Getting a Visa Extension From Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

This post will explain getting a visa extension from Tacloban.

It covers getting the first visa waiver extension as well as subsequent longer term visas.

I had decided to live in Baybay (Leyte) for a few months whilst working on SurvivalFtinessPlan.com, which meant the closest BI Office was in Tacloban.

From Baybay it cost 150php and took two hours to get to Tacloban by minibus.

Featured Image: View of the bridge from Tacloban to Samar (behind the palm trees) taken from one of the better hotels in the city.

Getting a Visa Extension From Tacloban

Getting my first Visa Extension from Tacloban was a very easy process… once you find the place.

Visa Waiver Extension

6th June 2016

First I went to the Engineering building as directed by google. According to the lovely ladies that worked there the immigration office had been moved to the Provincial Capitol. After a short walk I arrived there but the immigration office was not there either. The security guard sent me to Tacloban City Hall. Unfortunately it was not there either, but it was pretty close by. Check the map below for the exact spot of where.

When I arrived there were only two other foreigners there, but they where chatting/filling out paperwork, so I was immediately served. The process was super easy since I had eveything, i.e., a filled out visa extention form (which can be printed from … or can be obtained at the immigration office), a 2 x 2 inch passport style photo (on white background), 2 x photocopies of your passport front page and a photocopy of your latest enty stamp onto the Philippines. I didnt have one of the photocopies but they have a photocopy machine there and it only costs 5php. They do not have the ability to take the 2 x 2 inch photo so make sure you have that. Also, the paperwork requires two character references from people in the Philippines.

So I gave the guy all this along with 3230php. Not more than 15 minutes later he gave me back my passport with my 29 day visa extension. He also informed me that I could get the next extension from Tacloban also, as opposed to having to go to Cebu or Manila (which I had read on the internet), which is a big relief.

While waiting for the rain to stop I got talking to another foreigner. I meet lots of interesting people during my travels and usually don’t mention them (and I’ll keep his identity anonymus upon his request) but the part I want to mention that he was a PUA.

For those that don’t know, PUA stands for Pick Up Artist, i.e., someone whom studies the art of picking up women. This was something I delved into a little when I was in my late teens / early twenties but never really got fully into it. I guess I’m more of a “one girl at a time” type of guy, but the subject is very interesting none-the-less. This guy is actually friends with some of the more famous PUA’s, e.g., David D, Tyler Durden, and others.

We only hanged out for a couple of hours but from what I seen he was quite good at his craft, although, by his own admission, it is not hard for foreigners to get a Filipina’s number. In any case, I was impressed by his simple yet very effective routine /formula to get a number. I won’t go into it here but it was pretty easy to replicate.

Visa Extension

Planned date: 11 July 2016

The next time I will go to Tacloban I will get a two month extension and I was told it costs about 8000php. Then the one after that will only cost 2000php. The guy at immigration said it alternates like that, i.e., every second time is more expensive.

There is the option of a six month visa which would cost 13,000 but I only plan to stay until November. Economically it is better for me to get two 2-month extensions.

Once I have actually gone to get the extension I will update this post.

Getting to the B.I. Tacloban

Getting from anywhere to anywhere in the city of Tacloban is 8php/person by tricycle. The Bureau of Immigration in Tacloban is close to City Hall. If you go to City Hall you have to walk out to the road (Magsaysay Avenue) and head north. Up on the hill (as you look inland) you will see a “big” building. There was some construction happening the first time I went there.

Have you had experience getting a visa extension from Tacloban? Help other readers out with your tips and/or updated information (or anything else you want to say) in the comments