Want to move to Phillipines from USA and im 20, not sure where, or what info I need to know??

Question

Alright basically I plan on working my butt off for the next year until I can save enough money to live out there. I have a few ideas of how this goes down, and I will tell you what I know, but hopefully someone can fill in the blanks or correct me??

Okay I plan on spending 400/mo on the house, and 150/mo on utilities and food, which I think will get me cable, dsl, water, electric, 3 bedroom house in the beach.....basically everything needed.

I am also wondering how to make friends out there?? Is it just like the USA where to go to bar or something?? I am white so will I be accepted like normal (hear on/off things)

I get a visa upon entrance, I get it extended 59 days, and during that 59 days I apply to get a year membership for 60/mo right??

I also planned on moving out there with money to pay for diving school/equipment since there arent any jobs out there available and this diving school would change that.

I dont know.....anything I missed or more info...please share!!

So I figure to live out there I will need 500/mo for necessity, 200/mo for fun, and 2 grand for school. So would I be able to live out there with 10 grand for a year and start making my own income?? Should I go down there with more money??

I actually just thought about this, I cannot get a bank account since I wouldnt be a citizen......what exactly would I do with the money I brought over, or should I just get a whole bunch of cashiers checks or something??

Again any help for a confused 20 year old trying to move is much appreciated!!!

Answer 1

I would suggest that you contact a Philippine Embassy or Consulate in your area and ask them your questions, or go on the Internet and look up Philippine Immigration Requirements. I don't think you can just enter that country because you want to - you have to have a valid reason, and what the Philippine government considers valid may differ considerably from your ideas about it.

I was able to enter the Philippines as an alien resident, because I married a Philippine citizen. I had to prove that I could support myself, get a police clearance here in Canada, and a few other hoops I had to jump through.

You can open a bank account if you are a resident alien - I did. You cannot work there unless you have government permission - more hoops. You should be able to live very nicely for about $200 - $250 a month housing and the same for utilities and food, depending upon where you choose to live.

Don't rely on Answers to give you all the information you will need for such a drastic move - get the facts from the Philippine government. That info is available on the 'net.

Filipinos are very friendly and accommodating if you treat them with the same respect and consideration you would your fellow countrymen. The level of medical care available is very good - I had major surgery there with no problems. You have to pay for all medical care yourself, as there is no plan available to resident aliens unless you are married to a Philippine citizen. There is plenty of good food and consumer goods available. (You can even buy Washington apples in the public markets!)

Answer 2

Where you'd like to live in the Philippines would pretty much depend on what you want to do there. Okay, you said diving school, fine - that means places like Puerto Galera (Palawan) and lots more places in the Visayas (Cebu, ****** & Bohol). If you're already doing some diving now, you can ask your club to hook you up with the diving clubs in the Philippines. It's always good to have connections.
Your budget seems reasonable. Oh, why would you need a 3-bedroom house? If luxurious living isn't a "must have", you might want to consider rooming in as a boarder. Then your money would really go a long, long way. Even your plan on the visa extension seems okay too. But getting a job with a tourist visa, that's another story. Maybe an "under the table deal"? Now, about money matters. I wasn't aware the foreigners aren't allowed to open bank accounts there. I hope somebody else would clear this for you. Re: meeting friends - the least of your problems...we Filipinos are very friendly and hospitable. And not to worry, we do speak English...we will understand you and after a while, you will understand us too. Re: being white - not a problem...just don't act smug and stuck-up, you're gonna be OK!!!

I hope you find yourself in the Philippines...you know what I mean...I read your post (in Psychology) 3 weeks ago. Good luck!

Welcome to the Philippines!

Answer 3

Well first of all you cannot work or own a business on a student/visitors visa legally. Competition in the Diving business is fierce like anywhere else and the minute the locals figure out your not legal, you will be shut down at the least and at worst deported. If you want to stay here long term you need at least a spousal visa and the only way to get one is marrage to a local. The business, house and everything else will be in her name because foreieners are not allowed to own property or if they want to incorporate a business it must be 60% owned by locals (citizens). You don't want to go there as I have seen too many foreigners ripped off by their partners. I trust my wife when it comes to money/property and no one else.

Shouldn't be a problem making friends out here as most natives speak english or at least understand enough to get by and the people here are generally very friendly and hospitable.

You can't open a bank account here without a resident visa.
Best thing to do is leave your money in a U.S. bank and do ATM withdrawls on your monthly expences.

I don't know where you got your budget figures , but I can tell you what it typically costs here in the Visayas excuding Cebu and Boaracy.

