Comments on: Green Card Verses ACR Card – Differences in Residency

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:44:41 +0000

Jed,
I looked at the link. It is either old or just wrong.

By: Jed

Jed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:07:25 +0000

No I wasn’t confused, I read it here:
http://www.living-in-the-phili.....ines.shtml

Ok, thanks.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:47:11 +0000

Jed,
You might be confused with the SRRV Visa which is a Retirement Visa. With a SRRV visa you need to put an amount of money into a time deposit or some investment to receive the visa. You do not need to be married to a Filipina for that.

For a 13(a) Residency Visa all you need is the following:

13(A) The wife or the husband or the unmarried child under twenty-one years of age of a Philippine citizen, if accompanying or following to join such citizen;

Checklist of Requirements for Non-Quota Immigrant by Marriage Under Section 13(a)

1. Duly notarized letter of application by the Filipino spouse;
2. General Application Form duly accomplished and notarized (BI Form No. MCL-07-01);
3. NSO authenticated copy of Birth certificate of Filipino spouse;
4. NSO authenticated copy of the Marriage Contract of alien and Filipino spouse or authenticated by the Philippine embassy/consulate nearest to or in the place where the marriage was solemnized;
5. Bureau of Immigration (BI) Clearance Certificate; and
6. Plain photocopy of passport of alien spouse showing dates of arrival and authorized stay.

Besides the copies of your passport, the rest is all on your wife.
First you receive a one year temporary residency. About 2 months before it expires you need to go through it all again to file for your permanent status.

After you get your temporary residency, you then need to apply for your ACR I-Card. This is the ALIEN CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION which is similar to the US Green Card. All you need there is the forms, photos and photo copies and of course the fees.

By: Jed

Jed — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:07:04 +0000

I have a question about the application process for the 13a Permanent Visa:
What exactly do you need as far as paperwork? And do you need to prove financial stability, and if so, then how? (Because I was told that you need to show that you have $10,000 US in a bank account available to you? Is that true?)
And what other paperwork is needed?
Thank you!

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:23:14 +0000

Ian,
Tell her to go back to Dubai, bring her daughter save her extra income and forget all her family and friends. This way she can save for her future instead of supporting others that just want to live off her hard work.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:07:55 +0000

Alantooth, I understand why Filipinos want to work abroad. I also understand how it affects this country, both good and bad. Look at my article "OFW, Good or Bad for the Philippines" and tell me what you think.

By: ian

ian — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:43:12 +0000

My wifes friend just returned from 2 years in Dubai. Had to leave her family and baby to work like a slave there [ very demanding boss!]
But do you know what depressed her most? it was that when she came back here every family member she had ever heard of was there with their hands out asking – some demanding!- that she give them money ! In the end she had to sell her lap top and new phone for the fare to go back to Dubai !! She figures it would be better in future to stay here and work for 250 pesos a day in the mall . At least she wouldnt have to miss being with her daughter in order to support a bunch of free loaders. [ her words- not mine!! ]

By: alantooth

alantooth — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:51:07 +0000

hmmmm… i think you don’t understand why filipinos want to work abroad, if you were workin in a government or any private companies minimum wages here ranging from 175php-300php/day 8hrs/day meaning to say you’ve been working for an hour and you received just a little, not included the SSS, BIR, PHILHEALTH and etc., i knew you can’t blame them from migrating or workin abroad, the government!! yes the government!!!, philippines were known in the world as number #2 in corruption, GOD BLESS PHILIPPINES… hayst!!! if you ask me also? if given a chance to work abroad? i’ll grab also the chance and leave our country, but.. still in practice as culinarian, i hef to finished this first…

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:47:20 +0000

Ian,
So a Filipina living in the Philippines can be deported to the Philippines. hahaha

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:46:43 +0000

Randy,
It is terrible where greed wins over logic. But it is the law here. I have heard of many cases where a Filipino OFW supporting a husband, wife or even boyfriend and while the person is away, there faithfulness and support is used for wrong purposes.