Philippine Travel Tax & Tax Exemption

To date, the Philippine Travel Tax Rates are as follows:

	FIRST CLASS PASSAGE	ECONOMY CLASS PASSAGE
Full Travel Tax	PHP 2,700.00	PHP 1,620
Standard Reduced Travel Tax	PHP 1,350.00	PHP 810.00
Privileged Reduced Travel Tax for a Dependents of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)	PHP 400.00	PHP 300.00

But, many have asked me if  US Green Card holders have to pay for travel tax when leaving the Philippines. So, who has  to pay and who are exempted ?  According to the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA),  US permanent residents or Green Card holders who are staying in the Philippines for not more than one (1) year are exempted to pay for travel tax fee of PHP 1,620 when leaving the Philippines,  only if  they can provide the Travel Tax exemption Certificate issued by the PTA. To obtain the certificate,  individual  have to go to the Philippine Tourism office /travel tax offices and present your original passport, Green Card and a processing fee of  200PHP per certificate.  When checking in to your respective airline, present the tax exemption certificate along with your unexpired passports,  Green Cards and airline tickets. If you don't have the certificate with you,  the custom officer that will check your passport will  send you to the travel tax booth located at the airport.

For more information on the tax exemption and requirement for availability, visit the Philippine Tourism  and the TIEZA ( Tourism Infrastructure and Zone Authority) websites.



THE FOLLOWING ARE SUBJECT TO THE PHILIPPINE TRAVEL TAX:

1. Citizens of the Philippines  (except for citizens and family members who are covered by  R.A. 6768)

2. Taxable Foreign Passport Holders (Table 1)

3. Non-immigrant foreign passport holders who have stayed in the Philippines for more than one (1) year (Table 2)

 

 

 

 

"Airfare Shopping from Manila to USA"

So, it has been 3 months since my brother was issued an immigrant visa to come to the US. His visa will expire in April, but he's going to enter the US before the expiration.
 I've been shopping  for his airfare  and the cheapest I found is 909$ for one way at cheapOair.com. The itinerary for that price is MNL-NRT-ORD, through Japan Airlines & American Airlines. From  Chicago, he's going to fly to our nearest airport.
Expedia.com 's airfare for the same itinerary is $916 which is not bad compared to   CheapTickets.com airfare cost through Delta AirLines which is  $1,169, so that's definitely off the table.  I searched other airline booking sites but so far CheapOair  is on my top list. Hopefully by February I will be able to book for his flight.

Form I-130 for Sister of USC

Nov. 15, 2013- This day, I send my I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative- siblings of USC) packet application to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox for my married sister.

I have included the following supporting documents in the  Package:

* Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
*Filled and Signed Form I-130  (Me)
*Personal check of $420- processing fee for I-130
*Copy of Petitioner's US Passport (Me)
*Copy of Petitioner's Naturalization Certificate
*Copy of Petitioner's Birth Certificate- evidence that shows petitioner and sister have one common Mother/parents
*Copy of Petitioner's Marriage Certificate- Proof of legal name changed

*Copy of Beneficiary's Birth Certificate- (sister)
*Copy of Beneficiary's Marriage Certificate- proof of legal name changed


In my country, the visa availability for Siblings of US Citizen is two decades unless something change on the US Immigration process along the way.

Update:
Nov.22, 2013- I received an email and text notification from USCIS informing me that they have received my I-130 Petition for my sister.

Citizenship and Updating Immigration Status at Social Security Administration (SSA)