Rent 2 br place $200, 3br $400. On the water ? Not likely as most locals find liing on the beach unbdesirable and not much housing is availible there.
CATV $11
Telephone (local only) $16
DSL $20
Electricity $50 minimum (without aircon or hw heaters) double that if you want aircon.
Food : Eating Native $20 a week should keep you well fed, Double that if you want to eat out or buy imported food once in awhile.
Water tap water $6 a month Bottled drinking water $8.
Propane gas for cooking $12 every other month.

I'd rethink your plan big time. I also think it would be good for you to just come over for a few months and see if this is what you really like/want. Staying on a 2-3 week vaction is a whole lot differant than living here day to day. Good luck.

Answer 4

How would going to dive school get you a job?
You can not work on a visitors visa
$10,000 for a year is doable but tight
In a year if you are making any money at all it will be at local wages which is approx $11 a day, foreigners do not get hired
My son who is a dual citizen and speaks three of the Philippine languages took two years to find a job and that was with a US education and even now only makes about $500 a month
You have a nice dream but in a year you would be back in the US looking for work
If you don't have a way to make money ahead of time don't make the move

Answer 5

Are you talking figures in dollars or philippine pesos? Coz if in US dollars, then you will live comfortably indeed, but the same figure in pesos would not get you through the week. Filipinos are a very friendly people, you just have to approach someone who looks friendly and trustworthy to you. Good venues for approaching people are schools, public parks, churches. If you are into diving and have plenty of money, try putting up a business in Cebu or Boracay, or any of the tourist-flocked beaches (there are plenty). As long as you are careful with your money and invest wisely or better, manage your own business, you could go a long way.

Answer 6

You can stay 21 days first time then you have to renew it every 59 days, thats no problem. then out of the country after a year for one night and then you can do it all over again. airplane ticket are realy low in april and may so go out of the country that time for the night.
you realy make almost nothing working here, the trick is to make the money in your home country and use it here.

like, offer to sew clothes for designer schools, and use the local tailors.
Silver jewelry sprice is very low here, sell it on ebay in your home country etc.
offer service that need human beings to do it and you have a good offer to your home country.
sallery is like 250 peso a day like less than 5 dollar a day, and that is how you also help the country, use their service.
:)
I am a Norwegian and already living here in paradise

Answer 7

You can get by on $800 to $1,000 a month.

If you want trouble, big trouble, the biggest trouble you've ever seen in your young life, then just start working or running a business illegally in the Philippines.

Answer 8

why do you want to move here, in the first place? im just curious.... is it because philippines has a low standard of living? but if youre staying here for good i think you need a job... what areas in the philippines do you plan to live? provinces are much better i think...

Answer 9

davao city is enormous -- my spouse is from there too. whether we are actually based in iloilo interior the visayas area, we nonetheless commute there lots. tips? nicely, that relies upon. how long will you be there? in case you have time, there is various places you are able to pass to. i might propose eden nature motel first -- that's a mountain-astounding motel with advantageous climate that's undemanding to get to and that supplies various activities. you additionally can pass to malagos -- that's a mini-woodland mini-zoo that homes, between others, the philippine eagle. you additionally can attempt and pass to the pearl farm on samal island. that's a thirty-minute boat journey faraway from the city. the seashores are so-so (whilst in comparison with what we've here in iloilo, it fairly is), however the motel is enormous. or, in case you have the time, legs and lungs for it, you ought to even climb up mt. apo, the tallest top interior the philippines. for a shorter adventure however, i completely propose white-water rafting. in simple terms ask on the white water adventure excursions on the crocodile farm -- they furnish white water river excursions (outdoors the crocodile farm!!) different tips: a million. while you're an american and are used to chilly, dry climate, rehydrate lots. davao can get fairly warm, particularly now that that's summer season. 2. stay in a sturdy motel -- attempt marco polo (around $a hundred and twenty a night) if it fits your budget, or the bagobo domicile (around $18 a night) in case you prefer to maintain. 3. that's fairly secure there, so as that would desire to furnish you peace of strategies. yet remember additionally, a LOW crime cost does no longer mean NO crime cost, whether it fairly is, particularly low. 4. in case you intend to pass around lots, i recommend hiring a van (around PHP1,4 hundred, yet that cost became into returned in 2005 whilst we rented one ourselves). beats having to hail a cab whenever you will desire to get somehere. 5. nightlife - attempt venue or matina city sq.. i'm no longer lots into bar-hopping however, so i don't have lots else to declare approximately this factor. wish this helps! addition: i in simple terms examine the previous answer. i've got faith for the guy, yet i've got on no account had a single undesirable adventure in davao. neither have some foreigners i understand in my opinion who've long gone there. nonetheless, i do no longer think of it would harm to be on your ft.

Answer 10

You already got good answers to your question. I would like to add that a foreigner can own a condominium unit "legally".