Sunday, November 1, 2009

how does an american citizen live in the philippines legally

how does an american citizen live in the philippines legally?
i'm planning on moving to manila next year and would like some help on how to become a legal resident. i hear things about having to leave the country every 2 years or so for the visitor visa. but my problem is that i need to have a bank account and a address in my name to carry on my work from the philippines. i'm not sure if i can live in the philippines on the visitor visa and still have the bank account and valid address in my name. thanks for the help everyone.
Philippines - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
i am not endoring this legal firm by merely pointing out to you that a retirement visa is an option. and then there's the other way - marrying a filipina. http://www.gtalawphil.com/visa_retirement.htm
2 :
MARRY A YOUNG FILIPINA WITH A BIG FAMILY.
3 :
You can stay here up to 16 months before you have to leave briefly usually overnight to restart the process. You do this once every 59 days after the first 21 days by extending your visa at the Philippine Bureau of Immigration. You do know that foreigners are not allowed to have a business here even if you do not make a profit?
4 :
There are two ways to become a legal resident. The easiest is to marry a Philippine lady. The other is a Special Retiree Resident Visa. It requires $ 50,000.00 deposited in a Philippine bank. There are also age restrictions on it. Check the Philippine Embassy web site for details. http://www.philippine-portal.com/visas/special-retiree-resident-visa-ssrv.html To just stay in the country you can have your tourist visa renewed every 60 days or so, and leave the country briefly once a year. A weekend trip to Hong Kong will qualify. Some foreigners do this for years. Again check immigration or embassy web site for details. http://www.philippine-portal.com/visas/tourist-visa-9a.html For bank accounts I think foreigners are limited to dollar accounts only. You cannot have an account in pesos. Banks also do not give as good an exchange rate as other businesses. I would also recommend having accounts at two banks. The Philippine National Bank computer was offline for two days and customers could not withdraw money. http://goiloilo.com/philippine-banking/ The other answerer is correct a foreigner cannot legally have a job working in the Philippines. It sounds like your work is not here and you are just living here. I would recommend a post office box for your mail.