Got lots of feedback, good and bad. Here's the updated list. Don't shoot the messenger.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: Compiled entirely from open discussions, experiences, and posts in the Philippine Expats Facebook group. I've fixed obvious errors per current guidelines, but Philippine immigration policy and local rules change often and vary by branch or location. For information and education only, not official legal or financial advice; the poster accepts no liability for anything inaccurate, missing, or outdated. Always confirm key procedures with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) or the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA).

The fully updated Top 50 Expat Q&A:

🇵🇭 PART 1: VISAS & IMMIGRATION (1-20)
1. How long can I stay on a tourist visa?
Max 36 months if you entered visa-free (US, UK, Canada, AU, NZ, EU, JP etc.), 24 months if visa-required. Then you must leave.
2. Max extension under the Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)?
Tourists can buy 6 months at once instead of going month to month, up to the 24- or 36-month absolute limit.
3. What's the first extension called?
Visa Waiver. It adds 29 days to your first 30, for 59 days total. Must be done before your arrival stamp expires.
4. When do I get an ACR I-Card?
When you extend past 59 days (60+ days). Note: due to anti-money laundering rules, strict banks want long-term resident ACRs (13A/9G), not tourist ACRs.
5. Who needs an ACR?
Anyone staying 60+ days, plus holders of immigrant (13 series), non-immigrant (9G work/9F student), and special visas (SRRV, SIRV).
6. How much are extensions?
First waiver ~P3,030. A 2-month extension with your first ACR I-Card: P8,000–P10,000. Later 2-month extensions: ~P1,900–P4,800. Keep your official receipts!
7. Can I extend online?
Yes, via the official BI e-Services Portal. But picking up the plastic ACR card or processing an ECC-A is still done in person at a BI office.
8. Do I need an onward ticket?
Yes. Airlines strictly require a return or onward ticket within your first 30 days to board. Many use legal ticket rental sites (like OnwardTicket) or cheap throwaways.
9. What's an ECC and when is it needed?
An Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC-A) is needed for tourists staying 6+ months. Apply at BI 3–5 business days before your flight. Resident visa holders (13A/9G) pay an ECC-B at the airport or online before flying. SRRV holders clear through the PRA.
10. What's the Annual Report?
Registered long-term resident visa holders (13A, 9G) with valid ACR cards must report to BI between Jan 1 and Mar 1 yearly and pay P310. Correction: tourists are definitely exempt.
11. What's the SRRV now?
The PRA changed the rules. Only Classic and Courtesy remain (Smile discontinued). Minimum age for standard Classic is 50 ($20k deposit), but an Expanded Courtesy program lets retirees 40+ with a military/government pension qualify with a smaller deposit.
12. Is the SRRV deposit refundable?
Yes, it's held in your name and refunded when you officially exit the program. Annual PRA fee: $360. Apply directly or via a licensed PRA agent, not a random fixer.
13. SRRV vs. 13A vs. TRV?
SRRV: an investment-type retirement visa. 13A: permanent residence for foreigners married to Filipinos, if their country has reciprocity (US, UK, Canada, AU). TRV (Temporary Resident Visa): for spouses from non-reciprocity countries (e.g., India, Nigeria, South Korea, China).
14. What happens to a 13A if the Filipino spouse dies?
Correction: it does NOT auto-downgrade to a tourist visa. A widowed foreign spouse can legally keep permanent residency by submitting the death certificate to BI and changing status to 'Widowed' for a self-sponsored permanent ACR card.
15. Can I work on a tourist visa or SRRV?
No. Working on a tourist visa is clearly illegal. To work locally you need an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from DOLE plus an employer-sponsored 9G work visa. SRRV holders can work but still need an AEP.
16. What's the Balikbayan privilege?
A foreigner traveling to the Philippines together with their Filipino spouse (or former Filipino citizen) gets a free 1-year stay stamp at the airport. Applies to husbands and wives alike. Traveling alone, normal tourist rules apply.
17. What's a 13A ACR renewal?
Your permanent 13A status doesn't expire, but the physical ACR I-Card must be renewed every 5 years.
18. Can I convert a tourist visa to a 13A inside the country?
Yes, at the BI Main Office in Intramuros or designated satellite offices. You need a PSA marriage certificate, NBI clearance, and your spouse in person.
19. What's the LSVVE for?
Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension: long-term travelers buy 6 months at once to avoid frequent immigration trips.
20. Can an overstay be fixed?
Yes, but with steeply rising fines, back dues, and a Motion for Reconsideration. Overstaying past 6 months carries a big risk of blacklisting and deportation.

💰 PART 2: MONEY, BANKING & COST OF LIVING (21-35)
1. Is $1,500 enough?
In the provinces, yes (P45k–P70k is very comfortable). In upscale BGC or Makati it's tight; family budgets there run P100k–P200k+.
2. Realistic monthly expenses:
Rent (studio/1BR): P8,000–P15,000 (province) | P25,000–P70,000 (BGC/Makati)
Electricity: P2,000–P5,000 (province) | P4,000–P10,000+ (city, heavily AC-dependent)
Internet: P1,500–P2,500 for local fiber (100-500 Mbps)
Starlink satellite: Correction: now P4,099/month (hardware ~P28k).
3. Can I open a bank account on a tourist visa?
Very branch-dependent. Officially, major banks want an ACR card showing a resident visa. Some branches open basic non-checking savings accounts for tourists with a tourist ACR card, a local address, and a Barangay Certificate. Foreigners generally can't get checking accounts.
4. Why do GCash and Maya matter?
Foreign cards charge 3–5% conversion fees and local ATMs charge a flat P250 per withdrawal. A verified GCash/Maya account lets you pay digitally like a local. Verification needs a local mobile number and valid ID (like an ACR card).
5. Can foreigners own land?
No, 100% prohibited. Foreigners can legally buy condos (if foreign ownership in that building stays within 40%) or lease land long-term (25 to 50 years).
6. How much are condo dues?
In Manila, usually P50–P120 per square meter monthly. Always ask what's included before renting or buying.
7. Is buying a vehicle easy?
Yes, but LTO registration needs your passport, ACR I-Card, and a local address. Used car prices are often heavily inflated. A motorbike license needs a separate LTO exam.
8. What about local taxes?
Stay 180+ days in a calendar year and you're a tax resident. US citizens must still file IRS returns every year. An SRRV doesn't exempt income earned inside the Philippines from tax.
9. Can I bring household goods duty-free?
Correction: standard Balikbayan box exemptions apply only to overseas/dual-citizen Filipinos, not foreign tourists. But approved SRRV or 13A visa holders get a one-time tax- and duty-free exemption up to $7,000 for personal goods shipped within their moving window.
10. How much…