Bugs

Hello, I am a U.S./Phil dual citizen.  For the past several years, we have been sending regular monthly remittances (150 USD / 7,500 PHP) to family in the Philippines.

However, at the end of the year we will be sending a large sum (17,000 USD / 900,000 PHP), to help cover the cost of home construction.

I know about the U.S. gift tax (we will be under that trigger at 17,000 USD).  But are there any taxes due to the Philippines on this that we are unaware of?  If so, how is it enforced?

3 hours ago, mwangen said:

Thank you for the heads up! I was able to reschedule them for November this year. Now, I am just anxious about them getting approved or not.

Awesome!  Good luck!

Wells Fargo has a bank to bank transfer service called ExpressSend which we have been using for over a decade.  $4 or $5 per transfer.

39 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

What site did you use to find the open appointment dates.

The same site used to schedule the appointment.  Link is below, note it is specific for the Philippines.

Once you’ve submitted the application and MRV fee, the calendar with available slots should be viewable.  
 

If you’ve already set up an appointment, there is a tab on the left that allows you to reschedule, and you will be able to view the calendar before selecting a slot to reschedule.

https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Philippines

Sorry for the blank post above.  I accidentally quoted Palawan and for the life of me was unable to delete the quote or type anything. And couldn’t just start over without posting that.

Anyways, OP, keep checking the schedule daily.  The embassy posts many new interviews spots several times a week.  Granted, most are just a continuation from the 2024 calendar you saw, but every now and then they will open up spots for a lot sooner.

I originally had an interview scheduled for May 2024, but the other day, the embassy suddenly opened spots for Oct, Nov, and Dec of this year, and I was able to reschedule to one of them.

On 9/22/2022 at 7:29 AM, Palawan said:

 

Well, the embassy just opened a plethora of interview spots throughout the last week of Oct, all of Nov, and all of Dec. of THIS YEAR!

So we were able to reschedule for an interview a month from now.

3 minutes ago, biaobiao said:

Yes.. thank God. multiple entry. Got the visa in less than 2 weeks

That’s awesome!

I’m American (my wife is the one from the Philippines), and was just a kid when the Marcos’ did their (removed).

Yet I still remember it.

So does my brother, who is even younger than I.

And you’re telling me everyone there forgot?

On 9/12/2022 at 7:55 PM, biaobiao said:

Good Day! I applied for my mom december and tried to expedite b2 visa. Earliest

appointment i was able to sched her was july 2023. 
i was advised to check the scheduling website by a friend. Thank God, Sept 2022 opened up. 
I would strongly suggest book the earliest date available and check from time to time. 

Thank you, and will do!  Currently there is nothing available for rescheduling, but I’ll keep checking.  Did your mom get approved?

2 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

You only need the fee to schedule the interview.  So once the interview is booked, you're good.  But note that USEM may cancel the interview, as they have done for many months in the past 2 years.  If the fee is still valid, then you just need to book a new schedule.  If the fee has expired by then, then too bad, you'll have to pay again even if the cancellation was not your fault.  But it is highly unlikely that USEM will do a blanket cancellation without also extending the MRV fee validity.

 

Awesome.  Thank you for the advice!

Thank you Chancy.  So would you say that the following statement is false then?:

As long as you schedule your appointment before the MRV expiration date, you are good, even if the actual appointment date that is scheduled falls after the MRV expiration date.

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

No one knows at this point, but the US embassy in Manila will likely extend the MRV fee validity again.  So far, USEM keeps extending the date while they continue to have a long wait time for B visa interview slots.  So check the USEM website in 2023.

 

So we paid the MRV fees for parents and brother, filled out the D-160s and scheduled the interviews for the earliest available, which was May 21, 2024.

So that answers question #2 in the OP.

However the first question remains unanswered:  The MRV fee payment expires Sept 30 2023.  Does this mean that they will not accept the application/interview on May 21, 2024?

