Put your first and middle names together in the given name field and leave the middle name blank.

I went through the whole license process, from student permit to actual license. To get a student permit you need 6 months remaining on a valid visa. So if you get a 6-month visa and then go apply with only 5 months and two weeks left, it won't work. You can do everything else before you get the 6-month visa, so you might be able to actually have 6 months left when you go to apply. So get your theoretical driving course out of the way. I finished the whole thing online in one day. You can run the 15–16 hour course at 2x speed and cut it down to about 7.5 hours. But really, the catch with getting a student permit on a tourist visa is that you need 6 months of validity when you show up at the window to apply. It's tricky but doable. The lady at the driving school tried to find an LTO that would process a student permit for a foreigner without 6 months' validity, and none of them would. The requirements are all in the driver's manual on the LTMS portal. I gave up on the tourist visa 6-month crap, took a vacation with my Filipina spouse and came back in as a Balikbayan — that was fastest. After coming back from the trip abroad I had to be in the country 30 days before getting the student permit. In that time I did the practical driving course, which was pretty much paying for the certificate. Once you have the student permit you have to hold it for 30 days. So it took two months. I went back in and got a license good for both two and four wheels, and I needed a PDC certificate for each. The 6-month tourist visa extension can only be done at the main BI office in Intramuros. Not sure I spelled that right, and I don't feel like checking. To get a 6-month LSVE you need at least 10 days left on your current visa. If you're trying to get a student permit, find out how far in advance you can apply for the 6-month one. Anyway, you need at least 10 days because it takes 2–3 weeks. You also need a reason with supporting documents. You can't get 6 months just because you don't want to keep dealing with 2-month extensions or you just want to explore the Philippines. It needs documentation — say you're getting married or just got married and can't get your PSA copy of the marriage certificate for 4–6 months to apply for a 13a, or an upcoming medical procedure might do. But it has to be a reason with supporting documents.

After the 30-day visa-free, the waiver is done online through the app, but for the next extension you have to go to the office in person because you need to buy an ACR-ID card. Put your first and second names in the first name box, leave the middle name blank, then your surname.

The 6-month extension, which I assume is what you're asking about, is only available in person at the main office in Manila. It takes about 2 weeks to process, and you might not be approved. Normal 1- or 2-month extensions can be done at local offices, and some online — but not all, and none if you've stayed over 12 months.

If all you need is the waiver, just apply for that. It's quick and simple. Doing it online is a real pain in the backside. Where are you located?