As you may know or may not know,  I came here on Fiancé Visa or K1. After I got married, I applied for SSN and AOS. I was issued an SSN #  but with a note on the card that says "FOR DHS AUTHORIZATION ONLY". It just means, that without EAD or Green Card, I won't be allowed to work. So, back in 2006, few months after I got married,  I applied for Employment Authorization together with my Adjustment of Status. It didn't take me long to  get the EAD card in the mail . When I got hired, my employer  asked me for my EAD and SSN card.  A month or two, I got the 2 yr. conditional GC, so I gave my current employer a copy of my GC to update my status. Ninety days before my 2 yr. GC expired we filed for the removal of my conditional status. Me and my husband were interviewed together at our local USCIS. After the interview, I was approved and was given a I-551 card for 1 yr extension of my permanent residency while waiting for the actual 10yr GC in the mail.  For some reason, there was a delay of the issuance of my GC. I think because, we moved to a new place and we had to changed our address. So, instead of waiting, I applied for Naturalization. because by that time I was already qualified for file for N400 based on the 3 yr. permanent residency rule, married to the same US citizen spouse. I made a copy of my 2yr GC and the 1 yr. extension card and mailed it together with my N400 application plus some civil documents that were required in filing. Less than a year from filing, I had an interview and passed it. Jan2010, I took an oath and became a United States Citizen.
Right after the oath taking, there were voters registration outside available for us that day whomever wants to register to vote which I did.

After all these years, I did not update my SSN status until today, Nov.8, 2013. The reason of the delay is because I did not change employer where they never ask me again my SSN card. Anyway, we went to the Social Security Administration Office today, 11/8/13  and updated the status of my immigration. I downloaded a form from SSA website and filled it out with my information and brought it to their office with my naturalization certificate and US passport. It only took them 10minutes to update in their system . After that, I was given a receipt showing the date of my visit and I should have my new card  with no restriction on it ( but same #)  in about 2 weeks.

UPDATE: Nov. 15, 2013- I got my new Social Security Card today with no restriction written.

VISA ON HAND (F2a)

Nov. 4, 2013, my brother picked-up the visa packet at 2GO Gaisano Branch, Davao City. His interview was on Oct 29th, and the visa was issued the next day (oct 30). But because of the weekend and the  observance of All Souls day and All Saints day in the Philippines, it wasn't delivered on time. The visa was available for picked-up at 2GO branch after 4 business days from the date it was issued.

VISA ISSUED- CEAC Status

Less than 24 hrs from the interview, we checked the status of my brother's visa application at the CEAC website and to our surprised it's now say ISSUED, very quick indeed. We are expecting to have the visa delivered by 2GO this week.

F2a, unmarried child of LPR under 21yrs old- Interview Done-APPROVED

Oct 29, 2013 at 6:30am, was my brother's immigrant  Visa Interview at the US Embassy in Manila. Approximately 21months from his priority date of Jan 20, 2012. According to him, there were already a lot of people in-line outside the embassy when he got there at 4:30am.  His interview was done at 11:00am. He was interviewed by a Filipino consul first which asked him more questions than the American CO. The final interview was with the American CO, which only took about 1 minute as he speak.
Questions were:
His name & Date of Birth
Name & Date of Birth of the Petitioner
What does she does for living? (petitioner)- Mom is unemployed
American CO asked him who is ( Me, and my Husband)?.. We are the co-sponsors and his sister and bro-in law.
Job/s of co-sponsors
What date/year , mom immigrated to the US?
He was also asked, on what year I (co-sponsor) came to the US.


At the Filipino CO, he was asked to provide his baptismal certificate. We did not expect them to ask for one but we're glad my brother had it with him during the interview. The Embassy returned back all the photographs and some of the original documents that we submitted at the NVC, like, co-sponsors marriage and birth certificates.
After the interview, he was told by the American CO, that his visa is APPROVED. He also seen the consul stamped APPROVED after the interview. He was instructed to proceed to 2GO, the visa courier for final steps. 

3 weeks before his interview I sent a duplicate copy of all the paper works/documents that I've sent to NVC to my brother. He wasn't asked any of those. Contrary to what others say, that the US Embassy in Manila might asked for the new DS260 Form, my brother wasn't ask to provide the new Online Immigrant Application form, this is because he already submitted the old DS230 Form prior to the implementation of DS260, which was before Sept 1. 2013.

PRIORITY DATE- JAN 20,2012
DATE OF APPROVAL- JUNE 11,2013
CASE COMPLETE- SEPT 6,2013
Interview letter received- Oct 15,2013 (expedite approved)
Interview Date- Oct 29, 2013