March 28, 2024

8 thoughts on “Our Balikbayan Journey 2019 – 3

  1. UJ,

    Howdy UJ, I figured you would have done the 13A visa by now also, vice scrambling to find flights etc and a hotel for a night or two in order to get that balikbayan stamp. From what I can gather, total cost to get the 13A will run about $420 bucks plus or minus a few bucks for those hidden tax stamp fees the gov always charges there. After you get the 13A, it’s good for a year, then renewal and good for 5 years at a pop after that, just required to check in with the local immigration office once a year, until the 5 year mark is up then renewal again. As we only go there about once every 5 years or so, the BB visa works fine for us cause we usually only stay about a month, then head back to tornado alley here in Oklahoma. I did however cancel this years trip just out of a feeling, the last 2 times we went there, my house here in Oklahoma was almost wiped out and had baseball size holes in my roof and busted windows etc by tornadoes and I got to watch it with about a 2 or 3 hour delay all on the local TV channels there, talk about a gut wrencher ..yikes !!

    John D.

    1. John D what part of OK do you live in? I own house in North Tulsa which was own by parents built in 1923 and it seems tornadoes by pass it. Only problem is during Ice Storms when trees start falling down but knock on wood the big walnut tree growing next to it has never fell on house. My brother lives in the house and I still have relatives which live all over Oklahoma. I hated the weather in Oklahoma when growing up why as soon as I turned 17 got the hell out and never looked back. Why I decided to Retire in Southern Calif. I go back once in a while just to check up on house and visit relatives but after 2 weeks the wife is ready to leave and get back to California.

      1. George,
        I live in Moore OK, the tornadoe bulls eye of OK haha. Know exactly what your talking about, the ice storms and tornadoes etc. We do have a walk in tornadoe shelter in the garage and lost all our trees to an ice storm about 4 years ago which i was glad to see happen cause i hated it when they leaves srarted falling in the fall, took me 2 or 3 days to clean em all up. I feel the same way about southern calif as you do about OK, spent a lot time there in the military around San Deigo, and being raised in central texas, calif just wasn’t my cup of tea. The military brought me here from virginia 26 years ago and i retired 2 years later and decided due mostly to the decent cost of living and the place didn’t rely on one major industry to support the local economy and jobs market is always good. Not that I’m fully retiring next year we decided to stay here as it makes no sense to pick up roots and start over someplace else.

        1. John D
          I think I have relatives living in Moore I know a bunch still live all over OK city. If you want to contact me to BS some more you can E-mail me at gbowdler.sr@gmail,com. UJ might not like for us to be using his site talking about other things.

          1. I love it when people talk to each other about Space-A things on here, but, yeah, I’d prefer you to talk about “other things” in “other places”.

    2. I’ve considered the 13a Visa, but I don’t think I can get it unless my wife declares dual-citizenship. She doesn’t want to do that for some reason of her own. We actually had a discussion about it yesterday and she seems to be caving in a little bit because she’s getting older and tired of having to travel out. Maybe soon it will all come together. I figure that with a 13a we could still travel but whenever we feel like it not because we have to.

      1. UJ have you checked into what catch 22 there are in being Duel Citizen? If Lita would also have to carry 2 Passports when Traveling entering and leaving the Philippines? Also if your require to file income Tax with both IRS and BIR?

        1. I think one of her issues is about the income tax. Carrying 2 passports is not a problem. I’m sure dual-citizens do it all the time. She said something about once she hits 70 that she doesn’t have to worry anymore. I’ll have to check into all that.

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