SRRV Info

For all the info on the Special Resident Retiree Visa go to the PRV website at:

http://www.pra.gov.ph/

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) issues Special Resident Retirement Visas (SRRVs.)  Recent changes to PRA policies (not yet reflected on their web site) have added an additional category of Courtesy SRRV that is available to U.S. military veterans. 
 
What are the advantages of a Courtesy SRRV?
·      Option to Reside Permanently in The Philippines;
·      Multiple Entry Privileges;
·      Exemptions from:
- - Bureau of Immigration ACR I-Card
- - Annual Alien Registration
- - Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC)
- - Re-Entry Permit (RP)
- - Special Return Certificate (SRC) - - Customs Duties and Taxes with   
    respect  to the importation of household goods and personal effects up
    to USD $7,000;
- - Taxes on pension and annuities; and,
- - Travel tax, if stay in the Philippines is less than one year from the last
     entry date.
 
What are the eligibility requirements for a Courtesy SRRV for veterans?
The requirements for U.S. applicants are:
- - U.S. military veteran at least 50 years old with DD-214;
- - Pension or annuity of at least USD $1,000 per month;
- - Deposit of USD $1500;
- - One time application fee of USD $1400;
- - U.S. Police Clearance;
- - NBI Clearance;
- - Medical Clearance.

The PRA Rep. for Clark / Subic is:
MR. CARLO PONTI T. ZIALCITA
Officer-in-Charge, Clark-Subic Satellite Office
Mobile No.: 09184480102    09175406299
Email : carloponti_zialcita@yahoo.com

Ms. NOEHL D. BAUTISTA
Marketing Manager
Philippine Retirement Authority
29F Citibank Tower
8741 Paseo de Roxas
Makati City
Mobile NO. 09178553811
Tel No. 02-8481412

What are the annual fees for SRRV for veterans?
The annual fee is USD $360.  If the veteran served in the Philippines for at least two years, the annual fee is USD $10.
 
What is the role of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the SRRV program?
The PRA is your interface with the BI.  If you hold an SRRV, you are exempt from most BI reporting and fee payment requirements.

Another link here:
http://tinyurl.com/ml6faw2

[cefox01]

this is great I need to see the official posting or when i go to the Bureau of Immigration I will ask about it. but if this is for real this will make my life so much easier.

[Beancounter]

That's excellent news, even though I do not qualify either by being an American or by being ex Forces. But it's still great news for several reasons.

1) It shows an ongoing comittment to SRRV, which I do intend to use when I retire there, and which for me is remains one of the cornerstones of my retirement policy, I've said before I reallt do understand why anyone would want to live in say Thailand, it's a beautiful country, but those visa runs would drive me insane.

2) It will build a bigger and stronger Western Ex-Pat retirement community, which will only help everyone who lives in the Phillipines to strengthen their position and give them more of a voice.

Fantastic news

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Here are more additional info I found that may interest you and others, but still unofficial until you see it on the Immigration or PRA home website.
http://www.pra.gov.ph/   

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=37

This Courtesy Visa, it is not U.S. only and does not require specific service in the Philippines."retired military personnel who have provided military aid and training to the Philippine gov't via a defense treaty or any other similar agreement."
it also is available to "former peace corp volunteers and other similar organizations".
it is available to "scientists, physicists and top-rated engineers".
it is available to "high achievers in sports, arts and business".
there are a lot of ways to access this visa. anyone with a professional background, any military or gov't background might be approved.

In a way it's official enough, since the PRA Rep. has been walking people through the application process at PRA HQ in Manila. You know how long it takes some changes to make it to a computer. The NYC Consulate has been trying to get the biometrics upgrade to the passport into their website for a year and a half.

Q: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS UNDER THE PROGRAM?
A: Once you are an SRRV Visa holder, it opens the door to vast opportunities and benefits. These include:
1. Option to Retire Permanently
a. You may live, work and study in the Philippines
2. Multiple Entry Privileges
b. You may travel outside the Philippines and re-enter anytime
3. Exemptions from:
a. Income tax over your pension and annuities;
b. Exit and re-entry permits of the Bureau of Immigration;
c. Annual registration requirement of the Bureau of Immigration;
d. Customs Duties and Taxes with regard to the importation of household goods and
e. personal effects up to US$7,000.00;
f. Travel tax, if you stay in the Philippines is less than one year from the last entry date; and
g. I-Card
As an SRR Visa holder, the PRA can assist you in obtaining basic documents from other government agencies. These include, but are not limited to:
a. Alien Employment Permit
b. Driver's License
c. Tax Exemption/Extension Certificate
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance

The PRA Rep. for Clark / Subic is:
MR. CARLO PONTI T. ZIALCITA
Officer-in-Charge, Clark-Subic Satellite Office
Mobile No.: 09184480102    09175406299
Email: carloponti_zialcita@yahoo.com

Ms. NOEHL D. BAUTISTA
Marketing Manager
Philippine Retirement Authority
29F Citibank Tower
8741 Paseo de Roxas
Makati City
Mobile NO. 09178553811
Tel No. 02-8481412

[suzukig1]

Here's a link to a recent "Power Point" presentation on the SRRV by the PRA.

Philippines, among World’s Top Retirement Destinations
No.15 in “International Living” ‘s 2013 Annual Global Retirement Index

http://www.creba.ph/pdf/Philippines_among_Worlds_Top_Retirement_Destination.pdf

[cefox01]

Retired military personnel who have provided military aid and training to the Philippine Government
via a defense treaty or any similar agreement. looks like you have to be something special not just in the military/

oh well would have been nice, if just served in military.

