Looking for a Philippine immigration lawyer

Listen to me. You don't need a lawyer for Philippine immigration matters, except in these cases. 1) You have a lot of money and like to show it off 2) You've gotten into serious trouble and really need a lawyer The Philippine Bureau of Immigration has accredited agents who know immigration policy more up-to-date than lawyers and have much more experience. They also handle things faster and more simply than lawyers. For example, a 13A visa costs about 15,000 pesos if you do it yourself, about 45,000 pesos through an agent, and over 150,000 pesos with a lawyer (lawyers add zero value here). Also, agents don't charge by the hour like lawyers do. Where are you in the Philippines? If you tell me the area, I can recommend a few people. You can also check whether an agent is accredited on the Immigration website.

I'm a Philippine-licensed lawyer, but I don't specialize in immigration. Please contact Kim G Mendoza. We worked at the same firm before, and I've since left to open my own practice.

Ask your questions here and talk to a couple of visa agencies. You'll probably realize you don't need to pay a lawyer. At least you'll learn something, so you can recognize when you're wasting time and money on a lawyer.

Many people here say you don't need a lawyer, but there are also cases where the place that helped you wasn't a proper consulting office, and in the end you needed legal help. It's true you don't need a lawyer, but it's still good to have one consultation to understand the foreigner-related laws. Then once you know the options and procedures and feel comfortable, you can decide whether to do it yourself. This isn't saying lawyers are bad; it's just that others don't use them at all.

To be honest, and a bit blunt: If you're not going to work or start a business in the Philippines, there's no reason at all to consult a lawyer about a visa. The Philippines is easy mode for foreigners if you have a powerful passport. Asking this (when it's not for work or business) suggests you haven't done any homework and haven't actually experienced it on the ground. Go to the Philippines and stay for a few months. If possible, visit each area you might use as a base. You can do this with tourist visa extensions. It's best to also stay in other similar countries and compare. If you're willing to spend thousands of US dollars on a lawyer for one visa, I think Thailand or Malaysia may suit you better. If you're not prepared to spend thousands on a lawyer, then don't consult one. Cheap lawyers are the most expensive mistake a person can make. Visa options summary (TLDR): Tourist: - Easy to extend - Can stay up to 36 months total - Resets with a "border run" - If you extend and leave the country at least once every 36 months, it seems you can effectively continue indefinitely Retirement (SRRV): - Age 50 or older (ages 40-49 have an option with a larger deposit) - Deposit required (usually 10,000 US dollars) - If you're a former military member, this is the best visa (deposit reduced to 1,500 US dollars) Married to a Philippine citizen (or former citizen, including yourself): 13a or 13g - Residence visa Quota visa: I haven't heard of Americans getting this. Only a small number are granted per nationality. It's the best visa for people from small countries who want to stay in the Philippines (especially if planning to work). Employment/business: In this case you should use a lawyer, and it should be a specialist that's hard to get recommended here, since most people here don't need that. There is also a special AI-related option here that can lead to residency.