Everyone needs an ACR-I now it seems, I've read about that on some Philippines expat forums, http://www.philippinesboard.com/foru...cr-i-card.html
Or at the Buerau of Immigration: http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?...612&Itemid=103

This was effective 20 December 2009, so it has not affected any of my stays there, but I guess I'll need one for next time. Any information from someone who has gotten this ACR-I card recently would be appreciated.

I've noticed the problem that alex mentioned with withdrawals, one of my VISA cards from a local bank in Kristiansand only lets me make 1 withdrawal a day, 10k peso maximum in most ATMs. Scandiabanken VISA lets you make multiple withdrawals up to about 100k, same with the US Wells Fargo.

ATMs in the Philippines are also known for charging the card and not giving cash out, happened to me once and to a few other foreigners I've met there. You hear the nice sound of the ATM counting the bills, but then it refuses to open up. I had to go to the bank the next day and file a complaint, had the money credited back to my account a few weeks later.

The ACR-I card is just another way to pump extra fee's. Its cake tho bro, when you file for a tourist visa extension they will charge you around 3,500 peso additional to get the card and they just copy the photo off your passport and give you a little ID card with a chip in it. I guess it just has your information stored inside the ID chip so they can scan it and see your past visa dates and other info... I think that's what the BI office called when I asked about what the point of this was. I got it like 3months ago and have not needed to use it once honestly.

I had to pay a fee for ACR at the immigration office last time, i think 50 dollars, but I did not get a card..

I have a bank account at BDO and use wire transfer from pokerstars(takes 4 days, and fee was between 100-400 pesos). And I also get checks from full tilt poker, but it takes about 6 weeks to get the checks, and then the bank uses about 40 days to clear it.

BTW, I am willing to sell dollar for Norwegian kroner into my Skandiabanken account.

The card wasn't ready right away after I paid the fee, just make sure you keep the receipt and the next time you go to extend your visa they should have the card available.

how strict is the 21 day visa thing? what happens if you go over? you need proof of a return flight?

Usually at the airport they will insist you have a return flight within the 21 day time frame at the checkout counter. Some airliners are pretty lax, if you want to overstay just book a ticket with the 21 day return date and than switch it to a later date. I think it depends on what country your from but for Americans the overstay is pretty easy to take care of, I have been like 1month late paying for extensions and they are pretty cool about it, I think its only a big deal if you are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy delinquent like 1 year +. All it will cost you is like a extra 30-40$ or so for a late fees if your less than a few months late. You just extend in 2 month intervals (its averages to about 40-50$ a month or 60-70$ for two months around there plus some occasional 10-20$ fee's sometimes) and can to this for up to 16 months consecutively I believe than you just have to exit for 24 hours and can re-enter.

Woke up this morning on the couch with the worst hangover of the year, with the apartment filled with red horse and vodka bottles, and various type of Filipino food and snacks. Really started out with one crazy night, but a lot of fun. I landed yesterday, and after been gone for almost half a year it is great to be back!

Main focus will be to have a lot of fun this weekend, and then apartment hunting on monday. If anyone is going out in the Makati area or the Fort and want to meet up for some drinks shoot me a pm, I'll probably start out at a card club somewhere and then go out later.

^
a/s/l?

Hehe, 26m Norway, want some pics too? I just took some really sexy ones

LOL I really killed this thread, don't worry, I'm gone from Manila now

So is this the most developed country where it's actually legal to play online poker in Southeast Asia? Pretty funny if so.

Holy F*** went to LA Cafe last night!! The most insane place in the world.

I was there last night as well, it's an insane place for sure, and it can be a lot of fun.

Insane in what way?

i heard LA Cafe is a good place to meet a filipina bride..

I know this is ridiculously last minute, but does anyone want to go to LA cafe tonight?

I'm a skinny white-kid, one of the Rockwell grinders, been living here for almost 1-year but I haven't been to LA cafe yet (actually, i went once with PaulB, but it was like at 12 in the afternoon and we only stayed for like 15 minutes).

PM me on here ASAP

/christian

Its a total free for all! I was there for maybe 4 hours and you don't get a chance to breath. Its non stop having to deal with waitresses, tequilla girls, t-shirt sellers all whilst being hounded by girl after girl after girl. You start talking to one girl and before you know it you have two more grabbing you.

Its a great night out and would recommend everyone going at least once.

Cheddar- I left yesterday but would have been up for it had I been there.

LOL, you know they are all hookers right? Sound like a big hassle to me, to have to deal with all those sellers(of body and t-shirts all night. Try Angeles City, much more fun there.

LA is fun, all depends what you're in the mood for. When it comes to places with girly bars Angeles is by far the biggest, but Barrio Baretto, close to Subic/Olongapo, is pretty cool too. If you want something more relaxed, where you can hang out at the beach or at a floating bar during the daytime, try that place. About 15 bars, with 5-8 more in another small city nearby.

Or Sabang beach, Mindoro. Same there, 5+ bars. Two floating bars.

It's way smaller though, and also more expensive, at least it was when I was there 3 years ago. You can also risk getting stuck there with bad weather cause it's on an island.

Barrio Baretto has Angeles prices, some bars are even cheaper. I'm heading there in a few days, and hopefully it is still like that. Best way is to do fly the bus, spend the night in angeles, and then fly the bus again, that's 1200 total for transportation. A car directly from Manila is about 2,5 hours and 3000-4500, can be hard finding a driver that knows the way though.

Fly the Bus being the bus from Swagman Hotel in Malate/Ermita, hardly flying but it's pretty comfortable.

I usually take the bus(Victorty Liner) from Cubao to Angeles(dau) cost about 130 pesos, it is comfortable, fast and has air condition.

Fwiw even if the majority of the girls you see in sabang are hookers it's still a nice place to go for non sex-tourism vacation (not that I have any gripes w/sex tourism). Has nice scenery which you can rent a motorcycle to see and they have watersports and decent beaches. My only gripe with the place was that every time you try to eat a bunch of flies will try to attack your food and you have to constantly work to brush them away.