According to Teodulo Estrada, Head of the BI Student Desk, the BI recorded an increase of more than twenty percent (20%) in approved student visa applications which totalled 6,416.

“And the numbers are still rising! Many foreign students are still applying hoping to get a chance to enrol this first semester,” Estrada beamed.

Estrada adds that the increase was brought about by the liberalization of the rules and procedures for the filing of applications for Philippine student visas, which ultimately resulted in the increase.

He added that the highest number of student applicants were Korean nationals. Aside from the liberalized rules, Estrada stressed that another important factor is the quality education which the international students derive from the Philippines at a very affordable price, as compared to those offered by other countries.

Thus an applicant applying as the husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, same-sex partner, fiancé(e), or prospective civil partner of a UK citizen or a person settled in the UK must undergo and pass a required English language examination with one of the official test providers accredited by the UK Border Agency. Writing and reading skills are not required, however.

Applicants who are citizens of majority English-speaking countries are not required to undergo the language test.

Under the new regulation, the applicant must exhibit a basic command of spoken English and reach at least the A1 level based on the Common European Framework of Reference. Under the A1 level, the person can understand and use everyday simple expressions as well as very basic phrases.

The A1 level is similar to that required under Tier 2 (skilled workers) points-based system.

The official guidelines for the new requirement shall be published in the amended Immigration Rules sometime in September this year.

Located right smack in the middle of the Visayas region, it can be found 365 miles south of Manila, surrounded by 167 islets which comprise the Province of Cebu.

The province of Cebu is truly blessed in terms of geographic location since it is surrounded by larger islands which shield it from the storms usually passing the country’s area of responsibility several times a year. Another reason why there is an almost zero per cent rainfall in Cebu is that the pacific monsoon loses all its moisture and droplets on the islands surrounding Cebu before it even reaches the province.

There is also no known active volcano or active fault line within the province, rendering it safe from earthquake, tsunamis, and other natural calamities.

While the city proper of Cebu offers state of the art living, with facilities and amenities comparable to the highly urbanized Metro Manila, the other islands surrounding metro Cebu offer a stark contrast to the city that never sleeps.

The pristine beaches, crystal-clear water, and serene atmosphere of the white sandy seashores make Cebu one of the best sites for diving in the country. A number of the 167 islands which comprise the province remain uninhabited at present, thus making it virtually the personal paradise of adventurous vacationers who explore the islands as part of their tour.

But aside from these island activities, the city of Cebu offers a lot of other action-packed activities such as shopping for native art products and handicrafts, visits at several Roman Catholic Churches built during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, boat cruises, shopping at state of the art shopping malls situated in Cebu City proper, and trips to other nearby islands like Bohol, Leyte, Negros via a jet craft.

The tropical weather of the Philippines is one of the main reasons why most foreigners decide to settle down and consider the country as their second home for the remaining days of their lives.

The country consists of three major islands, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, each of which comprises several smaller isles totalling to 7,107 islands.

Luzon

In Luzon, one of the best places for a foreigner to settle and retire is Baguio City, a metropolitan area located within the Benguet Province, with an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters above sea-level. The crisp and cool climate of Baguio can be attributed to its high altitude giving it a temperature averaging from 15 to 23 degrees Celsius.

Cost of living in Baguio is relatively low except during the summer season when both local and international tourists flock to the City of Pines to escape the summer heat of the low-lying areas thus earning the city the moniker, “Summer Capital of the Philippines.”

Another province in Luzon which the potential retiree will definitely find irresistible is the first class province of Batangas, famous for its beaches with excellent diving spots.

Since the province is just a two hour drive from Metro Manila, it has become an ideal retirement haven for foreigners longing to experience the slow, serene and relaxed lifestyle of the rural community without straying too far from Manila.

Since the Province of Batangas is geographically blessed with several mountains as well as wide-ranging shorelines, it has often been referred to as the “Land of Rolling Hills and Wide Shorelands.”

For great beaches and crystal clear waters, the best places to retire in Batangas are: Anilao in Mabini, Matabungkay in Lian, Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Calatagan, and Taal.

Visayas

In the Visayas region, Cebu also known as the “Queen City of the South” is definitely the number one choice for a retirement destination. In terms of geographic location, the “Queen City” has truly lived up to its royal name since it is protected by several islands surrounding it, thus shielding her from storms and other natural calamities such as tsunamis and hurricanes.