2 hours ago, Palawan said:

Last I read from the US Embassy is they are not doing routine tourist visa interviews, From reading this it appears they are only doing emergency B2 interveiws.  This is from June 22, 2022.

 

"Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV):  The Embassy prioritizes travelers with urgent (i.e., matter of life or death) travel needs and certain critical categories of travelers, such as students and exchange visitors (F-1, M-1, and J-1) and temporary employees (H-1B, H-2B, and L nonimmigrants). We are processing renewals of business/tourism (B1/B2) visas for applicants eligible to have their interview waived, offering biometrics only appointments for applicants who received their last visa prior to age 14, and interviewing a limited number of B1/B2 applicants each day. While we continue to expand our visa processing, please note that we have a significant backlog of cases so wait times are much longer than pre-pandemic times."

 

Visa Update: Consular Operations (Visas) as of June 2022 - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)

Thank you Pawalan for your reply.  What you have in bold seems to indicate that they are interviewing and just explains the 409 day wait time.

Either way we just want to get in line.  So we will apply regardless of who they are currently interviewing.

My original questions remain unanswered.  If anyone knows the answers to them we will be much obliged.

Hello,

So we are ready to begin the process  of applying for a B2 visa, starting with the MRV payment.

1. The MRV fee deposit slip specifies the “visa fee is valid for only one year.  Book your appointments as early as possible.”

…yet..

2. The US website states that the appointment wait time for visitors visas at the Manila embassy is 409 calendar days.

Does #1 mean that we have up to a year to get online or call and schedule the appointment date.  Or does it mean the actual appointment date also needs to be within a year from MRV payment?

In other words, if I pay the MRV on August 31, 2022 can I get online on August 30, 2023 and schedule an appointment for, say, October 2024 and be all good?

Or does the actual appointment need to be on a date before August 30, 2023 as well?  If so, doesn’t the 409 day wait make this impossible?

Second question:  How far out is the current scheduling calendar (i.e. are we actually able to schedule an interview 409 days from now?)?

33 minutes ago, Adventine said:

@Bugs they've started tourist visa interviews but I've been seeing the next available appointments are in late 2023-early 2024. 

Thanks Adventine!  Wow, that’s long.  But at least things are not in the dark anymore.  Wouldn’t the MRV Fee expire before the appointment then?

Just stopping by to find out any update to tourist visa processing in Manila.  Have they opened up interviews for tourist visa applicants or is that still pretty much shut down as it has been during the pandemic?

2 hours ago, top_secret said:

 

I'd dare to speculate that probably half the Filipinos living in the Philippines aren't paying their PhilHealth.  Not sure how they could ever enforce any such mandate on overseas Filipinos.

At the airport is the only way I can see them doing so.  We wouldn’t see it now though, due to the travel restrictions.

4 hours ago, Kby175 said:

 

Incorrect the lockdowns were to slow the surge for the hospitals to prepare it had nothing to do with waiting for vaccines.  This was supposed to be a temporary measure and it turned into something else.

 

Multiple international studies have been done lockdowns do not slow the virus. Vaccines slow the virus, live case study that lockdowns do not work look at the Philippines.  

 

The delta surge we are seeing in the US fortunately is showing signs of peaking.  

 

 

I think you read my post wrong.  Nowhere did I say that the lockdowns were contingent on vaccine availability.  In fact, I said the same thing you did - they were to flatten the curve for the sake of hospitals.

Anyhow we agree on vaccines being the most effective way to curtail the virus.

You lose your Philippines citizenship when you become a US Citizen.  You get it back when you apply with a dual citizenship application and oath through a Philippines Consulate.

My wife did it.  There used to be no harm, but last year the Philippine government came out with a requirement that all dual citizens must pay for PhilHealth, sending my wife into panic and regretting the move.  Nothing has been enforced on it though, although right now there are not many traveling.

57 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

Nonsense.........

Wow, okay.  Why have any laws at all then?

13 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

 

You’re conflating topics.  One can still have economic freedom while practicing safety towards others.