I use a VOIP service for which I pay about $100 USD that has unlimited text and voice calls. My bank doesn't do message verification more than a 2 step authentication though.

****

I purchased an Ooma Telo and transported my landline number before leaving the states.

How were you able to set it up for text messages? Are you using a smart phone with an app?

My Ooma Telo is hook up to my computer so I can't send or receive text message. Also on the two step authorization, I never receive the phone call.

Some of my banks will give me the option of an email verification. I can call the banks using voip and log into my accounts using their automated system.             

@Skip Scott I'd consider signing up for Google voice. I think you must do so before leaving the US. Not sure of the rate either...

I use a VOIP service for which I pay about $100 USD that has unlimited text and voice calls. My bank doesn't do message verification more than a 2 step authentication though.

1. I am one of the few here, I guess, who signed up for and obtained Google Voice while in the Philippines, not US. GV does require a US number to base it on and for that I just used magicjack which I had earlier ported from my ooma landline while in the US.  When I did my GV signup I used my VPN and my magicjack "landline" and got my GV number right here in Dumaguete.

2. What is you VOIP service? Is that $100 per year? Hope it isn't per month hut it is a US service so one never knows. You say unli text and voice, is that international free unli or just from US?

3. I cannot understand your statement "My bank doesn't do message verification more than a 2 step authentication though."  First, it looks like your bank does 2FA (two factor auth), right? So do your use your $100 VOIP for that or Google Voice? In my case I must use GV for 2FA because magicjack doesn't work for that, not for messaging, though it may work for audio messaging. I think I selected "voice" and successfully used MJ for that once.  Apparently, many bank softwares recognize a VOIP number and will not send the text message to it. However, Google Voice apparently doesn't appear as VOIP to the bank and the text message does get sent through...I am no expert on this and others might better explain why GV always works for the 2FA text message but many VOIP services like magicjack do not. I wonder if ooma would work. Are you saying your $100 VOIP service works for your bank(s) 2FA text messages? Welcome and thanks for any information.