The Philippines is generous about extending a tourist stay and vague about what the extension currently costs.
The 30 plus 29 structure
Tourists from non-visa-required countries are admitted for 30 days. The visa waiver extends that by a further 29 days, to 59 days with no deeper process.
Beyond 59 days you need further extensions from the Bureau of Immigration. They are routine, but each is a separate application, not a continuation of the waiver.
Fees
The official fee table carries the note that fees were last updated on 06 March 2014, and may change without prior notice. Treat the figures as indicative and confirm at the counter or on the day. The published figures are:
- The visa waiver extension is published at PHP 3,030.00 total.
- An adult from a non-visa-required country is published at PHP 4,400.00 for a one month extension beyond 59 days.
- An ACR I-Card for tourists is published at USD 50.00, with an express fee of PHP 500.00.
The ACR I-Card
On a long enough stay, the Alien Certificate of Registration card is a separate cost and a separate errand. It is not part of the waiver fee, so budgeting for the extension alone understates a long stay.
If you plan to keep returning for long stays, the Philippines’ retiree visa exempts its holders from the ACR I-Card and annual reporting altogether, and the SRRV opens at 40.