[suzukig1]

Retired military personnel who have provided military aid and training to the Philippine Government
via a defense treaty or any similar agreement. looks like you have to be something special not just in the military/

oh well would have been nice, if just served in military.

Don't get discouraged.  It may just be an English "translation" thing.

Taken literally that statement makes it seem like you personally had to be involved in aiding the Phl government.

But the intention may be that anyone in the military of a country that aided the Phl government.

So you should contact the PRA.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Retired military personnel who have provided military aid and training to the Philippine Government
via a defense treaty or any similar agreement. looks like you have to be something special not just in the military/oh well would have been nice, if just served in military.

Well, for me it works as an option if I want to go with an SRRV or dual citizenship, because I'm a former Filipino Citizen and I served in U.S. military stationed here in the late 60s, but I haven't decided yet which way I'll go!
My BB stamp has expired and I'm now on a 6 month 9a tourist visa extension, good up to 24 months. 

Below are two documents sent to me today via email attachment from the PRA Clark/Subic Representative:

[fred]

Art.. Just wondering why you have not made the decision to become a dual citizen yet?
Do you think there maybe a downside?

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Art, Just wondering why you have not made the decision to become a dual citizen yet?
Do you think there maybe a downside?

Really no downside, it's the best opportunity available to me in order to eliminate all the immigration hassles which we all go through as a tourist and yes, "Balikbayans" are still in a tourist status, but can stay the one year for free!
Mainly, it's just because of my U.S. citizenship certificate that maybe in question due to what the date is on it when I became a U.S. citizen also with an incorrect DOB, which I can not get changed according to USCIS in Nebraska, since both my parents are deceased and can't confirm to the incorrectness of my DOB and my RP birth certificate date is also in error, which also can not be changed under Philippine law. I was never registered with the U.S. Embassy at birth and I left the Philippines at the age of 7 on a Philippine passport, where I know a few of my Fil/Am friends already here and retired did not and could not qualify under RA 9225, because they left the Philippines on a U.S. passport, so therefore they can not show proof of being a former Filipino citizen!
Also out of laziness I've just haven't the urge yet to apply for my dual citizenship here in the RP, but maybe next year when we go on vacation in California, because it only takes about 45 minutes to do it at the San Francisco Philippine Consulate, which my wife did hers a few years ago without any hassles as long all the required documents are in order! Doing it here in the Philippines is so much of a hassle and that's one of other reason why I've haven't yet applied for my dual citizenship here!       

[Gray Wolf]

Please allow me to correct something for the benefit of others who will follow.  You do not "apply" for dual citizenship.  You simply avail yourself of Republic Act No. 9225 (RA 9225), the law also known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2003.

Dual citizenship is the result of reacquiring your Filipino citizenship.

If you walk into the BoI office and advise them you want to apply for dual citizenship you will at the very least cause confusion and could cause a serious misunderstanding resulting in you having to "explain" a lot of stuff.  Trust me, with government entities you don't need to create any more confusion.

Just ask for the necessary forms to avail yourself of RA 9225.  Keep it simple.   

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

I was just answering Fred's question! This  topic about the SRRV Program is to not confuse the processing/application issue by crisscrossing this RA9225 subject into it, which in it's self is a separate topic on it's own and there is already a category for it here: http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/forum/index.php/board,61.0.html
This SRRV topic just stated the fact that former Filipino citizens, retired military and others qualified can avail the program under the SRR Courtesy Visa who have aided and trained to and or with the Philippine government! 

[Gray Wolf]

Art,

I was simply (I thought) pointing out for the benefit of others who will follow and read these posts (which I also stated) that you do not "apply for" dual citizenship.  It is something that is a fact once you have availed yourself of RA 9225.

Just keeping it real, buddy   

[fred]

Art, Just wondering why you have not made the decision to become a dual citizen yet?
Do you think there maybe a downside?

Really no downside, it's the best opportunity available to me in order to eliminate all the immigration hassles which we all go through as a tourist and yes, "Balikbayans" are still in a tourist status, but can stay the one year for free!
Mainly, it's just because of my U.S. citizenship certificate that maybe in question due to what the date is on it when I became a U.S. citizen also with an incorrect DOB, which I can not get changed according to USCIS in Nebraska, since both my parents are deceased and can't confirm to the incorrectness of my DOB and my RP birth certificate date is also in error, which also can not be changed under Philippine law. I was never registered with the U.S. Embassy at birth and I left the Philippines at the age of 7 on a Philippine passport, where I know a few of my Fil/Am friends already here and retired did not and could not qualify under RA 9225, because they left the Philippines on a U.S. passport, so therefore they can not show proof of being a former Filipino citizen!
Also out of laziness I've just haven't the urge yet to apply for my dual citizenship here in the RP, but maybe next year when we go on vacation in California, because it only takes about 45 minutes to do it at the San Francisco Philippine Consulate, which my wife did hers a few years ago without any hassles as long all the required documents are in order! Doing it here in the Philippines is so much of a hassle and that's one of other reason why I've haven't yet applied for my dual citizenship here!       

Art..
Do you still have that old Filipino passport?
You say that there maybe an error on your birth cert.. Does the DOB contradict your birth date on other documents?
That said,were you born in the Philippines or in the U.S? In other words,are you a natural born Filipino?
I think I read somewhere that former (natural born) Filipino`s can reacquire their citizenship in front of a local notary public..
Have you actually tried to go through this process?
It must be pretty frustrating paying all those visa fees knowing that you should really be paying nothing!!
Cheers,
Fred.