Another preferred retirement destination in the Visayas area is Boracay. Its pristine white sand almost as pure as baby powder, coupled with its crystal clear water has always attracted both local and international visitors. These plus the excellent diving sites has consistently become the reason why temporary beachcombers and backpackers decide to live on a permanent basis in Boracay.

Mindanao

If a prospective retiree wants to spend the rest of his remaining days in the Garden of Eden, then Camiguin Island is absolutely the place where he or she should settle down. Camiguin is naturally gifted with not only a hot spring, but a spring that discharges cold water as well. The island is also gifted with several natural and majestic waterfalls, white sandy beaches, and a lush forest that remains virgin to this date.

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), the population of the island province of Camiguin is the second smallest in the Philippines with a population of merely 74,232 inhabitants. Thus, the retiree will definitely experience absolute peace and quiet as there are relatively a few people living in the island.

Another city that is protected from typhoon by surrounding land formations is the City of Davao. The foreign retiree will definitely not experience any storm or tsunami if he settles in this city, the largest in Mindanao.

Also referred to as the “Crown City of Mindanao,” Davao is reputed to be the third “most important urban center” in the country. Should the foreigner decide to retire in Davao, one advantage is that the countries of Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the United States have established their respective consular offices in the city due to the unexpected influx of nationals of these countries in  the Crown City.

This is because Filipinos love to cook and eat.

The Filipinos passion for cooking and eating can be traced from their ancestors which are a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indonesian, and even that of the Spaniards who ruled the country for more than three hundred (300) years.

For fine dining, one of the best places to go is La Cocina de Tita Moning located right inside the Malacanang Palace grounds in San Miguel, Manila, near the official residence of no less than the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

The ambience is that of the old Manila, as the restaurant is set in the actual ancestral home of the Legarda family with the original heirlooms, priceless works of art and memorabilia of the grand old house still intact. House specialties are the paella and bread pudding which you will come back for again and again.

Other fine dining restaurants are Antonio’s in Tagaytay, Kusina Salud in San Pablo, Laguna, Charley’s in Lipa, Batangas, Entalula, in Palawan, and Vieux Chalet, in Antipolo City.

Filipinos are fast eaters by nature. They want their food served fast, and they devour it swiftly as well. Thus the reason for the wide acceptance and success of fast foods such as Jollibbee, Chow King, Goto King, Greenwich, and the other US franchises such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Shakey’s.

Aside from fine dining and fast food, another proof that Filipinos are such voracious eaters is the proliferation of street food, which are patronized by almost all sectors of society from the A to the D crowd.

These street foods consists of either fish balls, squid balls, dumplings, fried bananas or sweet potatoes on a stick, fried quail eggs dipped in a batter and fried, and of course the Philippines most unique street food “balut,” which is boiled duck egg.

Yes Filipinos truly love to eat. From fine dining, to fast food, to street food, you cook it, they eat it.

• K1 Fiancee Visa
• K3 Marriage Visa
• US Tourist Visa (B-1, B-2 Visas)
• Adjustment of Status
  

K1 Visa

Do you want to marry your Filipino fiancé/e in the United States? The K-1 Visa allows you to get married within three months of your loved one’s arrival in the USA. Your fiancé/ e can also take his children along by filing an application for a K-2 derivative visa.

K3 Visa


The K-3 Visa is a multiple-entry Non-Immigrant Visa which allows your Filipino spouse to stay with you in the United States. However, K-3 Visa holders still have to file for Adjustment of Status in order to become a Lawful Permanent Resident of the USA. You may also take your spouse’s children with you to the United States by filing an application for a K-4 derivative visa.

US Tourist Visa


The US Tourist Visa is granted to people who want to visit the United States for a certain limited period of time for the purpose of business (B-1), holiday (B-2), or medical treatment (B-2). The applicant must show valid ties to the Philippines to be eligible for approval of this visa status.

Adjustment of Status

If you want your spouse to be a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States and enjoy the same immigration benefits, he/ she must file for Adjustment of Status in order to secure an immigrant visa without having to leave the USA.

CR-1

If your Filipino spouse intends to be able to work immediately upon arrival in the USA, it would be best to file an application for a CR-1 Visa. This Conditional Resident status would enable them to receive the same benefits as that of a Permanent Resident of the United States. The conditional status can be lifted before the end of your spouse’s second year as a conditional resident.

Securing a US tourist visa is not a simple task. There are a lot of strict conditions and requirements that need to be complied with before the highly coveted B-1/B-2 visa may be issued.

Not even a fully accomplished visa application, and a complete set of required documents can guaranty the automatic approval of the very elusive US visitor visa.

