Does anyone know how to get a tourist visa for the Philippines that lets you stay longer than 59 days? My wife and I plan to go every year for 3 months to spend the winter (snowbirding). The consulate in Chicago will only give us a 59-day visa and tells us to apply for an extension after we arrive.
Most people say that if you're coming from the US, you don't need to get a separate visa beforehand. Just arrive in the Philippines and extend your stay at the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Suggestions included extending in 1–2 month increments as your 59 days run out, or leaving for somewhere like Hong Kong or Malaysia and then coming back. Some people also said that if you plan to stay for long periods every year, you should secure legal resident status.
Don't get a visa in the US. It's too much of a hassle. Come to the Philippines, get the free 30-day visa on arrival, then go to an immigration office and get the first visa waiver extension of 29 days. It's very simple. And before the 59 days are up, you can extend another 1-2 months. If you do it from the US, you can't get more than 59 days. Coming here and extending is much simpler.
When your 59 days are almost up, you have to extend another 1-2 months at BI and also apply for an ACR card. There's no way around it, except if you leave the country and make a quick trip to Hong Kong or Malaysia (there are lots of cheap round-trip flights). Then the 59 days reset 👍🏻
Getting a visa extension here is really easy. It takes a couple of hours in a day.
I think if you're going to spend three months somewhere every year from now on, it's better to secure a legal residency status rather than staying as a tourist.
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