In more than a few occasions, applicants who are confident of being granted a us tourist visa get shocked by its denial due to unexpected turn of events.

Applicant must overcome presumption of intending immigrant

One of the most common reasons for the denial of an application for a us visitor visa is the failure of the applicant to prove that he has no intention of abandoning his country of origin.

Under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), there is a legal presumption that all applicants for US visasintend to acquire an immigrantstatus upon entry in the US.

With above presumption, the applicant has the burden of proving otherwise by presenting evidences showing his strong ties to his country of origin.

What constitute strong ties?

As proof that the applicant does not intend to stay in the US on a permanent basis, he should present evidences such as gainful employment; strong family ties; a profitable business which is hard to let go; or ownership of vast properties difficult to dispose of, among others.

Further, the applicant must show that due to the above strong ties, he has no inclinations of staying permanently in the US, no matter how tempting theliving conditions therein may be.

Aside from the temporary nature of the visit, the applicant must likewise show that he possesses the financial capability to support his brief stay in the country.

In sum, the two most important proofs that must be furnished the US official conducting the interview are the following: a) that there is a bona fide intention to return to the country of origin; and b) that applicant is financially capable to pay for his stay.

The Secret To A Favorable Grant

The secret to an almost guaranteed approval of a US tourist visa is to BE BRIEF!

As long as the applicant proves that his intended stay in the US is temporary, then the chances of approval of the visa application are high.

Furthermore, applicants must establish the truthfulness of the following circumstances, in order to prove his intention of returning to his country of origin:

• _· That he maintains a residence outside the US which he has no intention of abandoning
• _· That he is in possession of a valid passport
• _· That he has means to financially support himself while in the country
• _· That he has social and economic ties in his country of origin
• _· That he will depart at the end of his authorized stay

Two types of US visitor visa

There are two types of US visitor visas: a) the B-1, which is used mainly for business purposes; and b) the B-2, which is availed of usually for pleasure as well as medical or health reasons.

In most cases however, since most business travelers also indulge in tourist activities during their visit, US customs officials generally issue a combined B-1/B-2 visa.

A US visitor visa is customarily granted a validity period of a minimum of three (3) months or a maximum period of ten (10) years. Every visit is however, limited to a maximum stay of six (6) months.

Note should be taken that the expiration date for the visitor visa is different from the authorized length of stay in the US. Said length of stay is a matter left to the discretion of the US immigration inspector at the portofentry.

B-1 visa

B-1 visas are applied for by foreign applicants who intend to meet with their international business associates; negotiate contracts; settle estates; appear in court trials; or attend professional conferences or conventions.

The foreign visitor, although on a business trip in the US, is nevertheless not allowed to accept any form of income or payment from any US source, except for payments received for incidental expenses.

B-2 visa

B-2 visas, on the other hand, are availed of by the applicant for pleasure or tourist travel. Activities for this kind of visa include sight-seeing; visiting friends and relatives; health reasons or medical treatment;or participation in social conventions or seminars. It may be issued in either a “single” or “multiple” entry format.

Under US immigration laws, foreigners intending to enter the country for medical, health or emergency situations using a B-2 visa are still required to submit proof of their strong ties with their home country.

The following are considered as “medical” or “emergency” situations:

• Visiting an ailing family member
• Attending a funeral
• Donating an organ, bone marrow, etc. for transplant to a family member
• Seeking medical treatment in the United States

(Supporting documents relating to the foregoing instances are generally not required to be submitted by the applicant but may be requested by the consular officer on the basis of his discretion.)

Procedure for application of a US tourist visa

1. Upon payment of the machine-readable application fee and the completion of all the basic documents required, the interview must be scheduled within one (1) year from the date of actual payment.

1. An interview appointment may be scheduled either through the:a) Embassy Call Center; or through the b) VisaPoint system. (VisaPoint ™ is a web-based information and appointment system available to applicants for U.S. non-immigrant visas. This system is available in both English and Tagalog and allows applicants to schedule an appointment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and see all available dates and times on the computer screen.)
   1. Interview proper

If the visa application is approved, the average visa processing time usually takes approximately one (1) week, depending on the volume of the visa issuances. Thus, the applicant will more likely receive the passport with the US Visa attached therein one (1) week after the approval.

The issuance of a visa is not a sure-fire guarantee that the applicant will be allowed entry in the US sincesaid holders are still subject to the scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials who are likewise empowered to deny entry even to valid tourist visa holders.